Treasure blown in by the Country Breeze

As a general rule, I love beer. And I'm a big fan of cocktails.

Ignoring the range of options within those large categories for a moment, I've vacillated between the two ever since I started drinking "regularly" in my mid-20's (before that, I was something of a teetotaler.. of the non-preachy kind, of course). ;)

And so, for the past couple of months, I've definitely found myself in the beer-loving camp, having a single 12oz or 22oz bottle, say, a couple times a week with dinner or shortly thereafter. Think: Red Rocket Ale from Bear Republic Brewing or Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout from North Coast Brewing. Think: delish (if you think in words so fey; haha).

But recently, I've had the excuse to break out the ol' cocktail shakers (which, as it so happens, spent their previous lives as Bubbies Sauerkraut jars before finding themselves as implements of my home bar shaketastic effervesce). And while I mostly stuck to some old favorites, like The Aviation -- with an exceedingly *light* touch of crème de violette -- and the Vesper (certainly, monsieur), I threw a few new ones in the mix, so to speak. My guests were game.

The surprise winner -- and it "wins", insofar that it will make regular appearances in my cocktail lineup from here-on-out -- of this informal contest-that-wasn't-really-a-contest was a simple, sweet delight called the Country Breeze, a lovely mix of apple juice, gin, and crème de cassis:

2 1/2 oz. Apple Juice
1 3/4 oz. Gin (works well with a London Dry)
1/2 oz. Creme de Cassis (French, all the way!)

Play with the ingredients a bit, but the ratio above made a lovely nightcap. Crank up the gin if you want something with more bite; or let the apple juice flow more freely if you'd like something lighter in body. No matter how you make it, pour over ice and and add garnish of sliced apples and/or blackberries, if available.

(Liquid) treasures abound; there is always something new to learn! Salud!

It's getting hot in herre; or is it me?

Yeah -- I can't deny it: I'm goofing off tonight (and totally chillin' in my room, weekend-style, interleaving music searches with random videos on youtube.

Ok, ok.. you're asking: what's in it for me (this "goofing off" by this blog kid)? Well, the benefit of my low-keyness for you -- for you! -- is that I've dug up Tiga's version of "Hot In Herre" (video). Turn that BASS up!

And, besides any low-frequency delight this track embodies, the video reminds me of the power of puppets!! (even as my most recent *real* exposure is via "The Long Christmas Ride Home", performed at The Magic Theater in 2006). But also -- and more specifically (and yeah!) -- dog puppets are universally funny/cool. haha.

In any case, if you haven't seen the original of "Hot in Herre" (by Nelly), check it.

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Also: I was a fan of Stone Brewing's 11th Anniversary Ale when it first came out, but this Black Imperial IPA still rocks today, a year later. And I think I've got two or three more bombers stashed in the apartment somewhere. Ohhhh -- the power of planning ahead!

Hmmm.. I think I'm overdue for an update to my "Top XX Beers", huh?

Maybe it's time to try another cask ale

Today, William Brand's "What's on Tap" beer blog threw out a last minute heads-up that tonight is Anderson Valley Brewing Night at Toronado; it starts at 6pm.

What this means is that they are tapping the first keg of their Winter Solstice spiced Christmas ale for 2008. They will also be pouring many other beers from the always-quality Anderson Valley lineup, including one I've never heard of: a Deep Enders Dark Porter. I've been drinking a lot of dark porters/stouts lately (mostly of the Imperial variety) so this porter is calling out to me.. although it's going to be on cask, which is an old-school finishing/delivery method that I haven't really developed a taste for (yet?). We'll see..

In any case, find more details for tonight's event over at What's On Tap, but the bottom line is that if you're thirsty tonight, Toronado will be a good place to be. No special cover; just pay for your beers (natch).

I'm going to walk by after my Russian class tonight and if it's not too crowded (around 10:30pm), I'll probably give that porter-on-cask a go..

Oh, and if you're not familiar with Anderson Valley Brewing, they are a solid Northern Californian brewer, most famous for their Boont Amber Ale. And, as I've mentioned before, they throw one hell of a beerfest every year -- put it on your calendars for 2009!

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By the way, Toronado has special beer nights all the time -- mostly in this same format (i.e. no cover, just lots of beers from a particular brewery available -- usually along with the brewers themselves), although occasionally they have a formal tasting in Toronado's back room. Check their calendar for updates, but here are the next couple of events:

September 16th: Lagunitas Night
September 17th: Elysian Brewery Bay Area Kick Off Party!

Get your Great American Beer (Fest)

Tickets for the 2008 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) go on sale to the general public tomorrow, July 1st; they be $50 each (and well worth it).

In case you're not in-the-know, the GABF is one of the largest (maybe *the* largest?) beer festivals in the United States; last year, 408 American brewers poured who-knows-how-much delicious beer for a welcoming crowd of almost 50,000 people. And it will sell out (again) this year..

The festival runs October 9th - 11th, and is housed at the Denver Convention Center. If you've gone to other beer festivals (in smaller settings), you might not know where to start when you walk into this HUGE convention hall filled with hundreds of tables of people pouring beer, and thousands of people walking around with, um, pretzel necklaces.. these salty accessories are more a disaster avoidance tactic than fashion. haha.

Ideally, you'll go with someone that knows a little bit about the wide variety of beer being made right now by American brewers (or be that expert yourself).. but, at the least, go with an open set of tastebuds, a camera (to capture the fun), and a small notepad (because, at best, you *might* remember the names of a handful of beers - good or bad - on your own). Know that you won't like every beer that crosses your lips, but you will find some ones that you do.. and some ones that will surprise you with grapefruit, scotch, watermelon, or tobacco flavors (within a framework of delicious malts and hops, of course).

Drink plenty of water!

I can see the vibe being a little "clinical" for folks that love more intimate venues (or outdoor ones, for that matter). Still, it's hard not to recommend the GABF simply for its size, and, well, it *is* one of the 1000 places to see in the US (and Canada) before you die. ;)

Even though my brother doesn't live in Denver anymore (I've only gone to the GABF with him), I still might make it out this year. So, if you're interested, let me know (especially if you want to combine it into a hiking/climbing AND beer drinking trip)!

Boonville Beer Festival delicious this Saturday

Wow.. I can't believe this fell off my radar, but I just read that the annual Boonville Beer Festival is THIS SATURDAY. Too bad on the timing - I have a few other commitments this weekend - because it was really fun to go last year (my first and only time so far).

It's a straight-up beautiful day of all-you-can-drink delicious local California brews in a boisterous outdoor festival atmosphere. I've been to other brewfests before (including the mothership GABF in Denver), and Boonville's just left me with such a great impression of the microbrew scene in general. Simply, a great time with good peeps. Hedonist Beer Jive agrees (and provides some great reasons why BBF is hard to top).

In any case, if you have a chance, I highly recommend making it out to Boonville this weekend, a scant 2.5 hours north of San Francisco, especially if we continue this nice weather trend. You'll find yourself in an atmosphere where it's easy to get a little boisterous, and maybe little sloppy (but in a very good way). haha. Yeah, so on that note, be sure to arrange for a designated driver, or just plan to stay the night; there are plenty of hotels and B&B's in the area.. you can even camp right at the festival grounds for the ultimate in convenience (though I'll say nothing on the comfort of that option).

And remember, there is only one rule: DON'T drop your glass!

Beer by BART

While I certainly have my list of favorite beer places here in San Francisco (which I frequent, um, frequently), the Beer by BART website gives me reason to expand my drinking grounds and explore craft breweries and pubs all over the Bay Area:

Beer by BART (http://beerbybart.com/)

The site provides a list of great beer places near BART stations, along with directions to and some brief notes about each destination. You'll also find a simple icon system that quickly lets you know how far you'll need to walk (or bus) to quench your thirst.

While Beer by BART definitely leaves some room for improvement in terms of user interface and layout, it's helpful enough to get you inspired to hunt some tasty new brews; I'm glad I came across it. And if you're looking for a travel partner (on ye olde public transportation), let me know!

Long live Hedonist Beer Jive

As of about a week ago, the man behind the Hedonist Beer Jive blog is going to - in his own words - "take a breather from beer writing and from the beer world in general for a short while". Well, that's a bit of a bummer for me because I always enjoyed his posts, especially since I could follow all the local SF references (beyond the great info on beer in general, from reviews to news to travelogues).

That said, I can totally understand wanting to wrap up a project like that for a while (he does say "I’ll come back"), or even just wrap it up altogether. Sometimes these things become more of a chore than a pure joy; even if you still *want* to continue, you might have other higher-priority calls on your time, at least temporarily.

And even though I've never met the man, I've already given him a toast (or two) for the entertaining work he's put out over the years on his beer blog. Long live the Hedonist Beer Jive! On that note, I'll leave the link up on the right under "Social Lubricants", given that there are plenty of posts in the archive I still need to read, gems to discover..

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One last beer note: The new seasonal from Sierra Nevada Brewing is pretty good; it's (somewhat confusingly) called an "ESB", which stands for - in their case only - "Early Spring Beer". Yeah, "ESB" usually stands for "Extra Special Bitter" and is a style of beer that is a little more hoppy than your average pale ale, but still usually balanced with some toasty, and sweet, malts; the alcohol is usually slightly higher as well. Check out a more thorough description at Beer Advocate).

In any case, the beer geeks at Beer Advocate have overlooked the awkward naming and seem to like it too. Nicely balanced; the hops are there, but not overpowering, and what makes it truly refreshing is this undercurrent of a very subtle sweetness. Per many of the review comments, it really *would* be a great session beer if it didn't weigh in at 5.8% abv.. although at this point in my drinking career, my liver can handle a few no problem. I mean, you should see the beer in my house; most of it is *at least* 6%, if not hovering around 10% abv.. and it's all oh-so-tasty! ;)

The bottom line is to check out Sierra's new seasonal "ESB", especially if you live in CA and are able to find it at every supermarket and corner store at a pretty good price. In fact, I picked up a 12 pack for $12 the other day; these days, I'm psyched to pick up dollar bottles of quality beer (and I'll be even more psyched if I can continue to do so as the hop storage runs into course over the next year or so).

I would think to ask about your beers

My local Lucky's put a couple of brews from Firestone Walker Brewing on sale this week, and so, I *had* to pick something up; I've read such good things about them and, now, the price was right. And all I can say is that I've been missing out. Their Pale Ale is now my go-to, high-quality, session beer at the house, PBR or Tecate party nights notwithstanding. haha. Come by and we'll put back a few (if we don't break out some of my more exotic offerings, like Ommegang's Chocolate Indulgence Stout or Russian River's Damnation Batch 23).

On another beer-related note, I've removed The Beer Pirate from the "Social Lubricants" link list on the right. No offense - it's a fine site - but it's not updated frequently enough, or with enough "required reading", for me to keep it.

But I do have a replacement: Pacific Brew News Blog, a site with great beer-related news and reviews, updated a few times a week; it's associated with the folks - it *is* the folks - that put out the Pacific Brew News print 'zine found in better beer stores here on the West Coast. If you live in the area and are into beer, it's required reading, for sure, but many of the stories have appeal to the beer world at large.

Yeah, so, get acquainted with the PBN crew via their Favorite Beers of 2007; in fact, you can learn a lot about *anyone* by talking with them about their favorite beers (and I guess it says something about me that I would think to ask). Cheers! And, no, really, do tell..

A return of the infamous No. 9

If you caught me soon after I returned from my trip to Russia this past summer, there was a good chance that I told you about my desire to host a taste test featuring the full line-up of beers from Балтика (Baltika) brewing. It was a request slightly out of (my beer) character; you see, Baltika brews lagers - almost exclusively - and I'm not a fan of lagers in general. But! With my adventures in Russia still on the forefront of my mind, the novelty of tracking down the ten different Baltika beers, numbered from 0 to 9, seemed fun and worthwhile.

Baltika No. 0 is a non-alcoholic lager
Baltika No. 1 is a light lager, at 4.4% abv
Baltika No. 2 is a pale lager, at 4.7% abv
Baltika No. 3 is a pale lager, at 5.1% abv
Baltika No. 4 is a Vienna lager, at 5.6% abv
Baltika No. 5 is a golden lager, at 5.0% abv
Baltika No. 6 is a Baltic porter, at 7.0% abv
Baltika No. 7 is an export lager, 5.4% abv
Baltika No. 8 is an unfiltered wheat ale, at 5.0% abv
Baltika No. 9 is a strong export lager, at 8.0% abv

*There are a couple more "special" beers that really don't get much distribution, so the list above is really what I was looking for; Baltika also brews some other product lines (like Арсенальное), but, again, the list above suffices for my (ahem, imagined) purposes.*

Soon, though, my taste buds reigned in such fanciful (and alcoholic) fascinations - back to my usual kickass West Coast ales! - and the tasting never came to fruition. So it was only yesterday that I came across another Baltika beer. And, in fact, it was the infamous No. 9! haha.

No. 9 is, for sure, the go-to beer for bang-for-your-gettin'-drunk-buck (if you're not drinking cheap vodka, that is). At 8.0% abv, a few half-liters will put you on your ass.. and along the way, you know exactly what you're getting into, given it doesn't try to hide its alcohol at all. Yikes! Fortunately, I was sharing a couple of bottles with a few people over a homestyle Russian dinner at Sadko, a Russian restaurant in the Outer Richmond. It was, I can assure you, the first time that I poured Baltika No. 9 into a wine glass (once I emptied it of its original contents: квас); in fact, it was the first time I wouldn't have thought to drink it straight from the bottle.

In any case, if you want to know what Russian food "is", I'd recommend checking out Sadko; you'll even get that stereotypical Russian service (i.e. brusk) included in the price! haha. From a culinary perspective, it helped that I was there with my Ukrainian buddy and a crew from his work (but only my buddy speaks Russian; the rest were even more clueless than me at what they were getting into). As such, he ordered a huge amount of "classic" Russian food and drink for the lot of us; and so, we got to try a lot of different dishes at once. Good stuff!

And while I'll be no substitute translator, if you're interested in going, let me know; I certainly plan on a return trip. While I'm (still) not going to be craving Russian food on any sort of regular basis, the overall ambiance certainly has a place in my heart; at the least, Sadko's version of квас was the best I've had (and it comes in pitchers).

Of course, if you're just interested in a Baltika No. 9 experience, I think we can skip the restaurant altogether and track one down - one for each of us, that is - from a local grocery and just hang out in the park. Classic, for sure (even if we have to paper-bag it; the SF police look down upon the open container)!

Less and less Prohibition

Ahh.. I heard about it last week, but forgot in the hubbub of the past couple of days (i.e. guest in town, final for Russian class, etc.). The Drink Blog at 7x7 reminded me today that December 5th was the 74th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition here in the US. And given that the weekend is just about upon us, remember that a brief toast in appreciation of our ability to imbibe (at all) is in order. (And then put it out of your mind and just do your, um, weekend thang.)

Out of coincidence, 2007 - and just recently, at that - was the year that saw the repeal of another archaic liquor law; this one was surrounding La Fée Verte. You see, absinthe, that anise flavored liqueur of ill-repute, is back for sale in the US (legally); and, if you want to actually distill it here, you can do that too (after A LOT of paperwork, I imagine). In fact, St. George Spirits distillery in Alameda is making their own version (after years of under-the-radar experimentation). Check the full details at the NYTimes:

A Liquor of Legend Makes a Comeback
By Pete Wells
Published: December 5, 2007

While I did have some Eastern European-based absinthe drinking fantasy when I was in college - it seemed like the epitome of subversive sophistication! - it doesn't exactly have the same appeal for me now that I've done a little traveling and drinking and all that. How jaded of me, I know. haha. That said, if a bottle of good-quality stuff came my way, I will not say no; and a cafe in Budapest will not be required for me to enjoy it. A nice place in NYC with friends would do. Or, Alameda.

Would you lick it?

I just picked up a new stick of Tom's of Maine Deodorant at Trader Joe's yesterday, and, to my amusement, it says "Improved with Hops!" right up there on the front of the packaging. It seems that hops inhibit the growth of gram-positive (odor-causing) bacteria and, therefore, are a welcome natural addition to the ingredient list.

Is there nothing that plant can't do?

As you may or may not know, hops are also used as a flavoring and preservation agent in most types of beer. In fact, some of my favorite beer styles - IPAs and Imperial Stouts come to mind - are brewed with a very liberal amount of the stuff. In short, I dig the seasoning.

Yeah, so even though the deodorant is supposed to be "unscented", it totally smells citrusy to me (with an undercurrent of sweet pine).. oh, and I know why: it's my imagination going into hop-overload! haha. Well, even if that *is* the case, part of me still wants to - after a deep breath of the stuff - to lick it. And unless I'm going to be kissing you after such an impulsive act, who's to argue with *my* reality. ;)

Check it out for yourself.

For these bands, it was appropriate

So there you have it: I had a beer tonight.

There is a new martini in town

So it's come to this.

There is an ebb and flow to everything in life.. and your choice of drinks, alcoholic or otherwise, is not excepted from this maxim of existence. Per my posts the past couple of months, you know I'm a big fan of well-crafted beer (especially those from the US). And, I still am. However, I've been partaking of more cocktails (and the occasional shot) lately; and the base of choice, um, spiritually speaking, has been gin.

Eric Asimov, chief wine critic of the NYTimes, has mentioned that "gin is more of a thinking person’s spirit (at least, versus vodka)." And I tend to agree (but that's probably just because the taste of most gins agree with me). In this way (and beyond his fame from wine), he's done his fair share of tastings in all manner of libations, including an 80 martini lunch a few months ago; a few of his highly-gustative friends helped with the endeavor.

While I've not reached his level of commitment, I have been reacquainting myself with the venerable martini; in fact, two came my way last night, one with a twist (at Elixir) and one with a plastic spike of olives (at Skylark). I prefer the latter.. so much so that I bought some nice (and organic) green olives this morning to be able to make my own version at home. But I haven't stopped there; I have a few other goodies as well..

Just recently, an interesting martini recipe caught my eye on Chow (though, ultimately, the recipe comes from the James Bond Casino Royale movie). Most simply provide a starting point for the ratios of gin to vermouth to water, but this one goes beyond - without totally destroying the essence of the drink (ex. appletini's ain't martinis).

So, may I present to you The Vesper:

INGREDIENTS

* 3 ounces Gordon's gin
* 1 ounce vodka
* 1/2 ounce Kina Lillet
* Green olives or twist of lemon peel

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Shake the gin, vodka, and Lillet with ice; then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with green olives or lemon peel.

It seems easy enough, but there is a problem with the ingredient list: you actually can't buy Kina Lillet anymore; it is a discontinued styling from the Lillet family of apéritif wines. So, you have to substitute Lillet Blanc instead; some would even say to add a few drops of bitters to more closely approximate the original Kina recipe. And if you haven't made a martini before - or have, but haven't thought that much about the process - note that you can widely vary the taste of the final drink by adjusting the size of your ice cubes OR the time that you are shaking all the ingredients together. You see, the shake with ice not only chills the drink, but it also imparts a component of water to "mellow" some of the alcoholic bite; the longer you shake or the smaller the ice, the more water ends up in the final product. Ultimately, it's personal taste on how much you'd like to add.

It's little things like this that make such a simple cocktail a difficult one to master. In any case, I'll let you know how my home experiments go.. with olives, of course. But if you want a twist of lemon or orange, we can make that happen as well. Again, I got all the goodies. And beyond olives, twists and Lillet, I've picked up some delicious new - new to the US, anyway - tonic water from Fever Tree and some spicy ginger beer. I think my gin and tonic (or gin and ginger) - and, therefore, my taste buds - never had it so good.

As for my (large-ish) stash of beer in the fridge (and in my cabinets), don't worry.. they will not go to waste. OHH NO! Regardless of my current hard-stuff leanings, sometimes you just want a beer. Plus I have thirsty friends (thirsty for beer, that is); and who am I to say no to a drinking sesh with them? haha.

ps. Martini's also make me a better dancer; who knew? ;)

You won't believe, only four beers

You know I'm a man all about his beer, but I really didn't partake too much on this last trip to NYC. I suppose it was a combination of a couple of things, but the short answer is that I didn't make it a priority (like I did on my last two trips in the summer) and my usual NYC company isn't particularly into it, given a choice.

That said, I did make it over to Barcade in Brooklyn - just down the street from where I was staying - for a pint (or two); it had been on the to-do list for awhile. The place is large, and on a lazy - and warm! - Sunday evening in October it seemed especially cavernous (i.e. relative to the amount of people there). I'd be interested to see if/how the space fills up on a weekend night; I've read it can get crowded. The industrial garage-like interior is lined with a slew of 80's era stand-up video games (think Gauntlet and Tetris, not Street Fighter).. and, more of my interest, there is a bar area with 25 or so craft brewers on tap.

Their selection is heavily focused on local brews (ex. Chelsea, Southampton, and Smuttynose brewing companies), and to that, I say: kudos! While part of me wishes that every good beer (née, every good everything) somehow finds it's way to the Bay Area, I can appreciate the need to actually go to a place - physically - to experience them (and other local charms, of course). That sounds like the start of another long blog entry (beyond beer), so I'll digress..

I started with a pint of HopDevil from Victory Brewing, a tried and true favorite of mine, but it was my first time having it on tap; and then followed with a Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout from Cape Ann Brewing Company. The latter was a truly unique beer and I hope I come across it again. It's very much a coffee-y stout from the start, but the pumpkin and its usual entourage of spices (cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice) provide a subtle undertone of warmth and evoke a holiday season je ne sais quoi.

Other than those, I only had two more beers of note over the week.

The first was this year's Harvest Ale from Sierra Nevada; it was the first time they'd bottled this annual brew, and it sure was tasty; I hope they keep bottling it. I'd read about "wet hop" ales for the first time only this year, but if Sierra's version of it is any yardstick for the rest, I'm going to seek more out before the season is done. In fact, there is a wet hop festival at the Toronado this weekend.. which I may or may not go to given how crowded every public event at the Toronado gets.. but at least they should have some kegs there for this coming week.

The last beer of note was the Schneider-Brooklyner Hopfen-Weisse (a mouthful, huh?) from Brooklyn Brewery. The only thing I can say is that while I understand it to be an exciting beer, given its lineage, it was a bit too sweet and banana-y for my tastes; and I didn't like the mouthfeel. To each their own, right? But the silver lining is that I had it on tap at a cool Brooklyn bar (and grill, apparently) named Maracuja; it is exquisitely decorated, with lots of dark woods and the right hues of (low) lighting to match. After two rounds of pool (if you're wondering, my friend slaughtered me), we finished our drinks out back in their canopied and trellised garden.. and basically had the place to ourselves the whole time, but I think that was a consequence of it being late on a Monday night, so it may get crazy on the weekends or something. Still, given all the pro's of the scene, I'm willing to take my chances next time I roll through town.. which is looking like November (frequent flier miles represent!).

Hopefully, at that time I'll still be able to get my hands on more great pumpkin treats; I've been obsessing on the pumpkin this year (who knows why). On this trip, I got both beer and bagels tinged with the flavor of this large orange benefactor, but I know there are more tasty devices in which to enjoy this holiday staple. And I say, bring 'em on!

ps. Barcade also has a full bar, which is uncommon, I think, for a place that has such a great focus on beer. But in (another) twist, they have offerings from micro distilleries like Dogfish Head Spirits along with the more common hard stuff.

Black IPA or IBA?

Everybody loves Stone's 11th Anniversary Ale!

Let me count the ways:

1. Hot Knives
2. Hedonist Beer Jive
3. Beer Advocate
4. The Full Pint

It is a delicious Black IPA.. or, um, India Black Ale (IBA).. or Double Black IPA - I've seen it referenced and sorted in all of these ways. But by any measure (or name), it's still delicious; and, a rose is still a rose.

While I haven't had it since last time I was at Toronado a few weeks ago, I was reminded of it tonight when, at Whole Foods (here, in Tempe, AZ - on a work trip), some bottles winked at me; I'm a sucker for the good beer (and winks), and so I *almost* bought one. In fact, there was a pretty good selection there overall, so a couple of the brews were tempting me, including Dogfish Head's Pumpkin Ale.. something I can't seem to find back in San Francisco. Ultimately, my better judgment prevailed and I simply left WF with some wholesome goodies for dinner (and for tomorrow's breakfast); I knew I'd be doing plenty of drinking over this upcoming weekend in NYC.

Friends and art (and spirits - of all sorts) await!

In the meantime, if you have access to Stone's 11th Anniversary Ale - especially on tap, and, even more especially, with friends - I would say to give it a go; it'll be like nothing you've ever tasted before. It is #16, after all!

Support for the craft brewer, regardless

The worst news I heard all weekend came courtesy of the Wall Street Journal:

Why Price Increases Are Brewing for Craft Beer
By David Kesmodel and Janet Adamy
Published October 5th, print edition

(Ignoring the overused pun in the article's title), the basic story is that the price of hops and barley has been climbing the past couple of months, and there is no end in sight. In fact, some craft brewers may not be able to afford any hops at all if they need to buy from the spot market (versus securing long term supply contracts now). There is even the possibility that some won't be able to find certain specific hop variants needed for a given beer recipe at all (or in enough quantities).

It seems that there are a couple of factors involved, including the weak US dollar, but the the main one is that many farmers have, over the past couple of years, switched over from growing hops to other, more profitable, crops (ethanol, anyone).

Well, I'm still going to be supporting my favorite craft breweries, especially the local ones, but I guess it's good to know where they are coming from if/when we see price increases from them in the coming year. Maybe it's time to start buying by the keg?

I knew 10 would become 15

While I'm not going to take any beers off my original top-tenner (I can't - they are still all delicious!), let me add a few more to my list of favorites:

11. Lagunitas Brewing - Imperial Red
12. Flying Dog Brewing - Gonzo Imperial Porter
13. Avery Brewing - The Maharaja Imperial IPA (2007)
14. Avery Brewing - Hog Heaven Barley Wine
15. Anderson Valley Brewing - Boont ESB

And some new brews I'm looking forward to:
X1. Pyramid Brewing - Imperial Hefeweizen
X2. Stone Brewing - 11th Anniversary Ale

I knew 10 would become 15; let 15 become 20! And I still take recommendations (and if you want to buy me a drink, then buy me a drink!).

UPDATE: (did you even see the original posting?). I'd also like to put up Stone's 11th Anniversary Ale as #16 (if I forget when I post 16 - ??, let me know)..

Be proud of the trinity: newbeer, djmix, gayeyes

Three disparate stuffs for a Monday:

First, I added a new link to the "Social Lubricants" menu on the right: The Beer Pirate (http://www.thebeerpirate.com/). While it sounds swashbuckling and bombastic, it's actually a very straightforward blog of mostly beer reviews, along with the occasional piece of beer news; in short, it's full of some easy (and mouth-watering) beer reading. In fact, it reminded me that pumpkin ale season is upon us with today's review of Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale. It's not that big of a deal here on the West Coast, but on the East Coast - especially the Northeast - the appearance of pumpkin ales certainly indicates the arrival of Fall, cooler temperatures, shorter days, darker (and spiced) beers and so forth. Yeah, since here in SF where is never gets too hot or too cold, I sorta had to do a double take, like it didn't occur to me that the summer was "over" (but I guess it never occurred to me that the summer "started" either).

My continuing internet adventures today led me back to one of my favorite music sites: Disco Belle, where I played a bit of catch-up on a few weeks of entries. Again, they brought another kick-ass dj mix to my attention.. this time by Them Jeans, that LA music tastemaker (or, at least, player), Jason Stewart. While he's been known to throw down anything from hardcore to post-rock to ambient at his parties (per his bio), this mix - called "All Work. All Play." - is pure dancefloor-friendly hiphop.. with a little British twist at the end. I've been playing it non-stop today; check the track list:

Russ Chimes - She’s Got The Heat
M.I.A. - Boyz (acapella)
Rock D The Legend (ft. Big Boi) - DDT
N2Deep - Back To The Hotel
Freck Billionaire - Peter Pan
Soulja Boy - Crank Dat (instrumental)
M.I.A. - Paper Planes
U.G.K. - Swishas And Dosha
Busy P - Rainbow Man
Khafani (ft. Keak Da Sneak) - Fast
DJ Khaled - We Takin’ Over (instrumental)
Electric Light Orchestra - Showdown
M.I.A. - Jimmy
Uffie - Brand New Car (instrumental)
Soulja Boy - Crank Dat (Cousin Cole remix)
Kia Shine - Wow (acapella)
U.G.K. - Like That (remix)
Ali & Gipp (ft. David Banner) - Get On The Floor
Dude ‘N Em - Watch My Feet
Juelz Santana - Okay Okay
Ratatat - Loud Pipes
Ice Cube - You Know How We Do It
The Smiths - How Soon Is Now

Get this music here, now; and dance around your room.

Finally, as I was leaving the SF Library (main branch, natch) this evening, a man in his late 20's comes up to me and asks, "Are you gay?" I casually turn my head more fully towards him and simply say, "No".. to his minor disappointment. All the while he's giving me his best "Gay Eyes". I quickly offer a "Sorry" and we both continue on; why would I feel the need to offer a "sorry"? haha. Yes, just another day in the life..

ps. If you're wondering what "Gay Eyes" are, I'd suggest asking local comedian Brent Weinbach - one of my favorite comedians anywhere, actually. He also has a great recipe for couscous.

Expand your definition of a "session beer"

Per my earlier entry, the Avery Experience beer tasting happened this past Wednesday night at Toronado. And all I can say is that I'm glad I work from home, because despite my best attempts at pacing, I got drunk.. and, consequently, there was a bit of a price to pay, headache-wise, in the morning. haha. But it was all good..

It was my first beer tasting (besides various festivals); I showed up solo, but it there was a friendly crew in attendance and so got to talk beer, learn a new (drinking?) game, meet some brewers (Adam Avery, Richard Norgrove), and drink some awesome beer. Check this line-up; fifteen beers, served in five separate flights:

Flagships
1. Ellie's Brown Ale (5.6% abv)
2. White Rascal Belgian Wheat Ale (5.6% abv)
3. India Pale Ale (6.3% abv) **

Quirky Seasonals
4. New World Porter (6.7% abv)
5. THIRTEEN - Weizen Doppelbock (9.5% abv) **
6. FOURTEEN - Belgian Dubbel IPA (9.46% abv)

The Holy Trinity of Ales
7. Salvation - Belgian Golden Ale (9% abv)
8. The Reverend - Belgian Quadrupel Ale (10% abv)
9. Hog Heaven Barleywine (9.2% abv) **

The Dictator Series
10. The Maharaja - Imperial India Pale Ale 2007 (9.65% abv) **
11. The Kaiser - Imperial Oktoberfest 2005 (8.9% abv)
12. The Czar - Imperial Stout 2003 (11.9% abv)

The Demons of Ale
13. The Beast Grand Cru Ale 2007 (16.42% abv)
14. Samael's Oak-aged Ale 2006 (14.5% abv)
15. Mephistopheles' Stout 2006 (15.1% abv) **

** = personal top picks

My favorite memory of the night was that on several occasions, as he was saying a few words about each beer in a given flight, Adam Avery would note, "This beer is totally sessionable." And he would be talking about a beer like their IPA at 6.3% abv (ok, on the high side, but I'll give him that one), but then later he'd say this about their FOURTEEN as well.. at 9.46% abv! We all had a good chuckle; the man obviously has a highly-optimized liver. ;)

Splash became hibiscus and jax (and splash)

Today, my kitchen is in the midst of a minor transformation, but one already paying dividends in the personal happiness department; it's amazing what simple pleasures can do for the psyche, huh? You see, I'm signing a new year-lease at my place on Monday and with that new permanence-ishness in mind, I'm doing a bit of reorganization, redecoration and the like (which will extend to my bedroom as well; we'll see about the other rooms).

I won't go into the details here because it seems a bit silly - beyond saying that I got a few new knives to hang on the wall; it's not like I'm constructing a deck or putting a urinal into the bathroom (which would be awesome); I'm moving shizz from one drawer to another, upgrading my bed, etc. But, suffice to say, there will be a party in a few weeks once the changes are in place and we (i.e. my new-ish roommate and I) are all settled.. if only because I haven't had too many parties at my place to begin with - I've been here at my "new place" a year already! - and, well, it's overdue. I just need to clear out my fridge (of good beer and local veggies) to fit a couple of cases of PBR in there. ;)

In semi-related news, I went to City Beer for the first time this evening with a friend, and, really, all I can say is that it was long overdue. Good scene; I brought home two bombers of the aforementioned Kill Ugly Radio from Lagunitas Brewing as a souvenir. And I can't wait to crack 'em open, tastefully, and one at a time, of course..