FB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[matblake]

When I lived in Ireland, I decided to donate blood to the Red Cross.  After the "extraction" they had an array of cookies, crackers, etc. to get you going again like they usually do when you give blood.  To my surprise, or maybe not so surprising, they also offered Guinness as a post donation supplement.   

[Mugsy]

When I lived in England for a year (playing football back in 1990), players on the team spoke of "a Guinness a day" like it was a vitamin supplement.

"Lad, there's iron in that drink.  It's good fer ya."

[Gotberg]

When I lived in England for a year (playing football back in 1990), players on the team spoke of "a Guinness a day" like it was a vitamin supplement.

"Lad, there's iron in that drink.  It's good fer ya."

Guiness has low calories and includes antioxidants

[Carthage Fan]

Boys, visit the Dame Tavern in Temple Bar...it's a hole in the wall, but has the best tasting Guinness in Dublin

Boy, there's an oxymoron if I've ever seen one. Guinness is the world's most overrated beer. I can name a half-dozen porters and stouts that are better than Guinness.

That's great Greg.  Means more Guinness for me!     Seriously if you have a couple labels you like better than Guinness please post them here.  I would like to try them.

[Gregory Sager]

Excellent! An invitation for me to play the role of beer snob!

Here's a few porters and stouts that any fan of Guinness will like -- all available locally either in bottles or on tap somewhere, and all of which I've tasted (I wouldn't feel right about including a beer that I hadn't, even though there's a few beers in this category, such as North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Stout or Bells Expedition Stout, that are also available in bottles here in Chicagoland). The number that follows each beer is its score on ratebeer.com. I've also listed the beer's style, although these are categories that really only matter to brewmasters and serious hopheads, and even they don't necessarily agree on where the dividing lines are; to the average drinker, there's really no difference at all between the styles in the stout/porter family. My beer knowledge probably rates as "advanced beginner class", and I can't really distinguish the difference between a foreign stout and an imperial stout. Let's just say that if you're a Guinness drinker, all of these beers will strike you as familiar:

Three Floyds Black Sun Stout	96	dry stout
Three Floyds Dark Lord Imperial Stout	100	imperial stout
Bells Kalamazoo Stout	99	stout
Fuller's London Porter	99	porter
Lion Stout	97	foreign stout

Three Floyds Brewing Company is in Munster, IN, and it is a local treasure. Serious beer experts from all over the world, including such beer-serious nations as Belgium, Germany, and the Czech Republic, tout Three Floyds as one of the best breweries on the planet. If you ever happen to find yourself in northwest Indiana for any reason, stop by the attached brewpub, or take a tour of the brewery (Saturdays only). Any of the various Three Floyds brands are worth trying. The Bells brewery in Kalamazoo is another world-class brewery right here in the midwest.

One American-brewed stout that I wouldn't recommend is Summit Oatmeal Stout, brewed up in the Twin Cities and fairly easily available here in Chicagoland. It's a dry stout, like Guinness and Three Floyds Black Sun, but IMHO they went way overboard with the malted barley. If you like your steak charred to ashes, as opposed to merely well-done, you might enjoy Summit Oatmeal Stout, but to me the flavor of the beer is overwhelmed by the burnt taste.

(The ratebeer.com site gave Summit Oatmeal Stout a score of 84, BTW. Guinness rates an 82, which tells you that beer snobs around the world don't tend to be big Guinness fans.)

Americans don't tend to drink a lot of beers from this category (aside from Guinness), so American breweries frequently offer them only as seasonals. Three Floyds, for example, currently offers Red Tendon Porter as their summer seasonal from within the porter/stout family. Haven't tried that one yet, but I will!

Fuller's is an English import, while Lion Stout is from Sri Lanka.

I was being harsh with regard to Guinness, by the way. I have no problem drinking one (and not just for the antioxidants ), although if I'm going to order one of the macro Irish imports on tap I'd prefer a Smithwick's or a Harp. My point is that there are much better beers in Guinness's style that you can find locally.

[FormerCard]

Thought I'd post a little FYI.  Today a team of 12 guys, 9 from NCC, 1 from Bethel,
1 from Luther, and 2 from Benedictine, played the top Irish football team in Dublin.
This team is made up of recent grads and guys who haven't played in years.  It was a trip they just wanted to make.  They didn't practise, had no plays, and all had to play both ways.  On the first play of the game, 2 time all American Tyke Spenser, grad from NCC blew out his knee. Despite that, the team went on to post a 66 to 8 win.  Just thought this might be of interest to some of you CCIW fans.

Thats not the result I was hoping to hear.  66-8 is great, but that is a horrible scenario for Spencer.

[Carthage Fan]

Thanks Greg...looks I have a mission....its a tough job but someone has to do it!  Beeeerrrrr!

BTW, one of the most popular beers in Ireland is Budweiser.....  Oh and Bulmers Cider....it's not even beer!

[burly]

Excellent! An invitation for me to play the role of beer snob!

Here's a few porters and stouts that any fan of Guinness will like -- all available locally either in bottles or on tap somewhere, and all of which I've tasted (I wouldn't feel right about including a beer that I hadn't, even though there's a few beers in this category, such as North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Stout or Bells Expedition Stout, that are also available in bottles here in Chicagoland).

Drank a Rasputin Imperial Stout last Friday night and give it a thumbs up.  Good post...you definitely know your beers.

Surprised you boys in Kenosha drink any other than Milwaukee's Beast!

[matblake]

Bells Kalamazoo Stout

99

stout

The Bells brewery in Kalamazoo is another world-class brewery right here in the midwest.

As a Michigander, I can testify to the quality of Bells.  That is good stuff, they have a pretty wide variety too.

[Mugsy]

Bells Kalamazoo Stout

99

stout

The Bells brewery in Kalamazoo is another world-class brewery right here in the midwest.

As a Michigander, I can testify to the quality of Bells.  That is good stuff, they have a pretty wide variety too.

I was really disappointed when some state to state dispute occurred a couple of years ago where Bells decided to temporarily stop shipping to Illinois. 

Just recently I noticed that Bells began reappearing on shelves here in the Land of Lincoln and someone informed me there was some "mending of fences".  Just had some Oberon last weekend...

[Gregory Sager]

BTW, one of the most popular beers in Ireland is Budweiser

I'm not surprised. Hurling and Gaelic football are dangerous sports, and if some boyo happens to get his noggin cracked in a hurling or Gaelic football match there's no telling what sort of brain damage could result ... such as a desire to drink Budweiser, f'rinstance.

Oh and Bulmers Cider....it's not even beer!

Hard cider is very popular in the British Isles, much more so than over here. Cider has been a staple of pub society for many generations over there.

Excellent! An invitation for me to play the role of beer snob!

Here's a few porters and stouts that any fan of Guinness will like -- all available locally either in bottles or on tap somewhere, and all of which I've tasted (I wouldn't feel right about including a beer that I hadn't, even though there's a few beers in this category, such as North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Stout or Bells Expedition Stout, that are also available in bottles here in Chicagoland).

Drank a Rasputin Imperial Stout last Friday night and give it a thumbs up.

I've gotta give that one a try sometime. It's on my list!

Bells Kalamazoo Stout

99

stout

The Bells brewery in Kalamazoo is another world-class brewery right here in the midwest.

As a Michigander, I can testify to the quality of Bells.  That is good stuff, they have a pretty wide variety too.

Bells Amber Ale is one of my all-time favorite "everyday" beers. Very drinkable, goes with many different kinds of food, always available, and you can buy it at all sorts of places in Chicagoland.

I was really disappointed when some state to state dispute occurred a couple of years ago where Bells decided to temporarily stop shipping to Illinois. 

Just recently I noticed that Bells began reappearing on shelves here in the Land of Lincoln and someone informed me there was some "mending of fences".  Just had some Oberon last weekend...

I like Oberon a lot, too.

I see that Bells has just come out with a porter. I'm going to have to add that to my list.

[Redmen96]

I grew up in Vermont and used to bring this stuff with me to Carthage once in a while and people seemed to like it. 
http://www.woodchuck.com/

But I still love the High Life.  Miller that is.

[matblake]

Oh and Bulmers Cider....it's not even beer!

Hard cider is very popular in the British Isles, much more so than over here. Cider has been a staple of pub society for many generations over there.

Bulmer's is available in 2 liter containers in Ireland.  The young uns' would often tape a soda label over the Bulmers label while in public. 

[blb]

Elmhurst new HC - Todd Nichols or Tim Lester? Decision supposedly due by next Monday.

[Carthage Fan]

OK, enough beer talk.....wait, did I just say that?  

Seriously, I am wondering what the thoughts are for the CCIW this year.  

Reading all about Wheaton and North Central, ranked in top 25 pre-season, preseason All-American candidates and seems like they are the top runners...again.  

New HC coming into Elmhurst (what's the latest?)

Augie goes to the Spread.  

Lots of things are different at Carthage.  Sedeska and Peebles are new.  O'Boyle, DeBaker and Shenault ( Franko had 1 year of eligibility left) are gone.  Some position changes, new turf.    

North Park has some changes, IWU?  Millikin?  

Lets talk some football......Carthage reports in 49 days!