Techno isnt about the past, its about Strong Ale

[pafufta816]

since when was IPA strong ale? my local is green king IPA and it's only 3.x%.

i didn't even know americans made IPA.

IPA is perhaps the most popular style for american microbreweries. it's generally the flagship ale of any brand. 3% is weak, a usual IPA is anywhere from 5-7%.

[coldfuture]

since when was IPA strong ale? my local is green king IPA and it's only 3.x%.

i didn't even know americans made IPA.

IPA generally wouldn't be considered a strong ale, so that's a good point, but a double IPA is usually be above 8% because of all the hops. The Titan IPA, which I am drinking is 6.7% ABV.

The American craft brew scene has really exploded over the last 10 years. There are over now 1500 small, craft breweries in the US, compared with 20 large breweries like Anheiser Busch (now owned by EnBev) and Miller-Coors. http://www.brewersassociation.org/pages ... -breweries

http://www.bjcp.org/2008styles/style14.php#1b

Actually IPA is by BJCP standards (developed in cooperation between UK, EU, and American beer judges) is always 5% or above to be "true to style."

It had to be even when it was only a UK export to troops in India, as the alcohol preserved it for travel, along with the antiseptic qualities of the strong dose of hops added.

Now here in San Diego, there is hardly an IPA under 6.5 because its a style the locals ran with and made a standard to itself.

[coldfuture]

they sure don't know how to serve beer decently :p Made me cringe when I ordered a beer when in the USA, one time even got it served in something that looked like a 50cl coca cola glass with ice. For fck sake.

Other than that: haven't tried any of the things you guys mentioned, so maybe that's worth looking into when I go back in april

Wherever you went, that was a fluke. They don't do that here typically and especially out west, be it Colorado, San Diego, Portland, Seattle, etc... we have a super strong beer tradition here and a good relationship with Belgian brewers who fly into town all the time and do "collaboration ales" with the local breweries.

Green Flash here recently did a colab with St. Feuillien called "Biere L'Amitie" that was just unreal... a perfect combination of your amazing ancient Belgian yeast strains and a colloquial "San Diego IPA."

Dood the beer was so unreal. And if you come here I assure you your beer will be served in the proper glass, be it a standard pint, goblet, snifter, or pilsner glass.

[coldfuture]

Awesome, I've never heard of Ballast Point before. Do they distribute out of California? Do they bottle/can, or is it just kegged?

San Diego is beer heaven. I can't believe people with weather that nice all the time can really get down and dirty with the beer, but it's overwhelming. The bier garden at Stone is really cool too.

As for Great Divide, I will say that I am totally biased to their beer, as my friend is the brewer, but they have such a wonderful selection. I highly recommend the 16th Anniversary Wood Aged Double IPA if you can find it - pure amber/copper hued gold in a bottle, with wonderful vanilla and caramel notes from the the wood aging. And if you are in Colorado in the spring, then I will take you and your brother down to the brewery for the hook up.

Belgian beers are great, and I really went through a Saison kick this past summer; one of my favorite's was Boulevard Brewing Co's Saison. Their whole Smoke Stack series is great though; and I highly recommend the Saison Brett if you can find it. Speaking of bretts, I'm really into sour beers at the moment, and have been thoroughly impressed by Jolly Pumpkin Brewing Co - especially the La Roja; great stuff if you dig the sours.

Oh, and the Strong Ale festival last year was April 30 and May 1 at Avery Brewing Co. They haven't announced the date for this year, but I'm sure they'll say something soon. Check Avery's website for info

Ok. It's 1:00pm here (almost). Time for a beer. Think I'm going with Titan IPA!

Sick yeah, you mean Boulevard Brewing from Kansas City right? Those guys ROCK the summer ales in the Belgian tradition!

I'll check that Jolly pumpkin... I am hooked on Consecration from Russian River myself, also I have a back stash of the uber rare Veritas 007 and Amorosa from Lost Abbey I am sitting on cuz I am a sour goblin who hoards the gold. (I talked the clerk at the brewery to sell me 3x the allotted personal limit)

I would be biased to Great Divide too! In fact I am and I don't even live there! They make amazing brews.

I am sorta that way with Ballast Point, I know a few guys there and the brewery is really close to me so its like home.

They distribute out of state for sure... the only thing is I think their bottling line is a bit weak and their beer suffers quite a bit from travel... more so than even the typical "bottle stuffed" flavor that some craft brews get.

So if you can, get BP on tap, it will blow your mind.

[coldfuture]

they sure don't know how to serve beer decently :p Made me cringe when I ordered a beer when in the USA, one time even got it served in something that looked like a 50cl coca cola glass with ice. For fck sake.

Sad to say, but I honestly don't doubt that. The majority of Americans drink Budweiser, Bud Light, Coors Light, and Miller Light. Those are the top 4 selling beers every year in the US, and they are all the same style: light lager, which is basically water, rice, and a touch of hops.

That being said, the craft brew scene is a taking off, and it's a great thing. Most of the good craft breweries are in California and Oregon. However, Michigan, Colorado, Massachusetts, and several other states are opening up lots of great breweries. Boston, New York, and Washington DC are all cities where you can find great, local beers on tap, as well as a lot of underground craft brews from all over the US and world. Atlanta, GA and Asheville, NC both have really good beer scenes now, and even Mississippi has one of the better, young breweries with Lazy Magnolia Brewing Co, which makes a great brown ale and fantastic stout.[/quote

^^ Dood all I have to say is you rock. I have a lot of beer nerd friends, and I a lot of techno heads I know, but I rarely get to mix the 2 worlds around here so this is cool.

[Emote Music]

Dood all I have to say is you rock. I have a lot of beer nerd friends, and I a lot of techno heads I know, but I rarely get to mix the 2 worlds around here so this is cool.

That's funny; and thank you very much.

We used to throw techno parties at Great Divide - in the brewhouse - two years ago, but the brewery has blown up so much production-wise, that it's not cost-effective for them to let us do it anymore. They're brewing 24/7, so they can't move the pallets of kegs around for us to have a show - but those were fun parties!

Next time you come to Arvada, you should hit me up and we'll get you a couple of cases of Great Divide at 1/2 price, maybe some free cases if they have some low-fills.

[JNX]

Ah yeah man, my brother lives in Arvada so I know the whole Odell's deal. That brewery is like Colorado's secret weapon I swear. Such amazing beer.

Odell is amazing. I haven't had one of their beers I didn't like. Wife and I are out there annually and a couple of years ago we did a multi day multi brewery tour in the region on our own (you can't hit as many as you think you can, i'll put it that way). New Belgium gets more press than Odell, but I think Odell kicks their ass every day of the week. Dig em all, but Red Rye, 90 Schilling, and Isolation Ale are my favs.

[kristofason]

Get the fookin 'TYSKIE' down ya