Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2010/02/24

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Subject: [Leica] Belgian Ale test
From: passaro.vince at gmail.com (Vince Passaro)
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:43:22 -0500
References: <6a7544a61002240804n7ee7bf74kad9bc6191689ea68@mail.gmail.com> <1DA2E870-C726-4D20-937D-746A547EADAC@btinternet.com> <19b6d42d1002241049r738d3e55me93fee6c590129f3@mail.gmail.com> <F9FB2735-BDB4-4A36-A63F-00DC95F9B22D@btinternet.com>

No, I've only been in London, and only been twice; once in June and once in
September. Visited perhaps ten pubs in all and the beer was generally too
warm, though I do remember an excellent pint of Bass in a local in Soho (btw
I think ale at warmer temperature is better than a good pilsner at that
temp; I love the pilsner colder; the Belgian ales could be room temperature
and be superb when they're good).

So I wasn't commenting on actual cellars but that the beer was too warm for
my taste in many places, but that a below-60F (15-ish C?) cellar temp would
have been much better.

The real menace in the US is the popularity over the last decade or a bit
more of big bready sweet ales. Teh Brooklyn Brewery makes a lager and a
pilsner that are both too dark and sweet for their class and every new
micro-brewery ale hits the palate like a boozy sweet bun.

Though -- a shout out to Rabs, who's feeling a little cranky I think -- I
quit drinking some months ago so this all highly theoretical. I still hang
around with friends in bars from time to time but I shan't be enjoying more
good beer in this lifetime, I hope. No grief there: I certainly enjoyed
enough of it in my time.

Proof:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/toast+eatin_+bog+man/yearbook/at+the+bar.jpg.html

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/toast+eatin_+bog+man/yearbook/St+John+Synod+House+reflected+in+the+window+of+bar+of+flatish+beer+and+good+conversation+-+1020.html

VP

On Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 2:35 PM, Frank Dernie
<Frank.Dernie at btinternet.com>wrote:

> Cellars are normally around 12 deg. What part of the country did you find
> the cellars to be warmer than that? Did you try many pubs? Did you stay 
> long
> and travel widely or just a short local trip?
> I am lucky in having the best beer pub in the south of England (according
> to CAMRA) within walking distance, and my favourite beer is taken from the
> barrel in the cellar so does not need to travel through a nasty pump!
> I am not fond of the cold fizzy concoctions, "aged in plastic vats for 20
> minutes" to quote a comedy sketch, which my son and his friends drink. He
> calls my favourite old-mans beer...
> cheers,
> Frank
> BTW I consider beers like wines, different types have different
> temperatures for optimum taste, with cold reducing the taste, which can be 
> a
> very good thing.
>
> On 24 Feb, 2010, at 18:49, Vince Passaro wrote:
>
> > Cellar temperature would be fine but the Brits must have the warmest
> cellars
> > on earth.
> >
> > On Wed, Feb 24, 2010 at 1:34 PM, Frank Dernie
> > <Frank.Dernie at btinternet.com>wrote:
> >
> >> Americans may well prefer an American version of Belgian beer modified
> to
> >> suit American taste, just like they like American Pizza rather than
> Italian,
> >> and English like the Anglicised versions of Indian food and so forth.
> >> I, funnily enough, prefer English beer, served a cellar temperature, to
> >> lagers served cold ;-)
> >> Frank
> >>
> >> On 24 Feb, 2010, at 16:04, Lawrence Zeitlin wrote:
> >>
> >>> The New York Times wine critic conducted a blind taste test of 20
> Belgian
> >>> style ales and was blown away by their quality. Surprisingly the panel
> >> found
> >>> that three of the top four came from the US. What does the collective
> >> wisdom
> >>> of the LUG think. Should we give up single malt Scotch?
> >>>
> >>> http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/24/dining/reviews/24wine.html?th&emc=th
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Larry Z
> >>>
> >>> _______________________________________________
> >>> Leica Users Group.
> >>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Leica Users Group.
> >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> >>
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Leica Users Group.
> > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>


Replies: Reply from hewthompson at mac.com (Hugh Thompson) ([Leica] Belgian Ale test)
Reply from mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner) ([Leica] Belgian Ale test)
In reply to: Message from lrzeitlin at gmail.com (Lawrence Zeitlin) ([Leica] Belgian Ale test)
Message from Frank.Dernie at btinternet.com (Frank Dernie) ([Leica] Belgian Ale test)
Message from passaro.vince at gmail.com (Vince Passaro) ([Leica] Belgian Ale test)
Message from Frank.Dernie at btinternet.com (Frank Dernie) ([Leica] Belgian Ale test)