What are you drinking ?

[jt]

Ok, so What Are You Brewing was a hotty, as topics go.

Now I'm 15 pints into a keg I only filled on Tuesday and wondering if anyone else has a favourite at the moment ?

It's my second brown with US-Oh05 and it's better than the forst, maybe Ikept the temps down a bit during the scorcher we had in januray

[Mike Neilson]

I disagree!!! Literature only counts for 1% relevance to hop used in the beer per malt grist per yeast strain per blah blah blah!!!

Literature/ Nose/ Taste / Gut Feeling yeah theres a better argument,

[Nolen Smith]

Right.. so I've just returned this morning from my 2 week jaunt to the US under the guise of speaking at a conference and visiting family, but it was really all about beer. I had intended to take detailed notes of all my tastings and experiences, but you know what happens to best laid plans... Anyway, some highlights (and a few lowlights)

- Racer 5 IPA from Bear Republic Brewery,

- The Rogue bar in San Fran. They don't brew it there but have all the Rogue stuff, mostly on tap (did my best to get through them all - man, wish I had those notes).

- San Fran Brewhouse Pub. Blew me away 6 months ago, sucked this time. Beers all seemed stale.

- The Flying Saucer pub, over 200 beers on tap.... yes ON TAP. I got through 8, must get back there.

- Big surprise, my home town of Little Rock, AR's Diamond Bear Brewery. The Presidential IPA singed my taste buds.

- The shitty chest cold I caught 3 days before leaving, thus screwing my plans for further research.

- Finally, for the first time I could really tell the difference between Pacific NW pales/IPAs and Mid South/Central pales/IPAs - totally different hop characters. Don't yet know how to describe it, but I could taste it. Is that a sign of maturity?

Next year... East Coast Ales.

[Doublehoppy]

Racer 5 IPA...I take it that that was one of the highlights?

A mate brought me back a bottle from a trip to Chico, CA a couple of weeks ago, reminds me that I haven't opened it yet.

[Daniel Parker]

Can you please tell me what the expiry date is on your bottle.. I have heard that they only have a three month expiry (it takes us 2 months to get beer into NZ by ship, hence the question)

Daniel

[Doublehoppy]

I can't see an expiry date. Possibly it's 05 05 ?? The printing isn't very clear so I'm not sure if that's an expiry date, mfg date or something unconnected.

[Mike Neilson]

Hmm 09 Smoking Bishop and a bierre de garde nice!!!!!

[Stu McKinlay]

yeh, I've got a dozen bish at home... well, I've got ten left!

[Mike Neilson]

Its my Favorite beer and as I said I have unfinished business with it after that 1 ill bottle I had!! I wounder what I done to upset it?

Anyway Wellingtonians get down to Glenngarry $1 Mata Bottles while stocks last!!

Old stock as of 10/08 but who gives a shit $12 bucks a doz that will make the Tui man bar up!!

[Mike Neilson]

Wow Smoking Bishops a bit of allright, first larger I have had since I the Tuatara visit, man they have dirty noses!! But so so good!! I can see why you would want to age these realy now

[David Wood]

Yeastie Boys Kid Chocolate and Invercargill Not on your Nally side by side tonight. Yeastie Boys win.

[Steph]

Ah, where did you try the both of them?

[Reviled]

Pliny clone, goddamn its just getting more and more drinkable! Might be cos i just finished the late shift at work? lol

The bad news is im down to less than half a keg :o(