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Post by BearClause on Feb 26, 2022 17:46:29 GMT -5
Well - I've waited three hours in line in downtown Santa Rosa, California for Pliny the Younger at Russian River Brewing. It was fine. But it's really just a hop bomb that is still reasonably drinkable. I've had hop bombs that were so ridiculously bitter and undrinkable. Their location in Windsor is more like wine country and I did that another year. It looks like a farm house winery building in the middle of Sonoma Wine Country. They also have a communal table in the middle that's really nice.  Their original location looks like a dive bar.  The Auberge de Poteaupré near Abbey de Scourmont (Chimay principality) looked exactly like this when I was kid, I used to go there on saturdays and/or sundays with all the family and friends. Belgians always party with their kids, it's really a different culture: at Le Clocheton, kind of rural nightclub that closes only from 8 AM to 1 PM, you can see kids sleeping on those long tables on saturday nights hahaha Drinking a trappist beer is something very special, for many reasons, but this one in particular: nearly 90% of the profits goes to charity. The only 10% rest is enough for monks to make a living.
Have you heard of Russian River Brewing? They've won a bunch of awards and I've been told have a worldwide reputation. The found really started the double IPA trend in the United States with Pliny the Elder, which was a variation on a double IPA that he originally made at his old Blind Pig. Russian River Brewing was actually part of Korbel Cellars, but then transferred to the brewmaster when they decided to get out of beer. Santa Rosa is the population center of Sonoma County, but it's not really a terribly picturesque location. They get equivalent lines for that beer (Pliny the Younger - a triple IPA) that I mentioned earlier, but their new location is nicer and has a better parking situation.  Their new location is frankly a lot nicer.  The menus are also way different. The original one has pizza and sandwiches. The newer one is more upscale although still burgers mostly. |
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Post by shortlibero on Feb 26, 2022 18:14:41 GMT -5
I don't know that brewery, it has not crossed the Atlantic enough I guess... I'm kind of very "purist" with beers, IPA are mostly beers brewed to travel long distance in a boat historically speaking, the british started this process when they were trying to ship beers to the India's colony. I'm into trappists and abbey beers mostly like Maredsous Abbey or Leffe (the abbey beers is more kind of "everyday beer" for us mixed french-belgian people), "bières de garde" that can be found in the North of France where I'm from like the Jenlain, and the gueuze processed ones (spontaneous fermentation) from Brussels. The best gueuze, and probably the most expensive beer you can find, I've tasted is the organic Cantillon, it's brewed only once or 2 times every 4 of 5 years because they use 2 and 3 years aged lambics to make it. www.belgianbeerfactory.com/en/a-cantillon-gueuze-100-lambic-bio-375cl.htmlOne gueuze that I love in particular is the Cuvée René from Lindemans brewery, again... not brewed each year, made with wild yeast, difficult to find. |
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Post by BearClause on Feb 26, 2022 18:53:41 GMT -5
I don't know that brewery, it has not crossed the Atlantic enough I guess... I'm kind of very "purist" with beers, IPA are mostly beers brewed to travel long distance in a boat historically speaking, the british started this process when they were trying to ship beers to the India's colony. I'm into trappists and abbey beers mostly like Maredsous Abbey or Leffe (the abbey beers is more kind of "everyday beer" for us mixed french-belgian people), "bières de garde" that can be found in the North of France where I'm from like the Jenlain, and the gueuze processed ones (spontaneous fermentation) from Brussels. The best gueuze, and probably the most expensive beer you can find, I've tasted is the organic Cantillon, it's brewed only once or 2 times every 4 of 5 years because they use 2 and 3 years aged lambics to make it. www.belgianbeerfactory.com/en/a-cantillon-gueuze-100-lambic-bio-375cl.htmlOne gueuze that I love in particular is the Cuvée René from Lindemans brewery, again... not brewed each year, made with wild yeast, difficult to find. That the history of the India pale ale, but the newer breweries brew that as a style that should be consumed while it's still fresh. Russian River Brewing doesn't pasteurize its beer when bottled or canned, and insist that it be kept cold and certain beers served fairly fresh. I get that the bitterness used to cover up for the long distances, but that's certainly not needed for the newer style. Also - Russian River Brewing is known for its barrel aged sours, which are really intense - almost like wine and are aged in used wine barrels similar to how Scotch is aged. I've known a few Europeans, and among the beers that at least my Italian friends and coworkers knew included Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. We've gotten a few Belgian style ales. I think Sierra Nevada Brewing had a limited edition ale that they worked on with a monastery in Northern California. |
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Post by mikegarrison on Feb 26, 2022 20:58:34 GMT -5
Top 100 pizza places in the US as rated by Yelp. People still use Yelp? I thought that was dead at least 10 years ago. It became very clear that Yelp ratings were directly tied to whether the companies in question advertised on Yelp. |
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Post by shortlibero on Feb 26, 2022 22:47:35 GMT -5
It's no secrecy about Yelp and all those online consumer review sites. The only one I trust is... Trustpilot for instance.
There's a company in France called Avis Vérifiés, now named Net reviews, that has raised 32 millions € from Providence Strategic Growth, a capital risk investment company from the US. How it works ? when you buy on a website that has a contract with Net Reviews, they harass you in your email box with dozens of spams until you leave a review. If the review isn't positive, they don't publish it. How cool is this !
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Post by BearClause on Feb 27, 2022 1:10:42 GMT -5
Top 100 pizza places in the US as rated by Yelp. People still use Yelp? I thought that was dead at least 10 years ago. It became very clear that Yelp ratings were directly tied to whether the companies in question advertised on Yelp. All I know is that I was at Cheese Board Pizza tonight with my 11 year old and we waited a good 45 minutes in line. It's that good. As for decent food, it has been a while since I been to this place in Berkeley called Gregoire, named after the owner. It's a takeout place in the ground floor or a mixed business/residential building. The thing it's probably best known for potato puffs, made from pureed potato that's deep fried into balls, and served with aioli. It's also weird because he had really good fries too, but if you ask for ketchup, it's squirted out of a Heinz bottle. And I guess people asked for it, so now there's poutine on the menu. There used to be a bigger location www.berkeleyside.org/2012/06/25/snapshot-gregoire-jacquet-owner-of-gregoire-restaurant Not sure what the deal is though. Smoke's Poutinierie opened its first US location in Berkeley near the UC Berkeley campus. Apparently open in until 4 AM, which I suppose was perfect for anyone staying up studying overnight, to just with the munchies. But there is this place called Augie's Montreal Deli. It's far from campus, but mostly it's Montreal style smoked meats, although they do have poutine. Not sure if it reopened yet.   |
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Post by mikegarrison on Feb 27, 2022 6:38:41 GMT -5
I've had some good food in Montreal. It's hearty, cold-weather food that they seem to specialize in.
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Post by shortlibero on Feb 27, 2022 14:08:33 GMT -5
Seriously... these days I've got a problem with that "poutine" word...
There's enough "poutinery" spreading all over the forum right ? hahahaha
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Post by staticb on Feb 27, 2022 22:12:17 GMT -5
Save your money--the human palette isn't good enough to tell the subtle taste difference between good and expensive wines. There's been analysis done at wine tasting competitions--and the results look pretty much like a random spread. Numerous articles about how wine testing is junk science: www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/jun/23/wine-tasting-junk-science-analysis(here's one you can google the rest yourself) Just buy the cheap stuff. |
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Post by HOLIDAY on Feb 27, 2022 22:18:56 GMT -5
Save your money--the human palette isn't good enough to tell the subtle taste difference between good and expensive wines. There's been analysis done at wine tasting competitions--and the results look pretty much like a random spread. Numerous articles about how wine testing is junk science: www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2013/jun/23/wine-tasting-junk-science-analysis(here's one you can google the rest yourself) Just buy the cheap stuff. So Boones farm it is, LOL |
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Post by shortlibero on Jul 5, 2022 6:30:36 GMT -5
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Post by shortlibero on Jul 5, 2022 6:41:59 GMT -5
I also got to taste a Bonnezeaux 2016 from the Domaine des Petits Quarts and bought 1 bottle too, more on the sweety side of white wines. Costs 16 € so not that inexpensive but it's really worth it. This one will be awesome with some Munster or raw milk Maroilles cheese ;-) It's made from single grape Chenin too. Located in Loire Valley of course. www.vivino.com/FR/en/domaine-des-petits-quarts-bonnezeaux/w/1914548They had some 2011, but they were really pricey, near the 25 bucks mark: it's a really excellent year of production. I've seen some 1990 bottles that were... well, no comment: nearly 50 bucks ! but hey... 1990 right ? probably the best year with 1976 in France in the modern era. |
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