Speaking of Beer

The last couple of shows have had some widely-available beers, and I’ve heard several fun drink-along stories about them (granted, mostly from members of my own family, but still…). Thus it is with a heavy heart that I unveil next week’s show beers, two brews you almost aussuredly won’t be able to find:

Granville Island Brewing’s Whitecaps IPA [alternatives: Victory Hop Devil Ale, Redhook’s Longhammer IPA, Flying Dog’s Snake Dog IPA]

and

Breckenridge Brewing’s 471 Series Double-Hopped Double IPA [alternatives: Bell’s HopSlam, Bear Republic’s Racer X, Three’s Floyd’s Dreadnaught IPA]

Please do avail yourself of one of the alternabeers, or any combo of American IPA and double IPA you can find. Even without the exact brews, there’s still good listening afoot. Let’s just say my returning co-drinker’s identity should be obvious from the emphasis on Humulus Lupulus…

We’ve got a couple of “big bottle beers” this week. Scrape up, if you can some

Ommegang Abbey Ale [alternatives: Chimay Grand Reserve (Blue), Unibroue’s Trois Pistoles]

and

Gouden Carolus Carolus D’Or–Grand Cru of the Emperor (a.k.a Gouden Carolus Carolus D’Or - Cuvée Van De Keizer) [alternatives: What, are you kidding?]

Both of these beers are completely worth the hassle of locating. If you can’t find them in your local area, check out the beer trading at BeerAdvocate.com. Serioulsy, you want to find these beers.

Here are the bevvies to scare up for the next show:

North Coast Brewing’s Scrimshaw Pilsner [alternatives: Victory Prima Pils, Paulaner Premium Pils]

and

New Belgium’s Plue Paddle Pilsner [alternatives: Bitburger Premiium Pils, New Glarus’ Home Town Blonde]

To further prepare for the show, look deep within yourself for any beer-style-related prejudice and try mightily to expunge it.

I promised at least one easy-to-find beer this week, and I’m a man of my word. So track down some

Sam Adams Boston Lager [alternatives: Leinenkugel’s Red, Sprecher Special Amber, Bohemia]

and

Flying Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter [alternatives: Duck-Rabbit Baltic Porter, Ska Brewing’s Nefarious Ten Pin Imperial Porter, Black Boss Porter]

In addition, you might want to scare up some glassware beyond the standard pint. A tulip-style piece of stemware would be good, or (if you have some discretionary cash burning a hole in your pocket) order yourself some special glasses here.

So I feel a little bad about these beers, as I once again trot out things that will range from “difficult” to “virtually impossible” to find. You have my word that show 35 will include at least one beer that’s reasonably easy to find. Promise. But this is Show 34, so scrape up, if you can:

Coronado Brewing Company’s Belchin’ Brown [alternatives: your local brewpub’s belgian brown or abbey beer, Leffe Brown, Unibroue’s Chambly Noire]

and

Stone’s Imperial Russian Stout [alternatives: your local brewpub’s Imperial Stout, Old Rasputin, Avery’s The Czar]

Yes, I realize that makes three Stone brews in the past two shows. So it goes.

Oh, and ideally you should try to get these at the breweries, and take them home in a growler. If you’re unclear as to what a growler is and how it can improve YOUR life, well….just tune in next time!

OK kids, let’s try this one again….If you didn’t get these the first time around, here’s your chance. Keep in mind that since the last time they were trotted out, Zymurgy magazine readers have voted Stone and Dogfish Head the top two craft breweries in the country…

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

AND

Stone IPA

AND

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA

AND

Stone Ruination IPA

Sorry, no alternatives. It just wouldn’t make sense, conceptually (again)…

OK, so…

Due to a technical glitch, the original Show 32 has gone pfffffffft! into the world of ones and zeros* .

Bummer. But keep those show beers chilled, as it will come back, in the not-too-distant-future.

During the meanwilst, the new and completely different show 32 is about to land on the shores of the podosphere. To drink along you should acquire: a dunkelweizen, such as Prescott Brewing Company’s Funkendunkel (or Ayinger Ur-weisse or Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse Dunkel or Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel or Hacker-Pschorr Dunkle Weisse)

and

Aventinus Wheat Doppelbock (no significant alternatives)

Also, SoB is going to have a little hiccup in the schedule (beyond the usual) as I enjoy a little summer vacation with my family. Look for the next show in about three weeks, and cross your fingers (like I am) that much beery good content will come out of this little hiatus.

I’ll be back in a flash, and until then, drink well!

*my deepest apologies to Mark A., CMAAAAAAAAAR!, Thomas from Flagstaff, Yooper, Doug Kress, Enormous from Australia, Kris Mayo, Brain Brown, Tim Adamec, Alec/clichekiller, Rhettro, and Rhettro’s lovely air-guitar goddess of a wife

Take a gander at these, and you can probably devine the near-apocalyptic theme of the next show:

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

AND

Stone IPA

AND

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA

AND

Stone Ruination IPA

Sorry, no alternatives. It just wouldn’t make sense, conceptually…

Umm…yeah…I think the theme is quite apparent, as are the challenges in finding alternatives:

Cave Creek Chili Beer [alternatives: Cinco De Mayo from Rock Bottom brewery, Chili Beer from Dillon Dam Brewery. Or, grab a Corona and stick a fresh serrano chile in it]

and

Rogue Chipotle Ale [alternatives: Mexicali Smoke from Rocky River Brewing, Ring Of Fire Pepper Ale from Pacific Rim Brewing Co.]

Click on the beer name to go to Rate Beer’s distribution list and see if it’s in your area. Oh, and let me know if this feature is at all helpful in tracking down these beers!

Let’s nip off to Germany for this one, shall we? The beers for the next show are:

Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier [alternatives: Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse, Ayinger Bräu Weisse, Hacker-Pschorr Hefe Weisse Natürtrub]

and

Ayinger Ur-Weisse [alternatives: Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse Dunkel, Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Dunkel, Hacker-Pschorr Dunkle Weisse]

These should be widely available in any store that has a decent import selection, or, for you German listeners, a decent domestic selection. So grab them and drink along, but, uh, hold the lemon, will you?