Blue Hill Tavern and base beers

We travelled around the block to the Blue Hill Tavern on Friday to grab a bite to eat. While they do not have a lot going for them beer wise (a good selection of micros, macros and imports, but nothing special), the food we had was delicious. I chose to drink a Pilsner Urquell to go with my pork tenderloin meal.

Many times I have commented on other people's blogs my feelings toward beers like Pilsner Urquell, DFH 60 min, Stone IPA, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and a few others. These beers I consider base beers. There is nothing wrong with them, and they are quite good. But for me, they set a standard for their respective styles. Pilsner Urquell is what a pilsner should taste like. Yes, there are many beers that taste better, have more hops, etc. But when I think pilsner, PU is the base line. Any other pilsner beer should resemble it somehow, and find a way to improve upon it.

That is the same with the other beers above. 60 min. is my classic example of an East Coast IPA, Stone IPA is a great West Coast IPA. When I see 60 min, I know what I am going to get. I like 60 min and hit helped me get into IPAs, but there are much better IPAs from the east coast. (Weyerbacher Hop Infusion-and Double Simcoe, Victory Hop Devil, and Brooklyn IPA) Stone IPA is a classic West Coast IPA, but I think Green Flash WC IPA, Bear Republic Racer 5 and Avery Maharaja sky above Stone's offering.

I have found a base beer in almost every style that I have tried. Have you felt this way toward your beer? What is your base beer?

The Beers- Pilsner Urquell

Pilsner Urquell, Rodenbach Grand Cru, DogfishHead 90 Minute, and Racer 5 remain in my Beer Bracket. It leaves me to comment on these beers and my connection with each.





When I first started drinking, which is late compared to most of my friends, I tried everything I could find to see what I liked. One beer that I like, but always seemed snobbish was Pilsner Urquell. I think it had something to do with the name. I don't always drink enough pilsners. I feel that I kind of black balled them; It might be the color. I just don't like the looks of it. Pale yellow bleh. Give me something darker. But that is kind of like the team Pilsner Urquell represents on my bracket. I don't like the look of them, they seemed boring to me. Then comes the tourny and I remember why I placed the as a 3 seed. Both PU and Nova, clean, clear, and consistent. The Wildcats are having a good run, thanks to the Pilsner.



Other Pilsners that I am fond of are the Victory Prima Pils and Bel Pils. What are some other good pilsners out there that I should try?

Updated bracket

Games today are Racer 5 v Dead Guy (UCONN v Mizz) at 4:48. Then at 7:05, it is Guinness v Pilsner Urquell. (Pitt v Nova)

Who will prevail to get to the Final Four?