Drinkin' across the country!

I'm baaaaaaaack!

It's been a busy few weeks since last I've visited.  Where to start?

St. Paul: The Happy Gnome!  Very, very cool restaurant with an outstanding taplist.  We sat outside on the deck, which basically looked and felt like you were sitting on your friend's back deck.  Benches built into the outer fence, a giant ash tree growing up straight through the floor, and low volume 90's-era WBER music playing in the background.  Extremely impressive tap list!  Should've started the night off right with a flight, but didn't think about it until it was too late!  Ended up with Surly Furious (delicious IPA) and Surly Coffee Bender (Surly Bender Brown Ale with coffee added to the brew).  Verdict: Surly makes mighty fine beer, and should distribute to wherever I live.

Next city: I don't even remember where we were after that.  San Jose?  I think so.  Wait, no, I know so.  Sharks!  Bought a six pack of Gordon Biersch Marzen from a nearby convenience store, and enjoyed the first two bottles with a massive $5 veggie burrito and the Bills/Browns game.  Drank the rest as post-show beers throughout the week.  Not an out-of-this-world beer (being four months old probably didn't help), but I've had much worse.

Los Angeles: Sadly, I found too late the beer store near the hotel with a great selection.  Speedway Stout.  Sculpin.  Numerous Lost Abbey offerings.  And plenty more that I can't remember.  Ended up with a much more manageable purchase, made entirely on the advice of this very site: Anderson Valley Hop Ottin'.  Good choice, even though it ultimately meant missing the chance to hang out with John C. Riley on the roof of our hotel.  I kid you not.  But the beer was really good, and I probably would have made an absolute dingus out of myself had I tried to introduce myself to Dr. Steve Brule himself, so it may be for the best that I stayed in.

Las Vegas (again): still somewhat angry at the guys at The Firkin for their false advertising (2-for-1 does NOT mean buy two, get the third free) and also trying to watch my intake of relatively unnecessary calories, I drank very little out here.  I did, however, get a bomber of Coronado Islander IPA from the store across the street, and it paired very well with unwinding on the luxurious L-shaped couch and Harry Potter on the big screen TV.  Normally not a fan of bombers, but $4.50 for that was better than $10 for a sixer of Torpedo, as I didn't want to drink that much during the week this time around.  Cheaper than a pint of anything nearby, too.

Oklahoma City: local!  Found a bar near (okay, 1.2 miles away from) the hotel, and left slightly disappointed after one of the two beers I really wanted to try (Witch Hunt) had just kicked.  Wet hop with mild spices added?  I know some people aren't big fans of that, but it sounded like autumn in a glass to me, and I was super excited to see how it tasted.  No such luck.  However, I did try another Oklahoma brew: Coop F5 IPA.  Super tasty!  Thick one finger head, substantial mouthfeel, perfectly carbonated, and a taste that has me contemplating a return walk if I actually get time off in this city.  Citrusy with just a tease of that west coast piney flavor.  Wonderful stuff!  Wish it was a little lower in ABV though (7%), as two pints while just sitting at the bar without doing anything is enough to make me throw in the towel.  Lightweight, I know.

Up next: Rio Rancho, NM!  I really hope I can find a place that sells bottles of Marble Brewing's stuff, as their Oatmeal Stout was one of my surprise favorite beers from my time there in 2010, and it's only sold in New Mexico.  Hotel is in the middle of nowhere though, so it could be tricky.  From there it's off to Colorado (split week = absolutely no time off, at all, period).  But then, it's a week off in Michigan...home of the most gorgeous woman on the face of the earth, and some of the best craft beer as well!  WOOOOOOOO!!!!

F5 IPA with chicken caesar wrap and sweet potato fries!

Woooo!

Last night, we arrived in Anaheim.

At a hotel within walking distance of exactly one bar.

Whose most "premium" beer is Heineken.

Except for the unlisted "we just added an IPA...it's uh...Green Flash... or something?".

Hey beer...it was good to see you last night.  I hope you're this tasty in St. Paul.

Wait, is St. Paul even the next city?

Boooo!

Tonight, we arrive in Anaheim.

At a hotel within walking distance of exactly one bar.

Whose most "premium" beer is Heineken.

No stores in walking distance.

Sorry, beer...see you in St. Paul, I guess.

Wait, is St. Paul even the next city?

Uh-oh, Pt II

Pub across the street?  2-for-1 pints all day every Tuesday.

If that includes Firestone Walker's stuff, Wednesdays could be tough.  

For the rest of the week, there's some Little Sumpin' Sumpin' in the fridge.  Couple that with the NFL Game Rewind pass that I just bought, and I can now lounge in my living room (you read that right) and watch a different Bills game on my big ol' flat screen EVERY NIGHT THAT I'M HERE.

Jealous much?

Uh-oh.

Vegas!
Directly across the parking lot: Hofbrauhaus Vegas.  But am I in danger of going?  No!

Because directly across the street: an English pub (loosely described) with a tap list that includes Arrogant Bastard, one of the DFH IPAs (didn't look closely), Deschutes Black Butte Porter, and...oh, right.  Union and Double Jack.

I'm in trouble.

RARE?!

Had a RARE BEER NIGHT at the Paulsen's last night courtesy of Ed.  Andrew bought the first, it was Rogue's Maple Bacon Doughnut beer in a bright pink bottle.  I've been skeptical of, yet intrigued, by this beer so I was happy we tried it.  Turns out, it's one of the most interesting beers I've ever had and I'm going to try to get a bottle for the WisniewskiLeas beer tasting.  It really is very good, it has a lot of layers of flavor.  I certainly could not drink a 22 by myself, sharing it with four people seemed right to me.

The best beer of the night (AND OF LIFE?!) was Ed's from Cigar City in Tampa, purveyor of my favorite Florida beer, Jai Alai IPA.  Ed stayed in line for hours at a beer fest, skipping myriad delicious tastings, to be one of the few to buy this bottle.  An imperial stout brewed with a plethera of delicious additions including cacao nibs and peppers, it was certainly one of the best beers I've ever had, seriously. It poured super thick (The thing we all look for when pouring an Imperial Stout, right?) and got better from there.  I wish I could drink it all the time.

A MONTH OF BEER

Well, well, well! I have returned from the lazy vacation vortex known as "The Cottage".  Of course, stated cottage includes lots of beer/rocking chairs/lake.  It always has, always will.  We dranks lots o' beers (probably too much), including a tasting.

The tasting was interesting, I MC'd as I usually do at these Lamanna beer tastings.  I threw in a couple wrinkles as we went from (an excess of craft) lagers to ales; the wrinkles were Labatt Blue Light and a Bud Light Platinum interspersed throughout.  This was a blind taste test by the way, and it was really interesting to see how some beers were rated.  For example, for many rounds, Magic Hat's Demo Black IPA was the leader, PBR and Sam Adams  Long Shot Derf's Alt  (9% abv?) were the bottom dwellers (That's right, Blue Light and Platinum weren't there with them).  Anderson Valley Hoppin Ottin IPA is a GREAT IPA (the number 3 bottom dweller) and was the best beer we had.  My brother-in-law and I actually did a side-by-side tasting of Hop Ottin and Union Jack the next day and we both agreed, "RAD DUDE THEY'RE BOTH LIKE AS GOOD AS EACH OTHER YO MAN WOO!".

In the end, Dogfish Head's 75 Minute IPA aged with maple syrup won.  It was delicious.

On the topic of top notch IPAs, Troegs Perpetual IPA is also up there in the Union Jack/Hop Ottin category as well.  I recommend trying those immediately!

Interesting...

During a recent visit to my favorite local watering hole, I spotted a sign for this behind the bar.  To be perfectly honest, I thought it was a joke.  But I asked about it anyway, and it turns out it's a kind of great idea.

http://www.craftycarton.com/

The bad news: pricing is as straightforward as you'd expect: pint times two.  So if they have, say, Bell's Two Hearted on tap for $6 a pint (typical for this establishment), you're looking at $12+ tip for two pints.

The good news: I really dislike drinking alone at bars.  The bartenders there, while friendly, have too much to do to make for good conversation most of the time.  And I rarely have people here who I'd like to visit the pub with.  SO...if there's something I really want on tap, but I don't want to go drink alone at a bar and I don't want four pints' worth, I can simply get two pints to go!  

So yeah...despite the fact that $12 can get me 72oz of something top notch if I make the hour long drive to Wegmans, this is an option that's nice to have.  Just in case.

Sarasota vs. Beer! 2k12!

This is what it's all about.  For me, the best thing to consumer with beer is the OYSTER.  Chasing an oyster with a good bitter ale or lager is like jubilation party time in my mouth.  Hooray for Siesta Key Oyster Bar!

During this year's Sarasota Jeff+Angela 4EVR Excursion, I had plenty of oysters and beer.  Mixing oysters with Cigar City Jai Alai is a wondrous thing.  Jai Alai is a great IPA that I really looking forward to having in Sarasota, and here's the good news: craft beer has exploded in Sarasota... Jai Alai was probably at half the places we visited.  Lido Beach even went from one to five taps at their tiny snack bar.  Wowzers!  *Honorable mention oyster beer: Bells Oberon.  This is a really good american wheat beer with just enough hopness oging on to make it an ideal summer beer for me... Too bad we can get it up here in PY!

BUT WHAT WAS YOUR DAILY BEACH BEER YOU ASK?! Every morning, I’d fill my little insulated lunch box with ice and CLICHES!  It was two cans of Corona for Angela and me at the beach each day, and we have no regrets.  Light Mexican lager goes really well on that hot, sunny Siesta Beach.  Throw in a couple of pretzels and a swim or two along the way and you have what I believe is known to many as "IDEAL LIFE SITUATION."

Along the way I did pick up some delicious and notable beers.  Here they are with in no particular order with a subjective rating (out of 10) and brief description:

Ruckus Brewing Hoptimus Prime Double IPA (9): Very drinkable and not too sweet/malty for me. Very piney and floral.  One of the better DIPAs I've had. 

Bells Two Hearted (AKA Smells Poo Farted) (9)- A Really drinkable IPA, not complex as Flower Power or as in your face as Green Flash, though.  Like it a lot!

Coronado Sculpin IPA (8)- Another great IPA, more West-Coasty than Bells.  Might not be at its freshest, kind of a stale aftertaste.

Unibroue Grande Reserve 17 (10)- Had it over three nights.  A REALLY good Belgian Strong Dark because it's super complex and not too sweet on the finish.  More bitter than many I had in the style.  This one was aged for one year.

I did enjoy some other beers whilst travelling, however I feel there's no need to regurgitate each little detail concerning my rooftop tapas/cerveza española or my luxurious shared meals on St. Armands Circle featuring Sam Adams, a large octopus tentacle, and an oyster shooter (A mini martini glass with a raw oyster, horseradish, cocktail sauce, and vodka), so I won't?! HA!

SARASOTA RULEZ!

Drinkin' the roadie way!

If there's one thing I like, it's traveling.  But there are actually multiple things that I like, and beer is one of those additional items.  So a chance to do both at the same time...well, that's just great.

I drove a super luxurious leather interior conversion van, complete with flatscreen AND VHS player, down to our great nation's capitol on Wednesday evening for a few days of work.  On the way, the crew requested a stop to pick up some six packs of Hop Devil.  Good call.

Once we got settled in, our crew chief/head beer aficionado guided the way to Argonaut, a cool little bar in DC that has about a dozen taps and roughly as many food items.  It was tempting to order one of the tried and true A-grade beers on the list (I'm looking at you, Stone IPA), but then I remembered my early days of drinking, when trying new and/or local brews was what it was all about.  So with my dinner, I ended up with a pint of DC Haus Public Ale.  Good choice!  It was a nice orangish with just enough of a head to look good and smell great, but without having to wait for it to settle.  Nice mild citrus smell, with a taste to match.  Nothing earth shattering, but a delicious pairing with a bleu cheese burger.

After Thursday's show, two of us sat on the bench outside the hotel in the warm 2:30AM air and sipped Hop Devil while discussing the merits (and the not so great parts) about the day's work.  Maybe drinking after working 17 hours on only two glasses of water was a pretty bad idea.  Whoops.

Friday saw us drive through Maryland and Delaware, and our intrepid crew chief used his fancy iPhone to get GPS directions to Whole Foods.  Oh, how I love thee.  At the time of visiting, I was scheduled to be taking a train, not the van, back to town, so I only bought enough for the next two days.  I ended up with the van after all, but I also still have money.  So...win?

So, Friday afternoon!  Sitting in a super, super sketchy hotel somewhere in Philly, just a few blocks from Eastern State Penitentiary.  In my room is a bucket full of ice for what will be my three Friday drinks: A Harpoon UFO White, a Saranac Adirondack Lager, and a Tyskie (Polish Euro Pale Lager).  While all good choices, I wish I'd known what the weather was  going to be like.  With howling winds, rain pelting the window, and deep rumbling thunder rolling through the city for hours, a cold porter would have really hit the spot.  And the Tyskie was consumed while Skyping with a Polish friend - appropriate!

After Saturday's show, I had three bottles left to go through.  I already decided to save the bottle of Theakston's Old Peculier for home, as it was one of my first self-discovered brews that I really liked, and it's been years since I've seen it.  Drinking it from the bottle in a hotel just seemed wrong.  But I had another Polish brew to reach for - Zywiec - which tasted mighty good after a 16 hour day at an outdoor venue.  And to close it off, a bottle of Spaten Lager.  Another brew that I've been neglecting for far too long as a solid, if somewhat basic, offering.

So there you have it!  Five days of drinking my way down and across the region.  Where will my next adventure be?  Who knows!  But for now, there's some New Glarus Moon Man in the fridge that waits patiently for the next night at home with the grill.

Summer Party Beer Cooler Party Party Yeah!

Alright craft beer adventure curiosity world (Ahem, Kevin), I'm back, rested, and ready to spill the beer beans (semi-frequently, so check back)!

Yesterday the Pennsylvania Yankee Wisniewski Household had the pleasure of having a large Lamanna-based part-ay.  This was a perfect time for me to try and create the perfect beer cooler.  The beer-drinkers in the fam run the gamut from straight up Bud in a can to through-and-through snobbery.  A mix of Bud, middle-of-the-road beers number two/three, and high-quality IPAs were a must. Below is a picture of the finished product; in the cooler there were at least two of each type. BEER PARTY SUCCESS!

You win some, you booze some

Whilst on a recent super poopy then even more superly awesome trip to Boston, I wandered into one of those mythical "Trader Joes" places that I keep hearing about.  After completing mission number one - the acquisition of pre-assembled raw ingredients for guacamole - I strolled to the opposite end of the store.  The end with the beers and the wines and things that grocery stores in PA just don't get.

To really drive home just how much more wonderful it is to shop at a Massachusetts Trader Joes than any local store here, the beer they had was not only present, but it was cheap!  $8.50 for a six pack of Harpoon isn't exactly the deal of the century, but it beats the $11 it costs here - if you purchase it by the case.  But then the real shocker called to me - $2.29 bombers of house brand beer.  I scooped up one of each, just because.  There's still an IPA and a Chocolate Stout in my fridge, but beside me now is an empty bottle of Heavy Lift Vessel - a beer with no style listed on the label.  Worth a shot, right??

Turns out a shot is about all this beer was worth.  Listed on BA as an American Strong Ale, I was hoping that I may have found the poor (or cheap) man's Arrogant Bastard.  Sadly, no.  Despite being a scant 7% ABV, there really wasn't anything going on in this bottle except for a syrupy sweetness and some hot alcohol.  I'd keep reviewing, but this is one of those rare instances where there really just isn't anything more to say.  Cloying sweetness.  Boozy heat.

Oh well.  There are still two more to try!

PepperKRONS and El Rancho Buttstorm Farmbrew!

Finally sampling my Cambridge Brewing Companys Sgt. Pepper I've been excited about.   It's a saison brewed with peppercorns.  Blazingly neat?! I've definitely been on a farmhouse kick recently and I'm turbo digging Hennepin and Ovila Saison (made by Sierra Nevada).  So how does the P-man measure up?!

Well, I love it!  It's got that nice dry/tart saison aftertaste but is punctuated with a little lingering peppercorn earthiness and heat.  It's a bit light than most of the same style at 6% abv but that's great on a super hawt bootyful day like today.  This is one I will stock up on next I go to Boston, I believe.  WHY NOT TRY IT KEVIN?!?!

In other olds, I've made a decision.  Homebrewing will commence ONCE AGAIN.  Soon?  This time, after much thought, I've decided I'm going to break away from the world of APA and IPA and into the world of Deutsch-style sessions beers.  WHY YOU ASK?!  Because I LOVE the IPAs I get at the store and in bars, why mess with a good thing? Also, they're expensive to make.  I figure a good light German ale will be the right beer #2 when I'm in the mood. So, German-style ales here I come!!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Babe!

Ryan: most birthday wishes from friends today will surely come in the form of Facebook posts.  Maybe some phone calls.  Heck, a few people might even actually get to see you!  But you deserve something...different.

So here it is: your honorary birthday beer review.  I'm going with Anchor Brewing's Porter, for a few reasons.

1) It's dark, like your chest hair.
2) Anchors are found on ships.  I think I could come up with a six degrees of separation here connecting you to ships, but for national security reasons, I'll leave it at that.

Okay, so maybe that's not a few reasons.  More like a couple.  Anyway!  Underneath a fairly lush light tan head lies a smooth beverage just begging to be consumed.  I'm all too happy to oblige, and it strikes me immediately that this is unlike any porter I'm used to.  Much in the way that I'm sure you probably have skin underneath your massive veil of chest hair, I can only imagine that there's some sort of roasty toasty maltiness trying to make its way through a surprisingly sweet body.  It's weird, I tell ya.

More than weird...it's kind of disappointing.  Like you.  And by you, I mean us.  And how little of each other we see (I don't mean it like that - put your pants back on).  Maybe this summer I'll get a shed tour and play in Canandaigua, and I can see your face again.  Maybe.  In the meantime...

Cheers, Birthday Babe!

Yes, that is a neon pink mug.  Prosit!

Thursday! Friday!

Thursday, I learned something.

Bell's Two Hearted + discounted meat + Power of the Dragonflame = the perfect Thursday evening.

Friday, I learned something.

I have a new favorite pale ale, but I can't get it.  In the far away land of cheese and the Discount Double Check lies New Glarus Brewing Company.  Despite having a devoted following and stellar reviews, they have no intention to distribute outside of Mother Wisconsin.  Which is a bigger disappointment than Brett Favre's post-Packers career, because Moon Man Pale Ale is outstanding.

In a thrift store-bought, lobster-clad Sam Adams Perfect Pint glass, it pours a beautiful deep amber with nary a cloudy characteristic, save for the fluffy not white/not tan head.  It smells mostly of grapefruit, or maybe pineapple.  I can't quite make up my mind here.  But the taste is like an entire citrus-heavy fruit salad, only with that wonderful hop bitterness following it up clearly - but not overpoweringly - at the end of each sip. Unlike Double Trouble (not the same style, but another favorite), I could drink bottle after bottle of this stuff.  If I could keep a stock of it on hand.

Seriously, this beer just leapfrogged right into my Top Five.  Maybe it's because I was sweaty and gross and stress-relieved after a short run, and there was a storm slowly making its way in, and I had tasty pizza waiting inside.  Maybe I was just too happy about everything else the night had in store to be an unbiased judge of this beer's merits.  All I know for sure is that I have five more bottles left, and I intend to enjoy the crap out of them.  And then beg our Wisconsin native at work to buy me several cases of it if he ever drives home.

New Row Beers and More!

The newest notably delicious row beer experience: Weyerbacher Merry Monks followed by Flower Power.  The malty Belgian sweetness and strength of the Monks followed by the grapefruity bitter yummminess of the IPA is GREAT.  Drink while listening to Primus.   Try songs in this order:  Bob's Party Time Lounge, Golden Boy, Last Salmon Man, Tragedy's a Comin', and finish it off with HOINFODAMAN ("Gimme wunna dem foot long sanwiches").

Today I found out I work with one of the guys who writes the beer article for the D&C.  I teach Spanitch to his 6th graders.   Hopefully more to come regarding this happenstance.

My grass is exceptionally green these days.

Half Marathon Celebrating!

After a few weeks on the few-beers-pre-race diet, I was super ready for yummy beers and bar food.  The menu: 2 Torpedos, and a chopped cajun chicken sandwich with fried onions/peppers, hot sauce, and cheese. YUM!!! Felt great post race/lawn mowing.  Even though all I can get at Lloyd's as far as IPAs go is Torpedo, it seems Naked Dove IPA on tap is in the works due to constant asking to the owner (who bought us shots and fried yummies a few days ago) and bartenders.

Power to the people!

Honky Tonk Beerdonkadonk

"The recent lease of a new barrel warehouse on AB's dime has allowed Goose Island to double the size of its barrel program and will soon lead to Bourbon County Stout being made available available year-round."  Wooo!


Just had an '08 bottle this week.  Super duper wonderful!  I have some '09 and '10 (I believe) growing old back home, as well as a couple of bombers of the original Coffee and Vanilla variations.  Needless to say, this is one of my favorite "I'm feeling rich today" beers.  So while I don't really buy large quantities in the first place, I'm excited to see this news!

Of COURSE you need be99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999oi8999999999uuer on a Snow Day!

A snow day on the 23rd of April, one week after spring break 2k12, six days before the Rochester half marathon.  CRAZY! Really, my diet is pretty strict right now and I shouldn't be having beer, but it's a snow day for grandma's sake!

I open my fridge and what do I see?  Nothing but IPAs! This won't do.  It's 11 am and I want something light.  A quick trip to Morgan's should fix me up nice.

Walking by the the coolers I see that 12 Beers of Summer is here.  Wow! Already?  The line-up looks great this year and includes a session IPA, rye IPA, kolsch, and hefe.  I'm tempted by the irony of drinking one of these on this day of all days but my heart lies elsewhere.

Hark! The newest Genny Heritage Pack!  Time to bring it home and cool it as fast as possible; the ole Mythbusters ice+water+salt+5 minutes trick should do.

Fyfe and Drum:
Angela's thawts-If I had my choice between a fyfe or a drum, it would be the sweet melody of the fyfe and the liberty beat of the drum.  It's a nice, light snow day beer or hot hot summer day beer.
Jeff's thawts- There's a sweet piccolo/snare metal duet going on in my mouth right now! A little too sweet for me, but goes down nice. Drink it cold! Biddly biddly biddly biddly rata-tat-tat!!!!

Summer Brew:
A: If I were walking through an enchanted forest on a hot summer's day, and I came across the Mad Madam Mimm's cottage, I would hope she would have this summer brew in her brew pot.
J: Light and effervescent like a vernal butterfly tiptoeing on flowing sunshiney grass tips.  It's light and a bit sweet! I'd like this one for the summer fo sho!

'bout time!

I won't lie - I tend to follow "beer seasons".  Maybe I've been brainwashed, but I just tend to find myself uninterested in big stouts on hot sunny days, or citrusy IPAs in a blizzard.  

This has proven troublesome lately in my tiny little part of PA.  I bought a full case of Breakfast Stout in October with the intent of saving the bottles for the colder and snowier nights...and it only snowed ONCE in the later months of 2011, and ONCE in 2012.  Between first falls and melting, there was less than one week of snow on the ground this winter.

So now, with several bottles left over, I find myself with a bit of a reprieve.  The temps are dropping down to near freezing at night for the first time since February, and it's been raining and/or thundering almost all weekend.  The result?  No ambition to do anything whatsoever except sit in my comfy pink recliner and watch reruns of West Wing on my big ol' HDTV while sipping FBS from my American made Dollar Tree tulip glass.  And I gotta tell you: it's wonderful.  It's swell.  It really is the bee's knees.  This is the kind of life I could get used to.  But alas, I'm sure it'll be back to warm weather by next weekend, and I'll have to go buy more Torpedo for my Saturday afternoon post-ride/reading on the deck relaxor times.

Oh darn.

I tried it!

Bud Light Platinum: If you like Bud Light with extra sugar, this is the beer for you! Hooray!!!

Cotton bad, barley good.

For the first time this year, I went for a run with a sleeveless t-shirt instead of one of my fancy schmancy moisture wicking t-shirts.

NEVER AGAIN (was a good band)

I got way sweatier, way more dehydrated, and cramped up a lot more.  No more cotton!  However, I did learn something beer related afterwards.  When paired with pizza, Genny Bock + Genny Cream Ale = good row beers!  WOOO!  I was going to add a 12 Horse, but I fell asleep watching some hoops.  Thanks, ESPN3!

LIFE

My large new tractor that just showed up has a cup holder.  SO, I just mowed over an acre in less than 40 minutes with a Genny Bock along the way for a ride.  WOO.

MassachuBeer in no particular order!

Beers had at bars/restaurants in :

Baxter Stowaway IPA from Maine- Probably good but tasted bad after eating a large dinner (with Sam Adams Summer) at Aunt Betty's
Some sort of imperial mild ale brewed somewhere in New England that I can't remember the name of-  It was good, but tasted pretty much like a fancy high gravity malt liquor.  That's that necessarily a bad thing.
Green Flash Palate Wrecker- Intensely hoppy in a super way! Nice!  Worth trying.
Port Brewing Co. Shark Attack Double Red-  Also super good... Like a stronger but still really balanced Cascazilla.

Beers consumed at residences:

Sam Adams Summer- Good, but it doesn't seem as good as it used to be.  Weird?
Chouffe (not the IPA)- Great as always!  I like it LOTS!
Butternuts Snapperhad IPA- Not very good.
Butternuts Weissbeer- Just okay, nothing to write home about.  Many better weissen out there.
Element Extra Special Oak from Massa.- Interesting beer! It had 3 flavors. The initial flavor was very oaky/aley, the middle flavor was dry and smooth (this was the best part!) and the after taste was pretty alcoholy.  Still, worth having and different!
Pretty Things Fluffy White Rabbits- Labeled as a hoppy tripel.  It was alright.  The great thing about tripels are the smoothness, this one didn't quite get there.  It has a slight medicinal flavor to me.

Beers bought:

Cambridge Brewing Co Sgt. Pepper- REALLY excited for this one but haven't had it yet.  Will let you know! (Saison with peppercorns YES!)
Founders Double Trouble-  Had this last year the night before the Indy 500 in a hotel room and remembered it to be GREAT.  I've been saying for a while now that regular IPAs are almost ALWAYS better then the doubles and this one doesn't change my mind.  HOWEVER, it is assuredly one of my FAVORITE double IPAs!

Woo!

Sunshine!

Today, I decided to join up with one of the Lancaster County Bike Club's weekend rides. 20+ miles around town. It was beautiful. Endless farmland, gorgeous old houses, sheep, pigs, cows, cats, and a boy with an accordion being pulled in a wooden cart by a pony. I couldn't make that up if I tried.

When it was done, I knew the two hour ride in roughly 80 degree heat needed to be countered with something unhealthy. Enter: Founders Double Trouble. I still haven't quite decided how I feel about this beer, but since it really hit the spot during a Madden tournament last night, I thought it would be the best bet today.

Wrong.

Sure, it was tasty. And it smelled soooooooooooo good. But after a ride like that, it was just too heavy to be refreshing. Honestly, a Genny Cream Ale (!!!!!!) would probably have been a better choice in the immediate post-ride minutes. What a fool I was! So now I need help: what beer should I have in the fridge before I embark on my next ride?

SOCIAL (BEER) ACTION!

My recent post on Naked Dove's Facebook wall:

Hey Naked Dove! You might might remember me from frequent IPA growler fills since opening day. For me this is very depressing, but my Naked Dove consumption has severely decreased due to a fairly recent move to Penn Yan. 

Regardless, Lloyd's Limited is the best pub in Penn Yan but much to my chagrin they NEVER have an IPA on tap. I had the pleasure of convincing the owner today that he should offer your IPA and the bartender (who is also a big fan) had my back. He seemed enthusiastic but you know how these things can be.

So what do you think? Any chance you can make the half hour drive down to PY in order to infiltrate the Finger Lakes wine-soaked/macro brew market with some amazing Finger Lakes beer? I'll do whatever I can do to convince Lloyd's to bring you in permanently! It would severely increase my quality of life (and the lives of Keuka lakers as well as the wings-eating college crowd). Let me know what I can do to help convince both you and Lloyd's!

A "Wow!" Beer

Lost Abbey Devotion.  Ben brought it with him from California.   I've never had a "dry" beer before, but it most certainly was.  A non-sweet ale? SO GOOD!

DISSED

Nugget Nectar is good, but it's too expensive (a skewed price to yumminess ratio for sure) and definitely overrated.  I say it every year.  Next year I refuse to buy a six!

What to do?!??!!

Just looked at the tap list for MacGregors.

Racer 5!

Mach 10!

Union Jack!

Double Jack!

Unearthly!

West Coast IPA!

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO! Smaller pours = more different delicious beers, but more money. Larger pours = less money, but fewer different delicious beers. HELP!

Froggies!

Back in 2010, I drove nearly cross-country in just over two days with my brother. Despite being a bit draining, it was an incredible experience that I wouldn't mind repeating some day. Lots of brewery visits (well, one a day), and a beer shopping spree that we both spent too much money on.

My worst purchase from a fiscal perspective? A $20 (un-labeled) bomber of Hoppin Frog Barrel Aged B.O.R.I.S Imperial Oatmeal Stout. Purchased nearly two years ago, and sitting in various basements and refrigerators ever since.

Until tonight.

I'd been saving this for a horrible, blizzard-esque night where I was stuck indoors, but PA just can't get a grasp on winter. So tonight, with grey skies and temps in the low 40s, I decided it was as good a time as any. It wasn't just the weather, it was the camaraderie that only a four-state Mario Kart tournament can provide that made me realize that it was finally time to pour this gem into an American made Dollar Tree tulip glass.

Right decision. After two years, the beer mellowed beautifully. It's only 9.4% ABV, so a bomber isn't going to do too much damage. The smell? Wonderful. The taste? Not the in-your-face robustness that you'd expect from an imperial stout, but much richer than your typical "dark beer". It wasn't a stretch to taste the bourbon, but it was far from overpowering. And the mouthfeel? Outstanding. Thick, but without creating that feeling in your gut like you've consumed far too much. Smooth. Not flat, but not "fizzy".

While I'd certainly hesitate to spend that much money on a bomber again, it's definitely given me cause to keep an eye out on Hoppin Frog's bottle selection out here. I have a feeling I haven't seen the last of them.

Weekend Beer Update II

Hey they beer world (Kevin)! Yesterday night I had Three Heads Kind IPA and an excellent reuben.  I would recommend this pairing to anyone!!

Now, after running twelve miles and feeling like a ravenous lethargy monster, I am slowly enjoying a turbo-delicious Ommegang Hennepin.  Here is my best ravenous lethargy monster beer face:

Anchors Away!

Last night, I tried to drink a bottle of Anchor Porter while Neil and I attempted to destroy each other via various Xbox games. Both missions ended poorly.

This beer is...uhh...well, it's pretty bad. Like, first time in years I didn't finish a single 12 ounce bottle bad. If I'd powered through the whole thing while it was cold, I could've managed. But once it started warming a bit, it was just downright awful. Cringe inducing.

Coming up next: five loaves of beer bread, baked with Anchor Porter.

E Pluribus Unum!

Out to dinner tonight at Red Dove Tavern I had myself some Sierra Nevada Big Foot barley wine.  Now I'm a self-proclaimed barley wine hater, but this beer is super great; in actuality (according to Jeff's taste buds) it's a solid strong ale with a very balanced hop and malt profile.  I would drink it all the time!!!!!

OH MY GORSH TOPS WOOOO!!!

Flower Power and Cascazilla SUPER on sale at Tops! I MEAN SUPER! $7.50 a 6! AAAAAAAAAAAH!!! I JUST GOT CASE OF FLOWER POWER FOR $30!  It's fresh too!

In other good beer news, our local pub (Lloyd's) has Golden Monkey in the bottle.  Woo 25 cent wings and good tripel!!!!!!!!!

Weekend Beer Update

PA vs VA

Founders Double Trouble: $13/$10

Bell's Two Hearted IPA: $12/$9.50

Siera Nevada Torpedo: $12/$9

Stupid PA.

BUT my Saturday included Shiner Bock, Guinness Black Lager, Sam Adams Double Bock and Chocolate Bock, Oskar Blues Old Chub, Rogue XS McRogue, and a whole lotta Zweigles and Peanut M&Ms! And a super friendly cow cat! And now that it's cooling off outside, maybe it's time to kick back with Wall-e and a bottle of Terrapin Wake n' Bake Imperial Coffee Oatmeal Stout?!

Weekend Beer Update

Nothing too exciting, JUST A GROWLER OF GENNY BOCK FOR $6.  Really, it tastes even better out of the tap... More malt flavor and a little roasty.

 WOO!

Surprise!

After a rousing match of tennis today, in which the US (me) defeated Israel (my Israeli coworker), I stopped by a pizza and beer joint that I often forget about. Turns out they have all sorts of delicious things available - including Nugget Nectar, Double Trouble (NEIL!!!), and Saranac White IPA. Also: a certain somewhat difficult to find beer that shall remain nameless for now, as it's part of my dad's birthday gift.

Moral of the story: as Jeff has already proven, terrific beer can be found in the most unassuming places. Don't discount a beer store based solely on location, size, or appearance!

FEEELINGSSSS

Firstoff, I bought some FRESH Flower Power from Byrne Dairy today.  IT'S SO GOOD! One of the best IPAs out there! One more reason to go to Ithaca to buy 809845 cases. ALSO, I love breweries with freshness dates; here in Penn Yan that makes a huge difference in my decision concerning what to buy.

Also, tonight I would like to report that I approached true Grillmaster status.  Our meal was entirely grilled, simultaneously, to close-enough-to perfection.  Buffalo chicken sausages (which turned into sandwiches with light cream cheese, cucumber, and garlic hot sauce), grilled asparagus, and grilled sweet potato fries. YES!

THE SEARCH-FOR-THE-SUMMER BEER POST

Lots of damn fine weather this week and lots of damn fine deck sitting.  It's been HOT in the sun.  Time to replace some of the Hop Rod Ryes and occasional stouts with something lighter!  In the past it's been Sierra Nevada Summerfest and Southern Tier Hop Sun. WHAT IS THE BEER OF CHOICE THIS SUMMER?!!?!

I present to you this year's number uno contender to this point: SARANAC WHITE IPA!

Points to consider:
1. Refreshing but full flavor.  Like a cross between a hefeweiss and an IPA.  I haven't liked citra hopped beers to this point but they work really well with the wheat beerosity!
2. Excellent price point.  $7 for a six. WOWZERS YEAH!
3.  Availability! Good!  Let's hope they brew it through the summer.

ANY IDEAS OR SUGGESTIONS FOR YOUR SUMMER BEER?!?!

It's Not Beer!

OLD FASHIONEDS ARE GREAT!!!!!!

Can't wait to have friends over on the deck to have some drinks... It's amazing WOO!

What is the best beer to have after an old-fashioned??!!? Let's try to figure it out in the next half hour!!!!

Bite me, I'm American

St. Patrick’s Day. What a rubbish holiday. Nationwide, millions of people without a trace of Irish blood are donning their green apparel, complete with furry green stovepipe hats and glasses the size of Mario Williams’ new rims, and getting trashed to levels that would make even Ulysses S. Grant blush. It’s a good thing 2012 is a leap year, because this is an utter waste of a day.

So in honor of the occasion, I thought it best to violently rip the cap off a bottle of Harpoon Celtic Ale, an “Irish style red”. Why Harpoon? Hey, the company dragged me out on a job application for three months, asked me to drive 800 miles round trip to work a festival with them, then decided they liked some other guy better. So as long as I’m already angry at everyone and everything, why not dredge up more bad memories?

Speaking of which, everybody knows that beers like this need to be poured, so out comes the Celtic Fling and Highland Games pint glass that I got on one of my first dates with my ex girlfriend. What could be more appropriate for this beer than the glass I got with the woman who, like Harpoon, strung me along for months before finally deciding – and only acknowledging after my prodding – that it just wasn’t working out? It’s perfect!!

Poured out, the beer strikes an immediate resemblance to my failed relationship. It’s kind of a looker, but there isn’t really any head. The smell? Deceivingly nice, but nothing truly noteworthy. Bubbles rise from the bottom of the glass like bile to my throat.

Then I sip it. Bitter. Go figure. But there’s something else. It’s almost…salty? Oh, the lack of head is understandable now – what fluffy foam may have existed has been broken by the tears of a man with shattered dreams and an angry heart.

There’s probably more to the taste than that, but I’m not taking the time to bother with it. I’m sucking down the contents of the glass so fast that it barely even touches my tongue. The sooner the glass is empty, the sooner I can fill it again. And again. And again. And only then, when my woes start to fade, can I put aside my differences and join the revelers in their St. Patricks Day celebrations. Or pass out in the corner, curled up in the fetal position and crying into my stuffed Lucky the Leprechaun.

A weekend of beer in review

Sierra Nevada Hoptimum= AWESOME

Burton Baton= AWESOME but do NOT drink it as a row beer with Hoptimum

Ithaca Ground Break= Good, not great. Might as well just buy Cascazilla for the price

BIG CAN OF SN TORPEDO= AWESOME WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Also, HSBC Arena sells a 20+ oz cup of Ellicottville Pale Ale (a solid beer) for the same price as getting a big can of Genny, High Life, etc.

GUITAR SOLOS AND BEER YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1-2-Horse-3 PUNCH

Inspired by Jeff's quest for the perfect 1-2-3 weekend knockout spectacular, I myself set out on a warn Saturday evening to engage in a slightly less perfect sequence of beverages. I give you:

THE GENESEE HERITAGE LINEUP OF UNDERRATED AND SHAMEFUL BEERS.

There's a free pizza sitting on the table (thanks, America!), which is the obvious food choice to complement these cheaper-than-Yuengling beauties. Do they taste as good - or as bad - as the $16/case price suggests? Let's find out!

18:14 - 12 Horse loses its cap. Like those about to follow, the beer will be transferred to my mouth via a "stubby" bottle. No glassware here. This is Genny we're talking about. What little I can smell is pleasantly surprising: there's a tiny bit of creaminess detected. Mostly, though, this smells like the kitchen of any college apartment full of unrinsed bottles and cans. That's not to say that it smells bad - it may be an off-putting smell for a residence, but it's what a cheap beer should smell like. And it tastes...well...the way you expect "beer" should taste. Not an IPA, pale ale, stout, porter, Belgian, whatever. This is what your everyday, I just want to come home and yell at the stupid people on TV while I drink, beverage should taste like. It'd be fantastic for grilling. Honestly, I wish Genesee would make this a year-round standalone offering.

19:01 - Lager is next. Love the label. But holy hell, that's the only thing to love about this. The smell is...musty? Dusty? Rusty? Whatever it is, it's not great. And it tastes the same way it smells. Egad. I never thought I'd say this, but I need a Cream Ale. NOW.

19:08 - Oh, Genny Cream Ale. Screamer. Green Death. Putting you to my lips has never been more welcomed. There's something about this beer that takes me to a sunny, but rundown and sub-par (HA) golf course. I can only assume this means Neil and I have used this as our golf course beer before, but I honestly can't recall. All I know is that, for the first time in my life, I'm drinking this on the same night as other beers and thinking "wow, this isn't the worst beer I've had today." It's fairly smooth. A little creamy. Appropriately chilled. And the label is kind of neat, too.

So, have I found the perfect 1-2-3 weekend punch? Of course not! But I did find a surprisingly good budget beer (12 Horse), and I learned that buying a case of Genny Lager for future cookouts is a horrible idea. And I ate half a pizza that I didn't pay for. Then again, maybe the night was pretty great after all.

Bithday Beers!

1st- Ben's Gift! GIANT CHOUFFE! AGED 2k10!!!!

2nd- 2 pitchers of Union Jack WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!! NICE!!!!!!

FREITAAAAAG

What a LOOOOONG week. Not bad, just LONG. It's a row beer night and you know I love'um muh IPAs. I guess it has to be FLOWER POWERS, that's the only IPA available in Penn Yan it seems?!

I don't care if it's 6:30 and I'm thinking about beer! Some Fridays are just like that.

Breakfast in Bed

I smell a formal review coming this weekend. But for now, I feel compelled to reiterate a point that I believe Jeff will disagree with.

Founders Breakfast Stout is in a class above most beers I've had. Everything about it is, to my admittedly relatively undiscerning palate, just shy of perfection. Relaxing with a bottle of this gem and some long-forgotten Simpons reruns makes for a most adequate Wednesday evening. And this is, to date, the only beer I've ever consumed from a coffee mug while destroying a certain Clevelandite (Clevelandian? Clevelandbeforetime?) in a fierce Madden online tournament.

Bite me, PA

Torpedo, anywhere in PA: ~$10-11 a six pack.

Torpedo, Total Wine in DE: $7.99

SN Stout, anywhere in PA: same as Torpedo

SN Stout, Total Wine: $7.49.

I'm moving.

BEEEEEANS

After I took all day to install a garbage disposal with my Father-In-Law, I still had the breathtaking responsibility of cooking 979874 pounds Latin American beans for school children. What does that call for?! A Flower Power and then a Celebration! The purpose here is to let you know that these are two excellent (two-in-a?!) row beers!!!!

I'm thinking I'll buy my case of Flower Power ACTUALLY from Ithaca to insure freshness, BTW. It's only an hour away!

Date night!

It is cold outside. At least, it was last night.

Rhapsody of Fire is blaring from the kitchen radio. At least, it was last night.

In my glass is Evil Twin's Ashtray Heart. It was last night, and it is this morning.

Traded for a pair of mid-calf boots from a bygone era of teen angst and highly questionable fashion, Ashtray Heart is a beer as unusual as the circumstances that brought it to my refrigerator. At first glance, it doesn't look all that different from its Imperial Stout brethren. It's not black, but it's a soul-sucking brown that traps all light that dare attempt to penetrate it. And it's got a fluffy mochachino head. It's the cutest.

But the smell. Oh, the smell. Best hide the kiddies, because things are about to get weird. Ashtray Heart has a scent to it that I just can't describe. It's like the bastard child of a campfire, a bowl full of assorted dark fruits, and plain ol' booze. Yeah, it's a little freaky. But hey, even the President of the Navy likes to get his bang on every now and then. So what the heck, let's see how she tastes!

Oh. Uh. Yeah. What? There's a lot to process here. Liquid smoke! Dates? Chocolate?? Alcohol! It's like my entire tongue has been trampled by some sort of liquid...trampling...device. I just can't figure this beer out! What I do know is that it tasted much better when sipped between bites of a fresh grilled chicken sandwich.

So if you're looking for advice: look elsewhere if you're not feeling adventurous, or if you're drinking alone. While I certainly don't regret the time that this beer and I have spent together, I don't think we'll be seeing each other again. There are plenty of options that are less expensive and less taxing on your taste buds. And let's face it - sometimes, I just like 'em cheap and easy.

CASE!?

So I've decided, my next case of beer will most definitely be Ithaca Flower Power. After MONTHS, Angela and I have finally finished "experiencing" our 4 cases of Celebration. THAT'S A LOT OF CELEBRATING (NUTS?!) AAAAH!!! I can't believe we had all that Celebration (Of course we shared it wit a lot of family and friends too), and we're still not tired of it. A sign of a quality beer!

Benjamin Disraeli Quadrupel Butts!

WELL WELL WELL! In a life full of IPAs, certain circumstances full of moving-into-houseness have caused the receiving of an Ommegang gift pack, equipped with fancy tulip glass. Yeah! So, the Three Philosophers (Quad) is a good beer, I just can't drink it by myself. The purpose of this post is to let ya'all know that you can open an big bottle of Oma (GRANDMA?!), and if you have a bottle-stopper, you can drink it slowly over three nights. GOOD TO KNOW?!

In other news, GNOMEGANG (Chouffe Ommegang collaboration) is an excellent beer similar to Dobbelin Tripel IPA, but less hoppy, more sweet, and therefore a bit smoother. Worth trying!