The Drunks Reference

[t5iv]

Scotch or cognac.

[-Boz-]

Whisky all day every day over cognac.

[-Boz-]

Better question, Ale or Larger?

[t5iv]

Much rather my cognac at times.

[Plattsy]

Better question, Ale or Larger?

depends on which.

i love john smiths buts its far to heavy to have a session on... however your run of the mill lager, stella is great on the piss.

[-Boz-]

Time for a quick bit of info on beer

All beers are made as ales or lagers; ale and lager are the two main branches (classifications) of the beer family tree and are closely related branches at that. Ales are the older, distinguished, traditional brews of the world, predating lagers by thousands of years, whereas lagers are a relatively modern creation, less than 200 years old.

The branch of the beer family tree — ale or lager — corresponds to the type of yeast used to ferment the beer. You have ale yeast and lager yeast, and these types of yeast, in turn, typically dictate the temperature at which the beer is fermented. Ales are traditionally fermented at warmer temperatures (12 to 21 degrees), while lagers are typically fermented at cooler temperatures (3 to 10 degrees).

The cooler fermentation and aging temperatures used with lager yeast slow down the yeast activity and require a longer maturation time. The cold environment inhibits the production of fruity aromas (called esters) and other fermentation byproducts common in ales. This process creates the lager’s cleaner taste. Long aging (or lagering) also acts to mellow the beer.

You can taste the difference, sometimes... Every beer beginner wants to know how ales taste different from lagers. If only it were that easy! This question is sort of like asking how red wines taste different from white wines (Ironically, you can find beer styles called red beer and white beer, but that’s another story altogether, and you can be sure that it doesn’t involve grape skins).

Ales share many common characteristics, and so do lagers, but the two groups overlap so much that any absolutes about either class are usually wrong. This overlap creates some confusion and the need for experts to explain the different characteristics, but it also creates the need for beer exploration.

You can say that ales generally:

- Include more robust-tasting beers

- Tend to be fruity and aromatic

- Include more bitter beers

- Have a pronounced, complex taste and aroma

- Are enjoyed warmer (around the 6 degree mark - don't get me started on beer temperature in Australia, we store, serve and drink our beer WAY too cold, but ales should be served warmer than lager. Ideally it should be around the 2-4 degree mark for lager and 5-7 degree mark for ale as opposed to the blisteringly cold -1 to 2 degrees most pubs operate at. The colder the beer, the more it numbs your palette and the less aromatics are released making a beer have significantly less taste. This is a good thing for generic malty lagers like XXXX and the ilk, as you don't really want to taste them anyway, but bad for any serious beer).

And you can say that lagers generally:

- Include lighter-tasting beers

- Tend to be highly carbonated or crisp

- Tend to be smooth and mellow

- Have a subtle, clean, balanced taste and aroma

So there you go, VERY brief beer intro

[t5iv]

bozman at his finest! thanks hombre

[Captain Natro]

Read the whole thing, thanks boz

[KING87]

Great read thanks but I'm not so sure on this part....

(around the 6 degree mark - don't get me started on beer temperature in Australia, we store, serve and drink our beer WAY too cold,

[-Boz-]

Seriously, around the 6 degree point beer begins to open up significantly. Most of the fermentation esters and aromatics are not released by the beer until it is at 5-6 degrees. Want to know why XXXX, Toohey's, VB etc get worse as they get warmer? Because it is low quality beer produced for a mass market. At REALLY cold temps (-1 to 2 like most taps pump out in bars/pubs) the aromatics are not released and your taste is numbed by the cold. It makes it considerably more palatable. Also, at lower temperatures carbonation does not happen as quickly and makes it go down more easily as well. Once these bulk beers warm up all the unpleasant aromatics and esters open up which significantly affects the beers taste and it becomes more active from a carbonation point of view which increases the rate that they are released.

It takes time, money and effort to brew these unpleasant characteristics out of a beer so the mass market brewers, who for most of the last century owned, or controlled through licensing, north of 85% of pubs (this only started changing in the 80's) tried to get the beer as cold as possible. Colder beer meant cheaper brewing which meant higher profits. A side effect was colder beer had less taste so became more appealing to a wider market.

[KING87]

So we're right to continue getting the beers off ice until the breweries start making it with better stuff...

I do have to say that I've got a bit of a soft spot for James Squire one fifty lashes at the moment. Can't seem to get enough lol.

[-Boz-]

The 150 lashes is a decent pale ale. If you like it coming off tap let it sit for a while to warm up slightly. The taste will get significantly better.

For really good beer in brisbane I'd reccomend Archive, Scratch and Platform as good bars to visit. These guys know beer and it is done right with brilliant seasonal selections, very knowledgeable staff, hand pumped ales (at Archive and Scratch at least) and well maintained and controlled reticulation equipment.

[Captain Natro]

Hand pumped you say... Hmm don't get that at showgirls unless you pay extra

[-Boz-]

And for the record, I drink dark ales primarily. Dopplebock and porter are my favourites but as long as it is as black as my heart I am happy. Not a huge Guinness fan, mainly because too many places f**k up the beer line maintenance which really affects the taste of nitrogen charged beers.

[Bunta]

I love Porter, and the german versions of it. but being wheat based I cant drink it any more

[Captain Natro]

Kilkenny on tap *Homer Simpson drool*

[Bunta]

Kilkenny on tap *Homer Simpson drool*

Oh yeah. One of my favorites.

[Captain Natro]

Invented a drink its f**ked:

Iced t

Lime juice

Salted rim

Vanilla essence

Vodka

Drink it ATM... My minds exploding

I call it "The Abomination"

Also black sambuca and tomato juice (as mentioned by Bek lol)

[-Boz-]

I used to do a drink to f**k with people who were all "I don't know what I want, make me something bright and colourful" or some such crap.

I'd mix a shot of vodka with two shots of ouzo and 30ml of sugar syrup. I'd add a couple of drops of grenadine for colour and shake the ever loving shit out of it. It goes a pale, cloudy pink colour but tastes like a black jelly bean Really f**ks with people.

[Captain Natro]

Boz u can make me one if those anyday lol