The problem with high abv beer is...

[Baron von BeeGee]

...they make crappy session beers! My most recently matured batch is a 8% brown ale. Flavor is fantastic...in fact, I want to drink 2 or 3 everytime I crack one open, but I'd be worthless! I'm quite the cheap date with this batch. And I was patting myself on the back for bottling so much of it in 1L bottles.

Must aim for 5% next batch...

 

[homebrewer_99]

This is so true. It's great to know that you can brew a higher alcohol beer, but it takes real constraint to just brew a good simple beer is enjoyable to drink.

 

[david_42]

I'm working on cutting the ABV on some of my favorites, but then there's Old Bog Water...

 

[SwAMi75]

Bah, they're great session beers! The session is just much shorter is all.

 

[Toilet Rocker]

NICE! Leave it to Sam to shower the Lighter Side....great thinking.

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

Bah, they're great session beers! The session is just much shorter is all.

Well, that's true, but sometimes I want to see the entire game on tv! Too bad my neighbor's AA and my wife is a lightweight. I'm going to have to attack some of these 1L's pretty soon with my ESB getting ready to go to secondary.

 

[rewster451]

You know what? At twenty-five, I don't mind having a session with an 8% ABV beer. I don't like going to work the next morning though. Weekend session, I say.

 

[Duvel]

I agree, it's not ideal for a session. Though if presented with the opportunity, one will still have a good (if completely insane) time :cross:

Went on a trip to leuven belgium recently with some friends. Irish people drinking 8% ale like we drink our 4.3% guinness/smithwicks/bulmers at home is just dangerous at best.. Our pubs close at 12.30, these close at 4am. A real culture shock.

These are examples of how we'd start:
http://www.maths.tcd.ie/~crosbin/photos/Belgium from the gingerman/DSCF0060.JPG
http://www.maths.tcd.ie/~crosbin/photos/Belgium from the gingerman/DSCF0072.JPG

And this is how we'd end up (sorry there were just so many of them):
Impression of a shelf 1:
http://www.maths.tcd.ie/~crosbin/photos/Belgium from the gingerman/DSCF0074.JPG
Impression of a shelf 2:
http://www.maths.tcd.ie/~crosbin/photos/Belgium from the gingerman/DSCF0078.JPG
A comfy place to lie down:
http://www.maths.tcd.ie/~crosbin/photos/Belgium from the gingerman/DSCF0125.JPG
I founds me a female woman! (His exact words):
http://www.maths.tcd.ie/~crosbin/photos/Belgium from the gingerman/DSCF0054.JPG
Declaring independance:
http://www.maths.tcd.ie/~crosbin/photos/Belgium/Belgium 029.jpg

And finally me doing the "Yurz my beszt frenj eva... No im.. im zerious"
http://www.maths.tcd.ie/~crosbin/photos/Belgium from the gingerman/DSCF0117.JPG

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

You know what? At twenty-five, I don't mind having a session with an 8% ABV beer. I don't like going to work the next morning though. Weekend session, I say.

At 35 I've figured out for every hour of fun I pay for at least an hour, not like the old days when I could just soldier on! But it is fun having a high-abv beer around.

 

[El Pistolero]

At 35 I've figured out for every hour of fun I pay for at least an hour, not like the old days when I could just soldier on! But it is fun having a high-abv beer around.

Once you hit 50 you feel like crap in the morning anyway, so it's really hard to tell if you're hungover or not.

 

[sudsmonkey]

Wow ! I just realized that high ABV is the root of my problem ! I can't justify brewing a weak beer. I bottle in 40 oz. bottles. I get numb from the enjoyment every time. This is why I can't make it past 10 PM EST. Maybe I could get 10 gallons of 4-6 % ABV out of what I normally use for a 5 gal. batch, but then I'd just have to pee more. Makes sense to me.

 

[Orfy]

I reckon if you can get the job done in 4 then there's no need for 6.

I could even talk my self into thinking High ABV is good for the figure. You drink less and there's less sugar in it? :cross:

 

[Windaria]

There is another solution...

You just need to gain more weight. See, at 300 pounds, I nearly have to drink an entire 24 case of cheap american swill to even get buzzed (and since I can't stand the stuff I have yet to ever do such a thing), or down almost a whole bottle of tiquila (I've stopped myself at half a bottle once just so that I could remain sober).

So... then I could enjoy 4 pints with you and have a great session. <smiles>

And no, I am joking but man, I keep going to the gym and working my tail off, but it just won't seem to go away. <sighs>

 

[sudsmonkey]

Guys, remember that keeping in shape is a matter of perception. Washboard abs are nice, but round is really a shape. It helps to be married before obtaining your roundness. I'm currently training for the Beer Olympics. With strong contenders like you Brits, and the dreaded Germans, I've got a lot of work to do.
Do we have any German members here , or is beer not the universal language ?

 

[The Happy Mug]

Edit: Crap, I was drunk the night I posted this. I'm wiping it out.

 

[Walker]

It helps to be married before obtaining your roundness.

Heck, my wife is the REASON for my getting rounder. I stayed pretty much at 165-175 lbs after highschool and all through college, but whenI met her and started eating her great food...... In a matter of 2 years, I was up to 200.

Her metabolism ticks me off sometimes. She can eat 4 lbs of pasta every day and still maintain her weight at 115.

Though, there is something to be said for food efficiency. She NEEDS that 4 lbs of pasta. I, however, can survive for a few weeks off of a single piece of chicken.

-walker

 

[BootYtRappeR]

Her metabolism ticks me off sometimes. She can eat 4 lbs of pasta every day and still maintain her weight at 115.

WOW!

does your wife by any chance smoke?

just wondering, this is the case with people who smoke.

but then again she does have to look after two kids - that'll burn some energy for sure!

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

I can go through pasta like a madman with no trouble! My problem is that my wife is essentially a carnivore. To add insult to injury, she seems to think it needs to be carbonized, while I'm a medium-rare kind of guy.

 

[Walker]

does your wife by any chance smoke?

just wondering, this is the case with people who smoke.

but then again she does have to look after two kids - that'll burn some energy for sure!

Nope. She doesn't smoke. She used to, but quit as soon as she got pregnant with our son (about 4 years ago.)

-walker

 

[Clay]

Same with me. I've packed on about 40 lbs in three years because of my wife. It works out good though because I used to be a twig now I'm just a little over weight.

Heck, my wife is the REASON for my getting rounder. I stayed pretty much at 165-175 lbs after highschool and all through college, but whenI met her and started eating her great food...... In a matter of 2 years, I was up to 200.

Her metabolism ticks me off sometimes. She can eat 4 lbs of pasta every day and still maintain her weight at 115.

Though, there is something to be said for food efficiency. She NEEDS that 4 lbs of pasta. I, however, can survive for a few weeks off of a single piece of chicken.

-walker

 

[Baron von BeeGee]

Incidentally, I'm down the last 1L of this beer. It has aged gracefully and now that the moment has come, I hate to see it go. But go it must with 10g waiting in secondaries.