Beer! (My creativity and motivation is kind of waning with my continued unemployment. Sorry.)

Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA: I waited patiently and searched thoroughly for this beer, and couldn't hunt one down anywhere. Taylor managed to get a couple, which we finally enjoyed this weekend. This beer is strong. Whoa. Like World Wide Stout strong. However, unlike Dogfish Head's World Wide Stout, this was not everything I hoped and dreamed a beer could be.

The hoppiness wasn't as bitter and refreshing as I'd anticipated, having tried both 60 Minute and 90 Minute. It was kind of floral tasting. While it was a very good beer and I'm glad to have finally tried it, I would definitely choose the 60 Minute over 120 Minute. The 60 is more stereotypically IPA-y, and it's just good. And way more available. I think this was worth a try but I don't need to hunt it down again.


Guinness Black Lager: Being home and unemployed, I'm usually here when Mom and Dad get home from work. Dad likes to watch Pardon the Interruption before dinner, which features an ad for this beer at every break. At least once. I think the ad is stupid, but we all know about my love for Guinness. And so, when Taylor was buying beer for the Friend Thanksgiving he accompanied me to this past weekend, and told me to pick, I saw this and picked it.

Taylor bet it was going to suck, but the verdict: it's actually pretty passable. Obviously NEVER going to take the place of the standard draught in my heart and belly, but it didn't suck. It was plain in the same way I find the stout to be plain-- pleasantly so. Interesting enough to be drinkable but plain enough to just enjoy but not be overwhelmingly preoccupied with. But still not even a close second to the original.


Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale: Friend Thanksgiving in Edison was awesome. I got to see all of my favorite Metuchenites and enjoy amazing food. There were so many vegetarians and friends of vegetarians present that for the first time in a very long time, I was absolutely sickeningly wonderfully stuffed. So so SO so good.

But yes, beer. Christy and Danni brought this wonderful brew and shared with me a glass of the prescribed amount for my records. I love pumpkin but generally have a hard time finding a pumpkin ale that tastes like vegetable rather than pie. This was good. Not too spiced but definitely flavorful, not too sweet but definitely pumpkiny. If you love fall at all and like pumpkin beer even a little, I'd recommend this one.


Soon I'll be starting a job in holiday retail purgatory, but hopefully the more structured schedule and occasional paychecks will allow me to continue trying interesting beers. Try anything good lately, Paul (or anyone else reading this)?

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.)