The Beer Thread

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

VA: Blue 5 Restaurant in Roanoke (??)

My sister lives in Roanoke and I've been there. If you had told me it was some amazing beer bar, I never would've known. Didn't look like a ridiculous number of taps. Food was merely "ok".

[sweetcell]

Didn't look like a ridiculous number of taps.

per the article:

Bottles/Cans: 70
Draught: 46

maybe they added lines since you were last there...

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

maybe they added lines since you were last there...

Possibly.

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

Oh, I had an usual beer last weekend. It was called Duchesse de Bourgogne. It cost like $14. It tasted like vinegar. Is this supposed to be a big deal? The dude acted like it was a big deal.

[sweetcell]

Oh, I had an usual beer last weekend. It was called Duchesse de Bourgogne. It cost like $14. It tasted like vinegar. Is this supposed to be a big deal? The dude acted like it was a big deal.

it gets a "meh" from me, but a lot of people like it.  it's one of the more widely available sour beers out there and if often a gateway beer into the world of sours. 

yes, the style (flanders red) can have some hints of vinegar (acetic acid) and the duchess is considered a classic example of the style, but duchess often has too much vinegar to be enjoyable.  it can also be a butter bomb (diacetyl).  it can be pretty tasty when you get a good bottle, but the misses aren't worth the hits IMO.  how they can get away with being so inconsistent in quality, yet so consistently popular, is beyond me.  it is indeed sour, but doesn't have a whole lot else going on compared to, say, a gueuze.

i did share a bottle over xmas and it was quite nice.

[Space Freely]

VA: Blue 5 Restaurant in Roanoke (??)

My sister lives in Roanoke and I've been there. If you had told me it was some amazing beer bar, I never would've known. Didn't look like a ridiculous number of taps. Food was merely "ok".

We're doing a roadtrip to Asheville for Spring Break....probably making some good beer visits down there...stopping off in Roanoke for the night on the way home...previously looked at the draft list for this place and though it was big, it was pretty unmemorable. Mekong or the Answer has a much, much better draft list.

[Space Freely]

Oh, I had an usual beer last weekend. It was called Duchesse de Bourgogne. It cost like $14. It tasted like vinegar. Is this supposed to be a big deal? The dude acted like it was a big deal.

it gets a "meh" from me, but a lot of people like it.  it's one of the more widely available sour beers out there and if often a gateway beer into the world of sours. 

yes, the style (flanders red) can have some hints of vinegar (acetic acid) and the duchess is considered a classic example of the style, but duchess often has too much vinegar to be enjoyable.  it can also be a butter bomb (diacetyl).  it can be pretty tasty when you get a good bottle, but the misses aren't worth the hits IMO.  how they can get away with being so inconsistent in quality, yet so consistently popular, is beyond me.  it is indeed sour, but doesn't have a whole lot else going on compared to, say, a gueuze.

i did share a bottle over xmas and it was quite nice.

It's also on the sweet side compared to most other sours, imo. And that's not a good thing. While I'd never turn down a free glass or bottle of it, it's nothing I'd seek out.

[Dejecty-hatch lııllı|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl]

also...they've had it on draft at the 930 at the top bar for years
Monk's kettle was my gateway Flanders red

[sweetcell]

also...they've had it on draft at the 930 at the top bar for years

right!  forgot about that.  i remember getting one before i was in to sours.  the bartender warned me.  i couldn't finish it.

[Unsanity]

Oh, I had an usual beer last weekend. It was called Duchesse de Bourgogne. It cost like $14. It tasted like vinegar. Is this supposed to be a big deal? The dude acted like it was a big deal.

it gets a "meh" from me, but a lot of people like it.  it's one of the more widely available sour beers out there and if often a gateway beer into the world of sours. 

yes, the style (flanders red) can have some hints of vinegar (acetic acid) and the duchess is considered a classic example of the style, but duchess often has too much vinegar to be enjoyable.  it can also be a butter bomb (diacetyl).  it can be pretty tasty when you get a good bottle, but the misses aren't worth the hits IMO.  how they can get away with being so inconsistent in quality, yet so consistently popular, is beyond me.  it is indeed sour, but doesn't have a whole lot else going on compared to, say, a gueuze.

Duchesse was my gateway to sour beers. Love at first taste. That beer is great for a hot summer day. It has gone up in price since I got into it. My local Total Wine has trouble keeping it on shelves.

[Space Freely]

I tend to prefer my sours poured small, so find that the 11-12 ounce bottle is both the best value and ideal size...even four sharing with my sour loving wife.

For that bottle size, you can't beat Cuvee des Jacobins Rouge or Rodenbach Grand Cru in a four pack for value and quality combined. Highly recommend them over the Duchesse.

[Dejecty-hatch lııllı|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl]

with my sour loving wife.

was there supposed to be a comma in there?

[sweetcell]

with my sour loving wife.

was there supposed to be a comma in there?

no.  space is the sour one.

[Dejecty-hatch lııllı|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|̲̅̅=̲̅̅|̲̅̅●̲̅̅|llıl]

this has been a banner week for zingers...so many contenders for PTOW

Hutch...you should start that thread

[shemptiness]

Maryland breweries seek level playing field with Guinness