Late late Friday night, I got to catch up with two of my favorite people who I haven't seen in months: Gurzo and Jeremy. They and many others were celebrating Jeremy's birthday at his family's shore house, which is only a few minutes from my all the time house. The only problem was that I had to work till 11. I didn't think it would take me too long to get there, so even with my grandma-like bedtime tendencies, I thought it'd be worth it.
I didn't expect the insane downpour and flash flooding in Ocean County on Friday night.
Lucky for me, I was borrowing my brother's ginormous Ford Explorer this weekend while he was away, so I fearlessly drove down by the bay in Seaside Park and made it alive... just very late. Totally worthwhile for the company. Gurzo handed me 21st Amendment's Hell or High Watermelon Wheat Beer, which I guess was the right theme. The biggest problem was that I had Heavy Seas' Loose Cannon IPA first.
The Loose Cannon is a great IPA, slightly floral tasting but not too much. That's kind of the last hops flavor that I'm still wary of, but it's well rounded in this beer. With the warmer weather, I have found myself mostly wanting hoppy, fresh beers. This totally fit the bill.
So, after that, the Hell or High Watermelon. Hell or high water indeed. Bayview Ave definitely had some flooding going on (it always does). This sweet beer was awful immediately following the slightly bitter taste of IPA. I'm not a huge fan of fruit in my beer, but the more I had of this and the further away from the IPA I was, the more it was all right. It was even a decent watermelon flavor, not like candy or anything. This would probably have been better if it was super super ice cold in the middle of a hot summer day. Not terrible, just not really my thing anymore.
Got the following text from Paul yesterday morning--
"The choice was sitting on the beach or taking a tour of dogfish head. Most of the girls chose the beach. Laura picked the brewery tour. I married a winner."
1. Fact. Laura is a winner.
2. I am jealous. I love Dogfish Head and look forward to someday taking the tour (I mean, come on, Sam and I are already totally buds, I need to check out the place!)
3. Paul also promised he'd blog about it. I can't wait to hear how it was!
Showing posts with label fruit/vegetable beer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fruit/vegetable beer. Show all posts
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Thursday, June 23, 2011
summer arrived fast
I can't believe it's already been a year since I went dry under contract at Johnsonburg last; while my contract has not yet been written, I'll be respecting those rules again and fasting from beer as of tomorrow. I've had a few new brews in the past couple of weeks, and thought I'd share--
Unibroue's Terrible: The irony of the name was enough to purchase this. Noah and I split it; it was anything but terrible. Really nice, interesting dark ale. Not too heavy, not too light, very drinkable but definitely a little different. I approve.
Dogfish Head Theobroma: We all know I love me some Dogfish Head, and this did not disappoint, but it also didn't quite live up to the hype, as far as I'm concerned. I've been stalking this bottle since I missed its last release more than six months ago. I was excited to find it. It's definitely got a lot of spice in its flavor but it wasn't what I expected, with ingredients such as cocoa and chiles listed. I didn't really taste either of those. It wasn't a boring drink by any means, just not quite what I was expecting given the description. Not my favorite Dogfish Head but definitely good.
Rogue's Somer Orange Honey Ale: I find Rogue to be hit or miss. This was probably a miss in that it was just super boring. I barely tasted honey and didn't really get any orange. It just came off as a plain boring ale, not even interesting for being a wheat beer. I was disappointed, since there were interesting and different things in the title. Oh well. At least Rogue isn't super expensive, and the hits are generally worth it (Chipotle Ale!).
Founders' Cherise: This was kinda bizzare. The fruit flavor was subtle, but it was very sweet and very tart at the same time. It was very interesting, but I don't need to repeat it. Then again, I'm not huge on fruit beers.
So, that's it until the end of August or beginning of September, assuming we get around to writing me a contract... staff training starts tomorrow though. It will be a busy summer as I serve as the program assistant at camp, but I hope to post a few things about beer that don't involve me drinking it. Now taking suggestions for what I should drink in September. I need to hunt down a bottle or two of Dogfish Head's 120 Minute to save till then (it was rereleased last week or so!)... what else?
Unibroue's Terrible: The irony of the name was enough to purchase this. Noah and I split it; it was anything but terrible. Really nice, interesting dark ale. Not too heavy, not too light, very drinkable but definitely a little different. I approve.
Dogfish Head Theobroma: We all know I love me some Dogfish Head, and this did not disappoint, but it also didn't quite live up to the hype, as far as I'm concerned. I've been stalking this bottle since I missed its last release more than six months ago. I was excited to find it. It's definitely got a lot of spice in its flavor but it wasn't what I expected, with ingredients such as cocoa and chiles listed. I didn't really taste either of those. It wasn't a boring drink by any means, just not quite what I was expecting given the description. Not my favorite Dogfish Head but definitely good.
Rogue's Somer Orange Honey Ale: I find Rogue to be hit or miss. This was probably a miss in that it was just super boring. I barely tasted honey and didn't really get any orange. It just came off as a plain boring ale, not even interesting for being a wheat beer. I was disappointed, since there were interesting and different things in the title. Oh well. At least Rogue isn't super expensive, and the hits are generally worth it (Chipotle Ale!).
Founders' Cherise: This was kinda bizzare. The fruit flavor was subtle, but it was very sweet and very tart at the same time. It was very interesting, but I don't need to repeat it. Then again, I'm not huge on fruit beers.
So, that's it until the end of August or beginning of September, assuming we get around to writing me a contract... staff training starts tomorrow though. It will be a busy summer as I serve as the program assistant at camp, but I hope to post a few things about beer that don't involve me drinking it. Now taking suggestions for what I should drink in September. I need to hunt down a bottle or two of Dogfish Head's 120 Minute to save till then (it was rereleased last week or so!)... what else?
Monday, October 18, 2010
BUFFing out the pain of the thesis, and other good beers
The first draft of my thesis was due last week. Ugh.
To help motivate myself to meet that deadline, I made myself a mixed six pack at the store near Cheryl and Gurzo's house, with the stipulation that I wasn't allowed to have any unless I called them and checked in with my progress on that paper. They are good friends, aren't they? At first I was just going to pick up two or three individual bottles, but then I found six that I was interested in.
The first one I was particularly interested in, given the somewhat recent discussion about our favorite microbrewers. You may recall I recently picked Dogfish Head, while Paul stands by Stone. You may also recall that a shared favorite of ours is a Victory brew (even if I haven't liked most of theirs that I've tried aside from Storm King, that shared favorite). Well. It turns out the three companies got together to create BUFF: Brewers United for Freedom of Flavor, and created Saison du Buff, a farmhouse beer made with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. I bought it under the Dogfish Head label though I did later see it under the Victory label on the same shelf. Was it epic? Indeed it was. My notes say, "brilliant herby slightly hoppy light tangy farmhouse love." It was just really fresh and crisp tasting. Very, very good. I would absolutely recommend this. I am impressed with their work and sincerely hope the BUFF efforts continue.
What else have I tried lately?
Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale: Also part of my six pack, as per the recommendation of one of my good friend Noah. He described it as exquisite. While I respect his opinions, especially when it comes to beer, I may need to disagree on this one. The spices were great in this one, but it was too sweet for me, one of those pumpkin beers that tastes more like pie than vegetable. It was very smooth, but not my favorite pumpkin brew.
Sam Adams Latitude 48 IPA: Another addition to the mixed six, based on two criteria: I'm trying to get into IPAs, and it had a geographic theme. I ended up having this one in the midst of the writing process (which was about latitude 19, but that's beside the point, I suppose), figuring that I'd be able to try a new beer but wasn't totally indulging, since it was unlikely that I'd really like this beer anyway. False! This is a nice IPA. It was really hoppy, but it was smooth and had this sort of fresh citrusy thing going on. I approve. And if I approve of an IPA, you know it's worth your time.
Harpoon IPA: Another one that I give my seal of approval! I had this while out for dinner with JACK (the acronym for the girls I went across Canada with) while we were completing the NJ Lighthouse Challenge this past weekend. They didn't have anything else I wanted, so I figured, try another IPA. This one is just like a smooth, nice ale with a slightly hoppy-- not overwhelming-- aftertaste. A pleasant surprise for me.
Flying Fish Exit 4: This was another member of my mixed six, that I'd been looking for for a while, but had trouble finding since it was an earlier part of the Flying Fish Exit Series. I was excited to try it because I love New Jersey and had just finished a two day roadtrip around the coastline thereof, but I knew in my heart that I typically don't care for the style and probably wouldn't totally love it. However, another pleasant surprise: good stuff. This is a tripel, which tend to be too sweet for me, and this was still a little sweeter than I'd prefer, but it was very nicely balanced with the hops and I kinda liked it. Good luck trying to find this, but if you do, it was pretty good.
I have a few more in my thesis motivator pack and as to be expected, I have a few more things to do for said thesis, so those will come soon, I'm sure. In the meantime, Paul: 300 (congrats and welcome to the club, buddy) and Colleen: 309.
To help motivate myself to meet that deadline, I made myself a mixed six pack at the store near Cheryl and Gurzo's house, with the stipulation that I wasn't allowed to have any unless I called them and checked in with my progress on that paper. They are good friends, aren't they? At first I was just going to pick up two or three individual bottles, but then I found six that I was interested in.
The first one I was particularly interested in, given the somewhat recent discussion about our favorite microbrewers. You may recall I recently picked Dogfish Head, while Paul stands by Stone. You may also recall that a shared favorite of ours is a Victory brew (even if I haven't liked most of theirs that I've tried aside from Storm King, that shared favorite). Well. It turns out the three companies got together to create BUFF: Brewers United for Freedom of Flavor, and created Saison du Buff, a farmhouse beer made with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. I bought it under the Dogfish Head label though I did later see it under the Victory label on the same shelf. Was it epic? Indeed it was. My notes say, "brilliant herby slightly hoppy light tangy farmhouse love." It was just really fresh and crisp tasting. Very, very good. I would absolutely recommend this. I am impressed with their work and sincerely hope the BUFF efforts continue.
What else have I tried lately?
Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale: Also part of my six pack, as per the recommendation of one of my good friend Noah. He described it as exquisite. While I respect his opinions, especially when it comes to beer, I may need to disagree on this one. The spices were great in this one, but it was too sweet for me, one of those pumpkin beers that tastes more like pie than vegetable. It was very smooth, but not my favorite pumpkin brew.
Sam Adams Latitude 48 IPA: Another addition to the mixed six, based on two criteria: I'm trying to get into IPAs, and it had a geographic theme. I ended up having this one in the midst of the writing process (which was about latitude 19, but that's beside the point, I suppose), figuring that I'd be able to try a new beer but wasn't totally indulging, since it was unlikely that I'd really like this beer anyway. False! This is a nice IPA. It was really hoppy, but it was smooth and had this sort of fresh citrusy thing going on. I approve. And if I approve of an IPA, you know it's worth your time.
Harpoon IPA: Another one that I give my seal of approval! I had this while out for dinner with JACK (the acronym for the girls I went across Canada with) while we were completing the NJ Lighthouse Challenge this past weekend. They didn't have anything else I wanted, so I figured, try another IPA. This one is just like a smooth, nice ale with a slightly hoppy-- not overwhelming-- aftertaste. A pleasant surprise for me.
Flying Fish Exit 4: This was another member of my mixed six, that I'd been looking for for a while, but had trouble finding since it was an earlier part of the Flying Fish Exit Series. I was excited to try it because I love New Jersey and had just finished a two day roadtrip around the coastline thereof, but I knew in my heart that I typically don't care for the style and probably wouldn't totally love it. However, another pleasant surprise: good stuff. This is a tripel, which tend to be too sweet for me, and this was still a little sweeter than I'd prefer, but it was very nicely balanced with the hops and I kinda liked it. Good luck trying to find this, but if you do, it was pretty good.
I have a few more in my thesis motivator pack and as to be expected, I have a few more things to do for said thesis, so those will come soon, I'm sure. In the meantime, Paul: 300 (congrats and welcome to the club, buddy) and Colleen: 309.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Colleen enjoyed an IPA!
Last night, in lieu of a typical Monday night at Stuffies with my favorite residents of Edison and Metuchen, the crew headed to Jeremy's house to help along the moving in process of his cool lady, Megan. Before I headed north from home, I stopped to pick up a couple of beers to share. Cheryl called as I arrived at the liquor store, and I asked what she'd like. Her response? Something hoppy. Which surprised me, but I went with it.
I stopped at a store that I'd never been in before in Silverton, and it didn't have a particularly impressive beer selection, but I did see something that I suspect is amazing... I'll tell you about it when I actually get to try it (it's currently held hostage in Cheryl's fridge!). But right next to it was Lagunitas Hop Stoopid, which I totally bought because it was next to the aforementioned potentially amazing beer, and because it had a hilarious name. But this turned out to be awesome. Cheryl and I took a break before unpacking the kitchen and enjoyed this together. It was awesome. I'm not sure if my tastebuds are finally cooperating with IPAs and other bitter beverages, or if this one was just so unbelievable that it could transcend my dislike of that style of brew. The hops were strong but not offensive, and it was very smooth. I would drink this again and recommend it to others.
After the dishes were unpacked, Cheryl and I delved into the beer that had been supplied for the moving crew. We chose Sierra Nevada Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale, and a good choice it was. Actually, there was nothing particularly remarkable about this beer, but I think that's what made it for me. It's just a really good, pleasant brown ale, totally something you would drink on a crisp fall day while raking leaves or something. It wasn't too sweet, it wasn't too bitter, it was just smooth and pleasant.
And just now, as I wrote this, I tried Williamsburg Alewerks' Pumpkin Ale, the last from the mixed six I made when I visited Paul a few weeks ago. This tastes like pumpkin pie. Don't get me wrong, I totally love pumpkin pie. But I want my beer to still sort of resemble beer. This was just too sweet and spiced for me. I wasn't crazy about it. If your expectations for pumpkin beer include it tasting like pie, then this is the pumpkin brew for you. Otherwise, I don't see the need to do this again.
Colleen: 290
Paul: 270 (though I see he has an entry on standby that has quite a few beers in it!...)
I stopped at a store that I'd never been in before in Silverton, and it didn't have a particularly impressive beer selection, but I did see something that I suspect is amazing... I'll tell you about it when I actually get to try it (it's currently held hostage in Cheryl's fridge!). But right next to it was Lagunitas Hop Stoopid, which I totally bought because it was next to the aforementioned potentially amazing beer, and because it had a hilarious name. But this turned out to be awesome. Cheryl and I took a break before unpacking the kitchen and enjoyed this together. It was awesome. I'm not sure if my tastebuds are finally cooperating with IPAs and other bitter beverages, or if this one was just so unbelievable that it could transcend my dislike of that style of brew. The hops were strong but not offensive, and it was very smooth. I would drink this again and recommend it to others.
After the dishes were unpacked, Cheryl and I delved into the beer that had been supplied for the moving crew. We chose Sierra Nevada Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale, and a good choice it was. Actually, there was nothing particularly remarkable about this beer, but I think that's what made it for me. It's just a really good, pleasant brown ale, totally something you would drink on a crisp fall day while raking leaves or something. It wasn't too sweet, it wasn't too bitter, it was just smooth and pleasant.
And just now, as I wrote this, I tried Williamsburg Alewerks' Pumpkin Ale, the last from the mixed six I made when I visited Paul a few weeks ago. This tastes like pumpkin pie. Don't get me wrong, I totally love pumpkin pie. But I want my beer to still sort of resemble beer. This was just too sweet and spiced for me. I wasn't crazy about it. If your expectations for pumpkin beer include it tasting like pie, then this is the pumpkin brew for you. Otherwise, I don't see the need to do this again.
Colleen: 290
Paul: 270 (though I see he has an entry on standby that has quite a few beers in it!...)
Thursday, September 23, 2010
apologies for neglect
Sorry for neglecting to tell you about some of the good beers I've been trying lately.
Actually, it's funny. This past week has been my week of "detox"-- the first time since early July that I'm off all forms of medication. Detox does not mean "don't drink beer" for me though, in fact, as a result of not being on strong antibiotics, I was able to enjoy my beer much more!
Breckenridge Remarkable Vanilla Porter: This doesn't have a strong vanilla flavor, per se, but is just a good porter that's slightly different. I liked it.
Bell's Kalamazoo Stout: The consistency was great, but something about the flavor was just too intense. Since it says "brewer's licorice" on the label, I'm going to guess that's what it was.
Sam Adams Dunkelweizen: Dunkel weizen means "dark wheat". It was like a heavy wheat beer. I liked it. Very good. Not too crazy, just good.
Sam Adams Harvest Pumpkin: This was a good pumpkin because it didn't taste like pie. I know pumpkin pie is the bomb, but I appreciate pumpkin as a vegetable, too. This just tasted like an interesting, meaty beer. Except vegetable, not meat, but you know what I mean? It had something to it.
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales Weizen Bam: This was sour tasting, but I didn't dislike it. Definitely a light feel to it. I couldn't quite figure out how else to explain it.
Harpoon Chocolate Stout: THIS WAS GOOD. Got some coffee flavor happening but also a rich, dark chocolate taste that I just adored. So smooth. Very, very good.
Chimay Blue: I did not like this as much as I remember liking the Red, which I can't seem to find in the blog but is definitely in my beer list. This was a little bit sour tasting but not bad.
It's Pumpkin beer and Oktoberfest season and I am very happy about this, although two that I've had so far were already on my list. I am pleased to report my reviews are consistent.
The Shipyard's Pumpkinhead Ale: I was surprised to see beer advocate's review so low. While this is hardly my favorite pumpkin beer, I didn't think it was terrible. The problem is that it's one of those pumpkin beers that leans more toward pumpkin pie than pumpkin as a vegetable, so it's kind of sweet and has a lot of spice to it, and then you have no idea what to drink next because your taste buds are all confused. But on its own, not bad. Maybe this is a better beer to end the evening with, if you're having more than one.
Späten's Oktoberfest Märzen: While a little bit sweeter than some Oktoberfests, this is definitely a good choice if you're going for authenticity. Deutsche Oktoberfest bier. JA WOHL! I always forget how much I like Oktoberfest brews, and then September rolls around (which is when Oktoberfest actually starts). Good stuff here.
And then while writing these things, I had another that gets added into the count:
Left Hand Oktoberfest Märzen: This was really nice. This is a really good example of what Oktoberfest should be. Not too strong, not too sweet, not too bubbly, just a solid, good beer that is perfect for the fall weather to come.
So, until Paul takes a moment to share some beers with you all, I remain ahead.
Paul: 270
Colleen: 287
Actually, it's funny. This past week has been my week of "detox"-- the first time since early July that I'm off all forms of medication. Detox does not mean "don't drink beer" for me though, in fact, as a result of not being on strong antibiotics, I was able to enjoy my beer much more!
Breckenridge Remarkable Vanilla Porter: This doesn't have a strong vanilla flavor, per se, but is just a good porter that's slightly different. I liked it.
Bell's Kalamazoo Stout: The consistency was great, but something about the flavor was just too intense. Since it says "brewer's licorice" on the label, I'm going to guess that's what it was.
Sam Adams Dunkelweizen: Dunkel weizen means "dark wheat". It was like a heavy wheat beer. I liked it. Very good. Not too crazy, just good.
Sam Adams Harvest Pumpkin: This was a good pumpkin because it didn't taste like pie. I know pumpkin pie is the bomb, but I appreciate pumpkin as a vegetable, too. This just tasted like an interesting, meaty beer. Except vegetable, not meat, but you know what I mean? It had something to it.
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales Weizen Bam: This was sour tasting, but I didn't dislike it. Definitely a light feel to it. I couldn't quite figure out how else to explain it.
Harpoon Chocolate Stout: THIS WAS GOOD. Got some coffee flavor happening but also a rich, dark chocolate taste that I just adored. So smooth. Very, very good.
Chimay Blue: I did not like this as much as I remember liking the Red, which I can't seem to find in the blog but is definitely in my beer list. This was a little bit sour tasting but not bad.
It's Pumpkin beer and Oktoberfest season and I am very happy about this, although two that I've had so far were already on my list. I am pleased to report my reviews are consistent.
The Shipyard's Pumpkinhead Ale: I was surprised to see beer advocate's review so low. While this is hardly my favorite pumpkin beer, I didn't think it was terrible. The problem is that it's one of those pumpkin beers that leans more toward pumpkin pie than pumpkin as a vegetable, so it's kind of sweet and has a lot of spice to it, and then you have no idea what to drink next because your taste buds are all confused. But on its own, not bad. Maybe this is a better beer to end the evening with, if you're having more than one.
Späten's Oktoberfest Märzen: While a little bit sweeter than some Oktoberfests, this is definitely a good choice if you're going for authenticity. Deutsche Oktoberfest bier. JA WOHL! I always forget how much I like Oktoberfest brews, and then September rolls around (which is when Oktoberfest actually starts). Good stuff here.
And then while writing these things, I had another that gets added into the count:
Left Hand Oktoberfest Märzen: This was really nice. This is a really good example of what Oktoberfest should be. Not too strong, not too sweet, not too bubbly, just a solid, good beer that is perfect for the fall weather to come.
So, until Paul takes a moment to share some beers with you all, I remain ahead.
Paul: 270
Colleen: 287
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Summer is here!
My summer break officially started a few weeks ago, but now that I'm settled in working preseason at camp (the contract begins at the end of June, so don't worry, these beers are still legit!) it's really feeling like summer. It's rather warm and humid out, and the preseason crew has been working hard to prepare Johnsonburg for the summer. I've tried two new ones that fit the theme:
Brooklyn Summer Ale: I went to see Josh Ritter play in Brooklyn with two fabulous ladies this past weekend (AMAZING show!). We thought it would be appropriate to stop by the Brooklyn Brewery, but we ended up stopping for dinner at a little deli in Manhattan that had miscellaneous Brooklyn brews in their case for sale by the bottle. So the three of us enjoyed this beer with our sushi and salads. It's a pale ale, but a pretty straightforward one-- not particularly strong, nothing very specifically memorable about it, but a good and refreshing drink, as well it should be if it has "summer" in the name.
on our way to the Music Hall of Williamsburg
The other summer beer I've tried this week is Magic Hat's Wacko Summer Seasonal. I bought this because I've enjoyed almost all other Magic Hat beers I've tried, and hey, it's summer! It was not until later that I realized that it's made with beet juice... here's the thing about beets. We keep them on our salad bar here at camp, so it's something I regularly interact with only in that I carry the bowl of sliced beets to the salad bar, and back into the kitchen after the meal. I do not enjoy beets. Beets would be the first thing I would vote off the island that is our salad bar, but that's not my call. I like to think someday I'll like them, and a friend of mine at Rutgers once gave me a piece of beet-chocolate cake which wasn't too bad, but in general, not my thing.
Anyway. As far as beets in beer goes, Wacko was kind of weird, but interesting and drinkable. The beer was actually pinkish, as was the head. It was very smooth though. I think I'd like it more if it was really cold-- it was cool at best when I had it. I don't regret buying it, but wouldn't be in an absolute hurry to get it again soon, unless it was for my friend who made the chocolate cake.
Summer has definitely begun, though the official start of summer camp and thus, my contract, is still 29 days away. This gap is getting comfortable, though I'm sure Paul will have a good time catching up and overtaking me this summer. I don't mind-- I'm looking forward to spending my summer going all Henry David Thoreau on my thesis in my cabin by the lake between working meals in the kitchen. Working at camp is definitely a good way to spend the summer.
Paul: 229
Colleen: 247
Brooklyn Summer Ale: I went to see Josh Ritter play in Brooklyn with two fabulous ladies this past weekend (AMAZING show!). We thought it would be appropriate to stop by the Brooklyn Brewery, but we ended up stopping for dinner at a little deli in Manhattan that had miscellaneous Brooklyn brews in their case for sale by the bottle. So the three of us enjoyed this beer with our sushi and salads. It's a pale ale, but a pretty straightforward one-- not particularly strong, nothing very specifically memorable about it, but a good and refreshing drink, as well it should be if it has "summer" in the name.
on our way to the Music Hall of Williamsburg
The other summer beer I've tried this week is Magic Hat's Wacko Summer Seasonal. I bought this because I've enjoyed almost all other Magic Hat beers I've tried, and hey, it's summer! It was not until later that I realized that it's made with beet juice... here's the thing about beets. We keep them on our salad bar here at camp, so it's something I regularly interact with only in that I carry the bowl of sliced beets to the salad bar, and back into the kitchen after the meal. I do not enjoy beets. Beets would be the first thing I would vote off the island that is our salad bar, but that's not my call. I like to think someday I'll like them, and a friend of mine at Rutgers once gave me a piece of beet-chocolate cake which wasn't too bad, but in general, not my thing.
Anyway. As far as beets in beer goes, Wacko was kind of weird, but interesting and drinkable. The beer was actually pinkish, as was the head. It was very smooth though. I think I'd like it more if it was really cold-- it was cool at best when I had it. I don't regret buying it, but wouldn't be in an absolute hurry to get it again soon, unless it was for my friend who made the chocolate cake.
Summer has definitely begun, though the official start of summer camp and thus, my contract, is still 29 days away. This gap is getting comfortable, though I'm sure Paul will have a good time catching up and overtaking me this summer. I don't mind-- I'm looking forward to spending my summer going all Henry David Thoreau on my thesis in my cabin by the lake between working meals in the kitchen. Working at camp is definitely a good way to spend the summer.
Paul: 229
Colleen: 247
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
...Paul?
I hope Paul's still alive. I got a little buried in the end of the semester fun and haven't talked to him in a while, but also, he hasn't posted here recently. Weird. Paul, where are you? Are you not trying new beers? Are you saving up 21 beers and going to post them all at once, surging ahead of me (because that's how many you need to get ahead...)? Are you just letting me win until I stop drinking beer for the summer (and all alcoholic beverages, as per my contract with camp)? This is confusing.
In the meantime, I have a few new ones to report, and yet another update on my now infamous chicken beer marinade:
Pork Slap Pale Ale: As someone who is not crazy about pale ales, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. It's very straightforward. This is also from Butternuts Brewing, who made Moo Thunder Stout that I really liked. Good beers with hilarious names in funny looking cans. Awesome!
Honey Moon Summer Ale: I quite liked this! But then again, we know I like wheat beers. You can taste the honey in this, but it's not too sweet. Refreshing and nice, just like it should be for summer.
Ithaca Apricot Wheat: I quite liked this too! My friend Gurzo got it because it's Ithaca, which is where he went to college, but it was a nice fruit beer. The apricot is obvious but not overwhelming or too sweet, over a smooth wheat beer. Paul and I often joke about fruit beers being suitable for breakfast, but I enjoyed it as a sort of evening treat while hanging out with my friend Cheryl and the aforementioned Gurzo.
Beer Marinade Update: I made the marinade with Rogue's Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout on Mothers' Day because I knew I'd enjoy the leftover beer. We baked the chicken, and apparently the marinade doesn't carry when you bake the chicken. Good to know. It smelled pretty nice though!
Paul: 222
Colleen: 242
In the meantime, I have a few new ones to report, and yet another update on my now infamous chicken beer marinade:
Pork Slap Pale Ale: As someone who is not crazy about pale ales, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. It's very straightforward. This is also from Butternuts Brewing, who made Moo Thunder Stout that I really liked. Good beers with hilarious names in funny looking cans. Awesome!
Honey Moon Summer Ale: I quite liked this! But then again, we know I like wheat beers. You can taste the honey in this, but it's not too sweet. Refreshing and nice, just like it should be for summer.
Ithaca Apricot Wheat: I quite liked this too! My friend Gurzo got it because it's Ithaca, which is where he went to college, but it was a nice fruit beer. The apricot is obvious but not overwhelming or too sweet, over a smooth wheat beer. Paul and I often joke about fruit beers being suitable for breakfast, but I enjoyed it as a sort of evening treat while hanging out with my friend Cheryl and the aforementioned Gurzo.
Beer Marinade Update: I made the marinade with Rogue's Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout on Mothers' Day because I knew I'd enjoy the leftover beer. We baked the chicken, and apparently the marinade doesn't carry when you bake the chicken. Good to know. It smelled pretty nice though!
Paul: 222
Colleen: 242
Sunday, March 28, 2010
three for me!
This weekend, I had the pleasure of seeing my friend's sketch comedy group in New York City. I went to college with one of the guys in the group, so it was really fun to see him perform and catch up a little bit, but it also resulted in attending the show with Megan, old friend who I worked at the summer camp with AND went to college with (crazy!), her man Nick (another camp person), a friend of theirs, and Alice, another friend of mine from camp, who I've shared good beer with before and invited to this show because she recently suggested we do that again.
Here is what ensued:
This show was Chester's anniversary show, and for a small entrance fee, they offered us free beer! I grabbed myself a Pabst Blue Ribbon (in college, many called it "People's Beer of Richmond"-- the college memory is probably what drove me to choose it over the Bud they also had) and sat to enjoy the show, thinking nothing of the plain old party beer I was consuming. However, upon updating this blog and my beer list right now, I discovered it wasn't listed!
After the show, we ended up at Phebe's in the East Village. I managed to find two on draft that weren't on my list:
Abita's Purple Haze: I'm almost positive I had this in college at a beerluck (everybody brings a wacky or fancy six pack, everybody enjoys random beers together), but that predates the list, so here it is now. Alice and I agreed, it tasted like graham crackers. I actually didn't get any particular raspberry flavor, which is odd since this is categorized as a fruit beer, or a wheat beer with fruit in it-- either way, suggestive of tasting like the raspberry puree mixed in with it toward the end of the brewing process. It wasn't bad though. Perhaps it would be good for breakfast?
Phebe's Ale: I actually had an argument with one of the bartenders about this beer. She was being really rude, kept watching TV every time Alice and I tried to talk to her after she asked what she could get for us... I asked for the house ale, which was apparently only available at the back bar in the place. This is fine. I asked her if she thought it was worth walking to the back. After she was done watching something on the TV for a few seconds, and asking me to repeat myself, she told me she didn't know, it was like dark or something like New Castle Brown Ale, to which I responded, "That's not dark!"
It actually was pretty dark, darker than New Castle for sure, but definitely still an ale (I could still see light through it). It tasted a little bit like black licorice and a little bit like flat Coca Cola. It actually was a bit flat, not that I'm crazy about carbonation (I am really not a soda drinker), but it needs a little to carry the flavor. It wasn't my favorite beer ever. However, I'd still recommend Phebe's for their awesome spinach artichoke dip, which they seemed to make from scratch, or at least had more fresh looking spinach in it than the average spinach artichoke dip out there. It was delicious.
Paul: 211
Colleen: 213
Here is what ensued:
This show was Chester's anniversary show, and for a small entrance fee, they offered us free beer! I grabbed myself a Pabst Blue Ribbon (in college, many called it "People's Beer of Richmond"-- the college memory is probably what drove me to choose it over the Bud they also had) and sat to enjoy the show, thinking nothing of the plain old party beer I was consuming. However, upon updating this blog and my beer list right now, I discovered it wasn't listed!
After the show, we ended up at Phebe's in the East Village. I managed to find two on draft that weren't on my list:
Abita's Purple Haze: I'm almost positive I had this in college at a beerluck (everybody brings a wacky or fancy six pack, everybody enjoys random beers together), but that predates the list, so here it is now. Alice and I agreed, it tasted like graham crackers. I actually didn't get any particular raspberry flavor, which is odd since this is categorized as a fruit beer, or a wheat beer with fruit in it-- either way, suggestive of tasting like the raspberry puree mixed in with it toward the end of the brewing process. It wasn't bad though. Perhaps it would be good for breakfast?
Phebe's Ale: I actually had an argument with one of the bartenders about this beer. She was being really rude, kept watching TV every time Alice and I tried to talk to her after she asked what she could get for us... I asked for the house ale, which was apparently only available at the back bar in the place. This is fine. I asked her if she thought it was worth walking to the back. After she was done watching something on the TV for a few seconds, and asking me to repeat myself, she told me she didn't know, it was like dark or something like New Castle Brown Ale, to which I responded, "That's not dark!"
It actually was pretty dark, darker than New Castle for sure, but definitely still an ale (I could still see light through it). It tasted a little bit like black licorice and a little bit like flat Coca Cola. It actually was a bit flat, not that I'm crazy about carbonation (I am really not a soda drinker), but it needs a little to carry the flavor. It wasn't my favorite beer ever. However, I'd still recommend Phebe's for their awesome spinach artichoke dip, which they seemed to make from scratch, or at least had more fresh looking spinach in it than the average spinach artichoke dip out there. It was delicious.
Paul: 211
Colleen: 213
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
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
a toast to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Thanks to a long weekend including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday (Observed) party and another Monday out with friends, I have quite a few new interesting beers to report.
Wells & Young, Ltd.'s Banana Bread Beer: This sounds questionable, doesn't it? It's surprisingly amazing though, assuming you like beer and banana bread. Despite the presence of some artificial flavors (in addition to REAL fair trade bananas!), it smells like actual banana bread, not some sort of fake banana candy. And it tastes awesome-- not necessarily like liquid banana bread so much as, you're drinking a nice beer while sitting in the company of fresh, delicious banana bread. Kudos to Tom to picking that one off the liquor store shelf for me.
Sam Adams Blackberry Witbier: While I'm not usually into fruit beers, this was pretty pleasant. The blackberry isn't too strong or fake tasting, and it's over a nice witbier.
Sam Adams Black Lager: This one was more up my alley. It's a lager that tastes more like a porter. It has a really strong flavor, largely chocolate, but goes down more lightly, like the lager that it actually is. Good stuff. That Samuel Adams, so reputable (with only a very few exceptions)!
Lancaster Rare Rooster Rye Ale: My friend Jeremy held this one aside for me to add to my list, though warned me he couldn't speak to its quality. The first sip tasted something like old rye bread with paint on it. Worried that it had turned, I handed it back to Jeremy, who tasted it and told me it was exactly the same as when he bought it. I kind of wonder how long the beer had been sitting, but he recommended that I generally avoid Lancaster beers, regardless of freshness. . I would recommend the same, after trying another...
Lancaster Strawberry Wheat: Not usually a fruit beer person, but after two recent positive experiences and my love of wheat beers, I went for it. Awful, awful, awful. This is rank medicine flavored strawberry, not even semi-tolerable lollipop strawberry. Ugh.
Kennebec River Summer Ale: Initially concerned that being a summer ale, it would be out of date, but it was all right. It was kind of a pale ale, which just isn't my jam, but it was drinkable. Especially compared to those Lancasters.
Troeg's Dreamweaver Wheat: Thank you Danni. This was a nice unfiltered wheat beer. No weird or bad fruit, nothing offensive, just a nice wheat beer. I could handle this one again.
Löwenbräu: This is another one Tom picked up to share, after we heard it referred to on Soap, a really hilarious TV show from the late 70s that we've been watching on DVD lately (I'd recommend that too). This is supposed to be legit German stuff. It was a bit too carbonated for me, considering that it didn't have any sort of really amazing flavor on top of the bubbles. I probably wouldn't go out of my way for it again, but it's definitely not a bad beer-- I've never been crazy about soda for the same reason.
Weihenstephaner Korbinian: a little sweeter than I'd prefer, but definitely a good beer. It's darker than the other brews I've tried by this German brewer, and very, very smooth. It's new on tap at Stuff Yer Face right now!
Sea Dog Apricot Wheat: For fruity beers not being my thing, I sure did try a few this weekend. This beer has a very light flavor to it, although it smells pretty strongly of apricot. It was also very smooth. Paul and I both have down on our beer lists another brew by Sea Dog, the Blueberry Ale. Both of us recommend it as a breakfast beer. I'd recommend this one likewise.
Well, that puts the tally at 173 for Paul and 189 for me. My semester starts today, so I'm sure I won't be ahead for long. While I think three day weekends and excuses to get together with friends are wonderful things, let us remember the great work that Dr. King did for civil rights in our country!
Wells & Young, Ltd.'s Banana Bread Beer: This sounds questionable, doesn't it? It's surprisingly amazing though, assuming you like beer and banana bread. Despite the presence of some artificial flavors (in addition to REAL fair trade bananas!), it smells like actual banana bread, not some sort of fake banana candy. And it tastes awesome-- not necessarily like liquid banana bread so much as, you're drinking a nice beer while sitting in the company of fresh, delicious banana bread. Kudos to Tom to picking that one off the liquor store shelf for me.
Sam Adams Blackberry Witbier: While I'm not usually into fruit beers, this was pretty pleasant. The blackberry isn't too strong or fake tasting, and it's over a nice witbier.
Sam Adams Black Lager: This one was more up my alley. It's a lager that tastes more like a porter. It has a really strong flavor, largely chocolate, but goes down more lightly, like the lager that it actually is. Good stuff. That Samuel Adams, so reputable (with only a very few exceptions)!
Lancaster Rare Rooster Rye Ale: My friend Jeremy held this one aside for me to add to my list, though warned me he couldn't speak to its quality. The first sip tasted something like old rye bread with paint on it. Worried that it had turned, I handed it back to Jeremy, who tasted it and told me it was exactly the same as when he bought it. I kind of wonder how long the beer had been sitting, but he recommended that I generally avoid Lancaster beers, regardless of freshness. . I would recommend the same, after trying another...
Lancaster Strawberry Wheat: Not usually a fruit beer person, but after two recent positive experiences and my love of wheat beers, I went for it. Awful, awful, awful. This is rank medicine flavored strawberry, not even semi-tolerable lollipop strawberry. Ugh.
Kennebec River Summer Ale: Initially concerned that being a summer ale, it would be out of date, but it was all right. It was kind of a pale ale, which just isn't my jam, but it was drinkable. Especially compared to those Lancasters.
Troeg's Dreamweaver Wheat: Thank you Danni. This was a nice unfiltered wheat beer. No weird or bad fruit, nothing offensive, just a nice wheat beer. I could handle this one again.
Löwenbräu: This is another one Tom picked up to share, after we heard it referred to on Soap, a really hilarious TV show from the late 70s that we've been watching on DVD lately (I'd recommend that too). This is supposed to be legit German stuff. It was a bit too carbonated for me, considering that it didn't have any sort of really amazing flavor on top of the bubbles. I probably wouldn't go out of my way for it again, but it's definitely not a bad beer-- I've never been crazy about soda for the same reason.
Weihenstephaner Korbinian: a little sweeter than I'd prefer, but definitely a good beer. It's darker than the other brews I've tried by this German brewer, and very, very smooth. It's new on tap at Stuff Yer Face right now!
Sea Dog Apricot Wheat: For fruity beers not being my thing, I sure did try a few this weekend. This beer has a very light flavor to it, although it smells pretty strongly of apricot. It was also very smooth. Paul and I both have down on our beer lists another brew by Sea Dog, the Blueberry Ale. Both of us recommend it as a breakfast beer. I'd recommend this one likewise.
Well, that puts the tally at 173 for Paul and 189 for me. My semester starts today, so I'm sure I won't be ahead for long. While I think three day weekends and excuses to get together with friends are wonderful things, let us remember the great work that Dr. King did for civil rights in our country!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)