When does beer stop being beer? Bonus: CHBoGOA

"Honeybunchesofgoats" (honeybunche0fgoats) 07/28/2017 at 18:46 • Filed to: None

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Apparently this holds a record as one of the strongest beers ever made. So much so that for legal reasons, it’s apparently sometimes classified as a malt liquor.

I don’t know how I feel about it. I respect it as I respect anything that has a high alcohol content (which is to say I drink it with great abandon ), but it’s sort of too sweet. I like drinks that actively instill a fear of God in you, like Islay scotches and gin and probably straight ethanol, I bet that’s pretty boss.

This doesn’t do it for me. I feel like I have to appreciate it like sherry, and I don’t want that in a beer.

Second topic: where should I go?

For years, I have taken two vacations, roughly in November/December and in March/April/May. I have no had the chance to go on vacation since December. It looks like I won’t get to go anywhere until December/January, and I have 45,000 Amex points to burn.

Options:

1) Hong Kong

I haven’t been to Hong Kong in a few years, but it’s probably my favorite place I’ve ever been to. Short of New York, it’s the only place I’ve ever felt completely at home. Most likely, I would spend a week or two in a single bar.

2) Italy.

I’ve never been to Italy. It’s probably okay? I tend to consider Italians as less awful Spaniards, but I’d like to test that out in person.

3) Ireland.

I was supposed to spend a week in Ireland I had hotels booked and everything, but changed my plans and went and spent a week in Scotland with a friend instead. I like Ireland and feel a it bad about that, since I’ve never been to the south and was going to stay mostly there and Galway. I like Ireland, because they’re very drunk friendly. I like a place where you can get really fucked up, because someone is going to carry you back to your hotel afterwards.

4) Iceland:

I bet Iceland in January is shit. That makes me really want to go, despite how expensive it is. Every Icelander I’ve met has been certifiably fucking crazy, and I want to experience that.

5) Wildcard, bitches. Choose something for me.

Honeybunchesofgoats > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/28/2017 at 18:47

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BTW: I finished that while typing and moved on to Chimay

Honeybunchesofgoats > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/28/2017 at 18:52

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When you’ve had four beers and then you open a 750ml beer with a cork that you now have to finish.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/28/2017 at 18:58

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Road trip across Canada. Victoria to St John’s.

Honeybunchesofgoats > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee 07/28/2017 at 19:00

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I’m okay with this. I keep meaning to go to Montreal. When my license was suspended (for speeding. Heavily), I debated spending a month in Canada, just because.

This is a good suggestion, but I have to veto the road trip part. I don’t travel anywhere if I have to be sober.

interstate366, now In The Industry > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/28/2017 at 19:03

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Strongest beer I’ve ever had was 20%. It was pretty potent.

Go to Italy.

Honeybunchesofgoats > interstate366, now In The Industry 07/28/2017 at 19:05

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What was it?

interstate366, now In The Industry > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/28/2017 at 19:09

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There were actually two of them, both by Dogfish Head. One was called Fort (short for 40 proof), and the other was World Wide Stout.

Honeybunchesofgoats > interstate366, now In The Industry 07/28/2017 at 19:10

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Oh! I’m pretty sure I’ve had the stout. I’ve been saving an 120 minute IPA from them for years, because it ages. It’s the longest I’ve ever kept any alcohol.

interstate366, now In The Industry > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/28/2017 at 19:13

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I haven’t bought the 120 yet. Seen it a few times at my local beer shop but never picked it up. The stout was good, the Fort just tasted like cheap raspberry vodka.

Honeybunchesofgoats > interstate366, now In The Industry 07/28/2017 at 19:13

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Apparently it’s quite rare, so you should probably get it if you can

interstate366, now In The Industry > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/28/2017 at 19:19

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Yeah, all of them are. Speaking of, a friend and I made a beer yesterday. It’s supposed to be a stout but the potency of the hops we put in it might turn it into a black IPA. He’s homebrewed for years but yesterday was my first time.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/28/2017 at 19:21

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Drive during the hangover stage. Arrive at destination, commence drinking.

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/28/2017 at 19:21

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That’s not even close

https://www.brewdog.com/usa/lowdown/blog/the-end-of-history

Honeybunchesofgoats > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee 07/28/2017 at 19:22

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My hangovers are not driveable. I assure you that just not getting killed in crosswalks is a challenge.

Honeybunchesofgoats > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire 07/28/2017 at 19:23

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41%? I’m so down. Thank you for giving my life purpose.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/28/2017 at 19:23

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What’s the point of travelling then?

Honeybunchesofgoats > interstate366, now In The Industry 07/28/2017 at 19:23

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I really want to try it. I have a friend who is really into it and his beer is surprisingly good.

Honeybunchesofgoats > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee 07/28/2017 at 19:25

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I live in New Jersey, where getting super fucked up is not an option. When I travel, I’m free to get really fucked up. I need vacations, so I can spend a week of getting stupid drunk.

jimz > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/28/2017 at 19:33

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wouldn’t it be a barleywine at that point?

jimz > interstate366, now In The Industry 07/28/2017 at 19:34

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at 20% it’s probably fortified, like Port. I don’t think too many yeast can keep fermenting up to 20% ABV.

interstate366, now In The Industry > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/28/2017 at 19:36

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Yeah, he’s good at it. He had three on tap. The first was a New England style DIPA that was really good, better than some local breweries. The second was a pale ale that was decent. The third was a sassafras red ale that he didn’t like, but I did. We had to get one of the kegs empty to make room for the new one, so we drank the red. He thought the keg was almost done, but after we both drank several glasses and filled *three* growlers, there was still some left. Therefore we called the beer “the cockroach” because it just wouldn’t die.

Honeybunchesofgoats > interstate366, now In The Industry 07/28/2017 at 19:37

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That’s the sort of friendship you keep forever.

CaptDale - is secretly British > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/28/2017 at 19:38

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Greenland

Honeybunchesofgoats > CaptDale - is secretly British 07/28/2017 at 19:38

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I’m okay with this.

interstate366, now In The Industry > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/28/2017 at 19:41

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Yeah, we started off as coworkers but he changed locations. Eventually I did too, but we still see each other a lot.

hedbutter > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/28/2017 at 19:45

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Do it! I’ve been homebrewing for 5 years now and love it. I recently upgraded to a 3 vessel system.

Honeybunchesofgoats > hedbutter 07/28/2017 at 19:49

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I need that in my life

hedbutter > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/28/2017 at 20:13

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Haha, i recommend starting with brew in a bag/extract for a full 5 gallon boil. It lets you get the post brewing fermenting temps, bottling (or kegging like i do because 1 keg is easier to clean than 54 bottles) and sanitation good before you try you’re own stuff. Plus you’re only buying 1 brew kettle so its cheaper

Honeybunchesofgoats > hedbutter 07/28/2017 at 20:15

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I really want to do this, so expect me to hit you up for tips soon.

hedbutter > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/28/2017 at 20:39

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Thats fine with me. Craigslist and stainless are your friend, always go bigger (you can boil 5 gallons in a 10 gallon pot, but you cant boil 5 in a 3 gallon)

David Baker > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/28/2017 at 21:03

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I had an 18% ice beer at a brew pub.

Honeybunchesofgoats > David Baker 07/28/2017 at 21:13

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I love ice beer.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/28/2017 at 21:39

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I will never pretend to understand this mentality.

Stef Schrader > Honeybunchesofgoats 07/31/2017 at 00:48

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Heh, one of my friends was just talking about the Sam Adams Utopias the other day. 28% ABV! Yikes. And there’s maple syrup in it, apparently. That’s nuts.