[gordonstrong]

I was in Nashville for a conference earlier this month.  At Blackstone, all of their beers were what I'd call "normal" ones.  Just straightforward things like English brown ale, American pale ale, brown porter, and Kolsch.  The strongest thing they had was an English IPA, and it wasn't at all extreme.  However, every last one of them was worth drinking, several pints worth in fact.  Dave Miller may not be involved any more, but they all have his spirit in them.

[bluesman]

I just entered one in the NHC. 

Love them but I have to say I like alot of different styles of beer. Life would be boring if there was only a couple different styles. I enjoy drinking many different styles of beer. I am always searching for a beer I haven't tried yet. It depends on my mood, the weather, the time of year, etc...,etc... as to the style of beer I'm drinking and/or brewing.

Too many beers and too little time. 

...but you are not alone here. 

[redbeerman]

A dark mild, an ESB and a good IPA, are all welcome here!  BTW  Ron's ESB is usually pretty awesome.  Haven't had this years yet, hint, hint.

[gmac]

Life would be boring if there was only a couple different styles. I enjoy drinking many different styles of beer. I am always searching for a beer I haven't tried yet. It depends on my mood, the weather, the time of year, etc...,etc... as to the style of beer I'm drinking and/or brewing.

Too many beers and too little time. 

Well said!

Thanks everyone for letting me know I'm not alone.  For me, dark English bitters take me back to my college days when we would go out for some Wellington County or Arkell's Best Bitter and spend the night in the pub drinking pints, snacking on great pub food and ignoring all of our responsibilities.  I like a good lager as much as the next guy in the summer but I have to admit, I've got a predilection for amber lagers over lighter ones.  I love English style IPAs, Stouts, Porters etc too but my goal for this year is to master an all-grain session ale to have on tap all the time.  The Uber-hopped AIPA style hasn't really caught on North of your border yet for some reason but I am sure by the fall I'll be dry-hopping right along with the rest of you.
Thanks again.

[majorvices]

I was in Nashville for a conference earlier this month.  At Blackstone, all of their beers were what I'd call "normal" ones.  Just straightforward things like English brown ale, American pale ale, brown porter, and Kolsch.  The strongest thing they had was an English IPA, and it wasn't at all extreme.  However, every last one of them was worth drinking, several pints worth in fact.  Dave Miller may not be involved any more, but they all have his spirit in them.

Absolutely agree with that assessment. I stop in just about every time I'm in Nashville. They do a good job with their beer engine as well. And the Shepherd's Pie ain't half bad either. nor the fish 'n chips.

[Pawtucket Patriot]

I was in Nashville for a conference earlier this month.  At Blackstone, all of their beers were what I'd call "normal" ones.  Just straightforward things like English brown ale, American pale ale, brown porter, and Kolsch.  The strongest thing they had was an English IPA, and it wasn't at all extreme.  However, every last one of them was worth drinking, several pints worth in fact.  Dave Miller may not be involved any more, but they all have his spirit in them.

Absolutely agree with that assessment. I stop in just about every time I'm in Nashville. They do a good job with their beer engine as well. And the Shepherd's Pie ain't half bad either. nor the fish 'n chips.

While I spent most of my time at Boscos (having worked there through undergrad), Blackstone was definitely one of my haunts when I lived in Nashville.  Solid brew and good food. 

[gordonstrong]

Went to Boscos as well.  Both very good, but I was impressed by the unpretentious lineup at Blackstone.  Quieter place too.  Just what I'd want in a neighborhood pub.  If you're in Nashville, you should try both.  The steinbier at Boscos is worth checking out just for the uniqueness.  I got a sampler at both places first; not a dud in the lot.

[dak0415]

You sir are apparently NOT alone.  My go-to styles are Northern English Brown, ESB, Irish Red, and Robust Porter.  From there I lean to the German, less hoppy styles (Maerzen, Schwarzbier).  The tongue numbing American IPAs and citrusy pale ales, while I can appreciate, and make them, are just not what I want to drink when I get home from work.

[akr71]

Thanks everyone for letting me know I'm not alone...  The Uber-hopped AIPA style hasn't really caught on North of your border yet for some reason but I am sure by the fall I'll be dry-hopping right along with the rest of you.
Thanks again.

They are hard to find up here, but Canadian craft brewers are (thankfully) catching on.  Garrison's Imperial Pale Ale clocks in at 75 IBU (but not much for aroma or hop flavor - maybe the pasteurization process?) and Propellar's IPA is tasty.  Red Racer from Vancouver makes a good IPA - several of my brewing buddies prefer it to DFH 60 Minute.  The OP might like to know the make a tasty ESB too.

I'm up for an English style session ale too.

[phillamb168]

My favorite beer of
all timeis the Spotted Pig Bitter that Brooklyn Brewery (?right?) does for the Spotted Pig in Manhattan. That place also happens to be my favorite restaurant at that end of the city. They got it in casks in the cellar and when I ordered my first, it was the very first time I had ever seen a beer engine.

Drinking a well executed cask bitter isn't a 'joy' per se, at least not in the sense of rainbows and fireworks. But it's satisfying in the same way that sitting on the deck after rotovating 50 sq m of garden is. Also, for me, it's different from when I drink hop bombs or high-gravity gunboats. It's just perfect, like drinking water, but awesome water.

I've got some Northdown and Cobb hops in the garden that I'm planning on putting into my "Garden Variety Bitter," which is going to be made of entirely home-grown ingredients - hops, rainwater, and malt. Not sure about the malting though, we'll see.

[majorvices]

I was in Nashville for a conference earlier this month.  At Blackstone, all of their beers were what I'd call "normal" ones.  Just straightforward things like English brown ale, American pale ale, brown porter, and Kolsch.  The strongest thing they had was an English IPA, and it wasn't at all extreme.  However, every last one of them was worth drinking, several pints worth in fact.  Dave Miller may not be involved any more, but they all have his spirit in them.

Absolutely agree with that assessment. I stop in just about every time I'm in Nashville. They do a good job with their beer engine as well. And the Shepherd's Pie ain't half bad either. nor the fish 'n chips.

While I spent most of my time at Boscos (having worked there through undergrad), Blackstone was definitely one of my haunts when I lived in Nashville.  Solid brew and good food. 

IMO the Boscos actually in Nashville has OK beer, certainly not bad. The one in cool springs that has its beer imported from Memphis is better. Blackstone's used to be fairly mediocre but is solid now. I know I talked with Dave Miller over email once (years ago) and he said he was not directly involved with Blackstone's any longer, and while he reserved disparaging remarks you could tell he was dissatisfied. I heard, though can't confirm, that he is working with them again.