Beer fest taps into exotic tastes

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ^ | Thursday, July 1, 2004 | Mike Seate

[Willie Green]

It was tough to tell whether I'd picked up a glass someone used to park their used smokeless tobacco or whether it contained the remnants of an exotic Belgian ale.

Both liquids are dank, brownish and capable of producing a facial pucker worse than that of Granny Clampett downing tequila shooters. In this instance, I was among a couple of hundred locals who paid $35 each for the experience of sampling 100 or so of the weirdest beers known to humans.

The attendees seemed to be enjoying themselves.

The event was the Sharp Edge Great European Beer Fest, a two-day blast at the popular East Liberty bar/restaurant designed to test the livers and taste buds of our city's most dedicated beer aficionados.

[Willie Green]

ping

[martin_fierro]

=

It's a 'Burgh Thing.TM

[stainlessbanner]

"I'm tired of Bud Light and all those beers you have to drink a half-case of to feel anything"

Co'beer bump

[mountaineer]

Let me say this about that, and a word to the wise: do not drink Iron City Light a/k/a IC Light! I had it once at a Pirate game and never tasted anything so vile. Stick to Sam Adams. I'd take any one of those "murky, arresting concoctions" described by the writer over IC Light. Whatever happened to Duquesne Pilsmer, alas?

[JRandomFreeper]

If you can hold the glass up and see daylight through it, it's not beer. Beer is food. Beer has substance. It certainly doesn't look like a glass of colored water.

Not that I have an opinion or anything...

And Guinness is a dessert.

/john

[Khurkris]

Beer...its why we're here.

[L_Von_Mises]

The article mentions Mackessons Triple Stout - a great beer. Also, Orval Trappist (not mentioned) is a great brew made in Belgium by Trappist monks (you have to watch the sediment in the bottom and it has a hint of apple in the flavor). Some others that come to mind that can't readily be found here are Celebrator Doppelbock - a double bock beer from Germany, Augustinerbrau, I think the best pilsner anywhere - originally brewed by Augustinian monks in 1294 and has been an official brewery since 1328 making it Munich's oldest brewery, and Samuel Smiths Imperial Stout. One intersting brew that people either love or hate is Adelscott brewed by Fischer in France - it is flavored with peat-smoked whiskey malt.