America - The Official Thread

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ImaRobot
I'm not much into politics, so I'll just comment on this discussion :lol:

Are we going to have to set up a beer trade? I think we're going to have to set up a beer trade. Living near LA, I have good amount of breweries just around pretty much every city within 10-15 miles. My favorite happens to be a one local to Downtown Los Angeles, called Mumford. They mostly brew IPA's and a mix of stouts, and some other odd ones every once in a while. They're IPA's specifically are my favorite from most anything I've tried in recent years, and they're tap room is my go to whenever I get the opportunity.

When I finally transitioned from generic beer about a little less than a decade ago, it was to IPA's - Started out with the more mainstream ones like Sierra Nevada. I didn't really know much of beer yet, but I ended up transitioning about a year later to Belgians. Tripel's specifically, and some golden/blondes depending. Straffe Hendrick, Maredsous, St Feuillien and Rochefort Trappist where my usual go tos. I ended up sticking with Belgians for for the past.. I dont know how many years, but recently transitioned back to IPA's about a year and a half ago when Hazy/North East IPA's started to get trendy, and then gradually went back to full on IPA's as I got sick of the Haze Craze everyone is going through over here. My next venture is going to be stouts, I'm trying to force myself to move in that direction.

I'd say I'm pretty snobby with beer too, and spend obscene amounts of money on it, but I enjoy not only the beer that these breweries make, but the company of the people/brewers that you see at the breweries, who you can see have obvious passionswhen not only talking about their beers, but when they brew too. Since I've gotten into craft beer, it has been less about catching a buzz and more about taste and quality. It's ruined me, I have a hard time drinking Budweiser and the like.
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I am most certainly a beer snob. I'll drink water before I order anythig like a budweiser miller. The lowest brow beer I'll drink is something like Land Shark. There are surprisingly a few bars around here that dont have a very good selection. Mostly small town bars in our farming communities. I almost forgot about the trappist beers! Not sure if anyone else collects bottles, but I've amassed quite a few of the more unique bottles and a few steins as well. Indeed, I need to start getting back into collecting steins. Sadly a bunch ended up breaking in the last move we did.
Maybe not exactly craft, but I think among my favorite "grocery store" beers to get is Old Speckled Hen.
if you are trying to work into stouts, start with black and tans. definitely a good way to transition, and infact, you may just stay there. Black and tans are really good.
All this beer talk, I am walking out of work as I post this, think I'll be making a stop on the way home!
And I am definitely down for a beer swap, especially if we can get some people in from other countries.
 
Did some one say beer? Belgian all the way for me. A personal favourite.

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Rallywagon
I am most certainly a beer snob. I'll drink water before I order anythig like a budweiser miller. The lowest brow beer I'll drink is something like Land Shark. There are surprisingly a few bars around here that dont have a very good selection. Mostly small town bars in our farming communities
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I'm basically the same way. I ended up giving it a chance last weekend as my Step Dad was BBQing, but instantly regretted it. I've the benefit of living near a large city, so there is no shortage of good beer, and I'm extremely glad for that!

It's funny, my other half would absolutely hate craft beers, but in the past 2 years or so I've finally got her into it! She's a definite hop head, which is ironic, because she would hate them so much. I would pretty much force her try everything that I had, regardless if she thought she was going to like it or not as that's the only way that we were going to be able to find something she likes. She probably hated me for that, but she loves them now, so water under the bridge :lol:

Rallywagon
I almost forgot about the trappist beers! Not sure if anyone else collects bottles, but I've amassed quite a few of the more unique bottles and a few steins as well. Indeed, I need to start getting back into collecting steins. Sadly a bunch ended up breaking in the last move we did.
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I used to collect all the Belgian beer bottles that I drank, but eventually it got way too cluttered and figured I just looked like a drunk, so I eventually tossed them. I do collect glassware though, even though I basically don't use the vast majority of them.

Rallywagon
Maybe not exactly craft, but I think among my favorite "grocery store" beers to get is Old Speckled Hen.
if you are trying to work into stouts, start with black and tans. definitely a good way to transition, and infact, you may just stay there. Black and tans are really good.
All this beer talk, I am walking out of work as I post this, think I'll be making a stop on the way home!
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I think everyone has their not-so-generic-generic-craft beer that their local grocery store sells. Mine is actually Fat Tire - I'm actually ok with the vast majority of their beers, even most of their special editions, for the most part.

As for stouts, I dabble, so I'm not exactly clueless, but it's not one I can get myself into fully. I do enjoy a good Barrel Aged Stout once in while, mostly those Firestone specials, and some milk stouts, but it's just a style I can't drink too much of.

I'm still currently at work, slightly needing some dog hair. :lol: I'll likely stop by my own spot on the way home from work too, though.

huskeR32
Count me in! :cheers:
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I was just throwing that out there, but I really wouldn't mind giving it a shot. However, I do know that California has some harsh laws on... well everything, so I'll have to do some research.
 
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Rallywagon
And I am definitely down for a beer swap, especially if we can get some people in from other countries.
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I'm not sure how the logistics would work internationally. I think the cans would get shaken up in the post.

I hope your Old Speckled Hen is different from our Old Speckled Hen. I've been unfortunate enough to sample it at a pub which didn't know how to keep it and it put me off for life.

My local pub currently has Lagunitas 12th Of Never on which is okay. My favourite beers are fruit IPAs though. Citra hops are pretty great and I'll drink anything made with them.
 
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UKMikey
My local pub currently has Lagunitas 12th Of Never on which is okay. My favourite beers are fruit IPAs though. Citra hops are pretty great and I'll drink anything made with them.
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I used to be able to tolerate Lagunitas, but I don't know if it's the fact that I know they're basically owned by Anheiser-Busch that's putting me off, but I feel like the quality has been dropping with them.

I tend to like more Hoppy, bitter, earthy/pine tasting IPA's, so I notice that if it usually has Simcoe or Mosaic, I'll typically like it.
 
ImaRobot
I used to be able to tolerate Lagunitas, but I don't know if it's the fact that I know they're basically owned by Anheiser-Busch that's putting me off, but I feel like the quality has been dropping with them.
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Lagunitas certainly tasted nicer a few years ago. I've stopped drinking their bottles and only touch the draught beer now.

Brewdog are quite large for a "craft" brewer now but I liked the M.E.G.A. saison they did last November even if the label was a bit political.

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We dont get OSH on tap here, only bottles or nitro cans, and if given the option, i take the nitro can every time. There was a time when i was choosing beer based off the story on the label, or the print of the same. Of them all this has got to be my favorite and definitely a great tripel. 20180622_153848.jpg
 
Is there a beer lovers thread yet? Prehaps we should start one and move on over to the rumble strip?
 
TenEightyOne
The show was originally to be called Life and Stuff before Barr argued that as the main character with the show modelled on her life (being based as it was on her Domestic Goddess standup) that it should be called Roseanne.

Maybe they could go back to that title and somehow write her out but it's hard to imagine what would be left without the central tenet of the entire idea. Best left dead, I think.
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Not dead. As some suggested they might (and I didn't think they would) ABC have commissioned a Roseanne-less Roseanne, The Conners.
 
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I know it's still a ways away, but does anyone have plans for the 4th? Any big displays you hope to catch?
 
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ImaRobot
I used to be able to tolerate Lagunitas, but I don't know if it's the fact that I know they're basically owned by Anheiser-Busch that's putting me off, but I feel like the quality has been dropping with them.

I tend to like more Hoppy, bitter, earthy/pine tasting IPA's, so I notice that if it usually has Simcoe or Mosaic, I'll typically like it.
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My current IPA is Total Domination, crafted by Ninkasi at Eugene, Oregon.
 
Johnnypenso
You know business moves around all the time right? A single anecdote is pretty meaningless.
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I know and I was joking a bit, 1 company does not mean otherd will follow.

But if you mean harley is moving just because that's what bussinesses do well I might disagree. They stated they are moving because of the eu tariffs because if they don't they'll lose to much money.

So while this does not mean a massive movement to europe from multiple companies acting as if it's 'just' some moving around is just as disingenious as claiming it means all manufacturing jobs are going to leave.
 
Well that's certainly different than what Trump thought a little over a year ago when he met with Harley Davidson:

White House Release
We have to be treated fairly. In this administration, our allegiance will be to the American workers and to American businesses, like Harley-Davidson, that were very strong in the 1980s and I remember this — you were victims of trading abuse — big trading abuse, where they were dumping all sorts of competitors all over the place. And Ronald Reagan stepped in and he put on large tariffs and you wouldn’t be talking about Harley-Davidson probably right now if he didn’t do that.

But we’re going to help you, too, and we’re going to make it really great for business — not just you, but for everybody. We’re going to be competitive with anybody in the world.
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https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing...ey-davidson-executives-union-representatives/

I guess by helping, he really meant he was going to hurt them.

Tariffs are bad. Trade wars are bad. The President sticking their nose into the economy is bad. Let trade be free and the economy will prosper.
 
Mr Tree
I know and I was joking a bit, 1 company does not mean otherd will follow.

But if you mean harley is moving just because that's what bussinesses do well I might disagree. They stated they are moving because of the eu tariffs because if they don't they'll lose to much money.

So while this does not mean a massive movement to europe from multiple companies acting as if it's 'just' some moving around is just as disingenious as claiming it means all manufacturing jobs are going to leave.
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Before the tariffs Harley was laying off American workers and closing one U.S. plant amid declining sales in the U.S. and worldwide. Moving production closer to a market they want to get better penetration in isn't surprising, tariffs or no tariffs. They announced last year they are opening a plant in Thailand and they also have plants in Brazil and India. Maybe it's tariff related or maybe they are capitalizing on the tariff news to shift the blame away from themselves to avoid bad press. I'm not a fan of tariffs but I also don't believe every press release I read.
 
Johnnypenso
Before the tariffs Harley was laying off American workers and closing one U.S. plant amid declining sales in the U.S. and worldwide. Moving production closer to a market they want to get better penetration in isn't surprising, tariffs or no tariffs. They announced last year they are opening a plant in Thailand and they also have plants in Brazil and India. Maybe it's tariff related or maybe they are capitalizing on the tariff news to shift the blame away from themselves to avoid bad press. I'm not a fan of tariffs but I also don't believe every press release I read.
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I didn't know that.

Your theory of negating bad press is at least plausible and I think the truth will be somewhere in between as you also seem to say about the better penetration in our market.

I do believe the way it turns out is these tariffs shaking up what companies intended to do in detail. As in they planned on moving, thede tariffs made them think about doing it in europe.
 
Johnnypenso
Before the tariffs Harley was laying off American workers and closing one U.S. plant amid declining sales in the U.S. and worldwide. Moving production closer to a market they want to get better penetration in isn't surprising, tariffs or no tariffs. They announced last year they are opening a plant in Thailand and they also have plants in Brazil and India. Maybe it's tariff related or maybe they are capitalizing on the tariff news to shift the blame away from themselves to avoid bad press. I'm not a fan of tariffs but I also don't believe every press release I read.
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Harley Davidson said, in its SEC filing, that it's because of the tariffs. So it's not a press release, it's a legal document.

SEC
The European Union has enacted tariffs on various U.S.-manufactured products, including Harley-Davidson motorcycles. These tariffs, which became effective June 22, 2018, were imposed in response to the tariffs the U.S. imposed on steel and aluminum exported from the EU to the U.S.

Consequently, EU tariffs on Harley-Davidson motorcycles exported from the U.S. have increased from 6% to 31%. Harley-Davidson expects these tariffs will result in an incremental cost of approximately $2,200 per average motorcycle exported from the U.S. to the EU.

Harley-Davidson believes the tremendous cost increase, if passed onto its dealers and retail customers, would have an immediate and lasting detrimental impact to its business in the region, reducing customer access to Harley-Davidson products and negatively impacting the sustainability of its dealers’ businesses. Therefore, Harley-Davidson will not raise its manufacturer’s suggested retail prices or wholesale prices to its dealers to cover the costs of the retaliatory tariffs. In the near-term, the company will bear the significant impact resulting from these tariffs, and the company estimates the incremental cost for the remainder of 2018 to be approximately $30 to $45 million. On a full-year basis, the company estimates the aggregate annual impact due to the EU tariffs to be approximately $90 to $100 million.

To address the substantial cost of this tariff burden long-term, Harley-Davidson will be implementing a plan to shift production of motorcycles for EU destinations from the U.S. to its international facilities to avoid the tariff burden. Harley-Davidson expects ramping-up production in international plants will require incremental investment and could take at least 9 to 18 months to be fully complete.
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SEC Filing: http://investor.harley-davidson.com/node/17401/html

If they were trying to spin it, falsifying a legal document, with real implications is probably not the way to do it. If they'd just put out a press release, then I'd probably wager you were correct in saying it was a spin. But, the SEC is pretty legit.
 
Mr Tree
I didn't know that.

Your theory of negating bad press is at least plausible and I think the truth will be somewhere in between as you also seem to say about the better penetration in our market.

I do believe the way it turns out is these tariffs shaking up what companies intended to do in detail. As in they planned on moving, thede tariffs made them think about doing it in europe.
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When it comes to the bigger picture I like to focus on the bigger picture. There are literally hundreds and thousands of multinationals in the U.S. and they are moving and relocating and opening and closing facilities all the time. That's why an anecdote here or there is pretty meaningless. The larger economic picture, GDP growth, unemployment, wage growth, trade balances, export growth or decline etc. Those are the things that will tell the real story over the next few months or years.
 
I'm at work, don't have time to start a thread.
The old man from the TV show Pawnstars has passed away at 77.
RIP sir.
 
I would be interested to hear people's take on what would be the removal of due process.

"We cannot allow all of these people to invade our Country. When somebody comes in, we must immediately, with no Judges or Court Cases, bring them back from where they came. Our system is a mockery to good immigration policy and Law and Order. Most children come without parents..."

 

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