There was a definite chill in the air this morning when I woke up. It was still dark out when my alarm went off at 6:30. My morning commute is getting longer due to school traffic. Finally, finally it's seeming like summer's drawing to a close. The timing of all this is perfect since it's September 1st, meaning that the blog's officially shifting into autumn beers. These beers, of course, start with Oktoberfest--a beer season we'll recognize all month long.

This year I have six Oktoberfest brews lined up to feature. Today, we're kicking off the festivities with HighGrain's Meadow, a true festbier lager (as the HighGrain folks put it, at least). So, I encourage you to put on your favorite polka playlist, crack into an Oktobefest brew of your own, and settle in as we start this adventure together.

Today I'm bringing you a post that I'm super happy about. See, back when Michelle and I lived in Cincinnati proper, we lived in the city's Pleasant Ridge neighborhood. MadTree was a little over just down the road from our apartment--an easy drive, but not necessarily walking distance. While I was happy to have a great brewery so close to home, five years in Athens had me wishing for something close enough to walk home from after a drink too many.

Luckily, the summer before we split town Nine Giant opened. The brewery was a five minute walk from our place. I spent more than a few dollars there (and I continue to do so every chance I get). I've loved the brewery and kitchen from the day they opened (I attended their soft-opening with some friends). I was bummed when we moved out east of the city and hoped that Nine Giant's offerings would eventually get canned and hit distro. 

Today, thanks to a collaboration with Silverton's HighGrain Brewing, I'm about to crack into the culmination of that hope: Dank IPA, a beer brewed for April 20th.

This is the final March post of 2024, which means it's my last bock season. I was happy to find this (at the tail-end of February) on the build-your-own shelves of my local bottleshop. Having only had great experiences with the brewery, I eagerly threw it in my pack.

We've nearly made it! My presents are wrapped and, as soon as my kid goes to sleep, they'll be placed beneath the tree. Santa's bringing someone an orange monster truck, fulfilling a Christmas wish.