Censible.

Day #599 V Cense / Brasserie de Jandrain-Jandrenouille, Jandrain-Jandrenouille, Belgium
Previously from this brewery: IV Saison, which was just ok.

Hard to believe it's Wednesday again.  Today's review comes from another beer poured at Moeder Lambic pre-cycling.  I chose a big bottle of V Cense, a farmhouse ale from Jandrain-Jandrenouille.  This beer was totally a "roll the dice" beer, as I had ordered something else that was out of stock, and told the waiter (who certainly knew his stuff) to bring me whatever he thought might be close to what I wanted.  It arrived nestled into a wicker basket, and we'd find that many big bottle purchases (750ml) arrived with such fanfare. To show them off? To keep them cool?  Don't know.  Didn't ask.

In the glass, there was a bright amber color and monstrous fluffy white had.  There were aromas of malt, bread, and spice, and when you take a sip you get more of the same.  A dry beer with some malt sweetness, a bit of peppery spice, touches of lemony citrus and hints of tartness.  Solid choice, although not a world class offering in my book.

Wow, this picture SUCKS

Their website is so bad it's actually kind of funny.  Click here, and see why.  Okay, fine, I'll just tell you in case you're lazy.  It's just a picture of the label from their IV Saison.  Nothing else.  Why?  No idea.  Why do they number their beers?  No idea.  I do know that this brewery is in a town smack dab in the middle of Belgium, so there's that.

Thing to Think About Today:
So obviously that website needs some work.  Wait... did I just say work?  Let's think about combining work with my bottle of V and let Dolly Parton close out with her rendition of 9 to 5 from a recent episode of The Today Show.  Congrats for getting through another day of work... one day closer to retirement!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZ-bezD_fXM

The Day the Music Lived

Day #470 Commercial Suicide / Jester King Craft Brewery, Austin, TX
Previously from this brewery: More Commercial Suicide, Le Petite Prince (plus Revenge of the Nerds!) and more Le Petite Prince (sans Revenge of the Nerds)

Happy Sunday, my friends!  Big day today; spent an early morning getting my new iPod set up.  I may have mentioned earlier that after eight good years, the iPod died a quiet, peaceful death.  Music is important to me, and despite the fact there are no less than four other devices in the house that can access the cloud and play music, a new iPod is necessary.  Particularly so I can have music in my car and provide music to the masses at our legendary tailgates.  Thankfully I'm back in business, and happy as a result.

Beyond getting back into a groove, Sunday was good in other ways.  Spent time doing some important work, ran some errands, and now I'm watching basketball and enjoying a beer.  Could be better, I suppose, but I'll take it with a smile.

While I'm relaxing, I'll give you my review of today's beer, a bottle of Commercial Suicide from Jester King.  While pouring this one, it reminded me of pouring a cola; same color, plenty of carbonation, and a wispy bit of off-white head.  There is an aroma of oak and malt, and when you take a sip it's almost creamy, with barely toasted malt, vanilla, toffee and a earthy, nutty flavor.  There are very little hops and a clean finish.  This one was labeled as a oaked farmhouse mild, but comes across more as an English bitter that spent some time in a wine barrel (that makes sense; it did).  Incredibly interesting mix of flavors, particularly for such a low ABV (3.5%) beer.

Such creepy labels.  Soooo creepy.

Now that I've piqued your interest in this beer, I need to inform you that you're not likely to find too many more bottles of this, as it has been retired by the brewery and no longer produced.  Sorry, Charlie.

Thing to Think About Today:
As many of you know, and some of you have experienced, I like to create a new playlist for every tailgate I attend/host.  It can be a pain to try and mix things up every week, particularly considering some tailgates might be over ten hours long.  However, it's a labor of love, and in the spirit of love, I give you a tailgate song I love to add in to keep the party going.  What, you were expecting something other than I Think We're Alone Now by Tiffany?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6Q3mHyzn78

"And so we're running just as fast as we can / Holding on to one another's hands"

Day 464: Another Day, Another Jolly Pumpkin Beer

Here's some honest sharing. For a couple of months last year, I wasn't happy. Nothing was inherently wrong with my world--I just wasn't comfortable in it. I self-analyzed. I pondered. I had no answers. Then I ran into a few random inspirational quotations on a number of my favorite blogs. Something about them started nudging me in the right direction and I got my head straight. 

This was one of them and I just encountered it again. I know someone who needs it. I hope they read my post today.

Choose to be optimistic. It feels better.

                                                          -- Dalai Lama

And if optimism doesn't work, then check out a new beer. Today's beer is the Jolly Pumpkin E.S. Bam, an extra special bam biere. If I'm interpreting the label correctly, it's extra special thanks to more malts and more hops. 

This saison or farmhouse ale pours with a thick head that left a craggy landscape behind. It has a yeasty tang in the nose--funky and sharp. The flavor is strong on the hops...bright...grassy. Lots of citrus pith flavor. Very bold. There's also something very refreshing--maybe where I'm pulling the bright adjective from--but I can't quite put my finger on it. There's also the typical farmhouse spice.

Beer stats

Style: Farmhouse ale/saison

ABV: 4.7%

IBUs:  Unknown

Rating: Great

Previously reviewed from Jolly Pumpkin
His and her reviews of La Roja
My review of Luciernaga from a Jolly Pumpkin bender
Gary's review of E.S. Bam
My review of Madrugada Obscura and some crazy lady ranting about St. Patrick's Day
Gary actually has tried all the Bam bieres

Jolly Good Time

Day #423 E.S. Bam / Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, Dexter, MI
Previously from this brewery: my review of Bam Biere from the day Coach Paterno passed away, Marci's look at Madrugada Obscura from St. Patrick's Day

Busy day today in the office, followed by basketball, followed by me making homemade meatballs and sauce, so I'm getting right down to business.  The beer to close out this busy day is E.S. Bam, a saison from Jolly Pumpkin.  In the glass, this beer has a light caramel color with a huge, fluffy head.  Your nose finds a tart aroma, with earthy notes of malt and citrus.  The taste is downright delightful; dry, with grain and some funk, with a hop bitterness, particularly in the finish.  This beer was aged in oak barrels and bottle conditioned, yet has an easy drinking 4.7%V ABV.  Jolly Pumpkin is one of those breweries where you can pick up anything they make with confidence you're going to get something great in your glass.  Fire away....

Bad picture, great beer!

No, this beer doesn't have pumpkin.  That's just the name of the brewery, so relax.  The brewer and his wife were just tossing out potential names for their new brewery, and kept coming back to this one.  Works for me.

Thing to Think About Today:
In the spirit of Jolly Pumpkin, I present Smashing Pumpkins.  I close with Today, a song that always brings me back to the days of college - and puts a smile on my face in the process.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmUZ6nCFNoU

"Today is the greatest / day I've ever known."

Day 378: Hill Farmstead Arthur

I cannot be trusted around sushi. After an evening of sheer oceanic gluttony last night, I'm going in for Round 2 sushi dinner. Same restaurant. Some of the same people. I'm curling my hair and considering wearing glasses as a disguise. And yes, the food is that good. 

In the spirit of back-to-back sushi nights, I'm reviewing back-to-back beers from Hill Farmstead. As you may recall, just three days ago, I shared my commentary on their brew by the name of Clara. Both were had at TJ's 9th anniversary party a few weekends ago and if I had to pick a winner in a Hill Farmstead battle, I'd go with the Arthur.  

Arthur is a saison or farmhouse ale and is named for the brewer's grandfather's youngest brother. Per the Hill Farmstead description of Arthur, it is a saison crafted from American malted barley, American and European hops, their distinctive farmhouse yeast and water from the farm's well. It is unfiltered and naturally carbonated.

From the picture, you'll see that the Arthur poured a hazy but not cloudy deep gold color. It smells of tart yeast and malt. A fantastic smell that I love in a saison. The flavor was light bread, grass, a little more funk than I expected and a very nice subtle pear. My notes indicated some hesitation between green apple and pear. I wrote down and crossed out both of them multiple times and settled on pear.  

Beer stats

Style: Saison / Farmhouse ale

ABV: 6%

IBUs: Unknown

Rating: Excellent

Previously reviewed beers from Hill Farmstead 

My review of George

Gary's review of Harlan

My very recent review of Clara

Beer 315: Brasserie de Cazeau and Yoga Life

I'm practicing yoga at a new studio. It is decidedly more laid back and mom-oriented than my last studio. First class was basic. Like so basic I didn't come close to breaking a sweat and was bored out of my mind. This morning's class was much better. How do I know? The shoulder and arm work has rendered my arms nearly useless. That's how.

I'm hoping my arms hold out until after the PSU game tonight. I have some beers to drink. In the meantime I'll tell you about an interesting saison.

It's the Saison Cazeau aux fleurs de sureau. That last part means with elder flowers. This one is brewed at Brasserie de Cazeau in France. The brewery began in 1753, took a hiatus in 1969 and came back to life again in 2004.


It poured a hazy dark lemonade color with a loose white head. it smelled a bit like a sour ale, yeasty and lemony. The taste had a lot going on. Spices, yeasty twang, buttery and a hint of mint. The only thing didn't care for was some metallic taste every so often. Overall it was nice and crisp with lots of flavor. I'll rate it a good.

Cheers!

Get With the Program

Beer #276 Ryedentity Crisis / Knee Deep Brewing Company, Lincoln, CA

Another hustle day, so another day with the short and sweet.  I know you love and appreciate the longer posts, but for now you'll have to live with something a bit more to the point.  The beer du jour is the Ryedentity Crisis, a beer  from Knee Deep Brewing.  This beer pours with a clear, light amber color in the glass, and your nose is greeted with a light aroma of grain. The taste has notes of bread and honey, with a light peppery spiciness from the rye.  Ryedentity Crisis is billed as a farmhouse ale, and we all know how much I enjoy farmhouse ales.  If you see it somewhere, order it!

Add caption

Knee Deep has been brewing since 2006, although their website is a bit unclear as to when they "officially" started brewing beers for the public.

Thing to Think About Today:
Keeping with the football theme, let's switch from high school to college and spend the evening with The Program, a film that more or less explores the high stakes game of big time college football. Starring Omar Epps and James Caan (and I suppose Kristy Swanson and for whatever it's worth Halle Berry), this film definitely gets you ready for some D1 college football, warts and all.  Shall we?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6qnHU2fRSQ

The Calm Before the Tailgate Storm

Beer #265 Le Petite Prince / Jester King Craft Brewery, Austin, TX

Brief update, as it's one of my favorite days of the year - the night before the first home PSU game.  Campus is alive again, the weather is stupendous, and the tailgate should be in full force.  Let's do this, people!

Today's beer is Le Petite Prince, a farmhouse ale from Jester King Craft Brewery.  This beer has a pale yellow color, and the aroma is light and funky.  You get light flavors of lemon, with mild hops and some peppery spice.  Easy drinking, and quite tasty.

Pay no attention to the man on the bottle

This is another example of a great tasting beer with a very reasonable ABV - a meager 2.8%.  Much less than your typical macro lite beer, in fact.  Is the artwork on the bottle a tad bit creepy?  Sure, it's hugely creepy, but don't let that stop you from buying and drinking this beer.  We're visiting Texas later this year, and we intend to stop by and pay this brewery a visit.

Thing to Think About Today:
So, we're down to the final two movies of "college week", and I've obviously saved the best for last.  Today's movie is Revenge of the Nerds - a movie that made me very seriously consider the fact that I probably wanted to join a fraternity in college.

This classic movie is an "us vs. them" tale, as nerds get kicked out of their house when the jock fraternity house burns down after a party.  The nerds realize that they won't be on a level playing field until they join a fraternity and get a seat on something called Greek Council.  When no other fraternity will allow them to start a new chapter... well... because they're nerds, they look to bring a new organization to campus, Lambda Lambda Lambda.  Once they move in, it's war between the jocks and the geeks, culminating in the Greek Carnival, where the Tri Lams eventually find themselves victorious courtesy of their superior intellect.

This movie boasts an incredibly star studded cast, a killer soundtrack highlighted by the Talking Heads, some gratuitous nudity, elaborate pranks, improbably awesome characters, and huge amount of quotable lines.  It's an absolutely amazing movie, and stands the test of time - it's as funny today as it was back when you first watched this film.  Get back into the spirit of college, and check this classic out again soon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hw6zrInbtQE

And, just because it's a mind blowing scene and I have this song on my iPod, I present this song:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1mRG2oAQhso

"NEERRRDDDDS! NERDS, NERDS, NERDS, NERDS....."

Beer 204: Green Flash and All the Beers!

A brewery in an office park? Not as strange as it sounds.

Day #2 in San Diego took us to Green Flash Brewing Company.  We also visited Karl Strauss Brewing that afternoon, but that's another story for another day.

As our GPS guided us to Green Flash, I thought for certain it malfunctioned as we pulled into a nondescript office park.  But it turns out this was no ordinary white collar bastion -- it was home to Green Flash Brewing.     

After taking a look at the tap list, I couldn't decide so I opted for a sampler.  

Delicious sampler!

On the far right is the Saison Diego.  It was a hazy golden ale with very little head.  It's brewed with Seville orange peels, ginger and grains of paradise per the website.  It was light but spicy...a little earthy and quite tasty.

Beer #3 in the photo was the Rayon Vert.  Green Flash described it as being their flagship if they were founded in Belgium.  It's their Belgian-style pale ale and I should have known better.  But this was early in the beer-cation and I hadn't fully given in to the hop yet.  My notes indicate it was way too hoppy for me.  I went for it because it was conditioned with Brettanomyces.  That definitely added a nice dryness.  

Next up was the Double Stout Black Ale.  It poured black as night with a full light tan head.  It was fantastic.  Very roasted and creamy -- almost reminded me of a milk stout with a hint of hops in the finish.  Excellent.  

As far as the one on the left...I haven't a clue.  I stopped taking notes but based on the picture below, I really seemed to enjoy it! 

One more for the heck of it!

I probably could have stayed at Green Flash until they threw us out but luckily better sense prevailed and we continued on the great beer adventure!

Cheers!

Of Leopards and Supersonic Jets

 Beer #151 Liopard Oir / Lavery Brewing Company, Erie, PA

Spent every free minute at work today (all six of them) working to book hotels for our upcoming vacation.  Found a sweet, sweet deal on a resort undergoing renovations and offering cut rate prices to keep guests there.  Considering that I only plan to sleep & shower in the room and spend the rest of the time at the beach, eating fish tacos, or relaxing at brew pubs, renovations to the lobby and whatever else they're fixing are irrelevant to me.  Thanks, internet!

With dreams of summer in mind, tonight's farmhouse ale comes from another Pennsylvania brewery, Lavery.  Was expecting good things from this beer the minute I read it was brewed with brettanomyces, and it didn't disappoint.  Poured a clear, effervescent gold with a wispy white head.  On the nose, you get subtle aromas of yeast and lemon, and from the first sip you can pick up flavors of lemon, bread, grass, and a mellow spice finish, and the brett adds a nice crisp tartness.  Very good beer, particularly for summer.

I know you've all been dazzled by my ability to learn & speak Dutch, but I'll throw some Irish out there for you as well, as this beer translates from the Irish words for "gold leopard."  Would love to get another bottle to let it age in the cellar, but sometimes beer is tasty and I can't delay gratification, so aging a few bottles is not likely to happen.  Lavery is another relative newcomer on the scene, opening their doors in 2009.  Best thing ever to come out of Erie?  As I don't know of many other things to come out of Erie, I'll go ahead and declare "yes."

Thing to Think About Today:
While this brewery is from Erie, the name is Irish, and if we're thinking Irish it's about time you all started thinking about a fantastic band out of Ireland.  No, not U2.  I'm talking about Bell X1.  No, not the supersonic jet, the super awesome band named after said supersonic jet.  This band sounds like the mellow love child of the Talking Heads, which is good as I'm an enormous Talking Heads fan.  Smart lyrics, soulful message, catchy songs.  Don't take my word for it, check out their album Blue Lights on the Runway, and this song, The Great Defector:

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

"I love the way your underwire bra/always sets off that x-ray machine"

Beer 151: Lavery Farmhouse Ale

I'm embarassed to be an American.

The rights I have should be the same rights that any American has regardless of sexual orientation.  I'm also absolutely exhausted by the mixing of politics and religion.  I don't shove my atheism down your throat.  Don't shove your christianity down my throat. 

Why can't everyone subscribe to the "Don't Be a Dick" philosophy of life?  I fear that it's not going to get better.  I fear that it's going to get much, much worse before we can even think about it getting better.

***

And on that uplifting thought, it's time for beer.  Tonight we opened a Lavery Brewing Company farmhouse ale -- the Liopard Oir.  Lavery is a Pennsylvanian like me.  At this moment, I'm kind of happy that I share the Commonwealth with them because this is a pretty good beer.  The Liopard Oir is brewed with barley, wheat, rye, oats and corn and hopped with locally sourced hops.  It's bottled with Brettanomyces - and everyone now:   That's a good thing in my book!  Brett provides a great tartness to a beer.

In case you were wondering about a translation of Liopard Oir, it means gold leopard.  The label states that represents for Lavery the long history of brewers and their close relationship to the land.  I'm also going to assume it has something to do with the lovely golden hue of this beer.

This farmhouse ale poured golden and cloudy and has lots of carbonation.  The white head disappeared pretty quickly but is leaving lots of lacing behind.  A good swirl of my glass releases that Brett smell - tart and tangy and a touch of lemon.  The flavor is biscuit, citrus, a little hop bite and a touch of funk.  It drinks with a full mouthfeel but finishes crisp.

Overall this is a terrific beer.  Cheers!

Beer 145: Saison Dupont

Oh, I'm bringing sexy back alright.  If mouth-breathing is sexy.  It's day four and I'm still sick as a dog.  Woof.  Actual drugs aren't working so I'm resorting to home remedies.  Gargling with salt water, hot and sour soup, copious amount of Vitamin C and a hot toddy before.  At the very least I'll taste my dinner and go to bed tipsy.  I suppose I'll take what I can get.

Since my smell and taste are still are sorts of jacked up, I'm opting for a known beer tonight.  Saison Dupont.  

Saison Dupont is my go to farmhouse ale.  It pours a golden amber hue with a full white head.  It's smell is yeast and a grassy earthiness.  The taste is a little funky, full of citrus and spiciness.  It finishes with a solid bite.  It also has a dry finish which makes it quite drinkable.  

Given my affinity for Saison Dupont throughout recent years, I'd be remiss not to add it to my Top 25.  Cheers!

p.s.  I totally forgot to take a picture but now my beer is gone...sorry.

Christmas in March?

Beer #107 Jenlain Ambrée / Brasserie Duyck, Jenlain, France

A windy day here in the suburbs meant I had to track my trash can down from four houses away.  In the process, I noticed my neighbor had her Christmas tree lit at 6:30pm.  On March 26, mind you.  For those unfamiliar, this isn't an unusual circumstance - she more or less keeps the tree up all year, and frequently turns the multi-colored lights on throughout the year.

It drives me insane, but I'm working on that.

I guess in my simple mind, the fake pine tree with plug-in lights is specific to a certain holiday, which comes at a certain time every year.  There is an acceptable period to erect and light your tree, and there's an acceptable period for you to keep the tree up before taking down all of your decorations and storing them for another eleven months or so.  Does this woman not understand that social convention?  Is she some form of Christmas anarchist?  Or maybe she's just an old lady who likes Christmas, and I should just mind my own business.

My goal for the year is to stop letting nonsense like this bother me.  Whether or not a little old lady in my neighborhood loves Christmas to an unusual degree really doesn't impact my life, and certainly there's little I can do to change her behavior.  So, while I'm trying to let all of this just slide by, I admit some days it makes me want to call in the Delta Force and cut the power to her house.

Perhaps a beer will mellow me out, so tonight we're both sampling the Jenlain Ambrée, a farmhouse ale from Brasserie Duyck in France.  The brewery dates back to 1922 or so, and originally sold their product in recycled champagne bottles.  Out of a 750ml bottle, this ale pours a hazy dark copper with little head.  The beer gives off aromas of apple, honey, and tea and has flavors of malt, apple, caramel, subdued hops, and brewed tea.  There's a sweetness to this beer, although it has a dry finish.  Very enjoyable, and I can see myself drinking one of these in the warmer months.  You know, with my Christmas tree lit and stockings hung off my patio furniture.  Or... perhaps not....

Bling, bling!

Thing to Think About Today:
Clearly, leaving your Christmas tree up year-round is overkill.  So, with that in mind, let's all take time to think about Overkill, this one courtesy of Men At Work frontman Colin Hay.  Just a fantastic song by any measure.

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

"I can't get to sleep, I think about the implications"

Don't Hassle the Hof!!!

Beer # 77 Dormaal Blond / Brouwerij Hof Ten Dormaal, Tildonk, Belgium

Today is a beautiful marriage of productivity and sloth.  I had to shop-vac water in the basement courtesy of a leak in our furnace/humidifier (fixed!), had to run out and do some grocery shopping, had to get some laundry taken care of, had to back up all our music to iCloud.  Holy crap we have a lot of, um, "borrowed" music from the Internet.  And yet, I found time to enjoy a beer, listen to said "borrowed" music, and do some reading while watching a strange weather day pass by.  There's been brilliant, blinding sunshine, brutal wind gusts, snow flurries, and most everything else in-between.  A good day to spend on the couch with a beer, no?

And today's beer is a good one, the Blond from Hof Ten Dormaal.  As you can see in the picture, this beer has an orange hue and a fluffy white head in the glass.  You can instantly smell the aroma of bread, with some citrus too.  The first sip brings flavors of yeast and hops with a persistent peppery spice.  Some funk and mild bitterness in there, in just the right dosage.  Checking in at 8% ABV, this is a really well done beer, and it will definitely find a home in the permanent rotation.

Interesting story here, as the brewery sits on a working farm.  All of the barley and hops for their beers are grown on the property, and it's clear these guys take pride in their connection to the land.

I think the fitting end to a day like today will be a glorious feast, and what goes better with beer than melted cheese and bread?  Not much, which is why I'm making fondue for dinner.  Cheers!

Thing to Think About Today:
Listen, if I'm making a David Hasselhoff pun in the post title based on the brewery's name, then I'm seeing it through to the end.  But what clip to use?  Hoff singing at the Berlin Wall in a light up jacket?  Hoff and KITT solving crimes?  This awesome public service announcement where a TALKING CAR tells kids to stay off drugs?  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry-woy32nfA

No, if we're drinking a Hof Blond, then we're going blond, as in top-heavy blond lifeguards.  That's right, Hoff during the glory days of Baywatch!!  Classic television here, people....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2XD1sa5nFs

Beer 47: Hof Ten White Gold

Today we are on the road for A Memorial to Joe at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College.  I'm keeping today's post short and sweet and promise to write something more in depth tomorrow about the memorial service.

***

Today I'm drinking Hof Ten White Gold Farmhouse Ale.  (I'm coming up with nothing for a brewery website.  Sorry about that.)  This one came from a tap and I'm without a camera so there's no evidence of this one.  Instead I give you Blog Dog:

Picasso contemplating his guest post

I figured Gary's on a farmhouse ale kick, I might as well join in!  The color of this one is golden straw color.  It was one of those beers that just looked good.  It smelled sweet and funky.  Quite nice.  I would describe it as well balanced.  It had great fruit up front and then finished with pepper.  Exactly what one would expect from this type of beer.

It was easy to drink - even at 8% ABV- and I definitely recommend it.

Around the World and Home Again

Beer #45 Cellar Door / Stillwater Artisanal Ales, Baltimore, MD
Back in the house after two days in Detroit.  I don't mind traveling; I get to see different parts of the country, meet some great people.  But there's nothing like sleeping in your own bed.  One extra thing to call out today: if you haven't read Marci's post from yesterday, you should.  Dinner tonight is Fellini's - no better way to announce you're home than by visiting your favorite restaurant.  On to the beer!

Today's beer comes from Stillwater, a gypsy brewer who has been all the rage in the beer world during the past year.  Another farmhouse ale (the weather must have me thinking of summer), this one is far more complex than the Bam Biere.  Both are great, but Cellar Door just seems to bring a bit more to the table.  The beer pours a cloudy, straw color, and has a fantastic flavor - there are distinct sour notes, but the taste of bread dominates.  There's a tartness and some citrus, and has a crisp finish.  Highly recommend this, and anything else you can get your hands on from Stillwater.  Check Marci's review of Stillwater's Stateside for an example of another beer from this great brewer.

Thing to Think About Today:
Marci was having some fun on Sunday thinking back to the good ol' days of YO! MTV Raps. Like most of my friends, I watched that program religiously.  One friend is rumored to still have episodes on a VCR tape somewhere.  So, let's take you back to one of the unquestioned mega-stars of the YO! age:  MC Hammer!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk1YtbkZTqc

Jesus, how the hell popular was Hammer in the late 80's? Apparently he was absurdly and astronomically popular beyond anything we've ever seen before, as he could get away with wearing a damn zebra striped SPEEDO, work boots, and gloves to his pool party video shoot. Check that again, slowly: MC Hammer spends a majority of this video wearing an animal print banana hammock. Huh?

However, I do give him credit for installing a remote control waterfall in his pool.  That's awesome.  No wonder he went broke.  I need one of those.

Goodbye and Thank You, Coach

Beer #43 Bam Biere / Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, Dexter, MI 
College football, Penn State, and the world at large lost a great man today with the passing of Joe Paterno at age 85.  I'm sitting here trying to type something profound and meaningful, seeing how one of my idols and role models isn't around any longer.  I've got nothing in the profound department, just sadness.  I've previously wrote about the surrogate grandfather role Joe played, so I won't repeat that. My good friend has penned a more elegant tribute, so I'll just send you to his article instead.  Thanks for reading.

I'm a firm believer in celebrating people's lives rather than dwelling on the negative, so I'll get on with the show.  Today's beer comes from the fine folks at Jolly Pumpkin, another brewery where you're guaranteed to find a great beer in anything they produce.  It's a given.  The Bam Biere is farmhouse ale, and pours a golden color.  The sour aroma hits you immediately, and the first sip gives you a rich combination of fruit, sour, and... I don't know.....deliciousness.  Very light, very tasty, very clean, and very easy drinking at 4.5% ABV.   Enough beer.  I'm off to drink bourbon. Seems like Joe would approve of that, he was a bourbon man.

Complete with fun dog logo!

Thing To Think About Today:
Marci recently wrote about various renditions of Hallelujah, thus taking what would have been a good song here.  I think I have another for you to think about today, the Blind Boys of Alabama, and their soulful rendition of Amazing Grace:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zE4k76VjGdY

"They ask me what I'd like written about me when I'm gone.  I hope they write I made Penn State a better place, not just that I was a good football coach."
- Joseph Vincent Paterno
1926-2012

Goodbye, Coach Paterno.  And thank you.