I'm hanging out with my big brother at home, routing for the National League and listening to him play with Siri on his new iPhone machine. His puppy is curled up on the couch next to me, the Cardinals are winning, ...
I was busy catching up with my brother and enjoying the game. Go National League!
So. I spent the last week in Virginia, welcoming home one friend from Peace Corps service and another from grad school in England. That plus camping plus a visit to the alma mater plus catching up with one of my favorite girls plus meeting up with Paul for the first time in a while plus my college roommate playing a show means I have a few new beers to report--
Sam Adams Rauchbier: part of the Sam Adams seasonal pack, this is incredibly underwhelming. I mean, the last time I tried a rauchbier, I wasn't thoroughly impressed either, but this just had nothing to it. Don't bother.
Starr Hill Dark Starr: While hanging out in Fredericksburg with some awesome former professors of mine, I of course tried this Virginia stout. There was some chocolate flavor, some coffee flavor, and lots and lots of awesome flavor. It was dark and dry and smooth and wonderful. I like stout, and it's always fun to drink local.
Port City Porter: Another one at Cap Ale with a crew of Mary Washington geographers. This is a good porter from a relatively new brewer in Alexandria, Virginia. I'd say they're off to a good start. You can't see through it and it's got some hints of chocolate happening. Awesome.
Six Point Righteous Ale: I had another Six Point brew recently that I found to be not so great, but this was good. My good friend Emily and I had gone out on Sunday night in search of the Cardinals game, as she is from St. Louis, and ended up in a place in Columbia Heights that she'd never been. They were out of the Brooklyn Brown I'd ordered so the server recommended this instead. It was nothing like Brooklyn Brown, rather, more hoppy but really clean and nice. I'm surprised to learn it involves rye, but not upset about it. Rye beer. Hoppy rye beer. Good hoppy rye beer.
51st State Amber Ale: This is a pretty not-exciting house beer, but was how I kicked off my first ever bar trivia night, in which a team of Mary Washington Geographers owned the rest of the crowd at 51st State. If you go to this place in D.C., it's a reasonable beer for its price, but there are most definitely more exciting things on the menu.
Starr Hill Boxcar Pumpkin Porter: Of course, an extended stay in the D.C. Metro Area is never complete without a DBF Staff Meeting. Bailey's, located in Ballston and Crystal City, has a $2 pint special on Tuesdays. This was the only new beer I tried there though. This was more spice than pumpkin, but if you like pumpkin pie esque beers and you like dark beers, this is a good combination. The spices are good but not overwhelming, with a really nice, smooth porter underneath. I usually see pumpkin ales, not specifically porters, so this was a really nice change to that particular fall beer.
Tallgrass Buffalo Sweat: Selected partially because of the ridiculous name and partially because it's a stout, this was way sweet. I mean, I liked it, but a pint seemed like a lot due to the sweetness. If you like milk stout, it's great, but if you're not into the very sweet stouts, steer clear.
New Belgium's Ranger IPA: Taylor ordered this, but I ended up finishing it. It's good. Very recommendable.
Hooray for good beer, good friends, JT and Boo getting home, and the National League (and the team that knocked out the Phillies) winning! It is past my bedtime...
Showing posts with label milk stout. Show all posts
Showing posts with label milk stout. Show all posts
Friday, October 28, 2011
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
beerproof camera
Aside from a bit of angst about driving places unlicensed, the rest of my time in Virginia was pretty lovely. The wedding was beautiful and the reception was a good time. It was awesome to see so many friends! (And I have since renewed my license.)
Hilary, Paige and I got ready for the wedding together in my hotel room, but did so without beer until Deron arrived with a bottle opener. You know, I really just need to get myself one. I actually have at least two, but they don't fit in my pockets. The problem is, it needs to be tiny-- I took the car door unlocker thingy off my keychain because it was too big for my pocket. I unlock my door by hand. I digress.
Deron arrived with a bottle opener, and before we left for the wedding, I had Lancaster Milk Stout from a mixed six pack that Taylor and I made that morning. It was a little sweet but mostly just unexciting, which was fine by me. Very smooth, pretty plain, very drinkable, which was good, because we had a wedding to get to.
Between the ceremony and reception, a few of us went back to the hotel and had a round of Starr Hill Northern Lights IPA. While I do seem to be on a bit of an IPA kick these past few weeks, this one was a bit strong for me. Really, really hoppy. It kind of obscured anything else. I didn't totally hate it but prefer my IPA's a little better rounded.
The wedding was lovely and we made use of the open Budweiser. These pictures are from my waterproof digital camera dunked in Taylor's Bud, because he's sweet and tolerant of me:
(And yes, we also drank the Bud-- not my favorite macro brew, but not my least favorite either, and yes it was already on the list.)
After the wedding, several of us went back to the hotel to watch the end of the Jets-Colts game. There were Miller High Lifes aplenty, but Taylor and I also split Dogfish Head's Burton Baton, another IPA (more specifically an Imperial IPA). This one was also a bit stronger than I'd like, super duper hoppy, but this one was a little smoother going down. Not my favorite Dogfish Head brew, not my favorite IPA of theirs either, but it was pretty good. You true IPA fans out there might appreciate it more than I did though.
I'm back in New Jersey now, traveling nearly 1300 miles so far this year. (Note to self: perhaps I should keep a running tally this year?) Before heading to camp to start working today, I had a layover in Edison with Cheryl (and Lauren, via Skype!). Cheryl and I shared Deschutes' The Abyss, a stout from the west coast brewed with licorice and molasses and aged in some kind of liquor barrels. I've had bad experience with licorice in beer; I've had bad experience with beer that even mentions liquor. However, the worst part of this beer was the pain in the butt wax seal. Really smooth. Basically it was a strong flavored stout that didn't taste like coffee or chocolate. Very good.
Well, my current position at camp doesn't require me to abstain from drinking, but I imagine living alone in my lakeside cabin part time up here will keep my sampling to a minimum. Visiting friends in Virginia always puts me way ahead, and it seems I have some extra encouragement.
Colleen: 354
Paul: 324
Hilary, Paige and I got ready for the wedding together in my hotel room, but did so without beer until Deron arrived with a bottle opener. You know, I really just need to get myself one. I actually have at least two, but they don't fit in my pockets. The problem is, it needs to be tiny-- I took the car door unlocker thingy off my keychain because it was too big for my pocket. I unlock my door by hand. I digress.
Deron arrived with a bottle opener, and before we left for the wedding, I had Lancaster Milk Stout from a mixed six pack that Taylor and I made that morning. It was a little sweet but mostly just unexciting, which was fine by me. Very smooth, pretty plain, very drinkable, which was good, because we had a wedding to get to.
Between the ceremony and reception, a few of us went back to the hotel and had a round of Starr Hill Northern Lights IPA. While I do seem to be on a bit of an IPA kick these past few weeks, this one was a bit strong for me. Really, really hoppy. It kind of obscured anything else. I didn't totally hate it but prefer my IPA's a little better rounded.
The wedding was lovely and we made use of the open Budweiser. These pictures are from my waterproof digital camera dunked in Taylor's Bud, because he's sweet and tolerant of me:
(And yes, we also drank the Bud-- not my favorite macro brew, but not my least favorite either, and yes it was already on the list.)
After the wedding, several of us went back to the hotel to watch the end of the Jets-Colts game. There were Miller High Lifes aplenty, but Taylor and I also split Dogfish Head's Burton Baton, another IPA (more specifically an Imperial IPA). This one was also a bit stronger than I'd like, super duper hoppy, but this one was a little smoother going down. Not my favorite Dogfish Head brew, not my favorite IPA of theirs either, but it was pretty good. You true IPA fans out there might appreciate it more than I did though.
I'm back in New Jersey now, traveling nearly 1300 miles so far this year. (Note to self: perhaps I should keep a running tally this year?) Before heading to camp to start working today, I had a layover in Edison with Cheryl (and Lauren, via Skype!). Cheryl and I shared Deschutes' The Abyss, a stout from the west coast brewed with licorice and molasses and aged in some kind of liquor barrels. I've had bad experience with licorice in beer; I've had bad experience with beer that even mentions liquor. However, the worst part of this beer was the pain in the butt wax seal. Really smooth. Basically it was a strong flavored stout that didn't taste like coffee or chocolate. Very good.
Well, my current position at camp doesn't require me to abstain from drinking, but I imagine living alone in my lakeside cabin part time up here will keep my sampling to a minimum. Visiting friends in Virginia always puts me way ahead, and it seems I have some extra encouragement.
Colleen: 354
Paul: 324
Saturday, April 10, 2010
a pre-DBF staff meeting update
As I've mentioned, I'll be spending the rest of the coming week and weekend in the Washington, D.C. Metro area, couch surfing with some old friends while attending the annual meeting of the Association of American Geographers. I'm staying with Paul for the first two nights, and we have some grand plans for catching up with each other... both as friends and in the number of beers we've tried. Here's what I'm going into this with:
Moo Thunder Stout: I bought this because it looked and sounded ridiculous. It comes in a can with a cow and a lightning bolt on it. I know I tried a beer last weekend based on the fact that it had a cow on it, but this was more just the ridiculous name and the fact that it was a stout. This is by Butternuts Beer and Ale, who also make Porkslap Pale Ale and Heinieweissen Farmhouse Ale (a hefeweizen). This beer was SO GOOD. A little sweeter than Guinness (it's actually a milk stout, so that's to be expected), but so smooth and just a really nice stout. It was also not particularly expensive. I would absolutely recommend this beer to all the stout lovers of the world!
Saranac Winter Lager: This was ok. Nothing bad, but nothing particularly amazing. It actually reminded me of this sweet bread I ate in Mexico, that I imagine is probably pretty common in other Latin American countries or bakeries. It was nice, but I'm in no hurry for a repeat.
Kona Longboard Island Lager: I would add this to my proverbial "whatever lager" list. It was fine. A little sweeter than the average whatever lager, but still nothing in particular to write home about. I've heard good things about some of their other beers though, that I'm looking forward to trying.
St. Bernardus Abt 12 Abbey Ale: This was way too sweet for me. It just felt heavy, even though it wasn't. It's a quadruple, which I've never heard of before. Just strong in all the ways I'd prefer it not to be. My friend Cristina tasted it and liked it thought. Just not my jam. If you're into doppelbock beers, you might like it. After all, it's a quadruple! That's doppel the doppelbock! Right?...
Chimay Red: This was LOVELY. This came on the recommendation of my friend Jeremy, and was well worth the price. Very smooth, very pleasant, very nice nice nice. It's a trappist, which Stuff Yer Face brags on their menu to be among the best tasting beers in the world. I might not go THAT far, but it was really good.
I noticed Paul has started an entry and not finished it, presumably because he noticed I did the same thing and wanted to see what my score was. Well, my beer friend, I'm coming to see you tomorrow with 223 beers on my list, to your 220 including the two in your unpublished post. See you in the afternoon!
Now, off to pack...
Moo Thunder Stout: I bought this because it looked and sounded ridiculous. It comes in a can with a cow and a lightning bolt on it. I know I tried a beer last weekend based on the fact that it had a cow on it, but this was more just the ridiculous name and the fact that it was a stout. This is by Butternuts Beer and Ale, who also make Porkslap Pale Ale and Heinieweissen Farmhouse Ale (a hefeweizen). This beer was SO GOOD. A little sweeter than Guinness (it's actually a milk stout, so that's to be expected), but so smooth and just a really nice stout. It was also not particularly expensive. I would absolutely recommend this beer to all the stout lovers of the world!
Saranac Winter Lager: This was ok. Nothing bad, but nothing particularly amazing. It actually reminded me of this sweet bread I ate in Mexico, that I imagine is probably pretty common in other Latin American countries or bakeries. It was nice, but I'm in no hurry for a repeat.
Kona Longboard Island Lager: I would add this to my proverbial "whatever lager" list. It was fine. A little sweeter than the average whatever lager, but still nothing in particular to write home about. I've heard good things about some of their other beers though, that I'm looking forward to trying.
St. Bernardus Abt 12 Abbey Ale: This was way too sweet for me. It just felt heavy, even though it wasn't. It's a quadruple, which I've never heard of before. Just strong in all the ways I'd prefer it not to be. My friend Cristina tasted it and liked it thought. Just not my jam. If you're into doppelbock beers, you might like it. After all, it's a quadruple! That's doppel the doppelbock! Right?...
Chimay Red: This was LOVELY. This came on the recommendation of my friend Jeremy, and was well worth the price. Very smooth, very pleasant, very nice nice nice. It's a trappist, which Stuff Yer Face brags on their menu to be among the best tasting beers in the world. I might not go THAT far, but it was really good.
I noticed Paul has started an entry and not finished it, presumably because he noticed I did the same thing and wanted to see what my score was. Well, my beer friend, I'm coming to see you tomorrow with 223 beers on my list, to your 220 including the two in your unpublished post. See you in the afternoon!
Now, off to pack...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)