Its official! Both sides of the Atlantic love a good Smuttynose!

[Carol]

I'm talking, of course, about the craft beer...at the British Beer Festival!

This year, to celebrate the ascension of U.S. beers, there’s also a new prize for best American cask ale. The inaugural winner of the Michael Jackson award (named after a British beer aficionado, not you-know-who) is Smuttynose Big A IPA, from Portsmouth, N.H.

http://mobile.globalpost.com/dispatch/united-kingdom/100809/uk-beer?page=0,0

Any craft beer afficionados around care to share their favorite brew?

 

[crushing]

I'm in to craft beer, big time. I went to two breweries in Northern lower Michigan last week.

I've heard good things about Smuttynose IPA, but unfortunately haven't had the opportunity to check it out. I really like a good IPA and a couple of my favorites are Bell's Two Hearted and Short's Huma-lupa-licious. I think Two Hearted is pretty widely available across the country in stores that sell better beer, but the Huma-lupa-licious may only be availble in Michigan.

I made a Russian Imperial Stout ice cream float on Sunday at a music festival. Poured some Dark Lord over vanilla ice cream and it was excellent. I know it doesn't sound like a good combo, but it worked together wonderfully.

 

[CoryKS]

I'm in to craft beer, big time. I went to two breweries in Northern lower Michigan last week.

I've heard good things about Smuttynose IPA, but unfortunately haven't had the opportunity to check it out. I really like a good IPA and a couple of my favorites are Bell's Two Hearted and Short's Huma-lupa-licious. I think Two Hearted is pretty widely available across the country in stores that sell better beer, but the Huma-lupa-licious may only be availble in Michigan.

I made a Russian Imperial Stout ice cream float on Sunday at a music festival. Poured some Dark Lord over vanilla ice cream and it was excellent. I know it doesn't sound like a good combo, but it worked together wonderfully.

My son and I went camping in Muskegon with my brother's family this summer, and on the way out I picked up a six of Founder's Dirty Bastard Ale. Since the brewery is like a half-mile from where I grew up, I wanted to support the home team, and man was that good beer!

Also noticed that Holland has a brewery now, which was surprising given the weird alcohol laws they had the last time I was there. Have you tried the Poet? There's a local store that stocks it, so I might give it a go.

 

[crushing]

Founders is my favorite. They make some incredible beers.

New Holland's The Poet is pretty good. If you are into big flavorful beers, their Dragon's Milk is really something to check out.

Two years or so ago the voters of Ottawa County repealed the blue laws the prohibited the sale of beer and wine on Sunday (but not spirits/liquor). According to the article below Holland had it's own prohibition in addition to the county's. I don't know if Holland eventually removed theirs.

http://www.hollandsentinel.com/news...County-says-yes-to-Sunday-beer-and-wine-sales

 

[CoryKS]

Founders is my favorite. They make some incredible beers.

New Holland's The Poet is pretty good. If you are into big flavorful beers, their Dragon's Milk is really something to check out.

Two years or so ago the voters of Ottawa County repealed the blue laws the prohibited the sale of beer and wine on Sunday (but not spirits/liquor). According to the article below Holland had it's own prohibition in addition to the county's. I don't know if Holland eventually removed theirs.

http://www.hollandsentinel.com/news...County-says-yes-to-Sunday-beer-and-wine-sales

Thanks, I'll check them both out. Dragon's Milk if I can find it, but I know where I can get The Poet.

That sounds about right. The way I remember it, a friend and I went out to the beach one Sunday and later went to a bar. We were puzzled by the fact that they wouldn't serve us a beer, but we could buy liquor. ?!Very strange.

 

[CoryKS]

BTW, did anyone else read the article that Carol shared and have Toby Keith/Willie Nelson's "Beer For My Horses" playing in their head? :rofl:

 

[Carol]

A guy up in these parts that usually digs on the local New England brews just did a review of Bell's Two Hearted Ale. He's been impressed with the Michigan beers as well.

http://drinkrealbeer.blogspot.com/

 

[crushing]

BTW, did anyone else read the article that Carol shared and have Toby Keith/Willie Nelson's "Beer For My Horses" playing in their head? :rofl:

For some reason it came through as "Beer for Me 'Orses" as I read the article.

 

[crushing]

A guy up in these parts that usually digs on the local New England brews just did a review of Bell's Two Hearted Ale. He's been impressed with the Michigan beers as well.

http://drinkrealbeer.blogspot.com/

I had to laugh at this line from his blog:

I am all for full hop flavor, but am not a fan of feeling like I have just eaten some shrubbery.

Because I recently had a Shorts Spruce Pilsner which tasted like....well...some shrubbery, but a delicious shrubbery.

From http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/shorts-spruce-pilsner/127070/
Imperial Pilsner Brewed with Northern Michigan Spring Blue Spruce tips & healthy doses of high Alpha Hops, aromatic earth tonic of the resinous piece pungens and humulus lupulus

 

[CoryKS]

i had to laugh at this line from his blog:



Because i recently had a shorts spruce pilsner which tasted like....well...some shrubbery, but a delicious shrubbery.

From http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/shorts-spruce-pilsner/127070/
imperial pilsner brewed with northern michigan spring blue spruce tips & healthy doses of high alpha hops, aromatic earth tonic of the resinous piece pungens and humulus lupulus

Ni!!!

 

[teekin]

Well If anyone comes up to Winnipeg make sure you get to Half Pints Brewery. They make small batches of some of the nicest ales and stouts. You can rent a cask and have it on tap or buy a case after you take a taste of what they are selling that week. They change from week to week as they brew small batches and sell out very quickly.

Bob, don't let Andrew skip this part of the Winnipeg tour!!!!!!

 

[CoryKS]

Today I made a run over to MO and picked up a six of Bell's Two Hearted Ale and a large bottle of Dragon's Milk. The clerk was raving about Two Hearted. Tried one tonight and it's really good. I'm not much of a hophead and prefer stouts, but this has a nice taste. Probably won't buy it again simply because IPA isn't my thing, but would recommend to my friends who like that style.

Saw on the label that Bell's is located in Comstock, MI and thought it meant Comstock Park which is near Grand Rapids, but Google Maps informs me that they are closer to Kalamazoo.