What's your poison?

[nordwulf]

I bought a case of Sam Adams Oktoberfest and it's pretty good. It just doesn't have that unique taste of the regular Sam Adams. Any other suggestions for good seasonal autumn brews?

[Shazam]

Everyone I know goes crazy about all the pumpkin beers. I can't stand them. It's like drinking a pumpkin pie. No thanks.

I like the Sam Adams Octoberfest. It's a great beer, but I agree that it's lacking a distinguishing taste.

I just picked up an assorted case by Long Trail brewing. It's their "Fall Survival Pack." I've never had Long Trail before and I just cracked open my first bottle. It's the "Harvest" which is one of their fall seasonal brews (the other being a pumpkin beer). I could pass on getting another one. It's lacking flavor, and what little flavor it does have is caramel syrup-y. It would be fine if mixed with other flavors, but that is the only thing I do taste. Hopefully the other beers will be better.

[Kent]

I remember those LITTLE KINGS ! We drank those in the high school days too - Do they even sell them any more ?

[nordwulf]

Our quality beer of choice in college was Mickey's malt liquor. Can't beat the value on those 40-ouncers! Do they still sell that stuff?

Nothing else like buying a 40-ouncer of malt liquor says "I am broke but still want to get drunk tonight".

[Heinz]

Here in Melbourne we have access to beers from all over the world. I've gotta say that I love the darker ales (we call them stouts) and there is one in particular made by a boutique brewery call Holgate in Woodend Victoria called Double Trouble. A wonderful drop with full flavor and nice caramel overtone without any bitterness. They also make a winter ale that is to die for.

Other than that I like a good straight bourbon that's smooth and sweet like a Maker Mark. Also the Wild Turkey Honey Gold has it's moments.

In the cocktail area, nothing beats a Black Russian or a Brandy Alexander.

With wine, an strong full bodied Shiraz with peppercorn overtones, mmmmm....!

[Abarth]

Recently tried this:

[Shazam]

And... how was it?

[nordwulf]

I bought a 12-pack of Shiner Family Reunion with 6 different brews and one of them was Prickly Pear. I don't usually like fruit flavored beers but this one was rather unique and tasty. Different from any other beer I tasted.

[nordwulf]

I found this at a liquor/beer discount store and just had to try it. $7 for 1 pt 6 fl oz bottle so not a cheap beer. 7% alc/vol. It was good but I expected a little bit more from this. It was a bit more earthy and sweeter than the regular Sam Adams but definitely worth a try. And the store gave my the Sam Adams beer glass so that was a nice touch.

Legend has it that barrels of sahti were found on sunken Viking ships off the coast of Norway. This ancient Nordic ale took root in Finland becoming one of the oldest continuously brewed styles. Deep amber in color, this rugged brew’s distinctive aroma and flavor comes from aging on a bed of juniper berries. The herbal, woodsy, and ripe citrus character of the juniper enlivens a sturdy and smooth malt backbone for a fresh and flavorful brew.

For us, the legend of this sahti goes way beyond its Nordic roots. It’s been a labor of love, or at one time some may have said hopeless pursuit, among a few of our brewers. For almost 8 years we’ve been tinkering with it, from experimenting with its traditional, if rudimentary, technique of brewing with full juniper branches to trying variations of berries, malts, and rye. We kept searching for just the right combination of ingredients and process to capture this brew’s distinctive character of woodsy earthiness, citrus, and spice.

If my Saab would drink beer, this probably would be its preferred brew. They had an amazing selection of beers at this store. It's probably a good thing I don't live anywhere near this place.

[Warren Demontague]

Was the Prickly Pear more of a "sweet" fruity beer, or did it have a dry finish? I love fruit beers, but I can't drink too many of them if they're too sweet. Columbus Brewing Co. used to make a terrific Apricot Ale that was very neutral in sweetness.