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
Beer #708 PranQster / North Coast Brewing Company, Fort Bragg, CA
Previously from this brewery: yes, indeed
Today started early and is ending later than I wanted, with a free tow truck ride in the middle (thanks, car!). Let's just pretend today didn't entirely happen and just talk about beer, okay?
Thanks.
Tonight's pour is a bottle of PranQster, a Belgian pale ale from North Coast Brewing. You see a dark gold color with next to no head, and you pick up aromas of banana and clove. When you take a sip, you get fruit esters, banana, some light clove, and mild peppery spice on the finish. Really enjoyable beer, and well worth your effort if you see it on a shelf or tap handle near you.
No pranks
Thing to Think About Today:
Short and sweet. Tom Petty, Breakdown, in honor of my car and its ever so finicky transmission. Fitting. See you soon.... although hopefully I see my car again sooner.
Today's beer du jour is a glass of Kwak from Brouwerij Bosteels, well known for the carriage glass you see in the picture below. I had this one at a cafe in Ieper, waiting for the Last Post ceremony. The Last Post honors the British and Allied soldiers who gave their life in the Belgian countryside during the First World War. The ceremony is held every night at the Menin Gate Memorial, 8pm sharp, every single day of the year. Hard to see all of the action in the large stone arch that spans the street, but it was clear the amount of respect the people had for those who made the ultimate sacrifice, from the soldier playing the bugle to the children laying wreaths of red poppies at the base of the stone panels etched with the names of the deceased. Didn't have a great picture of the ceremony, but did wander over to take in a nearby cemetery for the war dead. Very serene spot overlooking a river, very peaceful.
Amen.
On to the beer. It pours with a dark amber color and lingering white head. When you take a sip, you pick up notes of caramel and toffee, apple and pear, with hints of bread and spice. A very enjoyable beer, and one that I frequently saw on the menu in the various restaurants and cafes. No, you don't need to detach the glass from the wooden base each time you want a sip. You just pick up the entire thing and go.
FANCY
So the story behind the glass (and the beer) is that Pauwel Kwak was a brewer back in the early 1800s. He owned a tavern and realized that coachmen who drove passengers and mail into town weren't allowed to leave their horses and carriage. Therefore, Kwak had a special glass blown that could be hung on the side of a carriage, so the drivers could enjoy a beer before heading off to their next stop. Hence the name "carriage glass" and hence probably the first DUI, somewhere way back when.
Thing to Think About Today:
While the title of this post, "Duck Goes Kwak" suggests you might be getting the smash hit The Fox in this space, it was already used. So instead I'll refer to the Last Post ceremony honoring the war dead, and drop in some Last Battle, a Scottish band who gave the world this awesome live cover of Regulate. Yep, that Regulate. Now, in an effort to contain the awesomeness, YouTube won't let me embed the video. But I say we don't even need that, when you can just follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JuDeRWJOI48
Day #652 St. Stephanus Grand Cru / Brouwerij Van Steenberge, Ertvelde, Belgium
Previously from this brewery: A lot. Seriously. Just click this link, okay?
Back home after another weekend on the road, and I can say without a doubt that I'm glad to not be getting in the car to drive to State College again next weekend. Four weekends on the road in a row is quite enough, thank you. Particularly since yesterday's game was played in a downpour. I think I'm still soggy.
Sundays are for napping, but I haven't managed to get a nap just yet. Therefore, I may be going to bed at 8pm tonight, because that's how this old man rolls. Before I fall asleep, let's get a beer review out there. Today's selection is St. Stephanus Grand Cru, from our old friends at Brouwerij van Steenberge. It pours a hazy dark gold, and when you take a sip you get a good caramel malt, apple, some bread flavors, and a mild bitterness. You notice the 9% ABV when you drink it, so beware. I bought this bottle at the brewery, toted it around all of Belgium, and then decided to drink it in Luxembourg, as I was seriously paranoid that not all of the beer I brought home would make it back safely. As this one is now available in the States, I decided to pop it open.
I don't have a picture of this beer on my phone (sorry), so instead you get a picture of Fort Thüngen in Luxembourg. Luxembourg was frequently the center of some war or battle, due to their location in central Europe and everyone around them not liking each other. I walked around the fort on a bright, sunny morning and snapped this picture
Fight for your right to party!
This bottle was the one thing the brewery owner's father-in-law let us purchase during our visit. Not because he was being mean; because everything else was on the house! This beer cost me 3 Euro, or about $4. Sigh.... won't find one quite that inexpensive in America any time soon.
Thing to Think About Today:
Something quiet for a lazy Sunday. Bell X1 and Light Catches Your Face. Enjoy, I'm off to bed.... I kid. A bit.
Day #629 Boskeun / De Dolle Brouwers, Esen, Belgium
Previously from this brewery: an Arabier and another Arabier (plus great writing on social equality) from the original challenge, an Oerbier and a Dulle Teve "aka, Mad Bitch" from the Beercycling trip
Today marks a huge holiday: Football Eve, the day before the first Penn State football game. Please celebrate accordingly.
But before football, we get back to the Belgian trip. One of the best breweries visited during the journey was De Dolle Brouwers, although I'm actually going to drop in a review from a beer I had in a bar rather than as part of the behind the scenes tour of the brewery. More on De Dolle soon enough, friends. Today's beer is the Boskeun, which is a seasonal Easter beer. It poured a dark gold color with a fluffy head, and has that distinctive Belgiun yeast aroma. There are flavors of green apple, bread, berry, and a touch of honey sweetness. Like most every great Belgian I drank, this one has a wonderfully done balance of malt and hops, which lets those delicious flavors I mentioned shine through. I bought this because (1) I didn't get to sample this one at the brewery, (2) you don't see many Easter beers, and (3) everything else I had from De Dolle was fantastic. I chose well.
More rabbits?
The name translates from Flemish to "Rabbit of the Woods" in English. This is the nickname of the brewer's brother, and stems back from when they were kids. Fun and cute label, but this beer means serious business - behind the smooth taste is a potent 10% ABV. Happy Easter, indeed.
Thing to Think About Today:
Is it just me or have we been talking about rabbits quite a bit lately? Regardless, another rabbit related beer means I think we should think about Frightened Rabbit, the wonderful Scottish band I'm still pissed I haven't seen live (although maybe that will change!). We close out a Friday with a live performance of Modern Leper. Enjoy!
I'm once again at a point where I'm not even sure what day it is - I sincerely thought today was Monday. Good for me, weekend is one day closer. Bad for me, I really didn't know today was Tuesday.
Speaking of not knowing or remembering, I really don't even remember ordering today's beer, a bottle of Hapkin from Brouwerij Alken-Maes. Perhaps this was at the hotel in Diksmuide? The menu in the picture seems to suggest that, anyway. At some point, some of the things in my life do start running together. You know, days of the week.... beers I drank a month ago. Regardless, this one poured a clear blonde color with a thick, white head. There's a hoppy aroma, and when you take a sip you get a mellow, floral hop flavor. This one drinks dry, with a mild bitterness on the finish. It's fairly potent at 8.5% ABV, but I didn't notice a strong alcohol taste. I ordered it randomly, just to try something new, and it was a decent although apparently not memorable beer. They're also sort of owned by Heineken, but I didn't know that when I ordered it.
There you have it.
If I had this in Diksmuide, I'll add in two things: One, the drinking age is 16 in Belgium. A few of us went out on a Saturday night to the local watering hole, and it was really awkward hanging out with kids who were putting back drinks at the bar. Face it, 16 year olds drinking in a bar only happens in Belgium... well, and Hazleton, PA. But it was still odd. Also, this town was basically flattened during the First World War, and has been entirely rebuilt since then. In a country with thousand year old buildings, it was odd to see everything so (relatively) modern. The picture below is of a peace memorial that was built after the first World War. The Germans, in a textbook definition of irony, destroyed the peace monument during the Second World War. Thankfully, no problems since then. Although it does seem to be a rallying point for those in northern Belgium who would prefer a separation from the southern half of Belgium, thus creating an independent Flanders state.
Peace
Thing to Think About Today:
Without further ado or explanation, I give you Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie. Just because.
Day #611 Piraat Triple Hops / Brouwerij Van Steenberge, Ertvelde, Belgium
Previously from this brewery: Have I reached "just click this button" status for Van Steenberge? I have.
So after our first beer and the wildly unsafe tour through the bottling area, we checked out some of the other operations at Van Steenberge before settling back into the tasting room to unwind and see how badly injured some of the team was from the steam incident (just some melted sneaker, thankfully). One of the beers sampled was a special pour that isn't usually available in the tasting room - Piraat Triple Hops, a relatively new beer in their line-up. In fact, Piet, the father-in-law of the owner, had someone bring up a case just for us to try - another fringe benefit of rolling like a VIP with the Beercycling crew! Triple hopped beers seem to be the mini-Belgian version of the American craft beer arms race, as Duvel also has thrown their hat in the ring with a triple hop.
This one poured an amber color with a typical monster white, fluffy head. There's a light pine aroma, with a nice, mellow bitterness. If Belgian brewers are ramping up their hops and bitterness, they're doing it baby steps at a time and remembering to bring solid flavors and balance along for the ride. It was referred to as one of the bitterest beers in Belgium - I haven't tried them all, so I'll just take their word for it. As was said by someone along the way, "Belgian hoppy beers end where American hoppy beers just begin." True enough, but that doesn't make this beer any less tasty.
Ahoy, matey!
I have a note that I wrote indicating that this beer is going to be sold in America under a different name, much how Augustijn will be sold as St. Stefanus. However, this beer was right about where the party was starting to kick into high gear, so I may have that last fact incorrect. I think it may also be 10.5% ABV, which also may explain why I don't know the full story of renaming this beer in America.
Thing to Think About Today:
Piraat in the glass means you get stuck learning that one of my favorite books as a kid was Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. As a child, I found this to be a magical tale of pirates, buried treasure, and the open sea. Look, if adults are going to read books made for children (looking at you, Hunger Games), adults should probably take a moment and re-read the classics. Even better if you do it with your child, and teach them to appreciate good literature.
Other things of note that you may find interesting (or not):
1. One of my other favorite books, as I've already told you, is Moby Dick, by Herman Melville. In fact, I also just read a book about the true story that Moby Dick was based on, where the crew of a whaling boat floated across the Pacific for 90 days before being rescued. Check out In the Heart of the Sea, by Nathanial Philbrick, for a captivating and scary story.
2. Clearly I like books about adventure on the seas, as I also read an amazing book about 100 foot waves, surfing, and the dangers that lurk in the ocean. Check out The Wave, by Susan Casey, and be amazed. Who's ready for tow-in surfing? Not me!
3. I used to love going to eat at Long John Silver's, a fast food restaurant - and name of a prominent character in Treasure Island. Fond memories of childhood there, as I'd often go with my grandmother. That's a thin tie to literature, but I just thought you should know this.
3. As an adult, I was captivated by seeing the original illustrations from this book, which were done by local art legend N.C. Wyeth. They're prominently displayed at the Brandywine River Museum, a fantastic place to visit if you love the works of the Wyeth clan (as I do).
This is the St. Stefanus Grand Cru, which is brewed by Brouwerij Van Steenberge. It's actually the American version of their Augustijn brew. I knew why they didn't sell Augustijn in the United States, but then we all got hammered on the Van Steenberge brewery tour and some of the details are fuzzy. The tour experience there is one for the record books and I need some time to get all my hazy memories together for an appropriately ridiculous post.
Per the St. Stefanussite, it is only sold in select American cities but distribution is expanding. I'm pretty pleased that it's available at my local Whole Foods. This one, however, was procured at Van Steenberge and drank at the Melia hotel in Luxembourg City. How's that for international? Sidenote: I highly recommend the Melia hotel chain. Beautiful rooms, felt very luxurious and the restaurant was outstanding!
Add caption
It poured a hazy, dark blond color ale with a fluffy white head. It smells peppery with an underlying sweet malt aroma. The flavor is caramel and fruity. It has a nice round mouthfeel up front but finishes with a great dryness. It very much reminds me of a bold white wine. I also found it important to add to my notes that it opened with a very solid cork pop.
Beer stats
Style: Grand cru
ABV: 9%
IBUs: Unknown
Rating: Very good
Previously reviewed from Van Steenberge
Mr. Blog Named Brew's review of De Garre
A quick review of Monk's Flemish Sour
A better review of Klokke Roeland. Unfortunately this review was early in the life of the blog and I wasn't as good about taking photos. To make up for that, I give you a photo of a keg of Klokke Roeland at Brouwerij Van Steenberge, which I pretended was headed to my neighborhood Belgian beer bar Teresa's Next Door
Day #518 Le Canard / The Brewer's Art, Baltimore, MD
Previously from this brewery: Resurrection and more Resurrection, the first posts ever on this site, and Green Peppercorn Tripel, used to represent Bal'mer in my Super Bowl showdown.
A rainy Saturday here means I'm up early and writing. Would rather be sitting by the pool with my feet up, enjoying some quiet time, but we can't always get what we want. Busy day today with driving, a birthday party, and an early Mother's Day celebration, so I'll get right down to business.
Business today means a review of Le Canard from The Brewer's Art, a restaurant in Baltimore that also brews some outstanding beers. This Belgian pours with a clear amber and lingering white head. There's a pleasant aroma of sweet malt and honey, and the taste brings you tons of candi sugar, malt, bread, and caramel. This beer is potent at 8.5% ABV, but you don't really notice the alcohol in there. An excellent beer, particularly for a rainy Saturday spent not anywhere near a pool.
Bad picture/good beer
If you're not bilingual, then you may not be aware that the French word 'canard' translates to 'duck' in English. Like I just said - seeing how ducks like the rain, this beer is perfect for a rainy day!
Thing to Think About Today:
As many of you know, I enjoy an eclectic mix of music. I don't know where I find half of the songs I listen to, they sort of just show up and next thing you know I have something unusual or interesting or strange to enjoy. And when I say I have no idea how this particular song managed to find itself in my collection, I mean it. With a beer from Baltimore in mind, I give you Scott Walker covering Lady Came from Baltimore, an old folk song from the 60s. What can I say, sometimes I listen to some unusual things - that doesn't mean they're not good!
Day #449 HertenHeer Blond & Bitter / Hobbybrouwerij Het Nest, Turnhout, Belgium
Previously from this brewery: First one!
Are you all having an enjoyable Sunday? I hope so, dear readers. Sundays are made to be enjoyed. After a busy morning of yoga and a few quick errands, I'm now relaxing and enjoying some quiet time.
Included in that quiet time is a beer review, and today I give you HertenHeer, a Belgian strong pale ale from Het Nest, a Belgian brewer. This one was on draft yesterday at Teresa's Next Door, where I was able to go get a beer as a reward for good behavior. Good behavior you say? I had spent the earlier portion of my afternoon yesterday in David's Bridal, where the Mrs. wanted to go to find a dress for an upcoming black tie event. I'm not sure what percentage of people reading this website are males, but allow me to just go ahead and say something very important to those of you who are: males should NEVER set foot in David's Bridal on a Saturday. EVER. The store was packed to the rafters with brides, bridesmaids, mothers of the bride, and all sorts of other eager and frightening women who were fawning over dresses, making tremendous amounts of squealing noises, and generally making me feel very, very, very, very, very, very, very, VERY out of place for having a penis. When a bride finds the dress of her dreams, she rings a bell and the store explodes in applause; when it first happened, I thought it was a store employee sounding the klaxon to warn the troops that a man has intruded on their sacred space. I kept looking to see if they were going to set loose a pack of wolves to finish me for looking in on their secret and intimidating rituals. Thankfully, I made it out alive. But heed my warning, gentlemen - you may not be as lucky as I was.
Where was I? Oh yes, my beer. In the glass, it had a bright gold color, with plenty of effervescence and a puffy white head. There's a sweet aroma of fruit, and when you take a sip you get some biscuit and grass, with a malt and a good hop bitterness, all of which culminate in nice, dry finish. You can taste fruit in there as well, although I can't quite put my finger on it. Maybe plum, or figs? I still may have been shell shocked from my afternoon ordeal, with my senses not quite back to a relaxed state.
Wish this glass was more macho
According to Google translate, HertenHeer means, "deer Lord." Not "dear", but "deer." Not sure what to make of that fact. Het Nest, as all you Dutch speakers well know, means "the nest." As best I can figure, this brewery is made up of home brewers who create beers, but still have full time jobs elsewhere. They started as a beer tasting club, but I get the sense they'll be quitting those full time jobs in the near future.
Thing to Think About Today:
While I was focusing on making myself invisible in the store yesterday (didn't work, I'm tall), the song that kept popping up in my head was none other than White Wedding by Billy Idol. I should have walked in with a scarf wrapped around my head and no shirt on like Idol does in this video. That would have let the bridesmaids know I meant business....
Today marks eighteen Valentine Days with this guy.
And I couldn't be happier.
I feel like I should have reviewed one of the Valentine's Day themed beers that are floating around right now, but the best beer/Valentine's Day tie in I could come up with is The Bruery's Five Golden Rings. What guy or gal wouldn't want golden rings on Valentine's Day?
It poured an opaque apricot color with an off-white thin head. It smells of ginger spice. The flavor reminds me of autumn pie spice with light ginger. There's a nice biscuit flavor in there and a slight tartness. I also noticed some pineapple notes. It's boozy and delicious.
Beer stats
Style: Belgian strong pale ale
ABV: 11.5%
IBUs: Unknown
Rating: Excellent
Previously reviewed from The Bruery
My review of Oude Tartwith soap box rantings on the world's problems
Gary's thoughts on Tart of Darkness
My review of their berliner weisse Hottenroth, which I had at the greatest burger joint ever...Slater's 50/50!
The 9th anniversary of TJ's was a raucous celebration with outstanding beer and good friends. The only casualty of the day was the half of my barbecue chicken wrap that got left behind. I drank a ton of beer for the blog and can't wait to tell you more about it. After six hours of an amazing variety of beer, one would have thought that this morning would have called for a little hair of the dog to get going, but alas it did not. I should probably be worried about that...
Instead I'll tell you about another Hair of the Dog -- the brewery that partnered with de Proef to collaborate on Flanders Fred. This is a beer that I've been stalking for awhile now and was delighted to find it last night at TJ'S.
See what I did there? Hair of the dog. Hair of the Dog. Homonyms!
Gary's second career? Beer model.
Anyway this is an excellent beer and well worth the wait. It poured a deep apricot color and smells of overripe fruit, malt and funk. The flavor reminded me of tea and figs. It was sweet and sour with an almost IPA-like bitterness. Truly amazing. And it looks like it's still on at TJ's. If I weren't still lounging in my pajamas, I'd be tempted to go back for more!
In case you wanted to know more about the collaboration, here is some information: Legendary brewer Alan Sprints of Hair of the Dog joins Dirk Naudts at De Proef to create this unique bottle conditioned beer. Flanders Fred is a blend of Flanders-sourced lambic with a collaboratively-brewed version of the famous Hair of the Dog Fred. Now you know.
Beer #338 Arabier / Brouwerij De Dolle Brouwers, Esen, Belgium Beers to go:28
I handle the grocery shopping in our household, and ever since the purchase of a juicer, I've been completely loading up on a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. Makes sense, right? Can't make juice without fruits and vegetables. So what on earth was this person making with a cart filled with stuffed animals?
Strive for five (unicorns) a day!
Okay, so I eventually figured out that this was a display of toys on clearance sale. But you can see why this threw me off at first.
Anyway, you're here for the beer, not for what random things I find in Wegman's. Today's selection is Arabier, a Belgian strong pale ale from Brouwerij De Dolle in Belgium. This beer sports a hazy light amber color, and you're greeted with an aroma of hops and lemon. The taste is dry, with a peppery spice and plenty of hops, with lemon and grapefruit, and some honey flavors hiding out in there as well. This is a really fantastic beer which was on draft recently at TJ's Everyday, and will hopefully be back on draft again in the future.
Looking for a picture of this beer? Tough break, as the picture I took on my phone somehow became corrupted, and I can't email it. Just imagine a good beer in a glass, and there you go. De Dolle is brewed in a building that originally housed a brewery back in 1835, although production was halted in 1980. Not quite sure when they resumed brewing at the site, although I intend to find out next summer when I'm in Belgium. And, for the record, you might think "Dolle" is Dutch for "Doll," but unfortunately that's because you don't speak Dutch as fluently as I do. De Dolle Brouwers actually translates to "The Mad Brewers." Now you know.
Thing to Think About Today:
This song popped into my head the other day, and I guess there's a connection here. De Dolle originally opened back in the day, and the cart full of stuffed animals would probably be enjoyed by someone who was a kid. So, here we are: Ahmad singing his 1994 hit Back in the Day, a song where he reminisces about the easy life of being a kid. Stuffed animals are on sale at the registers, if you need one.
I follow Daniel's blog Manhattan Nest and his witty postings on Twitter with great fervor. He's funny and creative and I enjoy what he puts out in the world. Plus he loves dogs. And I love anyone who loves dogs. Daniel is also gay. It's not something I really put much thought into. He's gay. I'm white. My friend is Jewish. Who cares? None of that makes any of us better or worse than another. Or at least that's how I live my life.
His November 2 post on Manhattan Nest was an all-too-startling reminder that, in fact, no -- we are not all equal. I hope I'm not breaking any blogger ettiquette rules by reposting his post, but it was so moving, I didn't see any way that I could avoid doing so. Especially today, November 5 -- the eve of Election Day -- when so many people are still forming opinions on whom they will be voting for come tomorrow.
Without further rambling from me, here is the post:
No Freedom ’til We’re Equal.
Daniel's parents.
A slightly terrifying fact has recently come to my attention: I am now the same age that my father was when he proposed to my mother. They met and fell in love while attending college in Louisiana. Afterward, my mother moved back to her home state of Florida to attend law school while my father commuted to a job on Capitol Hill from his new home in Virginia. They were married in Tampa Bay, Florida on May 31st, 1981. After my mother graduated, they settled down in Virginia, where they raised three (gorgeous, talented, intelligent, awesome) kids and have remained in all the years since. They’ve been married for almost 32 years, and, if all goes according to plan, will remain that way until they die. They’ll be able to visit each other in the hospital, inherit what is legally due to them, and will have benefited for decades from hundreds of rights, privileges, and benefits afforded to them by virtue of being a married couple in the eyes of both their state and their country. They’ll have had rights that they never took advantage of and maybe some that they never even knew or thought about, like most married couples. Because that’s how this country’s government works.
When my dad proposed to my mom all those years ago, I doubt either of them thought much about the possibility of having a kid who would someday be their age, over three decades later in the year 2012, and that he would be a second class citizen of the country in which he was born and raised. I don’t think it occurred to them that they would have a son who, through no fault of his own, would be denied the same rights that they had taken for granted. But that’s exactly what’s happened.
I remember vividly the night that New York passed The Marriage Equality Act in June 2011. Max and I took the subway into the West Village and joined the celebration outside of the Stonewall Inn. We shook hands, hugged strangers, took pictures, bought a polyester rainbow flag (or was it given to us?), and let ourselves feel the weight of what New York had accomplished. Neither of us had ever been close to getting married ourselves—had never personally felt the sting of being told we couldn’t—but still I remember the feeling on the subway ride back home. There was a certain lightness, an indescribable feeling of knowing that our city—our state—regarded us as equals. We were finally granted the same respect that had always been reserved only for our straight peers. It meant that we weren’t outliers, that we weren’t hated, or disparaged, or better off hiding who we were. We were—we are—people, just like everybody else.
I want everybody in this country to have the same feeling I felt that night, and continue to feel as a person lucky enough to live in New York. Unfortunately, it only takes a trip to my home in Virginia, or down to visit my grandmother in Florida, or to any of the 43 states that have legislated away my access to basic civil rights to be reminded of how far we have to go as a nation. I have yet to hear an argument against gay marriage that is not steeped in bigotry, hate, or often masked by religion. As much as Republicans would like to rewrite history, as often as their vice presidential nominee wants to say “I don’t see how a person can separate their public life from their private life or their faith,” this is not a Christian nation. Our laws and institutions are pointedly and purposefully separate from religion. Nobody is suggesting that your place of worship or religious leader has to perform a gay marriage. The request is simple: to have the same rights under the law. Separate is not equal, and anything less will not do.
I know people who are voting for Republicans. Some of these people I even count as friends. When I talk to them about it, the general response seems to be that they don’t “personally” support discrimination, even if discrimination is central to Republican social policy. Let me be clear: there is nothing more personal than a vote. By voting for Mitt Romney, you are casting a vote for discrimination. You are casting a vote against me, against my family, against equality, against fairness, against love, against freedom, against the promise of liberty and justice for all. A vote for this Republican party, as it stands in 2012, is a vote for discrimination. You are complicit in it, you are supporting it, you are perpetuating it. There is no other way to look at it, and it’s truly heartbreaking to see people I otherwise respect blind to this fact.
The choice in this election couldn’t be clearer, and not just on this issue. It’s the difference between a president who cares about the future of our education system, our public sector workers, and the social programs that attempt to keep those in need afloat, versus a party who doesn’t. It’s the difference between a president who has regained much of our respect in the world and has a proven record of successful foreign policy experience, versus a candidate with no experience, Bush’s foreign policy advisors, and reckless and wildly inconsistent ideas about the rest of the world. It’s the difference between a president who supports rights for women to receive equal pay for equal work, to have access to contraception, and to seek a safe and legal abortion if necessary, versus a party who would deny all of these rights. It’s a choice between a President who has dug this economy out of the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression versus a party who wants to return to the policies that caused the collapse in the first place. It’s the choice between a president who regards global warming as a real and tangible threat versus a party who thinks the climate change is a hoax, a joke, or both. It’s the difference between a president who doesn’t think you should go broke or die because of medical costs, versus a party that sees only the bottom line for the insurance industry. It’s the choice between a president who believes in equality versus a party who believes so profoundly in discrimination that they would amend our Constitution to reflect their extreme ideology. And that’s just off the top of my head.
To be clear, President Obama still supports states in legislating their own marriage laws, as ridiculous as that proposition is. His personal support for marriage equality does not actually represent a tangible shift in policy positions. Still, I’m not sure I can describe to a straight person how invaluable it is to have somebody in the White House who acknowledges me, who respects me, who stands in support of my rights where so many others have sat down or gone on the attack. Obama is an advocate and an ally for the gay community, and I am proud to call him my president as a gay American. An Obama presidency is not the answer, but it’s a pretty damn good place to start.
So please, go vote on Tuesday. Even if you think your vote doesn’t matter, if you don’t live in a swing state or you’ve never voted before, please vote. If you live in Washington or Maine or Maryland or Minnesota, please vote. Vote for me. Vote for my family—present and future. Vote for me to someday have the same rights as my parents. To have the same rights as you. Stand up against inequality, and stand with a president who has done the same.
Please.
I'm typically a one-issue voter - don't mess with women's rights. But throughout the past few years, I'm finding myself up on my soapbox for gay rights. Sometimes I shout. Sometimes I correct. Sometimes I cut people out of my life for hateful things they say or write. Sometimes I get up there because I'm feeling selfish and I want everyone to get screwed equally by taxes and bureaucracy in the same way I do as a childless couple. But mostly I get up there because I want everyone to have the chance to have their love and commitment recognized and afforded with all the rights that comes along with marriage.
I will be joining Daniel in voting for President Obama tomorrow. Not only because he personally believes in marriage equality, but because I fall in line with our President on so much of his other thinking and beliefs. Climate change, healthcare, women's rights.
It's with great trepidation that I'm hitting publish on this post. It breaks all of my rules about never discussing politics. But I suppose I've been quiet for long enough. I'm liberal. I support equal rights for all. I believe humankind is destroying the environment and creating conditions that are ripe for freak weather events. I believe everyone should have access to affordable healthcare. I believe that everyone should abide by the Don't be an Asshole rule. Be kind. Be generous. Go vote.
And after you vote, go get yourself a good beer as a reward. If you're into the hoppy stuff, I recommend the De Dolle Arabier from Brouwerij De Dolle Brouwers. It is a Belgian strong pale ale with a 5% ABV. It's brewed in Belgium at a property dating back to 1835.
The Arabier pours a hazy deep golden brown with a thick white head and good lacing. The smell is lemon hops. The taste is fruit esters with some metallic hop. It's tart with noticeable sourness. Overall it is incredibly hoppy. If you're into that kind of beer, you are going to love this one. If you're a bit more hop-wary like me, you may struggle to get to the bottom of the glass.
Since I'm teaching myself to love hops more, I'll rate this one a good. Cheers!
Today's beer hails from the other Portland...Portland, Maine. It's the Simcoe Spring Ale from Peak Organic Brewing Company.
I poured it like a crazy person and had to slurp the overflowing beer leaving behind this lovely photo. The head was quite thick and as it's disappearing, it's leaving behind craggy foam and plenty of lacing. The color is a slight hazy apricot shade. Nowhere on the bottle did it read pale ale other than the hint in the name -- Simcoe Spring Ale.
Plus Gary said it was the closest thing that Whole Foods had to the light summer beer or kolsch that I requested for dinner. Evidently we were both duped. That being said, this isn't a bad beer. The Simcoe hops were intended to lend a piney, floral flavor and they do just that. This beer is crisp and flavorful and bracing. It does remind me of spring interestingly enough. There's a little grass in the flavor to go with the other green tastes. Overall I give it a thumbs up. Cheers!
It's been a long, and fun day, so you get the brief wrap up and beer review and thing to think about and then it's time for bed, as there's more fun and adventure planned for tomorrow. Stopped by two favorite local breweries today, Round Guys and Tired Hands, and finished with a quick stop into The Beer Shoppe, a fantastic new take-out beer place in Ardmore. Whatever it is you like - I almost guarantee they have it. As I write this post while sitting outside on our deck, there are fireworks happening somewhere near our neighborhood, and in between the crickets chirping, you can hear the faint sounds of a party/fair/event off in the distance. Life in the suburbs is good, my friends.
The beer for today is the Gageleer, a Belgian strong pale ale which came on draft at TJ's this week. It poured a hazy orange with a thin head, and gives off a floral aroma, with hints of bread. The taste is dry, with notes of honey, fruit, and biscuit, with somewhat tart and bitter finish. Very nice beer, and well worth your effort if you see this one on draft.
A decent pic from inside a bar? Shocking!
Haven't found much info on the brewer, as even with Google translating the page from Dutch to English it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Gagel seems to have something to do with a shrub that grows in the area, but what that has to do with this beer or brewery I have no idea. They do appear to be a small start-up outfit, currently contracting their brewing through de Proefbrouwerij. Whatever works. I did note this beer is organic, for those who seek out organic beers. Hey, you learn something, you let me know.
Thing to Think About Today:
The track and field events are now underway, which means the Olympics have officially started. Swimming and gymnastics are nice, but c'mon. They aren't track and field. If yesterday's thing to think about was courage and character, even when your dreams were just dashed in the blink of an eye, let's spend some time today thinking about the courage it must have taken Jesse Ownes to not just compete, but dominate at the 1936 Olympics. You may recall those were held in Berlin, under the watchful eye of some dude named Adolf Hitler, who was hoping the games would showcase the superiority of the Aryan race.
Someone forgot to tell that to Owens, apparently, as he won gold in the 100m, 200m, 4x100m relay, and long jump, cementing himself as the greatest athlete of those games. In fact, no one would win gold in those four events in one Olympics again until Carl Lewis. A truly amazing accomplishment for someone who still faced tremendous racism in his home country, let alone in Nazi Germany.
And if we're talking about courage and sportsmanship, we also need to think about Luz Long, a German long jumper and top candidate for gold in those games. Long gave Owens advice in the preliminary rounds that helped Owens into the finals, where Owens set a new Olympic record with his final jump. The first person to greet Owens and congratulate him as he left the sand pit? Long, who had just been bumped to the silver medal. Sportsmanship, indeed.
I'm attending my cousin's wedding today, so you get the short & sweet (but not as sweet as my bitchin' seersucker suit & pink bow tie combo).
Today's beer is the Dolii Raptor, a Belgian strong ale from Birrificio Montegioco. It pours a hazy, amber orange color with a thin white head. It has a honey and orange aroma, and the taste brings you flavors of citrus and malt, with a noticeable sweetness, and a dry, oaky finish. Really nice, complex beer. It's a potent 8.5% ABV, and I look forward to having this one again somewhere down the road.
This brewery started production in 2005, in a town located between Milan and Genoa. This special version of Dolii Raptor is aged in Calvados oak barrels previously used in wine production (regular versions of this beer are aged in other barrels). In fact, they offer a number of uniquely brewed or barrel aged beers, all of which sound delicious.
Thing to Think About Today:
The Olympics are underway, medals are already being handed out (not for you, Michael Phelps... yet), and I now need to glue myself to a television for the next two weeks. Let's kick off with some classic Carl Lewis highlights from his nine gold and one silver medal winning career spanning sprints and the long jump:
Very important day today - huge, important of things have happened on May 1 throughout history. I'll stick with the main ones, in no particular order: 1. The fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta was founded in 1848, although it took until 1888 until a chapter showed up at Penn State, where it remains the oldest (and best, but I'm biased) fraternity on campus.
2. A little mutual fund company named Vanguard was born in 1975. I heard they're a pretty cool bunch of people, even if they're not so little any more.
3. I was born.
Yes, the earth has completed another revolution around the sun, and here we are again. My birthday. I've definitely hit the age where birthdays become less of a big deal. I mean, compared to the huge milestones at 16, 18, and 21, birthdays recently completely pale in comparative excitement. I remember counting down the days to my birthday when I was a kid, and now it's more of a "oh, it's my birthday next week. Where did April go?" sort of reaction. However, I did get some ice cream cake at work and plenty of well-wishes along the way, so it was definitely a good day. Hopefully I get many, many more birthdays after this one!
In the past year, I lost a number of people who meant a lot to me, in wildly different ways. My mother-in-law Louise, Joe Paterno, and most recently, my dog Flash. Next year won't be nearly as good without them all around, but I'll always carry fond memories of each forever. As long as I'm being sappy, I would be remiss if I didn't take a moment and list a few things I'm thankful for:
1. A wonderful group of friends, some who I've known since back when birthdays were exciting, some I've only met recently. You're all very special to me, and my only complaint is that I don't get to spend enough time with all of you. So call me, let's do something.
2. A great family filled with kind, loving, people. You guys are the best!
3. A great group of colleagues at work. I really enjoy my job, and working with people you like really helps make liking your job much easier.
4. My health. Relatively speaking, I'm doing okay for someone of my incredibly advanced age. After taking too much time off, I am hereby going on record that I will once again run a 24 hour ultra-marathon in 2013. Book it.
5. People who read this blog. I get it isn't the most interesting corner of the internet, but it's our corner of the internet and we appreciate you stopping by!
5. My wife and co-blogger, Marci. She's the smartest, funniest, most beautiful and wonderful person I know, and I can't imagine what she sees in a spaz like me.
Tonight's brew is the Affligem Blond, a strong pale ale which came on draft at TJ's. It poured a pale gold in the glass with a thin head, and gave off aromas of yeast, malt, and spice. It's a very tasty beer, with notes of caramel, biscuit, a little spice, and light citrus. Checks in at a respectable 6.7% ABV, and is definitely worth your time.
In operation since 1935, this brewery was originally Brouwerij de Smedt, until Beer Giant Heineken purchased it in 1996 and renamed it Brouwerij Affligem. They still produce on site, so it still counts as craft beer in my book, despite their corporate overlords.
Thing to Think About Today:
In the spirit of birthdays, let's stop and think about the greatest movie ever made about birthdays, Sixteen Candles. Another legendary John Hughes film from the 80's, this film tells the story of a girl who's family forgot her birthday - and hilarity (in the form of the Donger) ensues. This one is both touching and hysterical. Two Anthony Michael Hall movie references in less than a week? Oh, INDEED. It's my birthday, and my gift to you are these two clips.
Beer #117 Hitachino Nest Red Rice Ale / Kiuchi Brewery, Naka-shi, Japan
Not a bad way to spend a day off - not only is it Marci's birthday (yay!), and not only was the weather great, but The Franklin Institute broke ground on their long awaited building expansion today! Details are HERE, but it's going to be awesome, and my incredibly super talented wife organized the ground breaking ceremony. Instead of gold shovels in the ground, the ceremony today involved robots, explosions, hydrogen, nitrogen, and enough confetti to make me glad I wasn't the one cleaning up the mess. Good work, Marci - job well done! Can't wait to see the party when the new building opens....
The remainder of the day was spent eating and drinking. I wish I was exaggerating, that's all we ended up doing. A ten course lunch at Amada (with sangria) was followed by afternoon drinks at The Boilermaker, a new bar at 11th and Walnut in Philly. Yes, you can get a traditional boilermaker (a shot and a beer), although they have some more exotic combinations beyond the standard PBR & bottom shelf whiskey. This bar isn't "officially" open yet; their grand opening happens next Wednesday if you're interested. Great list of domestic craft beers on draft and by bottle. Evening was closed out with dinner at Fellini's in Berwyn, which is clearly our favorite restaurant of all time. Not a bad day, my friends. Not bad at all.
One of the beers from today at The Boilermaker was the Red Rice Ale from Hitachino Nest, courtesy of the Kiuchi Brewery. A Belgian strong pale ale.... from Japan? Yep, believe it. It poured an amber color with a barely there head. Your nose picks up the aroma of malt, and when you drink it you get flavors of sweet malt, earthy grains, and a hint of bitterness. Dry finish on this one. In all, a very good beer well worth your time if you're in the market for a Belgian strong pale ale.
Marci has previously sampled this brewery, and her review can be found HERE. For those of you on acid right now, I encourage you to check out this Hitachino Nest website. And to all a good night.
Is that Sasquatch or today's beer? Damn camera phone.
Thing to Think About Today:
Look, if we're talking about a good day, let's all think about having A GOOD DAY. You know what I'm talking about here:
For those of you wondering, and I know you are - Ice Cube's "Good Day" has been mathematically proven to be January 20, 1992. Unless, of course, it was actually November 30, 1988. Was there a second shooter from the grassy knoll? Hard to say.
Regardless, today was a good day. Hopefully tomorrow, you won't need to use your AK.
Beer #116 Lucifer / Brouwerij Het Anker, Mechelen, Belgium
Ah, and so we come to a four day weekend, minus the part where I'm going in to work on Friday to catch up. However, I'll be wearing shorts and a t-shirt, so it still counts as a day off. Big things happening around these parts tomorrow involving science, robots, explosions, huge dollars, and afternoon drinks. BIG things! You'll hear much, much more about that tomorrow, so I'll save any comments on the topic until then.
To kick off the weekend just right, I'm calling in a friend - Lucifer! No, not this guy.
Puddy says, "Go Devils!!!!!"
This guy:
Go Lucifer!
Ah, Lucifer, a Belgian strong pale ale from Brouwerij Het Anker. In the glass, this beer has a hazy yellow color with a fluffy white head. You're greeted by aromas of bread and fruit, and the taste has notes of apple, pepper, and malt. Decently strong at 8% ABV, it finishes with a mild, dry bitterness. Not a bad choice, and certainly a good way to ease into a long weekend.
Brewing beer since 1471, this brewery is probably better known for their Gouden Carolus, which Marci reviewed HERE. Your knowledge for the day: Het Anker translates to "The Anchor," and the name comes from a nickname for a legendary brewer in the town of Mechelen. Further knowledge: this beer was originally produced by Leifmans, and then Duvel, before becoming the property of Het Anker.
Thing to Think About Today:
So many ways to take today's closing paragraph, what with the Prince of Darkness as subject matter. I mean, how many great movies, songs, TV shows, and pop culture references have something to do with the Devil? Way more than there are awesome Kirk Cameron movies about The Rapture or whatever it is he preaches. WAY more.
With the Devil on our mind, let's all gather and think about his trip down to Georgia:
Tonight's post is going to be short and sweet. I had big plans to do a review of what's in the running for my Top 25 list in honor of the 100th post, but things are a bit crazy. Perhaps tomorrow...
***
AleSmith's Horny Devil poured a slightly cloudy apricot in my glass. It smelled of fruit -- reminded me of green apples and grapes. While it didn't pour with much of a head, it did have lots of carbonation as I drank it. It kind of reminded me of champagne in that sense. The hops were very low key. The flavor had lots of banana, spice and I even thought of maple syrup at one point. It packs a punch at 11% ABV, but the alcohol level isn't that noticeable. Kind of dangerous for such a delicious beer.
If you're interested, check out what Gary had to say about this one here.
