I’m going to say that every beer we brew is a favorite, and most often not available locally. Like stated above, some of the Euro-Lagers we make are available, but freshness is the big issue.
That’s the primary reason I started brewing in 1990, as the beer I wanted was not available. Today many more beers are on the store shelf, but check those pull-dates!
Also come to think of it, when my favorite brewery in PA and oktoberfest venue that was headed by Carol Stoudt announced they were calling it quits. That really got me into home brewing. Stoudts brewery had a killer oktoberfest the food the beer the music the venue it was just plain awesome
We like to brew with garbage which was hard to find
Whatch you talkin’ 'bout, Willis?
Good call on Live Oak. They are not easy to find outside of Austin. I love Primis, their weizenbock which tastes better on tap than the couple of six packs I’ve managed to run across when I was in that part of the country. Asking for their recipe is on my to-do list
For a long time, I was primarily a British-style bitter brewer. There are very few good examples of British bitter in the United States. Landlord is amazing if one is lucky enough to get relatively fresh bottle, but most of what is stocked on shelves is old. Add the fact that American home and craft brewing has moved away from British ale toward newer American styles, and it is darn difficult to get a good draft bitter in the United States.
The Stoudt brewery made amazing lagers.
Have you ever gotten diacetyl or a pineapple ester from 1084? That’s why I stopped using it long ago, but I’m not ruling out something I did.
Yes they did, my poor better half has carried me through that parking lot a few times lol
It’s definitely British pale ales such as bitters and IPAs for me. I love them and can’t get fresh good ones. They are also just particularly great on tap.
May I ask for the Czech lager recipe? One of the few styles I haven’t brewed much of.
American brown ale
I know you’re not asking this of me, but…
1084 is not in my regular lineup, but I’ve used it enough to know what it brings to the table in my homebrewery, and I have never tasted either of these in my beers.
Here you go Jim,
90 Min Boil
92% Weyermann Floor Malted BoPils Malt
6% Carapils
2% Acid Malt
Saaz Hops @ 75,60,30 I also will at times add Saaz at 15,10,5 & knockout which won’t change your IBU’s much if at all.
40 IBU’s
WLP 802 or 34/70 or S-189 Ferment at 48-52
Mash@ 122* for 30 mins, raise to 152* 30 mins mash out 168* or you can single infuse @ 152. I have done both and honestly don’t see much difference.
OG 1.053
FG 1.011
Enjoy!!
I agree, Czech lagers are among the best. Anywhere in the Czech Republic great beer is easy to find. Not so much here. We have purchased 1/4 bbl kegs of Pilsner Urquell, part of the SAB family now, and the beer is excellent. I do not buy it in bottles as that is a crap shoot.
Brewing your own is the best way to go. In addition to my beers, we sometimes keep one, maybe two kegs of commercial beer on tap.
One beer that I brew occasionally is a Baltic Porter. I can’t find Baltika #6 anywhere near me so I brew the style. Mine always comes out pretty well.
A little diacetyl, yeah. It’s that butterscotchy/diacetyl thing I love about that yeast. It goes so great in UK styles. I use it for my best bitters also.
I’m not into Hefeweizens but I understand Live Oak’s Hefe is fantastic. It’s been mentioned a number of times and I wish I liked it just so I could appreciate what Live Oak has done with that style. Their Pilsner and the Big Bark are fantastic. My daughter actually bought sixer of the Big Bark in the Austin airport when she was coming home once and surprised me with it. 
I find that small breweries will share recipes so with regard to this thread… if I am traveling I like to sample the local beers and if I find one that I like and the brewer will share it with me (and I feel like the brewer has done something unique with the recipe) I will make it here and feel like I am serving a nice craft beer in my basement that could not be purchased in my area. I know that might sound weird but to have a beer on tap in my house that no one can get locally… that’s kind of cool to me.
This.
I would very much like to get ahold of 1/4 bbl. I did not know you could get them. The hunt is on!!