|
|
By John, on March 7th, 2011
Since the beginning of the year we’ve seen a few changes in the world. The people of Egypt decided they weren’t happy with the status quo and “removed” their president. In Libya, some of the people are getting the crap bombed out of them for wanting a new leader. I did say some because not all of them support getting rid of Qadafi. (Also spelled Kaddafi or Gaddafi – odd how that works out huh?) The King of Saudi Arabia changed the laws preventing anyone from protesting in public to prevent a change of the guard. The King of Jordan removed his entire cabinet and replaced them with new ministers to prevent an overthrow from within. There is change a brewin’ – and there is some pain associated with it.
Human life, property, dreams, childhoods, bank accounts, and all manner of things are being destroyed in the process. Everyone not directly involved is footing the bill via higher gas and oil prices. I don’t have a problem with the citizens of those nations (or any other for that matter) deciding that they’ve had enough and trying to make a change. I’d simply prefer that they do it in a civil manner and without bloodshed while knowing that this is sometimes impossible. We had our “bloodletting” in 1800s so I guess it’s time for some of the others. Of course, those nations have had more upheaval than I dare to Google and count… I’m SURE there has been some violence in that region in the world before we got involved.
I just don’t like paying for it at the pump. So, we need to expand research for alternative fuels that are, hopefully, renewable. We shouldn’t be looking for new places to drill or ways to convert coal into oil. We should be looking at renewable and sustainable energy. We should look at recycling the crap out everything instead of digging a new hole in the ground. When someone on the other side of the planet decides to pick a fight I shouldn’t feel the pain when I fill up my car.
I’m for the status quo of the people – I’m not for the ass pain it causes me. I guess it’s necessary. Hopefully, we can prevent increasing energy costs from happening in the future by investing in our future. Yes, it’s not going to make money for a while and it’s probably going to lose money for quite a while. I have a feeling that we won’t make the switch until oil is so expensive that we’ll be forced to change. Of course, when that happens I’ll be screwed unless they can figure out a way to fly a C-17 on…. something other than oil.
By John, on March 5th, 2011
It’s no secret that I love beer. I know there is a god because he gave us all of the things we need to make beer. That said, I’d like to brew my own in the future. I have a working “know-how” but I’ve never done it before. In other words, the first time is going to be a challenge. Brewing beer, of course, has moved way down on the list of priorities with Jessica being pregnant but it’s something we both talk about. She knows that I have a passion for beer and that I’ll put 100% into whatever I do. Finding the time to do it could also be a problem. I haven’t spent more than a week in my own home since… October?
Looking further down the road we always talk about our pipe dream, opening our own brewpub. We’d like to take everything that we love about beer and food and put them together in the same place. I’ve done some research and it’s not going to be cheap. In order to meet demand, and to prevent myself from working 19hr days all year long, we’d need to invest in a 7 barrel system. The equipment alone could run as much as 150k if we bought it new.
Of course, on top of that, we’d need to find a site, remodel it, decorate it, install the equipment, hire a chef, etc. A rough estimate is a good 500-900k in startup costs alone. Again, it’s not a cheap endeavor and we don’t have that kind of cash saved up… who does? The return on investment is pretty good if we find a working model – we could have all of our investors paid off within 3 years.
I guess the first step is learning how to do it and then we’ll see how the rest goes. Anyone have the winning lottery numbers? It would definitely help us out in our endeavor.
By John, on March 4th, 2011
On a whim I purchased a “magnum” of beer from one of my favorite breweries. They haven’t made anything that I haven’t liked so I figured why the hell not? Boulevard’s Tank 7 Ale is a quasi Belgian style ale. It’s fairly light and belongs in the same vein as many of the trapists ales (Chimay etc)
Appearance: This looked like orange juice – it even looked like there was pulp in it. It had quite a thick foamy head.
Aroma: There was a lot of citrus in the aroma of this beer and the hops gave a moderately strong odor.
Taste: I’m not a wine drinker. It’s not something that I’ve ever liked. This beer would be perfect for a wine drinker. It was quite bitter on the tongue but not in the way you’d expect. It was bitter on the tongue like a white wine would be. The flavor was overpowered by citrus. To me, it tasted like they made grapefruit beer and I didn’t like it – at all.
Mouthfeel: Sharp on the tongue like grapefruit juice. Each taste dried my mouth out.
Overall: This beer is in a category that I like. This beer didn’t impress me. I can see how people like it but it’s definitely not a beer for me.
I’m going to give it a 5/10
You can check out more reviews from people with paletes more refined than mine at Beer Advocate
By John, on March 3rd, 2011
Jessica went to the doctor after work yesterday for a checkup. She said it was probably the shortest amount of time that she’s ever spent in a doctors office. She heard the heartbeat for all of three seconds, he asked her for a few questions, and they sent her on her way. She needs to make the next appointment, an ultrasound, but hasn’t been able to reach Madigan. She spent 45 minutes on hold yesterday and nobody answered the phone. If all goes well, I’ll actually be able to attend this appointment with her. That is, of course, if we can actually get the damn thing scheduled.
She is starting to see the “morning sickness” ease off a little. For her, it hasn’t been confined to the morning and instead is prone to hit her when she hasn’t had a chance to eat in a few hours. Constant snacking instead of regular meals has been the key to surviving it. Jessica is stubborn as hell and refuses to slow down and there is no way she’ll ask for help (from anyone but me). Hopefully she won’t wear herself out before I get home.
By John, on March 1st, 2011
Wow, I really sound like an alcoholic based upon the frequency of updates but here comes another one. The local liquor store had quite a selection of bombers and I picked up this one on a whim.
Red Rocket Ale is a “bastardized Scottish style red ale” and the description is fairly accurate. For starters, it’s unfiltered and I’ve never seen that outside of a hefeweizen. The flavor definitely doesn’t fall within the confines of what I know to be a scottish ale. It’s got a little more hops in the flavor than I’ve ever had in this particular style and feels like a porter with a little bit of a different kick.
Appearance: Dark brown with sediment – no light is going to filter through this bad boy. There was a decent amount of head with flecks of “stuff” interspersed throughout
Aroma: Mostly malt with a little bit of spice
Mouthfeel: Close to a porter with just a little bit more hops in the bite. The finish was really smooth for a beer of this variety. Most others I’ve had have a “Jager” like kick on the back end – think cough syrup.
Flavor: Malty, bitter, and good – just a little bit of spice to it – felt almost spicy. There were some flavors associated with really dark beers – coffee, burnt caramel, etc
Overall: Not bad for a beer of this style. Again, it’s not my favorite style but I think they did a good job with this.
I’m going to give it two grades today 7/10 overall and a 9/10 for a Scottish ale.
You can read more at Beer Advocate
By John, on February 28th, 2011
Appearance: Orange and cloudy with a creamy head (wow… sounds disgusting!)
Aroma: Floral and citrus are the two that hit the nose first. If your sniffer works well you can pick out some juniper.
Mouthfeel: Super smooth finish and almost no aftertaste. Pale ales can be exceedingly bitter at times (like an IPA) and leave a cloying taste in your mouth that can only be quenched by another beer. I wonder if that was their plan all along.
Flavor: There was a little bit of spice and just enough bitter to offset it. The beer is incredibly balanced and nothing seemed out of proportion.
Overall: This was one of the best beers that I’ve had in quite a while. Unlike the others, this is something that I’ll be searching out again. It balanced extremely well and it was quite tasty.
I’m going to give it an 8/10
A more extensive review can be found at Beer Advocate
By John, on February 27th, 2011
Louie’s Ultimate Pale Ale comes from the Choc Beer Company in Krebs, OK
Appearance: Cloudy burnt orange with a large head
Aroma: Very floral and hoppy
Mouthfeel: It felt a little watery and didn’t feel substantial enough – there and gone too fast.
Flavor: Bitter and burnt. Nothing too fantastic. The more I drank of the beer the more I disliked it. Sometimes the first taste is a little much but it evens out – this one started bad and stayed bad.
Overall: This isn’t a winner in my book. The flavor doesn’t reside long enough and it’s too much of a single note. It tastes like the barley was burned and it doesn’t finish very well. It’s definitely one of my least liked pales ales and it’s really hard to drink.
In fact, to think about it, I don’t even like this beer. I’d rather have a Coors Light (which I think is mostly garbage).
I’m going to give this beer a 2/10 and I’m not sure that I’d like to try anything from this brewery again. Choc Beer Company has got to redeem itself – this is a pretty poor product.
More reviews can be found at Beer Advocate
By John, on February 27th, 2011
Moving outside the confines of our nation comes and import from the original land of beer – Germany. Germany is known for it’s tube steak, bread, and beer. How could you dislike anything about this place? Jessica and I have made it to our local Oktoberfest in Puyallup but haven’t yet made it to the “Bavarian” town of Leavenworth.
Appearance:Apricot in color with a slight haze. When poured it had a head that quickly dissipated.
Aroma: Very malty odor – definitely smells like a German beer
Mouthfeel: Very drinkable – a little weight comes with a lager and this one went down smooth
Flavor: Fits very well into the vein of “Bavarian Festival Lager” and had a bit of a malt kick on the back end.
Overall: Not too shabby. It’s definitely not my favorite Oktoberfest beer but I’d definitely drink it if it was available.
I’m going to give it a 6.5/10
You can find a more comprehensive review at Beer Advocate
By John, on February 26th, 2011
I drink a lot of beer and I’ve decided that I might as well share the experience with everyone. Here is the first in the series of John’s Beer Blog.
The first beer is from a local brewery, Full Sail Brewing in Hood, Oregon. It’s one of their limited series and this one is a lager. Let’s see how she does.
Appearance: Honey colored and clear without haze.
Aroma: Hints of lemon and honey
Mouthfeel: Lager taste and mouth feel (a little heavy)
Flavor: There weren’t any remaining off flavors after swallowing. The beer reminds me of many of the British Lagers that I’ve had but the finish is much cleaner. You definitely won’t have bitter beer face after drinking it.
Overall: I’m not a huge lager fan of lager as many of them can get a too bitter and the flavors tend to get lost. This beer is quite drinkable and I could probably finish of a six pack. It’s a fairly light beer so I’d imagine that it would be perfect for an afternoon of watching football without feeling too sick. It is a 7.0% beer so if you’re used to drinking anything from the Miller/Coors/Budweiser family you’ll surely be wasted so drink with caution.
Now the all important grading – I’m going to give it a 7.5/10
If you want a more comprehensive review check out Beer Advocate
By John, on February 25th, 2011
Presented in chronological order
January 10 – 2011
Jessica called me this morning. The first words out of her mouth “I’m pregnant.” Woah! That is one hell of a way to start a morning. We talked for a bit and I assured her that I was excited. In fact, I’ve had a hard time not smiling all day long. I am so happy about this. It’s going to be a bumpy nine months but I can’t wait for it. She told her best friend, Cassy, the good news and is holding off on telling more people the news until she gets official word from the doc. Life as we know it is definitely going to be different.
I’m going to be a dad.
Wow…
Continue reading The BIG update
|
|
Recent Comments