The BEER thread.

Same here. There were probably a couple dozen people lined up outside my local place before it opened this morning, and the clerk told me they still had plenty.

 

Only one store in my area - and I'm bring very generous with that term (think 45 minute drive) - had any for sale today that I knew of. And they had a single case.

But again, distribution is sketchy here. It can easily turn up at other places in the next few weeks. Hell, KBS didn't hit my area until almost 2 weeks after it went out.And I got BCBS today a full week after it was released. They just got it this morning.

And now my watch begins.

 

Score!

A friend just told me he grabbed an extra bottle of CBS for me when he found some. It'll be in my hands tomorrow. I'll still be on the lookout for more, but at least I'll get to try it.

Today was a good day.

 

Friday and Saturday ended up being productive for me. Might not be everyone's taste, and easier to find for some. But this take will work great for me. Gonna be a good Christmas, Tater.

 

I won't drink during a Patriots game. Recipe for disaster. (at least until the game is way out of hand)

So I'm getting it out of my system tonight. That, and celebrating the end of a 15 day work week (38 out of 40 days).

Finally got to try Old Rasputin. 4 years ago, this would have been WAY too hoppy for me and I would've hated it. I could do with a tad less hoppiness, but it's actually very nice.

Really tempted to crack open the Hardywood or CBS. But they're for the holidays. Then again, I DO have 2 bottles of BCBS....

 

Even I like Old Rasp, and I'm not a hophead. Here, the holidays is six weeks long give or take. Hey, it's the holidays...crack open that CBS.

 

using the beer finder on Ommegang's website, I found a little hole in the wall shop not far from me that had their 20th Anniversary Ale. It's a bourbon barrel aged Belgian strong dark ale.

And sure enough, they had it. What I did not expect, and was elated to find was the bottle of Bourbon County Brand Barleywine!

As to relatively local breweries to be proud of, I'll throw Weyerbacher and Troegs out there to represent PA. Honorable mention to Yard's, Rusty Rail, and Fegley's Brewworks. Leaving out a few very respectable but larger breweries.

 

I didn't "like" beer when I was your age. Any beer. (Before my intro to Guinness, and there wasn't any craft beer really. Cheap beer was all I knew).

The other issue as that many of us have a massive sweet tooth in early adulthood and can't appreciate some bitter flavors yet. Hell, some people never do. But the sweet tooth also causes you to not be able to detect nor appreciate lower levels of sweetness. Everything is so overloaded in sugar anymore.

So take it from a not quite geezer. Both to appreciate beer eventually, and to save your health as you get older: GET OFF SUGAR! I swear, quitting sugar is harder than quitting smoking. And it's probably more important to your long term health. Sure, at your age you can get away with high levels of sugar and calories. But it's taking its toll on you just the same. There's nothing wrong with some sugar once in a while. But cut back now,and thank me in 20 years.

That means limiting sodas, sweet teas, and yes, gatorade/powerade. Reducing the sugar you put in your coffee/tea (ideally, zero). Drink mostly water if you can. And candy isn't a meal.

And once you're of age, try a wide variety of beers. People who say they don't like beer just haven't found their style/brand yet.

 

I was planning to crack this open tonight to celebrate being Kings in the North, but... maybe I can think of a metaphor for today to keep it applicable. Does Ommegang make a What's dead can never die brew?

 

Be a few suds going down tonight to ease the pain. Ugh.

 

How long a have you been sitting on that?!

As to your question, not yet. But I'll l go for it.

 

A while.

 

Had a Barrel Aged Narwhal tonight. Almost changed my life.

The Michter's US 1 American whiskey stole its thunder.

 

So how is everyone's weekend starting?

Stout aged in Islay scotch barrels (specifically Ardbeg). Very interesting. Rich, roasty stout. Coffee and black strap molasses. With a hint of smoke and peat.