Dogfish Head brews a "120 Minute IPA" which is 21% ABV. It's actually
unpleasant. Tastes nothing like beer, a lot like cognac.

Their 60 and 90 Minute IPAs are a hophead's dream though.

ScottR

On 2005-09-10, Dog3 > wrote:
>
> "I'm pretty sure the Americans have something up their sleeve."

Up it, down it, been there, done that. Yep, Samuel Adams has already
brewed a 25% abv beer, Utopias Limited Edition. I don't know if you
can get it anymore. I saw a bottle at BevMo about a year ago.
Probably on ebay for collector prices (>$100).

http://www.sptimes.com/2003/06/18/Ta...rs__utop.shtml

nb

I'm reminded of an old bar-bet;
It's for guys with nothing beter to do,
who spend lots of time sitting around bar-rooms.

Using a shot glass,
Drink 60 (?) beers in 60 minutes.

ie one shot-glass of beer every minute. ( not sooner, not later )

Then, walk across the room if you can.


<rj>

<RJ> wrote:
> I'm reminded of an old bar-bet;
> It's for guys with nothing beter to do,
> who spend lots of time sitting around bar-rooms.
>
> Using a shot glass,
> Drink 60 (?) beers in 60 minutes.
>
> ie one shot-glass of beer every minute. ( not sooner, not later )
>
> Then, walk across the room if you can.
>
>
> <rj>

No law-abiding bar (okay, that sounds funny) would allow this any more. We
had a place in Memphis (East End Grill) have their liquor license yanked
after allowing a group of college kids get into a drinking contest. Not
only did they allow it, witnesses said the employees encouraged it. And
they weren't drinking beer. I can't remember the exact drink but it was one
of those fru-fru red things with about 4 liquors in it. Not only were the
employees aware the kids were loaded and kept on serving them, one of the
boys collapsed and died of severe alcohol poisoning.

I enjoy my beer and wine. But drinking contests and shit like this are just
stupid. (And I don't drink and drive.) I have no use for a beer that is
25% alcohol. Keep your PGA and other stuff with no purpose other than to
get you drunk FAST. Where's the fun in that, really? It's like the hot
sauce thread - it isn't sauce, it's just hot. Eat some raw Thai chillies if
you want to burn your mouth off. I'll say no thanks

Jill

On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 19:55:08 -0500, "jmcquown" > wrote:

><RJ> wrote:
>> I'm reminded of an old bar-bet;
>> It's for guys with nothing beter to do,
>> who spend lots of time sitting around bar-rooms.
>>
>> Using a shot glass,
>> Drink 60 (?) beers in 60 minutes.
>>
>> ie one shot-glass of beer every minute. ( not sooner, not later )
>>
>> Then, walk across the room if you can.
>>
>>
>> <rj>
>
>No law-abiding bar (okay, that sounds funny) would allow this any more. We
>had a place in Memphis (East End Grill) have their liquor license yanked
>after allowing a group of college kids get into a drinking contest. Not
>only did they allow it, witnesses said the employees encouraged it. And
>they weren't drinking beer. I can't remember the exact drink but it was one
>of those fru-fru red things with about 4 liquors in it. Not only were the
>employees aware the kids were loaded and kept on serving them, one of the
>boys collapsed and died of severe alcohol poisoning.
>
>I enjoy my beer and wine. But drinking contests and shit like this are just
>stupid. (And I don't drink and drive.) I have no use for a beer that is
>25% alcohol. Keep your PGA and other stuff with no purpose other than to
>get you drunk FAST. Where's the fun in that, really? It's like the hot
>sauce thread - it isn't sauce, it's just hot. Eat some raw Thai chillies if
>you want to burn your mouth off. I'll say no thanks
>
>Jill
>

Now, how could you possibly get hurt drinking
a shot-glass full of beer ?
Doesn't really sound extreme.

BTW; College kids use beer-bongs or funnels.
<rj>

<RJ> wrote:
> On Sat, 10 Sep 2005 19:55:08 -0500, "jmcquown"
> > wrote:
>
>> <RJ> wrote:
>>> I'm reminded of an old bar-bet;
>>> It's for guys with nothing beter to do,
>>> who spend lots of time sitting around bar-rooms.
>>>
>>> Using a shot glass,
>>> Drink 60 (?) beers in 60 minutes.
>>>
>>> ie one shot-glass of beer every minute. ( not sooner, not later )
>>>
>>> Then, walk across the room if you can.
>>>
>>>
>>> <rj>
>>
>> No law-abiding bar (okay, that sounds funny) would allow this any
>> more. We had a place in Memphis (East End Grill) have their liquor
>> license yanked after allowing a group of college kids get into a
>> drinking contest. Not only did they allow it, witnesses said the
>> employees encouraged it. And they weren't drinking beer. I can't
>> remember the exact drink but it was one of those fru-fru red things
>> with about 4 liquors in it. Not only were the employees aware the
>> kids were loaded and kept on serving them, one of the boys collapsed
>> and died of severe alcohol poisoning.
>>
>> I enjoy my beer and wine. But drinking contests and shit like this
>> are just stupid. (And I don't drink and drive.) I have no use for
>> a beer that is 25% alcohol. Keep your PGA and other stuff with no
>> purpose other than to get you drunk FAST. Where's the fun in that,
>> really? It's like the hot sauce thread - it isn't sauce, it's just
>> hot. Eat some raw Thai chillies if you want to burn your mouth off.
>> I'll say no thanks
>>
>> Jill
>>
>
> Now, how could you possibly get hurt drinking
> a shot-glass full of beer ?
> Doesn't really sound extreme.
>
"Drink 60 (?) beers in 60 minutes." Nothing in the challenge indicates how
much alcohol in the beer served in shot-glasses. They could be drinking
****-water light beer, or they could have a stronger (much stronger) stout
type beer. My point was about the contest idea, anyway, and wasn't meant to
point a finger at you for posting about it

> BTW; College kids use beer-bongs or funnels.
> <rj>

Not in a "restaurant" they don't <G>

Jill

In article > ,
Dog3 > wrote:

> Oh man, this stuff sounds killer. A couple of shots of beer and you're on
> the floor. The article states "everyone" that has tried it has been
> enthusiastic. I guess so. After a few glasses one is probably unconscious.
> I think I'll pass.
>
> Michael
>
> Fri Sep 9,11:24 AM ET
>
> BERLIN (Reuters) - A German brewer has concocted what he says is the
> world's strongest beer, a potent drink with an alcohol content of 25.4
> percent that is served in a shot glass.


I'm sorry, Michael, but this seems ridiculous, and nothing more than a
publicity attempt (which has apparently worked, at least on this group).
Techniques for increasing alcohol content have been known for hundreds
of years. Much whiskey is made out of the same ingredient as beer
(barley), can be served in a shot glass, and has a much higher alcohol
content than this stuff. It's just not called "beer". I'm not going to
call this stuff "beer" either. It is common to call beverages made like
beer but more than about 10% alcohol "barley wine". They don't taste
much like beer, and need to be aged more like wine than beer. In normal
fermentation, the yeast is killed when the alcohol content reaches
around 14% or a little higher.


If you have somebody in a bar knocking back a couple of pints of a light
beer, they'll be walking out pretty steadily. If you have somebody
knock back a couple of pints of whiskey, they'll be having some troubles.

On 2005-09-11, Dan Abel > wrote:

> I'm sorry, Michael, but this seems ridiculous, and nothing more than a
> publicity attempt (which has apparently worked, at least on this group).

"worked"? How so? Someone here buy this product?

> Techniques for increasing alcohol content have been known for hundreds
> of years.

Hang on, we'll get back to this one.

> Much whiskey is made out of the same ingredient as beer (barley),
> can be served in a shot glass, and has a much higher alcohol content
> than this stuff. It's just not called "beer".

Much whiskey is made from the same ingredient found in cornbread. So
what? Neither are beer, hence the reason they are not called beer.

> I'm not going to
> call this stuff "beer" either.

Who cares? It's still beer.

> It is common to call beverages made like
> beer but more than about 10% alcohol "barley wine".

They also call them trippels, ales, eisbocks, and maybe even late for
dinner. Still beer.

> They don't taste
> much like beer......

According to your narrow definition of beer. Beer!

> In normal
> fermentation, the yeast is killed when the alcohol content reaches
> around 14% or a little higher.

Now, back to your previous statement, "Techniques for increasing
alcohol content....". This also applies to *BEER*. Using certain
techniques beer can be fermented to 25%abv. I can buy the yeast at
any wine/beer shop.

> If you have somebody in a bar knocking back a couple of pints of a light
> beer, they'll be walking out pretty steadily. If you have somebody
> knock back a couple of pints of whiskey, they'll be having some troubles.

Yeah, they might be dead.

nb

"Dan Abel" > wrote in message
...
> In article > ,
> Dog3 > wrote:
>
> > Oh man, this stuff sounds killer. A couple of shots of beer and you're
on
> > the floor. The article states "everyone" that has tried it has been
> > enthusiastic. I guess so. After a few glasses one is probably
unconscious.
> > I think I'll pass.
> >
> > Michael
> >
> > Fri Sep 9,11:24 AM ET
> >
> > BERLIN (Reuters) - A German brewer has concocted what he says is the
> > world's strongest beer, a potent drink with an alcohol content of 25.4
> > percent that is served in a shot glass.
>
>
> I'm sorry, Michael, but this seems ridiculous, and nothing more than a
> publicity attempt (which has apparently worked, at least on this group).
> Techniques for increasing alcohol content have been known for hundreds
> of years. Much whiskey is made out of the same ingredient as beer
> (barley), can be served in a shot glass, and has a much higher alcohol
> content than this stuff. It's just not called "beer". I'm not going to
> call this stuff "beer" either. It is common to call beverages made like
> beer but more than about 10% alcohol "barley wine".


It may be a publicity stunt to some degree at least, but people have not
been making beverages this strong by fermentation alone (which this *is*)
for hundreds of years at all, it is a comparitively recent thing. That there
are beers that can now be brewed to these strengths at all is a direct
result of these 'strongest beer in the world' competitions between different
brewers. Many techniques are used to achieve these high alcohol counts, but
it all starts with yeasts specially bred to have a high tolerance for
alcohol.

> They don't taste
> much like beer, and need to be aged more like wine than beer. In normal
> fermentation, the yeast is killed when the alcohol content reaches
> around 14% or a little higher.

So you are taking issue with the naming of these as 'beers'?

> If you have somebody in a bar knocking back a couple of pints of a light
> beer, they'll be walking out pretty steadily. If you have somebody
> knock back a couple of pints of whiskey, they'll be having some troubles.

Precisely - these are not brewed to be consumed in the same amounts as your
average strength beers. I have actually enjoyed quite a few brews in the 17
to 20 % abv range, but not by the pint! There may be *some* gimmick
involved, but it sure as heck is not *all* gimmick.

Cheers!




Shaun aRe

Shaun aRe wrote:

> > If you have somebody in a bar knocking back a couple of pints of a light
> > beer, they'll be walking out pretty steadily. If you have somebody
> > knock back a couple of pints of whiskey, they'll be having some troubles.
>
> Precisely - these are not brewed to be consumed in the same amounts as your
> average strength beers. I have actually enjoyed quite a few brews in the 17
> to 20 % abv range, but not by the pint! There may be *some* gimmick
> involved, but it sure as heck is not *all* gimmick.

One of my favourite beers is a Danish brew called Faxe. I hadn't realized that
they made an overproof strain of it until one day I walked into the local beer
store and asked for a half dozen cans of it and was asked "5 or 10?". No I
wanted a half dozen...... 6. It turned out that he was asking if I wanted the
5% 0r 10%. I gave the 10% variety a try but didn't like it much You can
actually taste the alcohol.

"Dave Smith" > wrote in message
...
> Shaun aRe wrote:
>
> > > If you have somebody in a bar knocking back a couple of pints of a
light
> > > beer, they'll be walking out pretty steadily. If you have somebody
> > > knock back a couple of pints of whiskey, they'll be having some
troubles.
> >
> > Precisely - these are not brewed to be consumed in the same amounts as
your
> > average strength beers. I have actually enjoyed quite a few brews in the
17
> > to 20 % abv range, but not by the pint! There may be *some* gimmick
> > involved, but it sure as heck is not *all* gimmick.
>
> One of my favourite beers is a Danish brew called Faxe. I hadn't realized
that
> they made an overproof strain of it until one day I walked into the local
beer
> store and asked for a half dozen cans of it and was asked "5 or 10?". No
I
> wanted a half dozen...... 6. It turned out that he was asking if I
wanted the
> 5% 0r 10%. I gave the 10% variety a try but didn't like it much You can
> actually taste the alcohol.

Now then! I shall have to look out for the stronger one - I've had the 5% a
few times and quite enjoyed it. Cheers!


Shaun aRe

In article ws.net>,
"Shaun aRe" > wrote:

> "Dan Abel" > wrote in message
> ...
> > In article > ,
> > Dog3 > wrote:
> >
> > > Oh man, this stuff sounds killer. A couple of shots of beer and you're
> on
> > > the floor.
> > > Fri Sep 9,11:24 AM ET
> > >
> > > BERLIN (Reuters) - A German brewer has concocted what he says is the
> > > world's strongest beer, a potent drink with an alcohol content of 25.4
> > > percent that is served in a shot glass.
> >
> >
> > I'm sorry, Michael, but this seems ridiculous, and nothing more than a
> > publicity attempt (which has apparently worked, at least on this group).


> It may be a publicity stunt to some degree at least, but people have not
> been making beverages this strong by fermentation alone (which this *is*)
> for hundreds of years at all, it is a comparitively recent thing. That there
> are beers that can now be brewed to these strengths at all is a direct
> result of these 'strongest beer in the world' competitions between different
> brewers. Many techniques are used to achieve these high alcohol counts, but
> it all starts with yeasts specially bred to have a high tolerance for
> alcohol.

Thanks for an interesting post, Shaun. I guess I was put off by a
couple of things in the original post. The first was that producing a
drink with this high a percentage of alcohol was something unique, and
it was going to put you on the floor. The second was the concept that
this stuff had to be served in a shot glass, because of its potency.


> > They don't taste
> > much like beer,


> So you are taking issue with the naming of these as 'beers'?


I guess so. It's more the wording of the whole thing than anything
else. Do you know any self-respecting brewer who would be happy to be
referred to as "concocting" their beer? Do you know of any producer of
alcoholic beverages who would promote drinking them in shot glasses
(other than the vilest drink that you want to get down without tasting
it)?

I suppose I should give it a try before being so critical. I know that
our locally brewery produces a barley wine. I think it is about 10%,
but it is seasonal. My son has drunk some, but I've never tried it:

http://lagunitas.com/beers/index.html

"Dan Abel" > wrote in message
...
> In article ws.net>,
> "Shaun aRe" > wrote:
>
> > "Dan Abel" > wrote in message
> > ...
> > > In article > ,
> > > Dog3 > wrote:
> > >
> > > > Oh man, this stuff sounds killer. A couple of shots of beer and
you're
> > on
> > > > the floor.
> > > > Fri Sep 9,11:24 AM ET
> > > >
> > > > BERLIN (Reuters) - A German brewer has concocted what he says is the
> > > > world's strongest beer, a potent drink with an alcohol content of
25.4
> > > > percent that is served in a shot glass.
> > >
> > >
> > > I'm sorry, Michael, but this seems ridiculous, and nothing more than a
> > > publicity attempt (which has apparently worked, at least on this
group).
>
>
> > It may be a publicity stunt to some degree at least, but people have not
> > been making beverages this strong by fermentation alone (which this
*is*)
> > for hundreds of years at all, it is a comparitively recent thing. That
there
> > are beers that can now be brewed to these strengths at all is a direct
> > result of these 'strongest beer in the world' competitions between
different
> > brewers. Many techniques are used to achieve these high alcohol counts,
but
> > it all starts with yeasts specially bred to have a high tolerance for
> > alcohol.
>
> Thanks for an interesting post, Shaun.

You are most welcome! I wish I could have dug up some more info/references
etc. but my googling sucks more than a black hole. - I've long been
interested in brewing (mainly winemaking), so have played with high
tolerance yeasts myself and gradual sugar feeding for very strong wines -
best I got was nearly 20% abv. - it wasn't great but it was more than
drinkable! Strongest beer I ever made was with a friend's brother - got it
up to about 8%abv. Now that WAS tasty, just like a good tasty ordinary
strength beer, deceptively so as we uhmmm, found out... heh...

> I guess I was put off by a
> couple of things in the original post. The first was that producing a
> drink with this high a percentage of alcohol was something unique, and
> it was going to put you on the floor. The second was the concept that
> this stuff had to be served in a shot glass, because of its potency.

That's reporting for ya mate - it's story spin...

> > > They don't taste
> > > much like beer,
>
>
> > So you are taking issue with the naming of these as 'beers'?
>
>
> I guess so. It's more the wording of the whole thing than anything
> else. Do you know any self-respecting brewer who would be happy to be
> referred to as "concocting" their beer? Do you know of any producer of
> alcoholic beverages who would promote drinking them in shot glasses
> (other than the vilest drink that you want to get down without tasting
> it)?

As to the first question - no, I don't, but again - that's the reporting for
ya.

The second, well, if it's that strength of beer then why not in small
measures?

> I suppose I should give it a try before being so critical.

Chances are you wouldn't like it! I've found they tend to be too heavy with
the flavours, almost like it's ordinary beer that's been concentrated - too
syrupy for me! I have had some though that were rather nice, at around 17%
with just the right level of flavour strength. Haven't been able to find it
for years though since I forgot the name - think that might have been a
Czech one....

> I know that
> our locally brewery produces a barley wine. I think it is about 10%,
> but it is seasonal. My son has drunk some, but I've never tried it:
>
> http://lagunitas.com/beers/index.html

Hey - their stuff sounds good mate!

Cheers ',;~}~



Shaun aRe

: In article > ,
: Dog3 > wrote:

: > Oh man, this stuff sounds killer. A couple of shots of beer and you're on
: > the floor. The article states "everyone" that has tried it has been
: > enthusiastic. I guess so. After a few glasses one is probably unconscious.
: > I think I'll pass.
: >
: > Michael
: >
: > Fri Sep 9,11:24 AM ET
: >
: > BERLIN (Reuters) - A German brewer has concocted what he says is the
: > world's strongest beer, a potent drink with an alcohol content of 25.4
: > percent that is served in a shot glass.


: I'm sorry, Michael, but this seems ridiculous, and nothing more than a
: publicity attempt (which has apparently worked, at least on this group).
: Techniques for increasing alcohol content have been known for hundreds
: of years. Much whiskey is made out of the same ingredient as beer
: (barley), can be served in a shot glass, and has a much higher alcohol
: content than this stuff. It's just not called "beer". I'm not going to
: call this stuff "beer" either. It is common to call beverages made like
: beer but more than about 10% alcohol "barley wine". They don't taste
: much like beer, and need to be aged more like wine than beer. In normal
: fermentation, the yeast is killed when the alcohol content reaches
: around 14% or a little higher.


Not only that, but champagne yeast can only ferment to around 12-14% ABV,
beer yeasts lower than that. So some other technique must be used to
increase the alcohol content once the ferment has finished. By doing
so it's no longer "beer".

> wrote in message
...
> : In article > ,
> : Dog3 > wrote:
>
> : > Oh man, this stuff sounds killer. A couple of shots of beer and
you're on
> : > the floor. The article states "everyone" that has tried it has been
> : > enthusiastic. I guess so. After a few glasses one is probably
unconscious.
> : > I think I'll pass.
> : >
> : > Michael
> : >
> : > Fri Sep 9,11:24 AM ET
> : >
> : > BERLIN (Reuters) - A German brewer has concocted what he says is the
> : > world's strongest beer, a potent drink with an alcohol content of 25.4
> : > percent that is served in a shot glass.
>
>
> : I'm sorry, Michael, but this seems ridiculous, and nothing more than a
> : publicity attempt (which has apparently worked, at least on this group).
> : Techniques for increasing alcohol content have been known for hundreds
> : of years. Much whiskey is made out of the same ingredient as beer
> : (barley), can be served in a shot glass, and has a much higher alcohol
> : content than this stuff. It's just not called "beer". I'm not going to
> : call this stuff "beer" either. It is common to call beverages made like
> : beer but more than about 10% alcohol "barley wine". They don't taste
> : much like beer, and need to be aged more like wine than beer. In normal
> : fermentation, the yeast is killed when the alcohol content reaches
> : around 14% or a little higher.
>
>
> Not only that, but champagne yeast can only ferment to around 12-14% ABV,
> beer yeasts lower than that. So some other technique must be used to
> increase the alcohol content once the ferment has finished. By doing
> so it's no longer "beer".

They spend years breeding their yeast to higher alcohol tolerance, then in
the actual fermentation, not all the fermentable sugars are added at once,
rather part of it in one chunk at first, then when that has almost fermented
out, keep topping it up bit by bit so the yeast doesn't get shocked (yeast
doesn't like high sugar concentrations either, especially in the presence of
high alcohol too). There is *no* addition of extra alcohol at any stage -
all the alcohol present is from the actual fermentation.

I hope that helps!


Shaun aRe

wrote:

> Ooooh, this is begging for a crude response, but I'll refrain.... except that
> *most* American beer should not even be called beer. More like colored alcohol
> water.

Sad, but true. I had to laugh in another newsgroup when someone ranted about the French
and how they couldn't make a decent beer. Aside from the fact that there are a few
good French beers that I like to buy whenever I see them in the liquor store, I was
struck by the irony. That has to be the ultimate case of the pot calling the kettle
black.

On 2005-09-11, > wrote:

> water. YES there are a few good beers, but thats a FEW......

There are more than a *FEW* good beers. There are hundreds, if not
thousands, of good-to-great beers here in the US. Unfortunately,
you're not likely to find them next to the Bud display at you local
stupormarket. The US is absolutely lousy with awesome micro-brewery
offerings in every style and size, but you have to go out and actively
hunt them down. This shouldn't be too difficult as even your local
pizza joint is now in the business of brewing killer beers of all
types.

nb

a =E9crit :

> except that
> *most* American beer should not even be called beer. More like colored
> alcohol water.

Had some good ones in Boston but the majority of readily available US
"beers" taste like cold **** in a can. So does Coke in the US. Go
figger.

alsandor > wrote in message
oups.com...
a écrit :
> Had some good ones in Boston but the majority of readily
> available US "beers" taste like cold **** in a can.

And you know what "cold **** in a can" tastes like from personal
experience, no doubt. There are good US-based breweries out there but
they aren't the Big 3 (in sales or production volume) for a single
reason: the majority of consumers do not want something "with character"
for everyday drinking. The higher the alcohol content, the smaller the
customer base it will appeal to. It comes down to simple math.

The Ranger