Day 625: Brewer's Art Petroleuse

After writing non-stop about Belgian beers for a couple of weeks and then hitting the West Coast for a beer or two, it's time to show some love to an East Coast beer. And it's easy to love the beers from The Brewer's Art and that's not just because Brewer's Art was where we hatched this hare-brained scheme to blog about beer.

Tonight's beer is La Petroleuse, a biere de garde. Interesting little tidbit about La Petroleuse. Proceeds from sales benefit women's entrepreneurship in Baltimore. So drinking this beer is really doing a good deed!

La Petroleuse pours an oaky brown color ale with an off-white head. It smells like fresh bread and lightly of black pepper. The flavor is redolent of biscuits, hops with undertones of butter. As it warmed up, I started getting a little bit of caramel.

Beer stats
Style: Biere de garde
ABV: 7%
IBUs: Unknown
Rating: Great

Previously reviewed from The Brewer's Art
Mr. Blog Named Brew's thoughts on Petroleuse, La Canard, Green Peppercorn Tripel
His very first blog post ever!
And my first post...because you never know what life has in store for you. And, yes, I did just quote myself. I'm that guy.

Goodnight, Readers

Beer #582 La Petroleuse / The Brewer's Art, Baltimore, MD
Previously from this brewery: Resurrection, more Resurrection, Green Peppercorn Tripel, Le Canard

Happy Sunday!  Keeping that hustle going, so tonight it's another review coming up from The Brewer's Art in Baltimore, this time a bottle of La Petroleuse, a Biere de Garde.  This one pours with a light amber hue and a lingering white head.  There are aromas of faint citrus and bread, and you find flavors of biscuit, lemon, apple, and peppery spice, with a dry finish.  You definitely notice the alcohol, but it's not an unpleasant sensation. This is an excellent beer for summer weather, and definitely a great example of the Biere de Garde style.  Find a bottle and buy it if you can.

Doesn't that look nice? It does.

A portion of the proceeds for this beer go to causes that support women's entrepreneurship.  Once again, beer drinkers are saving the world!

Thing to Think About Today:
Can I write a post about Baltimore that doesn't reference The Wire, greatest television show ever?  I can, but why on Earth would I want to?  Baltimore and The Wire are downright inseparable in my mind.  I'll let Detective Kima Greggs send us home for the night with her rendition of Goodnight Moon.  Bal'mer style.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46W2nenbRTo

Day 580: La Choulette Ambree

Yesterday's post wiped out my supply of reviews from Troegs so we're now switching gears and heading across the pond to France.

Brasserie La Choulette Ambree is a biere de garde--a traditional French ale--brewed in France. It pours a ruby-hued brown ale with a light tan head. It smells of earthy honey, marmalade and pepper. The flavor is on the sweeter side with notes of caramel apples. It has a bite that is peppery at the finish. The mouthfeel is full and the finish is refreshing.

This biere de garde is definitely at the bolder, fuller end of the spectrum and it actually reminds me of an abbey ale.

Beer stats
Style: Biere de garde
ABV: 8%
IBUs: Unknown
Rating: Good

Previously reviewed from La Choulette
Mr. Blog Named Brew's review of La Choulette
Sans Culottes reviews from me and Mr.

The Sounds of Summer

Day #564 La Choulette Ambrée / Brasserie La Choulette, Hordain, France
Previously from this brewery: Sans Culottes and more Sans Culottes

Important points for you to know:
1. I'm hungry for Mexican food
2. My iPod played Sabotage by the Beastie Boys not once but a respectable twice today
3. Point #2 is important as this is the greatest song ever made by the Beastie Boys
4. I will entertain arguments on point #3, but it better be a damn good argument
5. I'm officially tired of the 'chance of severe thunderstorms' weather pattern that we have every single day
6. If you put a laundry basket down in my house (clean or dirty), turn around, count to two, and then turn around again, it's guaranteed that there will be a dog snuggled up in the laundry basket
7. I spent four hours today in a windowless room - not good for the soul

With those important points now committed to your memory, we move to our beer review.  Tonight is a bottle of La Choulette Ambrée from Brasserie La Choulette in France.  This Biere de Garde pours with
an amber color and dissipating white head.  The main aromas are malt, bread, and apple, and when you drink it down you find a caramel sweetness, yeast, dark fruits, and a touch of lemon.  A solid beer, but this isn't your typical Biere de Garde.  In fact, it was more Belgian dark ale than anything.  If you're looking for something lighter with more peppery spice and possibly more easily accessible, may I recommend something like Garde Dog from Flying Dog Brewery.

Summer shines in

Thing to Think About Today:
Your thing to think about today is whether or not Blurred Lines is officially "the" song of the summer.  Every year, there's something that hits the airwaves in June or so and instantly gets played to death by people both young and old in a celebration of warm weather, pool parties, fun memories, and cold drinks.  This Robin Thicke song, featuring Pharrell and T.I., has all of the ingredients: Catchy beat, repeatable lyrics (Hey, hey hey!), there's a dance you can do to this song, it sounds 47% better if played with your car windows down and sound turned up, and you're 32% more embarrassed to admit you like it during the winter months. Check it for yourself and tell me if you agree.... hey, hey, HEY!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyDUC1LUXSU

"What rhymes with 'hug me'?"

p.s. there is a topless version of this same video on vimeo.  Why?  Because it's THE song of the summer, I believe. And because people like topless models.  But you'll have to find that one yourselves.

Beer, French History, ABBA

Day #433 Biere d' Hougomont / Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY
Previously from this brewery: Marci's look at Hougomont, some Three Philosophers, more Three Philosophers, and a look at Aphrodite

It's Friday and I'm headed out for drinks with friends, so you get the quick and dirty version tonight.  Hey - get your head out of the gutter; this is a family friendly blog!

Quick and dirty here means right to the beer, and tonight that means Biere d'Hougomont from Ommegang.  I had this one during the Super Bowl, and in the glass it poured a hazy, dark amber color with a lingering thin, white head.  The aroma gave you notes of sweet malt, fruit, and baked bread.  When you take a sip, you get a ton of candi sugar, along with plenty of oaky dryness.  You can find some hops in there, but this isn't a very hop heavy beer.  Maybe more malty than I typically expect from a biere de garde, but still a very solid offering from a fantastic brewery.

Can I have a hug(omont)?

This beer is a limited release from Ommegang's historical collection, so if you see it, grab a bottle.

Thing to Think About Today:
You may be wondering about the name of this beer, and I can help.  The Hougoumont farmstead was where the Battle of Waterloo took place; you know, the one where Napolean ran into the British in 1815 and didn't quite fare too well.   While Waterloo spelled the end of Napolean's reign, it did influence the ABBA song Waterloo, which is about a girl who surrenders to romance.  Anyone want to dress up with me as ABBA for Halloween next year?  Give me a shout.....

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

Day 428: Ommegang Biere D'Hougoumont

Lucky for us, Philadelphia was spared from Snowstorm Nemo (seriously, who names these storms?) and we only had to dig out from under an inch of snow. It was tough going, but Mr. Blog Named Brew persevered and cleared the driveway and walkway in less than ten minutes yesterday. I rewarded his hard work by dragging him out shopping. When the sun's shining and it's glorious outside, what better way is there to enjoy it than by shopping. Indoors.

Sadly I now have spring fever. The next several weeks are going to be rough. But treatment for spring fever in this household is good beer and I'm starting with Brewery Ommegang's Biere D'Hougoumont. It's brewed in Cooperstown, New York and as you could guess from the name, it's a biere de garde. This biere de garde is aged on maple and oak staves.

The color is a cross between auburn and orange and it poured with a thick tan head. Much thicker than what's represented in this photo. It smells of light sugar and wood. The flavor is yeasty and has a maple almost molasses character to it. There's lots of strong malt. It drinks with a good roundness and full mouthfeel with just a touch of prickly hop bite at the end of each sip.

Because I was curious about this beer's name, I thought you might be of the same mind. The name honors the Hougoumont farmstead at the pivotal center of the Waterloo battlefield.

Beer stats
Style: Biere de garde
ABV: 7.3%
IBUs: Unknown
Rating: Great

Previously reviewed from Ommegang
My review of Three Philosophers, the first beer I drank after year one was complete
Gary's take on Three Philosophers and with a title like Pirate Dogs and Pimps, how can you not read it?
One of my favorite beers, Aphrodite

Beer 303: Diversey and Lill(e) Collaboration

Tonight's beer is a collaboration between Two Brothers Brewing Company (Illinois) and Brasserie Castelain (France). It is the Diversey and Lill(E), a biere de garde with an ABV of 6.5%. The credit on this collaboration between Jason Ebel and Nicholas Castelain goes to Castelain/France where the beer is actually brewed.

It poured with a big fluffy and sticky ecru head. It smells really good with a little fruit in the nose. The taste is ripe fruit and spice. My notes indicate that I thought it was a crazy biere de garde. It's been awhile since I drank this one and I'm now wondering what brought on that note.


From the Vanberg & DeWulf site: It is a little known fact that Chicago’s first brewery, Diversey and Lill, had a French connection. Diversey, a Frenchman, and Lill ran the largest brewery in the West in the mid-19th century. The brewery was lost in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.

Now how many years later, the name Diversey and Lill(e) is back on the beer scene.

As fleeting as it is, I think this was a good beer. Cheers!

No, Really: Why Can't We Be Friends?

Beer #299 Diversey & Lille / Brasserie Castelain, Benifontaine, France

I need to get some hustle on tonight - basketball game, dinner, blogging, and preparation for the weekend need to happen between now and bedtime.  I'm getting right down to business here.

On deck today is a bottle of Diversey & Lille, which is a collaboration between Brasserie Castelain in France and Two Brothers Brewing Company out of Illinois.  Credit goes to our friends across the pond, as it was actually brewed in France.  For anyone keeping score at home, this is the second Franco-American beer collaboration I'm reviewing in just over a week.  In the glass, this beer shows off a clear, beautiful deep amber color.  Some beers just look good, and this one definitely falls into that category.  The aroma is of malt and candied fruits, and the taste brings more malt, with toffee and honey, and a dry, nutty finish.  Not a bad choice at all.

The international language.  You know, love.

The name for this beer comes right out of the history books - Diversey & Lill was the first brewery in Chicago.  It opened all the way back in 1833, but was destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.  No connection to the current breweries in the collaboration, but a nice tip of the hat to a brewing legacy in Chicago.

Thing to Think About Today:

Every spring, my fraternity would throw a two three four five day riot nuclear disaster party to celebrate spring.  In true Greek life fashion, t-shirts were made up with a slogan each year; typically some form of inside joke from daily life in the house.  I distinctly remember the slogan for one of the years (although admittedly I don't recall which one): "We're Not Here to Make Friends."  The shirt may have also involved a drawing of a Pacific Islander controlling by chain a harem of ladies wearing dog collars around their necks, but then again maybe it didn't or maybe I just shouldn't talk about these things in public.

Thankfully, times have changed and having friends is cool once again, as evidenced by this beer being one of many, many collaborations reviewed this year.  You know what; I think we're now here to make friends.  So, I'll let the positive vibes of the 70's smooth things out tonight, and drop some War and their super friendly song Why Can't We Be Friends to close out today. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5FfJ89rGPc

In this space yesterday, I mentioned my belief that the 80's were insane.  I stand corrected, as the 70's were clearly from another galaxy - a galaxy populated by funk and crazy huge amounts of drugs.  The 70's in fact make the 80's seem completely, perfectly normal in comparison.

The Magic Number

Beer #229 3 Monts Grande Réserve / Brasserie de Saint Sylvestre, Saint Sylvestre Cappel, France

As I write this, a vicious storm appears to be moving in.  Time to batten down the hatches and keep this quick, as houses on our street tend to lose power when storms like this blow through.

Today, I'm going with the 3 Monts Grande Réserve, a biere de garde from Saint Sylvestre.  I'm a big fan of biere de gardes, and this one does not disappoint.  I had to wrestle with this one for a bit, as instead of a traditional wire cage, its cork is held in place with a giant staple.  Yes, a big old, industrial, metal staple.  Once I won the wrestling match and cracked it open, I was rewarded with a light amber hued beer with a lingering, fluffy white marshmallow-esque head.  Threre's a floral, sweet aroma, and the taste has a creamy feel, with apple, pear candi sugar, bread, and honey, with very little hop bitterness.  Tastes a bit boozy, and it somewhat is, with an 8.3% ABV.  Really nice beer, and well worth your hard earned dollars should you see it available somewhere.

Even without any help, you can probably translate the name of this beer to 'Three Mountains,' which refers to a mountainous area in Flanders, which originally was an obstacle for this brewery to get their beer to other neighboring towns.  This brewery doesn't know the original date when operations started, but it has been in operation since at least the 1860's, if not earlier.

Thing to Think About Today:
In the spirit of three, I give you two choices:  Which is the better take on the notion that three, is in fact the magic number?

EITHER:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FI2tTNjrUI

OR:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oqfypvSzII

Apologies that youtube doesn't have the original version of this song available in a video that wasn't shot on someone's iPhone at a concert.  However, whichever one you choose it's clear that three is the magic number. 

Beer 222: 3 Monts Grande Reserve

I am 100% addicted to Breaking Bad.  All this week it's been my singular focus.  Well that and beer, of course.  It's been all come home, eat dinner, write a post and glue myself to the television.  I imagine that season 4 will be in the bag in another couple of days and then it's a torturous year waiting for season 5 to be released on DVD or Netflix.  So with that in mind, here is your beer update for day 222.

We're visiting France on this review -- a country that doesn't scream beer to me.  The 3 Monts Grande Reserve from Brasserie de Saint Sylvestre is a biere de garde. It's a style that is becoming one of my favorites.  But this was no ordinary biere de garde...


















Check out that set up. I've never seen anything like that.  It was a giant, and I mean GIANT, staple/hinge hybrid craziness.  It had dented the cork and I'm not sure if that was intentional or unintentional.  Lucky for everyone involved no one lost an eye loosening that contraption.

















The 3 Monts Grande Reserve poured a not quite clear but not fully hazy amber liquid.  It had a very loose, slightly off white head and remnants of the head clung in puffy chunks all around the glass.  It smelled of sugar and malt and biscuits.  The taste was a bit peppery. It morphed into creamy malt with a bite at the end.  It also had some tart fruit notes and was just a tiny bit musty.  After all that it did manage to finish surprisingly crisp.

Realizing that my top 25 is now a top 35, I hesitate to add it to the list.  But I really, really enjoyed this beer. In it goes!

Cheers!

Beer 214: Weary Travelers and Tired Hands

Yesterday's post -- Beer 213 -- officially wrapped up my review of beers I sampled on my west coast vacation.  I drank some amazing beer, some average beer and pretty much everything in between.  It was an amazing experience and I'm so thankful that Gary was there for every last moment of it.  I'm also thankful that we managed not to kill each other despite only being separated during the vacation for a total of 75 minutes.  (Don't ask. There was one killer hangover that would only be cured by McDonald's breakfast.)

But after almost two weeks on the road, my own bed was calling my name and I had to rescue Kelli from the evil genius dachshunds, who terrorized her for her entire dog sitting experience.  As I jetted back to Philadelphia, the usual sense of anticipation of going home washed over me.  I love where I live -- there's no doubt about that.  And as we began the descent into Philadelphia, I leaned my head against the airplane's window and spied some familiar landmarks.  The Cira Center sparkling alongside the Schuylkill River.  The glow of the Pyramid Club in the hazy night sky.  The faint and approximate location of the museum that brings me great joy and a sense of belonging. 

A few weeks later I find myself jonesing for a lot of the beer that I drank on that trip, which is unfortunate because so much of it isn't available east of the Mississippi.  But I'm continuing to find amazing beer and some of it in my own backyard.

Tired Hands Brewing Company opened not even two months ago. Located in Ardmore (Pennsylvania), Tired Hands is already wowing the beer aficionados in the area.  I sampled a few beers on my first visit, but the one that really did it for me as the Trois Enfants. 

It is a barrel aged biere de garde. It poured a hazy chestnut color with a very thick ecru head.  The smell was spicy and nutty.  The flavor was caramel malt and it had a creamy mouthfeel.  The hop impact was minimal -- my kind of beer.

Tired Hands just released an American Berliner Weisse that I'm very eager to try.  Hopefully it will still be around for my visit next week!

Cheers!

Cool it Now, You're Gonna Fall In Love (With this Beer!)

Beer #124 Good Golden Harbor / Leelanau Brewing Company, Leland, Michigan

I have been surprised by something and I've learned something this week.  I'll start with what I've learned - the Boilermaker Bar is now officially open.  Technically, they've been open for about two or three weeks, but just had their grand opening last night.  Really interesting domestic craft beer list, and a really relaxed yet sophisticated vibe inside.  This bar is owned by the same people who run Farmers' Cabinet, another favorite beer bar of ours.  Went to this new spot on Marci's birthday, and I'm sure we'll be there again soon.  If you're in the 11th & Walnut area of Philly, definitely stop by and drink some beers.

I mentioned a surprise as well.  I've been surprised by a brewery flying under the radar that has managed to blow me away with an amazing beer.  Previously, Anchorage Brewing Company came from seemingly nowhere to produce one of the better beers I've had in ages, and now Leelanau Brewing has managed to completely astound me with their beer. This Biere de Garde is aged in oak and pours a pale golden color, and you pick up the scent of bread and fruit, but most notably you get a pleasant sour aroma.  The taste is magnificent.  A heady and funky mix of tart, sour, and citrus flavors with a touch of bitter hops.  The oak doesn't overpower you, but instead lends a mellow earthy flavor around the edges.  This beer is a mortal lock to finish the year in the Top 25, and I can't wait to get back to the Boilermaker to open up another bottle.  If I'm not mistaken, the third Michigan beer/brewery to make my top list so far.  Marci also sampled this beer from this brewery, so check that out (plus slutty prom dresses!) here.

Thing to Think About Today:
In the spirit of things that are new, such as Boilermaker and Leelanau, and because my post on Bell Biv DeVoe managed to get some mild attention on Facebook (three people commented - I was one of them), let's take some time and think about New Edition.  Ronnie, Bobby, Ricky, Mike, Ralph, and Johnny too!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZUq6N7Gx1c

Best of luck to the Farmers' Cabinet gang on their new edition.  See what I did there?

Beer 119: Leelanau Brewing’s Good Harbor Golden

About this time every year I find myself in need of a formal dress.  The odd thing about looking for a formal dress this time of year is that it coincides with prom season.  And this time every year I thank god that I opted not to have children -- most especially for opting not to have female children.  Because -- based on mall evidence -- they are all sluts.

The following photos are all sadly similar to what I saw in my shopping adventure today:

And you know that eventually it is going to lead to this:

Now go wash your eyes with soap.  It is the only answer after seeing something like that.

***

Tonight I’m reviewing a beer I had on my birthday adventure.  Obviously first and foremost big ups to Gary for orchestrating said adventure.  Second, big ups to The Boilermaker for being awesome.

I would have bet that Leelanau was coming to me from Hawaii, but, in fact, it is straight out of Michigan.  Michigan! I need to get myself to Michigan because there is A LOT of good beer to be had there.

The Leelanau Good Harbor Golden was billed as a biere de garde aged in oak barrels.  It poured a cloudy golden color with a minimal head.  I didn’t notice any lacing as I drank it.  It was definitely oak-y and very earthy.  What surprised me - and Gary, since we were sharing this 750mL bottle - is the overwhelming and fantastic sourness.  I love sour beers and you know this is going in my Top 25.

Interestingly this brewery is working in conjunction with Jolly Pumpkin in its early stages -- Jolly Pumpkin being another one of my all time favorites. I think I taste more than a little Jolly Pumpkin influence on this one in particular.

Here’s to awesome beers!  Cheers!

Christmas in March?

Beer #107 Jenlain Ambrée / Brasserie Duyck, Jenlain, France

A windy day here in the suburbs meant I had to track my trash can down from four houses away.  In the process, I noticed my neighbor had her Christmas tree lit at 6:30pm.  On March 26, mind you.  For those unfamiliar, this isn't an unusual circumstance - she more or less keeps the tree up all year, and frequently turns the multi-colored lights on throughout the year.

It drives me insane, but I'm working on that.

I guess in my simple mind, the fake pine tree with plug-in lights is specific to a certain holiday, which comes at a certain time every year.  There is an acceptable period to erect and light your tree, and there's an acceptable period for you to keep the tree up before taking down all of your decorations and storing them for another eleven months or so.  Does this woman not understand that social convention?  Is she some form of Christmas anarchist?  Or maybe she's just an old lady who likes Christmas, and I should just mind my own business.

My goal for the year is to stop letting nonsense like this bother me.  Whether or not a little old lady in my neighborhood loves Christmas to an unusual degree really doesn't impact my life, and certainly there's little I can do to change her behavior.  So, while I'm trying to let all of this just slide by, I admit some days it makes me want to call in the Delta Force and cut the power to her house.

Perhaps a beer will mellow me out, so tonight we're both sampling the Jenlain Ambrée, a farmhouse ale from Brasserie Duyck in France.  The brewery dates back to 1922 or so, and originally sold their product in recycled champagne bottles.  Out of a 750ml bottle, this ale pours a hazy dark copper with little head.  The beer gives off aromas of apple, honey, and tea and has flavors of malt, apple, caramel, subdued hops, and brewed tea.  There's a sweetness to this beer, although it has a dry finish.  Very enjoyable, and I can see myself drinking one of these in the warmer months.  You know, with my Christmas tree lit and stockings hung off my patio furniture.  Or... perhaps not....

Bling, bling!

Thing to Think About Today:
Clearly, leaving your Christmas tree up year-round is overkill.  So, with that in mind, let's all take time to think about Overkill, this one courtesy of Men At Work frontman Colin Hay.  Just a fantastic song by any measure.

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

"I can't get to sleep, I think about the implications"

Beer 107: Jenlain or Sounds of Silence

One of the unexpected outcomes of getting rid of cable is the inability to put the television on for background noise.  I never enjoyed being in a quiet space before -- something about it set me on edge.  I’d listen for the most minute noises and become convinced of imminent disaster.  Having the television babbling on in the room rid me of those fears.

And then I rid myself of cable and learned to appreciate a quiet room.  I could hear myself think -- granted I didn’t always like the thoughts rattling around in there.  But there I was, left to my own devices, thinking -- mulling things over, if you will -- and it wasn’t as scary as I originally suspected.  I feel calmer and more focused.  And the silence has spilled over into other areas -- my commute home, for example.

I’ve had several mind-bendingly frenetic weeks at work and it’s not going to let up until at least mid-May.  Today on the drive home, the radio was turned off and the window was opened up a bit.  The sound of the road under my tires and the wind rushing past was therapeutic.  I think I’ll make it after all now that my head’s clear.

***

Speaking of clearing things out, we’ve had some beer hanging around the fridge for a while.  Tonight’s beer is a great example.  It showed up weeks and weeks ago and has moved around the fridge like a vagrant in a public park.  I don’t know what I was waiting for but now’s the time to make my move.

Jenlain comes to us from France -- Brasserie Duyck to be exact.  It is a biere de garde.  The color is copper with a thin off-white head.  It has a bright fruit nose.  The tasted was malt sweetness and nice hop finish.  There was a touch of honey to the flavor and the alcohol was very discernible (7.5% ABV, which isn’t crazy at all but this one has pronounced alcohol presence).  If I had a top 50, it would make the list.  Cheers!

Biere de Mars Blackmon

Beer #102 Biere de Mars / Southampton Publick House, Southampton, New York

Cut out of work early to take Flash to the vet.  The old man has been battling what we suspected was an infected abscess tooth issue, and that seems to now be confirmed.  So, he's headed to the vet tomorrow to get a tooth pulled.  Poor guy is clearly in a lot of discomfort right now.  Definitely not feeling himself.

So, I'm now catching up on everything I missed today and enjoying a nice seasonal beer, the Biere de Mars from Southampton.  It poured a clear, pale amber in the glass, and gave off aromas of malt, bread, and apple.  When you drink this, you get flavors of bread, lemon, and honey with a persistent malt presence and some mild bitterness.

A Biere de Mars (beer for March) is a form of Biere de garde (beer for keeping).  Meaning, it's a farmhouse ale produced in a style originally created for farm workers in France.  If you really want to learn more, click here for some deeper detail on the topic.

The brewery at Southampton has been cranking out beers since 1996, but the property has been a restaurant since the 1800's, serving the likes of Babe Ruth and Gary Cooper.  Stop by if you're in town.

Thing to Think About Today:
If we're thinking about Biere de Mars, allow me to suggest we also think about Mars... Blackmon!  Yes, Spike Lee's alter-ego who appeared on the scene as Michael Jordan was moving from being a sensational basketball player to becoming (with Nike's help) one of the most recognizable - and marketable - figures in the world.  Quick spin through some of their more memorable commercials to get us all in the right Mars frame of mind.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0GNATer-b4 

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQ269vHXMOc 

I will pay a medium sized fortune for anyone who can get me a version of the 'MARS' belt buckle worn by Spike/Mars.  Help me people.  Do it.

100 Beers and Runnin'.....

Beer #100 Garde Dog / Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, MD

Dear 99 Bottles of Beer song,
We're now on beer 100... and counting.  Your jaunty lyrics mean nothing to me now, as you're in my rear view mirror.
Warmest regards,
Gary

With the 100th beer we've hit a milestone of some sort, although mathematically we're just shy of 28% completed.  I meant to do this last week, and Marci meant to do it today, so here's my better late than never (idea stolen from Marci) look at what breweries/beers have earned a spot in the Top 25.  In no particular order (for now):
Brouwerij van Steenberge / Trippel van de Garre
Brouwerij Rodenbach / Grand Cru
Anchorage Brewing Company / Bitter Monk
Brasserie Fantome / Fantome Saison
Oskar Blues Brewery / Dale's Pale Ale
Brouwerij Verhaeghe / Duchess du Bourgogne
New Holland Brewing Company / Blue Sunday Sour
Brouwerij Huyghe / Delirium Tremens
Wells and Young's Brewing Company / Bombardier

So that makes nine beers in the running... if you made me pick, I'd say the best beer so far was the Bitter Monk.  However, drinking 365 beers from 365 breweries is a marathon, not a sprint.  Plenty of game yet to play.  Click on the 'Top 25' tag on the right menu if you want to catch up on any of the Top 25 candidates to date.

Tonight is another beer drank outside (shout out to Mother Nature!) on the deck, the Garde Dog from Flying Dog Brewery.  This Biere de Garde pours a hazy shade of yellow, with a thick white head (my overzealous pour didn't help matters).  On the nose you get the light scent of grassy malt.  A friendly 5.5% ABV helps this beer go down easy, with flavors of malt, lemon, grass, and light peppery spice.  There's a note of bitterness in there to round things out.  Spring is upon us people, and if you want a way to get into a summery vibe, try this beer.  Trust me.

Thing to Think About Today:
I was tempted to drop NWA's 100 Miles and Runnin in here, but I prefer to not dwell on the days when Ice Cube left the group.  So instead I give you something less offensive - Guard Dog, an Oscar nominated animated short by the great Bill Plympton, starring a precocious pup who wants nothing more than a job as a  guard dog, despite his glaring lack of skill in that department.

The embedded vid is just a clip, the link below takes you to the entire video.  Please do yourself a favor and watch the entire four minute video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eax85uQlpm8

Once It Hits Your Lips, It's So Good!

Beer #93 Sans Culottes / Brasserie La Choulette, Hordain, France

I'm getting my hustle on today, so we're jumping right into the good stuff and leaving the fluff behind.  The beer and brewery for today are Sans Culottes, a 7% ABV biere de garde from Brasserie La Choulette in France.  It pours a hazy gold and gives off a lemony, tart aroma.  You notice flavors of yeast and grapefruit, with some light malt and a clean finish.  There's a sweetness mixed in with some sour.  Very good beer, well worth a try.  Marci has also sampled this beer in her travels.

Let us now call some attention to the fact this beer name translates to "without pants" in English.  While I'm sure if you drink enough of this stuff, you may end up not wearing any pants.  However, the beer is named for the lower class supporters of the French Revolution, who wore trousers (or pantaloons) instead of the fancier culottes (silk breeches) of the ruling class.  The imagery from these revolutionaries remains with us today - we frequently see politicians rolling up their sleeves or wearing casual clothes to prove they're "one of the people," despite their exorbitant wealth relative to the actual common man.  Bet you didn't expect to learn something about the French Revolution today, but yet here we are.

Thing to Think About Today:

If we're going sans culottes, let's all think about... sans culottes Old School style.  Which of course means WE'RE GOING STREAKING!  As you can guess, it's not cool to play this video at work, unless your employer is cool with profanity and, let's face it, man ass.  That's a risk you take when you run sans culottes through the streets, people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20g3QIUnOgY 

Little known fact unless you live in my house:  Marci despises Will Ferrell with every fiber of her being.  Her hatred burns with the heat of a thousand suns.  This video clip pretty much epitomizes her hatred.

Cheerleaders, Help Me Out

Beer #82 Avant Garde Ale / The Lost Abbey, San Marcos, CA

Without a doubt, the highlight of today was the tip-off of our spring basketball league, made even better by the fact we opened with a win over our archrival.  Feels good to be back out on the court after not picking up the rock since Thanksgiving.  Whatever marginal amount of skills I had in my youth continue to erode, my body moves even more slowly than the glacially slow pace it moved at previously.  However, it's all good, as I managed to burn off some calories, vent some frustration, and scored more points than I had turnovers and fouls.  And our nemesis goes home to think about the curb-stomping they endured.  Can't ask for much more than that, right?

We celebrate tonight with the Avant Garde Ale from The Lost Abbey out of San Marcos, CA.  In the past days I've reviewed Dieu de Ciel! and La Trappe, and we're once again reviewing a brewery with religious ties, or at least a belief that brewing beer is a religion unto itself.  This Biere de Garde was a bottle we picked up in Wegmans a few weeks back, and it pours a hazy, amber sort of orange with a foamy white head.  The predominant aroma is of bread and when you take a sip there are notes of funk and lemony fruit, but nothing that overpowers the beer.  There's a dry finish and a subtle bitterness in there as well, and this beer grew on me more as I kept drinking (although one could possibly argue all beers taste better the more you drink).  This beer checks in at 7% ABV, which is helpful as I would certainly like to drink a number of these!  Definite winner here, and I look forward to visiting Lost Abbey this summer.  This is another brewery that Marci has crossed off her list, and in fact she too sampled the Avant Garde Ale.

Thing to Think About Today:
If we're dreaming about basketball, it's safe to say we have a basketball jones.  Wait, capital letters are needed here: We have a Basketball Jones!  As in, Basketball Jones, an animated 1974 short film by Cheech and Chong about Tyrone Shoelaces and his burning, unquenchable desire to shoot hoops.  Wait, Cheech and Chong?  Indeed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIbp5C-5WXM

Goofy, yes.  Catchy, YES.  Star power?  YES.  Try George Harrison, Ronnie Spector, Darlene Love, Nicky Hopkins, Billy Preston, Carole King, and Michelle Phillips as the band/back-up singers.  Huh?  If you're keeping score, Cheech & Chong got members of the Beatles, the Mamas and Papas, the Ronettes, and the horn section of the Rolling Stones in on this jam.  In fact, this unusual number peaked at #15 on the Billboard Top 100 back in the day.  Everyone seems to have a Basketball Jones, I suppose.  Get out there and shoot the J, people!!!

Beer 70: La Choulette Sans Culottes

Today started out great and has only gotten better.  Earlier this week, I heard back from New Holland Brewing Company  and got confirmation that my great white whale left for the East Coast on February 1.  A little phone research and I discovered a delivery of about 20 cases to Shangy’s in Emmaus (beer Mecca, thank you very much).  Every morning since Tuesday, I’d call the lovely woman who works the register at Shangy’s to confirm that it was still in stock.  This morning we hit the road around 8:30am and the trip resulted in this:

It’s a minor miracle that I didn’t make Gary drive us home while I hid in the backseat drinking.  I’ve decided to save my first one until tomorrow.  We had a few more errands to run and managed to find ourselves at a rescue pig placement awareness event.  I love pigs!  If I didn’t rescue dachshunds, I’d probably have one of these guys running around the house!

Up next is a little day-drinking with friends from West Chester.  Rock on with your bad self, Saturday!

***

On to the beer -- today we start with a La Choulette Sans Culottes.  It is a French biere de garde.  It poured a rich golden color with no head.  I could smell the malt sweetness right away and there were bread-like undertones.  It had medium carbonation.  The taste was very smooth and balanced and had hints of tea flavor.  At 7% ABV, I wouldn’t quite call it a session beer, but I could definitely spend an afternoon drinking a few of these.

Cheers!