I guess this post may have multiple entendres, but I could be wrong - my engineering background hardly qualifies as actually knowing what the term means. This past weekend, I spent 24 hours in Jersey; which is relatively short for me, considering how often I visit. My time was mostly spent on family things of which are no real relevance to this blog. During this time, I managed to try a new beer.
Last night, I went to Bilbo Baggins again. Laura hadn't been in a long time, so I figured it would be a good opportunity to take her there, and to try a new beer on my part.
The brews:
Southern Tier IPA: I owe my dad for this one. The guy loves hoppy beers, and occasionally has one in the fridge I have yet to try. I thought this was a well balanced IPA. Don't get me wrong, there was plenty of hop characteristic - which gave it that bitter taste. Hops also come with different aromas, being that they are technically flowers. The color was about where you'd want it to be as well. Overall, it's worth having another one of these - if there's any left the next time I go back to Jersey.
Climax Extra Special Bitter Ale: This is a micro-brew from Jersey, and I thought it was similiar to Fuller's ESB. The reader may wonder what exactly is hoppier: a ESB or an IPA. The answer, Dear Beer Friend, is that an India Pale Ale is much more bitter - due to the fact that more hops were added, so the beer would not go stale by the time the sailing ships got to India. In England, ESB is equivalent to what you and I would call a Pale Ale. This beer therefore was much less bitter than the Southern Tier. Again, it's mostly due to the differences in how the beers are made. The beer poured out amber in color, and went very well with a pizza. Stylistically, the beer was spot on.
So, Colleen and I are tied yet again. I think keeping the score close makes things interesting to be perfectly honest. Since we've decided that all beers are acceptable for the counting process, I will be adding the macro-beers that convince everyone that drinking them gives you more sex appeal. Stay Tuned!
The scorecard:
Paul: 213
Colleen: 213
Cheers,
Paul
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Sunday, March 28, 2010
three for me!
This weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing my friend's sketch comedy group in New York City. I went to college with one of the guys in the group, so it was really fun to see him perform and catch up a little bit, but it also resulted in attending the show with Megan, old friend who I worked at the summer camp with AND went to college with (crazy!), her man Nick (another camp person), a friend of theirs, and Alice, another friend of mine from camp, who I've shared good beer with before and invited to this show because she recently suggested we do that again.
Here is what ensued:
This show was Chester's anniversary show, and for a small entrance fee, they offered us free beer! I grabbed myself a Pabst Blue Ribbon (in college, many called it "People's Beer of Richmond"-- the college memory is probably what drove me to choose it over the Bud they also had) and sat to enjoy the show, thinking nothing of the plain old party beer I was consuming. However, upon updating this blog and my beer list right now, I discovered it wasn't listed!
After the show, we ended up at Phebe's in the East Village. I managed to find two on draft that weren't on my list:
Abita's Purple Haze: I'm almost positive I had this in college at a beerluck (everybody brings a wacky or fancy six pack, everybody enjoys random beers together), but that predates the list, so here it is now. Alice and I agreed, it tasted like graham crackers. I actually didn't get any particular raspberry flavor, which is odd since this is categorized as a fruit beer, or a wheat beer with fruit in it-- either way, suggestive of tasting like the raspberry puree mixed in with it toward the end of the brewing process. It wasn't bad though. Perhaps it would be good for breakfast?
Phebe's Ale: I actually had an argument with one of the bartenders about this beer. She was being really rude, kept watching TV every time Alice and I tried to talk to her after she asked what she could get for us... I asked for the house ale, which was apparently only available at the back bar in the place. This is fine. I asked her if she thought it was worth walking to the back. After she was done watching something on the TV for a few seconds, and asking me to repeat myself, she told me she didn't know, it was like dark or something like New Castle Brown Ale, to which I responded, "That's not dark!"
It actually was pretty dark, darker than New Castle for sure, but definitely still an ale (I could still see light through it). It tasted a little bit like black licorice and a little bit like flat Coca Cola. It actually was a bit flat, not that I'm crazy about carbonation (I am really not a soda drinker), but it needs a little to carry the flavor. It wasn't my favorite beer ever. However, I'd still recommend Phebe's for their awesome spinach artichoke dip, which they seemed to make from scratch, or at least had more fresh looking spinach in it than the average spinach artichoke dip out there. It was delicious.
Paul: 211
Colleen: 213
Here is what ensued:
This show was Chester's anniversary show, and for a small entrance fee, they offered us free beer! I grabbed myself a Pabst Blue Ribbon (in college, many called it "People's Beer of Richmond"-- the college memory is probably what drove me to choose it over the Bud they also had) and sat to enjoy the show, thinking nothing of the plain old party beer I was consuming. However, upon updating this blog and my beer list right now, I discovered it wasn't listed!
After the show, we ended up at Phebe's in the East Village. I managed to find two on draft that weren't on my list:
Abita's Purple Haze: I'm almost positive I had this in college at a beerluck (everybody brings a wacky or fancy six pack, everybody enjoys random beers together), but that predates the list, so here it is now. Alice and I agreed, it tasted like graham crackers. I actually didn't get any particular raspberry flavor, which is odd since this is categorized as a fruit beer, or a wheat beer with fruit in it-- either way, suggestive of tasting like the raspberry puree mixed in with it toward the end of the brewing process. It wasn't bad though. Perhaps it would be good for breakfast?
Phebe's Ale: I actually had an argument with one of the bartenders about this beer. She was being really rude, kept watching TV every time Alice and I tried to talk to her after she asked what she could get for us... I asked for the house ale, which was apparently only available at the back bar in the place. This is fine. I asked her if she thought it was worth walking to the back. After she was done watching something on the TV for a few seconds, and asking me to repeat myself, she told me she didn't know, it was like dark or something like New Castle Brown Ale, to which I responded, "That's not dark!"
It actually was pretty dark, darker than New Castle for sure, but definitely still an ale (I could still see light through it). It tasted a little bit like black licorice and a little bit like flat Coca Cola. It actually was a bit flat, not that I'm crazy about carbonation (I am really not a soda drinker), but it needs a little to carry the flavor. It wasn't my favorite beer ever. However, I'd still recommend Phebe's for their awesome spinach artichoke dip, which they seemed to make from scratch, or at least had more fresh looking spinach in it than the average spinach artichoke dip out there. It was delicious.
Paul: 211
Colleen: 213
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Another two hashmarks
Tonight I had my friend Matt over for our semi-weekly pizza and beer night. It's a good time to see and hang out with a guy I've been friends with for 16+ years. Typically, we just hang out in front of ESPN/sports and discuss life. It's really a good time. In any event, I got a chance to continue tasting beers from the custom six pack my brother so graciously gave me for my birthday. There were four new beers in the pack, and these are the final two.
Saranac Black and Tan: The Black and Tan, which is a mix between a stout and a lager in this case, is a favorite here at DBF. To clarify terminology: if you order a Black and Tan at a bar, you should expect half Guinness and half Bass Ale. If you order a Half 'N Half, you should expect half Guinness and half Harp Lager. If you've followed me thus far, it seems Saranac hasn't completely followed the pattern here, but that's ok! This was a well balanced beer. The black and tan takes some of the best characteristics from the lager and the stout - which is typical. The lager provides the smooth body and crisp after taste. The stout on the other hand provides the roasted malt flavor. This is worth another try.
Harpoon Leviathon Imperial IPA: When I saw this name, it gave the unpleasant memory of Stone Levitation Ale. Fortunately, it did not give that impression when I tasted it. Harpoon has done a fine job with this beer. There is a quality hop character (or bitterness) that I didn't find overbearing, despite what the name suggests. Even better was how well balanced the hops were with the malt flavors - which can be rare for an IPA. Overall, I think this beer wouldn't be a bad starter IPA, for those unfamiliar with the style.
Looks like I've jumped back in the lead, but I am sure it will be short lived.
The scorecard:
Paul: 211
Colleen: 210
Cheers,
Paul
Saranac Black and Tan: The Black and Tan, which is a mix between a stout and a lager in this case, is a favorite here at DBF. To clarify terminology: if you order a Black and Tan at a bar, you should expect half Guinness and half Bass Ale. If you order a Half 'N Half, you should expect half Guinness and half Harp Lager. If you've followed me thus far, it seems Saranac hasn't completely followed the pattern here, but that's ok! This was a well balanced beer. The black and tan takes some of the best characteristics from the lager and the stout - which is typical. The lager provides the smooth body and crisp after taste. The stout on the other hand provides the roasted malt flavor. This is worth another try.
Harpoon Leviathon Imperial IPA: When I saw this name, it gave the unpleasant memory of Stone Levitation Ale. Fortunately, it did not give that impression when I tasted it. Harpoon has done a fine job with this beer. There is a quality hop character (or bitterness) that I didn't find overbearing, despite what the name suggests. Even better was how well balanced the hops were with the malt flavors - which can be rare for an IPA. Overall, I think this beer wouldn't be a bad starter IPA, for those unfamiliar with the style.
Looks like I've jumped back in the lead, but I am sure it will be short lived.
The scorecard:
Paul: 211
Colleen: 210
Cheers,
Paul
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
a linktastic entry for you
Paul said he was just waiting for me to pull out ten beers to add to the list. It's been a bit of a busy week for me so far, so no, not ten, but four, putting me back in the lead (barely).
Before this week went wild and crazy, I did have a lovely weekend, wrapping up my spring break. As a result of a minor procedure* late in the week, I spent most of it lying on a couch being pathetic. However, on Saturday, I was fortunate enough to be called upon to babysit seven of the world's most well behaved children (they turned off the tv and put themselves to bed!) with the help one of my favorite people in the universe, Becky, who recently returned from a three or so year stint in Peace Corps and other world travels. Since this was up at the aforementioned camp, I also got to see the aforementioned Lauren and share the aforementioned Rogue Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout.
Um, DELICIOUS. I love stouts. I occasionally mention my ongoing search for an oatmeal stout as bangin' as the one I had at the microbrewery in Charleston, S.C. while attending a geography nerd conference that one time. Well, I think I finally found it. This was smooth and delicious. No weird aftertaste. Just awesome. Actually, what I wrote in my beer spreadsheet is, "SO GOOD! Smooth, tasty, not too sweet, not too bland, plain delicious perfecto stout" so yeah. Winner winner chicken dinner! Except I'm a vegetarian. Whatever, it's just fun to say. And I found a winning oatmeal stout.
Now onto my regularly scheduled Monday evening antics at Stuff Yer Face.
Corsendonk Abbey Pale Ale: I would highly recommend this one to the person who sort of likes pale ales but tends to be scared off by hops. Actually, I would recommend this one to just about anyone who likes good beer, because it's just plain good. It's actually a tripel. I would use words like "refreshing" and "delightful" to describe this very nice pale ale. It's not too sweet, and there's no real hops punching you in the face type experience to be had. It's just very nice and very good.
Rogue's Captain Sig's Northwestern Ale: While I've had a few Rogue brews now that I have really, REALLY enjoyed (um, did you read the beginning of this entry?), this was not a good experience. Hop hop hop away! No one around me really enjoyed it, either. I drank enough for it to count. Begrudgingly. The brewer describes it saying something about malts and other stuff besides hops... but I didn't get that part. It was just really bitter. If you're into hoppy beer, you'll like this!
and... don't judge...
Heineken: Once upon a time when I didn't really drink beer, I seem to recall liking this? I think it had more to do with the company I was keeping at that time in my life (said company being a big fan of said Heineken). Someone (and I forget who) judged me in a negative light over this and I hadn't had it since, till last night, when I had it just for the sake of getting it on the list officially. Well, I was annoyed at the person for judging me at the time, but I guess I owe them a thanks, whoever they were, because this isn't nearly as tolerable as my memory suggested. In fact, whoever you are, if you're reading this, please remind me that you once judged me, so I can properly thank you. When searching for a non-descript lager (I list these as "whatever lager" on my beer list), I would definitely go for a "Mexican lager" or the Earp Family Standard Issue over this. Eesh.
And so. Paul: 209, Colleen: 210. So I guess Paul's statement about ten beers sort of counts, in that I'm now ten beers past 200 beers.
*Bonus link if you aren't easy skeeved out by medical things: this is an x ray of my spine with a big needle next to it when I had the same procedure done a few years ago.
Before this week went wild and crazy, I did have a lovely weekend, wrapping up my spring break. As a result of a minor procedure* late in the week, I spent most of it lying on a couch being pathetic. However, on Saturday, I was fortunate enough to be called upon to babysit seven of the world's most well behaved children (they turned off the tv and put themselves to bed!) with the help one of my favorite people in the universe, Becky, who recently returned from a three or so year stint in Peace Corps and other world travels. Since this was up at the aforementioned camp, I also got to see the aforementioned Lauren and share the aforementioned Rogue Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout.
Um, DELICIOUS. I love stouts. I occasionally mention my ongoing search for an oatmeal stout as bangin' as the one I had at the microbrewery in Charleston, S.C. while attending a geography nerd conference that one time. Well, I think I finally found it. This was smooth and delicious. No weird aftertaste. Just awesome. Actually, what I wrote in my beer spreadsheet is, "SO GOOD! Smooth, tasty, not too sweet, not too bland, plain delicious perfecto stout" so yeah. Winner winner chicken dinner! Except I'm a vegetarian. Whatever, it's just fun to say. And I found a winning oatmeal stout.
Now onto my regularly scheduled Monday evening antics at Stuff Yer Face.
Corsendonk Abbey Pale Ale: I would highly recommend this one to the person who sort of likes pale ales but tends to be scared off by hops. Actually, I would recommend this one to just about anyone who likes good beer, because it's just plain good. It's actually a tripel. I would use words like "refreshing" and "delightful" to describe this very nice pale ale. It's not too sweet, and there's no real hops punching you in the face type experience to be had. It's just very nice and very good.
Rogue's Captain Sig's Northwestern Ale: While I've had a few Rogue brews now that I have really, REALLY enjoyed (um, did you read the beginning of this entry?), this was not a good experience. Hop hop hop away! No one around me really enjoyed it, either. I drank enough for it to count. Begrudgingly. The brewer describes it saying something about malts and other stuff besides hops... but I didn't get that part. It was just really bitter. If you're into hoppy beer, you'll like this!
and... don't judge...
Heineken: Once upon a time when I didn't really drink beer, I seem to recall liking this? I think it had more to do with the company I was keeping at that time in my life (said company being a big fan of said Heineken). Someone (and I forget who) judged me in a negative light over this and I hadn't had it since, till last night, when I had it just for the sake of getting it on the list officially. Well, I was annoyed at the person for judging me at the time, but I guess I owe them a thanks, whoever they were, because this isn't nearly as tolerable as my memory suggested. In fact, whoever you are, if you're reading this, please remind me that you once judged me, so I can properly thank you. When searching for a non-descript lager (I list these as "whatever lager" on my beer list), I would definitely go for a "Mexican lager" or the Earp Family Standard Issue over this. Eesh.
And so. Paul: 209, Colleen: 210. So I guess Paul's statement about ten beers sort of counts, in that I'm now ten beers past 200 beers.
*Bonus link if you aren't easy skeeved out by medical things: this is an x ray of my spine with a big needle next to it when I had the same procedure done a few years ago.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Nicaraguan Beer
So, this weekend I went to visit my girlfriend Laura in Colonial Williamsburg. She got back from a mission trip in Nicaragua recently, so it was our first weekend together in a while. It was a really great time. While this blog is about Colleen and my quest for tasting new beer, I do enjoy a good glass of wine every once in a while. Keeping that in mind, Laura and I visited Williamsburg Winery and took the tour/tasting. Some of the wines were pretty good, others were kind of eh. I suppose you are at the mercy of whatever lands on the tasting menu as well.
Toña: This is a beer from Nicaragua. Laura brought it back for me. It was nice to try an international beer from a place that wasn't Europe. That said, this beer reminded me of your run of the mill macro-brew in the United States. It went down smooth while cold, but didn't have much going for it when it came to taste. Nonetheless, I thank her for the generous gift.
Acme California Pale Ale: Laura and I went out for a beer at the Green Leafe on Saturday night after dinner. When she returned with the beers from the bar, she wasn't sure which one was mine. I say this because, my first impression was truly unbiased. I tasted it and thought it tasted as exactly a Pale Ale should. Since she did not order a Pale Ale, I knew it was mine. This was heavier on the hop on the initial taste rather than the after taste.
Tuppers Hop Pocket Ale: Being that it was gorgeous in Williamsburg this weekend, Laura and I decided to walk to Duke of Gloucester street and sit in the sun over a small plate of food. We got a plate of cheese at the Cheese Shop - which also has a sweet selection of beer. Hint: beer also pairs really well with cheese - I'd highly recommend a Pale Ale with a sharp Cheddar or Gouda. They had a nice (albeit expensive) selection of cheese, and I was fortunately able to find a Pale Ale to go with the cheeses. I thought the beer was rather complex in taste, and paired really well with the cheese. Bonus points since it was a local brew.
The scorecard:
Paul: 209
Colleen: 206
Cheers,
Paul
Toña: This is a beer from Nicaragua. Laura brought it back for me. It was nice to try an international beer from a place that wasn't Europe. That said, this beer reminded me of your run of the mill macro-brew in the United States. It went down smooth while cold, but didn't have much going for it when it came to taste. Nonetheless, I thank her for the generous gift.
Acme California Pale Ale: Laura and I went out for a beer at the Green Leafe on Saturday night after dinner. When she returned with the beers from the bar, she wasn't sure which one was mine. I say this because, my first impression was truly unbiased. I tasted it and thought it tasted as exactly a Pale Ale should. Since she did not order a Pale Ale, I knew it was mine. This was heavier on the hop on the initial taste rather than the after taste.
Tuppers Hop Pocket Ale: Being that it was gorgeous in Williamsburg this weekend, Laura and I decided to walk to Duke of Gloucester street and sit in the sun over a small plate of food. We got a plate of cheese at the Cheese Shop - which also has a sweet selection of beer. Hint: beer also pairs really well with cheese - I'd highly recommend a Pale Ale with a sharp Cheddar or Gouda. They had a nice (albeit expensive) selection of cheese, and I was fortunately able to find a Pale Ale to go with the cheeses. I thought the beer was rather complex in taste, and paired really well with the cheese. Bonus points since it was a local brew.
The scorecard:
Paul: 209
Colleen: 206
Cheers,
Paul
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Happy...
When you're having your green beer or Guinness today, please raise your glass to my dear beer friend Paul, who celebrates his birthday today, on St. Patrick's Day!
Happy Birthday Paul!
Happy St. Patrick's Day, planet earth!
Happy Birthday Paul!
Happy St. Patrick's Day, planet earth!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
On the Eve of St. Patrick's Day
I will not try any new beers tomorrow, as it will be St. Patrick's day. My beer of choice tomorrow will certainly be Guinness, as it is one of the few beers one should even consider drinking on St. Patrick's day. My only fervent objection is that it will probably cost $6 a pint?!! Nonetheless, have fun everyone!
I tried a few new beers these past few days. Colleen has been quite benevolent in letting me catch up to her. I'm waiting for her to pull out 10 beers from thin air to add to her list. I'm sure she will soon, being that she will be visiting DC in the next few weeks. This means we will be having a meeting at the Brickskeller, which should be a blast.
Xingu Beer: This beer was a gift from my family friends Deana and Frank. I think they will be happy that by the end of this post, as I've tied Colleen. Hopefully, I will soon lift the shame I have brought on my family. I thought this beer looked like a porter, but went down like Newcastle. I like black lagers for the most part, and I was glad to try a different one. Many thanks for their contribution, I will enjoy the remaining five of them!
Morland Tanners Jack: At times, I think we live in an overly complex world. Certainly, many of the craft beers I try are very complex. Like in writing, sometimes a masterpiece is much simpler than you'd imagine. I wouldn't go as far to say this beer was a masterpiece, but I hope it would give a mindset of what I mean when I say this beer was delightfully simple. I thought it tasted how a beer should taste, and it passed the test all beer must pass - it went well with a slice of pizza.
Weyerbacher Insanity: I got this as part of a custom six pack for my birthday. Many thanks to my brother for providing a few new beers to add to the list. I thought this beer was way, way to strong. I've had beer aged in oak barrel before, but the problem here is that this beer is a barleywine. I do not like the barleywine style, it just leaves a really weird after taste to me.
Lagunitas IPA: I had this beer with my cousin Bredan at a bar up the street. I thought it was a very good IPA, that had an interesting hop characteristic. It tastes like an IPA should, just with a pleasant twist, almost a variety of flavors. After reading the description online, I come to realize it is because the beer is brewed with 43 different hops! They certainly left quite an interesting hop characteristic.
The Scorecard:
Paul: 206
Colleen: 206
Cheers,
Paul
I tried a few new beers these past few days. Colleen has been quite benevolent in letting me catch up to her. I'm waiting for her to pull out 10 beers from thin air to add to her list. I'm sure she will soon, being that she will be visiting DC in the next few weeks. This means we will be having a meeting at the Brickskeller, which should be a blast.
Xingu Beer: This beer was a gift from my family friends Deana and Frank. I think they will be happy that by the end of this post, as I've tied Colleen. Hopefully, I will soon lift the shame I have brought on my family. I thought this beer looked like a porter, but went down like Newcastle. I like black lagers for the most part, and I was glad to try a different one. Many thanks for their contribution, I will enjoy the remaining five of them!
Morland Tanners Jack: At times, I think we live in an overly complex world. Certainly, many of the craft beers I try are very complex. Like in writing, sometimes a masterpiece is much simpler than you'd imagine. I wouldn't go as far to say this beer was a masterpiece, but I hope it would give a mindset of what I mean when I say this beer was delightfully simple. I thought it tasted how a beer should taste, and it passed the test all beer must pass - it went well with a slice of pizza.
Weyerbacher Insanity: I got this as part of a custom six pack for my birthday. Many thanks to my brother for providing a few new beers to add to the list. I thought this beer was way, way to strong. I've had beer aged in oak barrel before, but the problem here is that this beer is a barleywine. I do not like the barleywine style, it just leaves a really weird after taste to me.
Lagunitas IPA: I had this beer with my cousin Bredan at a bar up the street. I thought it was a very good IPA, that had an interesting hop characteristic. It tastes like an IPA should, just with a pleasant twist, almost a variety of flavors. After reading the description online, I come to realize it is because the beer is brewed with 43 different hops! They certainly left quite an interesting hop characteristic.
The Scorecard:
Paul: 206
Colleen: 206
Cheers,
Paul
Monday, March 15, 2010
This weekend I got to visit with my good friend Lauren while we worked a junior high retreat at Johnsonburg, the camp that I worked at for five summers in various facets. Lauren and I were roommates in a tiny awesome cabin in the middle of the woods during my third summer on staff. She's super awesome and we've been good friends since then.
One of our mutual interests is good beer. Surely you see where this is going...
New beer! Sam Adams Double Bock from the Imperial Series. This is pretty clearly a pretty good beer. It was very smooth and malty, but almost too malty for me, with a sort of oversweet caramelly flavor lurking in each sip. I didn't dislike it by any means, but the doppelbock is not a style I tend to go out of my way for. I tend to be attracted to things that say stout on the label, which is why my contribution to our joyful reunion was Rogue's Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout... stay tuned for when I see her next, which should be this coming weekend!
In other related news, I have taken a position at said camp for this coming summer as a prep cook. I am really excited! I loved working in the kitchen in the past up there and this will give me a little bit of free time to finish up my thesis and prepare for an early fall defense, so I can get that masters degree and move on to the next exciting part in life. Here's how this news relates to the blog: by signing my contract, I promise not to consume alcohol for the duration of said contract. Some people think this is bogus, but I think it's fine-- makes it easy for the higher ups to draw a line and stick to it. No arguments about "well, I wasn't drunk" or "well, the drinking age is 16 in my home country"... just no drinking. I'm sure I will accumulate a few new beers on my list between now and my start date in late June, but that'll give Paul a chance to catch up, if he doesn't soon anyway!
However, as of now: Paul 202, Colleen 206.
One of our mutual interests is good beer. Surely you see where this is going...
New beer! Sam Adams Double Bock from the Imperial Series. This is pretty clearly a pretty good beer. It was very smooth and malty, but almost too malty for me, with a sort of oversweet caramelly flavor lurking in each sip. I didn't dislike it by any means, but the doppelbock is not a style I tend to go out of my way for. I tend to be attracted to things that say stout on the label, which is why my contribution to our joyful reunion was Rogue's Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout... stay tuned for when I see her next, which should be this coming weekend!
In other related news, I have taken a position at said camp for this coming summer as a prep cook. I am really excited! I loved working in the kitchen in the past up there and this will give me a little bit of free time to finish up my thesis and prepare for an early fall defense, so I can get that masters degree and move on to the next exciting part in life. Here's how this news relates to the blog: by signing my contract, I promise not to consume alcohol for the duration of said contract. Some people think this is bogus, but I think it's fine-- makes it easy for the higher ups to draw a line and stick to it. No arguments about "well, I wasn't drunk" or "well, the drinking age is 16 in my home country"... just no drinking. I'm sure I will accumulate a few new beers on my list between now and my start date in late June, but that'll give Paul a chance to catch up, if he doesn't soon anyway!
However, as of now: Paul 202, Colleen 206.
Monday, March 8, 2010
ARGH!!!
No, I haven't dropped out of grad school and become a pirate.
But twice now, I've tried new beers at Stuffies and it turns out, they're already on my list.
This doesn't mean they're forgettable. At least both were very good brews--no loss. It's tough to remember everything you've ever tried when the official list is over 200 and there's still a few random others in your head that you know you've tried but this was before the beer list so it's not official. Oh well.
Brooklyn Brown Ale: While this is no Backdraft Brown Ale, this is a very good beer. It's nice and malty and has a good weight. It's very smooth and not too sweet. I misunderstood our favorite bartender Jill when she asked if I'd tried it before, because I tried this somewhat recently and definitely remembered it being good. Oh well. Like I said, no loss.
Aventinus: You know what? This one sounded familiar. I even had my beer list loaded onto my iPod and looked to see if I tried this, but I looked under Aventinus and Weissbierbrauerei but didn't see it... because it's Schneider and Sohn. Oh well. Not a big loss, since it's a really nice darker wheat beer. It was a little sweet but in an awesome way, like how some wheat beers have a bit of a banana/clove thing going on... very interesting flavor, and not too heavy. This is a good wheat beer, though not quite as light and fancy free as a hefeweizen, as this one is actually a doppelbock.
The score remains: Paul 202, Colleen 205.
But twice now, I've tried new beers at Stuffies and it turns out, they're already on my list.
This doesn't mean they're forgettable. At least both were very good brews--no loss. It's tough to remember everything you've ever tried when the official list is over 200 and there's still a few random others in your head that you know you've tried but this was before the beer list so it's not official. Oh well.
Brooklyn Brown Ale: While this is no Backdraft Brown Ale, this is a very good beer. It's nice and malty and has a good weight. It's very smooth and not too sweet. I misunderstood our favorite bartender Jill when she asked if I'd tried it before, because I tried this somewhat recently and definitely remembered it being good. Oh well. Like I said, no loss.
Aventinus: You know what? This one sounded familiar. I even had my beer list loaded onto my iPod and looked to see if I tried this, but I looked under Aventinus and Weissbierbrauerei but didn't see it... because it's Schneider and Sohn. Oh well. Not a big loss, since it's a really nice darker wheat beer. It was a little sweet but in an awesome way, like how some wheat beers have a bit of a banana/clove thing going on... very interesting flavor, and not too heavy. This is a good wheat beer, though not quite as light and fancy free as a hefeweizen, as this one is actually a doppelbock.
The score remains: Paul 202, Colleen 205.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Crystal City Sports Pub
On Tuesday, I met with my college friend Laurie at Crystal City Sports Pub. They have good happy hour specials and bar food. CC Sports Pub is where you go to watch a game in the DC area - the top floor has 3 HD projector screens and the rest of the walls have as many TVs as one could possibly cram in that space. This place is a cathedral to sports. Collen would remember this place, as she's eaten there during one of her trips to DC.
In short, I had a really good time catching up with Laurie. It had been a long time since we'd been able to have a conversation lasting longer than 10 minutes, which were usually during VT football game parties at a sports pub. I tried two "new" beers. The first one really was new, while the second I had before but deserves another review.
Hook and Ladder Golden Ale: This beer left a funny after taste. It was crisp, clean, and cold. That's not a bad thing for a beer, but cold sometimes hides a beers inadequacies - kind of like parkas do for people in the winter. I thought this beer was fine to drink, but it certainly wasn't a favorite. Golden ales aren't a style that I enjoy very often.
Hook and Ladder Backdraft Brown Ale: This beer is brewed in Baltimore, and despite what the ratings at ratebeer have to say, this is an exceptionally smooth and enjoyable Brown Ale. I'd call it one of the most pleasant finds that I've come across in my quest to try new beers. The best part is that this beer is really accessible in taste to a lot of people. It comes highly recommended from the DBF staff!
The scorecard:
Colleen: 205
Paul: 202
Cheers,
Paul
In short, I had a really good time catching up with Laurie. It had been a long time since we'd been able to have a conversation lasting longer than 10 minutes, which were usually during VT football game parties at a sports pub. I tried two "new" beers. The first one really was new, while the second I had before but deserves another review.
Hook and Ladder Golden Ale: This beer left a funny after taste. It was crisp, clean, and cold. That's not a bad thing for a beer, but cold sometimes hides a beers inadequacies - kind of like parkas do for people in the winter. I thought this beer was fine to drink, but it certainly wasn't a favorite. Golden ales aren't a style that I enjoy very often.
Hook and Ladder Backdraft Brown Ale: This beer is brewed in Baltimore, and despite what the ratings at ratebeer have to say, this is an exceptionally smooth and enjoyable Brown Ale. I'd call it one of the most pleasant finds that I've come across in my quest to try new beers. The best part is that this beer is really accessible in taste to a lot of people. It comes highly recommended from the DBF staff!
The scorecard:
Colleen: 205
Paul: 202
Cheers,
Paul
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