The Session #64: Pale Ales
This month’s Session is all about Pale Ales. Hosted by The Beer Babe: She asks:
“Your mission — if you choose to accept it — it so seek out and taste two different pale ales. Tell us what makes them special, what makes them forgettable, what makes them the same or what makes them different. Then, share it with us.”
I had a bottle of Fuller’s London Pride and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. I also talk a bit about pale ales in general, why we as beer geeks tend not to take them too seriously, and why we perhaps should. Check out the video below.
(Any beer bloggers watching this video should definitely check out the Youtube beer community if you haven’t already. There are some great channels out there doing some pretty incredible beer reviews. Likewise, any beertubers out there who haven’t plugged in to the beer blog community are missing out, as well.)
The Session Number 63: The Beer Moment
Pete Brown’s topic for this month’s Session is “The Beer Moment.” Here’s how Pete describes it:
So in that spirit, my choice of topic – with 62 topics already covered – is this: simply, the Beer Moment.
What is it?
Well, what is it to you? What does that phrase evoke for you?
That’s the most important thing here. Switch off and float downstream, what comes to mind? Don’t analyse it – what are the feelings, the emotions?
I’ve been thinking about this quite a lot recently, because I’ve been talking about it to various people who are working hard to try to improve the image of beer in the UK. Because whether we articulate it or not, whether we drink vile, sunstruck Corona or barrel aged imperial stout brewed with weasel shit, it’s about the moment far more than the liquid itself. The only people who disagree with me on this are people I wouldn’t want to share a beer with.
The moment – for me – is relaxation, reward, release, relief and refreshment. It’s a moment to savour, a moment of mateship, potential, fulfilment, anticipation, satisfaction, and sheer bliss.
It’s different from the moment you drink wine or spirits – it’s more egalitarian, more sociable. It’s not just about the flavour, nor the alcohol. It’s about the centuries of tradition and ritual, the counterpoint to an increasingly stressful life, and the commonality, the fact that it means the same thing to so many.
At least – I think it does. What does it mean to you?
I might have gone slightly off topic here, but the whole point of the Session is to get a kind of shaggy dog feel for the beer community at large, so I think it’s okay. And as a way of fostering connection between the beer blogging community and the Youtube beer community, I have done my answer on video:
I hope those of you who are visiting from the blog world will check out the wonderful beer community on Youtube. You can find my channel here, and there’s plenty more out there if you look. And those of you who are fans of mine on Youtube, I hope you check out Pete Brown’s blog linked above and read some of the other bloggers covering this month’s topic.
Terrapin Wake-N-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Stout — A Comparison with Founders Breakfast Stout
Tommy sent me this bottle of a beer that I’ve had in the past, most recently about five years ago. I decided to first do a short review of it on its own, then compare it directly with a beer that it is often compared to: Founders Breakfast Stout.
Beyond the Pour grade: A-
Beyond the Pour goes to the Michigan Winter Beer Fest 2012
That’s right, time for my video of the Michigan Winter Beer Fest 2012. I considered editing this into several videos, but decided to just throw it all up at once and let you guys enjoy it.
My fiancee Shana shot a lot of this video, and I’ve included quite a bit of her crowd footage to show the extent and scale of the event. A dry recounting of beers consumed this isn’t.
Thanks to Founders for getting me into the event. Sorry I didn’t shoot more video at your tent.
Platinum Rice? A Review of Bud Light Platinum
Yeah, I know this is a bit low-fidelity, but I didn’t want to spend a lot of effort on this one and so I just did a “one-take wonder” outside.
It’s a shame that they put this in a blue Zima-looking bottle and give it such a chintzy look, because I think this is pretty much what regular Bud Light should taste like. Watery, with an adjunct twang on the back end, but a nice, sweet, lager. I’d just call this one Budweiser Premium Lager and call it a day.
Beyond the Pour grade: C
Port Brewing High Tide Fresh Hop India Pale Ale
A hoppy beer from San Diego? Definitely sign me up. By the time I reviewed this bottle it was a touch under two months old, but this wet-hopped IPA definitely still had plenty of hop punch. I would’ve loved to have tasted this fresh but unfortunately Port doesn’t distribute to Michigan.
Full disclosure: This was part of a box of beers given to BGN at the brewery after we took a private tour.
Beyond the Pour grade: A
Homebrew 2011-11-28 San Diego Session Ale
I start with an unboxing video of brew supplies purchased at Midwest Brewing Supplies with a gift card won in a contest put on back in July by Youtube channel BreweryShow. I know that sounds confusing, but I explain it a bit in the vid.
Then it’s on to the garage where I get on with mashing, boiling, and adding hops. I also try my most recent homebrew (the Black IPA, which turned out to be just a hoppy stout) on camera, and tease a future review to you guys.
By the way, this also counts as a Homebrew Wednesday vid!
Brief Beer Reviews: Pilsner Urquell and Budvar (Canadian Canned Versions)
I know I’ve already beaten Pilsner Urquell and Czechvar (Budvar in its native country) into the dirt through repetition on my channel, but fellow BeerTuber Lee sent me the canned versions from Canada per my request so I could try non-skuned versions sold in North Abmerica.
Long story short, they’re much better than the green-bottle skunky stuff available to me, but it’s still not quite the same as getting it fresh and locally-made. Much to my surprise.
Homebrew Wednesday 2011-11-23 — Jamison’s William Wallace Scotch Ale
Here it is, my very first “homebrew Wednesday” video here on Youtube. Woot! (And yes, I know this blog post is going up on Monday, but the original vid was posted last Wednesday so there.)
I’m doing a review of fellow Beer Geek Nation member Jamison’s William Wallace Scotch Ale.
Here’s the info he sent me on the beer:
Did a 90 min boil Used Scottish Ale Yeast Wyeast 1728 made a 3 L starter for it.
aged on 2 oz of french oak cubes soaked in Ardbeg 10 and 2 oz of American oak cubes soaked on Ardbeg 10. The Oak and Ardbeg went into the beer and aged for 6 weeks in secondary. Its 14% ABV.
17 LB American 2 row
2 LB Crystal 60
1 LB Crystal 90
3 LB Rye Malt
1 LB Peated Malt
2 oz of Chinook Pellets 13 AA 45 IBU’s
Great brew Jamison. Cheers!
The Session 65: Drinking Alone
I’m a couple of days late getting my latest edition of the Session blog carnival posted, but at least I shot it on the right day, right?
This month’s session is all about drinking alone, namely, going out to pubs for a pint by oneself. I’m a bit wishy washy on the subject, as I have been known to do it from time to time but for the most part I do all my drinking from bottles in my house.
Check out the carnival host here.
And a full list of all past Sessions is here.