Guest Starring Sir Stewart Wallace, as "Himself"

Beer #146 Oud Gueze / Brouwerij Oud Beersel, Beersel, Belgium

Tomorrow's a big day in the office, so we'll just get down to business tonight.  Need to keep it fresh for tomorrow, obviously.

Tonight we're drinking the Oud Gueze Vielle from Oud Beersel.  If you're looking for a town to put your brewery in, Beersel is about as good of a name as you're going to find.  This gueuze is effervescent, sporting a rich gold with a persistent white head.  It gives off a tart, funky aroma with notes of yeast.  The taste is outstanding. Starts with a crisp tartness, and finishes dry and clean. In the middle, you get hints of apple, minerals, and lemon. For those looking to try a gueze for the first time, this would be a great option due to the balance of flavors. This beer brings a 6% ABV to the party, which is just right. So right, in fact, that this beer is headed for my Top 25. Great way to start the weekend.

Thing to Think About Today:
Marci has touched on the unfortunate passing of Adam "MCA" Yauch, but I needed to add my two cents as well.  The Beastie Boys first hit the scene as punk kids looking to party and have fun, and evolved into an incredibly influential force on the music scene for a generation of listeners who appreciated great music, ludicrously clever lyrics, and must-watch videos that told fascinating stories.  I first started listening back in the License to Ill days, and had them in the rotation straight through college.  

So let's close out tonight with Sabotage.  Greatest video ever?  Probably.  We used to recreate the scene where Sir Stewart Wallace gets tackled into the pool.  Why?  Because it was awesome, and we wanted to be awesome, too.  We gave the nickname 'Sir Stewart Wallace' to some guy who worked at Perkins and oddly resembled the character.  Why?  Well, mostly because we were idiots, but also because that guy really, really looked like Sir Stewart Wallace.  And because the Beastie Boys were awesome.  RIP, MCA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5rRZdiu1UE

Beer 146: Of Geuze and Loss

I’m going to be trite and post about Adam Yauch tonight like pretty much every other blogger in the world.  The Beastie Boys were part of the soundtrack of my life growing up. In the age before Google, imagine how mindblowing their lyrics were.  I had no idea what they were talking about and who could I possibly ask? All I knew is that it made me happy…made me feel kind of cool.  I was a nerdy white girl from the sticks and I found something wild and unlike anything else I had in my CD collection.  (I’m going to pretend here that I had CDs and wasn’t still rocking the cassette tape.  Let it go.)

I can’t believe Paul’s Boutique came out in 1989.  Mostly because it followed me all the way through college and I still love it today.  The only other band with that kind of history in my world is R.E.M.  I was in 8th grade in 1989.  That also blows my mind.

It’s weird to be so bummed over the death of someone I never met.  Maybe I’m grieving the loss of my youth.  Or maybe that there won’t ever be another Beastie Boys album and kids today are going to think that Justin Bieber is good music.  (Pardon me while I go hurl.)  But I’m going to be a little sad this weekend -- as difficult as that may be rocking out to all the Beastie Boys albums.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BptQHAW2T5M

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Tonight I’m drinking an Oud Beersel Oude Geuze.  I figured I’d better hurry up and drink it -- the best before date is October 26, 2031.  Yes, 2031.  Now I’m pissed I didn’t grab one to age.  As soon as the cork came out, the funky geuze scent started wafting across the kitchen.  It poured a cloudy straw color with a wispy head.  It has high carbonation and is very active in the glass.

The smell is funk, minerals, dirt and grass.  It drinks tart and lemony and funky and finishes clean and crisp.  Delicious.  I’m going to finish this beer and celebrate the fact that my taste and smell are working again.  Cheers!

p.s.  I couldn't post this post without dropping a “fuck cancer” on the world.  So there.  Fuck you, cancer.  You suck.