|
|
|
|
shoo
Dec 14, 2009, 1:31 AM
Post #1 of 89
(6409 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 22, 2006
Posts: 1501
|
Climbing and beer (preferably consumed in that order) just go together. As a homebrewer, I try to brew not only to fit the flavor profile I'm after, but also beer that connects to something, somehow. I put the following together a sort of community experiment to see what people think.
Below are a couple of beers that are somehow tied to climbing to me. Some are tied to regions, some general culture, some that have little tangible connection. These are by no means my favorite or even good brews. One of them is probably one of the worst beers I have ever had the misfortune of consuming, and only one of them would ever make my personal top 10 favorites. Nevertheless, they represent climbing somehow.
Celebrator - Ayinger
A friend and early climbing partner of mine used to think that a lot of mountaineers used to keep a few of these for exactly what the name implies. Whether this was BS or not, I liked the idea and have followed suit. Celebrator is reserved specifically for victory of some sort, preferably alpine related in some way. Plus, I've always wanted to rack those little goat trinkets.
Long Trail Ale - Long Trail
This is pretty much a regional thing. Long Trail Ale is distributed pretty much everywhere in the northeast. They're located in Vermont, a short distance from the Long Trail (geddit?). It may just be marketing, but these guys have made a real connection with the outdoors community out here the the northeast.
Common Man Ale - Common Man
This one's a personal favorite. The Common Man off Exit 24 on I-93 near Rumney, NH is one of my favorite brewpubs anywhere. If you climb or ski out there, you need to go. And if you go, DO NOT sit in the dining area. Go upstairs and grab some couches. I made it a tradition to stop by here as often as I could after skiing, snowboarding, hiking, climbing, whatever. The Common Man Ale just does the trick. It's a nicely hopped American pale ale, and it's the best thing ever every time I have it. The only problem is that I can never tell if this beer is actually good, since I can only get it when I'm exhausted, smelly, in pain, and really, really want a beer.
Oktoberfest - Sam Adams
This really shouldn't be on this list, but it is. The fall is the best climbing season out here. Fall in Boston means that Oktoberfest is pretty much everywhere all the time. Okterberfest means fall, and fall means climbing. That means that when you send people out to grab a couple of 6 packs, someone will inevitably bring this back with them. It just happens.
Fat Tire - New Belgium
I think if there were one community climbing beer, this would be it. It's Colorado in a bottle mwhat I understand. It's pretty hard to find in the Boston area, and I've never been to CO. Personally, I think it's a middle-of-the pack amber style ale, but it more than any other beer I know is associated specifically with rock. I don't know why. It just is.
Long Hammer IPA - Red Hook
Though I really don't think that this is a particularly great IPA (and I do love my IPAs), nor does it particularly saturate the climbing community as a whole, it has some meaning for me. The gym at which I work consistently buys kegs of the stuff for events and competitions. It's a beer that I've enjoyed with my friends and fellow gym staff quite a few times, and will continue to do so.
Pabst Blue Ribbon - Pabst
Personally, I'd rather drink chilled goat piss, but it had to be added to this list whether I like it or not. More than any other crap beer out there, PBR has established itself as the cheap climber get-together beer of choice. I also tend to associate this one with sport climbers and boulderers, but that one may just be coincidental.
What about y'all?
Edit: Mods, it's cool if you need to move this one to the Campground. It's at least vaguely climbing related, so I put it here.
Edit #2: Just to be more clear, I'm NOT looking to hear what people's favorite beers are. Rather, I am looking to hear what beers people associate with climbing and why
(This post was edited by shoo on Dec 14, 2009, 2:48 AM)
|
|
|
|
|
asaxton
Dec 14, 2009, 1:42 AM
Post #2 of 89
(6385 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 10, 2009
Posts: 18
|
This obviously isn't a beer.
Ale 8 one after climbing anywhere in Red River Gorge.
Then hitting up the beer trailer for the cheapest thing I can find.
|
|
|
|
|
minibiter
Dec 14, 2009, 2:08 AM
Post #3 of 89
(6356 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 23, 2007
Posts: 122
|
I vote for Fat Tire, but I can see how most people I climb with are going to vote PBR. Maybe this should have been a poll?
What about liquor? I know lots of climbers who like scotch/whiskey/bourbon and not much else.
Cheers
|
|
|
|
|
shoo
Dec 14, 2009, 2:13 AM
Post #4 of 89
(6346 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 22, 2006
Posts: 1501
|
minibiter wrote: I vote for Fat Tire, but I can see how most people I climb with are going to vote PBR. Maybe this should have been a poll? What about liquor? I know lots of climbers who like scotch/whiskey/bourbon and not much else. Cheers
I'm trying to figure out how and why climbers connect to certain beers in the context of climbing. I don't particularly want to know that you "vote" Fat Tire, but rather why Fat Tire and not something else. Hell, if you associate scotch/whiskey/bourbon with climbing more strongly than beer, why?
I gave some of my personal examples. What about you?
|
|
|
|
|
rhythm164
Dec 14, 2009, 2:27 AM
Post #5 of 89
(6318 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 28, 2005
Posts: 964
|
Middle Ages Wench, if only they distributed out west...
|
|
|
|
|
minibiter
Dec 14, 2009, 2:32 AM
Post #6 of 89
(6305 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Oct 23, 2007
Posts: 122
|
OOohhh ok. Fat Tire because it's a good beer and usually after climbing it's all I can do to make it from dinner to my bag, if it was a good day that is. So, 2-4 good beers and I'm set. A few others that come to mind:
Great Lakes Brewery Dortmunder Gold
Guinness, duh
Negro Modelo
Chimay, etc...
And I just realized it's really hard to get good local beer in Fayetteville. In Charlottesville it's no problem - Starr Hill, Blue Mountain, Legend, all make great beer. But right now either I'm blanking on a beer brewed within 150miles of Fayetteville and sold there, or there isn't one. Great Lakes is from Ohio, but at least they're not as widely sold as Sam Adams or something.
Oh and the folks who like liquor tend to have alpinist tendencies, in my experience.
|
|
|
|
|
avalon420
Dec 14, 2009, 2:34 AM
Post #7 of 89
(6298 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 1, 2005
Posts: 281
|
Good list, however you forgot Old English and Hurricane. Utterly deplorable excuses for beer, I know, but alcohol:weight ratio is through the roof (like tripled, plus the flavour is no worse hot or cold) and perfect for us wall rats or light/ fast alpenises. Yeah, that krap is only beat by a nice red vino (perfect at room temp but I'm not that gay) or R.J. Rockers' Black Pearl(TM).
|
|
|
|
|
Urban_Cowboy
Dec 14, 2009, 2:40 AM
Post #8 of 89
(6290 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 3, 2009
Posts: 219
|
Not big on PBR, but for a "cheap" beer definitely Miller High Life. By far my favorite though is Hefeweizen. I'm not big on Fat Tire, it's o.k., but not as good as most folks make it out to be. One of my all time favorites is Tommyknocker Jack Whacker.http://www.tommyknocker.com/ourBeer.html
|
|
|
|
|
shoo
Dec 14, 2009, 2:45 AM
Post #9 of 89
(6275 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 22, 2006
Posts: 1501
|
Urban_Cowboy wrote: Not big on PBR, but for a "cheap" beer definitely Miller High Life. By far my favorite though is Hefeweizen. I'm not big on Fat Tire, it's o.k., but not as good as most folks make it out to be. One of my all time favorites is Tommyknocker Jack Whacker. http://www.tommyknocker.com/ourBeer.html
I'm not necessarily looking for people's favorite beers. Rather, I'm looking for beers people associate with climbing and why.
|
|
|
|
|
shoo
Dec 14, 2009, 2:53 AM
Post #10 of 89
(6261 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 22, 2006
Posts: 1501
|
avalon420 wrote: Good list, however you forgot Old English and Hurricane. Utterly deplorable excuses for beer, I know, but alcohol:weight ratio is through the roof (like tripled, plus the flavour is no worse hot or cold) and perfect for us wall rats or light/ fast alpenises. Yeah, that krap is only beat by a nice red vino (perfect at room temp but I'm not that gay) or R.J. Rockers' Black Pearl(TM).
If I may ask, why? If alcohol per pound is what you're looking for, why not something harder, like whiskey? Or better yet, why not a higher quality beer that has a higher ABV? With so many brews out there that kick upwards of 12% and aren't all that expensive, what brings you as a climber to these?
|
|
|
|
|
Urban_Cowboy
Dec 14, 2009, 2:56 AM
Post #11 of 89
(6256 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Feb 3, 2009
Posts: 219
|
Then take Fat Tire out of your "associated with climbing" beer list, it's a cycling beer...everyone knows that.
High Life is my "around the campfire after a day of climbing" beer...maybe I should have been more specific on that.
Jack Whacker, and the rest of the Tommyknocker beers, are from Colorado...there for I associate it with mountains, which = climbing. Don't try to bring back Fat Tire as a Colorado beer in that argument.
Clearly you are drinking right now, what's in your stein? That has to be associated with climbing by default since you are drinking it while surfing RC.com...for me it's water, as I'm only home for lunch.
|
|
|
|
|
ShibbyShane
Dec 14, 2009, 3:35 AM
Post #12 of 89
(6204 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 16, 2008
Posts: 166
|
High Life has been present on most of the climbing trips I've taken, it's a good one that you can drink a lot of and still be able to walk straight. Now, if walking straight isn't high on your priority list at the end of the climbing day (usually isn't for me), I'll go for some good single malt scotch if I have the money, or brandy if I don't have money because it's cheep (and better than shitty vodka).
Also, if I have the money I'll spring for better beer (I actually do like Sam Adam's Oktoberfest), but usually it's cheap beer because we end up drinking a lot of it.
I think a lot of what people will have to say as far as beers go will be regional.
|
|
|
|
|
stickyfingerz
Dec 14, 2009, 4:14 AM
Post #13 of 89
(6162 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 29, 2005
Posts: 110
|
Alright, I'll throw a couple into the ring. Shoo, you'll probably appreciate these as a fellow New Englander. (Although I live in Bishop, CA now I was born and lived most of my life in Mass.)
Moat Stout - Moat Mountain Brewery. The local brewpub for North Conway, this was the standard watering hole for Cathedral/Whitehorse/Frankenstein trips.
Pigs Ear Brown - Woodstock Station Brewery. The place to go after ripping it up in Franconia. The perfect way to end a day at Cannon or Kinsman Notch.
|
|
|
|
|
soyshadymilkman
Dec 14, 2009, 4:44 AM
Post #14 of 89
(6141 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 11, 2005
Posts: 47
|
I'd have to put my best beer/climbing connection on New Belgium 1554. Delicious, dark, and relatively cheap. I love me some Fat Tire too, but 1554 brings back some awesome memories
We were walking around the valley on memorial day, both drinking 1553 walking down the super crowded sidewalk, slightly buzzed, when a father pushing a stroller comes up to my friend and me asking "can you just drink out here? there aren't any open container laws?" we say "yeah, drink up brother" and he pawns the stroller off to his wife, opens a brown bag, pulls our a beer and starts drinking a '54 with us as we're all walking down the sidewalk....great times
|
|
|
|
|
shoo
Dec 14, 2009, 5:04 AM
Post #15 of 89
(6126 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 22, 2006
Posts: 1501
|
stickyfingerz wrote: Alright, I'll throw a couple into the ring. Shoo, you'll probably appreciate these as a fellow New Englander. (Although I live in Bishop, CA now I was born and lived most of my life in Mass.) Moat Stout - Moat Mountain Brewery. The local brewpub for North Conway, this was the standard watering hole for Cathedral/Whitehorse/Frankenstein trips. Pigs Ear Brown - Woodstock Station Brewery. The place to go after ripping it up in Franconia. The perfect way to end a day at Cannon or Kinsman Notch.
I have (sadly) thusfar missed both of those places to date. Fortunately, this winter will be filled with Franconia and Cannon, if all goes well, and I will atone for my beerless sins.
|
|
|
|
|
milesenoell
Dec 14, 2009, 7:38 AM
Post #16 of 89
(6064 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 19, 2006
Posts: 1156
|
Cans of PBR because you can knock 'em around getting them up to the summit, and they taste like piss so they aren't much worse warm. Plus, it makes the real beer taste that much better when you get back home (or to the car). Snow Cap and Deschutes Jubelale get the association for snow-boarding, cause they serve it in the lodges.
As for Flat Tire, that stuff is so painfully mediocre I'd just as soon drink PBR so I don't accidentally pay any attention to the taste.
Any beer left chilling in a creek long enough to slip the label off goes down pretty damn good. Maybe that's more of a trail thing though.
(This post was edited by milesenoell on Dec 14, 2009, 7:41 AM)
|
|
|
|
|
qwert
Dec 14, 2009, 8:03 AM
Post #17 of 89
(6053 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Mar 24, 2004
Posts: 2394
|
Beer that i specifically associate with climbing?
Not really. If i am climbing at home, its stuff by one of the two local breweries (also sold at the boulder gym where i spend the shitty winters), and when i am on a road trip i either take some of that stuff with me, or get whatever is local to the area (or whatever the other folks bring). If i had to pick one, it probably would be Berg Ulrichsbier, since thats what i (and a few others) like the most, so therefore it gets picked most often.
I seldom take beer with me on a climb, or even to the crag, since that stuff is sold almost exclusively in glass bottles (apart from the cheap discount beers, which almost all suck, except from one or two) which makes it really heavy. Also glass bottles break rather easy, and i dont want glass shards in my backpack.
qwert
|
|
|
|
|
sbaclimber
Dec 14, 2009, 8:50 AM
Post #18 of 89
(6038 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jan 22, 2004
Posts: 3118
|
^^^^what he said...
There is one area around here where a lot of people still bring glass bottles along to the crag though. Radeberger seems to be the most popular choice.
I personally connect Caffrey's and/or Old Speckled Hen with climbing, because they are about the only beer in a non-glass container that's drinkable. Just have to bring plastic cups along so they can be poured first (the cans have widgets).
In New Zealand, I would have to say Speight's. It was local and often the best beer available in any pub we stopped at after a day at the crag.
|
|
|
|
|
mach2
Dec 14, 2009, 9:43 AM
Post #19 of 89
(6019 views)
Shortcut
Registered: May 28, 2007
Posts: 102
|
Mammoth Brewing Co. - EPIC IPA
For me, this beer is the only post climb choice when available. It's smell reminds me of the high sierra, with notes of pine, granite dust, dirt and alpine air. For anyone not acquainted with it when I give it to them for the first time, I make sure to set the scene like that of Tuolumne first. If that wasn't enough, after 12 hours on the rock, especially if one has experienced an epic tale, its a good way to reminisce on the events of the day.
I will grant that its almost impossible to find this stuff, but if offered the opportunity, do take it. Along these same lines, it's often on tap at the curry village bar should anyone be in the area.
|
|
|
|
|
munky
Dec 14, 2009, 10:53 AM
Post #20 of 89
(6000 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Apr 26, 2006
Posts: 358
|
Mammoth Brewing Company's Juniper Ale after a long day in Tuolomne or the Sierra cause youve been smelling Juniper all day and the tall 22 of this brew says drink the mountains.
Highland's Oatmeal Porter because it was the crafty beer of choice in college after a long day sloggin routes at Linville Gorge, Ship Rock, or bouldering at G-Ma
Rogues hazlenut Brown because Pies and Pints carries them in big 22's and after a long day clipping bolts or pluggin cams in the NRG you gotta have a dark rich beer before you start downing pizza
MGD because that is what old man Steve, one of my favorite partners loves to drink, and so we put it down with the quickness after a long big route such as Scenic Cruise in Black Canyon.
Newcastle cuz its just that damn tasty and after a good day of climbing you just gotta have a brew.
Honorable mention (albeit not beer) Muir-ritas in Yosemite obviously named after the man John Muir himself and his incredible luck to find an untapped Yosemite. The Original Rucksack wanderer.
|
|
|
|
|
blueeyedclimber
Dec 14, 2009, 1:32 PM
Post #21 of 89
(5939 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Nov 19, 2002
Posts: 4602
|
Other than the fact that ANY beer I associate with climbing, these two "beers" stand out from the two regions I most frequent. I put beer in quotation marks, because they are not specific beers.
The Beer Sampler at The Moat Mountain House in North Conway, NH. This is a tradition after climbing on Cathedral or Whitehorse. It's about 1 1/2 pints split up between 6 beers from Light (i.e. hefeweisen) to Dark (i.e. stout). There is usually one or 2 beers that I would never order on their own but who can resist 6 beers at once?
The Mystery Beer at Bacchus in New Paltz, NY. There is something about the unknown for me. I almost always order whatever the Mystery Beer is.
Josh
|
|
|
|
|
beton
Dec 14, 2009, 1:36 PM
Post #22 of 89
(5936 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 8, 2009
Posts: 27
|
As I'm a Belgian guy, I sadly don't really know, nor have tasted any of the beers that have been mentioned above.
We might live in a tiny country, but we do brew excellent beer (or at least think we do so), so the idea is that we don't need to import inferior beer from anywhere else in the world. :)
I do however link one particular beer to climbing. It's called 'Duvel' (free translation : Devil) from the Moortgat brewery. It doesn't matter whether I was doing indoor bouldering, or sportclimbing outdoors in the southern regions of our country, .. all climbing sessions usually end with one (or a few) of those Duvels. The beer is incredibly refreshing (although it's pretty heavy, with 8,5% alcohol.), so it's perfect to consume after a few hours of sports. We might find our tongues a bit loosened too, which stimulates storytelling and male bonding.
Hooray for male bonding!
|
|
|
|
|
dlintz
Dec 14, 2009, 1:58 PM
Post #23 of 89
(5916 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Sep 9, 2002
Posts: 1982
|
Sitting around a campfire after a day of climbing:
1. Good bourbon. It warms me up, it's compact, doesn't need a cooler, and unlike drinking a bunch of beers I don't have to get out of my sleeping bag in the middle of the night to pee.
2. Old Chub Scottish Ale by Oskar Blues. It's become a part of our climbing trips over the past few years. Even after the ice has melted in the cooler it still tastes great.
3. PBR. Pure nostalgia.
d.
|
|
|
|
|
gmggg
Dec 14, 2009, 3:02 PM
Post #24 of 89
(5863 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Jun 25, 2009
Posts: 2099
|
shoo wrote: stickyfingerz wrote: Alright, I'll throw a couple into the ring. Shoo, you'll probably appreciate these as a fellow New Englander. (Although I live in Bishop, CA now I was born and lived most of my life in Mass.) Moat Stout - Moat Mountain Brewery. The local brewpub for North Conway, this was the standard watering hole for Cathedral/Whitehorse/Frankenstein trips. Pigs Ear Brown - Woodstock Station Brewery. The place to go after ripping it up in Franconia. The perfect way to end a day at Cannon or Kinsman Notch. I have (sadly) thusfar missed both of those places to date. Fortunately, this winter will be filled with Franconia and Cannon, if all goes well, and I will atone for my beerless sins.
Too bad! Get to Moat on a Sunday night and grab all you can eat meatloaf. That and a couple of pints are the perfect cure for a weekend of warrioring.
I always try to have a canned beer for climbing trips. So most of my climbing beers are pretty crummy. I drink a lot of oranjeboom on longer outings. A nice tall can, good abv, and not too light bodied.
On a slightly more esoteric note I would have to say that I have always associated IPA's, as a general style, with climbing more than any other beer.
|
|
|
|
|
shoo
Dec 14, 2009, 3:15 PM
Post #25 of 89
(5848 views)
Shortcut
Registered: Dec 22, 2006
Posts: 1501
|
gmggg wrote: On a slightly more esoteric note I would have to say that I have always associated IPA's, as a general style, with climbing more than any other beer.
I agree with you there. Outdoorsy Americans in general, myself included, love their hoppy beers. Unfortunately, the two IPAs I have brewed to date have been pretty mediocre. Not terrible, but certainly not what I was looking for.
|
|
|
|
|
|
1
