Brits and your beer.

lostprophet · Dec 7, 2007

ice is nice. What more do you need to know?

Mesoam · Dec 7, 2007

i love beer that is nearly frozen, not crystallized but so cold its almost hurts your teeth, its so refreshing...this golf course i play in the summer, i would swear that have the perfect fridge, it keeps the beer so cold but not frozen, its so refreshing on the 6th tee

Helen B · Dec 7, 2007

ferny said:
What is it with you and ice?

Please don't talk about ice. I once saw someone putting ice in whisky, and I haven't recovered from the horror. It haunts me every waking moment.

Android · Dec 7, 2007

Am I right in thinking that in the US they don't distinguish between 'lager' and 'ale'? I think they only serve lager and they call it 'beer'. We call 'lager' by it's proper name, 'lager'! and we call 'beer' either 'beer' or 'ale'!:lmao:

Has anyone fallen asleep yet?:er:

Now I'm sure this has cleared up the whole mystery (I really fancy an ale now :drool:

) but if it hasn't......
...US citizens coming to the UK...ASK for lager.
...UK residents in the US....don't expect any decent beer or ale...just drink spirits!!

No questions please....I'm VERY confused!

Andy

lostprophet · Dec 8, 2007

Helen B said:
Please don't talk about ice. I once saw someone putting ice in whisky, and I haven't recovered from the horror. It haunts me every waking moment.

thats crazy talk, now putting whiskey in ice is a totally different kettle of fish

Alex_B · Dec 8, 2007

Germans like it cold usually ... but I hate it cold.

I very much prefer the English temperature

But this is only since I drink ale ... lagers taste bad if chilled, but even worse if warm ...

Alex_B · Dec 8, 2007

Helen B said:
Please don't talk about ice. I once saw someone putting ice in whisky, and I haven't recovered from the horror. It haunts me every waking moment.

Ice in whisky, whisky on ice .... buth a sacrilege!

But do you know some people pour the whisky into their coke? That is even worse. I usually suggest them to use the American grain whisky for that

LaFoto · Dec 8, 2007

HelenB's right about the cellar temperature of around 11 °C ... that sounds like a reasonable temperature for our German beer (which can best be compared to lager - Pils - lager? - would that work?). Chilled beer that makes your teeth hurt would say "stomach ache" to me, and there is no more taste to it. If all you want is have something icy cold flow down your throat, drink icy cold water, I believe there cannot be any more taste to almost frozen beer, either.

And whisky (I only really "know" - KNOW? I don't KNOW much about whisk(e)y!) - whiskey) should be taken totally undiluted, that is what I think. (I love "Bushmills"!!!)

Alex_B · Dec 8, 2007

LaFoto said:
HelenB's right about the cellar temperature of around 11 °C ... that sounds like a reasonable temperature for our German beer (which can best be compared to lager - Pils - lager? - would that work?). Chilled beer that makes your teeth hurt would say "stomach ache" to me, and there is no more taste to it. If all you want is have something icy cold flow down your throat, drink icy cold water, I believe there cannot be any more taste to almost frozen beer, either.

people who drink beer chilled cold don't like the taste of beer. The cooler the less sensitive your taste is.

The full taste you only get at room temperature.

And whisky (I only really "know" - KNOW? I don't KNOW much about whisk(e)y!) - whiskey) should be taken totally undiluted, that is what I think. (I love "Bushmills"!!!)

undiluted at cask strength it is usually too strong for most

you may mix it with good water (bottled is usually diluted already) , or have a glass of water alongside with your dram, but never have it with ice!

ferny · Dec 8, 2007

A touch of water added to whiskey can help bring out the flavour. More so if the water is from the same source as used in the whiskey itself.

LaFoto · Dec 8, 2007

Water "alongside" sounds like the way to go!
You mean, I probably don't even KNOW "cask strength"? You may very well be right here! I didn't know bottled whisk(e)y was a diluted version already!

See how MUCH I know about whisk(e)y? (As much as the frequency with which I drink some. I think the fingers on my hands still suffice to count the occasions!)

Alex_B · Dec 8, 2007

You get it cask strength if you look for it, in particular single malt. but I'd 90% of all sales are diluted.

Hey, but this was a thread about ale, wasn't it?

nealjpage · Dec 8, 2007

Android said:
Am I right in thinking that in the US they don't distinguish between 'lager' and 'ale'? I think they only serve lager and they call it 'beer'. We call 'lager' by it's proper name, 'lager'! and we call 'beer' either 'beer' or 'ale'!:lmao:

Has anyone fallen asleep yet?:er:

Now I'm sure this has cleared up the whole mystery (I really fancy an ale now) but if it hasn't......
...US citizens coming to the UK...ASK for lager.
...UK residents in the US....don't expect any decent beer or ale...just drink spirits!!

No questions please....I'm VERY confused!

Andy

I believe that most American beers (Miller, Budwieser, Coors, Hamm's, etc) are all lagers. So if you go to a bar and ask for a beer that they've got on tap, it'll most likely be (depending on the part of the country) a lager. And it's usually served very cold because, well, nobody wants to drink a warm Hamm's. Unless you're my grandfather and you slam a warm, flat Hamm's to cure a hangover. :er:

Until I moved from the Midwest, I drank primarily lager beer that happened to be served on tap. In college I got to try other beers (Newcastle, Guinness, Fat Tire, and other assorted microbrews) but didn't really care that much for them. Too heavy. We Americans seem to be bred to drink massive quantities of lighter beer. Now that I moved to Oregon, which has the highest number of breweries per capita in the States, my mind has been blown by the different types and tastes of microbrews. Hell, my local bar doesn't even have a domestic lager on tap!

So, yes, Andy, your generalization is basically correct. Most Americans would have trouble getting wasted off Harp or Bass or Guinness, and would seek out something a bit lighter. You Brits, on the other hand, should try some of the great ales, IPAs, and stouts that American microbreweries produce on your next trip over. They're well worth it.

nealjpage · Dec 8, 2007

Helen B said:
Please don't talk about ice. I once saw someone putting ice in whisky, and I haven't recovered from the horror. It haunts me every waking moment.

I tell ya, I love a nice tumbler of a good bourbon and water on the rocks. :drool:

What kind of whiskey were they ruining with ice?

*Knowledge* · Dec 8, 2007

Haha, you know what, I got this info from an associate that attented a seminar in Frankfurt... he sometimes is off his rocker.

LaFoto said:
Where did you gain that *knowledge* about Germans having their beer out of warmed glasses :shock: !?!? Ugh ale:

I don't like it frozen (unlike our Lost Prophet :roll: ), nor very, very cold (the kind of cold Americans seem to like their pops, cokes, sodas, whatever is the word, for example), but not room temperature, either. It needs to feel cool and fresh in the throat!

Warmed glasses :shock: uke: .................................................