365 different beers from 365 different breweries in 365 days with random musings on beer, food, music, sports, dogs and anything else interesting along the way
Today a private space craft -- SpaceX Dragon -- docked with the International Space Station (ISS). It delivered a payload that includes astronaut supplies and critical materials to support various experiments. It will return to Earth in a few weeks with scientific materials from the ISS that include results from human research, biotechnology, materials and education experiments. The future is upon us and it isn't front page news.
Am I the only one who is depressed by this? Exploration and experimentation like this push the boundaries of what humankind is capable of imagining, creating and improving. This is big news. Get excited. Get curious. Get smarter.
***
The Het Kapittel Watou Blonde from Brouwerij van Eecke (Belgium) is a Belgian pale ale. At 6.5% ABV, it's pretty approachable -- or at least it is for me. It poured blonde with a fluffy but thin head. It smelled nutty with a bit of a dirty aroma. Kind of like a wet dog. The taste reminded me of a pilsner. Very mild at first. As it warmed a bit, it got better. A fullness became more apparent and there was a syrupy, sort of honey like thing happening.
Mr. Blog Named Brew inquired as to what I was going to write about tonight and I thought, I'm kind of beat...it may just be a beer review. But no, it's your lucky night. I'm going to tell you how I'm being menaced by a cardboard man.
Mr. Pain in the Ass, I mean Blog Named Brew, snagged a "Stand Up Joe" a couple of weeks ago. It sat in the basement, folded up and relatively harmless. Sunday night cardboard Joe struck the first time.
Lurking in the corner of our home office, six feet of cardboard scared the crap out of me as I walked in to toss something in the trash. I muffled a scream and resisted the urge to attack. Fast-forward to 48 hours later and that goddamn cardboard jerk sneaks up on me again. This time it was Mr. Blog Named Brew who nearly got it. I'm now terrified that he's going to move Joe to somewhere better in the house -- a place that I'll pass by and not nearly have a heart attack when I think a stranger is in my house.
I may never leave the living room again.
Perhaps Stand Up Joe needs a Menagerie #7 from Evolution Craft Brewing Company to make himself a bit less creepy. Evolution is brewed in Salisbury, Maryland. Interesting note about Salisbury...I applied to go to college there. Not at the brewery...but at Salisbury University. It's basically the beach. Their mascot is a seagull. I imagine things would have turned out a lot differently had I gone there. Like beach bum college dropout differently...
But I digress. Menagerie #7 is a Belgian strong dark ale with an ABV of 9%. It poured a hazy chestnut color with a thin light tan head. It smelled strongly of Belgian candi sugar and grapes. Yes, light aromas of grapes. It drank with an almost lactic creaminess. It had a strong malt profile with hints of biscuits. There was some mild spiciness to it...maybe cloves and peppers. I also noticed a faint concord grape flavor.
My good friend Kelli won the weekend at 8:20 a.m. for the funniest comment:
So if you get dressed for a wedding at dawn, then stop for gas and breakfast, everyone thinks you're on a walk of shame.
Now while I continue to chuckle at her misadventures, I'll leave you with today's beer review.
The Straffe Hendrick tripel from de Halve Maan in the heart of Bruges, Belgium. Also a place that I'll be visiting in less than ten months!
The tripel poured a light chestnut color and had a hazy, dense look. It also had a bright white, thin head. It smells of plums and fruity sugar. The taste is well balanced. You notice the warmth from the ABV right away. (9%) The flavor is Belgian yeast, candi sugar, biscuits and some fruit. It also has a prickly level of carbonation.
I'd call this a good tripel but definitely not the best one I've ever had. Cheers!
Goddamn it is hot out. And after today's ride, I think I have heatstroke. Also why do I constantly bash my pedals off my legs when I'm not riding? I look like I'm in an abusive relationship exclusively involving kicking. Sigh.
Today I'm writing about a Belgian pale ale...Gageleer.. After drinking a beer the other day with a very boozy 6.5% ABV, I'm surprised at how easy to drink this one is at 7.5%. The Gageleer poured a hazy straw color with a wispy head that left some lacing behind. It had a very light taste...some fruit, tiny bit of hops and something slightly floral. It had a medium mouthfeel. It smelled of honey and malt. Overall a pretty easy to drink beer. Cheers!
After an amazingly productive day yesterday, today was a day of relaxation and family time. Spent the day with the fam at Mom & Dad's house, despite both my sister and I offering to host a Mother's Day gathering. Mom's a good cook and likes to do it, and having Mom host allowed my sister-in-law and nephew to stop by as well. Plus, my nieces - who absolutely love dogs - got to spend the afternoon with our pups. If that's not enough, I picked up some great belated birthday & anniversary gifts, so it was a great day in all.
Now comes some additional relaxation on the deck to close out the day. Today's beer is a Belgian pale ale from a Canadian brewery, Hopfenstark. It pours a hazy apricot with a thick white head and gives off aromas of bread, flowers, and fruit. The taste has a balance of yeast, orange, and a persistent spice. There's also a nice sweetness hiding out in there too. Easy drinking at 5% ABV, I would definitely like to have this beer again. Particularly as my allergies went apeshit today, and my assessment of aroma and flavor may be way off base. Someone buy one and let me know what you think.
Safe to cross & drink!
So what is Ostalgia? This word references nostalgia for the former East German nation, as some folks are apparently struggling with the culture of the unified Germany. One example is their desire to retain the green figure in their crosswalk signals - one of which can be seen on the bottle. What that has to do with this brewery, I'm not yet sure. However, now you'll know when it's safe to cross the street should you ever find yourself in the country formerly known as East Germany!
Things to Think About Today:
In honor of Mother's Day, let's the incredibly amazing sounds of Paul Simon and his Mother and Child Reunion carry us home. To all of the mothers out there (especially mine), thank you for the time and energy spent raising us all. You guys rock, and I hope you all had a great day!
Beer #103 Fatty Boombalatty / Furthermore Beer, Spring Green, WI
Good news on the home front today, as Flash has returned from the vet. He's doing much better - had two teeth pulled, and is now home and resting comfortably. Poor old guy. Picking him up from the vet caused me to miss my basketball game, but considering we lost by *50* last time out, perhaps a week off might do some good. Playing last week certainly didn't help!
Today's offering is the Fatty Boombalatty, an oddly named yet tasty beer from Furthermore. Had this beer on draft at Paramour in Wayne, which is a pretty decent spot to unwind and enjoy a drink or two. In the glass, this version on a Belgian white shows off a cloudy gold color, with a thin white head. There's a faint citrus aroma, and you get flavors of bread, pepper, orange, and clove, with just a bit of bitterness. In my notes, I added "thirst quenching" and "very drinkable." Good to know as warmer weather continues to linger here in the suburbs, but keep in mind that Fatty carries a 7.2% ABV along for the ride. Definitely check this one out.
Thing to Think About Today:
These days, it's near impossible to hear a popular song that doesn't have multiple stars adding a "guest" verse. I guess the thought is the more name brand stars you can add on a song, the greater the chance someone will buy it? Personally, it doesn't make any sense to me, but I'm old school. So old, I can remember when rap/rock collaborations were new and completely genre bending. There have been some great ones along the way - Run-DMC + Aerosmith and R.E.M. + KRS-One, off the top of my head.
I'm not sure if this one is great, awful, somewhere in-between, or all of the above. It's magical, that much I know. Without further adieu, if we're thinking about a beer named after a fat joke, we're thinking about the Fat Boys + the Beach Boys!!!! Perfect song with summer just around the corner....
Today nearly ended with a co-worker and me in a yelling match rather loud conversation. Luckily we’re both “acknowledge it, fix it and move on” kind of people and the day actually ended with a much more thoughtful conversation and a game plan. It certainly helps that we are nearly identical in personality and it absolutely helps that I’ve never had more respect and admiration for someone.
But goddamn work is grinding me down. Too much to do. Not enough hours in the day. No time to be satisfied when I actually do get something accomplished. (sigh…)
They look just like the photo! Score!
So what is a girl to do? Bake. It’s my answer to pretty much any stressful situation. I like to pretend I’m in my television studio kitchen so I measure out everything in advance and line up all the bowls. Bowls on the left for the batter. Bowls on the right for the crumb topping. The precision of measuring everything. The smell of vanilla extract. Butter browning on the stove. The satisfaction of stacking all those empty bowls as butter, eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar blend together…making otherworldly smells linger in the air.
Have you ever smelled brown butter? You haven’t lived until you know that scent.
Hey, Gary -- I’ve got breakfast covered for us tomorrow.
***
And now for the beer. Tonight’s beer is brought to us by Brouwerij Bosteels -- Tripel Karmeliet. Am I the only one impressed at the speed with which I type brouwerij?
It poured a bright, slightly cloudy straw color. Light white head. Some lacing as it disappeared from my glass. The smell is all banana, spice and bread-goodness. The flavor is spicy with up front, malt sweetness and banana. The carbonation is high - not super fizzy, but rather a steady stream of tiny little bubbles. It gives the Tripel Karmeliet a finish on the dry side. At 8.4% ABV, this is no lightweight but that fizz and banana flavor make it extremely drinkable.
Cheers!
p.s. Big shout out to Joy the Baker for the blueberry muffin recipe! You rock!
Beer # 74 St. Louis Gueuze Fond Tradition / Brouwerij van Honsebrouck, Ingelmunster, Belgium
Today's dinner conversation centered around us turning our blog into a best selling book, which will then become a top grossing movie:
Gary: "I wonder if I should call Jake Gyllenhaal to make sure he's available to play me in the movie?"
Marci: "Maybe send him a tweet; he's modern. But he's not hot enough."
Gary: "Look, you want Ryan Gosling, but I don't think he's masculine enough, and let's face it, James Franco is too much of a wild card."
Marci: "George Clooney!"
Gary: "Too old, maybe he can play my dad."
Marci: "That would be too awkward when I want to bone George Clooney."
So there you have it folks, we're still sticking with Jake Gyllenhaal to play me in the film adaptation of our beer adventure. However, I'm happy to entertain other ideas, should you have any.
Recent photo of me, from some charity function or another
After back to back beers with chocolate, roasted flavors, we're going in an opposite direction with today's beer, the St. Louis Gueuze Fond Tradition, a lambic from Brouwerij van Honsebrouck. It pours a hazy gold, and instantly you get a tart citrus aroma. It's a very effervescent beer, with nice, crisp flavors of bread and lemon, with a sour element as well. Very well done. If you like lambics, this one is a keeper. If you're not a fan of lambics, then you're missing out on some great beers!
Thing to Think About Today:
I realize the pronunciation on this beer is more "Sant Lou-eee" than "Saint Loo-is" but if we're even remotely thinking about St. Louis, then we should stop and ask for directions! Particularly when in sunny East St. Louis... (warning: completely not safe for work, unless your employer is totes cool with 80's inner city stereotypes and profanity. In which case, fire away!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwBoa-NbNL8
Now, I know what you're saying: "What's up with clicking a link; why didn't you just embed the video like you usually do when posting a video?"
The answer to that question can be defined as: this site host + youtube videos = occasionally a pain in the ass. Look, just click the link, ok? Guaranteed to be worth it.
Beer #66 Grand Cru / Brasserie de l'Abbaye du Val-Dieu, Aubel, Belgium
Happy Valentine's Day to all, but most importantly to my darling wife. For those keeping score at home, this is our 17th Valentine's Day together and we're still going strong. Of course, as a rule we don't celebrate this made up holiday. Started when we were in college and didn't have any money, so with what little we had (who am I kidding, I just tacked it on the credit card) we would go out for a nice dinner instead of exchanging gifts. Kept that tradition going post-graduation, and haven't looked back. Although this morning Marci curiously asked if I was sending her flowers today... which is odd as I haven't done that in the previous 16 years. If anything, we now view this day much like New Year's Eve - it's amateur hour, so instead of trying a new restaurant we stick with something local and awesome. Not a day for adventurous dining.
I think The Oatmeal sums things up nicely through their Valentine's Day blog. Big fan of The Oatmeal and their warped sense of humor, particularly the BOBcats.
While I wait for my beautiful wife to arrive home so we can get dinner, I'll share my beer of the day. It's another beer Marci has already sampled (she's clearly a trendsetter here), the Grand Cru from Abbaye du Val-Dieu. The Belgian quad pours a dark color with a thick head, and has a sweet, malt aroma. The taste is warm and boozy - the 10.5% ABV definitely doesn't hide in the corner. There are flavors of honey and ripe fruit, malt, and biscuit, with a slight bitterness on the finish. Smooth and tasty. Definitely worth your hard earned dollars. Much better than that overpriced bouquet of roses you were thinking about bringing home....
Thing to Think About Today:
Look, I think today is a fake holiday intended to sell product and make people feel bad about their relationships. However, for those romantic folks out there, for those trying to take their relationship to the next level, for those trying to get laid: allow me to suggest you think about Marvin Gaye. If you look up "sexy time" in the dictionary, you get a picture of Marvin Gaye singing his damn ass off during this song.
Beer # 64 Estivale / Brasserie Artisanal de Rulles, Rulles-Habay, Belgium
Everyone knows the feeling of getting a song stuck in their head. Despite not hearing Rico Suave since you were in high school, one day you start singing Rico Suave and wonder just why Rico Suave is stuck in your head (how am I doing here in planting this seed in your head?) for a few days.
I was recently hit with this phenomenon, only with a slightly worse twist. A song was stuck in my head, and I didn't even know what the song was (it wasn't Rico Suave) or what band/singer sang the song. I kept singing and humming the melody in my head, and then spent the greater part of the week going through iTunes trying to figure out who it might be. Tried all sorts of groups I listen to infrequently, figuring that if I can't remember, it's likely a song from someone I don't listen to often. Yeah, nothing. NO luck.
However, every now and then something good happens to me - over post-dinner drinks at Jose Pistola's, their strange mix of music spit out the song I've been humming in my brain for a week: Saint Simon, by The Shins:
Not sure how this got stuck in my head to begin with, but I'm eternally grateful for the good luck to hear it playing at the bar so I could put an artist and song name to the melody bouncing through my brain. And like that, my frustration was wiped away. Hopefully, once you get Rico Suave out of your head, a better song like this one will take its place.
More on dinner last night - Jose Pistola's is a bit of a hole in the wall, but serves great food and has a deep beer list. Highly recommend the nachos and carnitas burrito - grilled pineapple and jalapeno tucked inside. Even better than the food was the conversation, which (as to be expected) was completely hilarious and completely inappropriate. I sampled a couple beers you'll hear about soon, but today I'll review the Estivale from de Rulles, which was on draft. A really nice mix of citrus aroma balanced with hops and malt, almost to the point of bordering on a pale ale. Admittedly, I didn't take any notes (my bad), so apologies for the short review... and lack of picture. If you're a fan of Belgians, you'll should try one. Trust me.
courtesy www.larulles.be
Thing to Think About Today:
Our dinner companions were in from out of town, and they posted up at the Kimpton Palomar last night. For those not familiar, Kimpton is a boutique hotel chain found in most, but certainly not all, metropolitan areas. Yes, they're occasionally a teensy bit more expensive than a Marriott or Hilton, but it's incredibly worth the extra effort. Pet friendly, modern, stylish, and hip, always with a fun bar/restaurant attached. Hotel bars are usually the most depressing places on earth (I know this, I travel for my job), so it's nice to see a bar people visit because it's a good spot, not just because they're sleeping upstairs.
What really seals the deal is fantastic customer service from every staff member. Plus, if you sign up for their rewards points, you get a free $10 credit to the mini-bar for every stay. What else could you ask for?
Next time you're on the road, think about staying at a Kimpton. You'll thank me later.
Beer #61 La Chouffe / Brasserie d' Achouffe, Achouffe, Belgium
Another day, another Belgian. This one comes from Brasserie d' Achouffe, and
goes by the name La Chouffe. Very French sounding, so I've been using my
awesome French accent whenever I think about this beer or say its name out loud. In this
household, accents don't usually work too well. I can pull off a French accent,
but strictly the "dirty Frenchman" variety. Most every other accent I
try comes off sounding like the Swedish Chef or Cheech from Cheech & Chong. However, I'm waaay ahead of Marci here, as every accent she tries to use comes off sounding like a vampire. Trust me on zis one, blah, she sounds like zee Count Dracula, blah.
Enough of that nonsense, on to the beer. In the glass, it's a hazy orange with malt and
citrus on the nose. There's a spice flavor (maybe not clove, but something) with apricot and just a bit of bitterness underneath to balance out the
sweet. Really enjoyable beer which will definitely get into the permanent beer rotation post-beer adventure.
from beerstreetjournal.com
In case you were wondering, and I know you are, the Chouffe is a gnome who once brewed beer in the Ardennes mountains and provides the inspiration for this beer. For the record, this is a second beer named after magical gnomes, as a Tommy knocker is a gnome who alerted gold & silver miners of danger and pointed out bountiful veins of ore.
See? This blog isn't all fun and games. Occasionally you learn interesting things. About gnomes. But if we're talking interesting, then you need to hit the best part of the d'Achouffe website so you too can get this AWESOME Chouffe song stuck in your head all day: http://www.achouffe.be/files/chouffe-francais.mp3
Thing to Think About Today:
While Marci and I can't seem to do accents very well, allow me to introduce you to someone who can blend into any situation by simply adopting a new personality. That's right.... Fletch.
"Hey! It's all ball bearings nowadays. Now you prepare that Fetzer valve with some 3-in-1 oil and some gauze pads. And I'm gonna need 'bout ten quarts of anti-freeze, preferably Prestone. No, no make that Quaker State."
Beer #57 Elliot Brew / De Struise Brouwers, Oostvleteren, Belgium
I have something to tell the world: I really don't care much about the Super Bowl. There, I said it.
Like many things that are supposed to be the "most awesomest thing in the history of awesome", the Super Bowl itself never lives up to the hype. It's a bloated six hour commercial with some football sprinkled in when Toyota doesn't need to sell you something. I mean, think of it this way: Madonna is the halftime entertainment. Did I miss the black hole that spun the planet back to 1988? There's no one available more compelling than Madonna? Yes, I'll watch the game. I'll eat some chips and drink a beer (obviously!) and pay attention to the commercials. But I refuse to spend an excess amount of energy or time caring about this nonsense. Now this being said, who's making bets on this year's Puppy Bowl? Anyone taking action on Bud Bowl?
One highlight of the Super Bowl is that beer advertisements are usually among the most entertaining spots of the night. Sadly, the beer isn't quite as interesting as the ads. So, here's a much more interesting beer: Elliot Brew, a collaboration between De Struise and Mikkeller, a highly regarded gypsy brewer. I'm filing it as a beer from De Struise, as they seem to be the lead dog. Or at least, their name comes first. This collaboration brought together two unique perspectives on craft beer to create a double IPA. The beer pours a hazy amber color with an abundant foamy head. A good hop bitterness dominates the flavor, and it has a rich malt taste, with some toffee notes hiding underneath. Definitely a winner, grab one if you can.
Elliot Brew checks in at 9.0% ABV, and it's allegedly the hoppiest beer produced in Belgium. Not sure that I'm qualified to weigh on that distinction, so I'll just put it out there for you to be the judge. I've also seen Tsjeesees, another De Struise beer, on draft in our neighborhood, and I intend to try it when it's available again. There's a bottle from another Mikkeller project in our fridge, so the other half of this combo will get their due soon enough.
Thing to Think About Today:
While everyone is rocking out to the (awful) sounds of the Material Girl, let me suggest you mute the TV and put on some music you can actually enjoy. Today, I encourage you to think about The New Pornographers. A Canadian alt-rock outfit, this band has been churning out critically acclaimed albums since 2000. They're sort of hard to describe - they rock, they have a softer side, they blend harmonies together, they bounce through pop numbers. Maybe that what makes them so appealing? The band is fronted by Carl Newman, with Neko Case adding her amazing voice on most tracks (Full disclosure: I have a crush on Neko Case). This band currently resides on the list of my all-time favorite bands, so there's no way I could just give you one clip today:
Beer #53 Premium Pilsener / Brouwerij Martens, Bocholt, Belgium
In my book, 53 beers is a lot. And yet, we're only 14.5% of the way done with this adventure. I can confirm, in case anyone was wondering, that 365 days is a long time to do something every single day. However, we either get better each day or we get worse, we never stay the same. So let's get better today.
Today's beer is a break from the saisons, IPAs, and barley wines. We're going straight up pilsner today, and to no one's surprise this pours a clear gold color, with a thin, light head. The taste is light and fluffy, with some very very mild hop and barley flavor, with a nice clean finish. Whereas last night's beer was deeply complex, this is a walk in the park on a spring day - fitting, as today's weather sort of made it feel like a spring day. If you're ordering a pilsner, you're looking for something smooth and easy, not complex and thought provoking. So, if you're going for something easy, you might as well kick back something outside the norm, like this one. The ABV is 4.8%, which is higher than I would have guessed. Would pair nicely with spicy food, perhaps.
Damn, my phone takes shitty pictures
I've mentioned earlier that I'm fascinated with history, so it makes sense that I'm intrigued with this brewery perhaps more than the beer. I find it awesome and fascinating that Martens has been brewing beer since 1758. To put this another way, before America was a country. It's currently under management of the 8th generation to run the brewery. Maybe I'm fascinated with history because beyond my grandparents, and to a lesser degree my great-grandparents, I have no idea of my family history. In my mind, I'm heir to the throne in Iceland, or something similarly awesome. Seeing how I'm not attending many royal court functions in Reykjavik, maybe not.
Thing to Think About Today:
Seattle? Yeah, I'm not going there this week. Perhaps next week, maybe not any time soon. Easy come easy go. But, I've been planning the trip for some time, so let's go ahead and think about one of the great movies that uses Seattle for a backdrop - Singles. I'm at the tail end of Gen X, so much of the angst in this movie was lost on me. Everyone seemed so old and depressed in this movie, which didn't make sense to me when it first came out. Now that I'm older, I get the more subtle nuances of relationships, jobs, and friends.
Let's all think about my favorite scene from this movie, starring the wildly talented Jeremy Piven, and let's all enjoy his mad beat box skills:
Um, please disregard the dubbing of the dialogue into a different language. Hopefully that didn't distract you from the most awesome song in the Pearl Jam universe.
Beer #51 Fantome Saison / Brasserie Fantome, Soy, Belgium
Remember how I was going to be in Seattle this week? Yeah, about that. Maybe not! I'll find out soon, but I need to play it by ear for a bit. Business travel sounds glamorous, until you actually do it with some regularity. Then? It loses the luster.
Thankfully, I know one way to solve life's little problems - by drinking beer. Tonight's selection is a saison from Fantome. This beer has a hazy orange color, and hits you instantly with a citrus (tangerine?) aroma. The taste follows the aroma and has an orange and sour apple fruit taste with just enough of an earthy, grassy finish. Really nice balance here; complex and refreshing all at the same time. Plus, the logo from the bottle is clearly related to King Boo from the Mario Brothers series of Nintendo games. See? Practically twins!
For the record, King Boo is Marci's go-to character for our Mario Kart battles. Anyway, this brewery is named for a local legend, the ghost of Countess Bertha de la Roche. Her spirit still reportedly haunts a nearby castle. Not sure if I believe in ghosts, but I believe in delicious, unique beer, and this one delivers. It may not end up there at the end of the year, but for now, it gets a coveted spot in the Top 25.
Thing to Think About Today:
This would be a good time to tell you about when I saw Ghostface Killah perform live as part of a summer music festival (with Method Man and Raekwon backed by The Roots). However, that's a story that I'll save for a later day. No my friends, I think we'll stick with a classic today:
Beer #48 Belle-Fleur / Brouwerij De Dochter van de Korenaar, Baarle-Hertog, Belgium
Two days in the office, two days on the road, one day in State College. Not a bad way to spend a week, and even better - it's over. Someone asked me what our weekend plans were, and I had to pause. Think... think... nope. Nothing, nada. How good does it feel to not have anything planned this weekend? This is conducive to drinking beer, I'd say.
For today, I'm going with an IPA from De Dochter, newcomer in the Belgian beer world.
An odd website - half of it is in English, half in Dutch. Dutchlish? Anyway, this beer pours with a foamy head, and has a cloudy gold color. The hop flavor dominates the beer, with a taste of bread along the way. It finishes dry, some light hints of grass and lemon. Good find, and I recommend you try if you want a beer that balances the hop flavor without cramming it down your throat.
Nice....
One of my dreams in life is to be multi-lingual. I'm barely competent at English, so it's a long shot, but at some point I hope to be able to speak another language. I'm thinking that this beer adventure may help; I've been spending a lot of time on Belgian brewery websites, and I think I'm starting to learn some Dutch. I mean, at least I thought I was getting the hang of Dutch, but today's brewery (that's "brouwerij" to us fluent in Dutch) threw me off. I was certain the translation of this brewery's name was "Doctor..."and I was getting all sorts of doctor jokes and puns queued up. Such as this great scene from Spies Like Us:
But then, I come to find out the name of this brewery translates into "the daughter of the ear of corn." WHAAT? I have no daughter of the ear of corn jokes at the moment, and nothing for you to think about in that genre.
Thing to Think About Today:
Therefore, we'll stick with my original plan, and highlight one of the most transcendent basketball players ever, Julius Erving. Or as we know him, Dr. J. The Doctor was my first favorite basketball player, and might still own that title. He helped revolutionize the game, and always seemed to be a highlight waiting to happen. With the Sixers enjoying some success again this year, the thing to think about is this:
For the past few months, I keep turning the phrase baroque pop over and over in my mind. I had never heard it before reading a response to my tweet about the unmatched excellence of the song Hallelujah. I believe the tweet focused on Rufus Wainwright's take on Hallelujah, but you would be equally served by the original version by Leonard Cohen. Hell, I would even take Jeff Buckley's rendition and I'm not even a Buckley fan. (Hopefully that doesn't cause anyone to doubt my musical taste. Opinions, people, opinions.)
As I cruised down I-76, belting out my duet with Rufus Wainwright, all was right in my world. So right, in fact, that I opted to tweet about it. Don't worry, I-76 doesn't allow for much cruising during the morning rush and I was stopped dead in traffic tweeting and singing by that point. Seriously. Who am I?
Anyway thank goodness I don't act my age because if I did, I wouldn't have the lovely and intriguing baroque pop phrasing to contemplate. A bit of Googling revealed a lot of information on the topic. Baroque pop came about in the mid-1960s with artists like The Rolling Stones, Beach Boys and Beatles incorporating it into their repertoire. This next part comes directly from Wikipedia: Baroque pop stylistically fuses elements of pop and rock with classical music, often introducing instruments not common to rock and roll such as harpsichords, clavichords, violins, cellos and other strings, oboes and French horns. It is also generally characterized by highly orchestral, lush instrumentation. Now back to me: This describes Rufus' Hallelujah perfectly. But judge for yourself:
Turns out baroque pop started to fade away, but is enjoying a renaissance. Take a listen to Florence and the Machine, Belle and Sebastian, Arcade Fire, or The Decemberists. Now you have some homework to do, don't you?
***
That Golden Monkey glass owes me nothing.
Tonight all I can say is thank god for leftover chili and corn muffins...otherwise I'd be drinking beer and eating Special K. And I'm fairly certain that is exactly the opposite of what Kellogg had in mind when promoting a healthy, balanced meal. I'm not sure if anyone else agrees that Duvel Belgian Golden Ale goes well with chili, but I do now.
I'm pretty pleased with my pour - based on the pouring instructions I found after drafting this post, I got it just right. Score one for Marci! The name of this beer says it all: golden ale and that is exactly how I would describe the beer's color. As you can see it poured with a substantial and white head that lasted a good long time. I can't really report on the smell of this one due to a stuffed-up nose, but I did get a bit of sweetness and general beer scent. It drinks crisp and smooth. You can taste the hops (noble hops, from what I read) and I definitely get some sourness. It weighs in at 8.5% ABV but the alcohol doesn't slap you in the face but rather gives you that warm fuzzy feeling.
I'm not going to lie, I'm labeling this one potential top 25. And with that, good friends, I bid you adieu.
Beer # 40 XX Bitter / Brouwerij De Ranke, Dottignies, Belgium
Some days I share really interesting notes and amusing tales on my day or the world around us. Sorry, today isn't that day. What, you think Hemingway could crank out The Sun Also Rises every single day of the year? Have places to go, things to do, so this one stays brief. But I wouldn't leave you without today's beer.
Today's beer comes from the tap at TJ's in Paoli, and the Belgian IPA from Brouwerij De Ranke pours a hazy, pale yellow with a foamy head. This has a dry taste, with a hop bite up front. Strong hop bite, in fact, with little in the way of citrus behind it Definitely hits you in the back of the throat. If you're a fan of bitter beers, this one will be right up your alley. A solid 6.2% ABV doesn't hurt, either. Good choice, and another good brewery found.
But I wonder - what did this beer do to earn the XX rating? How close were they to XXX? These are the things I think about.
Thing to Think About Today:
In a world completely overrun by ubiquitous chain restaurants serving bad food in huge portions, it's nice to see there are still real restaurants out there. Tonight, I'll be dining at Senape's Tavern - THE BEST pizza in all the land. Don't bother emailing me with other pizza suggestions, I'll be too busy devouring another slice of their 12-cut square pizza to pay attention to you. Senape's Tavern is an old, dated back room of a bar with mismatched furniture and the same waitstaff since I was in high school. Maybe that's why my order hasn't changed since the first time I set foot in that place. Will some fancy Celebrity Chef be stopping by to profile this place for the Food Network? No, but I think I prefer it that way. Let us have our delicious secret to ourselves....
Beer # 39 Three Philosophers / Brewery Ommegang, Cooperstown, NY
Day started with an unscheduled trip to the vet's office, in the middle were details on a future trip to Detroit, and it ended with beer (and Chinese food). Salinger woke up today with what appeared to be a bad eye infection, sparking a trip to see the friendly staff at St. George Hunt's office. Vet confirms that there's no foreign bodies under the eyelids, and perhaps there's a tiny scratch on the cornea which became infected. Topical antibiotics, a bill for $100, and we were on our way. I was hoping he'd at least get a cool eye patch out of the deal. I mean, what dog doesn't want to be a pirate for a day? I think Salinger would love to be the scourge of the high seas. Or of his giant dog bed, at least.
On to more lucid thoughts, which brings us to today's beer from Ommegang. This is a beer I've had before, so I knew I was getting something great - a mash-up which blends their quadrupel with a lambic from Liefmans. The beer pours a lovely chestnut color with a creamy head. The aroma isn't particularly powerful, but that gives way to a rich taste of malt and cherry. There's a light candy sugar sweetness and a warmth from alcohol - this arrives at a strong 9.8% ABV. Really, an outstanding beer from a brewery that consistently cranks out great beer. Don't take my word for it, read Marci's take on Ommegang or simply grab a bottle or draft for yourself.
Last thing - very interesting articles out there on the SOPA/PIPA protests today. As usual, count on the government to solve our problems efficiently <sarcasm>. These well-intended bills go too far, and will create unintended problems on top of the piracy issues they attempt to fix. I'm all for shooting down bills that put undue restrictions on websites to police their content. And, as a side bonus, I'll continue to be able to illegally download music rather than paying for it.
I kid. A little.
Thing to Think About Today:
You're probably guessing that if I'm talking Detroit, I'm going to highlight:
A) Gran Torino
B) RoboCop
C) Ron Artest brawl in the stands at a Pistons game.
These choices include a movie about a racist in crime ridden Detroit, a movie about a cyborg cop in crime ridden Detroit, and a giant melee in Detroit (where apparently crime is, you know, pretty common).
Curve ball: your thing to think about today is Dr. Detroit, a movie starring Dan Akroyd..... as a pimp. Okay, so I can't escape crime related topics, apparently. To sum up the plot, Akroyd plays a nerd who gets conned into being responsible for some prostitutes, and adopts Dr. Detroit as his pimp alter ego to save the prostitutes from a mob boss. If that didn't make sense, don't worry, as the movie doesn't make any sense because apparently the early 80's were insane. Starring Fran Drescher as a high class call girl and featuring a cameo from James Brown, this film is.... absurd. Moronic. And lots of other words just like those. Who green lighted this movie? How much drugs were involved? I can't answer these, but any time you get a chance to watch this on a lazy weekend afternoon, please do yourself a favor and go for it. It's worth a look.
Doctor, oooh oooh, Doctor Detroit! See you all later... I'm off to pirate some free copies of this song (still kidding, somewhat).
Beer # 37 Belgian Blonde / Fegley's Brew Works, Allentown, PA
After a weekend of sloth, we're back in business - an action packed day filled with beer adventure. Yes, Marci covered much of our adventure earlier today in her post, but that's what happens when you and your wife are both writing a blog and spend the day together. Before you try to make me feel bad for not doing MLK Day of Service, keep in mind I think good deeds should take up more than one day a year. I dedicate countless hours every week to running the second largest blood drive in the Penn-Jersey region, so you'll allow me one day off, no?
Phase one was a visit to Shangy's, a huge beer distributor in Emmaus, PA. So big, they don't have a website, I guess. An amazing selection, although they lose points for having never heard of Anchorage Brewing Company. Seriously? My number one draft pick today was a case of Anchorage Bitter Monk, and I struck out! Still, we came away with three great cases, which you'll all be hearing about shortly.
Phase two of the day was lunch and today's beer, the Belgian Blonde from Fegley's Brew Works. We've wrestled with how to treat brewpubs that don't sell their beer anywhere but their own bars. As of right now, those places won't be eligible for our 365 brewery challenge. Conveniently, Fegley's does sell cases of beer through distributors, so they're fair game. I had a generous sampler (six 5.5oz glasses), and the highlight was the Blonde. A clear, gold color, this beer has a citrus and bread aroma before the first sip, and grassy, earthy flavor. There's a definite hop flavor in there - maybe a tiny bit too much for my tastes (for a Belgian blonde, that is). A solid pick, as was their Steelgaarden Wit, which brings memories of summer to mind. Quite valuable on a cold winter's day.
For what it's worth, lunch was also great: a French Dip roast beef sandwich served with a side of cheddar ale soup to dip your sandwich in.
Phase three was oysters & beers with some friends at - where else - Teresa's Next Door. Started planning some vacation weekends, which is always good. In all, a great way to spend a much needed day off.
Thing to Think About Today:
Apparently, the Golden Globes aired last night, which I didn't watch. Sorry. However, I came to find out that a Best Actor award went to Idris Elba, for his fantastic portrayal of the lead character in Luther, a BBC drama about the Serious Crimes Unit. The talented Mr. Elba is best known for playing the role of Stringer Bell in The Greatest Show in the History of Television, The Wire. However, we'll save that show for another day.
Luther follows a well known crime drama format: troubled but driven cop pursues violent killers, has a dark past littered with broken relationships. However, this show brings new twists to the genre, and Alba's portrayal of John Luther is absolutely top notch (as is Ruth Wilson's work as evil genius Alice Morgan). I mean, don't take my word for it - the guy did just win a Golden Globe. The seasons are short, so you can get through the first two years in a weekend. Please note: the finale of season 1 is stupendous. To whet your appetite, here's a quick peek into the world of Luther:
So everyone knows my Mom passed away this year. Significant dates and holidays came and went since July and they were mostly bittersweet...until now. The anticipation of 2011 finally ending makes my heart clench, takes my breath away, and my toes curl. I've had rough years. There was that year when every single one of our friends, cousins, neighbors and co-workers got engaged while I did not. Ask Gary about that year. I like to think about it as "The Year of Living Dangerously". Beware of the next phone call or night out, it could send Marci into a lack-of-engagement-ring frenzy. Amazingly that year is now behind us by twelve years. Like I've said before, that man is a saint. And my god, do I love him.
There was the year that I couldn't find a job to save my life and ended up getting stress induced migraines that were debilitating. There were years that I lost grandparents or beloved pets. But nothing like 2011.
So here I am struggling with some serious rage and sadness anticipating some champagne and wine with friends tonight and wondering exactly how I am going to do this.
Prior to posting edit: The answer is yoga and cooking like my life depends on it for four hours. There is something about butter, eggs, spices and a singular focus to...well...refocus me. So now I sit here ready to start my celebration of 2011's demise with Nebraska Brewing Company's Melange a Trois. It's a Strong Belgian Blonde Ale aged in French oak Chardonnay barrels. It comes in at 10% ABV and I'm torn as to how potent it tastes. It strikes me as surprisingly light, but there's definitely a kick. Gary will be sharing this one with me (it's a big bottle!) and I'll be curious to read his review.
It has a pretty vivid orange hue in my glass and poured with quite a head. It has a definite wine scent and I'd go so far as to say it drinks like a wine. It's dry like Chardonnay, but also tart, tangy/peppery. Do I like it? Yes. Do I love it? No. Stillwater Stateside Saison has it beat. I can still remember the taste of that one and I typically can't remember shit.
One final thought...I feel like there was a lot of loss in 2011 and there was for me. But there was also great joy and for that I am grateful. I'll elaborate further in future posts...I think this one is long enough. Happy New Year, people. Find a good beer, gather your loved ones and enjoy the ride. There is nothing better!
