I think its possible to be both. I like a good buzz, and I like it to taste good on the journey.

I love beer. To answer your next question, I'm going to try and name my top 50 beers off the top of my head (in no particular order):

1. Paulaner Hefeweizen
2. North Coast Pranqster
3. Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
4. Dogfish Head 90 Mintue IPA
5. Stone Arrogant Bastard
6. Avery White Rascal
7. Live Oak Hefeweizen
8. Sierra Nevada Stout
9. Sierra Nevada Celebration
10. Sierra Nevada Bigfoot
11. Real Ale Sissyphus
12. North Coast Old Rasputin
13. St. Arnold's Elissa
14. Franzikaner Hefeweizen
15. Chimay Gran Reserve
16. La Fin Du Mond
17. Celis White
18. Sierra Nevada Summerfest
19. Anchor Steam
20. Anchor Porter
21. Hacker Pschorr Oktoberfest
22. Real Ale Shade Grown Coffee Porter
23. Chimay Premier
24. Real Ale Full Moon Pale Rye Ale
25. New Belgium 1554
26. Stone IPA
27. Victory Hop Devil
28. Duvel
29. Full Sail Pale Ale
30. North Coast Old Stock Ale
31. Hoegaarden
32. Victory Storm King Stout
33. Rogue Shakespeare Stout
34. Brooklyn Brothers Chocolate Stout
35. Sam Adams Boston Ale
36. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
37. Dogfish Head Aprihop
38. Abita Turbo Dog
39. Sam Smith Pale Ale
40. Sierra Nevada Harvest
41. Anchor Liberty Ale
42. Breckenridge IPA
43. Delerium Nocturnus
44. Lagunitas IPA
45. St. Arnold's Spring Bock
46. Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout
47. Stone Ruination
48. Trois Pistoles
49. Stone Vertical Epic
50. Live Oak Big Bark Amber

Edited to add that I've never had Westy 12, otherwise I'm sure that it would be on this list.

Awesome list. I haven't had a Westy either. I found a website which I could order some from Belgium, but the price is steep and I haven't pulled the trigger. Instead I settled for a St. Bernadus Abt 12 that I was able to buy locally. Sublime.

Congrats on getting the cap lifted. Too bad that you're on the wrong side of the country from the really good hoppy stuff. We don't get as much of it in Texas as I'd like. I'll have to see if I can find the St Bernadus, but I don't think we have it.

I did get the Paulinger Hefeweizen last night and is outstanding.

I love you Bentley, in the most greasy homosexual way possible, but but I find your lack of Deschutes disturbing. Other than that, great list you've got here.

This stuff is rough for me. I've only had one bottle because it was accidentally mixed in with a four pack of Pranqster, but DAMN. That is one stiff brew.

RS, please pick up your pahcho. TIA.

Thanks Ray. I'm ready to get lubed up for you to. I've never had anything from Deschutes, so it doesn't qualify for my list. However, knowing that, I'm going to be in Portland for a couple days next week, so I'll pick something up. What would you recommend?

Tried the first two....

Dogfish Head was good. Similar to Guiness only better imo.
Mackeson was ok, but not nearly as good as DH.

Probably wouldn't try either again...guess I'm not a fan of "stouts".

Will try the Chimay tonight.

Pretty much all of it is good, but there are very well known for their Black Butte Porter and Obsidian Stout. Mirror Pond ale isn't bad either.

I noticed that you did have a Rogue beer on your list, but it wasn't Rogue Dead Guy (Rogue is another Oregon brewed beer). If you haven't sampled that yet, do so. It is one of my favorites and I'm sure you'll love it. Personally, I like it better than any of Deschuttes offerings, and that is very high praise.

You also might be able to find some Anderson Valley beers too (brewed in California). Boont Amber is solid.

I like Dead Guy a lot, just didn't think of it last night for some reason. You can strike St. Arnold's Spring Bock off that list and add Dead Guy.

didn't read thread from beginning...

after trying a belgian sampler, gulden drak & piraat are my favorites.

sam smith's oatmeal stout & nut brown ale are excellent.

Having the Chimay now...almost done with it and feeling a little buzzed already. Its 1Pt and 9.4 oz and 8% alcohol. How much alcohol % are most beers? Anyway, its definitely different than most beers I've tasted. Very strong and distinctive. I like it, and I definitely want to try more of these stronger beers. I'd give it 8.5/10.

Typical Macro American beers, like Bud and Coors, are in the neighborhood of 4.5-5%. The better craft beers are all over the place, from 4% to 15%. The majority that I have run across are in the range of 5.5% to 8.5%.

8% is not unordinary for a good beer.

thanks so much for all of the info, but can you please pick up the pancho...Reason is gonna be pissed.

Ran acorss some Dogfish Head 90 min IPA while looking for the 60min...Ive never had the 90 so I gave it a shot. In a word: HOLY CRAP. Excellent beer, and the 9% ABV kicked my #### after I had 2 of those and 2 Anchor Liberty Ales (6%).

At $10.00 for 4 twelve ouncers, I thought it was a bit much, but not after drinking em.

Its one of my favorites from now on.

picked up another 6 pack of Dogfish Head 60 minute IPA as well as 3 new ones:

Young's Oatmeal Stout
Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale
Arrogant Bastard Ale

Is this your first trip with the Bastard?

Probably why he hasn't been back. My lord that is good beer.

Youngs Oatmeal stout is excellent
Smiths Nut Brown Ale to me was average. Maybe english ales just dont do it for me.
Never had the pleasure of trying AB, but I hear its awesome.

DFH 60 is great. The 90 is in another class though. That 9% sneaks up on you QUICK LIKE.

I've got a Rogue Chipotle ale at home. Now, I'm not one to back away from exotic foods, etc....but the last chili beer I had sucked. But this is Rogue after all, they don't produce a beer a bad beer. I'm thinking I should save it for the weekend to drink with some BBQ, probably would go best.

Man I grew up in CO, and now reside in IN, and I so miss Fat Tire (new Belgium?)"sunshine wheat", Breakenridge brewing Company "Avalanche" and my most Favorite HC Berger IPA. Been a while the names might of changed but ohhhhh the memories......

Didn't read the thread so shun me if this has already come up:

DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND BREW YOUR OWN

it is a lot easier than you think and with a little practice and patience you will find the greatest bliss that you will ever know. Beer that really is beer at the price of knickerboxer.

I am currently brewing a Toungesplitter and I have an Oktoberfest laying in wait.
Just last week after the patriots win, I helped myself to a perfectly aged (almost 10 months) IPA and then another while eating dinner...instant supervibe buzz with no after effect at all.

WB Ray.

I had a great beer with lunch today, something I hadn't tried before...

It was called La Folie, from the New Belgium Brewing Co. (makers of fat tire) It was a "sour ale," based on some Flemish beers of a similar style. Tasted like hard cider, but it was beer... incredible

LINK

Yes, havn't tried it yet though.

I must just not be big on stouts....havn't really liked any of the stouts I've tried so far including Mackeson, Young's Oatmeal, and Dogfish Head, all of which were highly recommended to me.

The 60 min...definitely like it a lot, this is my second time having it.

The Smiths is also average to me as well- same as their pale ale.

Just got back from Portland. The Black Butte Porter was excellent. The Mirror Pond was decent, too. It seemed like most of the local IPAs (including Mirror Pond) wasn't quite as hoppy as I'd like. Thanks.

Bentley, what are a few of the hoppiest beers youve tried? Im a hophead myself and can only find a few hoppy IPA/APAs around here...Im fond of the piney hops (like in SNPA....I believe they use cascade hops) - what would you reccommend I look for (that I may be able to find in FL?)

Wingnut, try Arrogant Bastard and Double Bastard from Stone Brewing. Also try Victory Hop Devil. Dogfish Head has 3 IPA; a 60, 90 and a 120 Minute. The 120 should satiasfy your hop cravings.

I'd echo the Arrogant Bastard and Dogfish Head sentiments. The 60 Minute IPA is my standard beer (replacing SNPA). We don't get the 120 Minute here, but I'm sure it packs a hell of a punch, since I think it's like 20% alcohol or something. If you can get Stone IPA, you should go for it. Stone Double Bastard and Stone Ruination are also pretty damn hoppy and recommended, but I'd be surprised if you could get it there.

The Hop Devil is good, but I think it's missing the "crispness" of the hops that you're talking about that appear in SNPA and the Stone beers. Most of the Avery IPA that I've had contains that hop flavor. I'd also recommend the Titan IPA from Great Divide Brewing Company.

See - I was getting worried when I got about 6 pages into this thread with no mention of Dogfish Head; I'm better now. You guys are okay in my book.

BTW - the Shelter Pale is also great for casual drinking, and their Brown Ale and Chicory Stout really need mentioning in this thread. Not a huge fan of the ApriHop or Raison d'etre, but I've yet to have one of their beers I didn't like.

Also worth a mention is Weyerbacher, although they're more hit and miss - they make a fine ESB, but some of their ales make me look at the label and go, "what the hell did they make THAT for?"

Cool, thanks for the recommendations guys.

Correct, though Mirror Pond isn't an IPA. Deschutes doesn't do big hops.

I agree with all of this, but I still have yet to try a Dogfish beer. I've never even seen one in Northern California. I'll defer to Bentley here because his taste in beer is pretty much identical to mine.

Also, for big hops, take a look at Lagunitas IPA and Maximus double IPA. Both have a kick that dominates the pallet.

Just found a place in Tampa that has a bunch of beers Ive never tried that I cant get in my city, including

Rochefort 10 trappist
A bunch of Rogue's
Shipyard
Flying Dog
Great Divide
Harpoon IPA and UFO
Mendocino brews

Im making a trip this weekend.

Red Oak is my favorite brew, but it's only sold in NC.

Some goodies Ill be trying after this weekend:

Great Divide's Titan IPA
Great Divide's Hercules double IPA
Boulder Beer's Hazed and Infused
Rogue's Brutal Bitter Ale
Rogue's Chocolate Stout
Rogues Dead Guy Ale
Rogue's Shakespeare Stout
Dogfish Head's ApriHop
Rochefort 10 trappist ale

What is the name of this place? I'll be down in Tampa to see my parents for Thangsgiving and would love to pick up some good brew while I'm down there.

Try the "Eye of the Hawk" (if they have it)

Its called "Total Wine & More" and its at I-275 and N Dale Mabry, right in front of the Home Depot and Target. Just down the street from Raymond James Stadium.

More info on Total Wine & More here.

They have 8000+ wines, 2000+ types of spirits, and 1000+ beers.

Total Wine and More website

Its crazy...the exact same website as my local wine shop (The Wine House) in Los Angeles. Wonder if they are related or just a web company that does all their web sites.

Thanks. I know exactly where that is.

They dont list the beers on the site

Theyve got quite a list

Apparently I was too drunk to read the label the whole time I was there. The more I think about it, the more I really liked that Porter.

I haven't read through this thread in some time, so sorry if :honda:, but I've got a rec if you love Belgian style ales. It's called Unibroue Maudite - Unibroue being a Canadian brewery. Had a bottle at a brew pub in DC, and it is outstanding! I also recently saw it at World Market (great place to find different types of microbrews, by the way).