So, thesis defense down does not equal slowing down. A week later, I was in Virginia. For the past few years, I have done the Muddy Buddy with a friend in the Richmond area. This spring would be my third. But, as always, visiting Virginia involved catching up with several friends... often over a beer or few.
Firestone Walker's Reserve Porter: From Taylor's fridge. It was nice and dark and heavy, with a strong coffee flavor.
On Friday evening, Taylor and I met up with Paul, Laura, Matt and others to go to Bier Baron, formerly known as Brickskeller. It's amazing to me how Bier Baron has scaled back the beer menu, and there are still over 500 options. This was a combination celebration of my successful defense, Matt's successful completion of his Masters work and a DBF staff meeting. Paul did try new beers. Maybe he'll even write about them. In the meantime, here's what I had--
Sam Adams Rustic Saison: I found this satisfying. Despite being see-through, I actually quite like the saison/ farmhouse style. They're refreshing. This was precisely that, a nice clean drink. This would be great on a hot day; that Friday was surprisingly cool out. This saison didn't have any particularly strong tastes to it, just a simple, refreshing beer.
Unibroue Maudite: A Quebecois beer that Paul and I both tried. "Strong dark Belgian ale" is not necessarily my favorite style. It kinda had a sweet fruity thing going on, but didn't taste like a particular kind of fruit to me. I don't know. My notes on this don't have much to say, and I don't remember much about it, and I think that sums this beer up just fine. It wasn't bad, just not really memorable or impressive.
Weyerbacher Heresy: Now we're talking. Russian Imperial Stout. This one tastes like a car bomb. It was nice and heavy and very smooth. Pleasant. I liked it. Not too sweet, not too strong or bitter. Good Imperial Stout.
After that, Paul ordered me a car bomb, and I'm still not sure why. It was delicious, but I can't drink fast enough to really enjoy these, although this time I managed to only leave a sip or two to curdle. It was great to see everyone, and really great to celebrate Matt's and my masters.
So, the Muddy Buddy is really awesome, but a nice perk at the end is the beer garden, sponsored by Red Hook. This year they served Copper Hook, a red/amber something. It was a bit hoppier than something like Killian's but really refreshing and crisp after the intense workout. Nothing fancy about it. It's very drinkable.
Sunday evening, after a long shower, Taylor and I met Justin and Deb to have dinner at Capital Alehouse in downtown Richmond. It was great to catch up with them since they were kind of busy the last time I saw them (at their wedding). Taylor ordered Laughing Dog Crotch Sniffing Bastard for its name alone. While choosing beers for their funny names often leads to interesting discoveries, neither of us enjoyed this one (I finished it for him just so I could add it to the list). I mean, it was light and beery, but it had some kind of weird sweet funk to it, both in smell and taste. Kind of like how moldy fruit smells-- kind of sweet and kind of weird, and then you see the fuzz and realize "weird" is actually "gross". Yeah. Maybe it was a bad bottle, or maybe I wouldn't recommend this.
I got New Holland Golden Cap Saison. Another fresh tasting beer. Slight citrusy something going on, but just pleasant and refreshing.
As usual, if I go to Virginia, I stay there for a few extra days. On Tuesday, I met up with my good friend Becky for an afternoon stroll, and we along with her husband Dana met Taylor at Lost Dog Cafe, where the food is amazing. The unpregnant 3/4 of the group ordered DC Brau's Pale Ale, which was far hoppier than I expected... bitterness verging on IPA. It wasn't bad, just not what I expected.
My final beer for this jaunt to Virginia was Dogfish Head's Hellhound, kindly purchased for me by Becky and Dana, perhaps in celebration of my victory of the aforementioned thesis defense. Another beer in honor of an awesome musician? Ok! Dogfish Head again did not disappoint. While billed as excessively hoppy, I didn't think it was offensively so
Showing posts with label Imperial Russian Stout. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Imperial Russian Stout. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Have you missed us? Sorry.
It's been almost a month since there's been a post here.
Sorry.
Paul's been working a lot (although if the government closes down, perhaps we'll get an update from him? Just kidding, I don't actually want that to happen. The shutdown, not the update thing. I'm looking forward to hearing from Paul. Not a government shutdown over this. Anyway moving on...). I have little to no excuse. I could say I've been working a lot, but my work (thesis) is often accompanied by beer... and also, I like to take breaks from said work and do completely unacademic things like write about beer or go on adventures (and then write about them).
So yeah. Sorry.
I'm down to the last dozen Earpeweizens, so if you wanted to try one and haven't yet, you should let me know. (Justin Doyle, yours is in Taylor's fridge. He's holding out on you. Get on that.)
But aside from working my way through my homebrew by sharing it with wonderful friends, I have tried a few others lately--
Dogfish Head Aprihop: I really enjoyed this. The apricot taste was really slight, just a nice highlight to a pretty good IPA. This might be a reasonable way to transition your friends from super sweet fruity mixed drinks into good beer. I want this in the summer. Good work, Sam!
Dogfish Head Squall IPA: You know, I love Dogfish Head. Just as the Aprihop IPA was a hit for me, this was a miss. This is a really florally kinda tasting IPA. I've come to like IPAs quite a bit, but don't need them to taste like flowers. This might be shocking to hear from me, but-- it wasn't hoppy enough. However, if you like beers that taste like flora, you might enjoy this more.
Yards Philadelphia Pale Ale: I had this in a bar just outside of Philly while visiting my big brother. It seemed kind of novel to drink the local beer while watching the local baseball team win and the local hockey team lose. Good beer though. I thought this was pale ale was straightforward and honest, if that makes sense. No gimmicks. Just pale ale. Good.
The Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout: This is one I've walked past many times in the stores, thinking I'd already had it (yeah, you try and keep track of all... how many beers have I tried now?). I finally remembered to check my beer list and discovered that I hadn't. If I had, I think I would have remembered it-- this was great. Dark, strong, really malty. Goodness. Poured like black paint with brown head. My mom's face as she watched me pour it was kinda priceless. I enjoyed this immensely and would totally recommend it to you imperial stout fans out there.
I was kind of hoping that if I had a beer and wrote about something not remotely related to my thesis, it would get me in writing mode and motivate me to accomplish great things this evening. Alas, totally not the case. Guess I better open another one... so I'll write again soon!
Sorry.
Paul's been working a lot (although if the government closes down, perhaps we'll get an update from him? Just kidding, I don't actually want that to happen. The shutdown, not the update thing. I'm looking forward to hearing from Paul. Not a government shutdown over this. Anyway moving on...). I have little to no excuse. I could say I've been working a lot, but my work (thesis) is often accompanied by beer... and also, I like to take breaks from said work and do completely unacademic things like write about beer or go on adventures (and then write about them).
So yeah. Sorry.
I'm down to the last dozen Earpeweizens, so if you wanted to try one and haven't yet, you should let me know. (Justin Doyle, yours is in Taylor's fridge. He's holding out on you. Get on that.)
But aside from working my way through my homebrew by sharing it with wonderful friends, I have tried a few others lately--
Dogfish Head Aprihop: I really enjoyed this. The apricot taste was really slight, just a nice highlight to a pretty good IPA. This might be a reasonable way to transition your friends from super sweet fruity mixed drinks into good beer. I want this in the summer. Good work, Sam!
Dogfish Head Squall IPA: You know, I love Dogfish Head. Just as the Aprihop IPA was a hit for me, this was a miss. This is a really florally kinda tasting IPA. I've come to like IPAs quite a bit, but don't need them to taste like flowers. This might be shocking to hear from me, but-- it wasn't hoppy enough. However, if you like beers that taste like flora, you might enjoy this more.
Yards Philadelphia Pale Ale: I had this in a bar just outside of Philly while visiting my big brother. It seemed kind of novel to drink the local beer while watching the local baseball team win and the local hockey team lose. Good beer though. I thought this was pale ale was straightforward and honest, if that makes sense. No gimmicks. Just pale ale. Good.
The Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout: This is one I've walked past many times in the stores, thinking I'd already had it (yeah, you try and keep track of all... how many beers have I tried now?). I finally remembered to check my beer list and discovered that I hadn't. If I had, I think I would have remembered it-- this was great. Dark, strong, really malty. Goodness. Poured like black paint with brown head. My mom's face as she watched me pour it was kinda priceless. I enjoyed this immensely and would totally recommend it to you imperial stout fans out there.
I was kind of hoping that if I had a beer and wrote about something not remotely related to my thesis, it would get me in writing mode and motivate me to accomplish great things this evening. Alas, totally not the case. Guess I better open another one... so I'll write again soon!
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
FINALLY
I have been suffering in silence for the past month and a half. SUFFERING, I TELL YOU! Suffering the sheer excitement of the fact that my dear friend, my beer friend, Paul, was going to propose to his girlfriend Laura. Well, now that she is officially his fiancee, I can finally offer a very happy and public congratulations to them both!
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!
(Ask Paul. I totally made a scene at The Office Lounge when he told me he bought the ring but would be waiting a few weeks to give it to her. But I kept it a secret anyway!)
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!
And, just to keep with the theme of the blog--
Erie Brewing Co's Fallenbock: I am not usually a fan of the bock beers but my notes for this one read, "kinda fruity but not offensive, definitely tasted chocolate". It was pretty lightweight and I didn't mind it terribly. I didn't dislike it, but I'm just not a huge fan of the style.
Leinenkugel Creamy Dark: Wasn't sure how this would go over. Paul didn't like what he tried by this brewer, but this particular beer wasn't bad. It tasted kind of toasty (I don't know how else to describe the flavor, maybe like toasted nuts or something? I dunno.) but was very creamy indeed. This was an ok beer. It was pleasant enough.
HaandBryggeriet Dark Force: This was a little sweet but very interesting and pretty good. The infamous Jill at Stuff Yer Face said, "Wheat stout?" and I was sold. It was very, very dark but not very heavy. Lots of typically stouty flavors happening. Also, the name was flippin' cool. It's not cheap though. It was pretty good but I don't need to repeat it.
So, here's to Paul and Laura! I promise I will toast you both in person... with a beer that's already on my list. Congratulations again, friends!
PS: I bought a 12 quart pot to boil wort and there's snow on the ground with which to cool it. Homebrewing, here I come! (Tomorrow, probably.)
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!
(Ask Paul. I totally made a scene at The Office Lounge when he told me he bought the ring but would be waiting a few weeks to give it to her. But I kept it a secret anyway!)
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!
And, just to keep with the theme of the blog--
Erie Brewing Co's Fallenbock: I am not usually a fan of the bock beers but my notes for this one read, "kinda fruity but not offensive, definitely tasted chocolate". It was pretty lightweight and I didn't mind it terribly. I didn't dislike it, but I'm just not a huge fan of the style.
Leinenkugel Creamy Dark: Wasn't sure how this would go over. Paul didn't like what he tried by this brewer, but this particular beer wasn't bad. It tasted kind of toasty (I don't know how else to describe the flavor, maybe like toasted nuts or something? I dunno.) but was very creamy indeed. This was an ok beer. It was pleasant enough.
HaandBryggeriet Dark Force: This was a little sweet but very interesting and pretty good. The infamous Jill at Stuff Yer Face said, "Wheat stout?" and I was sold. It was very, very dark but not very heavy. Lots of typically stouty flavors happening. Also, the name was flippin' cool. It's not cheap though. It was pretty good but I don't need to repeat it.
So, here's to Paul and Laura! I promise I will toast you both in person... with a beer that's already on my list. Congratulations again, friends!
PS: I bought a 12 quart pot to boil wort and there's snow on the ground with which to cool it. Homebrewing, here I come! (Tomorrow, probably.)
Sunday, January 23, 2011
New Year
With all this freezing weather, I feel like my beer tasting has been on ice - bad pun intended. I've got a few more beers from Christmas to try, so those reviews will be up soon. The bottles are just 24+ oz, so I want to be able to try them with a group. Perhaps we can break them out the next time Colleen and I get together?
I've been rather busy with work lately. I'm about to go into a more formal review process of my work, so I've been spending a lot of time with a mentor to help get my work product to a better level. Not that I am in trouble at work, it's actually the opposite. I'm extremely grateful to have prospects move my career forward. Once this is all over, I need to buy said mentor a beer.
Cains Dark Mild: This was a rather dark ale with a mild taste. I thought it was well balanced and got a nice malt flavor from the beer.
Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout: This was quite an experience. I like Imperial Stouts. This had a head that definitely had a chocolate malt flavor. There was also a distinct coffee malt flavor. It's not a beer to be reckoned with as it weighs in at 9.5% alcohol by volume. The hop characteristic was quite interesting, as it added to the bee'rs flavor without overpowering the best parts of an Imperial Stout (the malts).
The following beers were a gift from my friend Matt. We split the bottles, which makes for a nice tasting. Add in some pizza, and you've got a relaxing Friday night.
Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye: I tried Terrapin Rye Pale Ale a few weeks ago. After trying this beer, I decided to give a beer with rye based malt another shot. I enjoyed this more than the Terrapin. It was a strong pale ale, and the rye gave it a nice malt flavor to the strong aroma of hops.
Bear Republic Racer 5: Contrary to the rate beer ratings, I thought this was a pedestrian pale ale. It didn't do anything wrong, nor did it do anything that outright impressed me. It's your standard pale ale - medium in color with a bitter hop taste.
Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale: This beer had quite an interesting taste to go along with it's long winded name. The bottle states that the beer is brewed with hops, hops, and more hops. This was quite bitter on contact, but got sweet during the after taste. It's interesting how one can affect a beer in a variety of ways using hops, and this beer is a good example of that.
The scorecard:
Colleen - 355
Paul -329
Cheers,
Paul
I've been rather busy with work lately. I'm about to go into a more formal review process of my work, so I've been spending a lot of time with a mentor to help get my work product to a better level. Not that I am in trouble at work, it's actually the opposite. I'm extremely grateful to have prospects move my career forward. Once this is all over, I need to buy said mentor a beer.
Cains Dark Mild: This was a rather dark ale with a mild taste. I thought it was well balanced and got a nice malt flavor from the beer.
Great Divide Yeti Imperial Stout: This was quite an experience. I like Imperial Stouts. This had a head that definitely had a chocolate malt flavor. There was also a distinct coffee malt flavor. It's not a beer to be reckoned with as it weighs in at 9.5% alcohol by volume. The hop characteristic was quite interesting, as it added to the bee'rs flavor without overpowering the best parts of an Imperial Stout (the malts).
The following beers were a gift from my friend Matt. We split the bottles, which makes for a nice tasting. Add in some pizza, and you've got a relaxing Friday night.
Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye: I tried Terrapin Rye Pale Ale a few weeks ago. After trying this beer, I decided to give a beer with rye based malt another shot. I enjoyed this more than the Terrapin. It was a strong pale ale, and the rye gave it a nice malt flavor to the strong aroma of hops.
Bear Republic Racer 5: Contrary to the rate beer ratings, I thought this was a pedestrian pale ale. It didn't do anything wrong, nor did it do anything that outright impressed me. It's your standard pale ale - medium in color with a bitter hop taste.
Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale: This beer had quite an interesting taste to go along with it's long winded name. The bottle states that the beer is brewed with hops, hops, and more hops. This was quite bitter on contact, but got sweet during the after taste. It's interesting how one can affect a beer in a variety of ways using hops, and this beer is a good example of that.
The scorecard:
Colleen - 355
Paul -329
Cheers,
Paul
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
keeping busy
Well. It's a busy time of year: finals, holiday preparation, visiting lots of family and friends. And you know, it's all three of those things that have lead me to try the following new brews:
Rogue Santa's Private Reserve Ale: I picked this one up to help me meet a thesis deadline earlier this month. Appropriately a red ale, it was a decent combination of the bitter of hops and the sweetness of something citrus fruity. It was pleasant, and while it did not help me to stay awake and finish the section of thesis that I owed my advisor, it did help me in being less critical and over-thinking of what I was writing... but I don't think that was exclusive to this brew so much as beer in general. Hm. Anyway, this was not the most amazing thing ever, but not a terrible price or taste for being festive.
Flying Fish Exit 13: Very rarely do I seek out a beer. Usually I just keep a vague idea of what I've had and try to find things with funny or super unfamiliar names. However, embarrased by having missed two of the Flying Fish Exit Series so far (Exits 11 and 16 E W) (do you know how much I love Jersey!?), and having read of its release in an ongoing series in the Star Ledger, I asked the manager at the nearest liquor store with a decent beer selection. Surely enough, he'd received it-- hadn't even put it out on the floor yet, but I bought my bottle and opened it the moment I got home. This is a chocolate stout, and while the flavor is not overly complex or especially strong (think kick in the ass rather than punch in the face), it was really nice and smooth. I love me a strong stout, but I realize not everyone does. I love this beer because it's New Jersey themed and New Jersey brewed, but I also think it's a reasonably accessible stout.
Rogue Yellow Snow IPA: Taylor came to visit and chose this while I drooled over the Exit 13, but he was nice and shared (possibly because we bought an entire growler). He said, "meh" but is way more of an IPA aficionado than I am (which leads me to believe I should go back and retry a lot of earlier IPAs now that I'm sort of getting a taste for them). This one tasted kind of like flowers. It wasn't the most incredible IPA I've tried, but it also wasn't super gross like some I've had. Rogue can be somewhat hit or miss, but again, given the price on this, I thought it was pretty good. If nothing else, hilariously novel name.
"Black Ice": While this doesn't by any means count as a new beer, this is an interesting idea I stole from my cousin Andrew after seeing him post something on facebook about it last winter. It's half Guinness, half Sam Adams Winter Lager. I tried this at The Office catching up with Paul and Laura (with Taylor, too) but found it to be kind of... bland. Sorry Andrew. I think I'm missing something. Definitely interesting in theory, and definitely motivates me to try the concept on other beers-- the half and half is a go-to for both authors of this blog (Guinness and Harp).
The incredible Cheryl gets credit for choosing three different beers that were not on my list when she hosted Taylor and me for dinner this past weekend--
21st Amendment Fireside Chat: a lovely winter warmer, nice spiced flavor. I wasn't crazy about the aftertaste but the beer itself was worthwhile. Also, it came in possibly the coolest cans I've ever seen, featuring Franklin Delano Roosevelt giving a fireside chat.
Boulder Never Summer Ale: This was another warm, malty, wintery beer, though it was hoppier than I expected. It was a nice balance though.
Stone Imperial Russian Stout: This was more the punch in the face kind of stout that I love. Very strong, definitely got a taste of coffee. I approve of this beer!
Taylor actually hung out for an extra day in order to get the Stuff Yer Face Monday night experience. I feel it's worth rementioning Dogfish Head's World Wide Stout, which is currently on tap there, and is awesome. It's 18% ABV and so delicious and strong. Oh man. Good. No, GREAT.
After my love affair with the World Wide Stout, both Taylor and I ordered Stone Ruination. We noticed upon pouring them out that mine was much lighter in color. We checked the bottles-- one of us had one that was best by this past July, one of us had one that was best by this coming January. I suspect I had the older one, because while it was a decent IPA, Taylor's had much more flavor to it-- the strong hops, something citrus, and even a bit of yeast taste. Obviously fresher is going to be better, but in this case, it made a very noticeable difference. Mine was ok, but his was pretty good.
Some good stuff lately.
Paul: 311
Colleen: 341 (no I did not count World Wide Stout again, although it counts as like 3 beers)
Rogue Santa's Private Reserve Ale: I picked this one up to help me meet a thesis deadline earlier this month. Appropriately a red ale, it was a decent combination of the bitter of hops and the sweetness of something citrus fruity. It was pleasant, and while it did not help me to stay awake and finish the section of thesis that I owed my advisor, it did help me in being less critical and over-thinking of what I was writing... but I don't think that was exclusive to this brew so much as beer in general. Hm. Anyway, this was not the most amazing thing ever, but not a terrible price or taste for being festive.
Flying Fish Exit 13: Very rarely do I seek out a beer. Usually I just keep a vague idea of what I've had and try to find things with funny or super unfamiliar names. However, embarrased by having missed two of the Flying Fish Exit Series so far (Exits 11 and 16 E W) (do you know how much I love Jersey!?), and having read of its release in an ongoing series in the Star Ledger, I asked the manager at the nearest liquor store with a decent beer selection. Surely enough, he'd received it-- hadn't even put it out on the floor yet, but I bought my bottle and opened it the moment I got home. This is a chocolate stout, and while the flavor is not overly complex or especially strong (think kick in the ass rather than punch in the face), it was really nice and smooth. I love me a strong stout, but I realize not everyone does. I love this beer because it's New Jersey themed and New Jersey brewed, but I also think it's a reasonably accessible stout.
Rogue Yellow Snow IPA: Taylor came to visit and chose this while I drooled over the Exit 13, but he was nice and shared (possibly because we bought an entire growler). He said, "meh" but is way more of an IPA aficionado than I am (which leads me to believe I should go back and retry a lot of earlier IPAs now that I'm sort of getting a taste for them). This one tasted kind of like flowers. It wasn't the most incredible IPA I've tried, but it also wasn't super gross like some I've had. Rogue can be somewhat hit or miss, but again, given the price on this, I thought it was pretty good. If nothing else, hilariously novel name.
"Black Ice": While this doesn't by any means count as a new beer, this is an interesting idea I stole from my cousin Andrew after seeing him post something on facebook about it last winter. It's half Guinness, half Sam Adams Winter Lager. I tried this at The Office catching up with Paul and Laura (with Taylor, too) but found it to be kind of... bland. Sorry Andrew. I think I'm missing something. Definitely interesting in theory, and definitely motivates me to try the concept on other beers-- the half and half is a go-to for both authors of this blog (Guinness and Harp).
The incredible Cheryl gets credit for choosing three different beers that were not on my list when she hosted Taylor and me for dinner this past weekend--
21st Amendment Fireside Chat: a lovely winter warmer, nice spiced flavor. I wasn't crazy about the aftertaste but the beer itself was worthwhile. Also, it came in possibly the coolest cans I've ever seen, featuring Franklin Delano Roosevelt giving a fireside chat.
Boulder Never Summer Ale: This was another warm, malty, wintery beer, though it was hoppier than I expected. It was a nice balance though.
Stone Imperial Russian Stout: This was more the punch in the face kind of stout that I love. Very strong, definitely got a taste of coffee. I approve of this beer!
Taylor actually hung out for an extra day in order to get the Stuff Yer Face Monday night experience. I feel it's worth rementioning Dogfish Head's World Wide Stout, which is currently on tap there, and is awesome. It's 18% ABV and so delicious and strong. Oh man. Good. No, GREAT.
After my love affair with the World Wide Stout, both Taylor and I ordered Stone Ruination. We noticed upon pouring them out that mine was much lighter in color. We checked the bottles-- one of us had one that was best by this past July, one of us had one that was best by this coming January. I suspect I had the older one, because while it was a decent IPA, Taylor's had much more flavor to it-- the strong hops, something citrus, and even a bit of yeast taste. Obviously fresher is going to be better, but in this case, it made a very noticeable difference. Mine was ok, but his was pretty good.
Some good stuff lately.
Paul: 311
Colleen: 341 (no I did not count World Wide Stout again, although it counts as like 3 beers)
Monday, April 12, 2010
Beerios
So the post title describes the foods in my diet - according to my girlfriend Laura. In actuality, I needed a clever title, so I had this fact in my pocket for a while now. For the record, I do think my diet isn't that bad.
I've the had the blessing of wonderful weather in the DC area, and some time to relax and grill some food. Oh yeah, grilling with a cold beer in hand counts too. The best part? Not seeing a cloud in the sky for hours on end...
This should be my last post before Colleen's visit. At some point, I see us going beer for beer. It will get ugly. And she will probably win. Without further ado, here are the beers I've recently tried.
Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber Lager: The six pack box was interesting for this beer. It came with two line graphs: one for color, and one for hop vs malt. I thought it was quite interesting, and perhaps I will need to start a similar visual for my ratings? The beer lived up to its name, amber in color. I also thought it was well balanced between malts and hops, and would be the kind of craft brew one would enjoy at the grill. I am relatively inexperienced at Flying Dog's lineup, but this certainly won't turn me away from them.
Sierra Nevada Kellerweis Hefeweizen: Sierra Nevada makes an excellent pale ale, so I was hoping this beer would live up it's cousin. Hefeweizen's are known to be incredibly light in flavor, and cloudy in appearance. They are one of the best summer beers possible. There's usually a slight fruit flavor, and everything goes down smooth. I word to the wise, there is usually yeast at the bottom. It's a good idea to pour out 80% of it into a glass. The bottom 10% will be mostly yeast. If you do drink it, swish the bottle around before hand.
A brief programming note, while I did start this entry before the one previously posted by Colleen, it was delayed until now so I could locate my notes on two other beers. Their stories are also included in the description. They were both brewed by Clipper City in Baltimore. I am definitely warming up to that brewery...
Clipper City Heavy Seas Peg Leg: I had this Imperial Stout while out for a drink with my friend Matt. We went to Hard Times Cafe. It's definitely a no-frills place that makes great chili, although I abstained from it on this visit. The beer reminded me more of a coffee stout than an Imperial. Overall, it had quite the kick and certainly was not a beer for the faint at heart.
Clipper City Heavy Seas Loose Cannon: After a particularly soul-sucking day at work (everyone has them), my friend Kyle and I met for some beers afterward. I ordered this beer on name alone, since I hadn't tried it before. My first reaction? The beer was definitely an IPA because the bitter hops were loud and clear in the taste, so to speak. This is the kind of IPA that I would refer hop-heads to, but not the run of the mill beer drinker. There are certainly a lot of flavors to the beer, but one needs to get past the hops to enjoy them.
The scorecard:
Colleen: 223
Paul: 222
Cheers,
Paul
I've the had the blessing of wonderful weather in the DC area, and some time to relax and grill some food. Oh yeah, grilling with a cold beer in hand counts too. The best part? Not seeing a cloud in the sky for hours on end...
This should be my last post before Colleen's visit. At some point, I see us going beer for beer. It will get ugly. And she will probably win. Without further ado, here are the beers I've recently tried.
Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber Lager: The six pack box was interesting for this beer. It came with two line graphs: one for color, and one for hop vs malt. I thought it was quite interesting, and perhaps I will need to start a similar visual for my ratings? The beer lived up to its name, amber in color. I also thought it was well balanced between malts and hops, and would be the kind of craft brew one would enjoy at the grill. I am relatively inexperienced at Flying Dog's lineup, but this certainly won't turn me away from them.
Sierra Nevada Kellerweis Hefeweizen: Sierra Nevada makes an excellent pale ale, so I was hoping this beer would live up it's cousin. Hefeweizen's are known to be incredibly light in flavor, and cloudy in appearance. They are one of the best summer beers possible. There's usually a slight fruit flavor, and everything goes down smooth. I word to the wise, there is usually yeast at the bottom. It's a good idea to pour out 80% of it into a glass. The bottom 10% will be mostly yeast. If you do drink it, swish the bottle around before hand.
A brief programming note, while I did start this entry before the one previously posted by Colleen, it was delayed until now so I could locate my notes on two other beers. Their stories are also included in the description. They were both brewed by Clipper City in Baltimore. I am definitely warming up to that brewery...
Clipper City Heavy Seas Peg Leg: I had this Imperial Stout while out for a drink with my friend Matt. We went to Hard Times Cafe. It's definitely a no-frills place that makes great chili, although I abstained from it on this visit. The beer reminded me more of a coffee stout than an Imperial. Overall, it had quite the kick and certainly was not a beer for the faint at heart.
Clipper City Heavy Seas Loose Cannon: After a particularly soul-sucking day at work (everyone has them), my friend Kyle and I met for some beers afterward. I ordered this beer on name alone, since I hadn't tried it before. My first reaction? The beer was definitely an IPA because the bitter hops were loud and clear in the taste, so to speak. This is the kind of IPA that I would refer hop-heads to, but not the run of the mill beer drinker. There are certainly a lot of flavors to the beer, but one needs to get past the hops to enjoy them.
The scorecard:
Colleen: 223
Paul: 222
Cheers,
Paul
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
A-very good beer, added posthumously
Today, while doing heaps and heaps of homework, I was searching through my computer for something I wrote for a class I took in college, hoping for inspiration. Instead, I eventually ended up in a folder called "random desktop files"... until just over a year ago, yes, I had a desktop. Anyway, amidst things like the itinerary for my trip to the U.K. (created fall of 2006), my work schedules from October 2004-May 2008 from the auditorium at Mary Washington, and a lot of pictures of trees used in an independent study in Biogeography my senior year of college, I found an excel file called "beer". Apparently I had tried to keep track of this once before but totally forgot about it, because there were only four beers on the list-- Guinness, Anchor Porter, Victory Storm King... and one that never made it to my master list that is now up to 198: Avery's Czar Imperial Russian Stout.
Now, I don't just add things to my list all willy-nilly any time I remember something; for example Stella Artois, which I know is what I drank at Newark Airport with my big brother when he dropped me off for the aforementioned United Kingdom adventure (it didn't make the list until very recently when I tried it and actually made a note of what I thought of it). However, this beer was sitting in that spreadsheet with a good description, and I recall the whole story very clearly. I think this counts.
It was during Dead Week at Mary Washington, the week between the end of final exams and graduation when the administration hurries to make sure everyone is actually graduating (they're super serious about this... the girl in front of me at graduation actually got pulled from the line, in full regalia, as she walked up to the stage). A few friends and I traveled to Richmond for Capital Ale House's Steal the Glass night, when a microbrewery sponsors the bar with their own glassware and patrons are encouraged to drink said microbrew and keep said glass. When we got there, they had already run out of the glasses that were meant for stealing, but we might have overlooked that little rule...
Anyway, I was there with Noah and Jon, with Sarah as our DD (the photo above has me, Sarah and Noah in it). Noah, while a person of fine taste when it comes to alcohol, has very low tolerance for it, so while he went to the bathroom after the first two rounds, Jon and I scanned the menu for a beer with a higher alcohol content. We chose Avery Russian Imperial Stout, about 11% ABV. Noah came back just as our kind server brought us three pints of the stuff. He held it up to the light and exclaimed, "What, did you guys order black paint?!"*
He made a good point. You couldn't see through it AT ALL. This was a really good stout. Very strong, both in alcohol content and flavor, very thick, pretty malty. Definitely not for the faint of heart. And despite trying it a few years ago, I think I remember the occasion clearly enough to include it here, putting me two shy of 200 beers. I should probably choose something pretty awesome for the big 2-0-0, shouldn't I? Suggestions? I've had my eye on Dogfish Head's World Wide Stout, but have been putting it off because it's pricey. I may have to splurge though.
*I'd just like to say, I generally don't go out of my way to intoxicate friends. Noah definitely was a bit silly that night, but we never would have intentionally put him in harms way, no matter how delicious the beer.
Now, I don't just add things to my list all willy-nilly any time I remember something; for example Stella Artois, which I know is what I drank at Newark Airport with my big brother when he dropped me off for the aforementioned United Kingdom adventure (it didn't make the list until very recently when I tried it and actually made a note of what I thought of it). However, this beer was sitting in that spreadsheet with a good description, and I recall the whole story very clearly. I think this counts.
It was during Dead Week at Mary Washington, the week between the end of final exams and graduation when the administration hurries to make sure everyone is actually graduating (they're super serious about this... the girl in front of me at graduation actually got pulled from the line, in full regalia, as she walked up to the stage). A few friends and I traveled to Richmond for Capital Ale House's Steal the Glass night, when a microbrewery sponsors the bar with their own glassware and patrons are encouraged to drink said microbrew and keep said glass. When we got there, they had already run out of the glasses that were meant for stealing, but we might have overlooked that little rule...
Anyway, I was there with Noah and Jon, with Sarah as our DD (the photo above has me, Sarah and Noah in it). Noah, while a person of fine taste when it comes to alcohol, has very low tolerance for it, so while he went to the bathroom after the first two rounds, Jon and I scanned the menu for a beer with a higher alcohol content. We chose Avery Russian Imperial Stout, about 11% ABV. Noah came back just as our kind server brought us three pints of the stuff. He held it up to the light and exclaimed, "What, did you guys order black paint?!"*
He made a good point. You couldn't see through it AT ALL. This was a really good stout. Very strong, both in alcohol content and flavor, very thick, pretty malty. Definitely not for the faint of heart. And despite trying it a few years ago, I think I remember the occasion clearly enough to include it here, putting me two shy of 200 beers. I should probably choose something pretty awesome for the big 2-0-0, shouldn't I? Suggestions? I've had my eye on Dogfish Head's World Wide Stout, but have been putting it off because it's pricey. I may have to splurge though.
*I'd just like to say, I generally don't go out of my way to intoxicate friends. Noah definitely was a bit silly that night, but we never would have intentionally put him in harms way, no matter how delicious the beer.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
The Brickskeller
If beer were a religion, I just found its high altar. I'm not kidding. Obviously, this isn't a new discovery for the world, but on my part. Recently, a few people have told me that I should try out The Brickskeller. It has been open in Washington DC for over 50 years, and they started business with having the world's largest selection of beer (which was about 50 at the time). Now that list is over 1,000! They have weekly beer tastings featuring different micro brews and the brewers who make them as well. Did I mention this is a Mom and Pop joint? I'm going to take a moment so we can all take that in....
Now, needless to say I have a new favorite bar. It's a couple blocks from DuPont Circle in DC, and has a nearby Metro - win. I met there with my sailing buddy from college, Hazen. The cool part was that the bartenders used a dumbwaiter to get beers from the storage cellar to the bar. That means they are pulling on a rope half the night to get your order to you. There are also about 12 beers on tap, only two of which that I had heard of before. I had one beer on tap, and three from the bottle. This place rocks.
We both had a great time. It was nice to see a college friend of mine. As you get older, hanging out with friends becomes more infrequent. It's just life. Nonetheless, I think he and I will be going back there sooner rather than later. I just wish my tolerance was as high as it was in college...oh well. We'll also do some sailing together this summer - he owns a boat.
I really need to start carrying a copy of my beer list on my phone or something. The Brickskeller made this apparent, because I know there were beers from brewers I've had before there, I just didn't know which. Therefore, I generally played it safe and went with brewers I had not heard of before, except for a Brooklyn beer.
Brooklyn Blast Imperial IPA: I enjoyed this beer, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. It didn't seem overly hoppy, which is what one would expect when they see the term IPA. However, I thought it came across as a pretty balanced beer. It wasn't the best beer I've ever had, but I'd certainly give it another try.
Speakeasy Prohibition Amber Ale: This beer caught my eye on the beer menu due to its name, being that it references the dumbest point in American History. All I can say is that I thank God for beer and the 21st Amendment to the Constitution. My ranting aside, I did enjoy this beer. I have an affinity for amber ales. I thought it was well balanced between smooth, slightly caramel flavored, malts and bitterness of hops. I want to have this beer again.
Oskar Blues Ten-Fidy Imperial Russian Stout: One disadvantage of having over 1,000 beers on the menu is that some items are kept at low inventory, so it's easy to run out. After a few tries to get an Imperial Russian, and politely declining a $45 dollar bottle of Imperial Russian, I was brought this beer. I liked it quite a bit, although it took about halfway through before I got over the fact that it came in a can?! The beer was classic Imperial Russian: thick, full of flavors (including roasted chocolate malts), and high in alcohol content. It comes in at a whopping 10% ABV.
Legacy Hedonism Red Ale: I can admit that this beer name caught my eye on the menu, and that's about the only reason I ordered it. I really hated this beer. I thought it was terrible. The only flavor that came to my mind was creamy. It was like drinking that terrible cream soda someone gives you as a kid. I will avoid this at all costs in the future - 81/100 on ratebeer.com be damned!
With these beers, I have now closed the gap to less than 10. Weather permitting (there's some snow in DC today), I will be joining my friends Tim & Heather at a Bistro near their place for dinner. The noteworthy part of this for you, the reader? The place has many micro-brews on tap, and matches beers with menu selections. There will be a full report later.
Many thanks to Hazen for giving me a heads up about the bar with the largest selection of beer in the world. Next time we go, I'm going for international beers. I just wanted to try some American Craft Brews that I hadn't had.
The scorecard:
Colleen: 194
Paul: 185
Cheers,
Paul
Now, needless to say I have a new favorite bar. It's a couple blocks from DuPont Circle in DC, and has a nearby Metro - win. I met there with my sailing buddy from college, Hazen. The cool part was that the bartenders used a dumbwaiter to get beers from the storage cellar to the bar. That means they are pulling on a rope half the night to get your order to you. There are also about 12 beers on tap, only two of which that I had heard of before. I had one beer on tap, and three from the bottle. This place rocks.
We both had a great time. It was nice to see a college friend of mine. As you get older, hanging out with friends becomes more infrequent. It's just life. Nonetheless, I think he and I will be going back there sooner rather than later. I just wish my tolerance was as high as it was in college...oh well. We'll also do some sailing together this summer - he owns a boat.
I really need to start carrying a copy of my beer list on my phone or something. The Brickskeller made this apparent, because I know there were beers from brewers I've had before there, I just didn't know which. Therefore, I generally played it safe and went with brewers I had not heard of before, except for a Brooklyn beer.
Brooklyn Blast Imperial IPA: I enjoyed this beer, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. It didn't seem overly hoppy, which is what one would expect when they see the term IPA. However, I thought it came across as a pretty balanced beer. It wasn't the best beer I've ever had, but I'd certainly give it another try.
Speakeasy Prohibition Amber Ale: This beer caught my eye on the beer menu due to its name, being that it references the dumbest point in American History. All I can say is that I thank God for beer and the 21st Amendment to the Constitution. My ranting aside, I did enjoy this beer. I have an affinity for amber ales. I thought it was well balanced between smooth, slightly caramel flavored, malts and bitterness of hops. I want to have this beer again.
Oskar Blues Ten-Fidy Imperial Russian Stout: One disadvantage of having over 1,000 beers on the menu is that some items are kept at low inventory, so it's easy to run out. After a few tries to get an Imperial Russian, and politely declining a $45 dollar bottle of Imperial Russian, I was brought this beer. I liked it quite a bit, although it took about halfway through before I got over the fact that it came in a can?! The beer was classic Imperial Russian: thick, full of flavors (including roasted chocolate malts), and high in alcohol content. It comes in at a whopping 10% ABV.
Legacy Hedonism Red Ale: I can admit that this beer name caught my eye on the menu, and that's about the only reason I ordered it. I really hated this beer. I thought it was terrible. The only flavor that came to my mind was creamy. It was like drinking that terrible cream soda someone gives you as a kid. I will avoid this at all costs in the future - 81/100 on ratebeer.com be damned!
With these beers, I have now closed the gap to less than 10. Weather permitting (there's some snow in DC today), I will be joining my friends Tim & Heather at a Bistro near their place for dinner. The noteworthy part of this for you, the reader? The place has many micro-brews on tap, and matches beers with menu selections. There will be a full report later.
Many thanks to Hazen for giving me a heads up about the bar with the largest selection of beer in the world. Next time we go, I'm going for international beers. I just wanted to try some American Craft Brews that I hadn't had.
The scorecard:
Colleen: 194
Paul: 185
Cheers,
Paul
Saturday, January 23, 2010
Harvest Moon, with a digression about oatmeal stouts
Last night, Tom and I had dinner at the Harvest Moon in New Brunswick. The first time I went was summer of 2008 with my girlfriends Lauren and Cheryl, and I have been back many times between then and now, and never let down. The food is great and they make excellent beers. Last night I tried the Harvest Hefeweizen. So good! It was served with an orange, so I tried half of it without before adding it. Both ways are really nice. It's a smooth brew, very drinkable. Reminded me a bit of a Belgian-style witbier, but still very much within the vein of unfiltered hefeweizen. (If you're wondering more about what makes them different, you can read more here or here.) I'd recommend this beer to anyone. It's not too strongly flavored, but hardly boring.
Other beers I've had at Harvest Moon:
Jimmy D's Firehouse Red: This is a brew they always have at the ready. It's a good Irish Red.
Oktoberfest: Obviously out of season now, but when it's in, it's a good Oktoberfest. It's an interesting beer, definitely has some nutty and caramelly flavors going on, but not in a weird way. It's an interesting flavor.
Pumpkin Ale: Maybe the only one of their beers that I've been disappointed about. While I generally love pumpkin anything, this pumpkin ale is too sweet for me.
Smoked Oatmeal Stout: They have this on tap now. It's very thick and strong flavored-- the fact that "smoked" is in its name does mean something. This brew has a bit of a bite, but I like my strong beers.
(An aside about Oatmeal Stouts: I've been searching for a good oatmeal stout since I had my first one at the Southend Brewery in Charleston, South Carolina while there for a conference in November of 2007. Their oatmeal stout was AMAZING, agreed everyone I went to dinner with that night. I'm sure that the longer it's been since I had the Southend stout, the better I build it up to be in my mind, but it was really good to begin with. Harvest Moon's is pretty good, but not quite what I was looking for. If anything has come close so far, it's been Samuel Smith's.)
Colleen: 192
Paul: 174
Other beers I've had at Harvest Moon:
Jimmy D's Firehouse Red: This is a brew they always have at the ready. It's a good Irish Red.
Oktoberfest: Obviously out of season now, but when it's in, it's a good Oktoberfest. It's an interesting beer, definitely has some nutty and caramelly flavors going on, but not in a weird way. It's an interesting flavor.
Pumpkin Ale: Maybe the only one of their beers that I've been disappointed about. While I generally love pumpkin anything, this pumpkin ale is too sweet for me.
Smoked Oatmeal Stout: They have this on tap now. It's very thick and strong flavored-- the fact that "smoked" is in its name does mean something. This brew has a bit of a bite, but I like my strong beers.
(An aside about Oatmeal Stouts: I've been searching for a good oatmeal stout since I had my first one at the Southend Brewery in Charleston, South Carolina while there for a conference in November of 2007. Their oatmeal stout was AMAZING, agreed everyone I went to dinner with that night. I'm sure that the longer it's been since I had the Southend stout, the better I build it up to be in my mind, but it was really good to begin with. Harvest Moon's is pretty good, but not quite what I was looking for. If anything has come close so far, it's been Samuel Smith's.)
Colleen: 192
Paul: 174
Saturday, January 16, 2010
various and sundry
For those who have not yet heard: I'm not graduating this semester.
I was initially crushed by the news but thankfully had my regular Monday night out with my friends after meeting with my advisor to discuss the future of my work. While life isn't going exactly as I'd hoped, I know it's going to be ok. And, as always, Monday night was a good time with good people. I tried a few new ones, knowing that Paul was probably catching up by now, and also because I was relaxing and cheering up in the company of good friends. You know?
Full Moon Winter Ale: This made me think of Sam Adam's Winter Lager, only more ale-y and less spice-y. It wasn't bad, but didn't make a particularly remarkable impression on me either. I didn't not enjoy it, but it's not something I need to go out of my way for.
Victory's Old Horizontal: You've heard me rant about Victory before, despite my love of their Storm King. My disappointment continues. At a quick whiff, my friend Gurzo declared that it smelled like cotton candy. The brewer describes it as "A luxurious, warming barleywine rich with aromatic hops and dark, candied fruit character that hides its epic strength masterfully." I would describe it as liquid fruitcake. Gross. I tried this in part because I hadn't before, but also because my friend Jeremy liked it. I can't say I understand why, but apparently he's not alone, because the folks over at beeradvocate.com seem to be fans. Jeremy also recommended Victory's Prima Pils, but it would have to wait for another night when I wasn't all victoried out.
After that debacle, Gurzo advised me to try Ed Hardy Premium Beer. I had to laugh because it was basically a Mexican lager, which I haven't exactly gone out of my way for since returning from Mexico. This one was particularly tasteless, but Stuff Yer Face is trying to get rid of them, so for $2, I could add another beer to my list.
This was followed by a Stella Artois, which I've definitely had before (in fact, I remember having one with my big brother at the airport before I travelled to the UK). However, it wasn't on the list, and it had been so long, I didn't really remember what it was like... it's all right. Nothing to go crazy about, but something that's light and drinkable.
My total is currently at 179 versus Paul's 173. There have been a few other beers since last time, but I won't bore you with everything. I will mention one more of them though: Raven's Eye Imperial Stout. While generally a fan of the Imperial Stout, this one was a bit sweeter than I'd prefer. I definitely got a strong espresso flavor, which is usually ok, I don't mind strong flavored beers. However, the malts were a bit intense this time. It's a heavy beer, which I also don't generally mind, but I wouldn't rush out for another of these on purpose.
I was initially crushed by the news but thankfully had my regular Monday night out with my friends after meeting with my advisor to discuss the future of my work. While life isn't going exactly as I'd hoped, I know it's going to be ok. And, as always, Monday night was a good time with good people. I tried a few new ones, knowing that Paul was probably catching up by now, and also because I was relaxing and cheering up in the company of good friends. You know?
Full Moon Winter Ale: This made me think of Sam Adam's Winter Lager, only more ale-y and less spice-y. It wasn't bad, but didn't make a particularly remarkable impression on me either. I didn't not enjoy it, but it's not something I need to go out of my way for.
Victory's Old Horizontal: You've heard me rant about Victory before, despite my love of their Storm King. My disappointment continues. At a quick whiff, my friend Gurzo declared that it smelled like cotton candy. The brewer describes it as "A luxurious, warming barleywine rich with aromatic hops and dark, candied fruit character that hides its epic strength masterfully." I would describe it as liquid fruitcake. Gross. I tried this in part because I hadn't before, but also because my friend Jeremy liked it. I can't say I understand why, but apparently he's not alone, because the folks over at beeradvocate.com seem to be fans. Jeremy also recommended Victory's Prima Pils, but it would have to wait for another night when I wasn't all victoried out.
After that debacle, Gurzo advised me to try Ed Hardy Premium Beer. I had to laugh because it was basically a Mexican lager, which I haven't exactly gone out of my way for since returning from Mexico. This one was particularly tasteless, but Stuff Yer Face is trying to get rid of them, so for $2, I could add another beer to my list.
This was followed by a Stella Artois, which I've definitely had before (in fact, I remember having one with my big brother at the airport before I travelled to the UK). However, it wasn't on the list, and it had been so long, I didn't really remember what it was like... it's all right. Nothing to go crazy about, but something that's light and drinkable.
My total is currently at 179 versus Paul's 173. There have been a few other beers since last time, but I won't bore you with everything. I will mention one more of them though: Raven's Eye Imperial Stout. While generally a fan of the Imperial Stout, this one was a bit sweeter than I'd prefer. I definitely got a strong espresso flavor, which is usually ok, I don't mind strong flavored beers. However, the malts were a bit intense this time. It's a heavy beer, which I also don't generally mind, but I wouldn't rush out for another of these on purpose.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Jesus + Beer
On Monday the 4th, I joined my good friend from college, Robert, for Theology on Tap that is sponsored by the Catholic Diocese of Arlington. For those unfamiliar, Theology on Tap is a program for young adults where a priest/nun/someone qualified gives a talk on some issue relating to Theology/God/faith/life/modern issues that coincides with Happy Hour. It is intended for young adults. The best way I can put it is that the Church went where the people were for 2,000 years, and modern times have also brought it to your local pub. The program started in Chicago and has spread to many Diocese around the country.
I didn't get a chance to try a new beer, but I did have a Half and Half which is a DBF favorite. It's half Guinness and half Harp Lager. It was good to see my college friend, we haven't gotten together since before the Holidays. The talk this week was from a young man who survived cancer twice - once in high school and once in college. It required him to take a year from high school off and a semester of college off to fight the disease. Obviously, the talk centered around his faith during these times, his reflection on it, and the counseling he does for cancer patients now. Needless to say, it was a very good talk. If you're interested, the talk can be found by clinking on the Theology on Tap link above.
On Tuesday (the 5th) and Wednesday (the 6th), I continued to drink from the custom six pack my brother gave me for Christmas. The selection was heavy on the hops, but I thoroughly enjoyed drinking it. I also enjoyed keeping pace with Colleen, which is very important.
Lancaster Hop Hog IPA: This beer was different than a lot of IPAs I have come across. An IPA is typically heavy on the hops, and light on the malts. This beer definitely had more of a malt character than the average IPA. Personally, I found it a little odd at first, but it became a welcome break from the hop-heavy beers I've had recently.
Avery White Rascal: This is a belgian-style white ale. Honestly, it reminded me a lot of Hoegaarden which is a beer that was on my original Top 5 (which may change at some point). It's an excellent summer beer: light yet refreshing.
The six pack also included the much heralded, Victory Storm King Imperial Stout, which is a mutual favorite of mine and Colleen's. I haven't had this beer, despite it's perch as my favorite, in a long, long time. I must say, it still is the best beer I have ever had. It is by far one of the most complex in terms of flavors. The after taste changes three times: at sip, after sip, and ten seconds later. I find it a little more enjoyable and accessible than Arrogant Bastard Ale and even after 170+ beers it still remains my favorite. It is a seasonal brew. If you manage to come across it, know that both Colleen and I strongly recommend you get it. We also strongly recommend that you invite us over to partake in its awesomeness.
Wednesday night (the 6th) also brought me to quiz night at a local pub with the girlfriend and her friends. It's usually my job to answer the sports questions. This makes me proud, but incredibly nervous - since I don't want to let them down. The quiz was held at Ireland's Four Provinces in Falls Church. We didn't do so well on the quiz, but it was a fun time. I had their House Amber Ale, and I do not know the name of it. When I figure this out, there might be another addition to the list.
The weekend of the 9th, my brothers and I threw a surprise 25th Wedding Anniversary party for our parents. They deserve for not killing each other all these years. The party had about 80 people in attendance and was a fun time. There was a keg of Yeungling. No new beers were tried, but fun was had by all.
On Wednesday (the 13th), I met the girlfriend and her friends at this college bar across the street from George Mason University. The name of the place was Fat Tuesday's. It had a nice list of micro-brews, despite being your usual very fun college dive bar. Imagine some flat screen TVs, goofy shit all over the walls, peanuts on every table and you leave the shells on the floor, and a guy playing acoustic on a mic. The conversation was a fun time, as both her friends there were engineering students. Though, that sentence might sound like an oxymoron to some. You may have pity on my girlfriend, but I had a fun time and they were good guys. The beers I tried are listed below.
Kona Pipeline Porter: I love porters, and so does Colleen. If you've learned anything from reading thus far, you should have picked this up. Despite my love for porters, I was not thrilled with this one. It was too heavy on the coffee malt. Every time I took a sip, I just got the coffee aroma. I'm not going to lie, it was kind of a let down.
Clipper City Heavy Seas Small Craft Warning: This is one of those beers that I think I've had with my friend Andy in Annapolis. It was nicely balanced in flavors. It was not overly hoppy or malty, but if I had to pick I would go with more of a hop flavor. It was definitely a good conversation beer - too bad I finished it before I got there.
The scorecard:
Paul: 173
Colleen: 172
I'd celebrate overtaking the lead more, but I know for a fact that Colleen is indeed ahead. This post was written over the course of 10 days, so it may seem somewhat cluttered or disjointed. My apologies for that. I should settle into a more normal schedule since the Holidays and my parent's party are now over.
One last note, Colleen and I would appreciate it if you would send out your thoughts and prayers to those in Haiti right now. If you are of the means, please also try to donate to the relief efforts. That country had a lot of problems before this earthquake and now things are so much worse. This isn't a current events blog, so I will leave it at that. Thanks.
Cheers,
Paul
I didn't get a chance to try a new beer, but I did have a Half and Half which is a DBF favorite. It's half Guinness and half Harp Lager. It was good to see my college friend, we haven't gotten together since before the Holidays. The talk this week was from a young man who survived cancer twice - once in high school and once in college. It required him to take a year from high school off and a semester of college off to fight the disease. Obviously, the talk centered around his faith during these times, his reflection on it, and the counseling he does for cancer patients now. Needless to say, it was a very good talk. If you're interested, the talk can be found by clinking on the Theology on Tap link above.
On Tuesday (the 5th) and Wednesday (the 6th), I continued to drink from the custom six pack my brother gave me for Christmas. The selection was heavy on the hops, but I thoroughly enjoyed drinking it. I also enjoyed keeping pace with Colleen, which is very important.
Lancaster Hop Hog IPA: This beer was different than a lot of IPAs I have come across. An IPA is typically heavy on the hops, and light on the malts. This beer definitely had more of a malt character than the average IPA. Personally, I found it a little odd at first, but it became a welcome break from the hop-heavy beers I've had recently.
Avery White Rascal: This is a belgian-style white ale. Honestly, it reminded me a lot of Hoegaarden which is a beer that was on my original Top 5 (which may change at some point). It's an excellent summer beer: light yet refreshing.
The six pack also included the much heralded, Victory Storm King Imperial Stout, which is a mutual favorite of mine and Colleen's. I haven't had this beer, despite it's perch as my favorite, in a long, long time. I must say, it still is the best beer I have ever had. It is by far one of the most complex in terms of flavors. The after taste changes three times: at sip, after sip, and ten seconds later. I find it a little more enjoyable and accessible than Arrogant Bastard Ale and even after 170+ beers it still remains my favorite. It is a seasonal brew. If you manage to come across it, know that both Colleen and I strongly recommend you get it. We also strongly recommend that you invite us over to partake in its awesomeness.
Wednesday night (the 6th) also brought me to quiz night at a local pub with the girlfriend and her friends. It's usually my job to answer the sports questions. This makes me proud, but incredibly nervous - since I don't want to let them down. The quiz was held at Ireland's Four Provinces in Falls Church. We didn't do so well on the quiz, but it was a fun time. I had their House Amber Ale, and I do not know the name of it. When I figure this out, there might be another addition to the list.
The weekend of the 9th, my brothers and I threw a surprise 25th Wedding Anniversary party for our parents. They deserve for not killing each other all these years. The party had about 80 people in attendance and was a fun time. There was a keg of Yeungling. No new beers were tried, but fun was had by all.
On Wednesday (the 13th), I met the girlfriend and her friends at this college bar across the street from George Mason University. The name of the place was Fat Tuesday's. It had a nice list of micro-brews, despite being your usual very fun college dive bar. Imagine some flat screen TVs, goofy shit all over the walls, peanuts on every table and you leave the shells on the floor, and a guy playing acoustic on a mic. The conversation was a fun time, as both her friends there were engineering students. Though, that sentence might sound like an oxymoron to some. You may have pity on my girlfriend, but I had a fun time and they were good guys. The beers I tried are listed below.
Kona Pipeline Porter: I love porters, and so does Colleen. If you've learned anything from reading thus far, you should have picked this up. Despite my love for porters, I was not thrilled with this one. It was too heavy on the coffee malt. Every time I took a sip, I just got the coffee aroma. I'm not going to lie, it was kind of a let down.
Clipper City Heavy Seas Small Craft Warning: This is one of those beers that I think I've had with my friend Andy in Annapolis. It was nicely balanced in flavors. It was not overly hoppy or malty, but if I had to pick I would go with more of a hop flavor. It was definitely a good conversation beer - too bad I finished it before I got there.
The scorecard:
Paul: 173
Colleen: 172
I'd celebrate overtaking the lead more, but I know for a fact that Colleen is indeed ahead. This post was written over the course of 10 days, so it may seem somewhat cluttered or disjointed. My apologies for that. I should settle into a more normal schedule since the Holidays and my parent's party are now over.
One last note, Colleen and I would appreciate it if you would send out your thoughts and prayers to those in Haiti right now. If you are of the means, please also try to donate to the relief efforts. That country had a lot of problems before this earthquake and now things are so much worse. This isn't a current events blog, so I will leave it at that. Thanks.
Cheers,
Paul
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Holiday Hangover
Today is my first chance to post since the Holidays. The season took me through several states (Virginia, DC, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware) and more miles (traffic) on I-95 than I would like. During this time, I had my fair share of repeat beers, ate at least my weight in Christmas cookies, saw a Broadway Show (which I highly recommend), saw a lot of family, and spent a lot of pleasant time with the girlfriend. Due to the Christmas cookies and my well documented love for porters, you can assume I will be a regular visitor at my gym very soon.
The funniest beer related moment had to be on Christmas day. My family hosts the extended family to celebrate. Dinner was a pork roast (sorry, Colleen). As my Mom was putting the roast in the oven, she decided to marinate it in beer. I was standing in the kitchen. I watched her begin to marinate the meat with Samuel Adams Winter Lager! I began to protest, but she retorted with the fact that it was the cheapest beer we had - it seems beer snobbery runs in the family. I wish we had both remembered the Miller Lite sitting in the garage.
My beer consumption consisted of Yuengling Lager, NewCastle Brown Ale, and Samuel Adams Winter Lager - all of which are solid, commonly available beers on the East Coast (which I have had many times before). Colleen and I did not manage to have a DBF staff meeting, which was due to me being unavailable (and lame). Fear not though, we shall have one soon.
My Brother gave me a Christmas gift which consisted of a custom six pack that he made at Hops and Grapes. He also made my Dad a few six packs for Christmas as well. Dad was so excited about his gift; he seemed to want a picture of him with each individual bottle. I, however, managed to contain my excitement. My six pack contained the most revered beer on this blog: Victory Storm King. Needless to say, I am really excited to drink this one. The new beers were as follows:
Great Divide Titan IPA: This was a little heavy for an IPA. And by that I mean, the beer left a lot of residue on the side of the glass after each sip. I would expect that from a stout, but less from an IPA. The beer had a decent amount of depth and was heavier than most IPAs I've encountered. I look forward to having this again.
Yards Philadelphia Pale Ale: Have you ever had a beer that you hated? If so, you've made the terrible mistake of drinking it slow (since you hate it), only for it to taste worse as it gets warmer. That's exactly the case with this one. I hated it and thought it was skunked, but Brendan seemed to like it and think the flavor I hated with a hint of grapefruit. Either way, I give this a thumbs down.
River Horse Hopalotamus: The description on RateBeer is just hilarious, "The fabled Hop-a-lot-amus is a mythical creature. The heavy hop character of this Double IPA is as subtle as a "river horse" in your lap, but finishes like a hippo in a tutu." I thought this was a solid IPA from a New Jersey micro-brew. I'd like to try another beer of theirs.
Yuengling Lord Chesterfield Ale: I had this beer at my girlfriend's family party. I very much enjoyed myself at the party, but I thought this beer was terrible. It tasted like it was skunked. Yuengling makes a very good, "go to" Lager, but I was unimpressed by this beer.
The scorecard:
Paul - 169
Colleen - 165
Cheers,
Paul
The funniest beer related moment had to be on Christmas day. My family hosts the extended family to celebrate. Dinner was a pork roast (sorry, Colleen). As my Mom was putting the roast in the oven, she decided to marinate it in beer. I was standing in the kitchen. I watched her begin to marinate the meat with Samuel Adams Winter Lager! I began to protest, but she retorted with the fact that it was the cheapest beer we had - it seems beer snobbery runs in the family. I wish we had both remembered the Miller Lite sitting in the garage.
My beer consumption consisted of Yuengling Lager, NewCastle Brown Ale, and Samuel Adams Winter Lager - all of which are solid, commonly available beers on the East Coast (which I have had many times before). Colleen and I did not manage to have a DBF staff meeting, which was due to me being unavailable (and lame). Fear not though, we shall have one soon.
My Brother gave me a Christmas gift which consisted of a custom six pack that he made at Hops and Grapes. He also made my Dad a few six packs for Christmas as well. Dad was so excited about his gift; he seemed to want a picture of him with each individual bottle. I, however, managed to contain my excitement. My six pack contained the most revered beer on this blog: Victory Storm King. Needless to say, I am really excited to drink this one. The new beers were as follows:
Great Divide Titan IPA: This was a little heavy for an IPA. And by that I mean, the beer left a lot of residue on the side of the glass after each sip. I would expect that from a stout, but less from an IPA. The beer had a decent amount of depth and was heavier than most IPAs I've encountered. I look forward to having this again.
Yards Philadelphia Pale Ale: Have you ever had a beer that you hated? If so, you've made the terrible mistake of drinking it slow (since you hate it), only for it to taste worse as it gets warmer. That's exactly the case with this one. I hated it and thought it was skunked, but Brendan seemed to like it and think the flavor I hated with a hint of grapefruit. Either way, I give this a thumbs down.
River Horse Hopalotamus: The description on RateBeer is just hilarious, "The fabled Hop-a-lot-amus is a mythical creature. The heavy hop character of this Double IPA is as subtle as a "river horse" in your lap, but finishes like a hippo in a tutu." I thought this was a solid IPA from a New Jersey micro-brew. I'd like to try another beer of theirs.
Yuengling Lord Chesterfield Ale: I had this beer at my girlfriend's family party. I very much enjoyed myself at the party, but I thought this beer was terrible. It tasted like it was skunked. Yuengling makes a very good, "go to" Lager, but I was unimpressed by this beer.
The scorecard:
Paul - 169
Colleen - 165
Cheers,
Paul
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Snowed in.....with beer
This weekend was supposed to mark the beginning of my holiday season, as the extended family planned to gather in New Jersey for our annual Christmas dinner. Unfortunately, A blizzard decided to crash the party. On Friday, it was evident we needed to cancel our plans. In the Washington, DC area - we had 23 inches of snow! Fortunately, I stocked up on supplies for the weekend. My girlfriend gave me part of my Christmas gift early - a custom six pack. Needless to say, she's a keeper.
Williamsburg AleWerks Washington's Porter: It's becoming evident that I love porters. George Washington was a great man who left this country with countless gifts. One of the his most overlooked talents was his recipe for porter, which he left in the New York Public library. Several companies make this. I highly recommend it.
Smuttynose Shoals Pale Ale: Smuttynose generally makes a quality beer. This was your run-of-the-mill Pale Ale. I thought it was decent, and it went well with the DiGiorno I was eating at the time.
Smuttynose Really Old Brown Dog Ale: Like the previous beer I had from Smuttynose, this beer is worth giving a try. My girlfriend said this tasted like an old dog. I thought it was better than that. It had some depth, but I think I'd need another one to get a better description.
Troegs Troegenator Doublebock: This beer is basically liquid bread. It's rather aggressive on the malts as well. Troegs is a fairly popular micro-brew. I haven't had much of their beer, but I'll try a few different types to get a good sampling at some point.
Troegs Hopback Amber Ale: I do like amber ales. They tend to be a nice mix between malts and hops. However, this one was heavy on the hops for an amber ale. Hence, it was quite bitter in taste - almost painstakingly so.
This past week, I also had two other beers worth mentioning (one of which already has been accounted for on my list). On Thursday, my cousin and I went for beers at Fireflies. Friday brought me to Chadwick's for lunch.
North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Russian Stout: This beer was excellent. I love an Imperial Russian Stout, and this beer did not disappoint. It was complex, but not overbearing. It poured out like syrup, but was much smoother than it appeared. The head on the beer was darker than normal. I need to have this again.
Morland Old Speckled Hen: This beer was already in my beer count, but I thought I'd document it here. This beer comes highly recommended from two people I respect: my old sailing buddy, Jim, and a family friend, Frank. The beer looks a bit like hard cider, but we won't hold that against it. It tasted a little creamy to me on first taste. I thought the hops and malts were fairly balanced though.
Scorecard:
Paul: 165
Colleen: 157
Cheers,
Paul
Williamsburg AleWerks Washington's Porter: It's becoming evident that I love porters. George Washington was a great man who left this country with countless gifts. One of the his most overlooked talents was his recipe for porter, which he left in the New York Public library. Several companies make this. I highly recommend it.
Smuttynose Shoals Pale Ale: Smuttynose generally makes a quality beer. This was your run-of-the-mill Pale Ale. I thought it was decent, and it went well with the DiGiorno I was eating at the time.
Smuttynose Really Old Brown Dog Ale: Like the previous beer I had from Smuttynose, this beer is worth giving a try. My girlfriend said this tasted like an old dog. I thought it was better than that. It had some depth, but I think I'd need another one to get a better description.
Troegs Troegenator Doublebock: This beer is basically liquid bread. It's rather aggressive on the malts as well. Troegs is a fairly popular micro-brew. I haven't had much of their beer, but I'll try a few different types to get a good sampling at some point.
Troegs Hopback Amber Ale: I do like amber ales. They tend to be a nice mix between malts and hops. However, this one was heavy on the hops for an amber ale. Hence, it was quite bitter in taste - almost painstakingly so.
This past week, I also had two other beers worth mentioning (one of which already has been accounted for on my list). On Thursday, my cousin and I went for beers at Fireflies. Friday brought me to Chadwick's for lunch.
North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Russian Stout: This beer was excellent. I love an Imperial Russian Stout, and this beer did not disappoint. It was complex, but not overbearing. It poured out like syrup, but was much smoother than it appeared. The head on the beer was darker than normal. I need to have this again.
Morland Old Speckled Hen: This beer was already in my beer count, but I thought I'd document it here. This beer comes highly recommended from two people I respect: my old sailing buddy, Jim, and a family friend, Frank. The beer looks a bit like hard cider, but we won't hold that against it. It tasted a little creamy to me on first taste. I thought the hops and malts were fairly balanced though.
Scorecard:
Paul: 165
Colleen: 157
Cheers,
Paul
Sunday, November 29, 2009
oh hey I'm Colleen!
Paul did a good job summing up how we know each other and what our deal with beer is, so I'll just briefly introduce myself.
I'm currently in my second year of grad school, working on a Master of Science in Geography. That's right, Geography. It's real. I specialize in biogeography and human- environment interactions. Basically, I hug trees and play in the dirt. My thesis is about invasive plants and slash and burn agriculture in Mexico, where I spent part of my summer doing research, and where their beer is all the same (not very exciting).
My top five beers at the moment:
1. Sam Adams Hefeweizen
2. Guinness (though this is what I have most often)
3. Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout
4. Victory Storm King
5. Flying Fish Oktoberfish
Also, the score is actually currently 153- 142, as I just tried Bud Light Golden Wheat. Don't ask me why, since I generally avoid stuff with "light" in the name, but it was surprisingly not crappy. I like wheat beer, what can I say.
Other stuff I like: old family photos, traveling, the beach, hugging trees, making and/or listening to music, the state of New Jersey
Also, if Brendan the cousin gets credit for encouraging us to blog about our beer adventures, and Paul gets credit for actually signing us up for the address and starting the blog, I totally get credit for the name. Paul is a dear friend, and my beer friend. I'm so clever sometimes.
I'm currently in my second year of grad school, working on a Master of Science in Geography. That's right, Geography. It's real. I specialize in biogeography and human- environment interactions. Basically, I hug trees and play in the dirt. My thesis is about invasive plants and slash and burn agriculture in Mexico, where I spent part of my summer doing research, and where their beer is all the same (not very exciting).
My top five beers at the moment:
1. Sam Adams Hefeweizen
2. Guinness (though this is what I have most often)
3. Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout
4. Victory Storm King
5. Flying Fish Oktoberfish
Also, the score is actually currently 153- 142, as I just tried Bud Light Golden Wheat. Don't ask me why, since I generally avoid stuff with "light" in the name, but it was surprisingly not crappy. I like wheat beer, what can I say.
Other stuff I like: old family photos, traveling, the beach, hugging trees, making and/or listening to music, the state of New Jersey
Also, if Brendan the cousin gets credit for encouraging us to blog about our beer adventures, and Paul gets credit for actually signing us up for the address and starting the blog, I totally get credit for the name. Paul is a dear friend, and my beer friend. I'm so clever sometimes.
Welcome - Paul
When we discussed creating this blog, Colleen said we should each make a post introducing ourselves. This makes sense, since we will have four types of readers (which amounts to quite the Venn Diagram): those who know her, those who know me, those who know both of us, and those who know neither of us. In order to give credit where credit is due, the idea for this blog originally came from my cousin, Brendan.
I suppose an adequate place to start would be to give some background. Colleen and I were in the same play group growing up, and in our college years became good friends again. It was during this time we both realized that a) beer was good and b) that a bar near our home towns has an excellent pint night on Wednesdays and Fridays. In addition, we both went to college in Virginia, so we carpooled to and fro on several occasions during senior year.
It was during my senior year at Virginia Tech that I took the greatest course in the long and stored history of crazy college courses: Brewing Science. If you are a student at VT, please take it. The class was half learn about brewing (the theory) and appreciation of beer (the practical). Class was on Fridays from 2:30-5:30, which was a nice segue into Happy Hour. The first 90 minutes was theory, and the next 90 minutes was tasting. After tasting, I collected a bottle for each beer that I had tasted, and thus my "beer wall" was born. College students tend to put bottles above their cabinets, and I was no different. Between my "practical" homework and the class, I amassed many beers there.
Upon my graduation, I collected all the bottles into bags and took them with me. When I moved down to Virginia permanently, I realized my beloved collection could not come with me. And thus, the beer list was born. From that day forward, I kept a spreadsheet of all the beers I had tried and notes on each. It was during this time, Colleen wanted to join in on the fun. She created a list of her own, and the race to be the better beer snob was born. Lists were exchanged periodically, and if it weren't for that, my list would have been gone due to a computer failure (thanks, friend).
Currently, this lists stand as follows:
Paul - 142
Colleen - 152
At this point, we feel that we have very divergent lists. This blog is to track our exploits, entertain you, and to educate you and each other on different beers we've had. There will definitely be some East Coast bias in the beginning, but I hope to branch out - especially if I am going to overtake Colleen again.
My Top 5 Beers:
Victory Storm King (Imperial Russian Stout)
Anchor Porter
Hoegaarden
Starr Hill Amber Ale
Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale
We haven't decided on an exact format of our posts (musings) yet, but I am sure they will evolve over time. With that, I'll turn it over to Colleen to put her own spin on all of this.
Personal Note: As I said before, I live in Virginia and work for the Federal Government. In my spare time I enjoy trying new beers (duh), being outside, reading, and spending time with the girlfriend (insert "awww" here).
Cheers,
Paul
I suppose an adequate place to start would be to give some background. Colleen and I were in the same play group growing up, and in our college years became good friends again. It was during this time we both realized that a) beer was good and b) that a bar near our home towns has an excellent pint night on Wednesdays and Fridays. In addition, we both went to college in Virginia, so we carpooled to and fro on several occasions during senior year.
It was during my senior year at Virginia Tech that I took the greatest course in the long and stored history of crazy college courses: Brewing Science. If you are a student at VT, please take it. The class was half learn about brewing (the theory) and appreciation of beer (the practical). Class was on Fridays from 2:30-5:30, which was a nice segue into Happy Hour. The first 90 minutes was theory, and the next 90 minutes was tasting. After tasting, I collected a bottle for each beer that I had tasted, and thus my "beer wall" was born. College students tend to put bottles above their cabinets, and I was no different. Between my "practical" homework and the class, I amassed many beers there.
Upon my graduation, I collected all the bottles into bags and took them with me. When I moved down to Virginia permanently, I realized my beloved collection could not come with me. And thus, the beer list was born. From that day forward, I kept a spreadsheet of all the beers I had tried and notes on each. It was during this time, Colleen wanted to join in on the fun. She created a list of her own, and the race to be the better beer snob was born. Lists were exchanged periodically, and if it weren't for that, my list would have been gone due to a computer failure (thanks, friend).
Currently, this lists stand as follows:
Paul - 142
Colleen - 152
At this point, we feel that we have very divergent lists. This blog is to track our exploits, entertain you, and to educate you and each other on different beers we've had. There will definitely be some East Coast bias in the beginning, but I hope to branch out - especially if I am going to overtake Colleen again.
My Top 5 Beers:
Victory Storm King (Imperial Russian Stout)
Anchor Porter
Hoegaarden
Starr Hill Amber Ale
Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale
We haven't decided on an exact format of our posts (musings) yet, but I am sure they will evolve over time. With that, I'll turn it over to Colleen to put her own spin on all of this.
Personal Note: As I said before, I live in Virginia and work for the Federal Government. In my spare time I enjoy trying new beers (duh), being outside, reading, and spending time with the girlfriend (insert "awww" here).
Cheers,
Paul
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)