Where do you rate your beer experience?

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brewt00l

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There have been number of recent posts about tasting new styles and experiencing different beers...not to mention a number of posts in the sampling threads where folks mention they have never had an ...insert beer name here.

Where do you see your overall experience with styles?

Here is the bjcp list for reference (not including all the subcategories):

1. LIGHT LAGER
2. PILSNER
3. EUROPEAN AMBER LAGER
4. DARK LAGER
5. BOCK
6. LIGHT HYBRID BEER
7. AMBER HYBRID BEER
8. ENGLISH PALE ALE
9. SCOTTISH AND IRISH ALE
10. AMERICAN ALE
11. ENGLISH BROWN ALE
12. PORTER
13. STOUT
14. INDIA PALE ALE (IPA)
15. GERMAN WHEAT AND RYE BEER
16. BELGIAN AND FRENCH ALE
17. SOUR ALE
18. BELGIAN STRONG ALE
19. STRONG ALE
20. FRUIT BEER
21. SPICE / HERB / VEGETABLE BEER
22. SMOKE-FLAVORED AND WOOD-AGED BEER
23. SPECIALTY BEER

http://www.bjcp.org/styles04/


I am lucky enough to live in an area with a large availability of different domestic micro/crafts and imports & have been of age and into beer long enough to have sampled my fair share. Eisenbock, Bière de Garde, Scottish Light 60/-, Scottish Heavy 70/-, Northern German Altbier, Düsseldorf Altbier, Mild, Southern English Brown, & Roggenbier are on my "to do list" if I remember it all correctly. ;)
 
It's difficult to go off that list because most English brewers don't confirm to those style guides.

But I'd say I've drank the following. (All but dark lager) but I may of had it but forgotten.
And I'm not sure what American Ale is.

1. LIGHT LAGER
2. PILSNER
3. EUROPEAN AMBER LAGER
5. BOCK
6. LIGHT HYBRID BEER
7. AMBER HYBRID BEER
8. ENGLISH PALE ALE
9. SCOTTISH AND IRISH ALE
11. ENGLISH BROWN ALE
12. PORTER
13. STOUT
14. INDIA PALE ALE (IPA)
15. GERMAN WHEAT AND RYE BEER
16. BELGIAN AND FRENCH ALE
18. BELGIAN STRONG ALE
19. STRONG ALE
20. FRUIT BEER
21. SPICE / HERB / VEGETABLE BEER
22. SMOKE-FLAVORED AND WOOD-AGED BEER
23. SPECIALTY BEER
 
Sam Adams makes a fairly crappy black lager, or maybe I just don't like the style.

I would rate my beer experience as follows:

Quite to extremely enjoyable.

Thanks!
 
Probably but I don't remember it specifically.
I have tried many many differebt brews. If I see something new I try it.

I can easily try 5 different brews in a week and I have been doing this for many years.
 
Bah Humbug said:
It's difficult to go off that list because most English brewers don't confirm to those style guides.

But I'd say I've drank the following. (All but dark lager) but I may of had it but forgotten.

1. LIGHT LAGER
2. PILSNER
3. EUROPEAN AMBER LAGER
5. BOCK
6. LIGHT HYBRID BEER
7. AMBER HYBRID BEER
8. ENGLISH PALE ALE
9. SCOTTISH AND IRISH ALE
11. ENGLISH BROWN ALE
12. PORTER
13. STOUT
14. INDIA PALE ALE (IPA)
15. GERMAN WHEAT AND RYE BEER
16. BELGIAN AND FRENCH ALE
18. BELGIAN STRONG ALE
19. STRONG ALE
20. FRUIT BEER
21. SPICE / HERB / VEGETABLE BEER
22. SMOKE-FLAVORED AND WOOD-AGED BEER
23. SPECIALTY BEER

No sour ales........................You've got to give Roddenbach or Duchesse a try.
 
Actually I should mention that it is possible to taste a style light years from a "craft beer" store. Nearby homebrewers can be a great way to find new styles. Also, if you have good skills and a good recipe, you can brew something without ever tasting one. I have never had a munich helles, but I have one lagering right now.(maybe not a good example since I probably screwed it up somehow, but you get the point!)
 
The only beer style that I haven't had a chance to try at least once yet is Gruit.
 
I enjoy single beers quite frequently, but far prefer two-sies. Groups are fine in small numbers, so long as everyone's on the same page...

Oh, wait.

You meant a whole different thing, didn't you?

:ban:
 
1. LIGHT LAGER - havn't like any I've tasted
2. PILSNER - Had a couple decent ones but not my fav
3. EUROPEAN AMBER LAGER - Not bad
4. DARK LAGER - Getting better
5. BOCK - Enjoyable beers
6. LIGHT HYBRID BEER - Had a few don't care for them
7. AMBER HYBRID BEER - Had Anchor Steam but not any of the European styles
8. ENGLISH PALE ALE - Not bad
9. SCOTTISH AND IRISH ALE - Had a couple that were pretty good
10. AMERICAN ALE - Really enjoyed some of these and others that are so-so
11. ENGLISH BROWN ALE - I like Browns
12. PORTER - One of my favs
13. STOUT - Ofcourse :)
14. INDIA PALE ALE (IPA) - I can be a hop head
15. GERMAN WHEAT AND RYE BEER - Tried a couple but not my style
16. BELGIAN AND FRENCH ALE - Loved some, didn't care for others
17. SOUR ALE - No experience
18. BELGIAN STRONG ALE - Loved some, didn't care for others
19. STRONG ALE - Usually enjoyable sipping beers
20. FRUIT BEER - Not a fan
21. SPICE / HERB / VEGETABLE BEER - Had a few, usually not a fan but there is alot of territory here
22. SMOKE-FLAVORED AND WOOD-AGED BEER - Can't remember an example of this
23. SPECIALTY BEER - Another wide open category

I've Brewed:
10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18 in my first 15 batches.
I don't plan on making lagers as I have found few I really like and there are so many ales I want to make.
Although I have tried most general styles I can see a few that are lacking. And looking a the sub categories there are many more I need to look for.
I think I need to start looking some more at the import section as that is where many of my holes are. I think I've covered most of the styles represented by American microbrews.

Craig
 
Weakest in the sour and Belgian categories, both of which are being recitified ;)

Not a ton of experience with Scottish ale, either, and never had a French ale.
 
Have ya'll been checking the subclassifications? I am all squared up on the top level categories but need those subs I mentioned. Heck, I don't know if I have even seen a Düsseldorf Altbier locally. Eisenbock is going down this weekend!

My hat is off to those who have aced 'em all!:mug:
 
I've lived in Germany for 5 years and have worked around the globe, so I have lots of beer experience and have had each one of these catagories.


1. Light Lager - Yep, Ok
2. Pilsner - Yep, Good one
3. European Amber Lager - Yep, Good one
4. Dark Lager - Yep, Good one
5. Bock Yep, Good one
6. Light Hybrid Beer - Yep, Good one
7. Amber Hybrid Beer - Yep, Good one
8. English Pale Ale - Yep, Good one
9. Scottish And Irish Ale - Yep, Good one
10. American Ale - Yep, Good one
11. English Brown Ale - Yep, Good one
12. Porter - Yep, Good one
13. Stout - Yep, Good one
14. India Pale Ale (ipa) - Yep, Good one
15. German Wheat And Rye Beer - Yep, Good one
16. Belgian And French Ale - Yep, Good one
17. Sour Ale - Yep, Good one
18. Belgian Strong Ale - Yep, Good one
19. Strong Ale - Yep, Good one
20. Fruit Beer - Yep, don't like
21. Spice / Herb / Vegetable Beer - Yep, Good one
22. Smoke-flavored And Wood-aged Beer - Yep, Good one
23. Specialty Beer - Yep, Good one

As a BJCP Apprentice (no grade back yet), I judged a couple of competitions and that is where you can really try some of the obscure styles.

The real goal is to try all of the sub catagories.

BTW, Shiner just came out with a Schwartzbier. It's tasty.
 
the_bird said:
Weakest in the sour and Belgian categories, both of which are being recitified ;)

Not a ton of experience with Scottish ale, either, and never had a French ale.


What Scottish have you tried? I love Traquare House.(sp)

And for sours try Rodenbach( not the grand cru).
 
niquejim said:
( not the grand cru).

bluesbrothers425.jpeg

Don't you blaspheme in here! ;)
 
i tend to go in phases. pale ales, stout/porters, german/bohemian type lagers, belgian funk/belgian ale.

right now i'm in a belgian rut, and really enjoying it :)
 
The great thing about beer is that, except perhaps for judging purposes, many of those catgories are super loose. I've had at least one from each of the main categories...but there are SOOOOO many more brews to sample. As Orfy said, sipping a Fuller's ESB and a Bass doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of brews that might be loosely classified as "English Pale Ale/Bitter".

One thing I've always loved about Charlie Papazian is that he shows and shares a great love for all the peculiar and particular beers out in the great big world of brew. I'd love to travel all over Europe and try the local brew--some pub's house bitter, or town-favorite Altbier, or whatever.
 
I'd rate my beer experience pretty high. I've had all the styles on the list and several examples of many of them.

Heck, I have most of them in my beer fridge right now. :D
 
I would have to rate myself high on the list as well. The only catagory I have not tried is the Sour Ale, and I'm eager to try some. I've made beer in 17 catagories, all but Light Lager, Dark Lager, Bock, Fruit Beer and Sour Ale. I need to make a list of every beer that I've tried. I had a list but lost it in a computer crash. There were hundreds then.
 
You guys that have these aced, what Düsseldorf Altbiers, Milds & Southern English Browns are you finding available in your area?
 
Well my local bottle shop usually has Schneider Aventinus eisenbock and sometimes has Ramstein products....neither were in the cooler this weekend. (They did have singles of Brooklyn Black Chocolate stout so it wasn't a total waste ;))
 
CBBaron said:
17. SOUR ALE - No experience
Craig
Well one more category with atleast some experience. Had a Rodenbach this weekend while watching my Steelers become the next victims of NE. Atleast I enjoyed the beer. It was sweeter and fruiter than expected. Not a beer I will drink alot of but I can see the interest in sour beers. I can imagine some variations that would suit me better.

Craig
 
I've tried all of them (although French covers styles I haven't tried and I'm certain there are sub-styles I haven't run across). Brewed a little over half of them.
 
uglygoat said:
how do you survive in cleveland as a steelers fan? :off:
I have always been a steelers fan despite growing up in NE Ohio. And given the recent history of the Browns there are quite a few more Steelers fans in the area in recent years. The question is hasn't it been tough to remain a Browns fan for the last 10 years? :)

On a note related to the topic. Winking Lizard actually has pretty good coverage of the basic BJCP styles including the sour beer (Rodenbach) I mentioned. I may have to do their world beer tour next year to get the experience. :mug:

Craig
 
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