beer.

[mean]

Amen.  Truer words hath never been spoken. 

QFT

[chrizow]

can't stand witbiers.  indeed, i can't hang with very many belgian or belgian-style beers that i've tried.  that bubblegum flavor and syrupy aftertaste is nauseating to me. 

IPAs used to be my go-to, and i still enjoy them from time to time, but now i prefer roasty stuff like stouts and porters.  the lagunitas "WTF" beer (currently at Foundry and maybe other places) is killer - an american strong ale that is toasty like a stout, but also has the hop kick of a pale or ipa.  very nice and balanced and delicious.

how about "sour" ales?  had one at westside local recently.  i can't say i would order it again, but it was interesting.  it tasted like a sour apple tearjerker. 

[mean]

Yeah, big fan of gueuze, personally. Not so much the fruity sours. Hate wits, but most Belgian beers I can get with. The only ones I've ever encountered with grody bubblegum flavors are wits, but sometimes they can have syrupy aftertastes if they're brewed with candi.

[drumatix]

how about "sour" ales?  had one at westside local recently.  i can't say i would order it again, but it was interesting.  it tasted like a sour apple tearjerker. 

Delicious. Blanc stocks this one, a Flemish red:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duchesse_d ... gne_(beer)

[rxlexi]

been enjoying Tallgrass Brewery's stuff lately.  Out of Manhattan KS.  I really like their Buffalo Sweat Stout...smooth and creamy.  Also like their Kold lager, basically a summer Kolsch type beer...tastes surprisingly good out of their 24oz cans. 

  also, on my Wit hunt, came across Abita Satsuma Harvest Wit, a very Zon like beer with a hint of strange Satsuma flavor, a fruit of which I have never heard prior to purchasing a sixer of the beer.

  on a side note, what does everyone think of this craft beer in a can trend?  I noticed while in StL last weekend that Schlafy is canning their Summer Helles (a pretty terrible beer, IMO), as is O'Fallon Brewery with their Wheach.  Also saw a number of stouts, IPAs etc at Lukas in Chesterfield in cans.  Now drinking Tallgrass 4 pack Pint cans - and Tallgrass I thought now only uses cans.  I guess it's a decent idea when trying to conveniently package summery beers for the pool, boat, etc, and make inroads into the casual beer market, but I have to imagine the metallic taste wouldn't do a lot of favors for a truly "good" big beer....thoughts?

[shinatoo]

been enjoying Tallgrass Brewery's stuff lately.  Out of Manhattan KS.  I really like their Buffalo Sweat Stout...smooth and creamy.  Also like their Kold lager, basically a summer Kolsch type beer...tastes surprisingly good out of their 24oz cans. 

  also, on my Wit hunt, came across Abita Satsuma Harvest Wit, a very Zon like beer with a hint of strange Satsuma flavor, a fruit of which I have never heard prior to purchasing a sixer of the beer.

  on a side note, what does everyone think of this craft beer in a can trend?  I noticed while in StL last weekend that Schlafy is canning their Summer Helles (a pretty terrible beer, IMO), as is O'Fallon Brewery with their Wheach.  Also saw a number of stouts, IPAs etc at Lukas in Chesterfield in cans.  Now drinking Tallgrass 4 pack Pint cans - and Tallgrass I thought now only uses cans.  I guess it's a decent idea when trying to conveniently package summery beers for the pool, boat, etc, and make inroads into the casual beer market, but I have to imagine the metallic taste wouldn't do a lot of favors for a truly "good" big beer....thoughts?

I was reading your post and was going to tell you I had the Helles out of a keg, but I guess, you know, fuck that.

Maybe it sucks out of a can. i could see that.

[warwickland]

 on a side note, what does everyone think of this craft beer in a can trend?  I noticed while in StL last weekend that Schlafy is canning their Summer Helles (a pretty terrible beer, IMO), as is O'Fallon Brewery with their Wheach.  Also saw a number of stouts, IPAs etc at Lukas in Chesterfield in cans.  Now drinking Tallgrass 4 pack Pint cans - and Tallgrass I thought now only uses cans.  I guess it's a decent idea when trying to conveniently package summery beers for the pool, boat, etc, and make inroads into the casual beer market, but I have to imagine the metallic taste wouldn't do a lot of favors for a truly "good" big beer....thoughts?

Overall its really awesome seeing more craft options in a can, great because i can take it to the shutins or river, and cans just jive with summer. I didnt care for the summer lager from schlafly last year, but in a can, as i have been drinking all night running under the hose and hanging around the fire, its not that bad (still, not great, but i suppose ballsy to do something like it...its really not worth the 15 bucks i paid for a 12 at the local market).

[mudjack]

  on a side note, what does everyone think of this craft beer in a can trend?  I noticed while in StL last weekend that Schlafy is canning their Summer Helles (a pretty terrible beer, IMO), as is O'Fallon Brewery with their Wheach.  Also saw a number of stouts, IPAs etc at Lukas in Chesterfield in cans.  Now drinking Tallgrass 4 pack Pint cans - and Tallgrass I thought now only uses cans.  I guess it's a decent idea when trying to conveniently package summery beers for the pool, boat, etc, and make inroads into the casual beer market, but I have to imagine the metallic taste wouldn't do a lot of favors for a truly "good" big beer....thoughts?

I didn't try the Summer Helles, but I did buy their "Yes, we can" t-shirt.

I like having more options for the river.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Does a good beer ruined by putting it in a can really taste any better than a shit beer put in a can?  Here is the winning solution - avoid going to drink beer in places where properly stored beer is outlawed and in the handful of instances where this is unavoidable, put up with shit beer in a can.  No point in wasting valuable real estate at the liqour store with more tin tasting beer. 

[mean]

Does a good beer ruined by putting it in a can really taste any better than a shit beer put in a can?  Here is the winning solution - avoid going to drink beer in places where properly stored beer is outlawed and in the handful of instances where this is unavoidable, put up with shit beer in a can.  No point in wasting valuable real estate at the liqour store with more tin tasting beer.  

WTF? Good beer is not ruined by putting it in a can. I would challenge anyone to a blind taste test of any beer available in both cans and bottles (Modus Hoperandi?) to be able to tell the difference once decanted. Indeed, canning is a superior storage medium in several ways. It blocks 100% of light from getting in and skunking the brew, it's easier to recycle, lighter to transport, and less likely to produce dozens of shards of detritus that will slice someone's foot open on the beach or campground or whatever. Aluminum is also a much better thermal conductor than glass, which for obvious reasons could be considered good or bad.

Anyway, if it tastes metallic, you're doing it wrong.

[mudjack]

Most cans are lined. That has its own drawbacks, but it should keep out the metallic taste.

When I go to the river, I will buy the best canned beer I can find.

[warwickland]

canned crafts are still such a novel thing, seems like the lower midwest and south was the last to jump on the bandwagon, and of course in general Missouri is still in a beer shadow, in particular eastern Missouri at least non local (people are trying to step up locally). Its very unsettling to find Colorado and west coast beers like Hood River for example, in stores in north/south carolina that arent available in KS, MO or outstate IL. of course, many of the best new breweries are in the south (well, western north carolina).

/end non constructive complaining.

[bbqboy]

http://www.calderabrewing.com/index.asp 

[warwickland]

http://www.calderabrewing.com/index.asp   :D

Looks like I can buy that in St. Louis! I believe I've had it before when I was camping on the Oregon coast.

[warwickland]

Lately I've become really picky in regards to beer that strikes a balance between flavor ,smoothness, mouthfeel (not a bud light commercial), probably the heat. I tend to gravitate towards beers that complement with spicy/seafood. I really like Abita, for instance, and have been shying from many of Schlaflys mainstream offerings although they have the ability to brew beer that tastes completely different from their other beers. I really only like the stuff they dont bottle so much of and can really only get on tap.

I really have been craving various Oregon offerings lately like McMenamins Hammerhead which is smooth and sparkling, the hops crackles in your mouth while simultaneously being lubricated by that smooth pacific northwest water. or anything from Deschutes. Think I'm going to have to make a trip in the months ahead. I don't know if its the water in certain places or what but some breweries offerings have an overall smoother mouthfeel. Boulevard is kind of middle of the road, Schlafly would be more biting than smooth.

[RiverMarketDweller]

Bob's to be in the store Monday the 16th

[PumpkinStalker]

Blue bird listed it on the menu last night but it was a tease, and they did not receive it yet. Westside local may have had it but I had a Third Coast instead

[KC Sporting Life]

Had this season's Bob's 47 at R Bar the other night.  Best seasonal in their lineup, and it couldn't have coincided any better with the cooler weather.  Bring on the fall.

[KCPowercat]

Yeah I can't drink Bobs till Sept. at least....got to be much cooler.

[grovester]

that's why god created air conditioning