excuses excuses

So I can't really explain my MIA-ness. I think the best guess is all the graduations I attended, plus I just finished doing some moving. Before this update, I was behind by almost 25 beers and Colleen had a lead that was closing on 10%. Yikes.

Despite this, I did manage to escape my moving duties last weekend and go out with some sailing buddies from college. We went to The Whiskey in Annapolis, no new beer to be had there. However, I did get to catch up with some people and listen to some local music. I'd say the music drowned out catching up more than anything else. Nonetheless, good times were had.

After we had our fill there, we went to downtown Annapolis to Harry Browne's, which is on State House circle. The upstairs bar was the kind of place most appropriate for a cigar and a sniffer full of brandy, but I did manage to try a new beer. As pretentious as it sounded, unlike the last place, you could definitely have a conversation there. So perhaps that means I had a good mix of bar experiences.

Dominion Hop Mountain Pale Ale: I thought this tasted a little funny. I think it was most likely the hop variety, since it can have a large affect on pale ales and IPA. Considering the varying kinds of hops, that's my best guess on one try - assuming the keg was fresh. It did seem to get better as I broke up the taste with some bar pretzels. At times, I think beer can be aided by food. Yet, it can also mask the taste. Being that this isn't a sophisticated beer review guide, I'll stop here and reiterate my review again. Dominion generally makes decent beer, but I'd avoid this one.

In a desperate attempt to begin to catch up, I went to Total Wine and made a custom six pack. For the most part, I avoided porters and stouts, being that it's the time of year for lighter ales and lagers, but I did manage to sneak in an oatmeal stout. Also, at Laura's suggestion, I will be adorning the mantle in my living room with empty beer bottles from my recent reviews.

Bavaria Holland Blonde: Admittedly, if you put this and Heineken next to each other, I might not tell the difference. That statement makes this review interesting, since technically Heineken has not be officially listed on my count. The beer was light in color and taste, and the slight floral/fruit aroma reminded me of Heineken.

Harpoon Celtic Ale: As with the last beer, this reminded me of another common brew. I thought the taste was very similar to Killian's Irish Red. Harpoon, like Dominion, generally does a pretty good job. Being that I like Killian's, I thought this was a very good beer.

Left Hand Jackman'ss Pale Ale: As far as pale ales are concerned, this was rather middle of the road. I thought it wasn't too hoppy, but had enough kick to certainly distinguish itself as a pale ale. The beer went down fairly clean and smooth. Thus far, I'd say Left Hand brewing makes a quality micro-brew.

Lost Coast Alleycat Amber Ale: I tend to like amber ales, especially in the summer. I was somewhat disappointed by this beer. I thought it tasted pretty smooth, but was not what I think an iconic amber ale should taste like. No comment on the brewer, since this is my first by them.

Southampton Double White Ale: White ales tend to remind me of a wheat beer or Blue Moon. Fortunately, this was much better than Blue Moon. The beer was very cloudy, as I believe it was unfiltered. When tasting unfiltered beers from the bottle, it is best to avoid the very last drops as they mostly contain yeast. In short, this was a nice summer beer to have on a hot day.

New Holland The Poet: I thought this was a great oatmeal stout. While it was heavy for the summer, I thought this beer was well done for its style and overall. Laura made Salisbury Steak for dinner that night, and it complemented the food really well. I wish I had better descriptors for you, but I'm at a loss of words. I hope to locate another one of these, because I really enjoyed it - and so I can update this review a little more.

This begins my long march to slowly catch up to Colleen over the summer. I hope to pass her sometime in late July, just in time to build a lead before she begins her march to demolish me once again. That said, I hope to meet with my beer friend sooner rather than later for a beer. Speaking of my beer friend, I wish her best of luck on her Thoreau style thesis writing.

The scorecard:
Colleen: 253
Paul: 236

Cheers,
Paul