Beer Library TV - Episode #327

October 4, 2007

Today Gary tastes some beer. In a much requested episode, today Gary puts down the wine glass and hoists the beer stein.

Having trouble viewing this video? Try the Quicktime version.

Comments on this episode(218) Leave a comment ›

“I used to work for Sierra Nevada and loved the smell of Pale Ale cooki…” by John
“I just found this episode and right at the beginning there is an issue…” by Brian
View all 218 ›

Beers tasted in this episode:

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale
Rogue Imperial Ipa
Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen

If you’d like additional help with the above beers or would just like to know a little bit more, please email Alec Yankus ( ayankus@winelibrary.com ).

Cheese mentioned in todays episode.

Rogue Creamery Crater Lake Blue

If you’d like additional help with the above item or would just like to know a little bit more, please email Justin Novello ( justin@winelibrary.com ).

218 Responses

Pages: [9] 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 » Show All

about a month ago

John
I used to work for Sierra Nevada and loved the smell of Pale Ale cooking.
about a month ago

Brian
I just found this episode and right at the beginning there is an issue with how he poured the beer…You ALWAYS pour down the center of the glass, that way you get the aromas and you allow it to oxygenate….Wow, this guy missed the boat there
about 2 months ago

Matti
why on earth can’t americans pronounce rauch (smoke in german) the way it is supposed to?
about 2 months ago

jpwardaia
Great Great episode!!! I love beer, I love wine!!!! Bring IT to us Gary!!!!
about 2 months ago

Oakmon's BF
“I can’t drink beer.” “I can’t eat cheese.” Gary, what kind of sissy crew do you have there?
about 4 months ago

Jared McDonley
This has to be one of my favorite shows! Got a good laugh and was nice change of pace from just wines.
about 4 months ago

Neil D
So so glad to finally see the beer episode out here Gary!! I’ve been dreaming about it since I discovered you about a year ago. (I’m upset I didn’t find it until now, five months after the fact.)

Keep them coming Gary, these are some good beers, but there are so many more out there that I know will blow your socks off.

Two words: Oude Geuze. (Ask Alec, he’ll know)
about 5 months ago

Fangorn81
The Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen smells (and tastes) Exactly like bacon! Well, more accurately, bacon bits or Morningstar Farms fake bacon…not quite the real deal. Very interesting. I am surprised I never tried it before now! This would rock with some sharp cheese on stoned wheat crackers. Word.
about 5 months ago

Paul McAdamis
Great episode! Wine has enjoyed a status far and above that of the lowly working man’s drink of choice (beer), but I really think that with the burgeoning craft beer scene and all of the excellent imports available at good liquor stores, beer can be elevated to wine-like peaks of aroma and flavor.

To really geek out, check out beeradvocate.com….it’s the best and most comprehensive site that I’ve found to read about, chat about, and review craft beer(much like cork’d, but for beer). Find me on beeradvocate.com under my username….pmcadamis. I’m a part time oenophile, but a full time beer geek so feel free to hit me up with questions or concerns regarding the expanding universe of BEER!

Whether you’re popping corks or bottle caps, always experience and enjoy the good stuff with all of your senses. Beer is not just for Bud and Miller swillers. It can be a form of art just like wine or cheese.
about 6 months ago

Characterlost
Nice selection there GV. you need to add this epsiode and a few others like 148 to the favorite episodes, or you have so many special episodes it would be cool if you had a link that has all of them, like the bordeaux trip, or when you have guests. but on the other hand its fun browsing through and discovering the Thunder on my own. Thanks for the episode
about 7 months ago

mislead matt
Catching up on old episodes (been here since 335), and this is probably in my top 3 most fav! Mmmmmm.. beer….
about 8 months ago

DJ
I recently saw this episode. While I was very happy to see beers highlighted, I was a bit irked when he started talking about swishing the beer in the back of the mouth to taste the bitterness. All parts of the mouth taste bitterness (or any other flavor) equally. The tongue map is a myth.
about 8 months ago

Chrisfs
Gary, if you have a beer guy doing the episode, share the camera, don’t stick him over on the side so far he might fall off! :),

Beer episode was a good intro to the wide variety of beers out there beyond the mass produced stuff.
Bringing on a Rauchbier was an act of bravery, because it is an acquired taste and I have seen people react awfully to what is a great beer because they were not prepared for it.

Next beer episode MUST BE
Belgian Beers!
Belgium is a land of hundreds of different beers from trappist beers made by monks, to lambics which ferment twice, to dubbels and triples and names like Gulden Drak and Delirium Tremens
Belgium is heaven on earth for beer fanatics, so you need to have a show on Belgian beers.
about 8 months ago

Kenny Hyder
Great idea! Some personal beer favorites of mine include: Chimay (the blue kind), Fat Tire, and Smithwicks… Also Guinness, but I don’t know how a “beer geek” would look at me if I said that… Hey Gary, How about a Scotch show? Wine and Scotch are my 2 drinks… I would love to see you try some on the show! (If you like scotch, but you must considering your palette for fabulous drinks!)

-Kenny
about 8 months ago

Rocky
I also enjoyed your beer episode: “Theme for next beer tasting - Names I.e. Arrogant bastard, Pisapale ale, etc, etc.
about 8 months ago

Mark
I am so glad you did this episode!
I love wine AND craft beers with Rogue at the top of my list!!
Great job!!
about 8 months ago

Lee
I have to say I was somewhat disappointed with this episode for a number of reasons.

I love beer, I love craft beer. All varieties. I brew, I taste. I was into it seriously before wine.

The wine episodes have themes, unifying factors. This beer episode just lumps a bunch of drastically different beers into one lump category. I don’t think that would really help people get into tasting beer the way the show helps people get into tasting wine. Maybe an episode on IPAs, or hop head beers, or stouts, porters, brown ales, etc., Secondly, only sierra nevada is very widely commonly available (and the rogue a little less so). The other two beers are not so common. Thirdly, rauch’s are not really entry level beers and I don’t think are really on par with the other beers for level of consumption.

That being said I’m very happy that there was a beer library episode and I hope it could become a more regular thing. While WL’s beer selection is moderately sized, most of the beers there are solid brews, and there are enough good beers of different styles to put together some solid themed beer episodes. Obviously you don’t need any help with that (though I would be happy to do so!). My friend Ian and I make a point of doing one tasting every couple weeks and are always looking for new delicious beers.
about 9 months ago

Dan-o
I am not much of a beer drinker any more.
However, my favorite beer of all time is Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome Ale.
I used to buy a case every Christmas before I learned about the thunder that wine brings!
about 9 months ago

Dan NYC
I loved this episode. I hope we get another one in a couple of months. Looked like lots of fun to tape. Hey, next time you need a cheese taster call me. I’m not allergic. Maybe next episode you can review Smuttynose IPA.
about 9 months ago

JayZee
Tremendous show!! You know, I have to say that I was going to skip over this episode. I just didn’t think a Beer Library TV show would be that great. But Alec knocked it out of the park!! Big time kudos to Alec and thanks to GV for an interesting, different, and very entertaining show. I am sitting in a hotel room in Geneva, Switzerland at the beginning a five week business trip and this made my day.

QOTD: ?
about 9 months ago

Matt the Lurker
Funny ending. I LOL’ed.
about 9 months ago

Shad
Like I said I’m behind and catching up…now this is awesome!!!! Bringing beer to a wine show. We all spent our hard earned dollars on lesser quality beer and eventually acquired a taste for beers other than the big names (or at least I did) and now a lot of us are doing it with wine. Good times and please throw a beer show in every 327 episodes or so.
about 9 months ago

Anthony
I wish they sold those kinds of beers in Australia! Our restaurants don’t tend to move to foreign beers and always stick with the standard popular beers, but I would kill to taste those beers!
about 9 months ago

ImFeelingFitTony
So good to see you not limiting yourself to just wine. The SNPA is a classic choice and considered to be one of the great gateway beers. The Weyerbacher pumpkin is truly one of the top 3 or 4 best pumpkin ales out there. You could do another entire beer episode on Weyerbacher; they do 4 beers that they age in Oak barrels and they are all absolutely as good as any bottle of wine. And if you ever are looking for a beer that’s kind of like port, try to find a bottle of Three Philosophers by Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown; it brings some major thunder.
about 9 months ago

Brendan L (SmokeyUST)
That was freakin sweet, how about the Gluek’s HoneyBeer?! That is definitely a craft beer, and at $9.99 for a $30 case everyone can afford it.