Yep, most people don't realize that every company has a JAG element. Bad thing was that every time ANY unit from 3d Bde went to the field, I went to the field (the JAG guys figured I was an ole boy from the south, so it was fitting for me to be in the field). So, believe it or not, I was in the field more than most of the 'field' units.

Anyway, most of my friends were from 2/63. You didn't happen to know Eric Mangrum, SPC Mangrum? He was a turret mechanic. I could name a dozen more, but Mangrum and I are still friends . . .

And, one more oddity, I WANTED to be a tanker when I enlisted. I am color blind so they told me I couldn't do it. I think they were lying to me . . .

P.S. Sorry I didn't show up to the Austin Homebrew happy hour. I didn't see the post until it was too late. I have a friend who is more into brewing than I (I am trying to get him to teach me some things, but would like a well-rounded reference).

Gentlemen

The best Beer is from four central european countries Czech, Germany, Poland and Slovakia.

Cheers
/ JOHAN

Since the "This will make you cry" post devolved (or evolved if you prefer) into a discussion of beer I decided to give it a thread of it's own.

For me, whether Aussie, Canadian or American, it's not really beer. There may be a few local exceptions, but it's largely tasteless and a waste of time and calories.

REAL beer to me is Belgian. Get your hands on some Duvel, Westmalle, Leffe, Corsendonck, Chimay, Delerium Tremens, Kasteelbier, Piraat, Brugse Tripel, Grimbergen, Orval. Some of these come in multiple varieties - double/triple, blond/brown. If you can find the right glass to go with it and serve at about 53f (cellar temp) so much the better.

I'm not trying to be snooty with this. Beer is one of my pursuits, one that started before guns. Most of the beers above are entirely appropriate for the big bore fans, as they are very bold and range from 8 to 13% alcohol.

Anyone else like these, or have some other favorites?

I remember as a young lad visiting in a small Czech village. I had a fair sampling of heavy bodied beer that waters my mouth to this day. I believe many of the countries had numerous regional breweries some very micro. The beer available then, under communist rule, was either 8, 10, and 12 % or 10, 12, and 14%.... Nothing like real bear and real music (polkas) !

Good beer is where you find it,IMHO.

I've drank some beer and I will go with you- czech varieties are the best for me.

As a young troop, I used to go from my billets in Frankfurt to a friend's posting in Augsburg down Bavaria way. On more than one occasion, we would barhop. We'd order the little quarter liter glasses so that we could try as many varieties as possible while still being able to find the barracks at 2:00 a.m. Though all were good and many were great, one mark stood above them all. K�hlbock! All rise and uncover, gentlemen, you are in the presence of the veritible Necter. Nothing like it on the planet and you can't get it anywhere else, dammit!

I think the number one requirement is the beer has to be from the area your in. For my money once a beer is shipped any distance, it's probably not fit to drink. I don't drink much at all here in the states as I just can't stomach most American varities. I perfer my beer to be a stout...

For me personally you can't beat a Guinness, sitting at any pub in Dublin. Here in the states the closest match I have found is Stockyard Oatmeal Stout. A close second is a bier that I had in Luxembourg, don't know if it was the atmosphere or what but the local stuff in Luxembourg was fantastic!

I like the beer style Hefe Weizen. There are many tiny breweries in Germany that make this. My favorite brand was Winkler Brau. A brand I often buy in the US is Paulaner.

I also love a good Porter. In the US, I like Fuller's London Porter. I've tried Young's Double Chocolate Stout and I like it.

My brother and I are brewing up some Chocolate Porter. We're trying to come up with a name and label design for our beers.

My freinds and family call me a beer snob, since I am extremely picky about the beer I drink. It is kind of like reloading, I have reached a point were I make my own, because like a prevoius poster state about shipping, I only ship it from my basement to my fridge, and I control the ingredients and taste. I have tried many different recipes, some of which are my own. I make a variety called "Smokey the Beer", which is a porter where I smoke the barley (in a smoker like you would fish) before I brew the beer, it is unbelievable.


Karl
www.rifleactions.com

Well, for those of you who like a dark porter and want it kept local, should the family ever force you into SoCal (to go to Hollywood? Disneyland? the beach? whatever . . .) find the neighborhood called Belmont Shore in Long Beach, go to the Belmont Brewing Company at the foot of the Belmont Pier and try their Long Beach Crude. It's named after our famous oil fields and if you like a thick dark . . .

America is becoming much like Germany in that you can find quality beers just about anywhere you look. If you're in PA, try anything from the Victory brewery. here in Houston, St. Arnold's is the place to go. Oh, for a Blue Moon! I can't remember 'em all (for obvious reasons) but I have found great local beer in virtually every state through which I travel. Lastly, let us not forget our friends in Mexico who have had great beer much longer than we.

I like some American beers--such as Sam Adams and many of the microbrewed varieties, but I am a beer snob of the worst (or best) sort.

I believe that most American beers (and Belgian beers, too--if I wanted a blonde, she wouldn't be a beer) are like sex in a canoe.

They're both f*cking close to water.

My preference is German beer, either weizen or dunkel. I can't name just one brand since besides the big boys like Paulaner or HofBrau (Munchen), every other town has its own brewery of various size and quality. I've only had a couple of Belgian and Dutch beers, not too bad. French beer sucks, but that's just my fractured opinion.

LongDistanceOperator, I live 5 min from the Winkler Brau brewery in Lengenfeld (Kreis Neumarkt). My favorite is the Kupfer-Weizen, looks like used motor oil but tastes great. Now, what the hell does this have to do with guns anyway?

Okay, I'm a bier (beer) snob... Having lived in Germany and several other countries around the World and having consumed geat quantities of local beers (strictly for research purposes of course ;-) I have to put forward that Bitburger Pils is the best beer in the world, bar none!

But, like Scotch (that includes single malt, yum) and Redheaded women it is an aquired taste!

Like others have indicated in this thread good beer doesn't travel well. Who knows I may have to moved to Germany when I retire.

Give me a Guinness on tap over any beer, any day.

I'll have a Shiner Bock.

Living in Texas spoiled me. I can't get
them in Ohio.

Lots of beer opinions here, almost as varied as those about rifles etc. I wouldn't have it any other way.

A few responses so far.
1. Beer can be shipped successfully over great distances. Of course most do better on tap, but I'll take what I can get sometimes. Duvel, for example, is not a beer offered on tap anywhere, bottle only. Palm, which I didn't mention is best on tap, but I'll take it bottled if that's all there is. Chimay is commonly available in the US, and it tastes just as good here as at the cafe nearest the monks who brew it.

2. Sam Adams is fine in the US, but all their varieties have the same basic taste. Uninspired brewing in my opinion.

3. I'll take it as given that Guiness is best on tap closest to the source. Have not had the real thing, but that's the concensus.

4. I left out the German beers on purpose to see if anyone would hold them in higher esteem. German beer is good, but I find that most people who claim it best in the world have not experienced the stuff I listed. And that list is just a tiny fraction of what's available. This is Belgium's fault. Germany markets itself much better.

5. 3 cheers for Shiner Bock. I've been to Austin a few times and it hits the spot.

Good to see the responses. I replied to myself because really I'm replying to everyone, but can't do that anymore.

This 8% to 13% etc. are not % of alcohol !!!, call this "degrees" and it means percents of beer wort . . .

What to say I belive here in Czech Republic we have one of the best beer, For example original Pilsner Urquell (only original clear lager), Budweiser Budvar (not american shit), Bernard non pasterised beer, and a lot of small local beers. But of course I like also some non Czech stuff like some Belgian and German beers, but definitively not american yellow water (sorry . . .

http://www.budvar.cz/

http://www.pilsner-urquell.cz/

http://gerlich.kbx.cz/ceske%20pivovary.htm

Jiri

The Czech's make excellent beer. While there didn't drink one that wasn't nice.

One of my favorite beers while I lived in Prague was Staropramen Cern�. Excellent. I gravitate toward the dark beers and and the Czechs had a bunch of underrated darks IMO. Pilsner Urquell never did it for me and is just about, but not quite, as bad as American Budweiser if you ask me.

Chimay I can get locally. Very good stuff! Those Belgian munchs can make some good beer!

But as for my FAVORITE beer in the world........It IS from Germany. Andechs.....Andechser Doppelbock Dunkel. VERY good stuff. For the most part I can only get it when in Germany. But I have some friends that travel and bring me some back from time to time. GREAT STUFF!

Here in Pittsburgh we have Penn Brewery. A micro brew that makes the closest thing to German beer that I have found here in the states. I love Penn Dark.

mrlexma, for a good US beer try to find some Samuel Adams Triple Bock. It's a vintage-release barley wine in cobalt blue 8 oz bottles, corked. Basically a dopple bock brewed and then blended with equal part maple syrup, fermented again with champagne yeast and aged in wood casks until released. You won't be disapointed. Other Sam Adams, I agree with GFP, all use the same basic hops style and run together in flavor.

Gentlemen,

Living in Oregon gets a guy spoiled when it comes to beer, as there are many excellent breweries throughout the state. Deschutes brewery is excellent, as is Full Sail, and many others.

Living here in South Africa sucks when it comes to beer. People here haven't been exposed to truly great beer, though Namibian beers Windhoek and Tafel are quite good for a "mass produced" beer.

Everybody here drinks Castle, and to me it tastes about the same as Olympia or Hamm's. Makes you feel about as good the next day too.

I miss Black Butte Porter...

I have to agree that the Full Sail brewery is a good'n. Their Rip Curl . . . Mmm-mm!

I want to add something else to this discussion, and disclaim again that I'm not trying to be uppity. I understand that I may not be successful in this and apologize.

I want to clear up the idea that to be a "real/strong/manly..." beer it has to be black as night. I like porters and stouts just fine but some of my favorites, like Duvel, are the color of MGD or Bud. But it will quickly knock you out if you disrespect it. Others are amber and just as full of character and flavor as the black stuff.

What makes many of these Belgian beers so unique is that they are "alive." Before capping/corking the bottle, more yeast is added. This continues to work on the beer and you can actually "age" it like a fine wine. All American beers that I know of are filtered and pasteurized to "death."

On this next idea, please correct me if I'm wrong. I believe that the German purity law prohibits this secondary yeast, along with other techniques that Belgians use in their brewing.

Thanks for keeping this thread alive. Beer and guns are the two top occupations in my life. Too bad they don't pay.

Gentlemen, I lived in Vilseck for 2 years. It has no brewery (which is strange for a German town). The closest was between the Army post (Rose Barracks) and Vilseck in a town called Schlict (there's only about 1/2 click difference between schlict and vilseck) . The best Pilsner and dopple bach I've ever had was from the Schlicter Brewery. Schlicter Pils.....

Did any of you ever go to any fasching (sp?) balls?

I miss Germany so much I can't hardly stand it!!!!

While in Germany, I went to see U2 (rock band) at Zepplin Field (Hitler's southern HQ). They were sponsored by Guinness and it was wonderful!

I've recently started dabbling in brewing my own beer, for the soul purpose to make a Heffe-Weissen. A good Heffe-Weissen is the nector of the gods (at least the monks thought so - liquid bread)....

cjohle-
It's been more than 3 years since I came back. I had forgotten about Schlicht being so close to Vilseck. I never knew where one stopped and the other started.

I also got Neumarkt and Neuhaus mixed up. The castle I referred to earlier is in Neuhaus It's the one that had been owned by Hermann Goerring.

Lee

Were you stationed (I'm assuming you were in the military) in Vilseck?

And I know the castle you are speaking of, but never got to visit it. I always thought one of the coolest cities near Vilseck (if you don't count Neuremberg) was Amberg. Beautiful city...