bostongarden

In Boston, having fun training in temps ranging from 10 (Thursday) to 25 (yesterday)...heatwave this weekend, shooting up to 40s and maybe low 50s...so, after yesterday's hard-pumping 25 miler, I went looking for my new favorite beer, Sam Adams Cream Stout -- to me, a perfect amount of sweetness in a stout and a brew that could be had every day.

Alas, the "package" store was out, but, they had some new brews from Sam Adams, Imperial Stout, White Stout and Double Bock. I tried the Imperial Stout -- a tad pricier than usual, $9.59 for a 4-pack. Absolutely fine craft quality...had it at room temp/unrefrigerated...rich, full flavor, not as sweet as the Cream Stout, but still some nice malt and a good touch of sweetness with a reasonable finish...I'm guessing that the alcohol content is up there because after drinking one -- ok, I'm a light weight when it comes to drinking -- I felt a bit, uh, well, as if I had guzzled a couple of beers. I'm going back to give the Imperial White and Double Bock a try...after a good solid ride, of course

Snuffleupagus

Belgians of course.

kensuf

or

Coyote2

Imperial Stout is usually about 8-12% alcohol, which is about 2x "regular" beer. That explains your light-headedness.

Sam Adams is not much of a brewery, but it'll do. Try something from a smaller operation.

botto 

american beers really should avoid imitating stouts, and the like.

JoesInBoston

Delirium Nocturnum : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Delirium_Nocturnum

My personal fave training beer

carlfreddy

Left Hand Brewing Co Imperial Stout

RHOsbrink

Paul Laner Dopplebock (double bock)... cannot be beat... preferably comsumed AFTER a ride

SPlKE 

My favorite domestic stout, currently:



https://www.victorybeer.com/storm_king.html

I prefer drinking the draft version, at the brewery in downingtown, pa.

esammuli

Stone Russian Imperial Stout. I live about 3 miles from the brewery. Life is good.

Homebrew01

Now this is my kind of thread !!
Although I haven't lived up to my screen name in a while

bostongarden

Aha, good to know, so, I gather, "Imperial Stout" is a category of beer...The folks at SA are doing fine imho...I met Jim Koch when he was just starting out in the mid-1980s and I lived around the corner from him for many years, which has no impact on my opinion...I would not call myself a beer connoisseur, but, I've had a good variety of beers, from small to large batch places, and from visits to Kobe to Kenmare to Munich to Kansas City, etc...and when I find something with a taste that appeals to me, I know it...nevertheless, happy to hear about other beers to try...always looking for good stuff to try.

asmallsol

Bells Dopple Bock

/thread

pinky

Stouts are not my thing (I prefer drinking my beer as opposed to chewing at it...) but if your going for heavier beers...
Ommegang Three Philosophers (American quad mixed with a kriek)
St. Bernadus Abt 12 (Belgian-brewed quad)
De Struise Pannepot (perhaps only for victories as its ridiculously rare in the States but damned good)

though given post-workout I prefer to drink a less thick beer my post-training beer is usually an IPA like
Boulder Brewings Hazed and Infused or (recently)
Green Flash Brewing's West Coast

Snuffleupagus

Yes! Single best high%ish mass produced beer I've ever had.

Fat Boy

Incorrect.

Fat Boy

Cream Stouts aren't really my thing. I prefer a dry stout which is pretty much defined by Guinness.

Having said that, the American dry stouts I find to be better tasting for a couple reasons. First, Guinness takes about 3% of it's beer, and infects it with a bacteria that makes it sour. They then pasteurize that portion (to kill the bacteria) and re-mix it with the other 97% of the beer. That gives Guinness it's own special taste. This is all well and good, I just find I like stouts that don't have that sour taste. American stouts also tend to be much hoppier than their (primarily) British cousins.

There are many good, easily accessible stouts in America. Sierra Nevada turns out a nice dry stout which shows it's American heritage by having a much higher hop content than a traditional European stout. The Kona Pipeline is also very good, but adding the coffee is a little bit of a cheat (the same cheat I did to the last stout I brewed, BTW).

Stone and Alesmith from San Diego turn out some great beers. You'll find all sorts of good beers coming from Oregon, specifically from the Yakima Valley, where they grow hops used worldwide. There are very good breweries in nearly every state in the union.

The differences between European breweries and American breweries is in basic philosophy. The Europeans are very good at brewing the same great beers over and over. Take something like Orval. They turn out a great beer and they do it consistently for decades at a time. Americans are newer to the game and they experiment much more. Because of this, you'll find some small breweries that really misses the mark. At the same time, you'll find breweries that craft some really amazing, innovative beers.

Someone will probably mention Coors, Bud, Miller, etc. and say that because of these, European beers are much better. Don't listen. There are plenty of European breweries turning out the same type of beer. When comparing like products, American and Europeans both have the capacity to make great beer.

botto 

1. you don't have a clue, methinks.

2. if you're going to parrot me, then get it right.

grolby

Unfortunately, some people appear to be conditioned to think that small = good. Chief illustrative example: Dogfish Head. I can't believe the raving I hear about this brewery. I've had a couple of their brews, and frankly, it's pretentious, high-brow swill. I have a pretty diverse palate when it comes to beer, too - if I don't like what I try and that happens twice, it's not a good sign. Of course, part of the problem is DH's poor taste; right, like putting malt liquor in a 12 oz. longneck and slapping a high price and expensive attitude on it is going to make it good. Dream on.

I do love me a post-ride beer. "Training beer," I like that. Not till it's warmer, though.

Fat Boy

1. I know more about beer than you.

2. I'll write what I damn well please.

Hocam

Translation: "I'm botto and I just say things without giving reasons because it looks cooler and no one can prove you wrong."

botto 

do tell.

with a bitchy tone such as that, i find myself doubting your initial point.

i don't need translastions, especially by people who haven't a clue, such as yourself.

teşekkürler.

Fat Boy

Exactly.

botto 

so you agree with me? interesting.

Fat Boy

As if I care about your doubts.