Rugged One

Nice to see you had a good time in Cleveland, Wally. Is that a pitcher of Dortmunder I see next to you? Nice. Anyway, I was going to get into something new tonight (of which I still have a ton of) but instead found myself drawn back to one of my new favorite brews. What can I say? It's hard to stay away from something so good. Oh yeah! Back for more of the Shakespeare Stout. I actually picked up a little more smokiness in the finish this time around.

Just one of those cold, crappy, winter nights, where you just want to put something warm in your belly... The Great Divide Hibernation Ale does just the trick. Fantastic vanilla/caramel aroma to this one with sweet caramel malty goodness throughout. Yummy!

Well you would have thought that I'd be Nuggeted out after last night... You would be wrong. Hell yeah, this is the stuff! And it went down faster than the Saints will be in a few short minutes. Go Bears!

Troegs released it's fantastic Nugget Nectar to stores this week. God, this stuff is incredible. Straight up citrus and hops. Looks like I'm off to the brewery this weekend for a growler fill. The Troegs Nugget Nectar. Hmmm, I wonder what Derek will be posting tonight?

It is Dave... it is...

After month's of trying to get Derek to come to one, he finally was able to get out of work early and get down to Baltimore and enjoy with us one of the highlights of each month. The monthly DuClaw beer release. But this wasn't just any release. The last time Derek tangled with the infamous Serum, it tore him up good and left him for dead. Now the Serum has returned and Derek want's him some good old fashioned payback! Would Derek overcome his past hangovers and win out or would the Serum once again make mincemeat of his braincells? Let's find out... Derek's first DuClaw release was a rousing success. So much so that he's allready cooking up some nafarious lie to tell his work so he can get out early for next month's release. Thanks for reading. Actually, he remained very coherent and enjoyed showing off his Serum swag. OK, maybe he doesn't look that coherent... Psyche! He was just playing dead. Oh no, not again! Has Derek been slayed again by the Serum? It most defintely passed the "Hop Face Challenge", I think that's Kim's best face yet! It was really good too. They changed up the recipe this year, using a different hop varietal. It was less hoppy than last years but more sweet and citrusy. Time for Derek to get his rematch with the Derekslayer! Jim gets bitten by a snake in his "bathing suit area" and Bo is unwilling to suck the venom out. Now there's a new head brewer. The release video was a "Digital Short" (ala SNL) and featured head brewer Jim and his assistant Bo. It's the Naked Fish Chocolate Raspberry Stout of course! God, I love this stuff! Yes it is but first a preview of next month and of course the big question is "What Would Willy Wonka Brew?" ...and this guy's giant plumbers crack. Ugh, is it release time so that we can erase away these vile memories? ...some funny humor... ...Double IPAs... Trivia time. Of course it has to do with serums... ...while I attemtp ABV overload and get a Black Jack Stout before the Serum is released. Derek next goes with the one of my favs, the Bad Moon Porter... I went with the oh so spicey jambalaya, although Derek correctly pointed out that I should be boycotting all things form Lousianna this week. Kim even had a beer. A Bare Ass Blonde to go with her Venom fish and chips. Oh yeah. Just the best Pale Ale EVER! First things first though, we've got to get warmed up with some Venom! ...The Serum XXIPA. AKA THE DEREKSLAYER! Yeah, Derek has graced us with his presence this release for one purpose. To finally have his rematch with.... Of yes, it's that time of the month again. Only this time...something is a little different...

I drink beer. Seriously. Check the beer thread for the last 3 months...

I too was also feeling the need for a caffeinated beverage tonight (and also almost went with another Cappucino Stout). Instead it was time for some Bells Java Stout! I hope that livers primed for tomorrow Derek. Let us not forget what happened the last time you tangled with the Derekslayer... Mmmmm, fantastic coffeeishness! It does indeed make me wish they made a Tim Hortons beer...

Trust me dude, I'm barely keeping up too and I'm one of the ones doing it. Going to start slowing things down a little bit beerwise over the next couple of weeks. No craftbeer binging until Eastcoaster! Went with a another winter specialty tonight. The Barleywine.. A vintage Brooklyn Monster Ale 2005 Barleywine to be exact. Not too bad. Very sweet and fruity upfront with a dry finish. Ran a little hot with alcohol as well.

^^ Nice pics Matt. And you even get to celebrate your anniversary with some Two-Hearted! Tonight, it was something new from the Southampton Publick House up in Long Island. Their Imperial Baltic Porter. Lots of sweet maltiness to this one with lots of chocolate, coffee, and fruit domination in the frontend. For a Baltic Porter, it was pretty darn drinkable too.

^That's a nice selection of bottles you got there Tim. All good choices. You'll have to let us know what you think of the Shakespeare Stout. I liked it so much this past week, that I had Kim pick up Derek and I some more bottles of it the other night. Great stuff!

^ I'm not going to be as bold as to say that the Eagles are going to win this game but I think that it's going to be a lot closer than you certainly seem to think. You beat us at home with a last second field goal last time and that was with our offense playing horribley in the first half. And than you needed a stupid mental penalty that negated a nice sack that would have ended that game winning drive. Garcia may not be a better overall quarterback than McNabb but this team is responding better to him. Isn't Joe Horn questionable for this game? He hasn't practiced all week. What happens if he doens't play? That takes away a major offensive weapon for your team. This Eagles team has loads of playoff experience. You guys haven't been to the post season since 2000. The Eagles arent' even supposed to be here. You guys are at home on national TV and are expected to win. Think there's a little pressure on this team to win? I'm not trying to talk football smack as I firmly the Saints are a good team and deserve to be where their at right now. I just think that this game is going to be better than most think. And if it's a Saints blowout, well than heh, like I said before, we're not even supposed to be here.

Back to the winter warmers tonight... And check it out. Kim even joins the thread tonight with some of that ever so tasty Jolly Rancher: The Drink ie. Redbach! I remembered from last year how hoppy this was but forgot just how malty, fruity, and spicey it was as well. Good stuff! This years Pyramid Snowcap.

^ What can I say man, great minds that drink alike, think alike! Tonights selection is one that is very, VERY quickly growing on me. The Rogue Shakespeare Stout. Wow, this is just a fantastic stout. Nice and creamy with roasted coffee and chocolate the whole way through that balances out it's extreme stout hoppiness at 69 IBUs! I could drink this all night.

Glad you liked the Siberian Night Adam. It's one of my favorite Imperial Stouts. BTW, I'm with Matt on this one. It's OK to still have the tree up after Christmas but don't still turn it on! Inspired by our recent trip to Pittsburgh this weekend (where they get better distribution of Lagunitas stuff than we do ie. draft and singles), I decided to break into some of their new to me stuff from a case split I did with Derek last month. The Lagunitas Pils. I'm not a big fan of pils and unfortunately this didn't really change my mind. Nice and crisp but was a little too hoppy in the finish, which threw it off for me. The Censored (Kronik) Copper Ale. Wow, this was really good. Very malty and sweet with lots of caramel, choclolate and fruit notes and a slight hoppiness. Reminded me alot of a stout, only not.

^ Nice pics as well Ted of the weekend's festivities. I'm allready looking forward to the next Pittsburgh trip! Tonight I tried a winter ale that Derek was really fond of and I must say, I have to agree with him. The Mendocino Winter Ale 06-07. Wow, this was a rather tasty Oatmeal Stout. Lots of roasty but sweet coffee and chocolate in this one. I just might need to get some more of this!

Tonight's fun... Of course if Derek's here on a Friday night, then that must mean another BACT Attack of epic proportions will soon commence. Prepare to be invaded Pittsburgh! Next up, some of Santa's Private Reserve. See? Perfect! ...he also shows me the correct way to take a self photo. Not only does he help me finish off this rather tasty brew... Yeah, it's Derek to the rescue! Sitting here all by my lonesome, wondering how I'm going to drink this giant bomber of Green Flash Imperial IPA all by myself?

Time to start getting into some of these winter warmers I've got stockpiled in the beer fridge. The Boulder Beer Never Summer. Very sweet and malty with some light hops at the end. Very, very thin body though. I seemed to remember this one being better up at Split Rock.

But dude, you were a bartender at one of the most kick ass breweries in the world! Seriously man, good luck and most of all, have fun!

We've been to both the 2004 and 2006 events and I must say that the Volcano ERT alone is worth the price. Any other time we've been to the park, it's one ride at opening before the line gets huge.

^ Heh, they can take over the beer world for all I care, if all their beers were as good as the one I had last night. Had one Tom's recommended Belgians tonight. The Leffe Belgian Blonde Ale. Very nice. Lots of fruits and spices. Pretty easy drinking for a Belgian too!

Yeah, my first beer of 2007 and it's a "chosen" beer. The HE'BREW Bittersweet Lenny's R.I.P.A. Not only was this an awesome Rye Double IPA but also the official Lenny Bruce tribute ale celebrating the 40th anniversary of his death. Wow, first Hunter S. Thompson and Frank Zappa and now Lenny Bruce? Who will be the next to get a beer tribute in 2007?

I know that if you posted a Goose Island Bourban County Stout, I'd be most jealous! Time to get into more from Southern Tier. After the fantastic Jah-Va Stout, would they continue to impress me or is Derek correct in his wariness of the Tier? The Southern Tier IPA. Unfortunately kind of blah. Sure it's got hops but that's about it for this rather watery and bland IPA.

^From the look on Nicole's face, I'd say that she's thinking this beer thing might not be so bad afterall. Redbach will do that. Went with the Rogue Morimoto Hazelnut Nut Brown Ale tonight. I initially had some concerns about the age of this bottle (seeing as how the name and bottle for this beer has since changed) but the taste still seemed allright. The Rogue Morimoto Hazelnut. Nice hazelnut aroma with lots of sweetness upfront that blends nicely into a slightly bitter nuttiness. Decent stuff.

Now, now Derek, there will be no more rubbing of Matt's face in the fact that he can't get Bells in his area. Can't you see that the poor guy has had enough? Anyway, tonight I tried one of the top Imperial Stouts in the world. The Bells Expedition Stout and it definitley delivered. Poured a inky oily black that tasted of chocolate, coffee, I think some cherries, and lots of other fantastic stuff that I couldn't even pinpoint. Lots of really subtle hops as well, that are still tingling in my mouth as I write this. Just a fantastic, fantastic imperial stout. The Bells Expedition Stout. OK, maybe we can rub it in Matt's face a little more.