The "I believe I'll have a beer" thread

[Stingray]

Please check your religious & political arguments at the door.

My favorite is Fosters, what's yours?



-S

[Zakk]

I'll have a Stella Artois, and cheers!!

[Stingray]

See, and I'm not even going to attack you and call you names because you like a different beer than I do. Just one of the many reasons why beer is better than religion.

-S

[missioncontrol]

<imported> I'll have an Asahi

<domestic> I'll have a Miller lite

<out of a friends refrigerator> I'll have whatever you got as long as it's cold 

[Stingray]

<out of a friends refrigerator> I'll have whatever you got as long as it's cold 

Ah another discriminating beer drinker! Just about the only beer (other than the really cheap & nasty stuff) that I don't like is Coors.

I'm a big fan of Shiner Bock too. Hands down that's the best U.S. brewed beer IMHO.

-S

[Zakk]

See, and I'm not even going to attack you and call you names because you like a different beer than I do. Just one of the many reasons why beer is better than religion.

-S

That's cuz you haven't tried one yet!!

My beer progression went as such-->Molson Canadian, Molson Golden, Budweiser, Coors Light, Heineken, Stella.

[Stingray]

However, if the Foster's is cold I'll tip one back!! 

Out at the Stingray Ranch, the Fosters is always cold!

-S

[missioncontrol]

What is the malted liquor.
What gets you drunker quicker?
What comes in bottles or in cans?
Can't get enough of it,
How we really love it,
Makes me think I'm a man,
I can kiss and hug it,
But I'd rather chug it,
Fill my belly up to here,
I could not refuse a,
I could really use a,
Beer, beer, beer.

I can't remember how much I have had,
I drank a twelve pack with my dad, BURP!
That's my son the drunken manly stud,
I'm proud to be his bud,
Here have some pretzels,
No!
I'll call it quits,
Those things give me the Schlitz!

Drink with your family,
Drink it with your friends,
Drink till you're fat,
Stomach distends,
Beer is liquid bread it's good for you,
We like to drink till we spew,
EW
Who cares if we get fat,
I'll drink to that,
As we sing once more.

What is the molted liquor,
What gets you drunker quicker,
What comes in bottles or in cans (beer)
Can't get enough of it,
How we really love it,
Makes me think I'm a man,
I can kiss and hug it,
But I'd rather chug it,
Fill my belly up to here,
Golly I adore it,
Come on dammit pour it,
Do it for me,
Brew it for me,
Feed it to me,
Speed it to me.

The most wonderful drink in the world.
Hooray.



 

[walls83]

The werewolf killer

The silver bullet

COORS LIGHT BABY..


If any of you drink coors light next time you at a bar ask for a Werewolf Killer you will get the craziest look youve ever seen.  Good times

[namzep]

I'll generally have a Sam Adams Boston Ale or a Pyramid Apricot Ale.  If I'm drinking the cheaper stuff, I'll generally have a Bud Light (though Coors Light is alright).

[Stingray]

Sam Adams

Good stuff. Kind of hard to find around here though.

I've recently become something of a fan of XX Amber, and for the most part I really dislike Mexican beer. That's good stuff though, try one next time you're in a Mexican restaraunt.

-S

[Franco]

Too many favouites!

Grolsch
Kronemburg 1664 / Blanc
Hoegarrden
Staropramen
Duvvel
Tiger
+ u cant beat the odd guiness!


mmmmm, beer! But I havent gone any, doh!

[missioncontrol]

Ah another discriminating beer drinker! Just about the only beer (other than the really cheap & nasty stuff) that I don't like is Coors.
-S

From my experience there is no such thing as a bad beer,


Some are just better than others.............

[Stingray]

+ u cant beat the odd guiness!

Agree, that's another of my favorites.

-S

[Franco]

+ u cant beat the odd guiness!

Agree, that's another of my favorites.

-S

Sounds kinda weired, but if you are driving then a Guiness shandy is purrdy nice! 

[ChadTower]

Guinness is crap.  It tastes like pine tar, like chewing on an old batting glove.

[JoyMonkey]

Sounds kinda weired, but if you are driving then a Guiness shandy is purrdy nice! 

A Guinness shandy? Sounds like pure sacrilege to me.

[shmokes]

God hates Fosters

[Stingray]

What's a shandy?

-S

[monkeybomb]

MB runs in yells -


ABORTION!!!!!!!!!!



- and leaves.

[JoyMonkey]

What's a shandy?

-S

A shandy is half lager and half white lemonade. And by white lemonade, I mean Sprite, 7up or Sierra Mist.

Now that I think of it, when I was a kid parents would let kids drink Coke with a splash of Guinness in pubs, maybe that's what he meant by 'Guinness shandy'.

[RetroBorg]

What's a shandy?

-S

Lemonade and Beer.

Here' a few others;

Black and Tan - Stout and Beer

Porter Gaff - Stout and Lemonade

Black Velvet - Stout and Champagne

My favourite local beer (Australian) is Coppers Ale or Coppers Stout.

My favourite foreign beers are both from Belgium, Leffe Brune (Dark) or Hoegaarden. Mmmmmm beer.

Man, those Belgiums know how to make beer.

[Stingray]

Is this shandy deal just an Aussie thing? Any Americans familiar with that? I have to say that lemonade & beer sounds a bit icky to me.

-S

[mrhowell]

Corona

[Jabba]

Yeah, we have Shandy's up here in the GWN. We actually mix em with Gingerale (half and half), but only the Women drink em that way...

The real men like them room temperature....Mmmmmmmmm   

BTW: I like Red Cap Ale, Snappa Cappa....

[JoyMonkey]

Is this shandy deal just an Aussie thing? Any Americans familiar with that? I have to say that lemonade & beer sounds a bit icky to me.

-S

In Europe and Australia, lemonade is what Americans call lemon and lime soda, like Sprite.

[Sephroth57]

pssh, id take a good mixed drink over a beer anyday. Margaritas own, i dont care what girly jokes u make, tequila is good stuff

[Stingray]

Is this shandy deal just an Aussie thing? Any Americans familiar with that? I have to say that lemonade & beer sounds a bit icky to me.

-S

In Europe and Australia, lemonade is what Americans call lemon and lime soda, like Sprite.

Ah, well that sounds slightly less nasty, but still not great!

-S

[Zakk]

In honour of Chad and his 'always-so-useful' posts, I dug around in my beer fridge and yes, lo and behold:

[tommy]

Guinness-Puke

SOMETIMES you just want a good old fashion Budweiser.

Edit......Added caps for effect. 

[JoyMonkey]

All canned and bottled Guinness should be put out of its misery. Even those ones with the CO2 widget. They're the reason most people think so badly of Guinness.

If you've never had a real pint of Guinness - with the correct proportions of nitrogen and co2 injected as it pours and the tap line less that 24" long, without the export preservatives - you're missing out.

[Zakk]

I dunno, I sat of the deck and drank it, and it was just fine.  I bit tangy for my tastes, but fine.   

I don't think someone who prefers a 4% water-beer should be so judgemental tommy 

...do I have a bud in the fridge here?  Hmmm, dang no I don't, I'll substitute a hmm...nope, oops I have a Grolsh.  I'll have that instead.  This could be painful in the morning if this keeps up. 

[ChadTower]

budweiser is worse than Guinness, but at least it's only a diet soda.

[namzep]

XX Amber

Had it a few times and it's probably my favorite of the Mexican beers.  Guiness and St Pauli Girl (especially the Dark) are both quite good as well.

[shmokes]

You don't have to go all the way to Guiness, just get a decent beer like Dos Equis or St. Pauli Girl.  Budweiser and Michelob....that stuff is no good.  When I want to drink a beer I want to have a beer or maybe two or three if I'm partying.  No way I'm going to down a six or twelve pack in a day.  That's just stupid and will make you fat and ugly and miserable.  If you want to drink a lot, drink a lot of water.  If you want to get drunk switch to liquor or wine.  If you want to drink beer, drink something tasty in moderation.

....or even if you're going to drink enough to get ugly and fat and unhealthy, still drink something tasty.

[fredster]

Coronas all around!

[LPZ]

How bout the oldest brewery in the United States? 

A Yuengling Lager for me please!

[Generic Eric]

Anymore, for myself, I buy miller lite.  I used to drink alot of ice house.  I also like Heinekin.  I have a friend I drink Guiness with sometimes.  We drink black and tans with bass on those days. 

Lately we have been drinking with beers that complement meals, or at least when we eat mexican, we drink caronas.

When I went to maryland (I think) we drank that Yuengling, that was good.  I am a fan a all beers though.  Shiner is good as well.

[DrewKaree]

B DOUBLE EE DOUBLE R EWE ENN!

Spaten
Salvatore
Any of Leinenkugel's darker brews

[saint]

Pete's Strawberry Blonde. Done. I buy 3 cases at a time.

[cdbrown]

I can't believe people actually drink Fosters.  It's one of those aussie beers made for export as no one here drinks it.

International - Grolsch Premium Lager Swingtop
National - Toohey's New
Local - Emu Bitter

[RetroBorg]

I can't believe people actually drink Fosters.

[GGKoul]

Hard to pick just one..

Australia -- VB, Carlton
Canadian -- Lucky, Alexander Keiths
American -- Coors Light, Sam Adams
Mexican -- Corona / Sol
Jamican -- Red Stripe

But I'll take a Vodka Sour over any beer.

[chopps]

mmmmMm   beeeeeeer 

too many good ones to pick from... in the fridge right now...

sleemans honey brown
Corona
Molson Canadian

[Bones]

I like my VB but Guiness on tap rocks!

[NiN^_^NiN]

I'll have a jim beam dont like beer lol

[crashwg]

In Europe and Australia, lemonade is what Americans call lemon and lime soda, like Sprite.

So what the heck do you call lemonade then? 

[JoyMonkey]

In Europe and Australia, lemonade is what Americans call lemon and lime soda, like Sprite.

So what the heck do you call lemonade then? 

I have no idea. I've only ever seen lemonade (the one made with lemon juice and sugar) in the US. Though a quick Google tells me that it originated in Spain and was adopted by the French, it probably started life as some kind of non-alcoholic sangria.

[DemonBrew]

I've been brewing my own beer for about 8 years now. Pretty good schtuff. If I had to pick commercial beers:

Guinness
Sam Adams
Yuengling Lager

<the occassioncal fancy schmancy>
Young's Double Chocolate Stout
Young's Oatmeal Stout
Victory Brewing Hop Devil
Dogfish Head Raison d'Etre

[ChadTower]

Pete's Strawberry Blonde. Done. I buy 3 cases at a time.

Awesome.  My brother and I downed about 30 of these this past weekend.

[walls83]

Pete's Strawberry Blonde. Done. I buy 3 cases at a time.

My wife loves that stuff.  Its pretty good

[sodapopinski]

nothing too fancy.
Labatt's Blue. Canadain beer simply tastes better than any other beer.

[ChadTower]

Not if you're outside of Canada... they seem to make the exports intentionally inferior.

[whammoed]

B DOUBLE EE DOUBLE R EWE ENN!

All we need is a ten and a five and the keys and a car and a sober driver....

Rolling Rock
or
whatevers cold............or cheap

[Stingray]

I can't believe people actually drink Fosters.  It's one of those aussie beers made for export as no one here drinks it.

The Fosters we get here in the US is actually brewed in Canada.

-S

[allroy1975]

nothing too fancy.
Labatt's Blue. Canadain beer simply tastes better than any other beer.

Finally...Blue is almost the only thing I drink.  In St. Louis everyone had AB products everywhere.  I try to avoid most of them.  They either give me a headache or taste like water. 

Allroy

[Spaced Invader]

Grolsch, Corona, or any nice Heffe Visen if I'm in Germany.

What about beer you absolutely hate? I had some beer in Turkey (I can't remember the name..but it was local) and this stuff tasted like it was at least 25% vinegar...just nasty. Yes, of course I drank it. 

[JoyMonkey]

The Fosters we get here in the US is actually brewed in Canada.

Also, the Budweiser in Ireland is brewed by Guinness, and is considerably less pissy that the US stuff. Not that I'm at all picky about my pissy beers. 

[GGKoul]

nothing too fancy.
Labatt's Blue. Canadain beer simply tastes better than any other beer.

Finally...Blue is almost the only thing I drink.

[Stingray]

The Fosters we get here in the US is actually brewed in Canada.

Also, the Budweiser in Ireland is brewed by Guinness, and is considerably less pissy that the US stuff. Not that I'm at all picky about my pissy beers. 

Really? I'd actually like to try one of those. Might actually be a Budweiser that's worth drinking.

Disclaimer statment: Not that I'm abve drinking Bud, particularly not if someone else paid for it.

-S

[ErikRuud]

My choices are usually:

Ki-Rin Ichiban
Fosters
XX
Beck's Dark
Bass or Harp Ale
Grolsh

I have tried many micro brews and pseudo micro brews and I usually prefer the Ales or Darks. 

I don't care for stout.

I do like most dark ales that I have tried.

Molson Golden is the only Canadian beer that I have really liked.

[ChadTower]

Molson XXX is like a divine nectar...

[GGKoul]

The Fosters we get here in the US is actually brewed in Canada.

Also, the Budweiser in Ireland is brewed by Guinness, and is considerably less pissy that the US stuff. Not that I'm at all picky about my pissy beers.

[bionicbadger]

The real original Budweiser from the town of that name in Czecheslovakia is good.  The licenced stuff is not.

Sapporo red is pretty good.

Most small town brewery czech or german beers are really good.

[DrewKaree]

B DOUBLE EE DOUBLE R EWE ENN!

All we need is a ten and a five and the keys and a car and a sober driver....

 

What about beer you absolutely hate?

Hate?  That's easy.  Red Stripe.  I'd piss in it to make it taste better, but that'd be a perfectly good waste of a leak.

That stuff is formaldahyde in a bottle, minus the refreshing aftertaste!

[GGKoul]

What about beer you absolutely hate?

Labatt Blue
Molson Canadian
Budwiser

Warm beer...

[whammoed]

What about beer you absolutely hate?

Empty beer 

[whammoed]

B DOUBLE EE DOUBLE R EWE ENN!

All we need is a ten and a five and the keys and a car and a sober driver....

 

Hmmm, I was thinking of the Todd Snider song
http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/snider-todd/beer-run-13882.html

but didn't know Garth Brooks also had that lyric in a song

http://www.sing365.com/music/lyric.nsf/Beer-Run-B-Double-E-Double-Are-You-In-lyrics-Garth-Brooks/290868E8808EE47148256B12001DD995

[tommy]

Pete's Strawberry Blonde. Done. I buy 3 cases at a time.

My wife loves that stuff.

[SNAAKE]

I believe I will have beer too

[GGKoul]

Lets guess what type of beer SNAAKE is drinking...

I assume its a light beer because of the colour... Its alittle too light for Coors Light, so I'll get Bud Light.

[cdbrown]

umm is that ice blocks I can see in that beer.  I remember when I was working in the Philippines and they put ice in beer because the weather was so warm and humid it didn't take long for a nice cold beer to go warm.  It didn't take long for me to just go inside and drink my beer in aircon comfort and minus the ice.  Watery beer bleh

[RetroBorg]

umm is that ice blocks I can see in that beer.

[ChadTower]

I hate guys who leave unfinished beers around.  People get thrown out of my house for abandoning wounded soldiers like that.

[Stingray]

umm is that ice blocks I can see in that beer.  I remember when I was working in the Philippines and they put ice in beer because the weather was so warm and humid it didn't take long for a nice cold beer to go warm.  It didn't take long for me to just go inside and drink my beer in aircon comfort and minus the ice.  Watery beer bleh

Yeah who drinks beer with ice? Is this something common? I've never heard of it Australia.

I've never seen anyone drink a beer with ice in it either.

-S

[ChadTower]

That's what frosty mugs are for...

[Stingray]

That's what frosty mugs are for...

Few things have ever been said that I agreed with more strongly.

-S

[SNAAKE]

I like my beer cold

[DrewKaree]

I like my beer cold

Cold is one thing, watering it down intentionally is like CHOOSING to drink Lite.

You want cold beer, turn your temperature dial in your refrigerator.

Adding ice to beer.....I think that should disqualify you from this thread.  Judges?







 

[paigeoliver]

I don't drink very often, but when I do a lot of times I will buy Colt 45, just for the irony factor.

[DrewKaree]

There's paige, rollin' in his hoopty suckin' on a 40

[fredster]

Yeah who drinks beer with ice? Is this something common?

The pitchers we buy at the bowling alley have a conical ice cube in it to keep it nice and cold between refills....

[ChadTower]

Cold is one thing, watering it down intentionally is like CHOOSING to drink Lite.

You want cold beer, turn your temperature dial in your refrigerator.

Adding ice to beer.....I think that should disqualify you from this thread.

[ChadTower]

The pitchers we buy at the bowling alley have a conical ice cube in it to keep it nice and cold between refills....

What a coincedence, so does Hillary Clinton.

[Luxury]

Wow - I'm the first person to mention my favorite beer?

Negra Modelo

and the rest in no particular order:

Sapporo
Pacifico
whatever else if its in a bottle.

[Stingray]

I agree about bottle color. If the bottle is green, the beer is best avoided.

-S

[rgecko]

A good green bottle of beer .... Moosehead, can't go wrong with that.

[mrhowell]

I put ice in a zip lock bag and put the bag in the pitcher of beer.  Keeps the beer cold but does not water it down.  On another topic, do you drink more when you're gaming online (Warcraft 3, Halo, Quake 2, etc)?   I seem to drink two coronas in a 15 minute Warcraft 3 game.  That is if I can get the wife to bring them to me.

[ChadTower]

Two Coronas is not drinking, it's posing.

[Dire Radiant]

Leinie's Red. Only beer I've found since I've been in the US that doesn't taste like over-chilled horse pee. BUT... You have to take it out of the fridge ten minutes before you open it. When I get all homesick I'll drink Theakston's Old Peculiar for a little taste o' home even if it isn't really the same out of a bottle.

[ChadTower]

Dude, why are you drinking horse pee?  Please, at least tell us you're not drinking it from the tap.

[quarterback]

Two Coronas is not drinking, it's posing.

LOL

[patrickl]

I don't like green beers! (Heiniken, Rolling Rock, etc...)

I guess that's why Heineken is usually in brown bottles in the Netherlands and it tastes better here too. For some reason it's always in green bottles in export countries.

If I drink beer t all, it's usually Heineken or Corona.

[Stingray]

I have to say that while I'll drink a Corona in a Mexican restaraunt (if that's what they have) it certainly isn't a favorite of mine either. XX Amber is a far superior beer.

-S

[KenToad]

I've been brewing my own beer for about 8 years now. Pretty good schtuff. If I had to pick commercial beers:

Guinness
Sam Adams
Yuengling Lager

<the occassioncal fancy schmancy>
Young's Double Chocolate Stout
Young's Oatmeal Stout
Victory Brewing Hop Devil
Dogfish Head Raison d'Etre

Yessssss, you are absolutely on the money there, DemonBrew.  I brew my own too for about two years now.  I have a keg of India Pale Ale downstairs and five gallons Barleywine in the fermentor (carboy) right now. 

Add anything by Sierra Nevada or Anchor brewing.  Also, the hundreds of clones of those brews can be good--wonderful citrusy hops. 

Corona is definitely an on again off again experience for me.  Lime and the sun make it divine.  Too warm and it's piss.  The reason for it's unique flavor is the clear bottle and the Mexican sun.  The beer is actually slightly spoiled by the UV rays from the sun during packing and shipping.  No other professional brewer would tolerate that flavor in beer.  I've heard that when the brewers of Corona started canning their beer, they noticed that it didn't taste right.  They actually had to intentionally "spoil" the beer by treating it with UV light before canning to get it to have that particular Corona flavor.  I bet the imitation beers like Tequiza use artificial flavors to get their "beer" to taste that way.  Natural flavors is artificial flavors created using different catalysts, BTW, just a technical difference. 

Most of the beer brewed in the world (read: US macrobrews like Bud, Miller, Coors, etc.) are not brewed with enough barley to have a beer flavor without additives like "natural" flavors.  I believe Miller uses around 40% percent corn sugar as they brew because it's cheaper and has no flavor, so they can use the additives to make it taste however they want.  Bud is largely the same.  About 40% rice, I believe.  Since I learned that, I stay away from those brands on principle and because they're not that much cheaper than the microbrews when you see how much quality goes into the beer.  I'll drink anything as long as I know it is what they say it is. 

My fiancee is German and loves beer, especially dark lagers.

Cheers,
KenToad

[spocktwin]

  My father owned a couple of bars as I grew up,,,you might say the brew put me through college.  My father said as long as its paid for its good beer.....we tipped many a glass before he died.  Some of my best memories are with my Dad beer in hand.  Not drunk mind you just  pleasurable drinking......he was a Black Label fan.  Rest in Peace Dad I'm sure you found God's favorite watering hole and he probably put you behind the bar because  people loved to talk to you so!!!  (as I toast a Bud to you now (his second favorite))

[scooter]

Anything by Dogfishhead:
90-minute IPA (favorite)
60-minute IPA
Raison d'Etre

Stone Mountain Arrogant Bastard Ale
Bell's Two Hearted IPA

And, whenever in Cleveland, Great Lakes Brewery is divine!

[KenToad]

Anything by Dogfishhead:
90-minute IPA (favorite)
60-minute IPA
Raison d'Etre

Stone Mountain Arrogant Bastard Ale
Bell's Two Hearted IPA

And, whenever in Cleveland, Great Lakes Brewery is divine!  Commodore Perry IPA is not to be missed.

Edit:  Seems that I favor IPAs.  Yes sir!   

IPA's are awesome.  I have one in my hand right now, which will need refilling soon.  Nice choices for the beer, BTW.  I would buy DogFishHead more often, but they are soooooo expensive.  You should try brewing your own.  You can make an IPA that is hoppier and fresher (i.e. never pasteurized or filtered, although I'm not sure about DogFishHead--most non-wheat beer is centrifuged at least, even by the microbreweries ... you lose the vitamins) than anything you can buy commercially. 

I just took a tour of Great Lakes Brewery last March.  They make great beer.

Cheers,
KenToad

[HyperHautian]

Ok, time to mention my fav's.... in no certain order

Guinness (on tap please)

Hoegarden (and no.. it's not a garden full of hoes

[ChadTower]

Anyone who refers to their beer as "their flava flav" probably is drinking horse piss from the tap.

[HyperHautian]

Anyone who refers to their beer as "their flava flav" probably is drinking horse piss from the tap.

OMG it was a joke...

..... assuming your a good ol' bud drinker, I see where you missed it..

[ChadTower]

OMG it was a joke...

..... assuming your a good ol' bud drinker, I see where you missed it..

Advice:  never, ever make a pretentious joke in front of the Chief Kicker.  It's just not worth the risk.   

[HyperHautian]

WOW!! Had I known that, I would have taken your remark with more a submissive attitude.

My sincere apology!!!!

[Dire Radiant]

I like this guy already!

[HyperHautian]

I like this guy already!

LOL

[Stingray]

You just have to realize that you're not really a member here until Chad has insulted you.

Welcome aboard.

-S

[DarkKobold]

You just have to realize that you're not really a member here until Chad has insulted you.

Welcome aboard.

-S

Well, at the rate Chad is going these days... we are gonna have a lot of new members

[HyperHautian]

Thanks!  It's good to feel at home, I mean, don't we all work with a guy like that???  You know, he shoots his mouth off all day (because there are no consequences), and it makes him feel like he is
King Sh*t of F#%k Mountain.  Then he goes home to play a good game of "Wheres Arnie??" with his Grandma until she tucks him in bed with a nice glass of warm milk and a kiss on the cheek.

But seriously, I mean no harm to anyone by saying "flava flav".. It's so not my way of talking that it was funny to me....

Again, I bow to you in the most submissive way (cross's fingers hoping not to be accused of drinkin' peepee again).

p.s. still jokin.... 

[ChadTower]

Thanks!

[Stingray]

I just remembered that I started this thread in an attempt to create a contraversy free zone in the Everything Else forum. I was so young and naive then.

-S

[HyperHautian]

I just remembered that I started this thread in an attempt to create a controversy free zone in the Everything Else forum. I was so young and naive then.

-S

LOL, I thought I was doing fine until it was brought to my attention that perhaps I was drinkin' good ol' peepee...

[scooter]

You should try brewing your own.

Yep--I do make my own.  But I currently have two fermenters with mead in them (honey and agave nectar).  Yum!  And yes, expensive is one of the downsides to DH.  But did you happen to catch the growler prices at Great Lakes?  They charged me $17-18 dollars for a fill (already had my own growler).  I went back in to ask someone else if that was the correct price. 

[ChadTower]

p.s. Still just havin' a poke at whomever wants poked

[KenToad]

Yep--I do make my own. But I currently have two fermenters with mead in them (honey and agave nectar). Yum! And yes, expensive is one of the downsides to DH. But did you happen to catch the growler prices at Great Lakes? They charged me $17-18 dollars for a fill (already had my own growler). I went back in to ask someone else if that was the correct price.

That's cool.  I actually have some mead brewing as well, just a five gallon batch, my second ever.  The first one took a year to clear out.  This one will be a year old in August, where it will be served at my friend's wedding.  I would like to keep some Mead around for a really long time, but we never can seem to leave the stuff alone for long. 

Agave nectar sounds like an awesome addition.  I used a gallon of local unfiltered and unpasteurized Apple Cider and a gallon of local wildflower honey, along with chopped organic raisins to give the yeast some nutrients to fight the antibiotic properties of the honey.  I have heard but not confirmed that this kind of mead is referred to as cyser (actually mentioned in the Strangebrew brewing software), but usually cyser is just cider and honey with no added water. 

Great Lakes has strange pricing schemes, apparently, since you can buy a 5 gallon keg for $60, I believe, with only a $10 deposit for the keg, (or is it $60 total).  So really you could keep the keg and that's about the best bargain for a keg that I've ever seen.  I have everything for the kegging setup except the CO₂ tank, which I'm currently borrowing from our local DIY shop.  I'm about three and a half hours from Cleveland, but have friends who live there and go home every month or so.

Also, the owner of the DIY store has been hosting beer brewing competitions, about three times a year.  For ten bucks, you can be a judge and taste between 15 and 30 brews.  I got crazy for the first one and tasted 27 beers, including garlic beer and an awesome coffee stout that was about 8% Alcohol and had four pots of strong coffee in it.  The coffee stout won.  Maybe I should let you beer lovers know when the next competition gets scheduled.  You can also enter your own beer for free and be a judge for free.  The owner of the shop gives away gift certificates to the top five or so.  Judging is less than scientific as you can imagine.

Cheers,
KenToad

[ChadTower]

I need to get into that hobby.

[Stingray]

I've often thought that as well, but realisticly I have more hobbies than I really have time to support already. I sure wish I had a buddy who was into it though. I'd be happy to be a taste tester!

-S

[HyperHautian]

I've often thought that as well, but realistically I have more hobbies than I really have time to support already. I sure wish I had a buddy who was into it though. I'd be happy to be a taste tester!

-S

I hear ya.. I'd love to be a "guinness pig" for a pal who had the time to make it!

At the local brewery here, I sometimes get to taste the CV right outta the tank.. wow what a kick in the pants that stuff can be sometimes

[KenToad]

BTW, the homebrew competitions are in Southeastern Ohio.  If it's not too far to drive, just let me know if you want info about the next one, which I'm guessing will be in August or September.  We also had a wine/mead competition once, but I missed that because I was in Germany for Christmas.  A friend took my mead and apparently it got fifth or sixth place, but I got no prize .

Cheers,
KenToad

[scooter]

Cool.  Actually, my meads have been "fermenting" for 2.5 years now.  And not because I am intentionally aging them, it has more to do with my laziness.     Both are my first.  One is a 7-gallon batch.

And maybe "mead" was a misnomer for one of those in the fermenter--it was not an addition, it is 100% agave nectar (well, has added water and yeast).  Should be "interesting?"