Hi Guys Peter from axiom here. Did someone say beer? Just want throw out my favs - everyday swill Sleemans draught & Alexander Keith's, always in stock Bass ale, Stella and Hockley dark and for a treat and when I can find it Chimay Blue or Westvletern.

You'll fit right in, Peterbell. Do you have a sister named "Tinker" by any chance?

Sorry. Couldn't resist.

I rather like the Sleeman beers I've had; they are small (subtle) but nice. They are NOT a good value here, though. I expect the draught versions would be much better than the bottles.

I recently tried several Fresh Hop (or "wet hop") beers; I really enjoy that style. In descending order of preference:

1. Port Brewing High Tide IPA. All the beers from this place are terrific. Big, resiny, fresh. Just what I wanted.
2. Rogue - Chatoe Rogue (not a misspelling). Had this on draught at the brewery in Newport, OR. It was a nice beer, but lacked that certain something to make it sparkle. I am becoming more convinced than ever that my beer preferences are predicated upon particular yeast strains. I don't seem to "love" the yeast in Rogue beers, and I loathe the yeast they use at Red Hook. In both of these cases, the brewery goes to great pains to use the same strain regardless of style; I think they're just being stubborn and that lifeless beers result.
3. Great Divide Fresh Hop Pale Ale. Recognizable, but seriously, the hops come from Washington to the other side of the Rockies before they hit the boil. Nice beer, just not as good as the Port or Rogue.
4. Deschutes Hop Trip - not nearly as good as in prior years. Still quite nice, but suffers in comparison to the others.
5. Bridgeport Hop Harvest - Pretty disappointing, actually. Flat, dull and lifeless. Surprising.

Since Mrs. Tuttle also confirmed these rankings, they are indisputable (and I am clearly on my way to world domination).

3 sisters but none named tinker. I read the article on fresh hops and I sure want do some sampling. Yeah all our beer and booze is expensive here in Ontario sin tax eh.

A sin tax would just encourage me to sin in ways they can't nickel and dime me for.

I wonder what yeast strain that is that you don't like? Redhook, I would guess, would be using an English ale yeast, huh?

Years ago, at a brewpub, I was talking to one of the brewers (expressing disappointment that their hefeweizen was made with the same ale yeast as the rest of their line) and he explained that the risk of cross contamination was the reason.

I didn't say, "Maybe you just need to keep your equipment clean."

From an article in the school paper at UW:

"As she explained the brewing process, Hackett pointed out that the yeast strain that Redhook uses in its beer production was developed by a UW graduate student years ago, and that the same strain is still in use."

Hmmm.

Yes, there are MANY different types of Ale yeast. The fact that Redhook literally filters the life out of the beer might have something to do with it, too. It's not the "English Ale" thing; it is the strain that Redhook uses. Wyeast Labs supplies lots of breweries and homebrewers.

I've heard the "cross contamination" argument before, too. I don't think it is specious, particularly in relation to Belgian or Weiheinstephaner yeasts.

Yeah, Tom; but do any of the ones that you mentioned have "drinkability"?

Curiously, I find that beers that advertise "drinkability" also have high "avoidability" -- for me, at least.

I'm kind of in a loop drinking Guinness Draught myself.