Black and White

Beer #682 Plum Noir / Southern Tier Brewing Company, Lakewood, NY
Previously from this brewery: All of them.

My phone started doing something interesting; it now tells me the weather (without opening an app) and how far away I am from home in terms of driving time.  Both helpful, but I do have to stop and ask: how does it know where I live?  I never told my phone my address, although I guess it might be smart enough to either know where I go after work every day or what address is tied to my phone number.  Either way, I'm slightly taken aback by this. On the other hand, when I'm having a tough day at work, knowing that I can come home and play with the dogs in 14 minutes is a welcome and encouraging fact.  On the other hand, Big Brother is scary.  In case you were wondering (you were), when I am home, it tells me restaurant recommendations in my neighborhood, in addition to the weather and driving time to other local points of interest.

That being said, on to the beer.  Tonight I'm giving you some Plum Noir from Southern Tier, a brewery I really enjoy.  My small glass of this beer showed off a black color, with tons of chocolate, toasted malt, and a sweet plum taste.  Hints of coffee, which means that this is definitely not my cup of tea (pun intended), but you could tell that this is a complex, well made brew.

There you have it.

There are apparently between 19 and 40 varieties of plums, depending on who you ask.  Now you know.

Thing to Think About Today:
If the beer is a Noir, then your music will be the opposite - white.  Been listening to a good bit of Jack White lately; both his solo work and his White Stripes days. Interesting guy, good music, good lyrics, hails from Detroit, brings a great fusion of rock, blues, and a dash of country. Tonight I close with Love Interruption. Night, all - hope you enjoy!

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

"I want love to walk right up and bite me / grab a hold of me and fight me / leave me dying on the ground"

Day 669: Plum Noir

I spent a lot of time this past weekend in my hometown. Hazleton (Pennsylvania) is a ramshackle shell of its former self. I always tell people what a wonderful place it was to grow up. As I drove around town this weekend, I fondly recalled epic bike rides from my house to the local grocery store. My sister and I would turn what could be a five block walk into an eight mile bike ride--often giving my poor mother a heart attack as she sat wondering why on earth it was taking us so long. There were playgrounds galore, decent schools and no need to lock your doors. Now it's a blighted mess with borderline racist laws, a NIMBY attitude, and escalating crime. It makes me so sad to go back and visit.

Yet somehow through all the mess that is Hazleton lately, there's good beer to be had there. I stopped by the local Pantry Quik, which is a downmarket version of Wawa, to explore its beer selection. While there was plenty of Budweiser and various malt beverages, there was an incredible display of craft beer including Southern Tier's Plum Noir, which is tonight's beer.

Plum Noir is an imperial porter brewed with Italian plums. It poured a deep, dark brown with just a bit of light dancing around the edges. It had a thin tan head. It smells of plums and licorice. It tastes of roasted malts, wood, and fruit. When I exhaled, there were strong coffee notes. It had a thin mouthfeel, but big flavor that lingered. As it warmed a bit, I found a little bitter chocolate.

Beer stats

Style: Imperial porter

ABV: 8%

IBUs: Unknown

Rating: Great

Previously reviewed from Southern Tier (evidently we only review Southern Tier when we have A LOT to say)

A philosophical debate on when a Christmas beer is a Christmas beer with a review of 2XMas

More 2XMas

A review of Creme Brulee Stout and my crazed musings on the evil temptress that is the avocado

And plain old rantings with a review of Unearthly Imperial IPA

Day 557: Ommegang Witte

Ever have one of those days where packing it all in and finding a job with zero responsibilities sounds like THE BEST THING EVER? Yeah, that's been the last way too many weeks in my world. But what do I do? Soldier on. But for how much longer can I just buck up and deal with it?

Luckily I have this creative outlet and some really good beer on deck. Take for example the Ommegang Witte.


It's billed as a Belgian-style wheat ale, flavorful, soft and hazy. I thought the description referred to the beer, but I guess the folks at Ommegang were psychic about the quality of the photo I was about to take of their beer. Soft and hazy. Or out of focus. Whatevs.

It poured a very light straw color, but it wasn't quite the hazy I anticipated after reading the label. It had a medium, quick-to-dissipate white head. The aroma is wheat and some light orange. The flavor is crisp and citrusy. There's lots of orange and what I'm guessing is coriander. There's also a bit of cracker flavor and it's nicely carbonated. It's a very refreshing beer and perfect for a summer day.

Beer stats
Style: Wheat ale
ABV: 5.2%
IBUs: Unknown
Rating: Very good

Previously reviewed from Ommegang
My review of Gnomegang (Belgian pale ale), Biere d'Hougomont (biere de garde), Three Philosophers (quad) and Aphrodite (fruit beer)
His review of Witte, Biere d'Hougomont and Three Philosophers

Happy Father's Day

Day #554 Witte / Ommegang, 
Previously from this brewery: Gnomegang, Biere d'Hougomont one and Biere d'Hougomont two, Three Philosophers one and Three Philosophers two, and Aphrodite

Hope you've all enjoyed a wonderful Father's Day today with your loved ones!  Courtesy of my brother-in-law and sister doing all the work in hosting a party, we had a great cookout and now I'm back home stuffed and too tired to write about beer.  But apparently not too tired to work the scanner, as I've been going through the archives to pull out choice pictures of me and my Dad from way back in the day.  Say for example:

Plaid suit, fur lined jacket... I was a four year old pimp!
Where's my cane?

I'm very thankful to have an awesome dad who taught me lessons about hard work, character, and doing the right thing.  I just wish I had half of his work ethic.  Plus, he (and my mom) got me on the path to being a huge Penn State fan as a child, which I greatly appreciate!!!  Good work, Dad.

In the spirit of the sunny day we had for the greater part of the afternoon, your beer review is a bottle of Witte from Ommegang.  This beer pours a pale, effervescent yellow with a wispy thin head.  Your nose finds aromas of cracker and grain, and when you take a sip you notice faint flavors of banana, clove, and bread.  This is a very light, very refreshing beer that still brings flavor that macro beers just can't seem to find. Definitely good for a warm summer day.

Delightful

Thing to Think About Today:
I've been working hard to find a great song about Father's Day.... and I'm struggling.  You guys have any suggestions?  Most are about absentee dads or fathers who failed to measure up to the job description - not exactly what I'm trying to highlight here.  In lieu of something more appropriate, I will leave you with a song from my dad's era, Fortunate Son.  The lyrics don't work, but I guess that title fits, as I do feel fortunate. It will have to do, as I'm done here.  Happy Father's Day, all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f33qUqdZapw

Tiger, I Put Out Fresh Towels

Day #552 Sweet Action / Sixpoint Craft Ales, Brooklyn, NY
Previously from this brewery: Bengali Tiger, Sweet Action, and Gorilla Warfare

Do any of you know Tiger Woods?  If so, do you know if he still needs a place to live for the 113th U.S. Open being held at Merion Golf Club, just around the corner (cough*six miles*cough) from my house?  We live near not one but two championship courses (Aronimink being the other), and in both cases I've read reports of people renting out their house to golfers or fans for the week for relatively handsome sums of money.  Seriously, Tiger, have your people call my people; they know my number.  There's a ton of beer in the fridge, nice flat screen in the study, and I can even provide two companion dogs if you want someone to cuddle with you after a bad round.  There's also a Hooters near the King of Prussia mall if you want someone to cuddle with you after a bad round if you *wink* know what I mean.  Either way, I can make it happen for you.  Some may say I should have started this campaign to get Tiger in my house months, if not years ago.  Perhaps you're right, seeing how Tiger doesn't seem to be replying to my emails.  Some may say I should live closer to the course, or have a bigger house, or many other things that would make my home enticing to professional golfers.  Whatevs, I say.  If Philadelphia miraculously wins a bid for a future Summer Olympics some day down the road, you're all invited over.  Bring your own towels, though - I'm not your maid.

Today's beer is a glass of Sweet Action from Sixpoint in Brooklyn.  This cream ale has a dull amber hue with a fluffy white head that really looked like marshmallow.  There's an aroma of light citrus and malt, and the taste has hops, with predominant flavors of citrus, and sweet malt in a perfect balance.  There's a very creamy texture, which isn't surprising considering the style of beer.  I can't quite figure this beer out in terms of flavors and aromas, but I know it tastes good and I like it.  What else do you really need?

Beer & marshmallow, it would seem

If you're in the market for a cream ale and can't find Sixpoint, I also suggest a Lancaster Brewing Country Cream Ale.  A style you don't see often, which sucks, because these beers are delicious.

Thing to Think About Today:
As if there's anything else even remotely possible for this space considering the U.S. Open golf tournament and some of the greatest players in the world are right around the corner (ahem) from my house and possibly sleeping over later this weekend.  No, no there is not.  Therefore, we close today with the legendary film Caddyshack.  Enjoy the best quotes in rapid fire order, and seriously Tiger, just return my damn calls!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O7YGQjMKNQE

"How 'bout a Fresca?"

Day 551: Southern Tier 2XMas

From the moment I opened today's beer, this song has been stuck in my head.

http://www.metrolyrics.com/hurt-feelings-lyrics-flight-of-the-conchords.html

Most specifically the line, "The day after my birthday is not my birthday." In my version, the lyrics aren't quite as catchy. But that hasn't stopped me from singing, "The day after Christmas is not Christmas." Is the Christmas beer still a Christmas beer even when it gets opened in June?

Chew on that while I sip on this.

This is Southern Tier Brewing Company's 2XMas--a double spiced ale. It's a seasonal ale brewed in the tradition of Swedish Glogg with two varieties of hops, four varieties of malts, figs, orange peel, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and ginger. And it tastes exactly like the holidays!

It pours a medium-tone brown ale with a thin head. It smells like pie spice...cinnamon and cloves. There's also some honey in the smell. It drinks with a medium consistency and feels full in my mouth. It's spicy and tastes of clove and figs. And just a little bit of cherry. It's a bit boozy but nothing overwhelming. This is also a very, very aromatic beer. It scented my kitchen from the moment I opened the bottle and even as it sat in my glass, it continued to smell amazing.

Beer stats
Style: Spiced ale
ABV: 8%
IBUs: Unknown
Rating: Excellent

Previously reviewed from Southern Tier
His review of 2XMas, Unearthly Imperial IPA with an oddly appropriate holiday song,
My review of Creme Brulee Stout and musings on why avocados are so powerful

Christmas in June

Beer #543 2XMAS / Southern Tier Brewing Company, Lakewood, NY
Previously from this brewery: Creme Brulee stout, Unearthly IPA 

Spent the day at the ballpark, thankfully watching the Phils pull out a late win against the hapless (except when they play the Phils) Miami Marlins.  Great day for a game, great time was had by all.

And with that short but sweet update, I'm getting right into the beer.  Tonight I decided to pull a beer out of the back corner of the fridge, a bottle of 2XMAS from Southern Tier.  There's apparently something called Christmas in July, so therefore I feel well within my right to have a Christmas beer in June.  In the glass, you see a dark amber hue, and are greeted by big aromas of spice - clove and nutmeg, predominantly.  When you take a sip, you find Christmas in a glass: cardamom, clove, nutmeg, ginger, and orange peel.  This is a tasty beer, but I'd like it quite more if I drank it in season, instead of in June.  Hey, can't win them all.  One less beer in the fridge, I say.

Ho, Ho, Hold on.... Christmas beer?

Thing to Think About Today:

Nothing says baseball like Christmas carols.  Paul McCartney, do you agree?  Of course you do, as we're simply having a Wonderful Christmastime.  Even in June.  Night, friends!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1-sXrdQtog

Day: 494: Ommegang Gnomegang

I wish I had words about the mess in Boston. I thought they would come to me in the days following the tragedy, but they continue to elude me. That's most likely because Mr. Blog Named Brew used them all in a beautiful post yesterday. Ditto. But it was tennis for me.

Gnomegang is Ommegang's Belgian pale ale that my friend John has been telling me about for a year plus. I almost started to think it didn't exist until I found it on draft at TJ's this past weekend. 

It poured a hazy gold with a medium white head. After my first sip, I declared, "Welll John wasn't wrong. That's good beer."

It smells and tastes strongly of Belgian candi sugar. There's a nice spice to it..maybe cloves? It drinks with a lovely smoothness and has a kick at the finish. Lots of complex and rich flavors happening in there. Nice level of maltiness. It gives me a nice warm feeling, but isn't cloying. In fact, I thought the finish was nice in the level of dryness.

Beer stats

Style: Belgian pale ale

ABV: 9.5%

IBUs: Unknown

Rating: Excellent

Previously reviewed from Ommegang

His and hers reviews of Biere d'Hougoumont

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

Day 440: Sixpoint, Six Shooter, Yee Haw

It's a strange day in Marci-land. I opted for my cowboy boots instead of loafers today. Did you know that cowboy boots totally make you saunter? I've been sauntering all over this place today. Then for whatever reason, I was moved to update my Facebook profile photo...

The photo led to my declaration of it being a "beer and guns kind of day." Honestly I wasn't drinking when I wrote that. I was drinking when I was shooting anything and everything with that BB gun. 

Beer and guns...cowboy boots...six shooters...Sixpoint beer. And that, kids, is how you transition to a beer review.

Today's beer is the Sixpoint Gorilla Warfare. It's an American porter brewed with coffee beans from Gorilla Coffee in Park Slope, Brooklyn. I didn't know anything about this beer when I ordered it. It was billed as an American Porter. Lucky for me, I love coffee and this beer did not disappoint.

(photo will go here if I can find it) Success!

It poured an opaque brown. It's smell and taste were all wrapped up in each other. Lots of coffee. Nutty. Hints of vanilla. A really good, bold coffee presence. Bitter but smooth with a touch of sweetness. 

Sometimes coffee beers are just beer and coffee smashed together without much effort to blend them. Sixpoint does a fantastic job of getting the balance just right.  

Beer stats

Style: American porter

ABV: 7%

IBUs: 52

Rating: Excellent

Previously reviewed from Sixpoint

My review of Sixpoint's cream ale Sweet Action

Gary's review of Bengali Tiger (IPA)

Beer, French History, ABBA

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

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

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

Can I have a hug(omont)?

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

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

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

Day 428: Ommegang Biere D'Hougoumont

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

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

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

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

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

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

Day 374: Ommegang Three Philosophers

I love giving gifts. Like head-over-heels, madly in love with gift giving. I want to marry it and have its babies, and then give those babies gifts, I love it so. I guess it goes without saying that holiday shopping season is like crack for me. I get such a rush finding the perfect gift or assembling a gift basket. And the wrapping! The wrapping! God, I even love wrapping gifts. I'm going to need rehab come January.

I work for beer in case you want to hire me!

If you're shopping for a gift for a beer lover, you should consider something from Brewery Ommegang. Typically I can't pass up a brew from Ommegang, they're that good.  Today we're going with the Three Philosophers. This was the first beer I drank once I knew I had the final beers for the blog covered back on November 28. If anyone was paying attention to me at TJ's that night, they may have wondered why I was giggling delightedly while I drank it. Now you know.

Three Philosophers poured a hazy mahogany color with a dense off-white head.  I can usually find differences between the smell and taste of a beer, but all my notes indicate that they matched up perfectly.  Lots of earthy and rich scents and tastes. Dark fruit, molasses and chocolate. It's sweet but not overly so. It's super smooth without any hop bite. There's lots of malt goodness. 

What I didn't know or at least read and instantly forgot is that Three Philosophers is blended with a small amount (2%) of Liefmans Kriek, an authentic cherry ale from Belgium. I guess cherry is in that  dark fruit flavor that I noted, but I didn't discern cherry in particular.

Beer stats

Style: Quadrupel ale

ABV: 9.7%

IBUs: 19

Rating: Excellent 

Links to prior reviews for Ommegang

My review of Aphrodite, a raspberry and pear ale

Gary's thoughts on Three Philosophers and the possibility of pirate dogs

Sugar Hill Gang

Beer #337 Sugar Hill Golden Ale / Harlem Brewing Company, New York, NY
Beers to go: 29

After a busy Sunday hosting a tailgate party fundraiser (thank you to those who supported us!), it's time for a relaxing Sunday.  And of course in my world, that means Sunday brunch.  There are few things I enjoy more than brunch, particularly on a nice, sunny Sunday.  It's a peaceful, enjoyable way to spend a slow paced weekend morning; some eggs, some bacon, a Bloody Mary.... can't wait.

Before we get there, let's keep the countdown rolling and review the Sugar Hill Golden Ale from Harlem Brewing Company.  In the glass, this beer has a clear gold color with a wispy white head.  Your nose finds aromas of grain and honey, and the taste has flavors of malt sweetness and bread, with a floral, honey character.  Easy drinking at 4% ABV, this beer is a good alternative to macro light beers.  If you see it on the shelf, give it a try.

Drinker's Delight

This brewery has been in business since 1996, and is minority owned and operated.  For those who were wondering, Sugar Hill is a neighborhood in Harlem, and was given the name in the 1920's when affluent African Americans moved there to live "the sweet life."  Prominent residents included W.E.B. DuBoise, Duke Ellington, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, to name a few.

Thing to Think About Today:
I know that with a beer named Sugar Hill, you're expecting some Rapper's Delight by The Sugarhill Gang.  And knowing how much I love the Rolling Stones, maybe you're expecting some Harlem Shuffle.  However, it's a Sunday, and if you've forgotten the first paragraph, it's almost time for brunch.  A key component of brunch is a relaxed environment, and music can play a huge a part in making that happen.  So, let's pay homage to a Sugar Hill resident and let Duke Ellington finish up with Take the A Train - a song that also makes reference to Sugar Hill in the lyrics.  Enjoy your Sunday, everyone.... see you at brunch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cb2w2m1JmCY

Beer 329: Harlem Beer Company and a Call to Action

Whatever you want to call her...hurricane, superstorm, cyclone...Sandy wreaked havoc on the east coast. I know many people, whether through real life or Internet connections, who were deeply impacted by this storm. Friends have been without power for days. One of their parents lost everything. As I sit here at age 37, looking at the life I've created for myself, I can't begin to imagine what it's like to have it all washed away after a much fuller lifetime.

I thank god we were spared this time around. Last October we weren't so lucky. But after a week of living without power, tossing out everything in our refrigerator and several thousand dollars in home repairs, we're back to normal. In fact, the house is looking better than ever. But our neighborhood wasn't destroyed. Our schools were fine. I didn't find myself in a shelter or dealing with FEMA.

This time around I find myself feeling guilty and lost. What can I do? I'm just far enough away to make the logistics of volunteering in person too challenging. It's time to put my money where my mouth is and make a contribution to the relief efforts. And I'm asking you to do the same.

Click one of the links below to support either the Red Cross or the ASPCA. Better yet, click both of them like I did!






Another option is a donation of blood. Countless blood drives were cancelled during and after this storm and blood is a much needed resource all the time -- not just during natural disasters. Check out the Red Cross's site for a blood drive near you.

Just in case the links above don't work, click here for the Red Cross and here for the ASPCA.

In keeping with my New York theme, I'm reviewing the Sugar Hill golden ale from the Harlem Beer Company.



It poured a golden apricot color with a thin white head and has a bready fruit aroma with undertones of honey. The flavor has some metallic hop bite, biscuit and fruity hop. It's an easy drinking beer. Not one I would go out of my way to find but enjoyable. Cheers!

Make Love to the Camera

Beer #161 Hefeweizen / Lake Placid Craft Brewing Company, Lake Placid, NY

Big day today in our world: new camera arrived at the house last night, and we spent the morning learning how to use the features.  We opted for a Nikon 5100, and so far it seems to be a good addition to our household.  This was a must get, as our old point & click camera takes relatively crappy photos.  Needed to up our game before our June beer vacation, and I think we're now well prepared for some great pictures.

Sitting on the deck on a sunny afternoon, I'm enjoying a Hefeweizen from Lake Placid.  It pours with a clear,  gold hue, and gives off aromas of yeast.  There are flavors of fruit, grain, and yeast, and a dry, peppery note shines through.  A nice relaxing beer as we get ready to make dinner (grilled shrimp), but could stand a little more complexity perhaps.  This being said, my allergies are kicking into high gear, so take any aroma/flavor notes with a grain of salt.

Do not be alarmed: this was still taken with my camera phone

Interesting story here, the demand for Lake Placid's beers far outpaced their supply, so they've entered into a contract arrangement with nearby Matt Brewing Company, producers of Saranac beer.  Nothing like a little cooperation to keep the wheels of commerce turning.

Thing to Think About Today:
I thought about the 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics, but it's way too nice outside to think about hockey.  Instead, we'll celebrate our new camera with Spoon's great song, I Turn My Camera On, because that's what we did this morning:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ro95Ns58qSE

Beer 161: Lake Placid Brewing

Today's trip to Wegman's delivered six new breweries. Among them Lake Placid Brewing Company's hefeweizen.

It poured hazy but not cloudy, not much head. It smelled generally of beer...nothing in the way of banana or clove. The flavor is kind of meh as well. If I drink a big mouthful and savor it and think really hard, I can find a hint of the classic hefeweizen flavors. I should not have to work so hard.

Would I be pissed if I ordered this at a bar? Not if it were reasonably priced. Would I order/buy it again? No.

There are many, many better hefeweizens out there. You could read about some of the ones we've had here.
Cheers!

Beer 135: Butternuts Beer and Ale and WTF

Day 1 of the biggest week ever is done.  All I could think of one the way home is a cold refreshing beer.  Long story short, I find myself walking around the house demanding to know why the fuck would you print farmhouse ale on a can of stout?  Why?  Why would you do that to me? Why Butternuts, why?

So now you know I’m having a stout tonight.  It is the Butternuts Beer and Ale stout to be exact.  Seriously.  It says farmhouse ale on the front of the can.  And no, the fun cow on the label wasn’t a tip off.  And Gary assures me all the damn cans read farmhouse ale.  I’m shaking my fist at you, Butternuts.

The Moo Thunder stout poured a deep, dark and rich shade of brown with a cocoa color head.  It smells great.  Strong roasted aromas of coffee.  It drinks thin but with lots of character.  Flavors of cola and coffee dominating up front and finishing with burnt coffee.  The burnt taste is a bit much every once in awhile and it can morph into bitter pretty quickly -- not what I expect from a milk stout.  Beer Advocate rates it as exceptional.  I’d give it a surprisingly good.  If it were a bit creamier and a little sweeter, I could definitely get onboard with exceptional.  Cheers!

The Post Where Nothing Makes Sense

Beer #104 Cold Front / Ithaca Brewing Company, Ithaca, NY

Another long week comes to a close, but at least that means it's Friday.  Weather is good, dinner is Chinese take-out, and I get to sleep in tomorrow.  Which really means 7am, but the lack of having something to do first thing in the morning is wonderful in my world.  Marci has threatened that a hang over might be in order for Sunday morning, however, tonight seems quiet.  We'll see.  The night is young.

Tonight's beer is the Cold Front, a  Belgian styled brown ale from Ithaca Beer Company which came on draft at The Side Bar in West Chester, PA.  Great beer list, for those looking for somewhere to drink good beers.  This one pours a mahogany color in the glass, and has aromas of roasted malt.  When you take a sip, you get candi sugar, toffee, and roasted malt, with a bitterness on the end.  Tried this because it was the only Ithaca on draft and I was eager to sample something from Ithaca, but quite honestly it was a little too roasted, a little too coffee flavored for my delicate taste buds.  I think their red ale, Cascazilla, might be more my speed.  However, if you're in the market for roasted, give this one a shot.

Neglected to snag a picture of said beer, so I'll just leave this here:

Bloodsport gif?  Always mesmerizing, if rarely relevant.

You're welcome.


Thing to Think About Today:
Look, you know I love to connect your thing to think about to the beer, the town the brewery is in, something, anything.  I've spent way too many brain cells this week thinking about work, so my creative genius is running low and I couldn't make any "Ithaca is Gorges" jokes be funny.  Crap, I mean I just dropped a Bloodsport gif in this post for NO reason.  So, if you're thinking of something for no reason, we might as well drift out to the West Coast and let Young MC kick off the weekend with juuuust the right groove:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A666vGr5c74 

Thinking that hang over might sound like a good idea after all....

Beer 103: Southampton Imperial Porter

I can only describe the past few weeks at work as utterly insane.  And it's not even crunch time yet.  I can't imagine the level of insanity that April is going to bring.  Hopefully there is some respite come May...otherwise I don't know if I can continue at this pace.  /sigh

*** 

Tonight I'm drinking Southampton Publick House's imperial porter.  Southampton comes to us from New York and this particular beer is inspired by Baltic porters of centuries past.  

This imperial porter poured a deep dark brown and was very bubbly.  It had a thin, slightly off-white head.  The smell was full of sweet roasted malted.  The taste was remarkably light and refreshing.  It closed with a nice hope bite.  Overall it was smooth, not too roasted, a bit smokey and pretty easy to drink.  Very nice, indeed.

Cheers!

Pirate Dogs and Pimps

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).