Glow For It, starring The National

Day #546 Golding Glow / Victory Brewing Company, Downingtown, PA
Previously from this brewery: Seriously?  Just do me a favor and just click this link to see all of the Victory reviews.

Last night we braved the elements (up yours, Tropical Storm Andrea!) and ventured to the Mann Center to see The National in concert.  Admittedly, I'm a relative newcomer to this band, and only knew a few songs, but liked the ones I knew.  I came away soggy around the edges from my walk to the venue, (outdoors, but thankfully the seats are under cover) but very impressed with the band, their performance, and the songs.  They're mellow and spiritual and optimistic and melancholy and passionate all at the same time, driven by the lead singer's unique baritone voice.  You should definitely check them out.  I wasn't as impressed with opening act, Broken Projectors, who sounded like each band member was playing a different song at the same time.  I kid they were fine no not really they weren't very good.

Today's review is from a past trip to Victory - a glass of Golding Glow.  When I saw the name of this beer, I instantly thought of The Last Dragon, the kung-fu movie featuring the Shogun of Harlem as the chief villain, who had a sort of "the Force" from Star Wars-esque thing happening and would glow before kicking someone's ass.  What does this have to do with anything?  Not much, other than the fact that the Shogun of Harlem is sort of my spirit animal.  What can I say.

Who's the man now, Leroy?

Back to the review.  In the glass, this beer is a clear dark gold color, with a nice fluffy head. There's a mix of malt and fruit in the aroma, and when you take a sip, you get a nice fruit profile (grapes, I suppose) with a good malt sweetness balanced by a touch of hop bitterness.  I believe this is only available on draft, so make your way to Downingtown or a bar that has some deep cuts from the Victory catalog on draft.

Am I the prettiest?  SHO NUFF.

Good easy drinking beer, probably very refreshing after you get The Glow and teach someone a lesson with your fists.

You rang?

Thing to Think About Today:
As I've already introduced you to the film The Last Dragon, I'll stick with the music theme.  The National has popped up in this space once before with Mr. November (where I decided my beard made me look like the lead singer), so let's go for Fake Empire.  An introspective song that I quite enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78NZVrC03J0

"Turn the light out, say goodnight / No thinking for a little while
Let's not try to figure out everything at once / It’s hard to keep track of you falling through the sky"

Too relaxed for a day where most everyone I know is drunkenly tailgating at a Kenny Chesney concert and you're too lazy to click on the Mr. November link?  Fine, special double song post with something faster for you then. Mistaken for Strangers to close out the day.  See you all soon, friends.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQZL4IpWFWg

" 'Cause you don’t mind seeing yourself in a picture /
As long as you look faraway, as long as you look removed "

To the Left, to the Left

Beer #453 400 Pound Monkey / Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont, CO
Previously from this brewery: Marci loves their Milk Stout, my take on Sawtooth Ale

I'm a bit tied up today with some important business tonight, so I'm going to get right to work.  Today's beer review is the 400 Pound Monkey from Left Hand Brewing.  In the glass, this English pale ale has a dark gold hue, with a thin head.  If you stick your nose in the glass (as I do for every beer I drink, apparently), you pick up a rich malty aroma.  When you take a sip (I always do that too), you get a perfect balance of bready malt and bitter hops, with plenty of floral notes, caramel, and mild citrus.  Look, I love hop heavy beers as much as the next guy, but secretly I think I prefer ESBs and English pale ales for the wonderful job they do blending malt and hops together for a dynamic flavor experience.  This imposing sounding beer (not quite as mean as an 800 lb gorilla, but still pretty bad ass) is actually quite mellow.  Don't let the name scare you, you can drink this one without fear.

Monkey Man

Dearest Left Hand Brewing Company,
When I visited, I purchased the glass this beer ended up being poured into.  But I also stole the Milk Stout pint glass my beer came in, and for this I apologize.  To make up for it, I will continue to buy more of your beer.  I'm all about keeping it honest and talking about what's lurking in my mind, you see.  Good for the soul.
Affectionately yours,
This Guy

Thing to Think About Today:
Most days, I find a creative way to tie in the name of the beer or brewery to the post.  I like to think of it a as a creative bit of punctuation at the end of every post.  Some days I need to stretch and really ask you to make a leap to put things together, and some days I can't find anything to tie together.  Today is not one of those days.  You see, this beer is just begging for Monkey Man by the Rolling Stones.  Have a good Thursday, my friends.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4CrCTndkKc

"I always have an unmade bed, don't you?"

Beer 347: Old Speckled Hen

Interesting fact about me? I horde recipes. What makes this even more interesting is that I don't cook. Now you know.

I learned this little tidbit about myself as I was putting away my cranberry pie recipe because I do bake. I can whip up dessert like nobody's business. There's a precision to making dessert that I find incredibly comforting. I've written about it before...way back at Beer 21.

That was 326 beers ago. 326. Wow. But I digress. As I was putting my recipe binder away, I found a stack of paper beneath it and realized it was about twenty or so things I intended to have Gary make for dinner. Having a bit of free time on my hands today, I figured no time like the present to get organized. And now I have dinner figured out for the next six months. I wish I was kidding.

I also started writing holiday cards today. Hopefully I make it through my entire planned list, but if I don't, please don't get mad at me if you didn't make the cut. I thought about sending you a card. I really did.

In other happenings, I drank an Old Speckled Hen from Greene King Brewery.


It poured a beautiful, crystal clear amber and this photograph doesn't do it justice. The head was slightly off white and disappeared quickly. Old Speckled Hen is an English pale ale with a ABV of 5.2% that's brewed in England. It smells of rich, caramel malt with hints of brewed tea.

The flavor repeats that rich malt but it's balanced by a hint of hops. It's also buttery and earthy -- very easy to drink and well balanced. This is a great beer. Cheers!

Beer 306: Extra Smooth Ale by John Smith's Brewery, Sort of

I'm ridiculously excited to go to work tomorrow. The thought of a five day work week is giving me hope that I won't be buried alive under a pile of unfinished paperwork and unfiled event folders. I am a dork.

Tonight I'm drinking an Extra Smooth Ale from John Smith's Brewery. This is another very old brewery that is now owned by a giant beer conglomerate. Mr. Blog Named Brew did all the research so I'll send you over there to learn more.


It is an English pale ale. I love what a widget does to a good pour of beer. That curtain of carbonation rising up to form the thickest, most beautiful head of beer is the thing dreams are made of...sorry...I got sidetracked.

Anyway after all that settled, I got a glass of dark amber ale with a thick, off white head. It smells like something between tea and tobacco. At 3.8% ABV, it is quite easy to drink. The Extra Smooth Ale lives up to its name. It is indeed very smooth. The aroma of tea/tobacco followed through in the flavor. The creamy head was delightful and it finished with a mild hop flavor.

This is a good beer...but I think there are superior examples out there. Old Speckled Hen for example. Cheers!

Smoov

Beer #306 Extra Smooth Ale / John Smith's Brewery, Tadcaster, England

Today's beer means that we're rapidly approaching the 85% completed mark in this 365 day challenge.  The heat is definitely getting turned up now that we're in the fourth quarter.  I'm ready for it if you are.

I'll keep the drive alive and review the rather delightful Extra Smooth Ale from John Smith's Brewery in England.  Courtesy of the widget in the can, it pours with a creamy cascade of dark copper and a thick white head.  Your nose picks up the a sweet aroma of toffee and malt, and the taste is silky smooth, with delicious toffee and malt with some welcome and mild bitterness.  At 3.8%, this is a beer that you could - and should - drink all day.  I do love ales from England, and this fits in with the best of them.  Well done.

I have to admit, that looks extra smooth.

Another brewery with ties to big business.  John Smith's dates back to 1778 (as in, during the Revolutionary War), when it was first known as the Backhouse and Hartley Brewery.  John Smith took over in 1847, and things went just fine right up to 1970, when hotel/bar conglomerate Courage stepped in and bought the brewery, only to have themselves later bought by Scottish and Newcastle, who later sold a stake to Heineken.  Got all of that?  While owned by their corporate overlords, this beer is still brewed at John Smith's brewery in Tadcaster, and therefore I'm giving them the credit.

Thing to Think About Today:
In the English speaking world, John is the most common first name, and Smith is the most common last name.  Put them both together, and you're looking at the most generic name ever.  I'm certain this causes much confusion for those who share a name, as well as those trying to find info on someone named John Smith (hint: helps if you own a brewery!).  I guess I consider myself fortunate in the sense there's only one person in America, and as best I can figure the world, who has my name.  Never have to worry about people confusing me with someone else, which I guess is a positive, although I can't act like stupid things I do belong to some other dude with my full name.

So, with first and last names on the mind, let's check in with the extra smooth (just like today's beer) Snoop Dogg for one of his first songs, Who Am I (What's My Name)?  In addition to being an awesome song from back in the day, this video gave us the incredibly legendary if wildly non-romantic phrase, "You don't love me, you just love my doggy style."  Thanks, Snoop.  We owe you one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hIjgofcuWU

Beer 181: Ipswich Original Ale and TGIF

It's Friday. Vacation is mere days away. There are hopefully more Philly Beer Week events in my future tomorrow. I have a grueling Monday on tap, but seriously...beer-cation is looming in all its hop-filled glory!

I read something today that made me laugh and think. I love a good compliment/insult.

A group of artists are invited for dinner by a famous chef. In greeting the photographer, the chef comments, "I love your photos. They're wonderful. You must have a very expensive camera." The photographer doesn’t reply and walks into the dining room. After dinner the photographer approaches the chef and says, "Dinner was sensational, very exquisite flavors, a true work of art. You must have a very sophisticated stove.”



The Ipswich Original Ale is brewed by the Mercury Brewing Company out of Massachusetts. It poured a hazy orange-brown color with an off-white head. The aroma was hoppy and a bit sweet. The taste is well rounded malt with a mild hop finish. This is a solid English style pale ale. It's also very approachable at 5.4% ABV.

I'm glad I started the weekend off with a good beer. Cheers!

Beer 177: Coopers Brewery Sparkling Ale and Sparkly Hair

Ugh. It's 9:41 p.m. and I'm just starting to write for the day and all I want to do is fall into bed. (Well that's a run on sentence if I've ever read one!) In first world problems today, I've been exhausted by proofreading 75 pages of copy and sitting at the hair salon for 3 1/2 hours. My neck hurts from having my hair in foils while it colors for 35 minutes. Who knew coloring my hair would become my new neck workout? Who knew I needed a neck workout?

Anyway after all that getting my hairs done, it is time for beer! Tonight we drink Coopers Brewery Sparkling Ale. It is an English pale ale (5.8% ABV) that is brewed in Australia. It's also kosher.




It poured a cloudy orange-tinged shade of amber with some sediment floating about. It was incredibly bubbly with a full white head that hung in there. It's bottle conditioned and the sediment was unavoidable...there was a lot of it.
It smells of stone fruits and herbs. The flavor is light, herbal, mild hops and apple. It finishes rather dry.

I'll give it a very good! Cheers!

It Ain't My Fault

Beer #175 Sparkling Ale / Coopers Brewery, Leabrook, Australia

Last night's storms gave way to a beautiful Saturday, and we took advantage with some cycling down the Schuykill River Trail, the Main Line Jazz Festival, and a trip to the dog park.  Drinking outside is always a favorite of mine, and we were able to enjoy a few beers at the outdoor tables/beer tent at Teresa's Next Door. The jazz left a little something to be desired, but we were there fairly early in the day.  Maybe they heat things up later in the program.

The beer of the day is the Sparking Ale from Coopers, which pours a carbonated straw color, with a persistent head.  There's a natural sediment in the beer, which is fine to drink.  The aroma gives off malt, and fruit (apple?), and the taste has a sweet flavor, with a malt and hops balance.  The sweetness reminded me of honey a bit, but not overly so.  Interesting beer, worth a look if you see it around.

Sediment in the beer, not a dirty glass.

Coopers has been cranking out beers near Adelaide since 1862, a mere 25 years after the incorporation of South Australia.  Happy 150th anniversary!  Definitely click the brewery link in the above paragraph, if only to check the super awesome beard of Thomas Cooper, founder of Cooper Brewers.  It's magnificent.

Thing to Think About Today:
Okay, so the Main Line Jazz Festival didn't have Antoine Batiste and the Soul Apostles, as I had hoped they would.  They did have a calypso band who covered Neil Young's Harvest Moon, which gets points for creativity but definitely not for execution.  So, let's wind up the day with some wildly better jazz for you, shall we?  Oh, how about Mos Def, Lenny Kravitz, Trombone Shorty, and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band putting a unique spin on the classic It Ain't My Fault:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-hgqMys-Bs&feature=fvwrel