December 23, 2011
“Plays Well With Others” -Beerford’s Pre-School Teacher
I was merrily shopping away at my local bottle shop when I ran across a new collaboration brew that excited me to an embarrassing level. Turns out that Stone Brewing, Elysian Brewing and The Bruery have collectively created a beer together called La Citrueille Céleste de Citracado. I actually haven’t consumed it yet (I’m saving it for something special), but this beer reminded me that collaboration really seems to be all the rage these days. Though I’m pretty psyched to see these breweries working together, I think we can do better. So, fellow Aleheads, let’s see if we can improve on this near-perfection: Tell us what two breweries would you like to see create a collaboration together? Further, please describe (and, of course, name) the beer you would like to see them create.
No further rules. Go get it. Read the rest of this entry »
4 Comments | 
Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Bear Republic Brewing, boulevard brewing, Brewery Ommegang, Collaboration, Dogfish Head, Elysian Brewing, Founders Brewing, Jester King Brewing, La Citrueille Celeste de Citracado, Lagunitas Brewing, New Belgium Brewing, Notch Brewing, Port Brewing, Russian River Brewing, Saint Arnold Brewing, Stone Brewing, The Bruery, Toronado San Francisco | 
Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
November 23, 2011
The experts say to brine your turkey in your favorite wine or beer for 24 hours before you deep-fry it. I assume that my fellow Aleheads, some of whom haven’t had a bottle of wine in the house in six months, will go with beer.
So we asked the Aleheads what beer they’ll be using to brine their deep-fried turkey. We got some predictably inscrutable responses.
Read the rest of this entry »
6 Comments | Beerford's Conundra, Holidays | Tagged: Cooking, fried turkey, lagunitas brown shugga, milkman brewing, Thanksgiving, Unibroue, wandering star brewing, wild turkey | Permalink
Posted by Commander Pint O. Chug
October 17, 2011
They Really Are All Session Beers
This conundrum is another from the depths of the depraved mind of our very own Slouch Sixpack. My recent post about the dangerous drinkability of The Stoic, a tasty quadrupel from Deschutes, spawned a behind-the-scenes chat* about high-ABV beers that are nonetheless highly drinkable. It’s a rare imperial stout that I want more than one, or at best two of in a given evening (ignoring Barley’s recent obsession with seeing how many Ten FIDYs he can fit into a beer bong). But there are certainly a few of them out there, along with the odd DIPA, barleywine, or various other beastly beer styles. So in today’s conundrum we will explore the realm of bad decisions and questionable expenditures: Fellas, what is the most drinkable high-ABV beer you’ve come across? Read the rest of this entry »
13 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Bell's HopSlam, Chelsea Brewing 1000 Gyle Imperial Mild, Deschutes The Abyss, Deschutes The Stoic, He'Brew Lenny's Bittersweet RIPA, High ABV Beers, Kulmbacher EKU 28, Lavery Imperial French-Style Ale, Pounder, Session Beers, The Commander | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
June 29, 2011
Our dearly beloved Slouch Sixpack sent me a link the other day that he suggested would make an interesting Conundrum topic. I hope that, by now, you can imagine my surprise when it turned out to actually be a tenable idea.
In this day and age, it seems like new beer styles are being invented almost daily. New ingredients, new technology, and the incessant demand for novelty from Aleheads the world over have created an unprecedented culture of innovation in the brewing world.
But, of course, not all roads have been traveled as of yet. There are still uncharted waters and unexplored frontiers when it comes to beer styles. So I ask the Aleheads…if you owned your own ale factory and had no restrictions:
What new or tweaked beer style would you like to see created?* Read the rest of this entry »
9 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Canabeer, Extra Special Rarified Bitter, Imperial Indian Red Lager, Zero-Calorie Beer | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
June 3, 2011
“Everyone has his faults which he continually repeats: neither fear nor shame can cure them.” -Jean de La Fontaine
BEERFORD MCBREWIN’
I have yet to meet an Alehead who doesn’t have a guilty pleasure beer or two. Many (if not most) are sincerely reluctant to admit that they actually enjoy some macro lager or other, or perhaps a local micro that’s poorly rated but reminds them of a particular time in their life. Or perhaps there’s an activity (being out on the boat, going camping, pre-gaming for a concert, sneaking into a sporting event in the pockets of your cargo shorts, etc.) that you’ve always associated a particular beer with that you wouldn’t really think to purchase for any other reason. In my case, I definitely have beers I drink for beer pong purposes that I rarely otherwise consume. Ditto for duck hunting with the boys, or even hanging out with a particular group of friends. Read the rest of this entry »
14 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: AmberBock, Bud Light, Carlsberg Elephant Malt Liquor, guilty pleasure beers, Harpoon Winter Warmer, Henry Weinhard's Private Reserve, Miller High Life | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
May 22, 2011
“Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world, which I find myself constantly walking around in the daytime, and falling in at night. I miss you like hell.” -Edna St. Vincent Millay
BEERFORD MCBREWIN’
Breweries these days make a ton of one-off or or experimental beers. Sometimes these are an experiment with an eye toward establishing a new full-year or seasonal offering; occasionally to commemorate a special occasion (especially brewery anniversaries [brewniversaries?]); and sometimes just to entertain the brewers who are tired of brewing the same half-dozen beers time and again and want to challenge themselves (or show off their brewing chops). Often these beers show up at a brewfest or two, or maybe in the brewery’s home pub on tap. Sadly, many great one-offs disappear into the mist after a single batch, never to be seen again.
It’s also not uncommon for a brewery discontinue a regular offering, whether because they’ve concluded that consumer preferences have changed and it’s no longer selling well, or just to replace it with what they feel is a better beer. I know many a staple of my own fridge has quietly faded away, leaving a nostalgic hole where a beer that I associated with a particular time in my life used to be.
And so today we’re going to leave aside the forward-looking themes of past conundra and instead look fondly backward for a moment. Gentlemen, please tell us what discontinued beer you most wish would return to production. Read the rest of this entry »
7 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Brew Masters, De Dolle, Discontinued, Founders, Full Sail, Magic Hat, Otter Creek | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
May 13, 2011
“Variety’s the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor.” -William Cowper
BEERFORD MCBREWIN’
The ubiquitous mix-pack has been a standard brewery marketing strategy (gimmick) for much longer than I’ve been around. The first time I remember picking up a sampler pack was probably my junior-ish year of college when I could finally go buy my own beer. Prior to that I pretty much just drank whatever someone else was kind enough to have picked up for me.* Back in those afternoon-sun-drenched days of yore, Magic Hat was my microbrewery of choice. To the best of my recollection my first sampler consisted of Magic Hat #9 (an apricot pale ale), Circus Boy (a hef), Blind Faith (an East Coast IPA), and some seasonal or limited-edition brew to spice things up. Though Magic Hat has lost some of its luster these days, those sampler packs were a big part of my introduction to the differences between beer styles. Read the rest of this entry »
5 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Avery Brewing, Bridgeport Brewing, Hoppin' Frog, Mix-Packs, Oskar Blues, Sample Packs, Terrapin Brewing | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
May 6, 2011
BEERFORD MCBREWIN’
For those of you living in a climate where it doesn’t rain 363 days a year (around here the other two days are overcast day and hail day), spring has probably been around for a while. Even here, a few valiant cherry trees have bloomed a few blooms, and the odd well-tended daffodil or two has blossomed. In celebration of this season, yesterday I busted the ol’ Weber out of storage and got him all cleaned up and ready for the first grill session of the year. As we mentioned in the earlier barbecue conundrum, grilling is an entirely different animal. Grilling (or cooking out, or whatever they call it where you live) is the art of cooking stuff quickly over high heat, generally over a charcoal or gas flame. It could probably go without saying that this should be done outside, but just to avoid any legal issues (and because Aleheads aren’t necessarily given to common sense): Please grill outside so you don’t get carbon monoxide poisoning and/or burn down your domicile. Read the rest of this entry »
27 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Avery Joe's American Pilsner, Capital Island Wheat, Good People IPA, Grilling, Half Acre Daisy Cutter, Half Acre Gossamer Golden Ale, Lagunitas IPA, Ninkasi Tricerahops, Oatis Oatmeal Stout, Oscar Blues Mama's Little Yella Pils, Radiant Ale, Ska Modus Hoperandi, Southern Star Pine Belt, Victory Headwaters Pale Ale, Wild Onion Jack Stout | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
April 28, 2011
“I am swept up with royal wedding fever.” -Will Ferrell
BEERFORD MCBREWIN’
Editor’s Note: This is all the Commander’s fault.
Blah blah blah intro blah blah. Something about beer being too common to be in the Queen’s presence. Something about minding your “P’s and Q’s”. Something funny about Canada. Something about the prince’s mildly idiotic looking mug. Something about the queen’s undies. Something about butlers needing to drink English bitters in order to maintain that butler face. Something about needing to have a few pints before dinner in order to stomach British food. Something mildly self-deprecating about my slightly-British heritage. Something something bangers ‘n’ mash something something dirty joke something.* Read the rest of this entry »
7 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Affigem, Beer, Bell's, BrewDog, Buffalo Bill, COAST, Coeur D'Alene, Guinness, Kate Middleton, La Vielle, Moose's Tooth, Pete's Wicked, Portsmouth, Prince William, Racer 5, Rogue Independence Hop Ale, Royal wedding, Terrapin, Tyranena, Unibroue, Wasatch, wedding | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
April 21, 2011
BEERFORD MCBREWIN’
It should come as no surprise to you that Aleheads often tend not to spend entire evenings imbibing numerous pints of the same beer. Given the opportunity, most of us will end up sampling half a dozen offerings in order to compare, contrast, and generally (arrogantly) pass judgment on whatever beers happen to be available. With a variety of palatable offerings, this often brings with it a challenge: in what order should you consume your beverages? Do brown ales come before pilsners, or after? Do you drink a double IPA before a Russian Imperial Stout, or vice versa? And where does that kickass barleywine or quad go? Or what if you’ve got a whole pile of complete hop bombs to play with? What do you drink in between to reset (soothe?) your scorched palate?
Read the rest of this entry »
9 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: beer order, Beer tasting | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
April 10, 2011
With the explosion of the craft beer movement in recent years, brewers have gone to increasingly greater lengths to differentiate their offerings. This has resulted in some great, or at least interesting, innovations (e.g. new styles such as the CDA), and some that have perhaps not been as successful (Cave Creek Chili Beer?). Ramping up styles to Imperial levels has become a common practice, and of course has seemed to work better for some styles (IPAs, Stouts) than for others (Pilsners, Cream Ales). Adding non-traditional ingredients (i.e. other than water, barley, hops, yeast) has become another fairly common way to create unique beers. The problem, from my perspective, is that tossing random stuff into the fermenter may make a beer unique, but it often doesn’t make it good. You may sell a pint to a customer because they want to see if there’s any possible way you could have made Beaver Tail Ale (with real beaver tails!) remotely drinkable, but you’re probably not going to sell two. Read the rest of this entry »
8 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Anheuser-Busch, Beer ingredients, Harpoon Winter Warmer, mice, nutmeg, Sam Calagione, spruce tips | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
March 31, 2011
Anyone who’s spent any time at all chatting with other beer apprecionados about the various superlative brews they’ve sampled has compiled a list in their head of which beers they aspire to someday drink. Some are difficult to find because of geographic location (either because the beer isn’t distributed to wherever they live, or there’s a pesky ocean in the way, or what have you), or they’re simply brewed in very small batches that disappear quickly. Or, at worst, both may be the case. I certainly have a few on my list of ‘beers I must drink before I die’, and crossing a beer off that list is a pretty awesome feeling (though they tend to get replaced quickly).
So fellas, enlighten us: What are the top three beers on your beer bucket list?
Please list in order of preference, even if it hurts. Read the rest of this entry »
10 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: AleSmith, Bucket List, Cigar City, Deschutes, Portsmouth, Prestige Beers, Russian River, Three Floyds | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
March 21, 2011
BEERFORD MCBREWIN’
We’ve had quite a few Conundra which discuss, broadly, what beer pairs well with (thing that’s not beer). Taking that to the next level, Brother Barley recently reminded me that not only does beer pair brilliantly with food, but it can also be a great addition to many recipes. In fact, I’ve had beer-food recipes at one point or another for every meal of the day (mmm, beer waffles). Since the Aleheads are always trying to find ways to include more beer into our lives, I thought this might be a good opportunity for some brainstorming and/or recipe sharing. So boys, tell us what your favorite beer-involved food recipe is.
Read the rest of this entry »
2 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Beer recipes | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
March 13, 2011
It’s a beautiful day, don’t let it get away. -U2
As a fellow with a goodly number of Irish ancestors, I’ve always had a particular fondness for St. Patrick’s Day (it of course doesn’t hurt that I lived in Boston for a number of years). It’s second only to Halloween in my favorite holiday rankings (Halloween > St. Patrick’s > Thanksgiving > S&BJ Day > Christmas > Independence Day > anything else that gives me a three day weekend > Talk Like a Pirate Day > Canadian Boxing Day). It’s long been treated as a celebration of Irish culture, though of course it has its roots in an interesting combination of Celtic and Catholic religious celebrations (and the apocryphal notion that St. Patrick drove the snakes from Ireland). Read the rest of this entry »
2 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: dry irish stout, Foreign Extra Stout, Guinness, Irish, Moylan's Dragoon's, North Coast Old #38, St. Patrick's Day, Three Floyds Black Sun | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
March 5, 2011
There are many (many many) lists floating around out there claiming to be the definitive rundown of the “best beers in the world.” They range from the moderately credible (see BeerAdvocate, RateBeer, various beer festivals), to the good-effort-but-maybe-find-an-expert-to-help-next-time, to the dear-sweet-tiny-baby-jeebus-please-kill-yourself.
Most beer drinkers are willing to criticize nearly any beer ranking at any time, and I’d hate to stand between my Aleheads and their opinions. Plus, if I don’t let them rant now and then, they get kinda grouchy. So this week, I’m giving you a treat. Tell us boys, What highly ranked beer do you think is too big for its britches?
******************************
COMMANDER PINT O. CHUG
I sent this response to Beerford before he even sent the Conundrum out to the other Aleheads, because I feared someone else would beat me to the only good answer to this question: Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale. Read the rest of this entry »
7 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Allagash White, Arrogant Bastard, Celebrator, Chocolate Bock, Dead Guy Ale, Hype, La Fin Du Monde, Overrated, Weihenstephaner | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
February 20, 2011
BENJAMIN “BEERFORD” FRANKLIN
Constant Readers: I have ever had pleasure in obtaining any little ale recommendations of my colleagues. You may remember the inquiries I made among the various presidents whilst away, and the journey I undertook for that purpose. Imagining it may be agreeable to you to know the results of my explorations, many of which you are yet unacquainted with, and expecting the enjoyment of an evening’s uninterrupted leisure in my present habitation, I sit down to write them for you. To which I have besides some other inducements. Having emerged from the poverty and obscurity in which I was born and bred, to a state of affluence and some degree of reputation, and having gone so far through life with a considerable share of felicity regarding the availability of crafty and considered ales, the conducing means I made use of, my readership may like to know, as they may find some of them suitable to their own situations, and therefore fit to be imitated. Read the rest of this entry »
Comments Off | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: America. Harvest Ale, Bourbon County Brand Stout, Presidents, USA, Wake 'n' Bake | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
February 13, 2011
I’ve been locked inside your heart shaped box for weeks.
-Nirvana
*************************
Ah, Valentine’s Day. The day when single guys are sad that they’re single, and happy they don’t have to buy any expensive gifts. The day when men who are tied down are (presumably) grateful to have their special lady in their lives, and disgruntled that they have to fork out cash for sparkly stuff. Well I think that whole system can be improved with the introduction of… *drum roll* … BEER! into the equation. Here’s my suggestion: if you’re currently entangled, get your significant other a great bottle of beer (or even a few) along with your chocolates and flowers and whatnot. It’s more than likely that she’ll end up sharing, so you basically scored points and got to drink good beer while skipping the girl’s best friend stuff. Plus, happy tipsy Valentine’s Day has to be better than the alternative, right? Read the rest of this entry »
2 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Duchesse de Bourgogne, Duvel, Girlfriend, Grand Cru, HopSlam, L'il Sumpin' Wild, Nest White Ale, Valentine's Day, Wife | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
February 10, 2011
I wish for a turkey sandwich on rye bread with lettuce and mustard. And… and I don’t want any zombie turkeys, I don’t want to turn into a turkey myself, and I don’t want any other weird surprises, you got it?
-Homer Simpson
As my friend Campy Draper is fond of asserting, “I like sandwiches.” I agree with him. You can make a sandwich to satisfy any craving. Man-hungry? Try roast beef and swiss on pumpernickel with some good dijon mustard. Vegi-hungry? Have some pepper, onion, cucumber, sprouts and cream cheese on 12-grain. Sweet and salty craving? How about some bacon between two slices of cinnamon french toast? Personally, I’ve been on a long-time quest to find the best Italian sub in the world, though moving to the west coast has put the brakes on that somewhat (why the hell doesn’t anyone out here make a decent Italian sub???). Yes, the sandwich is a versatile and delicious creation (thanks, Earl of Sandwich). Also delicious? Beer. However, due to the sandwich’s unfair exile to the mid-day meal, sandwich/beer pairings have been largely neglected. I propose to remedy that here today. Read the rest of this entry »
2 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Breakfast Stout, Framboise, Ice Cream Sandwich, McMuffin, Old Brown Dog, Primanti's, Reuben, Sam LaGrassa's, Sandwich, Ten FIDY | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
February 7, 2011
The Commander about to go Donkey Kong with an empty DraughtKeg of Bell's HopSlam.
As a few of my fellow Aleheads pointed out (read: mocked me for), last week’s conundrum should have been: What beer are you drinking/serving during the Super Bowl? Since we’ve already missed the boat on that one, I thought I’d throw it out to everyone. So, Aleheads and aleheads, what did you drink while you were watching the Super Bowl?
For my part, I worked my way around a couple bombers of Pelican Doryman’s Dark Ale, a great session beer I recently discovered.
6 Comments | Beerford's Conundra, WTF | Tagged: Pelican Pub & Brewery, Super Bowl, WTF | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
February 4, 2011
Ladies and gentlemen, I’m here tonight to let you in on a little secret: every single Alehead started out as a regular ol’ human being. That’s right, we were all born into the world as simple men before our Alehead apotheoses. And here’s the great thing about being born again: you are often old enough to remember your rebirth. By rebirth, I’m sure you’ve figured out what I mean. It is of course the moment when you consume your first beer. And so this week, I’m asking for a double Conundrum response: Tell us about your first beer drinking experience, and, if you had the power to choose any beer to be the first one you consumed, what would it be? Read the rest of this entry »
7 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Budweiser, First Beer, Full Sail, J. W. Dundee, Memories, MGD, Otter Creek, Pete's Wicked, Rogue, Rolling Rock | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
“Plays Well With Others” -Beerford’s Pre-School Teacher
