Let's be serious for a moment. America makes the best beer in the world these days. The Belgian beer is good, but it's mostly coasting on name value only. Much like our own Stone Brewery, actually.

Stella was on sale so....

Meh. This was actually one of their off years, imo. Osbert, the lead monk, was out for most of the season on Sabbatical to Malaysia, and his assistants did their best but weren't quite up to the task. Not to mention the exceptionally wet spring that Belgium had this year. That damp affects everything -- the hops, the barley, even the fermentation process itself. Which, ironically, was one of the reasons they really needed to move on this whole roof thing. So I can understand why they did this, but it's a shame that all the people trying this beer for the first time will never really know what they're missing. For all intensive purposes, in fact, their best vintage was back in '09, '08, back before they started getting all this internet attention in the first place. It's been difficult for them to concentrate on really making exceptional beer now that they have so many tourists wanting to "take a gander" at their facilities. It's a shame how things change when they become popular. *sigh* Oh well, there are actually some very excellent competing monasteries in the lower Rhine region, as well as a really up-and-coming facility right on the western border of Uzbekistan. I'm keeping my eye on them, but of course I'm also trying to keep them on the down-low, if you know what I mean. Don't want the same thing to happen there.

Pocket Ninja: For all intensive purposes



But agree if it was a good brew this year they wouldn't have needed to branch out to the international market to offload it.

But beer is like a lover anyway. It doesn't matter if you've got the best woman or man in the world. All that matters is that you like the one you've got.

I thought Pocket Ninja was just hipster-trolling.

dbirchall: I thought Pocket Ninja was just hipster-trolling.

He was.

/brilliantly

Gecko Gingrich: dbirchall: I thought Pocket Ninja was just hipster-trolling.

He was.

/brilliantly

Indeed!

Hey moneybagsmitter, I can buy several boxes of white zin with 85 bucks.

Subby, you should know that Farkers NEVER get any... except from their Candian girlfriends.

bronyaur1: Subby, you should know that Farkers NEVER get any... except from their Candian girlfriends.

A $14 bottle of beer might be a good bribe for a (real) Canadian girlfriend.

I bet it's more fun than a barrel of monks.

AverageAmericanGuy: Let's be serious for a moment. America makes the best beer in the world these days. The Belgian beer is good, but it's mostly coasting on name value only. Much like our own Stone Brewery, actually.

Just pass the Fin Du Monde and shut up, subby.

Send me a sample; I'll decide whether it's the "best".

I'm waiting.

Craigslist and Ebay have bottles listed as high as $700.

elffster: Just pass the Fin Du Monde and shut up, subby.

Heh, I have a bottle in my fridge right now. Another hour and its beer time for me.

Pocket Ninja: Meh. This was actually one of their off years, imo. Osbert, the lead monk, was out for most of the season on Sabbatical to Malaysia, and his assistants did their best but weren't quite up to the task. Not to mention the exceptionally wet spring that Belgium had this year. That damp affects everything -- the hops, the barley, even the fermentation process itself. Which, ironically, was one of the reasons they really needed to move on this whole roof thing. So I can understand why they did this, but it's a shame that all the people trying this beer for the first time will never really know what they're missing. For all intensive purposes, in fact, their best vintage was back in '09, '08, back before they started getting all this internet attention in the first place. It's been difficult for them to concentrate on really making exceptional beer now that they have so many tourists wanting to "take a gander" at their facilities. It's a shame how things change when they become popular. *sigh* Oh well, there are actually some very excellent competing monasteries in the lower Rhine region, as well as a really up-and-coming facility right on the western border of Uzbekistan. I'm keeping my eye on them, but of course I'm also trying to keep them on the down-low, if you know what I mean. Don't want the same thing to happen there.

Thank you for making Fark such a beautiful place. Never change.

Why yes, yes I did get some...

Chilled, and cracked a bottle that night.. It is damn, and I mean, damn good. Not sure if I would say best in the world, but its in my top 5 beers of all time...

It was sold out by the time I got to Total Wine in Durham.

/wasn't going to buy it anyway

I got mine last summer in Ireland. I liked it.

I have tried to get into the Belgian styles, but I just haven't been able to develop a taste for them. I've tried plenty of beers, but those Belgians...

If anyone has any suggestions, I'd be willing to try it. So far, I've had:

Chimay Blue (not bad)
Three Philosophers (too sweet)
And a couple of wit beers, neither of which I liked at all.

Lost_at_sea: Why yes, yes I did get some...

Chilled, and cracked a bottle that night.. It is damn, and I mean, damn good. Not sure if I would say best in the world, but its in my top 5 beers of all time...

Out of curiosity, what are your other favorites? I'm a beer-snob-in-training :)

Westvleteren 12 ages like wine. Throw a bottle in a dark cupboard and forget about it for a couple years, your taste buds will thank you.

I think they should be learning Kung Fu instead.

Pocket Ninja: For all intensive purposes

That's a good touch.

Quantum Apostrophe: Pocket Ninja: For all intensive purposes

That's a good touch.

That's why I have him Farkied as "satirist extraordinaire".

You know how much akvavit I could buy for that kind of cash? Lady Hel's blessed bosom, no, I would never spend that much on beer. Besides, my sis always wins the beer fueled burping contests, so 'tis pointless.

Hardest to get = Best? Got it.

Lately I've been starting to think that Belgian beer doesn't make it across the pond very well. In Belgium, pouring a glass of Chimay or Westmalle has an aroma not unlike someone bringing a bouquet of flowers into the room. By the time it's here in Alabama, it has sort of a flat chalky quality to it. If only to go back to the Gollem in Amsterdam to have a few glasses of Oerbier again.

/reforming beer snob
//getting a little more into bourbon and mixed drinks

KungFuJunkie: Craigslist and Ebay have bottles listed as high as $700.

That's insane... they can normally be had for under $100.

Tried a bottle of mead from a local brewery here in the GTA - $8 for a fancy stoneware bottle...meh. I'll stick to beer and rum during the holidays.

Better than Colt 45 or Pabst Blue Ribbon? Unpossible.

treecologist: It was sold out by the time I got to Total Wine in Durham.

/wasn't going to buy it anyway

We have a Total Wine in Durham?

I was unaware. Southpoint area I'm betting.

Pocket Ninja: intensive purposes

dbirchall: Gecko Gingrich: dbirchall: I thought Pocket Ninja was just hipster-trolling.

He was.

/brilliantly

Indeed!

Also grammar trolling
"intents and purposes"

/okay, I bit

BoxOfBees: That's insane... they can normally be had for under $100.

You can get a bottle for 40 bucks on belgianshop.com. That's where I bought my first bottle years ago.

Got a six pack given to me for Christmas Haven't tried one yet..

Popcorn Johnny: You can get a bottle for 40 bucks Apache 2 Test Page on belgianshop.com

pxlboy: I have tried to get into the Belgian styles, but I just haven't been able to develop a taste for them. I've tried plenty of beers, but those Belgians...

If anyone has any suggestions, I'd be willing to try it. So far, I've had:

Chimay Blue (not bad)
Three Philosophers (too sweet)
And a couple of wit beers, neither of which I liked at all.

Weyerbacher's Merry Monks should set you right.

elffster:
Just pass the Fin Du Monde and shut up, subby.

Heh. The first time I saw that one, I'd had a long day at work, and bartender suggested it as a "nice, light beer." It was - crispy and easy to drink.

So I knocked down three of them in about twenty minutes. Oops.

/why are my knees so wobbly all of a sudden?

Will my dick fit in the bottle?

Then no.

I seriously wonder how Satan Gold stacks up against XII. It stands in the top slot for the best beer I have ever drunk.

Hhmmm, half keg of Spaten Optimator or two six packs of monk beer ........

residentgeek: pxlboy: I have tried to get into the Belgian styles, but I just haven't been able to develop a taste for them. I've tried plenty of beers, but those Belgians...

If anyone has any suggestions, I'd be willing to try it. So far, I've had:

Chimay Blue (not bad)
Three Philosophers (too sweet)
And a couple of wit beers, neither of which I liked at all.

Weyerbacher's Merry Monks should set you right.

Much obliged. I will give it a go.

rocketpants: Will my dick fit in the bottle?

Then no.

Mickeys wide mouth for you then?

Beer is what hobos and morons drink. Fact: People can not tell the difference between beer and piss.

Easy Reader: Lately I've been starting to think that Belgian beer doesn't make it across the pond very well. In Belgium, pouring a glass of Chimay or Westmalle has an aroma not unlike someone bringing a bouquet of flowers into the room. By the time it's here in Alabama, it has sort of a flat chalky quality to it. If only to go back to the Gollem in Amsterdam to have a few glasses of Oerbier again.

I was going to say, "this may be the best beer in the world when tasted at the abbey... Bottled and shipped, not so much."

pippi longstocking: Beer is what hobos and morons drink. Fact: People can not tell the difference between beer and piss.

-100/10

pxlboy: I have tried to get into the Belgian styles, but I just haven't been able to develop a taste for them. I've tried plenty of beers, but those Belgians...

If anyone has any suggestions, I'd be willing to try it. So far, I've had:

Chimay Blue (not bad)
Three Philosophers (too sweet)
And a couple of wit beers, neither of which I liked at all.

Delirium Tremens
Duvel
Orval Trappist
Westmalle Tripel

I like some Belgian brews, dislike others. Wit beer is good, lambics are hit and miss with me.

The best beer I have had in years is only sold at the micro brewery that makes it in Colorado. It's fantastic, but part of it's allure is it's scarcity since I only get to CO once or twice a year. Maybe this stuff benefits from that effect too?

Real Women Drink Akvavit: You know how much akvavit I could buy for that kind of cash? Lady Hel's blessed bosom, no, I would never spend that much on beer. Besides, my sis always wins the beer fueled burping contests, so 'tis pointless.

O.P. Anderson Single Barrel? Half a liter. Not worth it.