MostlyYank

I like Arrogant Bastard.

Cuth agreed. I told one 'kid' I really don't like the hoppy beers, they rake out hops run a steamroller over them and pour the juice into a bottle.

He said, 'Really?'

And now I get to try Kennebec Winter! If it's around

Pete

Duncan Roberts

Look for more "tropical fruit" smelling and tasting beers in the upcoming year, especially in the IPA styles. Also, black IPA's (cascadian dark), wheat IPAs and lower alcohol beers. Those are my 2013 predictions. Oh, and the rise of fake craft beer. If you suddenly see two or three offerings from a new craft brewery, chances are its made by SABMiller or InBev.

Pulaski

I will, ...... so I can avoid them!

What is it with flavoured beers, flavoured with fruits and other stuff too? We wouldn't have stood for it back in Blightly, so why the popularity here? I've had one or two by accident, and they were not an experience I would want to repeat.

Personally, I think the Germans have a point: beer = malt + yeast + water + hops. Any thing else and it's not "beer".

GeoffM

Can't remember what it was but I saw a bottle of beer the other day that had a prominent phrase on the front label that went something like "Brewed with hops, water, and added fruit flavor". Not even fruit/juices, just flavouring!

However, as I used to serve at the Bath Beer Festival, I got to taste whatever I wanted for free, so got to taste quite a bit (I did serve the occasional customer too ). There are some nice fruity beers out there, but used as part of the brewing process, not an additive at the end. They tended to be subtle flavours though, not overpowering at all.

Duncan Roberts

Actually, they aren't flavored. There are a slew of newer hops that have been bread over the last few years that have those flavors and aromas naturally. Citra is the big one but there are several more that have been bread in the US and Australia.

Hiro11

I think he was talking about the hop profile, not actual fruit flavoring. A Citra, Chinook, Warrior grapefuit/apricot hop profile is common in US IPAs.

Edit: doh, beaten to the punch.

Also, all of you guys seem focused on IPAs or APAs. There's plenty of domestic porters, stouts, dunkels, lambics, sours, wits, bocks etc to explore out there.

Pulaski

I was in Total Wine yesterday and there was a bewildering range of craft beers to choose from - but it seemed that one in every three was an IPA.

Duncan Roberts

Apparently "bred" isn't in my phones dictionary!

Hiro11

Don't get me wrong, if there's a "signature style" for American micros, it's the American spin on the IPA. However, every brewery also makes other styles. If you want a good American porter or stout, I could give you lots of recommendations. Likewise sours or lagered beers.

Also, Total Wine is excellent. Love that store.

Anian

At least American IPAs have hops in, very disappointed by the IPAs I had in England this year, you could barely taste any difference from a standard pale ale.

But yes, there was definitely a big "stuff as many hops in as we can" movement. I've now noticed a surge in lagers for some reason. Annoyingly they are taking up the space for the nicer ales.

Bob

I think you might be right, they certainly sound familiar, especially that first brew

Bob

I kind of like blueberry or cherry wheat beers, they're a nick quick swig if you've been out working in the summer sun. Wouldn't want them on a regular basis, especially with a meal though, but there are some good brews from up in Maine.

Lobster beer is also worth a punt, very creamy and not at all gross like it sounds

Bob

Yes please.

I usually get porters brewed out of Maine, mainly because they're cheap enough to take a punt on and they tend to be quite good.

Also tried a milk stout at a new place that opened up in town that was rather good, not very heavy.

They also had a coffee ale, which was quite good, but way to fizzy for a whole pint, so glad it was only a mini sampler glass...and free

tinaflorida

I love Cigar City Brewing. I'll be moving back to Tampa in a couple of weeks, can't wait to get my hands on some Jai Alai and Tocabaga.

Here in New Orleans, we're very lucky to have an excellent beer bar, The Avenue Pub. Any beer lover should check it out if they're visiting NOLA. The owner is a friend of ours and is very well connected in the beer industry - she manages to get some incredibly rare beers from time to time, usually for a special event. For instance, we went to a Trappist beer tasting there a couple of weeks ago. They sometimes have good glassware giveaways too.

kins

It's already been said, but Portland ME is great for beer. The Downeast Beverage Co on Commercial St is worth a visit for the range of bottled beers they sell. For pubs in Portland there's Grittys, Bull Feeneys, Ri Ra, Three Dollar Deweys, the Great Lost Bear. Up near Augusta there's the Liberal Cup, and in Freeport is another Grittys with huge beer garden and great if you have kids.