Running Towards, Not Away

Beer #493 Session Black / Full Sail Brewing Company, Hood River, OR
Previously from this brewery: Session Lager, Session Black , and Session Lager

As a kid growing up, my friends and I would play basketball for hours on end in the summer.  Show up at Beech Street playground early, run games all day, take a break to get a drink (Gatorade used to make an iced tea flavor back in the day, and it was glorious), then get back and get another game going until darkness called 'next' and sent us all home for the night.  It was a constant of my teenage years, and it was a place where I was truly happy.

I bring this up for two reasons; one trivial, the other important.

One, I'm playing two basketball games tonight due to my spring league and summer league schedules overlapping.  When I saw this, I immediately realized I haven't played two meaningful games where score is kept and referees call fouls in one day in a very, very long time.

Two, because I've been struggling to put my emotions regarding the tragedy of yesterday's Boston Marathon attack into words.  I think about how much joy and satisfaction I get from participating in sports, most notably running and basketball.  When I first saw a doubleheader on my calendar, I thought back to the feeling of being a kid and playing the game I love all damn day.  The tragedy of yesterday changed my perspective.  Now I've been thinking about races I've run, how many friends I've supported from the sidelines, how many people whose lives are forever damaged from simply just cheering on runners.  They were just fucking waiting with anticipation for loved ones to finish doing something that brought them joy.  I can't even fathom the pain of those families touched by the explosions

An event like the Boston Marathon is a cause for celebration; there's a reason why so many people line the race course and gather at the finish line.  Sporting events can and do bring out the best in people: the struggle to achieve, the will to compete, the satisfaction of hard work, the brotherhood among competitors, the elation of finishing strong, the sense of accomplishment from doing something others can't or won't try, the desire to get out and do it all over again.  I hope the terrorist actions of yesterday don't dampen that spirit.  I hope sports continues to be a way for people to band together, to find common ground, to heal, to move forward.

Do I feel like an idiot doing something as silly as a beer review today, when so many are hurting and working to restore order to the world?  I do, but the world keeps turning.  As much as we grieve and wonder what terrible force in the world allows this to happen, we keep on with our lives, marching forward.  We get up, we get dressed, and we go about our business - proof positive that no matter what evil lurks in the world, the good people won't stop living their lives.

Today you get a review of Session Black from Full Sail Brewing.  In the glass, it's a bright, clear mahogany (as clear as mahogany can be, I guess) color, with a thin head.  There's a lightly toasted malt aroma, and the taste is malt sweetness, with some very mild hop bitterness.  At a mere 5.4% ABV, you get a good flavor without the wallop of a higher ABV beer.  Not a bad summer option for those who are malt fans.

That looks inviting, doesn't it?

Another beer that arrived in a less than 12oz bottle!  No offense, but I think you learn this trick on your first day of MBA class: slightly smaller packaging + same price = greater profit, as you're putting less product in each package.  I sincerely hope this isn't a profitability scheme the rest of the craft beer world notices....

Thing to Think About Today:
Rather than a silly song or something about sailing, I think I'd like to once again remind everyone that a great way to ensure hospitals and trauma centers have the ability to deal with both unfortunate events and routine operations is to donate blood.  If you're one of the 37% of Americans who are physically able to give, the world desperately needs you to donate, and donate as frequently as you can.  To find an American Red Cross blood drive near you, visit: http://www.redcrossblood.org/

While keeping the victims of tragedy in your thoughts and prayers is important, it's far more important to actually do something tangible.  Please give blood.

Did You Raise $12M Today? WE DID!

Day #435 Odyssey Imperial IPA / Sly Fox Brewing Company, Phoenixville, PA
Previously from this brewery: My reviews of Chester County Bitter, Phoenix Pale Ale, and Grisette, and Marci's take on Ichor and Chester County Bitter

I'm typing this post on a quiet Sunday afternoon, with a dog curled up next to me on the chair.  While things are quiet in the house, quite a different atmosphere can be found in State College today, as the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, affectionately known to the world as THON, has officially wrapped up for another year.  I assure you, things were louder than a jet engine in the Bryce Jordan Center when the total raised was announced: an absolutely staggering $12.37 MILLION.  This money is raised entirely by college students to fight pediatric cancer (having raised over $100M through the years) and I could not be more proud to be a Penn State grad right now.

I gave my recap of my experience dancing in THON in this review last year, so I won't repeat all of it here.  However, I will once again say that dancing at THON was one of the absolute highlights of my entire existence, and I can't imagine what my life would be like without that experience.  It helped me realize the pure joy you can experience when helping others, and I've tried to carry that feeling forward ever since.

To celebrate, let's review a beer - the Odyssey Imperial IPA from Sly Fox.  This beer pours a clear, honeyed sort of copper color, and your nose immediately finds a fresh pine and citrus aroma.  When you take a sip, you get a blast of grapefruit and pine, with a good dry bitterness throughout.  You don't have to look too hard to find some caramel malt in there balancing things out, but make no mistake this beer is for the hop lovers of the world.  If you see one, I highly recommend you drink one.

Off kilter.  Sorry.

For those who didn't know, Sly Fox is a frequent supporter of Penn State; last fall, they made a very generous donation to support a scholarship fundraiser at the Penn State Great Valley campus.  Great beer, great people.

Thing to Think About Today:
I usually like to end with something humorous or witty here, making some obscure connection to the brewery or beer name with some pop culture silliness.  But today, I think I'll just leave you with this link to THON's website:

http://thon.org/

Whether you choose to support this initiative (I do), or whether there are other causes that stir your passions, I implore you think about how you can contribute your time, talent, or treasure to those less fortunate than you.  Whatever you give, wherever you give, however you give, I guarantee you'll be making the world a better place.

Sunday: Beer, Memories, and Punching Cancer in the Face

Beer #71 Blue Sunday Sour / New Holland Brewing Company, Holland, MI

Earlier today, the final numbers for THON were released: $10.68 MILLION raised to combat pediatric cancer.  For the uninformed, THON is the Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon, a 46 hour dance marathon organized and executed entirely by Penn State students.  Since 1977, THON has raised more than $88M in the fight against cancer - every penny raised by college students.  Originally a fraternity/sorority fund raiser, it's grown exponentially to include students from all corners of the university.

I had the pleasure of dancing for my fraternity, Phi Gamma Delta, my sophomore year, and it's truly one of the greatest and most special things I've ever done in my life.  Being awake and on your feet for 48 hours (we did it hard core back in the day) is not an easy task, but thinking about what kids battling leukemia and other rare forms of cancer have to deal with, and seeing how much joy they get from being "celebrities" at THON is incredibly powerful.  This time of year, the memories of THON come flooding back like a tidal wave: me, Sober, Super Dave, and Bo supporting each other, making new friends, trying to pump up our fellow dancers, playing games, and spending time with our assigned family.  Sadly, I've never managed to get around to scanning in my old pictures.  Perhaps this is the impetus to buy a scanner so I can share memories of THON '95 with the world.  We raised $1.16 million, and it seemed like the largest sum of money in the history of time.  Seeing it increase ten fold in a the past decade has been incredibly rewarding.

To answer the questions you haven't yet asked, but I'm sure you will:
1. No, you don't dance the entire 48 (now 46) hours.  But you do need to be awake and on your feet.
2. You do get bathroom breaks, but they hustle you along.  No lingering.
3. Best way to get some relief is to do a handstand, with friends holding your legs so that blood can drain back to the rest of your body.
4. After being awake for 48 hours, I slept for more than 14 hours straight.  It's unbelievably taxing on the body, but compared to having cancer, it's a damn walk in the park.
5. Key highlight of THON is running down a series of mats doused in baby powder, then sliding head first to an area where a morale team gives you a quick rub down.  If there is a heaven, it will be filled with the sensation of this rub down.
6. You will have sleep deprivation induced hallucinations.  I thought there was a giant table across the middle of the floor, and I kept walking way, way out of my way to get around it.  People would be talking to me, then disappear in mid-sentence into thin air.  Your brain is scrambled during this event.
7. Another key highlight is the line dance, a simple and repetitive choreographed dance number with some music to get you pumped up and some topical events to sing about.  You start out doing it every other hour or so, and by the last hour you're doing it every 15 minutes to keep the energy high.  I still remember some of the '95 dance, but sadly not all.
8. All dancers are given a unique dancer-only shirt with their number and their name or a motivational message on the back.  I still have my shirt, and if our house ever burns down it's one of the first three things I'm grabbing.  The name I peer pressured my partner into adopting?  "DEEZ NUTZ".  What can I say, it was 1995.  It was a popular phrase.

What better way to celebrate a great accomplishment than with a great beer?  Today we break open a Blue Sunday Sour from New Holland.  It shows off a burgundy hue in the glass, and the aroma is of fruit and mild vinegar. Tart and sour, right up front, with the taste of stone fruit and some malt notes. There's a crisp effervescence, and the oak aging lends a dry finish.  This is complex and wonderful, with just the right amount of alcohol at 8.7% ABV.  This is by means a beer for everyone, but if you EVER see one available in a bar near you, I implore you to at least try it.  This beer has officially landed in my coveted Top 25.  Blue Sunday Sour was named for the "blue laws" of Michigan which did not allow beer sales on Sundays.  It's also a cellar beer, which means we can age this for a few years, sort of like wine.  Although, something tells me Marci might drink our entire supply of two cases long before then....

Thing to Think About Today:
Please think of others.  Someone out there has it worse than you do, and they can use your help.  Whether it's donating money to THON (or anywhere else), donating blood, or volunteering, I encourage you all to think about trying to give back this year.  It feels good, and it's the right thing to do.  If you need a little motivation, watch this:

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

Christmas Eve Eve

Beer #12 Original/Innis & Gunn, Edinburgh, Scotland
Been chatting with a friend about bourbon today, which led me to think about something I wrote yesterday - no time to dream about gin.  I've come to realize that this beer adventure is going to put a serious dent in my consumption of gin, wine, bourbon, etc.  Not a bad thing, I suppose, as I'm committed to hitting 365* breweries this year.  However, I'm a well rounded imbiber, so I'm sure I'll add in some other drinks beyond beer to keep things fresh.  Besides, Total Wine is like Disneyland for adults, so I can't go too long without shopping there.

In the spirit of keeping things fresh, we'll change up from the Belgians for today's beer.  Had some time off this afternoon, so I opted for an Innis & Gunn Original, an oak aged ale. Nice copper color, strong whiff of vanilla as soon as you raise the glass, and that vanilla tastes carry through.  Maybe some toffee?  Maybe an iota too much vanilla?  Perhaps you'd prefer the spider graph's opinion for some science.  Anyway, the beer gives off hints of bourbon courtesy of the oak aging.  In fact, Innis & Gunn originally started brewing ale to use in flavoring barrels for a whiskey they were making.  As it turns out, the beer was pretty decent, so they decided to sell that too, and here we are.  Good solid pick for a cold winter's day.

Thing to Think About Today:
Started my morning off right by donating blood at a Red Cross drive.  Giving blood is a simple, painless, easy process that truly saves someone else's life.  I sincerely hope anyone who reads this blog will never need a transfusion, but if you or a loved one are in that position, keep in mind that the blood you will receive came from a donor somewhere.  At this time of year, people think about gifts.  Well, do everyone a favor and think about giving someone a gift that truly matters: the gift of life.  You'll be glad you did.


* - shout out to the comment giver that reminded us that we're in a leap year, and we can gun for 366.  Love it!