Beer!

[Guest]

1. What's the most beer you ever carried in your canoe? It doesn't matter how many people were on the trip, how long it was, or whether you just happened to be the designated beer vessel. You don't have to explain it, or you can, but what's your record?
   
   
   2. What's your one favorite beer of all time? You know, the scenario where you can take only one brand with you to the moon, solitary confinement or orgy island. The secret purpose of this question is to tease out something about your personal history.

Number 1.
Solo trip, group trip or beer barge does not change my answer. Three and a half cases on a mostly solo 3 week desert river trip. All for me, all in my canoe. Just enough, I came out with one, as I always try to do as proof of proper planning.

Number 2.
Currently and for several years my favorite has been Victory Brewing HopDevil IPA.

https://www.victorybeer.com/beers/hopdevil/

Now you can say whatever you want about beer after you answer the following two mandatory topic questions.

Watch the flood doors open. Number 2 comes with a lot of caveats.

I do not bring bottles when tripping, and canned beer preferences get tougher. I want something that does not taste like cat piss if I may be drinking it luke cold. So no Lagers or Pilsners per my beer taste buds. I can linger over a tallboy draught can of camp temperature Guinness quite happily. Or even a canned Porter or Black and Tan.

Gawd bless Yuengling Porter and Yuengling Black and Tan in cans.

https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/182/921/

https://beerconnoisseur.com/beer/dg-yuengling-son/yuengling-black-tan

Note that those are 4.7 percent alcohol. A man can only suckle so many 6.7 IPAs in a row. I have tried. Repeatedly.

Moderation in everything. Except crapty cheap beer. Life is too short to drink crap beer. It must be, or I would not have bought canned Sierra Nevada Pale Ale in Moab at a buck eighty six per can.

http://s1285.photobucket.com/user/C...ip/P5092009_zps9e73f9ed.jpg.html?sort=2&o=237

 

[Mihun09]

Brad, if Mem is on the wagon, it would be horrible rude for us to drink in front of him, wouldn't you agree?

 

[yknpdlr]

Guinness. The real one. Nothing beats a draught direct from the brewery of any local pub in Dublin and thereabouts, like I had the honor of sampling a year ago. The export version is just not made the same, still good though. I make a good beef stew with it. Otherwise i will go with a good dark amber or stout from any local brewery near where I live. For a bigger local brewery, Saranac has some good stuff, and some not so good. But for a hefty shot with buzz, they do contract to brew a strong Brooklyn Chocolate Stout.

Since I am usually either racing or race training, or with boy scouts, I rarely carry any on board when I paddle. Save that for post-race refreshment.

 

[Conk]

I can recall two separate occasions when I have had a twelve-pack in my canoe. The first time was with a partner who thought we should take a case. He did not believe it was coincidental that the number of cans in a case equaled the hours of a day. It was a compromise that got him halfway through our first day together. On the second occasion, I was paddling solo but meeting up with others and wanted to contribute. I have since learned to worry only about my personal needs, which will rarely exceed one can (never a bottle) per day. On a trip where beer is too heavy to carry, I will have a 2-ounce ration of rum each evening.

It would be difficult to pick a favorite beer of all time. I enjoy different beers on different occasions, none more than a Caged Alpha Monkey after mowing my lawn. However, if I were to get an invite to Orgy Island, I will likely take a few packs of Uinta Hop Nosh with me.

I too have fond memories of Carling Black Label, not from drinking the swill but from fetching one for my dad when he came home from work.

 

[DanOver]

Only beer I've ever had near a boat was on day trips with a lunch. And that was apres trip.

I do carry a flask with a good whisky on trips to Irish up a late night coffee or as a sundowner. I am taken with a small batch that Dry Fly finishes in port wine barrels. I am usually a "one and done" guy, so I want ONE really good drink around the campfire or with my meal. Quality over quantity for me. This also leaves room for more BACON!!

 

[lowangle al]

Only beer I've ever had near a boat was on day trips with a lunch. And that was apres trip.

I do carry a flask with a good whisky on trips to Irish up a late night coffee or as a sundowner. I am taken with a small batch that Dry Fly finishes in port wine barrels. I am usually a "one and done" guy, so I want ONE really good drink around the campfire or with my meal. Quality over quantity for me. This also leaves room for more BACON!!

The most beer I've ever had on a trip was when I was probably the only guy to ever bring a case of Genny on a river in the Alaska range.

I used to have my Irish coffee in the morning for medicinal purposes.

I am also a one and done guy. In fact I make a margarita called the one and done, it has 9 ounces of booze. I make one with 12 ounes that I kall the "one and done in"

 

[Odyssey]

Whoops, I change my mind. I warned you that can happen. My new favourite beer is a Licorice Stout made right here in town by Bell City Brewery. Beautifully balanced sweet and tart, not too much of either, with a fine creamy head (but a little short lived), strong body but not overpowering; the licorice is gently scented and just up front, lingering softly at the finish. I bought a growler of their Raven's Heart Stout too for comparison purposes only of course. Raven's Heart has often been another favourite of mine. These things must be done scientifically and without bias. Except I might need a control. Bud Lite? Better go fetch my lab coat and slippers.
A new favourite pair of stouts, just in time for New Year.

 

[Mihun09]

Isn't Bud Lite (Blite) just watered down Molson Canadian?

 

[sweeper]

And she body slams Molson!

Dilly Dilly!

 

[DanOver]

Hey Guys...If your EVER see me drinking a Molson or Bud Light, I've been kidnapped and I'm signalling for help!

 

[yellowcanoe]

I don't pack beer for a canoe trip. Nor am I good at session beers.
Prairie Bomb is my all time favorite. But its got a killer ABV. One may land me a DUI

 

[Guest]

A recent beer lesson.

If you place a bottle Yuengling Black and Tan outside in the 10F weather while you work in the shop it will freeze solid in short order. So icy solid that it pushes off the cap. That was not the lesson.

The lesson was that frozen and thawed Black and Tan is not that tasty. In the name of science I retrieved an unfrozen Black and Tan, and drank them while alternating sips. Bleeech, and Yummy.

That does raise another question. I know some folks freeze cans of beer for tripping storage. Does this work better with beer so crapty that the flavor killing freeze actually improves it?

 

[Canotrouge]

This is what I like these days, Barleywine.... I drank one of these last night with the moose ribs I made. This stuff is great!! I really stouts and porters, but I love barley wine beers, nice and smooth sometime even creamy!!

 

[sweeper]

That does raise another question. I know some folks freeze cans of beer for tripping storage. Does this work better with beer so crapty that the flavor killing freeze actually improves it?

When I bring beer, I use a net bag, long line and a small (dark colored) dry bag as a float. Let the lake bottom be your refrigerator, good beer only needs to be 45˚F.

 

[sweeper]

This is what I like these days, Barleywine.... I drank one of these last night with the moose ribs I made. This stuff is great!! I really stouts and porters, but I love barley wine beers, nice and smooth sometime even creamy!!

Those look like night-cap beers, one and done.

The Moose looks good also.

 

[Canotrouge]

When I bring beer, I use a net bag, long line and a small (dark colored) dry bag as a float. Let the lake bottom be your refrigerator, good beer only needs to be 45˚F.

That said most of the beer I drink are best at 12-15C so I guess around 50ishF...
So pretty much room temp up here lol

 

[Canotrouge]

Those look like night-cap beers, one and done.

The Moose looks good also.

Yes, just one and I'm happy... The moose was super delicious,

 

[jcavenagh]

I have never brought beer on a canoe trip. But, back in the 70's we paddled around on Lake Galena in IL and had several coolers full. So maybe 60 beers in a canoe is my record.

As for my favorite beer...that is difficult. I have been lucky enough to drink beer in England, Ireland, Belgium, France and Germany. I have also had beer in Jamaica, Canada, Mexico and the US. A particular beer can be perfect for one situation and not so good in another. Chimay ale with Grenadine in Belgium was very tasty. But so was the bitter I drank in southern England. And, of course, the large steins of lager we drank at the beer halls of Munich with pretzels and sausages were wonderful. But for drinking regularly my favorite is Sam Adams lager. It is just good beer without any bells and whistles...just barley, malt, hops, water.

 

[Trevor Paetkau]

Well ... how timely.
My son and I were just arguing about whether beer could be hydrating. The research suggests that at greater than 4% an alcoholic drink is a diuretic. dang shame that, cuz anything under 4% ain't beer. Which means its water. Which means, I'd be a dang fool to carry it.
As for a favourite, given the abundance of choice what with the craft beer revolution and all, that would depend on the moment and the mood and the company and whats in the cooler. But west coast hops or a dry sour tend to be the bomb.
And as for the most carried. None. I carry whiskey. More bang for the buck.

 

[sweeper]

Note to Trevor: The "craft beer revolution" was in the 80's. This is now a battle for market share and getting real beer back into the USA, AND Canada.