The great BEER VS. WINE fight!

[you]

If you're drinking primarily to seek oblivion

quite the opposite

 

[luka]

That's not geeky who doesn't do that you?

 

[slowtrain]

beer

 

[you]

That's not geeky who doesn't do that you?

Oh, I just thought it was. I feel more normal now, thanks luka

 

[Mr. Tea]

Where is this coming from? I'm talking about taste

u said

Takes 3 hours to force down a pint but it's only 3% how are you gunna get drunk on that?

Which rather implies that the getting-drunk aspect is of at least some importance. You're massively exaggerating to try and make a point, though, I mean there are loads of great British beers that are 4.5, 5% - a few hours drinking those at a steady pace and you're well on your way. I've ended up pretty fucking nonlinear from an afternoon spent drinking Summer Lightning on more than one occasion, especially when it was £2.10 a pint (£1.89 with student discount!) in the erstwhile Head Of Steam. And I'm talking about beers that owe nothing to the recent American invasion.

Just had an extraordinary bottle of sangiovese from 2000 ad

Think I've had that one - Chateau Dredd, right?

 

[luka]

Mildly exaggerating, but that's in character. The context is my being in Devon which is in no sense beer country. Try drinking more than one pint of otter ale and see if you still have the will to live.

I switched to cider after a while. Happier now.

 

[Mr. Tea]

Devon, eh? You wanna get on the Buckfast, mate!

 

[luka]

I still hold fuller's esb in high regard

 

[luka]

But I really hope I never have to drink doombar again

 

[Mr. Tea]

I still hold fuller's esb in high regard

It's a nice drop of beer, that is. While I was living in Holland I found Grimbergen Dubbel to be very nearly the same beer.

 

[baboon2004]

What's this recent American invasion then? I drank an American IPA-style beer the other week and it seemed ludicrously strong. Didn't realise this was a 'thing' - my only previous encounter with US beer was Samuel Adams etc a long time ago.

I had Doombar once. Never again.

 

[luka]

New world hops have far more flavour than English hops baboon, that's the nub.

 

[luka]

I became a convert when I was running that coffee shop on Amwell st and drinking round the corner at the Queens head on Acton st in Kings Cross. Try going straight from a beer brewed by the kernel to a more traditional beer. It's not possible

 

[Mr. Tea]

New world hops have far more flavour than English hops baboon, that's the nub.

And Tabasco has a more intense flavour than gravy. Does this make it better across the board?

 

[luka]

Youre reaching...

 

[luka]

An Italian tomato has a deeper, lusher, more concentrated flavour than an English tomato. Does that make it better. Yes, it does.

 

[luka]

Tabasco and gravy??? You can do better than that. You're articulate in real life.

 

[Mr. Tea]

I wasn't aiming for poetry, just making a point. The point that sheer intensity of one particular flavour isn't in and of itself a great thing. A lot of these craft beers taste very strongly of lemony astringency and not a great deal else, which can be refreshing for a pint or two on a hot day but doesn't really hold one's interest for very long. It's the like the difference between a loutish 15% Aussie cabernet sauvignon and a good burgundy or Bordeaux with loads of complexity and structure.

I'm drinking a St. Peter's beer right now that's plenty hoppy but it's delicately floral rather than just overpoweringly citrusy and the hops are balanced by a a slight sweetness from the malt.

 

[luka]

That's the analogy I was expecting you to use
It's a much better one.

 

[luka]

Aussie shiraz tho surely ¿