what is the best beer you have ever tasted?

[Brewed_Force]

A couple of years ago, after a long tiring walk around Honister Slate mine I settled into a comfy leather armchair in front of a roaring fire with bottle of Jennings Snecklifter.
It was the perfect pint at the right time, dark, complex and warming. After 2 bottles I was starting to nod off!

 

[Bigalthegreat]

The "best" beer I have ever had is called "Limon Clara"

To understand that first we have to define "Best" and for me that's when I am in the Canary Islands sweltering in 30c heat and desperate for a really cold pint, that's when the "best" beer happens

"Limon Clara" is a shandy, 50% San Miguel and 50% Fanta Lemon, those 2 make the best one but you change either or both for different brands.

Why a shandy? well knock back a couple of pints of 4% ABV beer in 30c heat and get back to me.

In Canada, around 2003 I had an imported bottle of a Scottish beer that was infused with Heather.

Having been in Canada for over a year at that point, it tasted of 'home' and was easily the best beer I've ever tasted. I only ever found it in the liquor store twice, and can't for the life of me remember what it was called despite searching for it ever since.

That, or a pint of draught Newcastle Brown in a pub in Edmonton called The Sherlock Holmes.

In Canada, around 2003 I had an imported bottle of a Scottish beer that was infused with Heather.

Having been in Canada for over a year at that point, it tasted of 'home' and was easily the best beer I've ever tasted. I only ever found it in the liquor store twice, and can't for the life of me remember what it was called despite searching for it ever since.

That, or a pint of draught Newcastle Brown in a pub in Edmonton called The Sherlock Holmes.

Ossian, best on draught, but not bad as bottle

 

[MonkeyMick]

Williams Bros were one of the 'gateway' brewers for me. The used to do a beer, it think it was called Harvest, which drank like nectar. Caesar Augustus is great, as is Joker IPA and Profanity Stout. March of the Penguins is lovely too. Alba is delicious too albeit perhaps an acquired taste for some. They're criminally underrated in my opinion.

@MonkeyMick - I agree with @Sadfield that the beer you had back in 2003 would most likely have been an early version of Froach or another heather beer by Williams Bros. You should drop them and email and ask.

I'll drop them a line in the morning!

 

[jamow]

In the early nineties I enjoyed Caledonian Brewery’s Golden Promise. It got me into ale. In New Zealand, Emerson’s Bookbinder was a standout. More recently, on occasion I’ve had Greenjack Trawler Boys in good condition on cask, which was possibly my favourite.

 

[foxy]

A few years ago the McCashin brewery had a Kiwi IPA, hopped only with Wai-iti hops, low carbonation, I think that was the best beer I ever had.

 

[abacab666]

Once had a pint of Morland Old Speckled Hen which was like chocolate. Got to the last inch and the landlord came over all apologetic with a replacement pint cos it was the end of the barrel and shouldn't have been sold. The second pint wasn't nearly as good

 

[An Ankoù]

On the other hand - Oakham Citra
Was what got me back into brewing beer, dusting off my old equipment and experimenting with hops & IPAs, I don't yet intend to brew a clone.
I've never tasted Oakham Citra, but my favourite beer of all time is Oakham Bishops Farewell. I must try and find a recipe for it. Does anyone know of a reliable recipe?

 

[Arrakus]

Oakham Citra - I was a real ale drinker for years (20+) but it was this beer that moved me into ‘craft’. It changed my tastebuds.
At the moment there’s two beers that are top of my list, Deya’s Steady Rollin Man and Bell’s Two Hearted Ale

 

[Paul7189]

Sorry to revive an old thread but I had one of those mixed packs of random beers (beer52 type thing) and there was a bottle of Edel ABK and I think that I was either extra thirsty or it was the nicest lager I have ever had! Im not a huge lager drinker but I enjoyed it very much!

 

[clib]

If the Tardis ever landed next to me and the door opened I would hold a gun to Dr Who's head and tell him to take me to my home town in the late 70s, and I'd go into my local and drink Boddingtons all night.

That was how I started drinking beer and I'd happily end that way. I don't know what they did to it but you could just keep drinking it and loving it. And then they messed it up.

I've had many memorable beers since of course, mostly English and Belgian. Alvinne Brewery sours, De La Senne Bruxellensis and Taras Boulba (from a fresh keg). I did the American stuff for a while but I tired of it. I still use American hops sometimes but often with Belgian yeast. I find yeast character, and more balanced beers, more to my taste. Clean yeast and lagers are not really my thing.

On the English front, it's all about the magic cask, I think. If you drink cask regularly you know that once in a while a cask of beer just gets blessed by god or something and you realise you are in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. That's the ultimate for me, I think. It's a bit like kissing frogs, I guess! Boddingtons seemed to have a period when god was on the payroll.

I've had some memorable home brews too, some of my own, some sent to me, some made by friends. One of mine was a beer I messed up, I did a quick mental hop calculation on the hoof and massively over hopped an American red ale on a day when my head wasn't straight! It was pretty undrinkable for a long while and I was annoyed but it gradually mellowed and by a year old it was awesome. It taught me to make some beers that way. Loads of flameout hops and age it. And a mate once bought some bergamot lemons and made a bergamot saison with the now defunct White Labs Saison III, and that was very special.

 

[samale]

https://www.beermerchants.com/de-glazen-toren-saison-d-erpemere-75cl
Has anyone tried any of the De-glazen Beers

 

[samale]

https://www.trappistwestvleteren.be/en/our-beers/trappist-westvleteren-12
I have a bottle of this to try soon. I might do a side by side comparison with Rochefort 10

 

[clib]

https://www.trappistwestvleteren.be/en/our-beers/trappist-westvleteren-12
I have a bottle of this to try soon. I might do a side by side comparison with Rochefort 10

I've had both of those, Both extremely nice beers, but not in my top echelon, simply cos I like other styles better. You'll enjoy them. Then fall over.

 

[samale]

Rochefort 10 is a top beer. I really like a nice saison as well

 

[Class68driver]

I had a pint of a beer by Magic Rock in the Port Street Beer House in Manchester about 5 years ago think it was called Glass Mirrors or something like that. It was a hoppy IPA if I remember rightly but it was absolutely beautiful, never seen it since. Best draught beer I've ever had.

 

[Sadfield]

https://www.beermerchants.com/de-glazen-toren-saison-d-erpemere-75cl
Has anyone tried any of the De-glazen Beers

Yes, all of them. All good, although my tastes lean towards Ondeneke and D'Erpe-mere is is possibly my favourite Saison. I love the paper wrappers on the 750s, they remind me of getting a big bottle of lucozade in the '80s.

 

[fury_tea]

I often feel the beer I have on tap at that moment is the best I've made. Not sure if that's because it is the best I've made, or if it's because it's in front of me.

I used to really love Sierra Navada Pale Ale on tap. It was the first beer I paid over a fiver for a pint (rare I pay under that these days) and that was a fair few years ago now, but I have to say it was worth it. Sitting in a beer garden with my mates and putting the world to rights.

 

[samale]

Yes, all of them. All good, although my tastes lean towards Ondeneke and D'Erpe-mere is is possibly my favourite Saison. I love the paper wrappers on the 750s, they remind me of getting a big bottle of lucozade in the '80s.

I have the Saison , tripel and the witbier all on order. I heard good things about them

 

[samale]

Yes, all of them. All good, although my tastes lean towards Ondeneke and D'Erpe-mere is is possibly my favourite Saison. I love the paper wrappers on the 750s, they remind me of getting a big bottle of lucozade in the '80s.

Can you recommend any other Belgian beers to check out.
Just drinking this at the min

 

[samale]

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