Thursday, August 02, 2007

Beer Blogging

This isn't something I normally do, since my beer tastes are pretty normally lowbrow and not worth the trouble. But I won (suck it losers) Toast's 100000th visitor contest, the prize for which was a beer. So, yesterday, I got beermail, and after putting it in the fridge overnight, I tried it out today.

Berkshire Brewing Company Steel Rail Extra Pale Ale

The Bottle: I mention this because first of all, it was some kind of weird size, I don't know if they use the metric system or something, but it was bigger than the 12oz Icehouses I normally drink. Also, I tried to open it for a few minutes with no luck, the cap just wouldn't twist off. I was about to give up on getting it open, but then I discovered that the end of my can opener doubles as some sort of archaic bottle opening device, so I was able to get it open with that.

The Pour: As I'm not into this beer blogging stuff, I'm not sure what this section is supposed to be about, but I always see it in other people's beer blogging posts. Needless to say, I didn't pout it, I drank it straight out of the bottle like normal people.

The Taste: It was pretty good. Smooth, no aftertaste. I liked it. Not enough to start drinking high quality beers instead of Icehouse, especially considering the price, but I enjoyed it.

Anyway, thanks Toast for the beer. Maybe I'll have a similar contest when my counter gets to 100000. If either of us is still alive by then, maybe you'll win it and I'll return the favor.

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8 comments:

michelline said...

Yeah, I always wondered about that pour thing too. Why pour when it comes in a perfectly good bottle?

Sounds like I would like this one. I don't like IPAs (too bitter), so I guess Pale Ales cme in many different varieties.

Toast said...

Nice work. The bottle opener section had me laughing my ass off.

Seriously, though: Do stores down there not sell individual beers in "bomber" sized bottles? (Usually 20-24 oz.) That's a big thing at most package stores I go to. In fact, a lot of the pricier beers only come in large singles like that, rather than in six packs.

Why pour when it comes in a perfectly good bottle?

You can't smell the beer unless you put it in a glass. Smell's a huge component of tasting anything. 'Course, mass-produced domestics either have no smell at all or they smell like skunk beer, so I can see where one would avoid drinking them out of a glass.

Glad you enjoyed it. See you back here in 62782 hits...

Anonymous said...

"You can't smell the beer unless you put it in a glass."
Another reason not to pour it. The stuff STINKS!

John Howard said...

I don't get to a lot of package stores, actually down here we just call them liquor stores, so I don't know what sizes they might generally have there. All the beer I buy comes in 12oz bottles from the grocery store.

I'm not sure why I would need to smell the beer. And anyway, then I'd just need to wash the glass. Seems like a waste of water, and I'm all about helping the environment.

Anonymous said...

I'm another one who bridges the gap between enthusiast and novice. Here's my input, shelf jumping is way cheaper when it comes to beer than when it comes to any other "spirit" and way more noticeable. Example, compare Grey Goose Vodka with Smirnoff Vodka then compare Keystone Light with Three Floyds Bubblegum Head Wheat. Hell for that matter compare Miller Genuine Draft to Harp. A buzz is a buzz but if you love beer the jump is bigger between good and bad beer than it is good and bad liquor. My favorite catagory, good and bad whiskey has me

Anonymous said...

comparing bad bourbon to good whiskey of any other kind. to my palate, bad bourbon (JW Dant, Old Grand Dad) is better than good Canadian or Irish Whiskey (Crown or Jameson) by virtue of flavor. To my taste Bourbon is king (not always cheaper) and other types are easier to sneak into drinks (like vodka)

Anonymous said...

I would rank your typical single-malt Scotch ahead of any bourbon, good or bad. I'd put a decent bourbon about on par with a comparable Irish whisky. And bourbon, Irish whisky and Scotch are all vastly superior to Canadian rye whisky. I can't understand how people use that shite for anything more than a mixer.

Scott G said...

If you are going to give out beer, I will just keep refreshing until I am the winer