Black beer styles for Summer

[J A]

I defy any of you to be out in the 100 degree Texas heat for a couple of hours and then step into a bar and order anything but the coldest, lightest lager you can find, served in a frosted mug. And you'll be needing another within a matter of minutes because that first one is going to disappear very rapidly.

When I spend time in the PNW during July and August, those dark beers are awesome but the degree of "refreshing" required on a day when the max temp is in the 70s and night time temps are 50-something is drastically less than what's required on a hot, humid Texas day.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

I defy any of you to be out in the 100 degree Texas heat for a couple of hours and then step into a bar and order anything but the coldest, lightest lager you can find, served in a frosted mug. And you'll be needing another within a matter of minutes because that first one is going to disappear very rapidly.

When I spend time in the PNW during July and August, those dark beers are awesome but the degree of "refreshing" required on a day when the max temp is in the 70s and night time temps are 50-something is drastically less than what's required on a hot, humid Texas day.

I have a house south of SanAntonio and I saw alot of those deck misters that worked well

 

[Clibit]

⁸

When I was in London in the 90s didn't see any Guinness in the Pubs I visited
Is it different now?

There has always been Guinness in London. There was a Guinness brewery in London until 2005. So I think you were unlucky. I lived in London in the late 80s and drank Guinness. It might be in more pubs now than it was back then, Guinness is very widely available across the UK and Ireland now. But it wasn't hard to find in the 90s.

https://londondrinker.camra.org.uk/...rk-royal-a-lost-history-in-a-changing-market/

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

this is the one I brew, originally from kal

https://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/142280/dry-irish-stout-guinness-clone

 

[Megary]

I defy any of you to be out in the 100 degree Texas heat for a couple of hours and then step into a bar and order anything but the coldest, lightest lager you can find, served in a frosted mug. And you'll be needing another within a matter of minutes because that first one is going to disappear very rapidly.

When I spend time in the PNW during July and August, those dark beers are awesome but the degree of "refreshing" required on a day when the max temp is in the 70s and night time temps are 50-something is drastically less than what's required on a hot, humid Texas day.

I’ll order a tall glass of water, then a beer with flavor.

 

[Brew Cat]

There has always been Guinness in London. There was a Guinness brewery in London until 2005. So I think you were unlucky. I lived in London in the late 80s and drank Guinness. It might be in more pubs now than it was back then, Guinness is very widely available across the UK and Ireland now. But it wasn't hard to find in the 90s.

https://londondrinker.camra.org.uk/...rk-royal-a-lost-history-in-a-changing-market/

I'm sure but maybe the pubs I went to were owned by the brewery who's beer they sold
I think that used to be more common
Everywhere

 

[Clibit]

I'm sure but maybe the pubs I went to were owned by the brewery who's beer they sold
I think that used to be more common
Everywhere

I don't recall Guinness owning pubs, you could just find their beer in a fair number of pubs. Which has expanded further, most pubs seem to have Guinness now.

 

[Brew Cat]

well it was 30 yrs ago when I was there
I remember asking for Guinness and the grouch behind the bar said "your not in Ireland" LOL
after that welcome I didn't ask anymore
the other problem I had was driving

 

[Clibit]

well it was 30 yrs ago when I was there
I remember asking for Guinness and the grouch behind the bar said "your not in Ireland" LOL
after that welcome I didn't ask anymore
the other problem I had was driving

Ha ha! Not an uncommon experience. They don't call us the whinging poms for nothing. Guinness fonts have always been very prominent in pubs so you shouldn't need to ask if Guinness is available. I lived near the brewery in West London for a while in the late 80s, you could get a decent pint of it, comparable with Ireland in my opinion. But I do think Guinness is over rated, it's now just pale malt and roast barley, bittering hops, neutral yeast and nitrogen. And a bit of acid. And a ginormous amount of very smart marketing and promotion.

 

[Dave Y]

I defy any of you to be out in the 100 degree Texas heat for a couple of hours and then step into a bar and order anything but the coldest, lightest lager you can find, served in a frosted mug. And you'll be needing another within a matter of minutes because that first one is going to disappear very rapidly.

When I spend time in the PNW during July and August, those dark beers are awesome but the degree of "refreshing" required on a day when the max temp is in the 70s and night time temps are 50-something is drastically less than what's required on a hot, humid Texas day.

IYKYK right? In the peak of TX summer, sometimes temps won't drop below 90f. 80's are more common.
I think a dunkelweizen could work if it was right at ~5%. Scharzbier could too, if it's done "to style" and all the components are in moderation. Dark Mexican lager too. As much as I like porter, CDA, etc. when I'm done fighting the 12-15 inch high grass on the back 40, I'm not looking to get smashed, I want something in the lawn mower to mid 5% range.

I have a house south of SanAntonio and I saw alot of those deck misters that worked well

Swamp coolers; they're evaporative coolers and can make a significant impact in a relatively small area.

 

[J A]

IYKYK right? In the peak of TX summer, sometimes temps won't drop below 90f. 80's are more common.
I think a dunkelweizen could work if it was right at ~5%. Scharzbier could too, if it's done "to style" and all the components are in moderation. Dark Mexican lager too. As much as I like porter, CDA, etc. when I'm done fighting the 12-15 inch high grass on the back 40, I'm not looking to get smashed, I want something in the lawn mower to mid 5% range.

Yup! "Lawn Mower" beers might as well be called "Walking More Than a Block" beers in Texas' August heat.
Slammer beers served as cold as possible preferably with a lime and salt close at hand - not necessarily for flavor but for chemical reaction that leads to quick electrolyte uptake.

 

[Bigbre04]

i would honestly say Savannah gets right up there temps and humidity with Texas, just less steers and stupid hats. #beefin'

I personally love a good nitro irish stout, but i currently dont have a setup to pour nitro and I feel that if i am gonna make that style(without nitro) it may as well be a lager since that is even smooother. Not to mention that my bartenders can barely pour a normal beer properly, they have no chance of pouring a nitro.

I talked to some of my bartenders about the topic and several said just more of the black lager, it is VERY popular(sells up there with my IPAs).

I have had Black IPAs on before and they generally dont move as well as the BL or an IPA. Maybe i brew another batch of black lager and then brew a big ol' quad or doppelbock and just say fuck it. Put 2 kegs on when it is ready and age the other 2?

I do like the idea of a Dunklewiezen. Ill make up a recipe and post it.

No one likes the idea of a similar recipe to the black lager just fermented out with belgian yeast instead of lager????

 

[Mont Y. Märzen]

And you can think about those snow capped black mountains as you sip through that beautiful head of white foam! Absolutely cooling and refreshing!

Ah yes, nothing like imagining snowy peaks while enjoying the coastal Georgia heat of summer!

 

[Bigbre04]

Ah yes, nothing like imagining snowy peaks while enjoying the coastal Georgia heat of summer!

they dont call us the colorado of the south for....ya no they dont call us that.

 

[Mont Y. Märzen]

I defy any of you to be out in the 100 degree Texas heat for a couple of hours and then step into a bar and order anything but the coldest, lightest lager you can find, served in a frosted mug. And you'll be needing another within a matter of minutes because that first one is going to disappear very rapidly.

When I spend time in the PNW during July and August, those dark beers are awesome but the degree of "refreshing" required on a day when the max temp is in the 70s and night time temps are 50-something is drastically less than what's required on a hot, humid Texas day.

Same here in Lousiana. The first two beers go down quick - buzz achieved! (especially if they are dark and strong) I never order a regular IPA as my first beer during the Summer!

 

[Mont Y. Märzen]

well it was 30 yrs ago when I was there
I remember asking for Guinness and the grouch behind the bar said "your not in Ireland" LOL
after that welcome I didn't ask anymore
the other problem I had was driving

My brother is in Germany right now, and he just sent me a picture yesterday of him drinking a...Guinness. (I didn't ask, but why???)

 

[Bigbre04]

My brother is in Germany right now, and he just sent me a picture yesterday of him drinking a...Guinness. (I didn't ask, but why???)

that is wrong. honestly. wrong.

 

[Mont Y. Märzen]

I have a house south of SanAntonio and I saw alot of those deck misters that worked well

Maybe because it is so dry. In Louisiana we just call that deck misting 'rain'. Most Summer days, the air is so wet, even when it isn't raining, if you're thirsty, just take a deep breath.

 

[Mont Y. Märzen]

No one likes the idea of a similar recipe to the black lager just fermented out with belgian yeast instead of lager????

I missed that. Go for it. Ardennes might be a good one as that is what I used for an excellent Quad. Optionally 'Black Saison'.

 

[Dave Y]

My brother is in Germany right now, and he just sent me a picture yesterday of him drinking a...Guinness. (I didn't ask, but why???)

that is wrong. honestly. wrong.

I met with some Irish peeps at the Isle of Man TT, and was discussing, among other things, why they drive on the wrong side of the road. Turns out they make a pilgrimage to the US yearly, rent bikes etc. Their beer of choice - they even brought it with them to the TT:

Michelob.
Mind you, O'Kells and Bushy's are readily available everywhere on the IoM and it's not that big. These are subjectively and objectively superior beers. You can also get Guinness, some Brit beers and some German beers. German / German speakers are the number one represented demographic for the TT, Manx GP etc.

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