Tried Two New Beers - and Revisited an Old One

The last few days have been unfortunately busy, but not so busy that I missed out on a little down time here and there. On Sunday I bought myself a Lakefront Brewery eight pack sampler and had myself a Klisch pilsner. Honestly, I didn't think I would like it. I assumed it would be too light for me, but I was wrong. It had a nice full flavor and a crispness that was real nice while I was getting stuff done around the house. Now I can see why some people think of pilsners as a great summer beer.

On Tuesday, I didn't have a new beer, but one I'd only had once before. I went to Milwaukee's Old German Beer Hall and had a half liter of their Hofbrau Dunkel, a refreshing dark beer, and followed it with a second half liter. I must admit I love the atmosphere there... and the beer.

Today I tried my first porter at Waterstreet Brewery. I had heard (I believe while touring the Guinness Brewery in Dublin) that the stout was developed to be a "stouter" form of the porter. But I had never had a porter before. It's a pleasant dark beer that I will definately have again. It's not always on the Waterstreet Brewery menu, so I'll have to make sure I get back there before it's done.

So far this week has been a total success!

Eastside Dark and Murphey's Red

On Friday my wife and I had supper at Paulie's in West Allis, and I tried Lakefront Brewery's Eastside Dark lager. I liked this local Milwaukee beer. It was dark, a little dense, rich and creamy. Does it make the top of my list? No. This is the second creamy dark lager I've had, (The other was Leinenkugel's Creamy Dark.) and although they were both good they just don't seem to be quite my style. I don't know why not, I can't qualify what it is that just doesn't quite do it for me. I think I'll have to drink more to see if I can figure it out.

After dinner I tried the fat tire for a second time, and definately like it. The wierd thing is that this time I got it in the actual New Belgium globe glass. I'm not sure how I feel about beer coming in stemware. I understand why you do it for wine. And snifters are fine for brandy, whiskey, and liqueurs. But for beer? What purpose does it serve? Give me a pint glass, pilsner glass, or stein glass. Even a good old fashioned German beer stein. But stemware? Why?

Today, my second new beer was tried. We went to the Bristol Renaissance Faire with the intention of catching up with friends and eating and drinking our way around the site. While I worked there, I didn't drink during the day, so I'm not as familiar with the bar's around site as many people who go there are, and I discovered a couple of things -

1) Import beers are served at all of the bars. Unless I remember incorrectly I had thought only one did and the rest served your standard Miller fare. Well, if it's something that changed within the last few years, I like the change.
2) They now serve hard liquor at the bars (previously, it had only been malt beverages and non-alcoholic items).
3) I don't know if the other bars do it, but the Blackfriar serves Black and Tans and similar split beers.

Well, I was only interested in beers and water (can't let yourself get dehydrated on a warm day like today). I started with a Murphy's Irish Stout (not a new beer to me) then I decided to try the half Murphy's Irish Stout / half Hardcore cider. That was a new combination to me - and I liked it. I think I'm going to have to play around with that. Then I finished off with a new beer for me (that's right - only 3 and I quit early and drank water. I needed to be sober when we left). The new beer was Murphey's Red. I liked it. Stouts and Reds are probably going to be winners for me every time, but no need to make an assumption when there's uncharted territory just a tapper away.

Friday - good time, decent beer. Saturday - great time, great beer.