Saturday, July 31, 2010

Gathering of the Vibes Beer Review!

Heading down in a moment figured I'd have some fortification. Hopefully with run into the Gatorsaurus Rex...but if he's twirling I'm leaving!

1)North Coast Brewing Old Rasputin XXII - 11.2%...A stout aged in bourbon barrels how novel! Seriously though silky smooth great coffee and bourbon taste. Hey that's Adams breakfast!

2) Terrapin Gamma Ray - Wheat Wine brewed with honey. 11%...very...very sweet!

3) Saison du Buff - Stone/Victory/Dogfish - 6.8% - Brewed with Parsley, Sage Rosemary & Time. Interesting beer the spices noted above mix very well with the lemony hops. Quite enjoyable!

4) Laughing Dog - CSB - Extra Special Bitter...Kind of a weird brew. This is going to take a while to get down. By the way CSB stands for crotch sniffing bastard and the label reads "How Dogs Say Hello" in case you were wondering.

5) Bear Republic- Tribute Ale - Pete Brown - 6.3% I guess Pete was a sales manager for Bear who paased away in 2002. Damn fitting tribute. Here's to you Pete!

6) Cricket Hill - Nice porter not sure where the bourbon is. A little watery although tasty none the less!

Monday, July 26, 2010

Weekend Beer Review - Bonus Edition

Took Monday off Hooray!

1) Weyerbacher - Verboten - Very good Belgian Pale Ale. Beginning to really like this style. Think this was previously named Zotten.

2) Founders Brewing - Cerise - 6.5% - A tart cherry ale. Kind of like a beer wine cooler. Not bad although I glad I only bough a single bottle rather than a 4 pack.

3) Cricket Hill Reserve - English Barleywine 8.0% - Nice malty & mild.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Weekend Beer Review

Starting early.....little road trip tomorrow!

1) Abita 8% - Doesn't really have that spiciness that one would associate it a bock but this is very good. Alchohol masked very nicely!

2) The Lost Abbey - Inferno Ale - 8.5% - Strong Belgian Ale - Wow outstanding!

Went to Oaktree Wine and Spirits in South Plainfield New Jersey. Outstanding store and Outstanding Service. They will have fueled the weekend beer review for at least several more weeks!

3) Sebago Brewing - Milestone Ale - Amercian Strong Ale - 9.2% - Wow different this is like a hoppy scotch ale. This is a different brew and is obviously the one to have whilst beginning a little beer walk in 100 degree heat!

4) Allagash Tripel - 9.0% - The Gator was right...this is a great bear. Think I've had the Tripel Reserve (not yet reviewed)....oh Well!

5) Alesmith Grand Cru - 10.0% - Best beer of the day hands down. I can't get over what I think is the distinct grape flavor here.

6) Pretty Things - American Darling - Good Time Lager 7.0% - Was going to say I found the perfect session beer but I may need to rethink that based on the ABV. Crisp, clean refreshing. A pleasure to drink!

7) The Lost Abbey - Devotion Ale - 6.25% - Belgian Pale Ale - Very nice Lost Abbey offering...great pre noon beer. Time to go cook out! (Well might sneak in another!)
This was beer number 460 on my list. I need to do some serious travelling to get to 500!

8) Fouders Brewing - Devil Dancer - Triple IPA 12.0% Wow I need a nap! This like a Dogfish 105! I may banish one of these to the cellar to calm down!

9) Terrapin Hopsecutioner - IPA - I think I've gone past Adam depth. Great beer. Hops rule!

10) Harpoon IPA - Just trying to add to the total but a nice beer none the less!

Thursday, July 22, 2010

RIP Ralph Houk

I haven't quite gotten to my eulogy of Mr. Steinbrenner. I may not...it's too complex...that said...Ralph Houk was the manager of the third of 4 great Yankee teams. And what I mean is that a team that was so dominant in one year following up with a championship the next year.....I gave up on this premise (36-42...but the others stand) Those teams are:

1927 - Managed By Miller Huggins - 110 - 44

1928 - Managed By Miller Huggins - 101 - 53

1936 - 1942 - Managed by Joe MCCarthy - Wow this is pretty brutal.

1961 - Managed by Ralph Houk - 109-53

1962 - Managed by Ralph Houk - 99-66

1998 - Managed by Joe Torre - 114 - 48

1999 - Managed by Joe Torre - 98 - 64


I have to leave off the 77, 78 Yanks...I may reconsider...look at those numbers. And the Major was a good part of it!

Friday, July 16, 2010

Weekend Beer Review

Whilst in NYC I discovered Cones. This is across the street from the Tiger. The must taste treat is Johnnie Walker Black flavored ice cream. The booze is reduced (and mostly eliminated). What a very tasty treat!


1) Ommegang - 6/.)% Flemish Sour Brown Ale. This was actually brewed in Belgium in collaboration with a brewery in Belgium. Nice and tasty hits the spot on a hot summer day!

2) Goose Island - Fleur - 7.0% - Belgian Ale steeped with Hibiscus....I don't think so!

3) Great Divide - 16th Anniversary Wood Aged IPA - 10% - Nice smooth. Would really have liked to have had some more hop flavor though.

4) Wachusett Brewing - Larry - Imperial IPA 7.5% - Nice golden color, sweet and malty. Don't really get the West Coast comparison as I don't see the citrus hops coming through but still like the beer.

5) Sixpoint Vienna Lager - Growler at DeCicco's Nice session quality.

6) Troegs Flying Mouflan - Very good Barley Wine. Amber color with a brutal kick! I need to buy another and let it sit and calm down for a bit!

7) Mikkeller - I Beat yoU - 9.75% - I get it...IBU...I had a bad experience with a Mikkeller offering a few weeks ago and poured it. This is much better!

8) The Bruery - Coton - 14.5% I am taking that this is a quad. Very tasty the raisin and cheery flavor abound. Another cellar candidate!

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Weekend Beer Review

I think I am somewhat over over quarter end crunch. A bit shellshocked for a number of reasons. Anyway went up to the Delaney's chili cookoff for a couple of hours this afternoon. F**k the chili bring on the beer! They had a nice little sampling going on with a number of good tents. New England BC was there, Stone, Magic Hat had something dinkable, Bru Room had a nice stout. When I was at the Governors Island Fest a couple of weeks back I saw a bunch of people walking around with strings around their necks that had pretzels on them. I thought they were idiots until it dawned on me today that this was to cleanse the palate. If I ever do this, Adam, Gator & Matt are obligated to pummel me. Alfred is obligated to nuke me!

Actually though to go on a bit of a rant, do you want to know how to reduce this country's carbon footprint (and I am serious), eliminate these mailings in no particular order, 1) Solicitations for donations from political candidates, 2) Publishers Clearing House Mailings and 3) Credit Card Solicitations!

1) Lagunitas - Undercover Shutdown Ale - 9.2% - Will add the link in at some point in time (maybe not!) - On growler from DeCicco's very nice...malty but a nice balance of tropical falveors...where is the alchohol!

2) Meantime - IPA - 7.5% - Classic English IPA...I prefer its American Cousin but this is very good. Picked this up at a little whole in the wall on W4th street, corner of MacDougal. They provide a nice IPA history link as well.

3) RJ Rockers - Fish Paralyzer 7.5% A Belgian Style pale ale from South Carolina? Not bad!

Sunday, July 4, 2010

The Luckiest Man on the face of the Earth

It's amazing that a speach like this endures. What is amazing is that a speach by a widely ignored President is one of the best things I have read. Thanks Powerline.

4th of July (All American) beer review!

Just got back from New York. The excitement began when the train I was on caught on fire and had to stop in Stamford! It is an expensive cab ride to BPT.

1) - Mendocino - Imperial IPA 7.5% - Very similar to a DFH 90. Nose is of Apricot and caramel. Hops are very bitter no citrus flavors noted. Glad I tried it but may not go back to it again.

Sitting here listening to the group "X" and their tune "4th of July" it's a great tune. I've listened to this song on this day for years.

2) Southern Tier - Imperial Farmers Tan Pale Lager - 9.0% - Nice little sipping beer very clean and crisp. Alcohol content is very deceptive!

3) Captain Lawrence - Smoke from the Oak - Smoked Porter aged in wine barrels. I like their smoked porter. This is a bit over the top. Stick to the basics!

4) Avery 17th Anniversary - Black Lager - Yum! Malty and dry hopped. I know I'm fading fast!

5) Belgica - Great Divide - Belgian IPA - 7.2% - Too watery!

6) Stone Brewing Emperial IPA - 8.9% Best beer of the day hands down. Happy 4th!