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View Full Version : A newbie gives his hand at beer tasting


Grey Wolf
12-29-2004, 02:34 AM
OK guys, I have been reading the forum for a month or so now and really enjoy everyone’s attitude, kindness and wealth of knowledge they are willing to share with the less in knowing. This in mind, I decided to give my try at beer tasting and put my thoughts in words as I enjoy a “cold one.” Please bear in mind this is based on a true story and I will do as I can to give the related feelings to the reader. Please let me know how I do.

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I will not be held responsible for any home brew, craft/micro brew (or other liquid) that gets spit upon your keyboard…. you HAVE been warned!
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After an evening of scrubbing down the kitchen in a seasonal cleaning effort, the wife and baby went to bed and the worker bee decided he wanted a beer. He loaded into the car, and went to the nearest store…

The ambiance of the selected store was over lighting from bright florescent lights. The cooler doors were littered with an abundance of gaudy and overdone advertisements, showing the cheapest prices of the selected brews. The medley of intoxicating liquids would have made any frat boy, or in my area, young soldier ecstatic with the potential drunkenness in front of their eyes.

Bud, Miller, Coors were all represented with great flare and almost every variety therein.

Additionally there were Malt liquors, wine coolers and the variety of Smirnoff bottled cocktails that make younger club going females lick there lips in excitement. Shiner and Heineken represented the elite of the choices that I faced for evaluation.

Being the day before payday, after Christmas, and being a new parent, I reach into my rear pocket and withdrew my billfold to find what I had to spend on the nights brewed enjoyment. Much to my knowledge, I found a solitary dollar bill. I then reach into my front pocket and retrieved what change I had, finding a treasure of one quarter, one dime and one nickel. With my redneck and white trash roots and up bringing in mind, I knew that the $1.40 would be more than enough to find a brew to take home and call mine.

I located, on the top shelf of a variety of American classics, a massive 32 ounce, gold aluminum can that glistened in the bright lighting. The label read “The Champagne of Beers.” The finest part, the price tag was only $1.39. I retrieved the front most can, and found it to be ice cold, of course that MUST be a good thing! After paying for the wonderful brew, I proudly left all my change in the cup, located on the counter, for a worthy and needy cause, knowing my contribution made a difference in some ones life.

Some may ask why I chose to taste test a brew from an aluminum can, over the classic brown bottle. Based on my knowledge and level of training, I know that light can cause a normal great brew to go skunky and bad. Therefore, I thought that if there is possible no light reaching the brew, the better. Thus, the can got the nod over the other American staple, the brown 40 ounce bottle.

After arriving back at the trailer, I sat down, with a normal American pint glass to enjoy the fruits of my purchase. I popped the pull-tab on the can and heard a normal, cracking then hissing sound coming from the can. Nothing out of ordinary or of much notable excitement.

I then poured a portion of the enormous can into the waiting glass. The brew poured a bright yellow, but very clear. A gigantic head formed in the glass, taking up 2-3 inches. The head was a white, nearing the color of normal printing paper. The head took forever to go away and I did not try to revive it, fearing the same long wait.

The nose of the beer was lacking. Hints of dirty urinals, shoes and watered down urine. As the beer warned, the hints of urine gained strength.

The beers initial flavor was watery, near the flavor of good, crisp, clean bottled water. Carbonation was also noted.

Body was very thin, but stayed thin as the beer warned. The carbonation kept strong and was always there when looked for.

This brew was what I was looking for after a hard day of labor. It was not the flavor, hops, yeast, or any of the ordinary elements that make a beer good. What appealed to me most was that after paying hard earned money for the colossal can o brew; I was able to down it, entirely, in about four gulps. Aahhh, nothing like a cheap refreshing American marco brew to tantalize you taste buds after long hard day of worker you fingers to the bone.

The tasting session was performed, while listening to a local hard rock station. The music being played ranged from classic Ozzy and Aerosmith to new greats, like “Control” by Puddle of Mud and “Let the body’s hit the floor” by Drowning Pool (who sadly lost a member to an overdose earlier in the year.)

Despite my happiness, I can only recommend this beer to someone who is in dire need for an alcoholic fix, and only has s small amount of money to achieve it. The beer is best served very, very cold, since, like i mentioned, the urine smell only gets worse as it warms.

John the Redneck Beer Taster

BrewDog
12-29-2004, 02:53 AM
GREAT POST! Welcome to the board! I think SteveH has some competition in the tasting dept.....

The only thing wrong, though, is that you left out the part about laying the can on its side, taking the sharp pointy key to a Ford F350 (complete with gun rack, etc), poking the hole near the bottom of the can, lifting it up, putting your mouth over the hole, THEN popping the top!

THAT'S the only proper way to consume a 32 oz can of the "Champagne of Beers", although a close second would be having a buddy pour it straight down your throat through a funnel.

danno
12-29-2004, 11:59 AM
Grey Wolf, nice writeup, we all thank you for your service to this forum. welcome!

now, a couple of clarifications. first, the Miller Brewing Company has developed a non-isomerized hop extract that they use in place of real hops. the main benefit is that their products, in fact, do not skunk when exposed to light. so, in the future, just pick up that clear 40 ouncer with the pride of knowing of all it's sins against beer humanity, skunking isn't one of them.

secondly, it would have really rounded out the story if you had added, "after being inspired by the 40 and the Drowning Pool song, I immediately threw open the door to the trailer boudoir and re-impregnated my wife, because it was time, after all, the baby was already three weeks old..."

and Brew Dog, another possible serving method would be the hat with dual beer holders and straws...

BrewDog
12-29-2004, 12:25 PM
and Brew Dog, another possible serving method would be the hat with dual beer holders and straws...

How could I forget that!!

fretlessman71
12-29-2004, 12:31 PM
I don't think the 40 oz. cans fit into those hats, Danno... they'd have to be duct-taped on! But otherwise, a keen observation.

And Grey Wolf, although I give you high marks for your retelling of this horrific tale, I must call a spelling foul - you improperly spelled "their" as "there." If you've spent any time on this board, you know it is my self-proclaimed right, if not personal crusade, to correct improper use of the English language, and you should consider this a public service whenever I do so. Therefore.... you've all been SERVED.

Hopefully not with the "champagne of beers", though... :rolleyes:

Well done!

danno
12-29-2004, 12:35 PM
Fret, you missed "flare" when it should have been "flair"...

and Grey Wolf, one more question, isn't there any sales tax on beer in TX? here in MN that $1.39 can would've run me $1.49, so I would have had to run back out to the truck and dug around the floorboards for a couple more nickels...

Stahlsturm
12-30-2004, 02:04 AM
I just nearly wet myself with laughter here in my office :D Thanks for a bright spot on a dreary winter day.

fretlessman71
12-30-2004, 02:27 AM
Originally posted by danno
Fret, you missed "flare" when it should have been "flair"...
Looks like I missed "ambiance" which is really "ambience" as well; an honest mistake, since we americans usually try to show how swayve and de-boner we are (suave and debonaire) by using the french pronunciation! :D

Still a great story though. And I've been to plenty of places that roll the sales tax in to your purchase so you're not unpleasantly surprised when you get to the register - not a bad idea! It's right up there with eliminating pennies, which actually cost more to produce than they're worth!

Stahlsturm
12-30-2004, 02:37 AM
Originally posted by fretlessman71
And I've been to plenty of places that roll the sales tax in to your purchase so you're not unpleasantly surprised when you get to the register - not a bad idea! It's right up there with eliminating pennies, which actually cost more to produce than they're worth!

It´s the law in Europe. All advertised prices ARE what you pay at the register. I think it´s much clearer that way, especially with widely varying sales tax or value added tax as it´s called here. In Germany we got 16 % and that´s actually low compared to other EU states.

About eliminating pennies, I think you should also eliminate 1 $ bills and replace them with a coin. Coins last for decades. And the bills I sometimes get back are hardly recognizable as money....

LargeTyme
12-30-2004, 10:32 AM
Good satire Grey Wolf!

Looks like Jelsoft needs to add a spell and grammar checker to their BBS engine to satisfy the critics!

Who cares after a pint or two anyway?

Tweek
12-30-2004, 12:09 PM
nicely done!

fretlessman71
12-30-2004, 01:21 PM
Originally posted by Stahlsturm
It´s the law in Europe. All advertised prices ARE what you pay at the register. I think it´s much clearer that way, especially with widely varying sales tax or value added tax as it´s called here. In Germany we got 16 % and that´s actually low compared to other EU states.

About eliminating pennies, I think you should also eliminate 1 $ bills and replace them with a coin. Coins last for decades. And the bills I sometimes get back are hardly recognizable as money.... We have dollar coins here, but nobody seems to want to use them... personally, I think they're pretty cool!

chazwicke
12-30-2004, 01:33 PM
I love the English pound coin. I agree with Sturm and Fret. Can the dollar bills and pennies.

Seymour
12-30-2004, 01:48 PM
Hey--whatcha got against the "Champagne of Beers"? Me an' all my homeys drink it:p !

Welcome aboard, Grey Wolf. I'm going to guess you're in the neighborhood of Fort Hood. If so, and if you've not already scoped out better places to spend your hard-earned dough, allow me to make a couple suggestions: Double Dave's Pizza has (or used to have) a cooler full of micros, so you can usually enjoy a very average pizza with a very good beer. They're in Killeen. Or, if you head a few miles north to Morgan's Point out near Lake Belton, look for C.C.'s Wine and Liquors. They have an outstanding beer selection, and since they're always cold and they turn over fast, you run into very little risk of stale beer. Best of luck!

fretlessman71
12-30-2004, 02:03 PM
Very average pizza, huh? :)

Someone told me that pizza is like sex - even when it's bad, it's still pretty good!

steveh
12-30-2004, 02:29 PM
Originally posted by fretlessman71
Someone told me that pizza is like sex - even when it's bad, it's still pretty good!

Coming from a town renowned for its hot dogs, italian beef, steaks, and pizza, I can say that just ain't so. Domino's is the Swiller High Life of pizza, IMO.

S.

fretlessman71
12-30-2004, 02:49 PM
Maybe, but I'd sooner eat a slice of Domino's than drink an Old Style! ;)

Seymour
12-30-2004, 02:56 PM
Uh oh. Looks like another "What's your favorite____" thread:D ...

fretlessman71
12-30-2004, 03:16 PM
Hmph... how about a "What's your favorite thread of 2004" thread? ;)

steveh
12-30-2004, 03:19 PM
Originally posted by fretlessman71
Maybe, but I'd sooner eat a slice of Domino's than drink an Old Style!

I'd go hungry and thirsty! Seriously, I put them in the same category, life's too short to... oh yeah. ;)

Honestly though, there are just too many local pizza joints (including my actual local tavern that I always mention) to bother with a bad chain. Although, it never fails to amaze me when I see a thousand people lined up in front of the Pizza Rut booth at Taste of Chicago -- when there are, at least, half a dozen small pizza places represented that have infinitely better pie. Uh, folks? There's a Pizza Rut on every corner, there's only one Carmine's and only a couple Connie's around!

S.

fretlessman71
12-30-2004, 03:42 PM
We do tend to avoid the corporate pie makers around here... it's just the musician in me saying, "What? Free food? Sure, bring it on!" :D

One of the reasons my wife and I decided on Ft. Collins when we moved back here was because of a place called The Pizza Casbah (1/2 block west of College on Laurel, for those near enough to give it a shot). It's where we had our first meal as husband and wife (now isn't that romantic?), and I know native New Yorkers who tell me that this rivals the best NY flat pie they've ever had. When you have that in town, why bother with anything else?

Problem is, sometimes we're in Cheyenne, and someone else chooses the pizza that's delivered to the church, and, well, Cheyenne has about 60,000 people in it, and not much selection. Oh well... beggars can't be choosers, right?

steveh
12-30-2004, 03:49 PM
Originally posted by fretlessman71
...and I know native New Yorkers who tell me that this rivals the best NY flat pie they've ever had.

See, being a native Chicagoan, you're opening a whole new can of worms with that -- to us, the sloppy, floppy stuff New Yorkers call pizza is a travesty. You shouldn't have to fold a slice of pizza to eat it!

We have thin crust in Chicago (along with pan and stuffed) that you'd kill for!

S.

fretlessman71
12-30-2004, 03:56 PM
I don't doubt it. But this stuff is only floppy if you try to add too much stuff on top of it like veggies(which are full of water). Done properly, you only need to fold it if the slice is too big to deal with otherwise. Lightly crisp, melt-in-your-mouth crust is what we're going for.

Flaccid slices weird me out, man... ;)

Seymour
12-30-2004, 03:57 PM
Honestly though, there are just too many local pizza joints (including my actual local tavern that I always mention) to bother with a bad chain. Although, it never fails to amaze me when I see a thousand people lined up in front of the Pizza Rut booth at Taste of Chicago -- when there are, at least, half a dozen small pizza places represented that have infinitely better pie. Uh, folks? There's a Pizza Rut on every corner, there's only one Carmine's and only a couple Connie's around!

S. [/B]

Similar to when I'm on the gulf coast, where every other restaurant has something caught, cleaned, and cooked that day, real authentic seafood, but which parking lot is the fullest? Red Lobster, or worse yet (heaven help us), Joe's Crab Shak! Ugh. Makes my skin crawl.

fretlessman71
12-30-2004, 04:00 PM
People in this country just aren't all that adventurous when it comes to trying something new - they don't want to be disappointed, and in order to avoid this they'll settle for something safe and familiar at the cost of missing out on something really outstanding... and this attitude is so pervasive that it engulfs every aspect of their lives - including their beer choice, which is where we got off on this thread in the first place! :D

Gotta love the human capacity to change the subject..... and I'm every bit as guilty as the rest of you!

Fly Creek
12-30-2004, 04:24 PM
Originally posted by fretlessman71
Flaccid slices weird me out, man...

Flaccid... Nice. :)

fretlessman71
12-30-2004, 04:32 PM
I always thought that would make a good band name, "Flaccid Slice".

Images of Lorena Bobbitt come to mind... :eek:

steveh
12-30-2004, 04:59 PM
Originally posted by Seymour but which parking lot is the fullest? Red Lobster, or worse yet (heaven help us), Joe's Crab Shak!

Lordy. I had the great experience of talking to a Maine lobsterman on vacation once, Red Lobster is unheard of in that state. Justice where you can find it!

S.