The Beer Thread • Page 16

I love psuedoSue. I've managed to get a bunch of bottles and fresh cans of it over here in the UK which I was very happy about.

 

Currently drinking (at work) a pint of my homebrewed Four Roses Bourbon Black Ale – a 9% "black IPA" (ugh I hate that term) aged on oak chips soaked in Four Roses bourbon.

 

I don't think I've ever had a "black ipa"

 

I've had a few. Not bad, but I prefer regular IPAs.

 

It's like a hoppy stout, but not as roasty. My favorites – outside of my own which I think is really effing good – are Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous (RIP!!!) and Firestone-Walker Wookey Jack. 21st Amendment Back In Black is pretty good too, and Pipeworks makes a hopped-up stout called Close Encounter that is pretty much just a black IPA.

 

They're also known as Cascadian Dark Ales, American Black Ales (which is what I prefer), India Black Ales, or India Dark Ales.

Does anyone else in here homebrew? I've got a pound of hops I need to use up so I'm brewing another IPA this weekend, probably with some honey added (a la HopSlam) and possibly with Heady Topper yeast, which a local yeast lab harvested and produces.

 

Black IPAs are definitely strange, they are like halfway between a porter and like, an ale? With some hops, I dunno I've never had one that wowed me

 

Porters are ales but yeah, black IPA's are not as roasty as stouts, but they're hoppy like IPA's. There are some good versions out there for sure. The one I brew has a nice chocolate character (I think the bourbon helps bring that out) that pairs well with citrusy hops. It's what I like about the Pipeworks "Close Encounters" too.

 

Yeah yeah yeah, I guess I refer to ales as lighter amber or red beers, whateverrrrrrr

 

Oh look at this, a Founders tap takeover where I just happen to be right now

 

KBS?

 

Jealous.

 

Drinking Magic Hat #9. Very light and drinkable. I wasn't sure what to expect with a "not quite pale ale", but it's a bit like a light bock.

 

it ended up being 4 taps, and I got the flight of all 4

Mango Magnifico
Mosaic Promise
Red's Rye IPA
Porter

my favorite was definitely the porter, they do dark beers so well. Had no idea the mango ad habenero in it, so that was a surprise. And the Mosaic Promise was a really great IPA from someone who isn't huge on IPAs

 

I've got my first attempt at it, a double IPA, in secondary fermentation right now. I'm going to dry hop it in a couple weeks and probably bottle a week after that. I'm really hoping it turns out ok, ha

 

I'd like to give homebrewing a go when I have more time

 

I brewed two beers and I wasn't very good at it. I didn't like either of them (a brown ale and a stout), but some other people did (so they were at least drinkable). I need to take another crack at it.

 

I'd like to try once I can make the investment and find a good place to put it.

 

I've made a couple of beers.
The first beer I ever attempted was a Mint Chocolate stout which turned out alright. Played around with a few ideas since. Currently have a Chocolate orange Stout sitting fermenting.

 

I bough a 4-pack of Funky Buddha More Moro Blood Orange IPA yesterday. Just drank my first one and it was fantastic. I had it on tap last year and wasn't overly impressed, but I've since heard it was different last year for whatever reason. Glad I gave it another try. The orange flavor is strong, but just right to not completely overtake it.

 

Interesting selection. I wouldn't say any of those are among my favorite Founders beers, but I like all of them (other than Mango Manifico, which I haven't tried).

 

Yeah I was thinking that it probably was more of the standards than anything too exciting and different. You have to remember that Founders is new to California as of this year though, so anything from them is essentially new to us

 

Actually, only the Porter is really a standard of those four. Mosaic Promise is a beer to benefit ArtPrize here in Grand Rapids and is only available about half the year. Red Rye is a year-round, but is only available on draft. I don't even know how often they brew Mango Magnifico, because it's not on their website anywhere.

Which other Founders beers have you tried since they started distributing out there?

 

shows what I know!! Haha. I've had Breakfast Stout which I loved, and All Day IPA which was good enough but didn't excite me really. There are many more I would like to try however

 

The Breakfast Stout is one of my absolute favorites, definitely. The All Day IPA is good for throwing back like water, but is never my first choice. I prefer the Centennial from them for IPAs. My favorite Founders beer right now (other than KBS, which I'm not counting on having again any time soon) is Curmudgeon Ale, which is a really tasty old ale. I recommend that one, if you come across it.