January 27, 2011
You know what’s good? Barbecue. Now hang on, let me be clear: I’m not talking about the activity variously referred to as ‘barbecuing’, ‘grilling’, or ‘havin’ a cook out’. That’s all about cooking meat (or whatever) on a grill over an open, high heat source (usually gas or charcoal). I love grilling, and beer goes incredibly well with that activity as well (a likely subject for a future Conundrum), but today I’m talking about barbecue. Barbecue is what you get when you (generally speaking) cook meat for a long period of time over low, dry heat in some sort of smoker. Getting any more specific is difficult due to the huge number of regional styles which lay claim to being the best or most authentic barbecue around (Texas, Carolina, Memphis, Kansas City, or even Hawaii).
As it’s so difficult to define barbecue, the task of pairing beer with barbecue also becomes incredibly difficult. Fortunately I have an entire stable of Aleheads to help me wrestle with this one. So tell us boys: What’s the best beer to drink with barbecue? Read the rest of this entry »
12 Comments | 
Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Barbecue, BBQ, Flemish Sour, Imperial IPA, IPA, Pale Ale, Smoked Porter | 
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Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
January 20, 2011
As those of you who have read more than a handful of posts on our glorious website are probably aware, most of the Aleheads were in some form of Greek organization during our halcyon undergraduate years. That is, in fact, where a number of us met one another. Semi-relatedly, the single greatest title I’ve ever held was that of house Beer Czar (which, I should note, I only received because I was both over 21 at the time and had a vehicle large enough to conveniently transport kegs [this may or may not still be on my business cards]). Many were the nights we sucked multiple kegs dry in our attempts to chase the dream of a perfect Ship game (I think Slouch and the Cap’n may have actually killed one by themselves one evening). Now and then we even invited other people over! Read the rest of this entry »
1 Comment | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Bud Light, College, Coors Light, Frat Party, Fraternity, Hamm's, Miller Lite, Trumer Pils, Yuengling | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
January 14, 2011
Among the perils of being out in the world actively searching for new and exciting fermented beverages (others of which include being arrested, punched, dumped, excommunicated, and at least in the Commander’s case, stabbed) is the possibility of consuming some truly foul brews. Some breweries make brilliant small-batch beers most of the time, some less frequently, but even the best have their misses. As Aleheads, I am sure that all of us have come across some absolutely undrinkable messes from time to time. And so, this week’s Conundrum (a gem from the unlikely source of Slouch Sixpack) is as follows: What is the worst small-batch or “one-off” beer you’ve come across?
If you happen to have a runner-up in mind that you feel deserves mention as well, go for it. Read the rest of this entry »
3 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Boston Beer Works, Breweries, Chocolate Cherry Bomb, Dad's Little Helper, Experimental, Magic Hat, Odd Notion, One-Off, Rogue, Sam Adams, Triple Bock | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
January 6, 2011
A great deal of beer is consumed by gentlemen *cough* of all ages while they’re out and about in the world engaged in that oldest of activities, variously called hunting, scouting, scoping, macking, pimping, prowling, and any number of less politically correct terms. I am, of course, talking about picking up women.* Though some would probably assert that the beverage you consume while you’re out makes little or no difference in the success or failure of your endeavor, I must heartily disagree. Not only would a few pints of a barleywine or Quad severely shorten your window of opportunity (not you Slouch, I know your liver is basically a muscular callus), but I would also assert that you may well find yourself engaged in discussions with an entirely different sort of woman depending on whether you were noticed ordering a Bud Light w/Lime vs. a well-crafted micro. Read the rest of this entry »
1 Comment | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Bars, Hunting, Macking, Pick-Up Beer, Pimping, Prowling, Scoping, Scouting | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
December 31, 2010
Well folks, 2010 has come to a close, and it’s been a bit of a roller coaster. There have been some things to celebrate, and some events to mourn. However, New Year’s being a time to look to the future with optimism, our newest Alehead, Herr Humulus Hordeum, has suggested that we take a look at our drinking habits and think about what we can do to improve our beer consumption over the next twelve months. So Aleheads, what will your New Beer’s Resolution(s) be?
No rules to this one, ramble away gents. Read the rest of this entry »
3 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: 2011, Cellar, German Beer, Homebrewing, New Year's, Resolutions, Warm Beer | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
December 23, 2010
A
s dear Magnus chose to name himself on the Aleheads site after the Orkney Brewery’s SkullSplitter Wee Heavy/Scotch Ale, we thought it might be appropriate for all of us to try to dig up a bottle or three and do a group tasting note on this particular beverage. It seemed easiest to do this in Conundrum form so everyone could contribute their impressions, and so Beerford’s Conundra returns to the site this week thusly: Give us your tasting impressions of Orkney’s SkullSplitter. Read the rest of this entry »
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2 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Magnus, Orkney Brewery, Scotch Ale, Skullsplitter, Wee Heavy | Permalink
Posted by Barley McHops
November 19, 2010
Beer carries so many wonderful associations for Aleheads. Everyone remembers the first beer they ever had, or the first time we cracked a brew that’s become a particular favorite. And a beer you had at a particular occasion of note can often bring you right back to that moment when you consume it again many years down the road. Given how often we Aleheads tend to be involved in beer consumption, many of our memories may include the imbibing of a great (or not-so-great) beer. And so this week’s Conundrum should be easy: What is your best beer memory?
The rules: Tell us the memory, and what beer you were drinking.* You must remember the occasion yourself (i.e. you cannot report on a memory that someone else had to tell you about the following day). And this should not be your favorite awful beer memory (that will likely be the subject of a future conundrum). Read the rest of this entry »
3 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Chimay Blue, Coors Extra Gold, Guinness, Memories, Pauvel Kwak, Sam Adams Golden Pilsner, Young's Double Chocolate | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
November 5, 2010
The recent explosion in the craft brewing industry has led to some interesting experimentation. Some of this has resulted in legitimate new beer styles (e.g. the amorphously named Black IPA/Cascadian Dark Ale/Imperial Black Ale style), as well as traditional styles being amped up to almost insane levels (note the ubiquitous, ever-stronger and -hoppier Imperial IPAs). One particularly interesting pattern that has begun to gain traction in recent years is the so-called “mash-up”, “mixed” or “hybrid” beer style. This is essentially when brewers combine the attributes of multiple (and sometimes quite diverse) beer styles into a single brew. An excellent example of this is the Terrapin brewery’s Pumpkinfest (half Oktoberfest or Marzen Lager and half spiced Pumpkin Ale) that Brother Barley recently reviewed. Such an interesting trend in the brewer’s craft certainly cannot remain unaddressed by the Aleheads, and so I give you this week’s Conundrum: Tell us what two beer styles you think would make the best ‘mash-up’. Read the rest of this entry »
5 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Goose Island, Hybrid, Kulmbacher, Mash-up, Mixed Beer, Sam Adams, Shiner Bock | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
October 28, 2010
We’ve all imagined having our own draught-house with a couple hundred choice brews on tap and a few thousand more available in bottles. We could have any beer we want at any moment, and might even be willing to sell a pint or two to our discerning patrons (after they’ve passed a twenty-five question beer exam to prove their worthiness). The problem with that little dream scenario is that it’s too simple, too all-encompassing, and hence not Conundrum-worthy. There’s no challenge in having unlimited taps and unlimited fridge space. You’d just stock everything you’d ever want and that would be that. No, friends, the real challenge comes with having limitations.
Imagine you have a little corner American bistro in whatever city/town you call home. You have a liquor license, fridge space to stock a few bottles, and four beer taps. As the owner/operator, you get to decide what you’ll stock/serve, including keeping the kegerators full of cold, delicious fermented malt beverages. So, Aleheads, enlighten us: What would you have on tap at your bistro? Read the rest of this entry »
6 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Alehouse, Bistro, Draft, Pub, Taps, Tavern | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
October 21, 2010
I know you’ve all been aching to get a deeper glimpse into the preferences and predilections of the brotherhood of Aleheads (little do you know how dangerous that might be). There are of course numerous secret rituals, ceremonies and beer drinking techniques that we can’t share with you (OK, that last one’s pretty much just drinking games), but I thought it might be interesting to give you a feel for what’s going on in our beer fridges. Some of us stock them with purpose (see Ripped Van Drinkale’s excellent discussion on seasonal stocking), while others of us just grab whatever catches our eye in our favorite package store or supermarket. So this week’s Conundrum will be not so much a puzzle as an inquiry.
Tell us, loyal Aleheads, what is in your refrigerator? Read the rest of this entry »
6 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Beer Fridge, Fall | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
October 14, 2010
There is a long history of putting stuff into beer. Salting one’s beer is an old tradition that has largely gone by the wayside (for a number of good reasons that BeerAdvocate adequately addresses). A variety of citrus fruits have traditionally been added to certain beer styles, the most common of course being shoving a hunk of lime into the neck of your Corona to mask the taste of that nasty beverage from south of the border. A number of beer cocktails of varying drinkability, from red beers to shandys, are surprisingly popular all around the world. Though I would never advocate polluting a 4-Hop level brew with anything that might compromise its carefully-crafted complexity, it can be fun to create beer concoctions with mid-tier brews for a party, or really just for a Tuesday evening.
So, gentle Aleheads, I invite you to lower your imaginations into the degrading depths of beer bastardization and answer this latest of Beerford’s Conundra: Create for us your best possible beer cocktail recipe. Read the rest of this entry »
1 Comment | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Adjuncts, Beertails, Cocktails | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
October 7, 2010
I thought it might be fun to give the world at large an opportunity to get to know the Aleheads a bit more through the lens of a conundrum. Rather than solving a real-world beer puzzler, this week we’re going to depart into the world of fantasy brewing.
A brewery’s flagship beer is often their make-or-break creation. It is the face of the operation. It will be most beer drinkers’ first exposure to the brewery, and if it’s poorly chosen or badly constructed it can easily be their last. Often, in fact, a significant portion of a brewery’s profits come from a single well-known beer (think Sam Adams Boston Lager or, you know, Miller Chill). I was considering the other day what I would attempt to create as my flagship beer, should I be magically put in charge of a craft brewing operation. I suspect I’m not the only person to have considered such a concept, so I’d like to invite the rest of the Aleheads to offer up their possible creations: If you were starting your own brewery, what would you choose as your flagship beer? Read the rest of this entry »
Comments Off | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Flagship | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
September 16, 2010
Roll Tide!
I love the fall. The leaves are just begining to think about turning in New England, the weather in the Northwest is as perfect as it gets, the pears and apples are ripening in the orchards, blah blah blah, who am I kidding? The fall means two things to Aleheads: football and beer. The fall seasonals are some of my favorite brews (mmm, pumpkin beer), Oktoberfest gatherings everywhere celebrate the fermented wonders of the world, and to top it off what better excuse is there to knock back a few brews than a football game? Not that we’ve ever needed an excuse…
Football and beer. Whether in a bar or in your own living room, watching 22 giant guys guys rumble over the fate of a bladder of air wrapped in a pigskin* just doesn’t feel right without a beer in hand. Read the rest of this entry »
1 Comment | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Caldera, Dale's Pale Ale, Goose Island, Long Trail, Oskar Blues, Otter Creek, Tailgate, Victory | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
September 9, 2010
There are few things in life that make me happier than a great big, perfectly cooked porterhouse steak. For your reference, perfectly cooked in Beerford’s world means that magical place between medium and medium-rare that my dearly departed godmother used to call, “pink, juicy and beautiful.” It is broadly accepted that the correct wine to pair with a big steak is a big red (cabernet, zinfandel, etc.). However the “correct” beer to pair with a massive hunk of well-aged beef is a subject of somewhat more debate. Some folks would argue that a strong ale or barleywine is the right call, some would push for a big, hoppy IPA, and some would advocate an imperial stout or porter. In fact, at the end of the day you’ll find an argument for virtually every beer style. Clearly, the expertise of the Aleheads is needed to resolve this issue! Read the rest of this entry »
3 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Beer and Food, Beerford's Conundra, Porterhouse, Steak | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
September 2, 2010
Many years ago, when I was but a wee tyke, I had the good fortune (broadly speaking) to encounter a young Brother Barley. Roughly five minutes after we met, Brother Barley snorted in disgust, slapped the Zima out of my hand, smacked me upside the head for good measure, and informed me that my education was about to begin. Though much of my training must remain confidential due to various non-disclosure agreements and a sealed pardon involving some leader of the free world or other, I am fortunately at liberty to mention one of the more intriguing aspects of my education: the Black & Tan. Read the rest of this entry »
11 Comments | Beerford's Conundra | Tagged: Beerford's Conundra, Best, Black & Gold, Black & Tan, Half & Half | Permalink
Posted by Beerford McBrewin'
You know what’s good? Barbecue. Now hang on, let me be clear: I’m not talking about the activity variously referred to as ‘barbecuing’, ‘grilling’, or ‘havin’ a cook out’. That’s all about cooking meat (or whatever) on a grill over an open, high heat source (usually gas or charcoal). I love grilling, and beer goes incredibly well with that activity as well (a likely subject for a future Conundrum), but today I’m talking about barbecue. Barbecue is what you get when you (generally speaking) cook meat for a long period of time over low, dry heat in some sort of smoker. Getting any more specific is difficult due to the huge number of regional styles which lay claim to being the best or most authentic barbecue around (Texas, Carolina, Memphis, Kansas City, or even Hawaii).
