12.29.12 - Snowstorm and Wine

It's fitting that 2012 will come to a close, on this blog at least, not with beer which has undoubtedly produced  the best memories of the year for me, but with wine.  Yes, wine.  It's far too oft-forgotten in my drinking adventures, but can fit any situation oh so well.  Which is why I had the hankering for some tonight..  You see, it's the first, and last, "big" snowstorm of 2012.  Started while I was working the part-time gig..  got to the point where there was barely 2 inches on the ground, but it built up quick and ended up bringing traffic to all but a halt.  There was ice and shit underneath the snow.. just a mess.  30 min drive took 70..  Jesus.  So I just wanted some food and to relax while watching the storm.

"Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance" - Ben Franklin.  Words to live by..  so let's drink up!

Honestly, nothing is more relaxing than wine to me.  Yes, I love beer.. but I feel like I analyze each sip, mentally compare it to others of the style..  with wine, I just sip.  I love the warming buzz that creeps up the back of my neck and encompasses my brain.  Intoxicating.  Literally.

Clayhouse - 2007 Adobe Red.  44% Zinfandel, 32% Petite Sirah, 16% Syrah, 5% Malbec, 4% Grenache, and  2% Mourvedre.  Aged for 14 months and at 14.1% ABV.  I've had this for about 2 years now.. was hoping to do a side-by-side with the 2008, but just never got around to it.   Gorgeous ruby red pour, very light bodied.. produces no residual lacing on the glass.  Rich fruits hit the nose, blackberries, cherries and plums.. hints of oaky wood and a smooth, sweet vanilla.  Incredibly smooth body and taste, silky almost.  Average to low level of tannins.. it's drying but still maintains a sweetness, not overpowering at all.  Tart dark cherries at the front of the wine that are followed up by sweeter, smoother raspberries, strawberries and those plums again leveling it out.  Slight spice and oak is present throughout with the acidity rising as it breathed.  Bold and spicy, smooth and balanced..  this is a really good wine for the price and may be a good wine to bridge the gap from white drinkers to red drinkers.

(if I had a wine rating system, this'd be a solid 7 'grapes')

12.27.12 - 668

Happy Thursday, beer time.  Beer stash.

A half-burnt tree?  Flames...  what is this beery canned concoction? 

ghbor ... beast?  huh?  Middle-aged dude with a beer belly and a newspaper?  

Oh hey there, Mr 668!  New England Brewing Co - 668: The Neighbor of the Beast - Belgian-style Golden Ale at 9.05 ABV.  Hazy golden yellow and a minimal head..  pilsner malts and a grassy, yeasty boozy note float up from the can.  Lemon peel, oranges and a touch of spice along with some pale malts in the nose.  This beer has an identity crisis.  --- At first it was like a heavily boozed-up Tripel then fading to a malty, bright Belgian golden then more into a sweet Hefeweizen as it warmed up.  The booze warmth is very prominent from the get-go, but thankfully plays well with the light bready malts and citrus tones in the Tripel phase of the beer.  Some grassy hops come through in the middle with light spices (cardamom and coriander).  The finish sweetens up a bit with some caramel malts and a banana-clove hefeweizen yeasty note.  Delicious for sure, but a bit more body, booze and creaminess than the typical Belgian anything.. and this one struggled to find a definitive style.. slight points off for those facts, sadly.

- - 7 hops

Christmas Night

Well..  for Christmas breakfast i cracked open a Breakfast Stout because I got called to check on an alarm at work at 9:15 in the morning.  So yeah.. I deserved that one!  Then the fam cracked a bottle of 2004 Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon for dinner..  WOW  Tons of body and fruit, nice warming spice.  A great surprise from the folks.

Came home after a quiet holiday..  put on some B-grade Santa slasher flicks and cracked open some beers. Went through a few standards just to have some  (I couldn't truly enjoy beer if I had to constantly blog..  so I get 6'ers.. multiples..  or just ones I've had before so I can just kick back with a beer).  Then cracked into the stash again.. it keeps growing, by the way.. and pulled out something totally unrelated to Christmas

Pike's - Monk's Uncle Tripel  9.0% ABV and 38 IBUs.  Cloudy golden yellow with a nice fluffy head.. not much lacing remained.  Instant notes of yeast, banana and a great apple note.  Like fresh pressed cider.  Touches of spice and grassy hops come through as the beer warms.  A slight Brett funk that carries into the taste is the first thing to hit.  Creamier than most Tripels that I've had.. candi sugar, yeast, honey and bananas.  Not much clove that you'd typically find, and far more wheat and light malts than usual.  Heavy on the spice and bubblegum.  Melon and apple flavors coming through and the boozy bite gains strength as it warms.  Overly sweet finish that's a bit too heavy on the esters.  It's worth a try, but there are far better Tripels out there for cheaper.

- - 5 Hops

Montreal! 12.22 & 12.23

So I just drove to Montreal and back within a 28 hour time period.. alone.. with no hotel or accommodations.  Crazy?  Maybe.  Worth it?  For sure.

Yep, that's right.  For a concert.  All the gas, all the food, beers after.. for a concert.  But hey, when you love a band.. and I really mean love them, and they've broken up and decide to do an actual official farewell tour, but doesn't hit any US cities on that tour..  well heading just over 5 hours north doesn't seem that crazy.

Alexisonfire.  Sonic amazingness.  I don't care if you don't agree.  Their URL says it all..  go look..   yep, it's true.  I had the privilege of seeing them in Worcester in May of 2010..  turns out that was the last US city they were to ever play.  But no one knew it at the time..  they announced a break-up.. then rumors of a reunion tour surfaced.  They finally announced a date when all the tour dates would be released... and on that date, whooomp whoooomp!  NO US DATES!  Well slap me silly..  guess I'm going to Montreal!  And I decided that while there I'd enjoy some poutine finally and see what Montreal has to offer for beers!

Enjoy By.. tomorrow?

Heard of "best by" dates.. shelf life?  Yeah, so have I.  But here's the thing, most people thing they apply to food and don't consider the fact that beer falls under these as well.  Just getting into beer.. well you probably haven't had the chance to have a nice cellared beer that once was great but may taste muted, or forgot about that nice hoppy spring beer only to discover it in November and suddenly it's not as hoppy anymore.  Well, beer goes bad too.  Now, it shouldn't go bad unless there's an issue with the actual batch or the cap/seal..but the beer can change.. can skunk if not stored right.. can lose flavor.

And Stone actually banked on that with their most recent special offering -

Enjoy By.  Stone means that.  Apparently the way they formulated this recipe, the flavors WILL mute after the date listed apparently.  Probably slightly gimmicky such that hop heads and beer geeks alike will rush out to get this - small batches, noted expiration - but will it live up to the hype?

The batch to hit MA (and other states, as well) is dubbed Enjoy By 12.21.12 and is a 9.4% ABV and 88 IBU Double IPA.  Even more fitting that the MA batch is "bad" by the day that the Mayan apocalypse is supposed to kill us all!  I was lucky enough to get a taste when it first hit the stores - which, by the way, it was bottled on 11.16.12 and stores in MA got it on 11.19.12... HOLY SHIT!!! - as well as snagging a small little glass at the Vertical Epic fest last week.  It was utterly amazing those times.  Let's see how it is on the eve of it's life span - 12.20.12.

Gorgeous sunshine straw pour and an average, but dense head that left great lacing as you drink.  And the nose..  literally, as soon as the cap is cracked this beer fills the immediate area with with the most glorious hop aroma you've ever laid nostril to.  It's citrusy, it's grassy, it's grapefruity, it's piney, it's thick, resiny and bright.. it's pure heaven for hop lovers.  There's the faintest underlying caramel and biscuit malts.. both in the nose and taste, but all that quickly gives way to the hops.  This could easily be marketed as pure hop extract it's THAT hoppy.  WOW.  Just take one little sip and the sticky bitterness lingers for 5+ minutes.. I'm not even kidding.  It's drying, it's harsh, it's sticky and sweet, but sweet baby Jesus you want more!  I often found myself cupping the mouth of the glass just to breathe it in.  It was huge and bold, just smooth and drinkable with amazing complexity coming from basically one ingredient (but multiple kinds).  For a double IPA, hell even a normal IPA, I'd say this is as close to perfect as it gets.  Heady Topper edges it out on the malt front just a touch and, even though it as well is supposed to be enjoyed fresh, this is fresher and this is meant to be all out hopalicious!

If I could, I'd give it 10 hops, for sure, this is the closest to perfection I've had, ever.  The slightest touch more malt would make it a perfectly rounded double IPA..  so 9+ hops ( I added the little extra beneath! )

12.12.12 - VERTICAL EPIC DAY!

Where were you on 12.12.12?!?  The same digit for the month, day AND year..  this won't happen for almost 80 more years..  you better remember this day!  As for me.. well this happened:

Whisky Schmisky

So I've had like 2 wines posts and the other 150-some-odd have been beer..  time for a change!

Technically it was SCOTCH, not just regular whiskey, but scotch schmotch doesn't have the same ring to it. Out of the blue on Monday I got an email from an event company in Boston telling me I was invited to a Macallan tasting.. I didn't sign up for one, nor ever put my name on a whisk(e)y/scotch mailing list.. but hey, it turned out to be free!  Are YOU gonna say no to that?  Didn't think so!

Gorgeous, huh?  We got the sample the 12 year Sherry cask, 15 year fine oak cask, 17 year fine oak cask and 18 year old Sherry cask!  I wish I could describe these more, but I'm just starting to get into scotch..  so let's just say they were all delicious!  To me, the stand-outs were the 12 and 15, the sherry imparts different flavors and textures than the fine oak and gives a nice full body, rich fruits and deeper caramels.  The fine oak had some nice crisp citrus to it.  The burn started to creep into the 17 and 18.. not a huge fan of that.  For instance Johnnie Green will win over Johnnie Blue for me any day because the burn is hidden, but all the flavors are there.  Either way.. I'm growing my taste for scotches and whiskys..  do you drink 'em?  Then let's go try some!!

12.4.12 - SOA and Stone

Folks.. if you don't watch Sons of Anarchy, what in the everloving Christ is wrong with you!?  OK OK.. I'll give you time to go catch up.. but by the start of season 6, ya'll better be on top of that shit!  Being able to watch, honest-to-God, one of the most amazingly written shows of my generation, as it airs..  I feel rather lucky.  Sounds cheesy, but the characters, the struggles..  it speaks to me.  It drags me in..  

A beer with the namesake as to how I'm feeling lately.. and the balls to be worthy of the SOA season finale. Stone - Lukcy 13asartd (aka Lucky Bastard) - re-release.  Originally brewed in 2010 for the 13th anniversary of the release of Arrogant Bastard..  there was so much demand they brewed it again.  an 8.5% ABV American Strong..  this should be a force to be reckoned with.  Rich ruby brown pour.. minimal head that left amazing lacing.  Strong alcoholic malts on the notes.. touches of black cherries, plum, figs.. vanilla and oak., caramel and roasted malts..  all subtle, but all huge.  The first thing to hit your tongue is that typical Stone hop profile..  from their IPA to the richest RIS, all Stone's seem to have the same hop profile.  Not that it's a bad thing..  dark fruits and the alcohol bite come into play next.. an underlying earthiness from the oak and some hops.   Citrusy, caramel..  the booze comes around as it warms.  A great brew..  it, however, doesn't separate itself from it's brethren that much.  A touch of oak here.. a little more booze there..  not even a great amalgamation of the family..  Don't get me wrong.. it's damned lovely, but not very well-refined. That being said.. I'm still lukcy, err, lucky, for the chance to try this as I had no idea about it 2010.. and also for everything else in my life..  reflect people, take the time, it's worth it.

- - 7 Hops

12.3.12 - Bacon Brown Ale

First off, sorry for the shitty pic.  I alternate between camera and phone.. and this time the phone sucked bad.  It looked OK on the phone.. not so much on here...  Sorry people!

That being said, I cracked into what should be a rather unique brew...  Uncommon Brewers - Bacon Brown Ale.  A 6.8% ABV 65 IBU ale brewed with buckwheat and real bacon.  Hmm....   can't go wrong, right?  We'll see.  Cloudy brown pour, thick billowing white head that I had to keep from overflowing the glass.  Straight up brown bread..  faint brown bread however, on the nose.  Very one dimensional..  the only extra kick comes from an incredibly muted smoke note.  This is surprisingly watered down, lacking much flavor besides slightly roasted malt.  A thicker, metallic sweetness from the smoke lingers near the end..  this is the only trace of said 'bacon' And the buckwheat..  no idea what to look for, but if it's anything other than malty, it was completely drowned out by what little malts there are.  Gimmicky?  Probably.  Good?  Not really

- - 3 Hops

Sunday Funday with Pops and the Pats

Why not invite the pops over to watch the Pats and have a few beers?  He enjoyed good ol Bud heavy, but I managed to have him sample, AND ENJOY, a Phantom Punch Winter Stout by Baxter.  During this time, I decided to have an Octoberfest show-down.  It's December, I know, but it only just started getting really cold here, so Octoberfests are still fine by me!

Bottling and C2CT

Time to bottle beer!  And, just like anytime beer is being made or bottled, you gotta drink some too!  Plus I just caved and joined the mindless masses of social media and got an Untappd account.  If you don't know what it is, no, I'm not going to tell you.  It's called Google, use it.  They have a badge for an event called Coast 2 Coast Toast, put on by a large importer of Belgian and French brews - Vanburg and DeWulf.  If you have 2 of the beers they import within the month of November, you get a badge.  I had one at a bar (I'm giving up on reviewing bar beers, unless it's something rare and amazing.

11.27.12 - the Meadowlark Flies

So this was released quite a while back.. over the summer actually!  Not gonna lie, I definitely forgot I had this stashed away.. so let's hope she's still fresh!

Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project - Meadowlark IPA.  Believe it or not, after almost 3 1/2 years, this is Pretty Things' first IPA!  A brewer went this long, in this day and age, without ever doing an IPA..  that's seriously impressive!  Was the wait worth it..  a 7.0% ABV 85 IBU IPA..  sorta bad lighting, but a lovely hazy golden pour.  Light honey and biscuit malts with a nice kick of citrus, passion fruit, grapefruit and mild pine hops.  For 7.0%, this is a wicked drinkable IPA.. nowhere near the body of an Imperial, but with much more alcohol kick than your run-of-the-mill IPA..  and, AND that kick is actually hidden!  You'll only get it if you pound this bomber in like 15 minutes.  Just enough malt body to hold this beer together, but more than a healthy dose of bitter and robust hops to kick you square in the jowls.  Citrusy, piney, grassy.. tons of tropical fruit..  resiny, slick, but somewhat malty and sweet.  The finish has just enough kick, just enough sweet, just enough dryness to keep you coming back.  Not quite west coast, not quick east coast.. this my friends, is why you wait to perfect a recipe..  to produce one fine-ass American IPA.

- - 9 Hops

11.23.12 - PJ20

Thought it'd be a boring night in spent cleaning, building shelving and drinking beer when I get a call from my buddy wanting me to come over and drink.  So, essentially the same gameplan, sans cleaning and building shit.  He's a MASSIVE Pearl Jam fan, as well as wanting to be exposed to craft beer more and more, so... this was the gem that I brought over for him...

Dogfish Head - Pearl Jam Twenty Faithfull Ale - a 7.0% ABV homage to Pearl Jam's groundbreaking debut album - Ten - 20 years ago.  It was brewed to be 20 IBUs and flavored via 10 additions of fresh black currants.  Dogfish sure loves their numbers!  A Belgian Golden ale, this is like slightly hazy sunshine.  Minimal head, bu then again, I poured into 2 half-yards.  Pilsner-esque, dry, crackery, semi-sweet malt nose, touch of floral and a deep, almost hidden fruity note.  Crisp and bubbly, the biscuit and Pilsner malts are faintly sweet and mingle nicely with a surprisingly mellow fruit note from the currants.  Adds a touch of sweetness to the malts, but balances well and doesn't try to overpower anything.  The Belgian yeast and floral hops work well with the effervescence and it finishes very clean, crisp and dry.  Not as outstanding for a DFH special release as I would have expected as they only really made one tweak to a classic style and that tweak was barely noticeable in the brew.. but still a nice ale.

- - 6 Hops

Surviving Thanksgiving

Everyone always says they need to survive the holidays.  Um..  how are they so bad?!  Thanksgiving = family, football, food and booze.  Christmas = family, food and gifts.. and booze.  So what!?  Then again, my family's celebrations have always been small.. and this year Thanksgiving was just me and the folks, the sis didn't even venture down.

That being said.. why not beer to help cope? And by help cope, I mean chill with pops.

Thanksgiving Eve

Thanksgiving Eve - the night everyone goes out in their hometown and it's like an unofficial HS reunion.. right?  And almost all of us HATE it, even though 98% of you will still go out.  Not me..  Yeah, I still met up with a HS friend, but a friend that's been there since before HS and still around.  And I drank good beer.  Bet I had a better time than you!

11.18.12 - Puppy Sitting!

It's Sunday.. I got asked by the good folks at Backlash Beer Company to watch their brand-spanking new puppy while they head to the brewery.  And how can you say no to a puppy?!?

Seriously.. tell me your heart isn't melting over that face!  This is Backlash Beer's new pup - Stout - and he's basically the shit.  I'm gonna steal him when they're not looking.  He just sleeps on you, snores, and eats leafs  - aka living the life.  Watching a dog named after a style of beer, I couldn't help but have a drink!

I snagged a bottle of Crispin - The Saint cider - 6.9% cider brewed with fresh pressed apple juice, Belgian Trappist yeast and added molasses.  Super hazy/cloudy yellow, like a pale apple cider.  Strong cider aroma, not much in the way of spice, but with an underlying fruity/yeasty note.  For a cider, it was delicious - smooth, full, not overly sweet.  The Belgian yeast gives a nice, albeit barely noticeable, complexity.  For a drink in general, it fell a bit short.  It wasn't that unique to stand out from other ciders beyond having slightly more thickness and natural sweetness (from the molasses, no doubt).  Worth a try if your a cider fan.. if you're not, probably won't convert you.
- - 5 Hops

Sixpoint Saturday

Another Saturday.. another time for more beer!  Let's have a theme tonight!

Friday Night Beer Party

Sometimes you need help with getting through your beers.  OK, well YOU probably don't, but I do.  I have too damned much!  And stupid breweries keep deciding to brew cool shit all the time, so I buy it.  What's their deal!?

So I called a few friends over for a small beer party - they bring the food, I share beers.  Of course I don't share the really good stuff, but then again, I don't stock the bad stuff either!

11.12.12 - Brew Day!

It's brew night!!!  I'm revisiting my Belgian-style Pineapple Wit of earlier this year (Overdose on Pineapple Wit-ney Houston) and kicking it up about 1000 notches..  in a few short weeks the world will know the glory that is...  dun dun DUNNNNNNNNN

Death by Pineapple Wit-ney Houston!  I used 16oz of crushed pineapple in the boil last time, and 40oz in the dry hop with Citra.  This time I used 40oz in the boil and have 80oz sitting in the fermenter and will probably add another 20oz with switching over to (hopefully) galaxy hops in the dry hop.

BUT!  What is brewing beer without drinking beer!?

Rogue - Chatoe Rogue GYO First Growth Pumpkin Patch Ale - 5.6% ABV and 25 IBUs.  The Chatoe Rogue's are beers that Rogue brews solely using ingredients grown by themselves - GYO - grow your own. Damn cool concept!  Even their pumpkins are fresh and homegrown.  Nice chestnut brown pour, off-brown fluffy head that lingers well.  The smell off this is incredible.. vegetative and totally fresh pumpkin flesh.  Great spice notes in just the right balance with some sweeter malts.  The taste is pure fresh pumpkin with floral hops and that lovely vegetative taste I was mentioning.  Sounds odd, but it really works here.  Nice spice with enough malt backbone to make it work - caramel, bready, nutty.  Smooth with a nice hoppy note to the finish  - real fresh, realy nice.  This is what a pumpkin ale should be!

9 Hops!

Stout Day 2012

Happy Stout Day everyone!

Yep!  Another beer holiday!  Are you complaining?  I didn't think so!

I started off with the ever classic Founder's - Breakfast Stout.  You simply cannot go wrong with that, it's perfect.  Then I dug into my treasure chest and found this treat!

The Pike Brewing Co - XXXXX Pike Stout - a 7.0% ABV, 65 IBU Extra/Import Stout.  I'm calling this an Imperial, deal with it.  Pitch black but light-pouring, the head on this cascades like a Guinness nitro pour!  Huge and fluffy!  Roasted malts, bitter black chocolate on the nose with some underlying grassy hops and rich fruit notes.  It's got the alcohol bite of an Imperial, that's for sure, but the body of any old bold stout.  Big, bold bitter chocolate that's actually quite smooth with molasses, dark caramel, black coffee and roasted malts.  There's a nice dried fruit/dark cherry note in this that adds an extra layer above and beyond most stouts.  This gives way to a muted floral/grassy hop note that is surprising prominent for such a bold stout.  The finish is smooth, malty and roasted..  slightly bitter and with the slightest alcohol bite.  Lacks a bit in body for a 7.0% ABV stout, but incredibly well-rounded, and I'm sure the 6 months or so that I've been keeping this has helped with it's flavor.. but definitely worth a try!
- - 8 Hops!

NERAX Goodie Bag

So this past weekend I volunteered at NERAX's November festival  (New England Real Ale eXhibition) in Somerville.  It's a smaller fest and organization focused on 'real ale' - cask beer - unfiltered, unpasteurized.. conditioned and served from a cask, not carbonated or nitrogenated at all and typically served much warmer than any other beer.

At the end of the fest they, much to my horror, dump all the beer!  So they let all volunteers take as much as they can carry in any sort of bottle form!  Waahoooo!!

Hurricane Schmurricane

Yeah.. it's a hurricane.  But as of now, I've still got power and I've got a ton of beers, put a bunch in the fridge ahead of time.  Got let out of work early.. fingers crossed for no work tomorrow.  That means drinking time!

10.23.2012

It's a Tuesday night.. your favorite show is on TV.. what do you do?  Drink beer. Duh.

Breaking in the Apartment - October Style

Yeah..  so I've been at the apartment for about 2 months now and just finally having people over.. so what?  I'm a busy man, tough shit.

Had a few friends by, just sat back and shot the shit.  Had some standard brews... also cracked open this lil guy.  Can't complain when you can get a bomber for under $5..

Opa-Opa - Octoberfest Lager   Is it legal to have a beer without an ABV..  I can't remember seeing one.. already tossed the bottle and can't find ANYTHING online..  um, weird?  Anyway..  terrific golden brown pour and fluffy head..  Picture doesn't do it justice - damned camera phones.  Great malty notes here.. crisp to the nose.. biscuits and bready..light..  some hints of citrus.  A crisp pour..  straight-foward smooth, mildly sweet malts are all you get..  light caramel, faint toffee, biscuit/crackers..graham crackers and pretzels.  Again, just hints of citrus and maybe a touch of grassy hops.  This is bright, refreshing and true to the traditional style.  And it's damned good!

MNF with a Friend and some Pumpkins

Monday night football.. got a friend over.. got some beers.  You really can't go wrong!

10.14 - Fluffy White Daggers

Yep.. read that right.  Fluffy White Daggers.  It's called creative writing, get used to it.

Apollo Sneaks In

Another remnant of "summer".. but then again a wheat/saison never goes out of style...

Sixpoint - Apollo  a 5.2% ABV 11 IBU wheat beer.  Hazy golden sun pour, fluffy, lacy head.  The nose is absolutely heavenly!  Huge Belgian influence here, yeast, clove and banana that will straight up make you slap yo mama!  No, seriously though.. the nose is insane!  Tart, bold, citrus.. so good.  Smooth and crisp beer, citrus, bananas and clove on the initial taste.. then a smooth, but tart sweetness comes in and the finish is bubblegum-y with a bit more sweetness, and just a touch of hops.  I seriously cannot describe how much I love this beer...  It's tough to put into words how well-rounded, yet totally stand-out this is..  Ever had a beer and just been like 'holy fuck' on the first sip?  Yep.  Get it next year.

Georgia- pt II

..told ya there was more!

Georgia - pt I

So yeah.. I went and took another trip!  I have a college friend who went to Atlanta for work.. so with cheap airfare, might as well go!  Plus more regional beers that are not available up here!

Such as SweetWater.. which I visited, clearly, and partook greatly in!

Philly.. A Few Weeks Late pt II

Oh you better believe there was night number two!

I began my evening at Farmer's Cabinet, an absolutely gorgeous beer bar modeled after a country barn, with a 1930's feel to it.  SO badass!  AND Philly has Happy Hour!  I got my first beer for $3.50.. it was huge!

Philly - A Few Weeks Late..

So about 5 weeks ago, I ventured to Philadelphia, PA just for the hell of it.  Hopped a bus, managed to weasel my way into a hostel.. travel and accommodations cost me under $100 for 3 days, 2 nights.. beat that Travelocity gnome!  I needed a personal, solo getaway to clear my head, as we all do from time to time; as an added bonus - Philly is a killer beer town!

There was far too much for me to go into detail about each beer I had, and factor in that I had all these beers in 2 nights.. I got a bit too drunk each time to remember the last beer or two of each night!  Oops!  And let me just tell you, Boston has a KILLER local scene - brewpubs, micros, craft stores, but Philly, now Philly has Boston flat-out BEAT in terms of bars - almost every bar had an amazing imported selection.  Belgian and other European beers made up the bulk of it with tons of French and Scandinavian as well.  INSANE.  Step it up, Boston.  Step. it. up.

( and yes, of course I ran the Museum of Art stairs - aka the Rocky Stairs! )

9.17 - Throwback Monday

So back in July I was up at Hampton Beach with some friends, and I had heard about this microbrewery at a beer fest that is located in North Hampton.. sooo  umm, yeah, of course I went!

I tried everything on tap and was blown away by 2 brews, which I got in growlettes to go!

Friday 9.14 - Summer's Not Over

Yeah, sure.. it's getting chillier out.  But you know what, I have an abnormally high body temp, so I still need fans and/or A/C at night..  so it's still summer for me!  Suck it.

¡Es Magnífico!

For ya'll unedjamacated folk.. that's 'it's magnificent!' in Espanish!  It's also the name of a lovely little seasonal offering by Pretty Things Beer & Ale Project.

A 3.45% ABV, 40 IBU session pale, this guy rears his head in the summertime when a tasty, light beer is most needed.  A gorgeous golden straw pour with a huge fluffy, perfect white head..  reserved nose, hints of pale malts, light bready malts with faint grassy and floral hops... touches of citrus and wild honey.  Incredibly light and bright taste.  For a non-crap beer (ie craft), this would be the definition of crisp.  Everything is mild and mellow, but in perfect harmony with the hops just eeking out a win.  Cracker-y and mildly buttery malts, nice dose of floral hops with the slightest drying bitter bite on the finish.  For anyone who's been into craft beer more than the mass-produced swill, the light body of this will take a few sips to get used to.  But once you do, the flavor really, unexpectedly, opens up.  I'd much rather take a case of these to the face than have to drink even 1 can from a 30rack....  total win by Pretty Things!

Summer in a Can - From a Can

Yeah, so what.. it's Sept 10.  Shut ya mouth, summah ain't ovah til I say it's ovah, got it!?  And I can stand to wear short well into October, so get used to it!

So I moved a few weeks ago and compiled all my various caches of beer, and DAMN do I have a lot of beer.  So I pulled two summer cans from the hoard and this is what you get...

GASP! Wine!

My, oh my!  Another post about wine!  These are few and far between..  I do have some nice (and fairly standard) wines,  and try some from time to time.. but if you know me, you've heard me say how much easier it is to try new beers than new wines despite me loving wine.  So when I get the chance to open a bottle, you better believe I'll talk about it!

Chateau Bel Air - Bordeaux Superior 2005 Vintage

82% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 7% Cabernet Sauvignon and a great value at Costco suprisingly!  Fairly nice nose, heavy on the dark fruits - blackberry, cherry, plum.. warming to some deep earthy notes and hints of vanilla.  Although big on the nose, this was a rather light bodied, dare I say watery, wine.  Decent acidity and tannins here, medium amount of the 'lip pucker.'  Again, dark fruits are very foward and the finish is just a touch dry.  I've been sitting on this for a few years now, would be tough to find again, but would be a steal if you could!  Great flavor and balance at an unbeatable price