The countdown begins......

Or it's my liver & I'll cry if I want to!

The countdown begins to my 250th beer reviewed! This is 248!

1) The Bruery - Two Turtle Doves - 12.0 ABV - Belgian Style Dark Ale - This is very good. Was really expecting the tartness to hit, but the caramel & chocolate really took care of that. This is readily available at Deciccos and I believe I will be having this on tap at Stanton Public House (within a day or two)

Might add 249 tomorrow...will edit as the case may be....(hell I'm going to the Tiger tomorrow!)

I screwed up that was actually 249. Then I forgot to look at my spreadsheet to factor in imports. Hey can I get get a job in the government! Anyway....

2) Smuttynose Big A IPA 9.2% - The Gator mentioned this the other day, so I figured I'd give it a go. Paid about $6 for this bomber which to me is very low given the ABV. Hops are not the citrus flavor but I really like this (especially at this price). The Smuttynose people are great as I met them during a beer tasting. Need to find more of their bib beer series.

Merry Christmas!

I am printing this verbatim from the Corner. It is too good to just link.

To All My Liberal Friends:

Please accept with no obligation, implied or explicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all. I also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2010, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great. Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. Also, this wish is made without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.



To All My Conservative Friends:
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Christmas Beer Review!

Or I break into the cellar!

First one (nothing vertical here!)- Goose Island Bourbon County Stout. Bottled 10/21/08. Enjoyed in a brandy snifter. This is actually outrageously good. This has been in the cellar for a year (or so). The remaining ones may be there for a while.

By the way where is Adam!

1) Jolly Pumpkin - Noel de Calabaza Special Ale 9.0% ABV - Aged in Oak barrels. Belgian strong ale, very tart maybe a bit much for me. Might buy one to age a bit. Still glad to have tried as this is one one more on my step to 250 beers reviewed, and depending on what is at Deccico's tomorrow this milestone may occur before the end of 09!

Rain rain go away! Oh Well going to enjoy a Growler of Monk's Blood from Decicco's

Christmas in Little Italy

Weekend Beer Review!

Hopefully the storm of the century like Obama's Presidency remains a dud....


1) Laughing Dog Brewing - The Dog Father - Imperial Stout - The viscosity of engine oil on a cold winter night! More Coffee than Chocolate. Very good.

2) Goose Island - 2009 Christmas Ale - 5.7% American Brown Ale - Not my most favorite style but I liked this. A lot hoppier than I expected.

3) Sierra Nevada Brewing & Dog Fish Head - Life & Limb - American Strong Ale - 10.2% - First one of the day! Definitely get the Maple & Birch taste. While the Alcohol content is big it in not overly pronounced. Missed this at the Tiger when it was on Tap a few weeks back.

Weekend Beer Review!

I think I am going to post about nothing but beer from now on (at least until something really pisses me off).

Don't have anything new to start off with (yet). Went to Captain Lawrence Brewing. Place was a nut house as they have just released this year's Nor'Easter Winter Warmer. I had already procured this delicacy at the Whole Foods in the City. That will be reviewed later as I have a strict several hours age limit for a growler to sit in the fridge. Do have some gems coming up though....check back....

1) 21'st Amendment - Monk's Blood - 8.3% - Belgian Strong Dark Ale in a can!Very good and very true to the real thing. They are coming up with a series called Insurrection which I am excited to try. I got this at the always great Decicco's and found out about this utilizing Beer Menu's

2) Captain Lawrence Brewing - Nor'Easter (winter warmer) - 11% - Another Belgian strong ale, much different than Monk's Blood. More sour while the Monk was sweet. Still very good. Would like to have this on tap.

3) Nectar Ales - Black Xantus 11.00 - Great Stout! Very nice Coffee/Vanilla flavor.

Weekend Beer Review!

Man this blog is getting repetitive.....

1) Laughing Dog Brewing - Alpha Dog - Imperial IPA - 8.7% - Going to see if I can get a little walk in after this but who knows. New brewery for me based Idaho. Very good beer hops have an overly pronounced citrus taste which is fine by me!

2) Left Hand Brewing - St. Vrain Tripel - 9% - Little to no carbonation which I think made this way to drinkable based on the ABV. I think I prefer the real thing though (that's it I am an official beer snob now)

3) Ommegang - Adoration - 10% - Belgian stong ale (and then some). Really enjoying this first beer of the day. (Hey it's afternoon). Love the spice, the banana taste. Question though is this an annual release or is it new? Would like Adam to chime in.

Weekend Beer Review

Gettin...right to it.....

1) Victory - Yakima Twilight - 8.7% - Nice summer harvest hop beer. Was hoping to have had this at Mugs on tap last night but to no avail. Glad to have found this in bottle. By the way their belgian fest next weekend looks interesting.

2) De Dolle Brouwers - Special Oerbier Reserva - 13% - Needed this one like a hole in the head to start my afternoon walk. It says aged in oak barrels and refermented in the bottle. Very fruit, cherry tartness would probably be the best description. Pretty damn potent.

Just got back from DiCicco's where I brought back a growler of Captain Lawrence IPA (I believe of the imperial variety) very tasty. This fill won't last long. Noticed a bottle of Sam Adam's Utopia. $199 for a bottle.

Game time and such

Some more

Uconn vs. ND post 1 of who knows

Just some pix.....will be posting these as I can

Three Floyds - Some of the tasty treats

Enjoyed my trip to Three Floyds Brewing on the way to the hotel the day before Uconn/ND Football. I think my favorite of the ones I had was Gumball Head.

Three Floyds Part 1

Fighting Irish

Weekend beer review

It's a rainin' and I ain't a walkin'

1) Moylans - Double IPA - 8.5% I think I like this better than their Hopsickle. You can really taste the alcohol and the hops are very piney. Very dry and very good!

Just heard the Gator & Adam are in Syracuse headin' to the Blue Tusk.....god help that bar! Gator's been on a pretty good beer run lately. Hoping to follow suit!

2) Moylans - Kilt Lifter Scotch Style Ale - 8.0% - I really don't like Scotch Ale's. I'm done with this style.

3) McNeill's Champ Ale - 5.5% brought for me by my friend Wendy from the Peoples Republic of Vermont! I was suprised at this as I did not expect the hoppiness to approach the citrus taste like my favorites from California. This is good enough where I might be tempted to do a little exploration in Vermont to search out some other gems. Very good session beer.

Hindenburg Beer

auctioned or to be auctioned. I wonder if a piney will buy it.

Empire State Building Trip

The Brazen Head

Cask beer rules!

Weekend beer review

And boy will they be coming. With the cask festival @ the brazen head my liver will be suing for divorce by Sunday.

1) Troegs Java Head - 7.5% - Oh boy one of the better stouts I've had. Almost refreshing given the abv. Is 7.5% to low to cellar?

2) Allagash - Odyssey - 10.4% - Belgian Strong Ale - Dark in color, caramel & malty. Very smooth & drinkable which is scary at 10.4%

3) The Bruery - Black Orchard - 5.7% Good session beer nice flavor will go back to this again. Available year round....probably more of a summer beer.

U.S.S. New York

SHE'S HERE! AFTER FIRING A 21-GUN SALUTE, USS NEW YORK HEADED UP THE HUDSON RIVER TO TURN AROUND AND TIE UP AT PIER 88.
This morning the yet-to-be commissioned warship came to a halt opposite the former World Trade Center site and saluted the citizens of New York City and State. On Saturday she will be formally inducted into the United States Navy fleet.
Members of the Fire Department of New York, the New York Police Department, the NY/NJ Port Authority Police, members of 9/11 victims' families and military service veterans gathered on both sides of the Hudson and returned the salute.

YES, you are invited to go aboard the ship.

Photo taken at work.

Alfred

Was going to tack this on to the beer review but this is deserving of its own post. When double checking the url for Decicco's in Ardsley, NY I noticed there was a town in New York called Alfred! There is also an Alfred University! If this isn't a sign that the Apocalypse is upon us, nothing is.

Weekend Beer Review!

What a day this has been. Went to Decicco's to pick up some beer. Got some goodies including my second growler fill. Bad thing is is that my stupid muffler decided to damn near fall off on my way home. Thank god I was near exit 41 on the Merrit Parkway and was able to pull off to the commuter parking lot. Did the AAA call and waited for 2 hours for some lousy non-american, Obama loving tow service to come get me. Finally got fed up, rigged up the muffler with a couple of coat hangers and made it to Meineke. Was most worried about the growler though. I have a couple of good treats from that trip (hey it's Halloween) and here is what we start with (check back through out the weekend):

1) Keegan Ales - Joe Mama Milk Stout - 8% - Imperial Stout - Very coffee like that certainly overpowers any chocolate flavor. I do like this and it is a worthy growler fill. 64 ounces and as the Gator says once you open a growler you are really committed to finish it during one sitting. While as one who should be committed I intend to do just that as I am in for the evening. The one thing I do plan on doing post haste is graduating to a big boy flip top growler as the idiot who filled mine didn't tighten the lid.

2) Alesmith Brewing - Old Numbskull - Barleywine - 11% - Not going to make first pitch of the World Series if this is how I am going to start. Great beer have read about this and was pleasantly surprised to find it. Hoppier then most barley's that I've had but I like it. This bomber was 20 bucks. Considering taking another ride to Ardsley to see if I can get 2 more. One to drink and one to age. Even if they don't have it, DeCicco's is well worth the trip. I really do need to get back to San Diego.

3) Alesmith Brewing - IPA - Even better than Old Numbskull! West Coast Hops rule!

How do you measure up??

To C.C. Sabathia's earning power?. Hat tip to the G-Man

Today In History!

Gunfight at the OK Corral

Weekend Beer Review....

Weather is crappy. I have a couple of interesting West Coast IPA's. I actually e-mailed the guy from 21st Amendment saying how much I liked his IPA. He responded with a nice e-mail. MC now calls me a beer stalker! Actually had their Watermelon Wheat at Spitzers last night. Not bad at all!

1) Moylans Brewing IPA - 6.5% - First up...Would have liked to have had this fresh. Bottle says keep refrigerated but got it warm. Still though very good. Can't get enough of the Hops!

2) Moylans Brewing - Hopsickle Imperial Ale Triple Hoppy - 9.2% - Have read about this and am glad to have finally had it. Hate the commute to NYC but finding these gems is worth it. I think I qualify as a Hop Head according to Ida! Just jotted off another beer stalker fan letter. All kidding aside, I wish I had stopped off at their brewery as I was near Novato, CA this past summer. Oh well, another reason to go back.

3) Lagunitas - Little Sumpin Extra - Not as hoppy as the others although dangerously drinkable at 8.7%

4) Lagunitas - Hop Stoopid - 8% - Too malty! Where's the hops?

Read Alfred Instead!

Reason here....by the way I was Adam Bombed about 3:00

Weekend Beer Review

There is a friggin' Nor'Easter going on outside so I don't think I will do any walking today. That said I have a couple of tasty treats in the fridge that I haven't gotten to. I should be Adam-Bombed by the 4 o'clock game!

1) Avery - The Kaiser - Imperial Oktoberfest - 10% - Bottled in 08. Typical overly sweet Avery Beer. I thought it was a barleywine. I'm pretty sure the Kaiser is a divisive figure. Maybe the NFL will take away my viewing rights!

Kind of off topic rant - Went to the Uconn/Louisville game with the ever intrepid Gator yesterday. Rentschler Field, as a sporting venue, had one of the better selections of beer that I have seen on the East Coast. Good for them.

2) The Bruery - Tradewinds - 8.1% - Belgian Tripel - Brewed with Rice & Thai Basil - Small hints of the Banana flavor, - Rice/Thai Basil gives it a spicy taste. I like this. Not quite like anything I've tasted before. A spicy tripel with a little vanilla? Is saying vanilla divisive?

Pretty!

Game Day!

Uconn Football

I could tell by the Flag I was in Husky Nation!

Rush....

Maybe the NFL would prefer it if Al (Tawana Brawley) Sharpton or Jesse (Hymie Town) Jackson bought the Rams. That said who would want the Rams?

Alfred

Is back with a vengeance he has been sorely missed.

Weekend Beer Review

Man it's been a while but I have been so emotional over the Emperor loosing the Olympics to Rio and getting the Nobel Peace prize that I haven't been able to concentrate. That said.....

1) Samichlaus Classic - 14%. Deceptively smooth, says on the bottle that the age it for 10 months (it shows in the taste). The bottle calls itself "Malt Liquor". Seems like a pretty well aged barleywine. Not something to chug.

Inaugural Growler Fill!

A few weeks back I mentioned this place, Decicco's, in Ardsley NY as a place to buy beer. It is about a 50 minute ride from the 'Port and you can get Growler fills. Not sure if there is any place closer that does growler fills, but it is a reasonably pleasant ride and they have a great staff. I bought an Elysian Brewing Loser's Pale Ale (aptly named for this author). Good beer although a bit flat. I think that had to do with my growler which was a screw top. I may invest in a better one.

As an aside...and I know this is not the forum normally for my political ruminations, but if a Brit Journalist is calling you President Pantywaist, you may want to turn in the Nuclear Codes.

Weekend Beer Review!

Alright I know most of these have been fits and starts over the last few weeks. I have a couple in the fridge that I am hoping I can get to. So in honor of Obama selling out Poland here goes:

1) 21st Amendment - Brew Free or Die IPA 7.0% - This is my go to IPA. It is so good. I walked by the brewery near ATT park in San Fran but didn't want to go in as I had a non-familiar subway to deal with. You can get this in NYC or closer in Westchester. Well worth it.

2) Speakeasy - Double Daddy - Imperial IPA - 9.5% - Hey made it to a second one. Another solid IPA not as hoppy as a 21st Amendment. The alcohol content is sneakier. I really like these west coast IPA's. Have a River Horse IPA offering chilling as we speak so we'll see if the East Cost can make a challenge.

3) Atwater Block Brewery - Voodoo Vator - 9.5% Dopplebock - Very rich, does have a bit of a hoppy bite though. This would be a great beer with a steak!

4) River Horse - Hop A Lot Amus - DIPA - 8.5%. Not as subtle as it's West Coast Cousins (but very good). Going to have to do more research on the West Coast/East Coast IPA challenge!

Shocked....Shocked I tell you!

Apparently there was drug use at the Gathering of the Vibes in the 'Port this summer. Interesting thing is that the private security force that confiscated said illicit contraband never handed it over to Bridgeport's Finest. There are so many ways I can go with this that will endear me with no one. Kind of like busting a Hyman.

Weekend Beer Review!

Haven't done one of these in a while as am having some problems finding things that I haven't tried before. That said I found this place in Ardsley NY which is well worth a trip, about 50 minutes from the 'Port without traffic. Anyway here goes (check back as this will be updated):

1) Belhaven Wee Heavy Scottish Ale - 6.5% - Very malty & sweet, maybe too sweet for me. I like Old Chub better.

Death Shroud

Yankee Twighlight Zone