Beer-a-Day #25
This was actually #1 on Ron’s wishlist in 2007. Not only that, but the lucky sod got it as one of his gifts last weekend.
Well, he can do a full-blown tasting if he likes, but I’m making it my selection for today’s imbibification.
Nice amber color with some chill haze. Prodigious head. Lots of grapefruit and pepper in the aroma. Plenty of kick from the hops. This is a beer for a hop head.
Beer-a-Day #24
I don’t generally go in for blends, but I like most of Saranac’s line.
Deep brown with red highlights, chunky head. Light mouthfeel, with some nuttiness and a good bunch of hop bitterness.
Beer-a-Day #23
Pours orange with some chill haze. Plenty of citrus in the aroma. More citrus in the taste, with a rather light mouthfeel and pleasant hop bitterness. Refreshing.
Middle Ages Brewing ImPaled Ale
Beer-a-Day #22
The beer known as Czechvar in the United States and Canada is known as Budweiser Budvar in Europe and Budějovický Budvar in the rest of the world.
Yes, this is the “other” Budweiser.
Pours pale yellow, with plenty of head that quickly dissipates.
Sadly, it’s lightstruck. It seems that Europe really needs to stop sending us beer in green bottles. I can smell the skunkiness from three feet away.
It’s a shame, too, because it seems like it would have been a rather nice beer. I won’t be finishing it.
I am officially an old man -40 years old- at least according to old standards. In reality I don’t think these standards apply to me as I still feel young, I’m in the best shape I’ve been in my life, and I have many things that make me feel alive like my family, children, work, sports… and good beer. As a matter of fact, the only thing that makes me aware I’m 40 years old is all of the experiences I’ve gained over the years and the blessings I have to count.
Speaking of blessings, my friends gifted me with a whole selection of craft beer… the best of the best. A group of them (including Al at Hop-Talk) got together to find 40 unique brews that I never had before AND were of my favorite styles. Impossible… I know. But would you believe that 38 of the 40 I’ve never tried? They were even individually wrapped!
Some that I am particularly looking forward to are: Sierra Nevada’s Harvest Wet Hop Ale, SlyFox’s Odyssey Imperial IPA, Clay Pipe’s Pursuit of Happiness Winter Warmer, Founder’s Breakfast Stout and Avery’s Mephistopheles’ Stout. And that is just a few of them.
I am now fully stocked and I can’t wait for the weekend when I get to browse my beer cellar to find something I’m in the mood for. I may not even wait that long.
All of these brews were delivered at a party my wife put together for me; a low key party with my close friends who traveled from near and far to join me in celebration. It was perfect… no over-the-hill gags and not a huge gathering of people I barely knew. We had lots of great beer and great beer food like Dubliner cheese, dried meats, garbage bread, deli pickles, etc. We had great fun doing plenty of things I don’t do often enough like playing ping pong, cards, and just sitting back to chat. It must have been more than a decade since we played The Great Dalmuti which was a blast. (and, “it is good to be the king”)
So as I begin my run at the other side of the “hill”, I have plenty of good beer to get me started; certainly more than 40 blessings to count. So let me start with my wife, my children, my family, my friends… and keep counting from there.
Beer-a-Day #21
I attended a holiday party this evening for my division in the company. (Yes, I know that it’s the end of January.) The party was at Dave & Buster’s.
The beer selection was pretty barren. There were your typical Bud Light, Coors Light, Miller Lite. And, of course, their foreign counterparts: Stella Artois, Harp Lager, Corona Extra.
There was Sam Adams Boston lager and Sam Adams Light in bottles, but they seemed more a token.
Thankfully, they had Yuengling Lager on tap.
I never considered it that dark a beer, but compared to my boss’s Miller Lite it was obvious.
And mighty tasty while I proceeded to lose at pool and post a poor showing racing a NASCAR car. At least I did well with the trivia game. Too bad Skeeball was broken.
Yuengling – America’s Oldest Brewery
Beer-a-Day #20
A medium, clear yellow with plenty of off-white head. Grassy and grapefruity hop aroma. A bit of nuttiness in the flavor and nice bitterness in the finish.
Great Divide Brewing Titan IPA
(The label on my bottle is all messed up, so I couldn’t get a good picture. This photo is of the old label from the Great Divide web site.)
Beer-a-Day #19
I installed a kitchen faucet today. A successful home improvement project deserves a reward. What could be better than a nice hop bomb?
Clear amber with an ivory head. Grass and a little lemon zest from the hops. Body is heavier than I would have expected. Plenty of hop spice.
Now, what’s next on that “Honey-Do” list?
Clay Pipe Hop-Ocalypse India Pale Ale
Beer-a-Day #18
Max, Don, and I made the long trip up to Ron’s house to celebrate his fortieth birthday. (More on that in a future entry.) When he heard we were coming, Ron put this in the fridge and we cracked it open when we arrived.
Orange in color with a chill haze. Plenty of floral aroma from the hops. The hops give a sweetness rather than bitterness. It’s sweet and bready, kinda like a cinnamon roll without the cinnamon.
Very interesting. I liked it.
Ellicottville Brewing Company regulars
Beer-a-Day #17
Pours a deep, clear brown with red highlights an off-white head. Pleasant aroma, with pineapple and cherry from the hops. Mouthfeel is a bit creamy with a medium body. Pleasant bitterness in the finish with a bit of nuttiness.
