Enjoying the company of the special lady friend for the first time in about five days, I felt I needed to run down to the best watering hole in all of Eugene, possibly Oregon, the Bierstein. It not only has eight or more beers on tap at a time, but three hundred different bottles in their refrigerator. A Beermigos' dream. I picked this brew from Dogfish Head because I was in an adventurous mood, and I know what you're thinking, picking a beer to be adventurous is semi-lame but give me a break, it's a monday night.
While the girls were watching their Gossip Girl, I needed something high in alcohol to make it through the pain that is that horrible TV show (I try not to be negative, but it's just sooooo bad). Well I definitely picked the right beer. According to their website, it's at 18 ABV thus only needing one of them to effectively block out the TV while playing Bubble Spinner. It was incredibly complex, as to be expected of a Dogfish Head creation. It's a fairly traditional brown ale with a slight nut taste, but then out of no where, an extreme sweetness takes the tongue hostage via the raisins they used in the wort. RAISINS? Are you kidding me? These guys can find a way to mix just about anything with malt, hops, and yeast.
While the raisin taste comes crashing in out of no where, it fades away very comfortably and leaves nothing nasty hanging. The only thing this brew left was a fantastic buzz from it's high ABV.
Beermigos rating: Onesy/Contemplating the Meaning of Life Brew: This one is so very unique that it can only be created by Dogfish Head. It really shocks you at first, but the taste becomes very comfortably sweet once you know what is coming. With the high ABV, you definitely don't want to be pounding these away, and could start some epic conversations because of it's complexity.
P.S. The Special Lady Friend didn't like it, but I did.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
SuperBock!
A few weeks ago I slept alone in the gymnasium of a portugese elementary school. It was kind of wierd, but I simply inquired at the local pharmacy and the lady there hooked it up with the key. It was saturday night and the place was emptier than the cooler after a good river kick-it. Because the water in this small town was slightly off-color (meaning it had colors in it) and because normally I boycott bottled water, I purchased a liter of SuperBock to help wash down the sandwitches I made for dinner.
Now, SuperBock (Sabor Autentico) is just about anything but super. It is slightly too bitter to really be enjoyable in a light beer, but it is slightly too heavy to really be refreshing. The flavor is crisp, but in the way that leaves your tongue feeling like a piece of aluminum foil. Of course, none of this matters if you are slamming them down in a beach bar with a boatload of Australians, dancing and fighting with your friend over the company of a woman without a sexy British accent. On the other hand, when you're hanging out by yourself in a place where children usually play, its just kind of creepy. However, the low price and high alcohol content (the only redeeming qualities of SuperBock) provide just enough of a buzz to bring a brother out to the playground on a warm winter night to do some swinging and look at the stars.
It was strange to be so isolated, out there 22kms North of Porto, but to be so comfortable with it at the same time. It's not everyday you wake up in a country where you don't speak the language and cruise through it so easily and smoothly, watching the countryside slide by as the sun moves across the sky. And then, when night falls, and the stars come out and the moon is starting to peak up, its good to have nothing to do except sit out and watch, nursing a brew and pouring out a splash or two for the beermigos back home.
Rating: Throwback/meaning of life, the same, strange dual-rating of a Pabst 40, which is perfect party-fodder but also perfect for a good, in the park man-chat.
Now, SuperBock (Sabor Autentico) is just about anything but super. It is slightly too bitter to really be enjoyable in a light beer, but it is slightly too heavy to really be refreshing. The flavor is crisp, but in the way that leaves your tongue feeling like a piece of aluminum foil. Of course, none of this matters if you are slamming them down in a beach bar with a boatload of Australians, dancing and fighting with your friend over the company of a woman without a sexy British accent. On the other hand, when you're hanging out by yourself in a place where children usually play, its just kind of creepy. However, the low price and high alcohol content (the only redeeming qualities of SuperBock) provide just enough of a buzz to bring a brother out to the playground on a warm winter night to do some swinging and look at the stars.
It was strange to be so isolated, out there 22kms North of Porto, but to be so comfortable with it at the same time. It's not everyday you wake up in a country where you don't speak the language and cruise through it so easily and smoothly, watching the countryside slide by as the sun moves across the sky. And then, when night falls, and the stars come out and the moon is starting to peak up, its good to have nothing to do except sit out and watch, nursing a brew and pouring out a splash or two for the beermigos back home.
Rating: Throwback/meaning of life, the same, strange dual-rating of a Pabst 40, which is perfect party-fodder but also perfect for a good, in the park man-chat.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Fun Fact Friday!
Happy Friday to everyone, it's quite lovely outside today in the Big Eug and you know I will be taking advantage of that later. As for the Fun Fact for this week, I originally was going to inform the world on the beer drinker's Christmas, St. Patrick's Day, but after last night at the MSG I cannot contain my excitement of college basketball. In case you've never heard of a television set or the internet, you probably know that sports fest known as the NCAA National Championship tournament will be set this sunday. The tournament is affectionatly known as, "March Madness," but anyone who pays attention knows that the true "Madness" starts with the confrence championship tournaments. Regardless of size of school, student body, or arena if you are a division 1 school and you win your confrence tournament, you are automatically in the National Championship tournament. Thus, guys will play until their limbs melt off of their torso in attempts to be apart of the Big Dance. There is no better example than what was put on display at Madison Square Garden of what March Madness means to these teams. Syracuse and Conneticut played to a 127-117 decision that advanced Syracuse in their confrence tournament. High scoring NBA game right? Well it took SIX OVERTIMES for this game to be decided. The game started at 9:30 P.M. and ended at 1:22 A.M. Eight players fouled out, four for each team. Every player on each benched played some minutes. Overtimes are five minutes each, so that means an extra complete one half and a half (that makes no sense, two halves in a game each twenty minutes, an extra thirty minutes). Unbelievable.
Enjoy your weekend, hopefully you wont have to work half as hard this weekend as any of those guys did,
PROST
P.S. Just in, Coach Bellotti stepped down as head coach. He has had the highest amount of Pac-10 wins than any other Oregon coach, and really took the program to new heights. Thanks Coach B.
Enjoy your weekend, hopefully you wont have to work half as hard this weekend as any of those guys did,
PROST
P.S. Just in, Coach Bellotti stepped down as head coach. He has had the highest amount of Pac-10 wins than any other Oregon coach, and really took the program to new heights. Thanks Coach B.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Fun Fact Friday!
What's up my babies? That's right, I'm channeling my inner Conan for my intro today, got a problem with it? Didn't think so. This week's Fun Fact is going to be a quick one, there isn't much out there at the moment, and I've got a half an hour to research and write this. Anyway this day in 1899, the German company Bayer trademarked a little pill that they called aspirin. No Lloyd, the Germans are not A-holes (Ha Dumb and Dumber reference, Aspen, Aspirin. Oh the tangents I go on). I had no idea that aspirin has been around that long, but I do now. Have a great weekend, be safe, and as always...
PROST
P.S. since I feel like a lazy ass for such a short FFF, here's a link on how to become a Knight within Royal England. Kinda cool.
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/23356
PROST
P.S. since I feel like a lazy ass for such a short FFF, here's a link on how to become a Knight within Royal England. Kinda cool.
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/23356
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Three Floyd's: Alpha King Pale Ale
This brewhaha comes from the brewing company known as Three Floyd's. This brewery is based in Munster, Indiana. They primarily serve their brews in Indiana and Illinois (especially Chicago) but I've found a small bar in Pennsylvania through the internet that has them on tap as well. I've had another one of their beers called Gumball Head which was damn good and had gumball flavoring in it. This, however, was very different and quite a delight.
I had gotten off work, taken the El home, had a lie down (not a nap) and then went out with the notepad for a beer. I got a couple of looks for sitting at a bar on a Thursday night by myself at midnight, but what the heck. I was mostly thinking about my kids at work and how to handle them. It had been a good day so positive thoughts were on the mind. But I was off work and it was time to think about something else. The beer in front sufficed.
This beer had a reddish-orangish color to it. The first sip surprised me with its potent flavor. According to their website, Three Floyd's says that this is a Pale Ale jam packed with hops and contains a citrusy flavor. Could've fooled me. I could taste and smell the sweetness but it seemed like more of a malty sweetness rather than a citrusy sweetness, particularly in the aftertaste. There also seemed to be just a hint of molasses in it as well. The aftertaste just left me with an unbelievably settling feeling.
Beermigos Rating - Debating the Meaning of Life with your own Beermigos Brew:
Dude, this beer is apparently packed with Centennial, Cascade and Warrior hops but I swear to God there was some serious maltness to it that overpowered the hops. Even with this confusion you can't help but feel good and relaxed because it tastes so good. At the same time though, the confusion also rises questions. This is essential to beginning a debate on the meaning of life. At 6% ABV it gives you that perfect buzz for having a man-chat with your beermigos about greater spiritual things.
I had gotten off work, taken the El home, had a lie down (not a nap) and then went out with the notepad for a beer. I got a couple of looks for sitting at a bar on a Thursday night by myself at midnight, but what the heck. I was mostly thinking about my kids at work and how to handle them. It had been a good day so positive thoughts were on the mind. But I was off work and it was time to think about something else. The beer in front sufficed.
This beer had a reddish-orangish color to it. The first sip surprised me with its potent flavor. According to their website, Three Floyd's says that this is a Pale Ale jam packed with hops and contains a citrusy flavor. Could've fooled me. I could taste and smell the sweetness but it seemed like more of a malty sweetness rather than a citrusy sweetness, particularly in the aftertaste. There also seemed to be just a hint of molasses in it as well. The aftertaste just left me with an unbelievably settling feeling.
Beermigos Rating - Debating the Meaning of Life with your own Beermigos Brew:
Dude, this beer is apparently packed with Centennial, Cascade and Warrior hops but I swear to God there was some serious maltness to it that overpowered the hops. Even with this confusion you can't help but feel good and relaxed because it tastes so good. At the same time though, the confusion also rises questions. This is essential to beginning a debate on the meaning of life. At 6% ABV it gives you that perfect buzz for having a man-chat with your beermigos about greater spiritual things.
Goose Island: Nut Brown Ale
Hello ladies and gentlemen. I'm writing to you today about a certain beer named Goose Island Nut Brown Ale. If you've read this blog you've heard me mention Goose Island before and personally, I think this is one of their best.
The scene was a Thursday night at the Goose Island headquarters (Goose Island Bar & Grill, 8 buildings away from Wrigley Field). I was expecting a drunk dial from a certain Clairetoris Hambly, but alas that call never happened because she was too drunk to remember. Instead I enjoyed my roommate's band perform onstage while I joked with some new friends and got made fun of for taking notes in my notepad about the taste of this beer.
This is an English Brown Ale style and a fantastic one at that. The nutty flavor smacked me out of my chair with the first sip, but left me begging for more. I LOVE NUTS!!! It is apparently brewed as a chestnut-hued ale, no doubt the source of the nutty taste. However, you can also detect subtle hints of chocolate, honey and tobacco in it. Particularly the honey and then chocolate, which is an awesome combo. It was of course a dark brown color but the smell.......maaaaaaaaaan, it smelled like malted brown sugar. For as rich and flavorful as this brew is it finishes smooth. The taste just fades away and melts like butter.
Beermigos Rating - I'm gonna go with Dinner with the In-Laws/Girlfriend or Boyfriend's Parents:
This is a beer with a lot flavor that I would say just about anybody could at least respect (which is something that's good to have from your significant other's parent). It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but no one will hate on this choice. It's a safe bet for this sort of situation. It's not a Onesy because while flavorful, it's not as complex as other brews. Plus at 5.2 % ABV you're not running too many sobriety risks after one or two. At dinner though, you could throw them back and not feel too drunk.
The scene was a Thursday night at the Goose Island headquarters (Goose Island Bar & Grill, 8 buildings away from Wrigley Field). I was expecting a drunk dial from a certain Clairetoris Hambly, but alas that call never happened because she was too drunk to remember. Instead I enjoyed my roommate's band perform onstage while I joked with some new friends and got made fun of for taking notes in my notepad about the taste of this beer.
This is an English Brown Ale style and a fantastic one at that. The nutty flavor smacked me out of my chair with the first sip, but left me begging for more. I LOVE NUTS!!! It is apparently brewed as a chestnut-hued ale, no doubt the source of the nutty taste. However, you can also detect subtle hints of chocolate, honey and tobacco in it. Particularly the honey and then chocolate, which is an awesome combo. It was of course a dark brown color but the smell.......maaaaaaaaaan, it smelled like malted brown sugar. For as rich and flavorful as this brew is it finishes smooth. The taste just fades away and melts like butter.
Beermigos Rating - I'm gonna go with Dinner with the In-Laws/Girlfriend or Boyfriend's Parents:
This is a beer with a lot flavor that I would say just about anybody could at least respect (which is something that's good to have from your significant other's parent). It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but no one will hate on this choice. It's a safe bet for this sort of situation. It's not a Onesy because while flavorful, it's not as complex as other brews. Plus at 5.2 % ABV you're not running too many sobriety risks after one or two. At dinner though, you could throw them back and not feel too drunk.
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