Hot Enough For You?

Beer #210 Apricot Cream Ale / Vertigo Brewing, Hillsboro, OR

The heatwave continues for another day, as we saw temperatures well over 100 degrees out here in the suburbs.  I went for a run around 7am, and it was like jogging in an oven even at that early hour.  Anyone out there still think global warming isn't real?  We ended up hitting Movie Tavern to combine getting out of the house while still enjoying some air conditioning.  Why didn't I think of the idea to serve beer and food and provide a better movie experience?  Stupid lack of good ideas is keeping me less wealthy than my lifestyle would like.

The beer for today is the Apricot Cream Ale  from Vertigo Brewing, which we also had on draft at Henry's in downtown Portland.  It poured a pale, clear yellow with a light head.  It had a light, fruity aroma and flavors of apricot (go figure) with a creamy texture and a clean finish. Reminded me of a Magic Hat #9 - a nice, refreshing summer beer.

Almost forgot to snap a pic, hence the half drank beer.

The guys behind Vertigo have been brewing together since 1995, and finally opened their brewery in 2008.  For now, they do not distribute outside of Oregon.  Hopefully that will change in the future.

Thing to Think About Today:
It's Saturday, and it was recently the Fourth of July, so it seems appropriate that we let Chicago close out today with Saturday in the Park, a somewhat unexpected favorite song of mine, although there's a story behind this.  From the minute I turned 16 until just before I graduated from college, I worked for my dad in the Service Department at Wright Motors (now Berger Family Dealerships), a large automobile dealership in Hazleton.  They always had an easy listening station on during business hours, so I spent lots and lots and lots of lots of time listening to songs just like this one.

At first, it was cruel and unusual punishment.  Keep in mind I was listening to nothing but the Rolling Stones and gangsta rap at this time in my life.  However, I heard songs just like this one so many times they eventually grew on me.  And not just me - Marci helped with an inventory there one summer (and appeared in a commercial!), so she's equally familiar with and fond of these old Wright Motors standards.  Ah, memories.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEm7IY6wrSw

Stay cool, people.  Drink beer.

Beer 199: Vertigo Apricot and Strange Days Indeed

I've been back to work post-vacation for three days.  For most of the six trips back and forth between home and office, I've managed to see some really strange things.

1. Hot pink Mercedes - no marketing stickers, just some dude (yes, dude) in a hot pink luxury sedan.
2. What I can only describe as venetian blind style rims. They may have been on a Lexus, but I'm not sure. I was too busy trying to figure out what was blinding me.
3. Mid-size truck that looked like a drivable Timberland boot.  WTF?
4. Car from Massachusetts speeding - as in like 65MPH or more - down the SHOULDER of I-76.  Morning rush was practically nonexistent. But this cat was clipping along like it was the HOV lane.

I was honestly sad when tonight's trip home was uneventful.

***

On to the beer review.  Vertigo Brewing's Apricot Cream Ale brews in Hillsboro, Oregon and I found the Apricot Cream Ale on draught at Henry's Tavern in Portland, Oregon.  First off, Portland is a beer lover's paradise.  Second, Henry's is awesome.  They have something like a hundred taps -- pouring all sorts of delightful brews.  I originally wrote about Henry's here.

The Apricot Cream Ale poured a bright golden color with a thick white head that left lots of lacing behind as it faded away.  The scent was all apricot and wheat.  The flavor was full and creamy, apricot at first then rolling into a nice malt with a hint of hop in the finish. Perfect beer for the perfect weather we had in Portland!

Cheers!