Beer!

[Magpie]

So one of the local breweries is my new favourite for life. I'm not a big beer drinker, but one of the things that I do enjoy is black & tan. Hockley Valley now has cans (500 mL) of black & tan available in the liquor store. . And not only do I enjoy it, but Jackdaw likes it enough that he'll split one with me. (I like a basic bitter a lot too, but he's not fond of light beers.)

The one thing that confuses me is that the serving temperature recommendation on the cans is the same as their dark and their stout - 8-10 C (45-50 F). This beer should be drunk COLD. As in it tastes good right out of the fridge. While I like cask condition (I'm not a complete barbarian ), I'm not about to drink a carbonated beer at room temperature. Nor am I about to drink a lighter beer at temperatures for stouts. Anyone know what temperature a black & tan should generally be?

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

BEER! It kicks ass!

Sorry, that's all I can think of right now.

[draggar]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATBl4...eature=related

[Jester]

Anyone know what temperature a black & tan should generally be?

"Should" is subjective. If you want to go with the primary authority on a beer, talk to the brewer. If on the can (or bottle) they say it should be served at X temperature, then serve it at X temperature.

However, if you don't like it at X temp, then serve it/drink it at whatever temperature you want. Because the Number One Rule with drinking is to do whatever makes you happy. Like red wine chilled? Chill it. Like Budweiser at room temp? Leave it out to warm up. Like gin and tonic with a cocktail onion instead of a lime? Break out the Gibsons!

I have often tried new drinks the way it was "recommended." Sometimes I liked them that way. Sometimes I didn't. In the end, the most important thing about your drink is that YOU like drinking it. So try it the way the manufacturer/brewer/distiller/vineyard recommends it. But if you don't like it that way, don't feel constrained to drinking it that way.

Hope that helps!

[Victory Sabre]

I drove 2 hours to get a beer I like a few weeks back.

Grain Belt has produced a new beer call Nordeast. It is a dark beer that has such a light, delicious flavor, that is hard to put down. It is hard to find, because it is so popular. In fact, Schell brewery can't keep up with demand for it (the VFW in town got 2 cases a week and were out in 2 days), without giving short shrift to it's main line Grain Belt beer, so they stopped distribution out of the Twin Cities and New Ulm markets. So I drove to New Ulm to get 4 cases. A friend wanted 3 cases, so I sold them to him, and kept 1 for myself.

Before you all think I'm too crazy, just to let you know I have relatives in New Ulm, and visited them while I was there. While I was there I also paid my respects to my grandparents buried in the family cemetery outside of town.

I'll be going to the cities to get some more Monday, while doing family stuff. I bet I'll be getting 5 or 6 cases.