For Christmas Emily bought me an espresso machine. It's been overused like the rumble strip near an old folks home. I love being able to wake up, and 45 seconds later have an espresso in one hand and be working on another. If anyone has ever thought of it, they are a completely valid investment. As well as a great pre-ride pick me up to boot!
Da Beers:
Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA: Firestone has a fair share of beers but their IPA is consistently ranked on the top. It's a true testament to what IPA stands for ImPressive Ale. Some of the reviews I've read said they tasted "sugar cookies" which frankly made me feel amateurish, as I'd never tasted sugar cookies aside from sugar cookies themselves. And I don't think my grandmother would approve of me saying a beer tasted like her cookies... Aside from that it's got an amazing nose of citrusy fruits, and an immediate taste of pine and grapefruit with a brutish slap of hops. I hate to follow the pack, but the numbers are too large to fight on this one. It's a most excellent IPA, and one I will likely always have in the beer fridge. A+.
Bosteels Tripel Karmeliet: A Belgian among Belgians. This triple redefined what triple meant for me. It's got a champagne esque sensation to it, so light, and so fluffy. This is without doubt the Belgian Triple to compare to. At least for me. The fact that it comes in a pretentiously large chalice means it sits even higher on the chart. I love belgians, and this has that smooth feel, the intricate taste, and the easy drinkability that I think of when I want a belgian. Certainly an A+.
Terrapin Hopsecutioner IPA. This is a uniquely bitter IPA, It's not necessarily one I'd search out again. I liked it, but eh. It was a beer which I generally like. I don't know. It's just not anything special, nor is it worth writing home about. C-.
Highlander Oatmeat porter: A fresh twist your'e thinking, yeah maybe. This oatmeal porter certainly has a lighter feel than a stout, yet it's hefty, and tasty. I've always enjoyed the extra bit of sweetness garnered from having oatmeal in a beer, and this certainly had that unmistakable nose of oatmeal. It was smooth to drink, and a great winter beer. Certainly decent enough for the colder snowy nights we had in NC. B-.
Peacemaker Pale: A decent light pale with a crisp smooth taste. I enjoyed it, but it didn't have ay outstanding features that would draw you back again. It's an easy drinker and an ok beer. C+.
Boulevard wheat: This was all Emily and I could find on a road trip back from NC. We stopped in Oaklahoma city at 11:00 and this was the only "craft" beer I saw in the cooler at the local vendor. Emily enjoyed the wheat, but it just didn't have anything to offer me. Perhaps I've gone to a level of beer-snob pretentiousness that can't be undone. It did the job of help ease the road nerve's, but little more. There certainly was no razzle in this bottle. D.
Celebrator: My second favorite Doppel, It's got a huge flavor, and a great nose. It will knock your taste buds out for a minute, it's one of the greatest Doppelbocks I've ever had. Second in my heart to Salvator, only due to nostalgic reasons... A+.
Primator. This beer was a bit too much for me. It was a nice flavor, but I found it a little blown form all of the 10+% alcohol. If you wanted one beer to mess you up for an evening, and enjoyed the thickness of doppels, this is your guy. Otherwise it's a sipper. I drank mine over a huge variety of temperature, and found that colder it was smoother, and less expressive. But the full extent of the alcohol came out when it reached the 45+ degree mark. B.
I'll try to do more frequent posts that aren't such behemoths, I get de-motivated when I look and see how many things I have to discuss... But then again, I'm behind... Oh well...
Highlander Oatmeat porter: A fresh twist your'e thinking, yeah maybe. This oatmeal porter certainly has a lighter feel than a stout, yet it's hefty, and tasty. I've always enjoyed the extra bit of sweetness garnered from having oatmeal in a beer, and this certainly had that unmistakable nose of oatmeal. It was smooth to drink, and a great winter beer. Certainly decent enough for the colder snowy nights we had in NC. B-.
Celebrator: My second favorite Doppel, It's got a huge flavor, and a great nose. It will knock your taste buds out for a minute, it's one of the greatest Doppelbocks I've ever had. Second in my heart to Salvator, only due to nostalgic reasons... A+.
Primator. This beer was a bit too much for me. It was a nice flavor, but I found it a little blown form all of the 10+% alcohol. If you wanted one beer to mess you up for an evening, and enjoyed the thickness of doppels, this is your guy. Otherwise it's a sipper. I drank mine over a huge variety of temperature, and found that colder it was smoother, and less expressive. But the full extent of the alcohol came out when it reached the 45+ degree mark. B.