I'm happy to have today off. The week's been a little rough for me. Actually, the whole damn summer's been rough for me. But we're just about in mid-August, so the whole thing's coming to an end. I'm already planning ahead to the Oktoberfests and pumpkin ales I'll be drinking in the coming months.
Having said that, summer's not quite over yet. I still have a few summery posts planned, including today's: Old Nation's Dry Honey Saison. This'll be my first Old Nation offering and I'm excited to see how, in practice, the brewery holds up to the hype (I've heard more than a few great things about the brews offered by the place).
Having said that, summer's not quite over yet. I still have a few summery posts planned, including today's: Old Nation's Dry Honey Saison. This'll be my first Old Nation offering and I'm excited to see how, in practice, the brewery holds up to the hype (I've heard more than a few great things about the brews offered by the place).
Thanksgiving has come and gone. Our tree is up and lit. I've already purchased the first few gifts I'm slated to give out in a little less than a month. Yep. That time's upon us; It's Christmas, people.
Tonight I'm diving into a brew that's entirely new to me. That brew is, of course, The Brew Kettle's Winter Warmer.
But, before I go any further, I have to ask. Do you know what's sooner than Christmas? The FCC's vote to kill net neutrality on December 14th. This is important. If the FCC is successful in doing away with net neutrality, the internet as we know it will vanish. You'll have to pay out the nose for everything. Please go to battleforthenet.com to read up on why net neutrality is so important and to write your members of Congress. Then go to gofccyourself.com, hit + Express, type "Restoring Internet Freedom" in the Name(s) of Filter(s) field, and file a comment with the FCC. This is too important to neglect.
Thanks for bearing with me through that. Now onto the beer!
Tonight I'm diving into a brew that's entirely new to me. That brew is, of course, The Brew Kettle's Winter Warmer.
But, before I go any further, I have to ask. Do you know what's sooner than Christmas? The FCC's vote to kill net neutrality on December 14th. This is important. If the FCC is successful in doing away with net neutrality, the internet as we know it will vanish. You'll have to pay out the nose for everything. Please go to battleforthenet.com to read up on why net neutrality is so important and to write your members of Congress. Then go to gofccyourself.com, hit + Express, type "Restoring Internet Freedom" in the Name(s) of Filter(s) field, and file a comment with the FCC. This is too important to neglect.
Thanks for bearing with me through that. Now onto the beer!
Halloween's over and there's another, more Turkey-related holiday looming around the corner. And believe you me, do I have some beers slated for posting about in preparation for Turkey Day. But, before I get to those, I really want to do a post on this: New Holland's Baltic Anomaly.
It's been a bit since I've posted about a porter. My parents seem to know that. Which could explain why they gave me a sixer of Baltic Anomaly a month and a half ago. I'm really proud of myself for not breaking into the stuff yet. But, since it's been super holiday-y around here lately, I really wanted to give the porter its due diligence while also using it as a segue from one holiday to the next.
It's been a bit since I've posted about a porter. My parents seem to know that. Which could explain why they gave me a sixer of Baltic Anomaly a month and a half ago. I'm really proud of myself for not breaking into the stuff yet. But, since it's been super holiday-y around here lately, I really wanted to give the porter its due diligence while also using it as a segue from one holiday to the next.
I've always had an appreciation for Dogfish Head. Historically their beers have fallen in that "just above my price range" category of my drinking budget. Now that I've indulged in more than a few of their brews I see why they're just out of my price range--they're damn good.
Last year my friend shared the That's Odd, Let's Drink It YouTube series with me. That was my first exposure to Sam Calagione as more than some name behind some beer. I could tell that, apart from having an immensely entertaining personality, Sam had a genuine love of beer. Recently, Michelle and I powered through the Discovery Channel show Brew Masters, which is a document of Dogfish Head and the lengths they go to in order to give people the best possible beer.
It's safe to say that these have given me a newfound respect for the Delaware brewery. So much so that when I saw a four pack of Midas Touch, part of Dogfish Head's Ancient Ale program, I sprung for it. I didn't even have second thoughts about it's $14 price tag.
Here's the question: Is the beer, and my newly minted infatuation with Dogfish Head, worth it?
Last year my friend shared the That's Odd, Let's Drink It YouTube series with me. That was my first exposure to Sam Calagione as more than some name behind some beer. I could tell that, apart from having an immensely entertaining personality, Sam had a genuine love of beer. Recently, Michelle and I powered through the Discovery Channel show Brew Masters, which is a document of Dogfish Head and the lengths they go to in order to give people the best possible beer.
It's safe to say that these have given me a newfound respect for the Delaware brewery. So much so that when I saw a four pack of Midas Touch, part of Dogfish Head's Ancient Ale program, I sprung for it. I didn't even have second thoughts about it's $14 price tag.
Here's the question: Is the beer, and my newly minted infatuation with Dogfish Head, worth it?
I thought that July would be hotter than this. Don't get me wrong. It's hot in Cincinnati. Like, it's regularly in the 80s. But today I went on a beer run at around 2 o'clock and it was only 76 degrees.
Not that I'm complaining. I'm not complaining at all. Kinder weather gives me a chance to sit outside and drink a beer without either a) sweating through all of my clothing or b) bundling up so that I have to pull a scarf from my face every time I want to take a swig.
For a summer day, you'd be pretty hard-pressed to find something better than this. Weather like this is perfect because it lets me pair (what I hope is) a perfect summer beer with it: Braxton's Buzz.
Not that I'm complaining. I'm not complaining at all. Kinder weather gives me a chance to sit outside and drink a beer without either a) sweating through all of my clothing or b) bundling up so that I have to pull a scarf from my face every time I want to take a swig.
For a summer day, you'd be pretty hard-pressed to find something better than this. Weather like this is perfect because it lets me pair (what I hope is) a perfect summer beer with it: Braxton's Buzz.
Well, folks, Cincinnati's finally been hit by winter. Temperatures have been dropping. Snow's been falling occasionally. And I have that burning in my throat when I walk to work, which signifies that we're finally done with warm weather. Great.
At least I still have good Christmas beers to keep me company and stave off the cold. I also have cats, blankets, and a fiancée for that, too, but this post's about beer, dammit, so I'd like to keep it beer-centric. And the beer at the center of this beer-centric post is Fat Head's Holly Jolly.
At least I still have good Christmas beers to keep me company and stave off the cold. I also have cats, blankets, and a fiancée for that, too, but this post's about beer, dammit, so I'd like to keep it beer-centric. And the beer at the center of this beer-centric post is Fat Head's Holly Jolly.
I've been looking forward to this. Ever since my last, and first, experience with Off Color, I've seen a few more of their brews at my local beer store but haven't purchased any. However, last weekend Michelle and I decided to go to a liquor store and get spendy in celebration of my completion of the second semester of my grad program.
She bought wine. I bought two things: a bottle of cider and a four-pack of beer. I drank the cider that night, but I've been sitting on the beer. Until now. Here we are, a week later, and I'm about to break into Off Color's Scurry.
She bought wine. I bought two things: a bottle of cider and a four-pack of beer. I drank the cider that night, but I've been sitting on the beer. Until now. Here we are, a week later, and I'm about to break into Off Color's Scurry.
And, just like that, we're into Christmas beer mode. For my initial post of the season, I figured I'd go with a beer with which it seems everyone I know is familiar. Every year, the day this ale releases, my newsfeed is flooded with posts about people breaking into their first 201X pint of it. They post pictures of themselves at bars with smiles on their faces. They share Instagram photos of the six pack of it they just bought. They even tag each other in statuses about it. Few people I know get into Christmas music before Thanksgiving, but everyone rants and raves about the ale at hand the moment it releases. I guess beer takes the Scrooge out of them.
Anyway, my friends in Ohio treat Great Lakes like my family in Michigan treats Bell's--that is, with respect. So much respect that they act like their favorite brewery can do no wrong. Let me lay this out here: both these breweries have fantastic beer. I've discussed good Bell's brews previously, and Great Lakes lays claim to some of my favorite drafts. But, is anyone perfect? If you love Great Lakes' trademarked Christmas Ale, you may want to sit down for this one.
Anyway, my friends in Ohio treat Great Lakes like my family in Michigan treats Bell's--that is, with respect. So much respect that they act like their favorite brewery can do no wrong. Let me lay this out here: both these breweries have fantastic beer. I've discussed good Bell's brews previously, and Great Lakes lays claim to some of my favorite drafts. But, is anyone perfect? If you love Great Lakes' trademarked Christmas Ale, you may want to sit down for this one.
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