The following is a guest post from Billy Broas, a beer blogger at BillyBrew.com, where he's telling the world about craft beer and sharing his obsession for homebrewing. Are some beers overrated? Nate wrote a great post about the topic where he says "Yes." I agree. He explains that certain beers are highly rated because a large group of people already deemed them superior, and it is difficult to go against the grain. I made a cameo appearance in the post because of a twitter comment to Nate about HopSlam being rated higher because it is scarce. I'd like to follow up that comment up with a more in-depth discussion about about beer and scarcity. We can gain insight from the guy who understands purchasing behavior better than anyone else, Dr. Robert Cialdini. Influence When I read Robert Cialdini's book Influence, a few things just clicked. It is a psychology book about persuasion and the triggers that compel us to make a purchase. Personally, it was one of those "aha!" books that pulled back the veil on things I saw in everyday life, but never knew the mechanisms behind them. Cialdini identifies 6 major triggers that compel us to say "yes": Reciprocation Commitment and Consistency Social Proof Liking Authority Scarcity We could talk ...

Guest Post: Don from Beer and Whiskey Bros. Please visit and subscribe to their site!!!!  Thanks again from our beer brothers!!!! I chose to drink a Black Cauldron Imperial Stout from Grand Teton Brewing in Victor, Idaho. It is a small brewery that makes some pretty solid brews.  They just released their Lost Continent Double IPA and have a lineup of really good brews, so I thought I would give this a try. The Pour Unfortunately I didn’t have my camera with me so I have no picture of the pour, but suffice it to say it was black like an imperial stout, and had about a one finger milk chocolate brown head.  It was really a great color, and I hoped that the brew would be full of chocolatey and coffee goodness. The Nose This brew was very understated with the hoppiness of the imperial part dominating the nose.  It smelled grassy and perhaps a bit piney.  I also could smell a hefty backbone of malt and a touch of cocoa along with a grainy nuttiness that probably smelled a bit like coffee. The Taste There was a lot going on in this brew.  It had a kind of bitter chocolate flavor with some coffee ...

Guest Post: Don from Beer and Whiskey Bros. Please visit and subscribe to their site!!!! Let me first start off by saying that I did not buy this beer. It was a birthday gift as a part of a bunch of singles I was given by my sister-in-law. There, at least I think my man card is safe with that explanation. I wasn’t real excited about this brew, and I actually gave a lot of brews away that I received, because so many of them were very light lagers as part of some sort of international 10 pack that was put together by Cost Plus World Market. But this one looked at least a little interesting so I figured I would give it a try. Since I had been hanging on to it for about 6 months, it seemed that this particular “Sip with Us Saturday” would be the ideal time to crack it open and give it a try. So to review like you do at THFB… The Pour It poured a golden orange with a pretty serious head on it, about two fingers when the photo was snapped, and it was almost a pure white color ...

Intro: You are probably familiar with the beer scientist, my bro Mike, but this is my official debut on Thank Heaven for Beer as Rich, the Beer Connoisseur. As most of you know, Mike left cold, cloudy Indiana for warm, sunny California. I am still in the frigid Midwest, but with my location, I have access to local breweries and their seasonal releases. One of these local goodies is Upland Brewery, out of Bloomington, IN. I am only a short trip away, so when Mike told me to check out their seasonal release of Teddy Bear Kisses Imperial Stout, I made it a point to grab a growler (they only sell glasses at the brewery, NOT this time). Teddy Bear Kisses? Sounds like a chocolaty gift you would give a significant other around Valentines Day, doesn’t it? Well, it’s not Valentine’s Day, nor a chocolaty gift I handed out. It is a sweet Imperial Stout that I had a chance to check out and share with you. Pour: When I first poured the Teddy Bear Kisses into my glasses, I instantly noticed a dark, murky color. This beer is far from transparent. I was a bit surprised the beer wasn’t that thick in ...

Guest Beer Review by Andrea, wife of the Beer Scientist Let me begin by saying that I'm nuts about nuts (clarification: I want to unequivocally declare that I am referring to food here).  Whether that's raw, whole almonds; peanut butter; Nutella; or brown rice green tea with its nutty undertones--if it's got that nutty quality, you can bet I'll love it. So it should come as no surprise that I positively enjoy Newcastle’s “One and Only” Ale, often referred to as a Nut Brown Ale (or “Dog” by imbibers closer to home). And here is why: The Pour: Characteristic of a brown ale, Newcastle’s color definitely falls between the pale ale and porter range with its copper-red body. The active, tiny bubbles from the carbonation quickly dissipated the creamy, white head but also seemed to maintain a thin, white rim along the edge of the glass—foam that reformed every time the brew swished around. This also contributed to creating some lovely, white lacing. The Nose: The Brown Ale was minimal on the nose, which may have been compounded by the fact that the beer was fairly cold after a few days in the fridge. About all I picked up were alcohol dryness, slight metallic ...

Written by: Scott from Manlandsite It’s that time of year, my friends. Summer is coming to a close and Fall is upon us. The days are getting shorter, the propane in the BBQ grille is getting lower, and the beer offerings by brewers are getting darker. Oktoberfest is just around the corner … In that spirit, many breweries release seasonal beers that are available only for a limited time frame. Pyramid’s Juggernaut – an American Red Ale – is a “Fall seasonal” beer that is only offered during the months of August and September. Juggernaut melds caramel malts and two varieties of northwest hops. What is a “juggernaut?” It’s a “massive, inexorable force that crushes everything in its way.” At 5.6% ABV, this Juggernaut is a bit tame as far as its name is concerned. Let’s just see what’s lurking inside the 12-ounce bottle. (The beer is also available in a 22-ounce bomber.) The Pour: Ah … this is a very pretty beer. Juggernaut pours with a deep, rich, red body. A two-finger thick, eggshell-white head gets its foam fuel from a constant stream of medium-sized bubbles. (Take your time with the pour as the carbonation in this beer could produce a foam fest.) There’s ...

In review of North Coast Brewery's Old Stock Ale, we are putting up two reviews:  First, Mike from MikeLovesBeer.com will share his thoughts, then you'll hear from Thank Heaven for Beer.  Why?  Coincidentally we both drink this beer about the same time, and second, hopefully you will note that beer geeks are not lemmings when it comes to beer appreciation; that is, camaraderie does not necessitate mutual agreement! MIKE LOVES BEER *Name* – Old Stock Ale *Country* – United States *Type* – Old Ale *Appearance* – Poured a clear, deep ruby red color with a small head that was gone very quickly. *Smell* – A very complex nose here while you get big whiffs of alcohol you also pick up sweet malt smells of raisins, caramel and a slight bit of granny smith apple I was getting. *Taste* – It's a very thick and syrupy feel that starts off with those sweet malt flavors up front then you are hit with a big alcohol bite at the end and it lingers for a few seconds afterward. I said to myself that I had to go back and try some things I had awhile ago and see if my taste has matured any. I really didn't like this when ...

This guest series has actually been written by Howard, a reader and frequent commenter/educator here on Thank Heaven for Beer. Since his experience far outweighs ours, we thought it only fitting to open up the floor. Thanks Howard! Packaging For my shipping, I buy the Duck brand bubble wrap at Wal-Mart for $10-$11. It’s 100 square feet, perforated every 12”, and I wrap each bottle with one sheet and tape it in the middle. When I have a 22 oz or 750 ml bottle, I use two sheets, one for the bottom half and one for the top. I typically fold the loose ends at the top and bottom and secure them with tape. I buy boxes at Office Depot in the $2-$4 range. I’ve seen people line the ends and sides of the box with foam rubber, bubble wrap, and/or crumpled up newspaper, either will work fine. I also wedge crumpled up newspaper in between bottles so nothing moves when the box is shook. I also use the 4- and 6-pack holders to separate the beers so they’re not knocking into each other. I’ve seen people use all kinds of stuff to ship ...

This guest series has actually been written by Howard, a reader and frequent commenter/educator here on Thank Heaven for Beer.  Since his experience far outweighs ours, we thought it only fitting to open up the floor.  Thanks Howard! BIF stands for Beer It Forward, which is just like the movie “Pay it Forward”, but with beer instead of good deeds. Sometimes they’ll allow new traders, but they usually require you have at least a little bit of trading history. The way these trades work is: 1. A user posts that they’re starting a new BIF. They will either lay out the rules, or they’ll look for other people’s input on what the rules should be. There is usually a minimum or maximum amount of beer per package, plus a theme like local beer only, >10% ABV beer only, beeradvocate.com Top 100 only, etc. Sometimes there are extras, like X number of beers and X number of cigars, or a T-shirt, or glassware, you get the idea. 2. Users sign up for the BIF by replying to the thread and asking if you can join in, or by sending a private message to the original poster. 3. A master list ...

First, a hearty thanks for the proprietors of “Thank Heaven for Beer” for hosting this review.  In fact, I was surprised by the request.  In deciding what beer to review, I found myself at the store pondering what sort of hoppy ale (minus the apricots!) should find its way into my glass.  I knew a beer for the northwest would be a good choice, however I thought it would be best, at least for this venue, that it be from a brewery that has a sizeable distribution.  (Sorry Scuttlebutt’s.  While I love your beers, you guys are still just too local.)  I settled upon the Rogue I2PA.  It was an expensive beer ($15 for 750ml), but I just couldn’t resist the bottle. First, the technical data: 20º PLATO 74 IBU 75 AA 13º Lovibond 9.5% ABV The elegance of simplicity drew me to this beer.  The simplicity of the ceramic bottle design first drew me in.  Upon further examination, the simplicity of the ingredients had me sold.  This beer is brewed using 100% 2-row Pipkin pale malt, which gives it the light golden-orange color.  It is truly triple-hopped with Saaz, Cascade, and NW Goldings. Popping the cap, the sound of the CO2 coming out was musical.  It was ...