For me, the only Bavarian place is the Hofbrauhaus. Any place that can seat 4000+ beer drinkers, has a lockers for your beer mug, and a 24/7 oompah band is ok in my book.
Jesus Christ, posted under my GF’s name again. The HB post about was mine.
One beer you should try here in Texas is Steel Reserve.It comes in 24oz. cans and you can find it at most convenient stores.It is 8% and is very good if you like a heavy thick beer.
Steel Reserve? I’ve never heard of it. I’ll have to look for it. I normally don’t shop for beer in convienience stores, they never have what I want. I’m bemused by the number of people who enjoy German beers, I never really liked them. Pilsners and lagers I never really developed a taste for. BTW, have any of you tried the bottled Guiness with the little widget? Is it just me, or does it taste really watered down? There’s a few places around me that have Guiness on tap, but at home, I use the pub draught cans. the bottles were a major disappointment.
Paul-Pilsner and Lager are the same thing. Pilsner is a type of lager, I should say. A Pilsner style lager, although originally denoting a beer from the Czech town of Plzen, now refers to any lager having a light to medium body, among certain other distinguishing characteristics. Beer can either be a lager (bottom fermented) or Ale (top fermented). Most beer that you drink, be it in Canada, U.S., or Europe, will be lager. Also, most German pilsners that Americans have access to are the worst representations Germans have to offer. Try Jever, Flensburger, or Hofbrau Muenchen. The style of lager and/or Pilsner will vary depending on where in Germany it is from. Although the style originated in the Czech Republic, German pilsners (along with the Czech varieties) are among the best in the world.
Finally, there are so many German lagers that most people never try (an ales too). Germany, along with Belgium, has the most diverse selection of beer anywhere in the world. If you can’t find a German beer you like, you’re not really looking! 
Try Kolsch, Alt, Hefeweiss, Dortmunder, Vienna style, Marzen, Bock, Maibock, Eisbock, Doppelbock (esp. if you like dark beers), Muenchner Dunkel, Schwarzbier, etc.
As far as Guinness, the syle, flavor, body, alc. content, etc. will vary depending on where it it brewed. It is brewed in about 50 nations around the world, from Ireland to Africa, to Asia. The Pub Draft variety (can or bottle) has different flavor and bitterness than the regular bottled stout (which is closer to Arthur Guinness’ original brew). O’hara’s Celtic Stout is also awesome, and recently won an award as the best Irish stout by a panel of international judges. It’s def. worth a try.
Hey T-Ren, didn’t even think of reading through this thread since it had to do with CANADIAN beer. snicker snicker 
But I’m bored…so here I am…and lo and behold…someone mentions my name! Woohoo!
Actually, Moosehead is about the only exposure I’ve had to Canadian beer - and I’m not impressed (sounds as though I’ve missed out on some quality beverages though). Seeing as the thread digressed, I’ll throw out some of my more favorite brews. Great Divide and Spanish Peaks both have a pretty good Honey Raspberry Ale. Dos Equis is the choice for Mexican (although it’s a German beer); Guiness when I’m in a dark mood; Breckenridge Avalanche or Fat Tire are good ambers; Blue Moon and Easy Street make good hefeweizen (sp?).
Most of the beverages I’ve seen in this thread are unfamiliar to me…
Note to self: Attend next Beer Festival.
Karma-Blue Moon, and I’m trying to be nice here, is a TERRIBLE(!!!) version of a Belgian Witbier. Witbier is not the same as the German Hefeweizen, which usually lacks the coriander and orange peel characteristic of the Belgian style. Blue Moon is a horrible bastardization of Hoegaarden, which is the 20th century “reincarnation” of the almost extinct Belgian style. Try Hoegaarden or St. Bernardus. Pierre Celis, founder of the Hoegaarden brewery, now operates a brewery in Texas and brews a good Belgian style Witbier called Celis White.
Also, though Dos Equis was founded by a German, it’s current offering is a far cry from the Vienna style lager it is purported to emulate. It generally gets low marks from beer critics.
Guinness and Rickard’s Red cover all the bases; I love the shit out of both of them. Plus they’re both very readily available, which is nice.
Guinness when I’m hungry and not in the mood for something carbonated, Rickard’s otherwise (or when I just want to drink beers with the boys and get drunk).
Sully26- You’re a regular fount of beer knowledge!! Now I know whom to turn to when I have a beer question! As you can probably tell from reading my posts, I am no conniseur of beer. I tend to go with the “darker is better” theory. Although I must say that the bottled varieties of Guiness were a bit too sour for my liking. I have actually tried Heffeweis, and thought it was ok. A friend of mine owned a liquor store, and was constantly bringing me imports to try. And, loathe as I am to admit it, the pilsners I never liked. A couple of ales I can stand, but I tend to mostly lean to stouts. Once I find something I like, I tend to stick with it. Could be worse, I have a buddy who works for Coors, that’s all he drinks!
Wow, Sully. That’s damn impressive. I never considered myself terribly experienced or knowledgeable about beer but now I know that I am definitely far from it. The beverages I mentioned are typical stock here in Denver and I’m quite sure that your recommendations would be better. I’ll have to do a little searching around and see if I can find any… for strictly scientific research, of course.
Yeah, I am kinda psycho about beer.
Paul-Stouts are ales remember. I’m a big fan of dark beer as well (all beers actually!). The bottled version of Guinness is very bitter (not sour, semantics, I know), with a very high IBU (international bitterness unit) rating. Porters are usually less bitter. If you like dark beers, check out:
Sam Smith Imperial Stout-England
Sam Smith Tadcaster Porter-England
Hercule Stout-Belgium
Lion Stout-Sri Lanka
Pripps Carnegie Porter-Sweden
Paulaner Salvator Doppelbock-Germany
Also check out the Trappist Abbey Ales from Belgium.
Karma-If you can find them, you may also want to check out:
Karmeliet Tripel-Belgium
Duvel-Belgium
Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier-Germany
I think we gotta start a new thread!
Sully- I’ve actually had tha Abott Ale, good stuff. I’ve also had theMacTarnahans Blackwatch cream porter, which I also enjoyed. There’s a World Market down the street, and they let you build your own six packs. Let me suggest that you avoid beers brewed in Zimbabwe!!
Paul-Beware though, all “abbey” or “abott” beers are not necessarily Trappist beer. There are six Trappist monastaries (five in Belgium, one in Holland) that are allowed to used the Trappist name, all others are simply referred to as abbey ales. That doesn’t make them bad per se, just not Trappist Beers, which are among the finest in the world. The six Trappist Breweries are:
- Orval
- Chimay
- Rochefort
- Westmalle
- Westvleteren
- Schaapskooi (Holland)
There is actually now a seventh brewer of Trappist beers (a monk split away and retained brewing rights) but the beers are very hard to come by. If you can find the above mentioned beers, check them out.
You want good beer, come to BC. man we have everytyhing, BEER BEER and More BEER. Granvil island lager, Shaftsbury and Okanagan springs 1516 beer are good, but the best BC beer is Kokanee. Shit its good.
But i think everyone should come to BC who hasn’t been here before.
Whistler is the best place on earth
The best BEER, BABES and BUD in BC
ps. canadian, LGD, moosehead, alexander keets, and blue are awsome too. Basicaly anything that has anything to do with canada is cool
Adam-I like Canada and everything, but having the best beer?? You need to get out (of the country) me! Hehehe