Topic: Product News

[Stuart]

Via our den mother at the PWBG:

http://beernews.org/2011/03/dogfish-head-to-collaborate-with-sony-legacy-on-robert-johnson-anniversary-beer/

[Stumblin]

I was going to say something cynical and sarcastic about marketing stunts, but on reflection I actually would buy a bottle of that. Maybe more, if I liked the first one.

[Gumbo]

i might try it if it has no drm

[dj]

For those of you who are not within its distribution area, I'll just point out that Dogfish Head is an excellent brewery.  Their brown ale and IPA are often found in my refrigerator, and their one-offs, like this one, are always worth worth trying.

[Rivers]

I like their IPA (6%) --- but that RJ beer (@ 10%) would be too strong for me, more like a hangover-waiting-to happen kind of thing.

[Stumblin]

I like their IPA (6%) --- but that RJ beer (@ 10%) would be too strong for me, more like a hangover-waiting-to happen kind of thing.

Yeah, but what are you going to do?
Actually, 10% wouldn't seem too strong after you've been on a beer tour in Belgium.

[Rivers]

I did a guided beer tour of the bars round the main square in Brussels once. Self guided, for the early part of the evening anyway.
Very nice beers but they don't travel very well. See also 'draft Guinness', which tastes best in the Leed's Uni SU bar, and probably even better the closer you get to Dublin.

[Norfolk Slim]

Good bottled Belgian beer is still pretty good imo, though of course not as good as it is in situ.

I guess Im developing the topic somewhat- but hey we're in the Jam Session, and what better than being able to talk about my first and second loves on one forum (guitars AND beer!)

I have been to Prague a couple of times, and on each occasion it has been absolutely clear to me just how poor most "lager" (ie cold fizzy beer) is in Britain, and probably in the States too.  I can honestly say that every single beer I had in Prague was substantially better than any pint of lager I have ever had in the UK.  Most lager sold in Britain, in pubs, is brewed for the masses in one or two huge breweries.  Its brewed, imo, to taste of very little so as to appeal to as many as possible.  Bottled Czech lager is much better, but still nowhere near as good as the same products on draft in Prague.  Im afraid that the US Budweiser is an absolutely travesty of the name as far as Im concerned!

As for the Belgian stuff, I have become very partial to it in recent years.  There is a wonderful place called Beers of the World, up in Norfolk (where I no longer live...) which is literally a small supermarket selling nothing but beer of just about every type and nationaility you could imagine.  They have a website and delivery service for anyone interested...

[Rivers]

With beer I believe it's a lot to do with how it's transported, stored & served, the temperature, light, plumbing, local climate, presentation. The closer to the source the greater the opportunity to get it right. How else can you account for it? Beer is definitely different in different places.

In Austin we have the wonderful Whip-In, a cosmic clash of beer culture and colorful Hindu iconography, Steve James plays there when in town. Indian food cooked by a real Indian family, with a deep appreciation for fine beer, in Texas, near my house! Must make a point of going there more often.

Namaste y'all,

http://www.whipin.com/