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I haven't had a beer in almost three weeks; tonight, I had been planning to open a bottle of French wine, but may now succumb to a beer, instead.

So, instead of the usual grape versus grain debate, the debate may become a bit more focussed: An offering from Founder's, or one from Rochefort?
 
One for each hand...:oops:

Actually, I still have a cough - surprisingly resonant.

No, the one for each hand will most certainly not happen. Not tonight.

The only debate is 1) whether I will have a beer (as the wine bottle was replaced in the cellar, having sat on a coaster gazing at me for a while), and 2) if so, which one. That debate has boiled down to a Founder's versus Rochefort.

Actually, it has boiled down to a choice between Founder's (and, for some inexplicable reason, my eye and hand fell upon the neck of a bottle of Backwoods Bastard - although the Founder's Mosaic does look enticing, too), or a Trappist Rochefort 10......

The Trappist Rochefort 10 was put into my mind by the plethora of posts on that very topic earlier in the day....
 
Wine usually irritates a cough for me. I find the fizzy nature of a good beer clears of any remaining irritation. Go with the beer. Better yet, enjoy two of them hours apart.
 
It's hard to top a brewery like cantillon. And I am not sure how big craft beer has grown in Europe. But the sheer number of breweries in the us is mind boggling. Hill farmstead. Three floyds. Can get up there in quality. You just need to like more intense beers.
 
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It's hard to top a brewery like cantillon. And I am not sure how big craft beer has grown in Europe. But the sheer number of breweries in the us is mind boggling. Hill farmstead. Three floyds. Can get up there in quality. You just need to like more intense beers.
Recently spoke to a person from Cheshire who said the craft scene is slowly growing. As time goes on, I think we're going to see the crummy low end-low quality craft breweries in the US close down due to the better competition. I remember when the craft scene was exploding several years ago, it was common to buy 20 beers, enjoy 4-5 of them and the remaining beers to be bleak.
 
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It's hard to top a brewery like cantillon. And I am not sure how big craft beer has grown in Europe. But the sheer number of breweries in the us is mind boggling. Hill farmstead. Three floyds. Can get up there in quality. You just need to like more intense beers.

Well, as a matter of fact, I do like the more - 'intense' - beers as you so charmingly describe it.

Recently spoke to a person from Cheshire who said the craft scene is slowly growing. As time goes on, I think we're going to see the crummy low end-low quality craft breweries in the US close down due to the better competition. I remember when the craft scene was exploding several years ago, it was common to buy 20 beers, enjoy 4-5 of them and the remaining beers to be bleak.

Agreed.

In Europe, and in the UK and Ireland the craft beer, and artisan beer scene has indeed exploded. However, as you have so rightly pointed out, the quality of some (and occasionally much) of what is on offer is pretty variable.

Still, I like the idea that it exists, if not always the execution of these ideas, and sometimes, truly 'experimental' beers cause my heart to sink.

Nevertheless, at their best, they can offer some superb beers, drawing on local traditions, - some of which were in danger of dying out - and often using high quality - and sometimes, natural - ingredients.

Actually, I have to say that I have learned quite a lot about beers form these threads, and have had some outstanding beers recommended by some who post here, for which I am profoundly grateful.

Had I not been a member - and somewhat prolific poster - here, I would never have heard of - or thought to try - Founder's beers.

And that brings me to my next point: Founder's won the toss, this evening, for I am siping a glass of Founder's Backwoods Bastard as I write.
 
Yes, and as you said before, this is the first forum you ever signed up for. :) On the topic of bad beers, I'd like to pretend and think there's a hidden Pinterest like site for individuals and or groups wishing to develop beers but would like to half-handily go about doing it.
 
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Yes, and as you said before, this is the first forum you ever signed up for. :) On the topic of bad beers, I'd like to pretend and think there's a hidden Pinterest like site for individuals and or groups wishing to develop beers but would like to half-handily go about doing it.

Yes, it is. Somewhat surprised that you remembered that.

Since then, I have joined LinkedIn (which is exclusively used for professional matters) and Twitter, which is somewhat more of a hybrid, - it is very useful for breaking information, and for access to some sources - but which, because I post under my own name, I am a lot more restrained in what I post and in what I actually discuss.

But, a bottle of Founder's is going down rather well.
 
To be fair you couldn't have made a bad choice...

No, agreed. Both were - and are - excellent.

But one is quite enough (and that tells its own tale). It is going down very pleasantly, but I am already feeling it, and will be more than happy to fall into bed when I have drained, - um finished - the glass.
 
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A glass of Riesling, specifically, a Riesling Kremstal Reserve from the Muller vineyard in Austria. This is a lovely, clear, crisp, balanced, refreshing wine, straw yellow in the glass, and not too sweet on the palate.
 
My wife uses Untapped, she's over 400 beers I think lol. I think it makes suggestions as well based on what your drinking or like.
The best app i have on my phone! also for vivino
[doublepost=1468190314][/doublepost]This is making me want to get a beer. I like it.
 
Tonight's beer was also from the Founder's stable: A bottle (well, two) of 'Sumatra Mountain Brown - Imperial Brown Ale Brewed With Sumatra Coffee', a rater lovely seasonal beer.
 
Warm today. Did commercial and had a few Laguanitas IPAs. Not as refreshing as I thought they'd be. I think a Belgian would have sufficed. Had company over for lunch, opened up a couple bottles of VC. Somethings changed. It doesn't taste like stuffing your mouth full of sweet challah and going down in a blaze of yeastiness. More bright, sharp flavors. Or the beer had gotten to me already.
 
Warm today. Did commercial and had a few Laguanitas IPAs. Not as refreshing as I thought they'd be. I think a Belgian would have sufficed. Had company over for lunch, opened up a couple bottles of VC. Somethings changed. It doesn't taste like stuffing your mouth full of sweet challah and going down in a blaze of yeastiness. More bright, sharp flavors. Or the beer had gotten to me already.

What is a 'VC' - in the context of a beer discussion?
 
Correct. It's typically initialized in wine circles in the states. I forget that not everyone is from the US on forums... It's a solid winery for quality champagne but it's nothing too exciting. Anyway, it made the pain of planning an event more enjoyable.
 
Correct. It's typically initialized in wine circles in the states. I forget that not everyone is from the US on forums... It's a solid winery for quality champagne but it's nothing too exciting. Anyway, it made the pain of planning an event more enjoyable.

No, some of us are not from the US and find some of the acronyms commonly in use there completely incomprehensible - especially in the field of wine and beer production, not least, because, I am pretty familiar with the terms used by European brewers and winemakers.

Anyway, thanks for the clarification and I hope you enjoyed your evening.
 
Had half a bottle of whatever pinot noir left from a few nights ago that hadn't soured in the fridge. Couldn't think of what to do with it because of the weather, and then recalled Tinto de Verano, except I used San Pellegrino and some ice. Getting a vague licorice aftertaste from the wine diluted.
 
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Had half a bottle of whatever pinot noir left from a few nights ago that hadn't soured in the fridge. Couldn't think of what to do with it because of the weather, and then recalled Tinto de Verano, except I used San Pellegrino and some ice. Getting a vague licorice aftertaste from the wine diluted.

An interesting combination.
 
An interesting combination.
And very old. It's common in a lot of European countries. Having their own take, that is. There's old text from centuries ago stating that drinking undiluted wine was barbaric and uncouth. Wine and beers, to my knowledge, back then, were nothing like today's alcohol. It was very diluted then.
 
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And very old. It's common in a lot of European countries. Having their own take, that is. There's old text from centuries ago stating that drinking undiluted wine was barbaric and uncouth. Wine and beers, to my knowledge, back then, were nothing like today's alcohol. It was very diluted then.

As far as I know, they watered them directly, (certainly, the Romans did) and few vintages lasted more than a year or two.

Nowadays, some of us drink water alongside - but separately - from - wine.

The past few nights, I have mostly had beers - mostly sours, the gooseberry sour (Trolltunga, which is excellent) and their first rate raspberry sour "Red Raspberry Rye' - from the excellent Buxton Brewery in the UK, and tonight, I am sipping a superb beer from The Wild Beer Co from the UK.
 
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