Beer Review: Shock Top IPA

Very rarely will you hear me say I don't like a type of beer.  Indian Pale Ales are something of an anomaly for me.  It is not that I don't like them per say, I have grown to appreciate them where as before in my younger days (you know that age, when you were strictly a Miller Lite/Coors Light kinda person) I didn't even know what the hell I.P.A. stood for.  For that matter didn't even know it existed.  Snobby beer drinkers talk about the category of the I.P.A as though it is some Holy Grail of beer, one that should consistently take up residence in your fridge.  If it does not, then you my friend know NOTHING about beer, and your taste is right on par with some sub-species of slug, known as blithering idiot.  It's true snobby snobsters! don't deny it!  Anyway I guess I have this blog to thank, for I am not so sure I would have even looked at Shock Top's Wheat Indian Pale Ale, if I weren't into talking about beers on here.

With the intro now deftly out of the way let's take a walk down the gullet and check out this I.P.A. from Shock Top.  Initial pour on this beer into a glass releases a strong wheat grain smell ripping up through the empty space and crashing into your nose.  A second breath in, and I noticed a little bit of cinnamon trailing after that wheat smell, pleasantly sweetening the sniffer.  The pour produced a light frothy head to contrast the brunette body, with the head giving a good lacing on the glass.

The first taste produced a plethora of flavors, all swimming together as one, making it hard to distinguish any note of flavor that really stood out.  But much like the smell the second swig brought out the layers as definable as anyone could hope for.  As with most I.P.A.'s the hops showed up to the party, and stayed the WHOLE time.  Oddly enough though adding to a slightly peppery and bitter aftertaste, the hops weren't over powering.  They lent themselves heavily, and helped this beer finish clean and dry with a bite, but didn't soak up spit like a salteen.  The other layers moving through the beer were wheat and yeast, and surprisingly orange and what I can only describe as coriander with a small bit of cloves for good measure.  All in all a damn good beer despite my prejudice against it.

Shock Top did  a great job in bringing the classic notes and vibes to an I.P.A. without losing itself in the process, adding a little here, taking a little there, they make this brew one to definitely give a chance.

"The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind." - Humphrey Bogart

Beer Review: Breckenridge Avalanche

Crisp mountain air, cool breeze, and an AVALANCHE!  I know not the best intro for a beer review, but really I couldn't come up with a good one, so you are stuck with that one.  Good news is, it will only happen once during this review, so the suck should be outta the way. 

Breckenridge Brewing offers us this ale called Avalanche Amber Ale.  It is a beautiful dark amber color (think honey) with wonderfully fragrant smells (though I couldn't quite pin down what it smelled like), and a white head under good solid lacing on the glass.  The colors swirl and mix together like a dance of amber and white waves cascading towards the top of a pint unleashing more of that smell that you really wanna sniff, but can't tell what the hell it is. 

Upon first swig you are hit in the mouth with a caramel assault of malty goodness.  No hops though to cut through that thick sweet flavor.  Future gulps produce the same euphoric tastes, but linger more and more in your word hole, and you start to notice a nutty flavor peeking through all that sweetness.  The warmth that this beer produces is great, and would be a top notch brew to drink on a cold winter day.  You know after hammering down a double black diamond course.  I think?  I have never done that, but after drinking this beer, I might try.

All being said, the Breckenridge company brings a good strong dark ale to the table.  Classic notes of color and smell, mixed with a warm malty tasting beer.  On a cold day after sled riding with the kids, give them a hot chocolate, and crack yourself a bottle of this brew.  Both age groups for once will be happy.   Enjoy in excess!

"I have respect for beer." - Russell Crowe

Beer Review

What would you think if I offered you a glass of "white lightening"?  You would expect from the name that the liquid you were going to drink was going to smack you in the face, and grab you by your nuts and tear you off your feet right?  Ok maybe I am projecting my imagination of what the name means a bit much onto you the reader.  But what the hell, I think all that stuff when I hear the name "white lightening".

Full Pint Brewing Co. has a Belgian white beer that has just that name.  "White Lightening" smacking you in the junk!  Sorry I had to.  In all seriousness this beer stands plainly enough with an uncompromising name, and honestly the name is what made me purchase this beer to try.

The initial crack of the cap, and the smell following was peppery and bitter as it came out.  After the smell the suds came shortly after in a cascade that I wasn't exactly expecting to attack me before I even poured the beer!  After that slight mishap, I managed to get the rest of this brew into a glass, and saw that this beer is HIGHLY carbonated, produced a large light head and lacing all the way through the pint glass as I drank it.  The color was perfect light golden color, one which reminded me slightly of something that Ernest Hemingway would write about when describing a sun rise.

The bright citrus notes on the initial flavor were chased down the throat with a skillful and clean balance between malt and hops.  Hints of wheat hung in the after taste as it set in my nose because of its sudsy nature.  This is absolutely a German styled white beer, and plays up those attributes that make witbier so good.

Definitely not what the name suggests, this is smooth and gentle, with great body and flavors.  None of which are overpowering.  White Lightening was a joy to drink, however I would recommend that it come in a pint glass to manage better all the head this beer produces.  It is a fantastic stand alone brew, and one that could be drank all night.

"Work is the curse of the Drinking Class" - Oscar Wilde

Beer Review

And now we are back with another review after a little break.  I have a few to post here so these may end up as rapid fire.  Sorry for the slow down folks, bear with me, and I promise we will get back into the swing of things you and I.

Erie Brewing company is one of my favorite collections to drink from.  They have a good selection for every palate, and their beers pair well with food or drinking your face off at a party. 

This sample is the Heritage Alt. from the above mentioned company, and they have done it yet again.  Erie has produced a beer that pushes boldly into both the drinkers and partiers categories, and refuses to budge from both. 

Crack a bottle and inhale deeply.  You will smell bread, freshly baked bread to be exact.  There is very little head or lacing on this beer, which I found to be an interesting characteristic, but it doesn't effect the flavor that spills forth from it's confines.  It's dark red color rolls as smoothly from the bottle as it does the glass.

On first taste, the initial flavor is malty.  Very malty.  It's thick with flavor that holds well in your mouth and coats seemingly all the way down into your belly.  The aftertaste on this beer is sweet and aromatic.  As closely as I can describe as liquid pipe tobacco.  It lingers warmly in your mouth and promises to not overpower, but consistently remind you what it is as you drink it.  You COULD guzzle this beer, by why waste such a wonderful sweet trip through the bottle or glass? 

Needless to say this offering from Erie Brewing is almost a meal in itself.  It has a savory feel to it which would pair well with fresh baked breads or red meat broiled or from the grill.  It stands alone just fine as well, with only a couple of strong flavors, this beer picks a line and sticks with it. 

"A woman drove me to drink, and I didn't even have the decency to thank her."  W.C. Fields

Real men don't cry

Real men don't cry.  Fact. End of story.  No need to elaborate.  Or do we?  On the heels of the worst possible day ever I am sitting here wondering why that phrase even came about.  What tough guy said that so long ago?  And why has it persevered?

I am not afraid to tell you that today was hard.  But only marginally for me.  My wife is stronger than anyone I know, hands down.  See she has literally just lost her mother.  Who was in fact her best friend, secret keeper, advice giver and super human strength giver.  I have that too, but I don't call that person mom, I call that person my wife.  I guess this is more of a rant and a get your feelings out in an anonymous way more than anything else, so here goes.

Most of you know, my father passed away when I was 7 years old.  If it seems like eons ago to read it, you should be me telling it.  I think about it, and looking at it I see an unwinding path spread out behind me.  One of first pitches, first kisses, losing my faith, gaining it back again.  Even finding the woman who made me love more completely than I thought I could.  Then it dawns on me.  All those firsts, and I never had a dad to share any of it.  Sad?  Naw, I am used to it.  I have accepted it.  He wasn't there for the birth of my children, he wasn't there to see me get married.  Hell I am the one who walked my sister down the aisle for her wedding.  Every plod forward, and every slippery misstep, I have had one less person to see or share it.  I always kind of carried a chip on my shoulder about it.  Until today.

I saw something today for really the first time in my life.  I saw a woman whom I love dearly lose everything that I never had.  And you know something?  It broke my heart.  I always looked at people who were sad at losing a loved one later in life like they were being selfish.  After all they had so much  more time with that person than I had with my loved one.  But today I saw what it really is.  Loss.  And for all the thoughts we have, all the justifications, it comes down to that word.  Loss.  I watched my wife talk to me about everything from the mundane to the fantastic, almost magical memories of her mother.  And they all hurt her.  Which in turn hurt me.  Yeah I am a tough guy, or maybe not so much.

What could be worse than that?  How about telling your children about that loss.  It is something everyone who has children will inevitably will do.  A horrible fraternity that no one wants to be a part of, yet sadly we all become members.  I watched my daughter who is a year younger than I was when this happened to me find out about her Grammie.  How powerless I felt, I can't describe.  To hear her cries and know that she is justified in feeling what she felt.  To not know how to stop her hurt.  Then to see my wife and son, in the same basic state, and not be able to help them from hurting.  So much of it I couldn't stop.  So much I just couldn't fix.  You're God Damned right I broke down and cried.  My hurt was theirs.  I am still unable to fix it.  All I can do is try to talk them through it.  But I know that is futile and not working.

So tell me again that real men don't cry.  Go ahead.  I think they do.  But I don't think real men cry when they themselves hurt.  I think they cry when their loved ones hurt.  When they can't help, or fix the broken feelings others they care about have.  I love my family.  I love my mother in law.  And I am hurting, but not for me, not for my sadness about what happened to her.  No I am hurting more for my wife and children, and my father in law.  They are why I hurt.  But they are also why I walk away and cry by myself.  They will not see me break.  They can't.  I won't let them.  Be strong, stay strong, it is ok to cry, just do it by yourself.  Cause others need you to be the rock that you are.  Others are going to look to you in times like this to be that steadfast strength.  Don't falter, you never know who is looking to you for strength.  It might even be me.

Beer Review

Trippy.  That is what comes to mind just LOOKING at this bottle of brew from the Magic Hat company.  Their psychedelic offering called "Vinyl Lager" is yet another seasonal beer offered by a company that has a good and solid line of beer to sample from.  From their # 9 flagship, to the seasonals like the Vinyl Lager, they produce just plain good beer.

The fragrance of barley pours out as you pop the cap on this beer, inviting you to inhale deeply.  The medium note of color is amber, and the lacing is marginal when poured into a glass.  This beer however does not need a pint glass to release its flavors and smells.  It does just fine ice cold out of the bottle too!

This beer brings to the table a middle of the road malt and hops balance.  It ventures neither way too far, which produces a nice smooth drinkable taste, however is almost completely unadventurous in flavor or feeling.  (Those who have had it, think Yuengling lager)  Don't get me wrong I did enjoy this beer, and I don't want you to think that I didn't. 

It was a smooth finisher and crisp in the hatch and I would consider it a good seasonal spring beer.  But nothing really seems to stand out on it.  There are very subtle hints of toasted barley and what could be brown sugar.  But that is just the thing, for all its smooth and light feel, and it's skillful balance, it seems to have no identity.  It waffles here and there seemingly afraid to offend someone who might not like it.  So this beer errs on the side of caution rather than stand out as a brew that has a definitive taste.

Maybe in hindsight this is what Magic Hat was going for.  I cannot say I was disappointed in it, on the contrary I enjoyed it!  I would call this a drink all day kind of beer, and might just go buy a six pack and do that this afternoon.  Damn it, maybe this is the most ingenious thing that the M.H. brew masters could have done.  I find myself wanting another, though I just don't have the slightest idea what the hell makes me want it!  Well played Magic Hat.  Well played.

" I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, That's as good as they're going to feel all day."  - Frank Sinatra
"The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind."

"The problem with the world is that everyone is a few drinks behind."
-Humphrey Bogart

Beer Review

So here is another review.  Recently discovered this beer and to be honest with you out there, it caught my attention solely due to its name.  "Rooney's" is emblazoned with a red keystone on the cap and the signature beer is an Old Irish style Ale.

 Rooney's as the name would imply is a Pittsburgh company run by the legendary football owners of the Pittsburgh Steelers.  Now being a huge fanatic of said team, I must admit that my initial wanting to sample this brew was bastardized.  I gave it a whirl because of the name, and my sports fandom roots.  It won't happen again.  Allow me to explain.

I was shown promise when first cracking the beer open and pouring it into a glass.  The smell was deep and malty and the color was dark red.  Just as an Irish ale should be.  There was little to no lacing on the glass however and the "suds" seemed to be holding back on the pour.  All appeared to be mostly in order for something that screams championship brew, but looks are deceiving.  Come to think of it, smells can lead you down the wrong path too, but that is another blog entirely.

The first swig of this ale brings notes of caramel and malt, which are promising, however then the peppery aftertaste hits you.  That is a mixture that seems to square peg round hole you.  It just doesn't fit.  Then the  hops kick in.  It has a definite sense of hops, with a dash of hops, and a slight variation of hops.  This combined with the pepper, smack you in the face malt, and over the top caramel flavors, it makes for a confusing ride down the throat.

So as I look back on the glass, I am glad I sampled this offering from a hometown brewery.  At the very least I can say that I've checked this one off of my bucket list of beers.  After that however, I don't believe I will be having another go on the Rooney wagon.  Unless that is it is stopping at another Super Bowl.  GO STILLERS!!