Beer Resources/Websites

[Manny Calavera]

Can anyone recommend any good beer resources on the internet, akin to a Cigar Aficionado or Wine Advocate? I normally don't like this type of thing which purportedly has something like this down to a science, but the more beer I drink the I realize a little hand-holding would save me from a lot of disappointment and a little money being waisted. Suggestions?

 

[texas_jack]

There is a lot of useful stuff here.
http://beeradvocate.com/

 

[skalogre]

Seconded; however I have noticed a strong groupthink in reviews towards northwestern usa micro that is not really shared by the Alstrom brothers... their articles though are pretty good. Have not seen their print mag yet. There is also Michael Jackson's site, don't recall the url. Not updated much anymore

 

[Manny Calavera]

That site is beyond perfect. Thanks!

 

[Tarmac]

Originally Posted by skalogre

Seconded; however I have noticed a strong groupthink in reviews towards northwestern usa micro that is not really shared by the Alstrom brothers... their articles though are pretty good. Have not seen their print mag yet. There is also Michael Jackson's site, don't recall the url. Not updated much anymore

I actually thought they had an east coast bias, I usually skip all of the reviews EXCEPT for the Alstrom written ones. They have reviewed most popular brews that I come across on the west coast.

Great site

 

[skalogre]

Originally Posted by Tarmac

I actually thought they had an east coast bias, I usually skip all of the reviews EXCEPT for the Alstrom written ones. They have reviewed most popular brews that I come across on the west coast.

Great site

Either way, you often find weirdness like placing New Belgium stuff higher than the original stuff, as an example. I have yet to try anything from New Belgium that can compete at an equal level with even run of the mill examples of the originals they claim to copy. At the reduced pricepoint, they are fine. But head to head, sorry, no dice. Yet paradoxically many there treat NB's stuff like God's Own Moonshine...
That is an example that certainly grates on me.

But at least the Alstroms are upfront with the magazine, they put down that it will concentrate on the USA's beer scene. Unfortunately, that was a dealbreaker for me, I really want to explore all the stuff coming out of the Baltic region and Belgium first (ok, and maybe the UK

), which is where my main interests lie. Not to say that there are no good beers coming out of the USA nowadays. The statement "American Beer" used to be considered a paradox (and the butt of many jokes, rightly so IMO) even 10 years ago, outside the USA. At least the small brewers and microbreweries are getting past the Bud-like slop and making decent stuff now with its unabashedly own character.

And even though they are hugely overrated and their self-importance is over the top, at least Sam Adams is pushing for beer to go past its watered-down-baseball-stadium-piss status and suggest things like pairing with food and that bitterness is not a vice.

 

[Tarmac]

well, there is obviously a problem of, they can only review what they can get their hands on. If there is some obscure flanderian super ale that you can only get at the source, they can't review that easily.

So I do understand if you prefer some other european or english site or publication for other reviews.

that said, do you really think the original belgian brewers are far better than US? I would be hard pressed to pick the "right one" in a blind test, something like ommegang or maudite vs any other true belgian that I have tasted. maybe you are referring to something which I have never tasted, quite possibly

 

[skalogre]

Originally Posted by Tarmac

well, there is obviously a problem of, they can only review what they can get their hands on. If there is some obscure flanderian super ale that you can only get at the source, they can't review that easily. So I do understand if you prefer some other european or english site or publication for other reviews. that said, do you really think the original belgian brewers are far better than US? I would be hard pressed to pick the "right one" in a blind test, something like ommegang or maudite vs any other true belgian that I have tasted. maybe you are referring to something which I have never tasted, quite possibly

The reviews are there though for many of the originals, that is the thing. If it were that the stuff was not available, fine. But judging by the number of reviews on many established breweries that you would not think would be available in the USA that does not seem to be the case. Granted, I have not yet worked my way around to those Canadian Unibroue ales so I am leaving those out for now

And I do think that the Alstrom brothers themselves are pretty damn good at what they do (I like their reviews even if I don't always agree, of course), it is more the hordes on that site seem to sometimes go in odd directions, lol. I probably should not single out NB in such a fashion but I cannot help it. I have tried I think 5 or so of the ales they brew, none really impressed me enough to pick over others. Hell, I have had a good number of mediocre or run of the mill Belgian brewed ales, I don't usually pine for those either (I can name at least a couple of offenders, heh). I really want to try NB's version of Flanders Sour Red that suppossedly is better than the originals (including Rodenbach Alexander if you believe some reviews) to see if they can match up... I should also mention as a disclaimer that as I don't drink much in one sitting (somewhat sensitive stomach

) I don't usually care about the price/quality ratio, so that does colour my choices quite a bit. I don't really care if US$9 gets me several NB blonde ales as oppossed to one small bottle of Rochefort 8. I usually have maybe one or two during the week at the evening and maybe a little more on a Saturday (Battlefield 2 and a whole large bottle of Rodenbach Grand Cru can lead to increased accidental TKing and falling off cranes and building; who would have thought it?

) P.s. yes, I am a beer snob, my apologies, heh. P.p.s. Saison Dupont (& Dupont Moinette) is a particularly dissappointing ale that stands out. I really don't know why they extholl its virtues so much.. "real Belgian farmhouse ale blah blah blah" Is it decent? Sure. Memorable or particularly complex? Hell no. Even their own organic Foret is miles more interesting than those two... Another dissappointment, and one that was particularly unfortunate: Rodenbach Redbach I mean, come on! Compared to the Rodenbach or the amazing Grand Cru, that is just, I don't know. It is like a nasty coctail. A fusion of a softdrink and an acidic lambic, and not in a good way either!

 

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