Good Burp

BIG NEWS!

2011-05-04T19:44:00.003-07:00

I have been gone a long, long time. I have a good reason though. The New, and Improved GOODBURP blog site will be active very, very soon. So stay tuned with directions on how to access the new site.

Beer School class of 2011

2011-01-11T21:02:00.006-07:00

The cat is out of the bag. Yes, I am going to beer school. The Siebel Institute of Technology to be exact. Classes start in two weeks, and I couldn't be more excited. So there it is, my super big secret.

Now it might not have been such a surprise to most of you. To me, it really is. I never thought I would actually send in the tuition payment. I have wanted to do it for almost a year now, but just never had the guts to go through with it. Time is a thing that none of can ever recapture, and I didn't want to look back and ask myself, why I didn't do it.

There is more to my story, but this is where I am stopping tonight. Short and sweet. End of chapter 1.

-Cheers

I'm Back!

2011-01-02T18:22:00.003-07:00

Hello again my friends. It's been a long time. Good to talk to you again.

I don't even know where to begin. So much has happened to me the past six months. I almost feel like a different person. I have been traveling the world, meeting new and interesting people, and making a few new life decisions. 2010 is over and done with. It was a good year, but I'm happy it's over. It sure was a lot better that the crappy old year, 2009. 2011 is going to be different. This is the year which we will all look back and remember that it was the year I start career in beer.

I have so much to talk about. Tomorrow I will clue you in on a few of them.

Until then, have a beer.

-Cheers!

Things are starting to Fermenting

2010-07-13T18:54:00.003-07:00

If you would have told me a year ago that I would be in this position, I wouldn't have believed it. If you would have told me a month ago that things would be at this stage of planning, I would have called your bluff. So if I told you that I have 2 people on board to be a part of this brewery, would you believe me? I wouldn't either.

Last week, I met with my attorney to talk about the brewery. Usually when I call him, it's for bad news. He was already for me to start giving him the story about what happened and how I needed him to help me out. He has heard about the new venture before. He was aware that I was setting up my own company. But he didn't see the term "Brewery" getting mixed into the conversation. Much to my surprise, he was excited. He was interested. He thought it was "cool idea". Great minds think alike, because I thought the same thing.

We talked about the liquor laws in Arizona and what I needed to do. He pointed me in the direction of many, many different websites that I needed to be aware with a lot of information that I needed to know. He explained about trademarks and and articles of incorporation. And when we were done, he told me to keep him in the loop. He was interested in becoming a part of it. Everyone hates attorneys until they need one. So I think it would be a good idea to have one as part of my team.

Once I figured out what I needed to do, I put in a call to another friend. This friend is the kind of guy would feel fortunate to have. A guy you could never begin to understand the importance of. He is an advertising Guru. I wish I could tell you the circles he runs in, and if you met him, he wouldn't even tell you. But I'm sure you listened to their music, while driving a car he is associated with, on your way to a place he helped put on the map. Needless to say, he is kind of a big deal.

When I set up the appointment with him, he didn't know what I was going to talk about. I told him that I was about to start a new venture and I really wanted to pick his brain and hear his thoughts and ideas. We met at Rock Bottom so I could give him a sense of what I was going for. We spent the next 2 hours talking about mission statements, branding, emotions, people, thoughts, logos, and a thousand different things I never thought of yet. Once we were finished, I had a plan, an outline. I had a sense of direction and purpose to really get this brewery going. But what happened next is what really inspired me and made me realize that this was really going to work. "I want it". This guy who works with Fortune 500 companies, rubs elbows with the rich and famous, and parties with rock stars wanted in. He wanted to a part of my brewery.

We agreed to start meeting on a regular basis. We are going to meet again next week. Schedules permitting, I hope to bring along my attorney so we can all figure out what the next step is.

Did I mention that I have a financial guy, and my first venture capitalist? I didn't? Well I think I will save that for the next post. There are going to be a lot more now. So wish me luck.

-Cheers!

Brewery Update

2010-07-07T18:36:00.003-07:00

BREWERY UPDATE

Things have been very hectic lately. Over the last month or so, I have been working constantly on my plans for a brewery. So much that there is a constant buzz in the air. Friends, family, and even acquaintances have been asking me about it. Most want to work for me, but most want to be a part of it. They are offering to help out, advise, supply labor, and offer money. Even my Doctor was excited about it. That has to be a good thing.

Lately, I have found myself visiting a local brew house or pub three or four times a week. I've been reading more now than I ever have. I've been spending most of my free time looking at blogs and forums, reading books and magazines, and listening to podcasts. While I'm at work, I listen to audio books about breweries and beer. I think I'm on the verge of obsession.

When I first wrote my blog post about starting a brewery, I knew deep down that I could do it. However, I wasn't sure if I would really ever get if off the ground. I knew it was going to be a lot of hard work. And I was worried about the people who would doubt me and dismiss the idea. How was I going to pull it off? Many others have tried and failed. I didn't want to be one of those people.

So I decided the best way to be successful was to learn from the ones that did it. I needed to immerse myself in the beer culture. I needed to stop dragging my feet and just start doing it. So that's what I did.

Without going into boring detail, I will tell you that I have talked to my attorney, met with my advertising agency, started the paperwork for trademarks, and started building my first production brew system. Things are starting to roll. Wish me luck.

-Cheers.

Around the World

2010-06-25T19:15:00.005-07:00

On Fridy or Saturday nights, I like to do this thing I call "Going around the World". It's where I try a bunch of different beers from around the world and tell people on Facebook and Twitter what I'm drinking. I hope by mentioning what I'm drinking, the masses will find the urge to go out and give them a try. Does it work? I don't know, but it's worth a shot.

Tonight is one of those nights. I have a plethora of different beers to try tonight. Most were sent to me by my friend Brian at I am Beer Wise. He was cool enough to send me some really great beers that I can't get. I felt bad sending him sending him just New Belgium and a bunch of local brews. But he was happy and in the end, that is all that matters.

So what am I drinking? I'll tell you. Barley Wine is the theme of the night. Lets talk about them shall we?

Brookly Brewery - Monster Ale. This is a beer I really like. When we made the beer trade, Brooklyn Brewery was the only brewery that I requested he send to me. I can't get it in Arizona. I would have been happy with anything he sent me, but a barley wine moved him into my inner circle. I'm really enjoying this. It says 12 Fl. oz and 10.1 abv. That sounds like a good time. Trust me, it is. But you would never know it. There is zero taste of alcohol like some other barleywines. It has a great taste and a smooth mouth feel. If you were a rookie, you could drink 2 or 3 of these before you realized you were in trouble. It leans against the malt side of the fence so I am enjoying it. Of all the beers Brian sent me, this is one of my favorites so far. Grade - 4 Burps

Samuel Adams - Mile High Barley Wine Ale. This is one of the American Homebrew contest winners. Ben Miller from New Mexico knows how to make an award winning beer. I have had the other beers from this years Longshot competition, and this is my favorite. Like the Brooklyn Brewery offering, there isn't that harsh alcohol taste some barleywines have. It hides it well with the roasted malt. Sorry to tell you Ben, but I enjoy the Brooklyn Brewery offering more. But you still make a good beer. Good job. Grade - 3 Burps

I have a few more to tey before the night is over, so I have to run.

-Cheers

Oktoberfest 2009 was a good year, 2010 will be better

2010-06-23T17:52:00.006-07:00

I love to buy beer almost as much as I enjoy drinking it. The thing I hate about beer is that once it's gone, it's gone. To help ease the withdrawals of missing my favorite beer, I try to buy additional bottles (or cases) before they go into hibernation. Nothing hits that spot like a nice Oktoberfest Marzen in June.

Oktoberfest style beers are my favorite. They represent everything I love about beer. It's so special, they only serve it during the greatest festival in the entire world, Oktoberfest. Every fall, American breweries help celebrate the great festival by rolling out their version of an Oktoberfest Marzen. Most are enjoyable, but one stands above the rest, Flying Dog Dogtoberfest.

I've said it time and time again, I love these guys. They brew with a certain machismo, a kind of "Bad Ass" mentality. I think that's why I relate to them so well. The masses might be scared away by the art work on their labels, or the names of their brews. That's why there are other beers out there. Beer for people like that. Flying Dog is for the rest of us. For people like me, who like to drink good beer, be different, and do their own thing. They make "good beer, no shit".

This evening, I felt the overpowering need to open one of my few, precious, remaining bottles of Dogtoberfest from 2009. These are the infamous "Total Wine Incident" bottles. At one point, I think I had roughly 32 bottle on hand. Most of them were enjoyed during the Oktoberfest season. I did manage to hide a few in the back of the fridge in the kitchen and four others in my beer fridge.

I spent this weekend dreaming and planning my trip to Europe. One of the countries I will be visiting will be Germany. As luck would have it, I will be there during the 2010 Oktoberfest. However, I will not be in Munich, my favorite place in all the world. No, instead I will be to the north, in Berlin. It's not quite Bavaria, but I'm sure I will be able to partake in quite a few liters of Marzen.

AS I read about the the history and interesting places to visit while I'm there, I couldn't help but think about the beer of Germany. And that I was going to be there during Oktoberfest, but not able to attend. Then I remembered those 2 bottles of Flying Dog I had stashed in the fridge. I couldn't help it. I had to have one.

It's Wednesday, and I have been thinking about my trip and that beer since Saturday. As I sit here, and write out this post, I am finishing off my final, and last Flying Dog Dogtoberfest. It's a little bitter sweet. I'm enjoying it more than I did on Saturday, and possibly a little more than I did last October. But I know it will soon be over. Once I finish it, that's it. There is no more. All the bottles I had, visible and hidden are gone. And it isn't even July yet.

In a few months, September will be in sight. The cactus will start to turn brown, and I'll be getting my suitcase out of the closet. All the while, Flying Dog Brewery will be making beer. A few of those barrels will be filled with Oktoberfest, which will eventually be transferred to kegs and bottles and be on their way to Arizona. Once they get here, I will take a little time off from packing and brushing up on my German so I can make a trip to the BevMo and Total Wine.

There are a few beers out there that really move me. Flying Dog Dogtoberfest is one such beer. As I finish my last sip, I can't help but feel a little sad. But I know that we will be together again soon.

I'm going to miss you old friend. But I can't wait to meet your younger sister.

-Cheers

BevMo 5 Cent Beer Sale

2010-06-12T12:09:00.006-07:00

Doesn't that sound nice, 5 Cents. I think it does. There isn't many things one can buy for only 5 cents. How about for a bottle of alcohol? To the many wine lovers around the world, getting a bottle for just 5 pennies is in fact, a real deal. At BevMo, when you buy one bottle of wine, you get the second one for just 5 cents. If I enjoyed wine, I would take full advantage of this deal. But I don't. I like beer.

So, what about beer? I would love to purchase a second bottle of beer for 5 cents. But I can't. I want that same deal. I deserve that same deal. Why can't I buy a bottle of beer, at regular price, and get the second one for 5 cents? I want the same deal the wine people get. I don't think this is fair. In fact, I think this is discrimination.

Aren't beer drinkers considered a minority in the country? We are usually treated like it. I never see a Beer Cellar in an upscale apartment in New York City. The Wall Street guys aren't taking a vacation to Munich for Oktoberfest, or Denver. Instead they head to France, or the Napa Valley to sip and spit out their wine. That's doesn't sound like a good time to me. Belgium is right next to France people. And there, you don't have to spit out the beer.

I'm getting off topic here. I'm starting to rant and rave a little.

Lets crunch some numbers. At BevMO, a bottle of '08 McManis Chardonnay California sells for $11.99. One more bottle of this will cost you only $.05. So that makes 2 bottles for $12.04. Not bad, if you like wine.

Now lets compare the wine above with a beer we all love, Stone Double Bastard. BevMo sells a 22 oz bottle of this award winning ale for $6.99. The second bottle is going to cost you, $6.99. That makes the grand total $13.98 for two bottles of Double Bastard. Still worth it to me, but not a good deal compared to the wine.

Lets look at this another way. What if that second bottle of Stone was priced accordingly, at just $.05. That would take the price for two bottles of Stone from $13.98 to only $7.04. Now this is a SWEET DEAL! Even the wine snobs would have to agree.

However, that isn't the deal. It's not a deal at all because I can't buy the second bottle for 5 cents. I have to pay full price. I have to pay $6.99. That's $6.94 cents more for a bottle of beer than the bottle of wine. What does that say?

It says that beer is better than wine if you ask me. It also means that people are paying too much money for it. Damn, I'm happy I don't drink the stuff. But if I did, I would buy in bulk.

So what's a man to do? This man is going to "man up" and pay $6.99 every time.

-Cheers.

Beer Trade

2010-05-25T19:03:00.005-07:00

For the past year, I have been reading a blog about a guy in Philly who seems to drink some kick ass beer while constantly making me jealous. I don't know how he does it, but he seems to get a hold of the rare, limited, special, and mysterious beers that I can never seem to find out here in the desert. Honestly, it pisses me off some time. My jealously doesn't stem from anger, but pure envy. The man lives a charmed beer life.

I'm sure you have read his blog as well, I am Beer Wise. You know, Brian in P-Town (Philadelphia). In a way, Brian and I are a lot alike. We both like beer (Dogfish Head) and we both like baseball. What else matters? Not much in my book.

Anyways, we have talked from time to time about doing a beer trade. I have done it before and I loved it. I mean, how cool is it when the mailman brings you beer. It is so much better than junk mail or bills. So a few weeks ago, we decided to do it. We decided to trade some beer.

O, the pressure. As much fun it is to go beer shopping, this time I felt pressure. This was big time. This wasn't a usual trade. This was a trade with a real beer guy. A man who knows his beer. My reputation was on the line. I needed to do it right.

Over the next few weeks, I made 3 trips to Total Wine, and 4 trips to BevMo. I must have spent a good 10 hours researching and trying to decide which beers to send him. It was almost nerve racking as it was fun. I mean we both love beer, but we sit on the opposite sides of the fence in our preference for hops and malt.

I received my bottles last week. They have been chilling out in the beer fridge since they arrived. I've been waiting for a weekend where I can sit, and enjoy, and review each and every one of them. You know what, I think this weekend will be that weekend.

I'll let you guys know how it goes. Before I do, I wanted to thank my friend Brian for taking a few moments of his awesome beer life to send me some. I encourage you to stop by and read what the man has to say. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

-Cheers.

Beer Wars and Beer School

2010-05-16T19:22:00.003-07:00

Last night I watched Beer Wars, again. It was the first time I've watched it since the night of it's debut on April 16th of 2009. I wonder why I waited so long to watch it a second time. It really moved my the first time I saw it. This time, it inspired me.

For those who might not know what I'm talking about, Beer Wars is the documentry by Anat Baron, formerly of Mike's Hard Lemmonade fame. The film takes the viewers behind the scenes of the world of beer, and the fight between microbreweries and the big guys. Even if your not into beer, the film is still a great piece of film making exposing the battle the small businesses face every day in the fight against corporate america.

When I first saw the movie, I was able to relate because for years, I was that little guy going up against big business. Eventually it came to the point where we just couldn't compete any longer. Special pricing, perks, discounts, rewards, whatever you want to call it, it's easy for a big company to bury the "neighborhood" competition with the help of deep pockets, and/or the legal system. Those with the most money, even if they are in the wrong, usually win.

In the beer world, things seem to be changing. The American consumer is telling those deep pockets in St. Loius and Golden Colorado that they don't want a free t-shirt just to drink their beer. Instead, they want taste and flavor. I too, am in that demographic.

I have talked many times of my love of beer and how it started. Over the past few years, my love and passion for beer has increased to a level I never thought it would. I'm past the point of just talking and blogging about it. I want to live it.

I decided a back in January that I wanted to start my own brewery. I sat down and figured out a time table of how I was going to do it. I realixed over the next few months that it wasn't going to be as easy as I wanted. I didn't have the balls to quit my job and go for it. I'm not that kind of guy. I need to study and plan something before I do it.

Last week, I decided to sign up for beer school. I sent off an email to The American Brewery Guild about signing up for their Craft Brewers program. That's when I found out that all the classes were full until January of 2012. The next shock was price of tuition. That was a bitter pill to swallow. At least I have time to save up the money.

I'm excited about the future. I'm excited about making beer and really living it on a daily basis. No matter what the cost may be, I'm doing it.

-Cheers!

Class of 2012, here I come

2010-05-11T18:34:00.002-07:00

January of 2012. What is that, a year and a half? 17 months, give or take? Whatever it is, that is when I start Beer School. In the mean time, I think I'll get brewing.

I really didn't think it would take so long to get into Beer School. But I think it is perfect timing. It would have been great to jump right in and start the learning process. Instead, it's like waiting for Chistmas, or your the Christmas after that.

So what to do with all this spare time? I think I'll brew some beer. I think I will brew lots of beer. With all the free time I'm going to have, I should be able to really fine tune some of my own recepies. I can work on my brewing methods and try to become a seasoned home brewer. By the time school starts, I will be ready.

However I look at it, I'm doing it. I'm really doing it. I am taking that dreaded first step. Today really is that first step towards my brewery future. Wish me luck.

-Cheers!

Beer School, it's about time

2010-04-26T19:05:00.004-07:00

I've reached a turning point in my life. I'm at that age where it's too late to go back to college, and too early to retire. So I need to find something new to do with my life. I think it's time for Beer School.

I knew I wanted to start my own brewery a long time (3 years) ago. I have had my own business before, and I really miss it. I have kicked around the idea of getting an internship or volunteering at a brewery. The problem with that is the fact that Arizona lacks any brewery where I could. In the end, I figure that fact will help my dream come true.

I have been a novice homebrewer for about 2 years now. It's something that started out as a fun way to make lots of good beer, cheap. But it has tunred into a passion. I absolutely love beer. Beer is good. Beer is my friend. And I would love to go into business with my friend beer.

I have been reading books about breweing and breweries for the past year or so. First up was "Brewing Up a Business" by my hero, Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head. By the time I was finished reading that, I had my mind made up. I wanted to be the next Sam. Then I read "Beer School, Bottling Success at the Brookly Brewery" by the owners Steve Hindy and Tom Potter. A truely fascinating and educational book for the beer and business alike. Now I'm on to "The Complete Joy of Home Brewing" by Charlie Papazian. I love it. I just can't get enough.

I made up my mind at the beginning of 2010 that I was going to open my own brewery. However, things have been slow. I would have loved to be at that stage of creating my own brews, and looking for locations. But I'm not there yet. In fact, I am still far away from that place. Instead I am reading books, designing logos, and creating websites. Not that any of that is bad, it's just not good enough for me anymore.

It didn't help reading Burr Street Brew Blog. Here is a guy that quit his job to persue his dreams of "working in the craft brew industry." He has inspired me more than any of the books I have read. He is doing it. He is living the dream. He is living all our dreams. He is chasing his dream, and he has been documenting his journey on his blog. He has gone from insurance, to the Siebel Institute. I read with envy, and admiration every time.

So, I'm going to do it. I'm taking that next step, or leap Whatever you want to call it. I am going to do it. I am right there, looking over the edge, deciding if I should go sit down, or jump. I need to make up my mind once and forall. This weekend, I did.

I'm going to jump!

In the next few weeks, I will sign up for my first official beer class. I want to learn as much as I can, as fast as I can. Homebrewing has been all the education some people have ever needed. But that's not me. I want more. I want to know it all. I'm sure that will never happen, but I can try can't I?

There it is. It's put there now. I can't look back. I've jumped off the edge, and I'm falling fast. Now all I have to do is decide if I'm going to fall on my face, in the dirt, or fall into a wonderful pool of beer. I pray for the latter.

-Cheers!

Total Wine delivers

2010-04-17T11:11:00.004-07:00

On a (planned) whim, I stopped by my local Total Wine last Saturday. I've been meaning to get in there for weeks. I love their single bottle section, and I was hoping to find a batch of new seasonals to try. What a good idea that was.

I picked up a bottle of 400 Pound Monkey from Left Hand Brewery. I'm not a big fan of primates, but they make a good beer. It's an English style IPA that likes to play around on the malt side of the tree. I think that's why I enjoyed it more than a typical IPA. The orange and bread like aroma was nice. The mixture of hops and caramel was the surprise. It has a nice mouthfeel, and a clean finish. While it might not be for everyone, and really doesn't fit into one particular catagory, it is an enjoyable beer. Grade: 3 Burps

I've been a fan of Odell Brewing Company from hello. I've been lucky enough to experience most of their beers over the years via Beerfests. To have it available on the shelf is a wonderful thing. Their Cutthroat Porter is one of my favorites.

I love me a nice, dark, and malty porter, and that is what you find in a pint of Cutthroat. I have enjoyed it before, and I will enjoy it again. I felt that I needed to give it the props it deserves. Now this isn't a seasonal, but to some a porter wouldn't qualify as a Spring beer. I beg to differ.

I'm a huge fan of dark and malty London ales, so I could be biased in my opinion. However, even the Queen enjoyed it. She seems to prefer the hops side of the spectrum (Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA), but she said it was good. How can you go against the Queen? I know I can't. Grade: 4 Burps

There was 1 bottle of North Coast Brewing Scrimshaw left. Lucky me. It's a pilsner style beer which surprised me. I'm not a guy who usually drinks a beer like this, but I was willing to give it a try. I'm happy I did.

It has a light and clean aroma, with an unusual medium body. Much more than I would have expected from a Pilsner. I wasn't expecting the dry, wheat overtones. I think that's what pleased me. It's a very drinkable beer. Grade: 3 Burps

But my favorite of them all was Garde Dog Biere De Garde from the guys at Flying Dog Brewery. I've said it time and time again, they just get it. I love these guys, and Garde Dog is another example why. Their interpretation of the French style "Beir DeGarde" is better than I expected. The temperatures are hitting the high 80's out here in desert lately, so this it perfect session beer on a Saturday night. Who am I kidding, it's a 5.5 abv from Flying Dog. You can have one any day of the week.

It's a nice, clean beer that's very easy to drink. A crisp floral aroma is what you notice first. The taste is lighter with a slight hint of hops, spice, citrus, and malt. I wouldn't call it a medium feel, but it's almost there.

This would be a great "cross over" beer for someone looking to experiment a little. To take that next step past Deschutes and New Belgium. This isn't a Kronenbourg 1664, it's a Flying Dog! Grade: 4 Burps

There you have it. 4 new beer reviews. Take my advise and give them all a try. I'm sure you will find one in there that you might add to your beer fridge on a regular basis.

-Cheers

Of Weeds and Stone

2010-03-30T20:33:00.009-07:00

So I was watching Netflix last night. A night like most other nights. This week I'm watching season 5 Showtime's series, Weeds. It's a great show. Although not as "real" as the first few seasons were, I still enjoying it.

***Spolier Alert***

Episode 2 "Machetes Up Top",

Uncle Andy has fled with his nephew Shane, to Nancy's sisters house in Oakland. You see, Nancy figured "Oakland" would be a safer place for her son, Shane. Oakland people. How safe is Oakland? I've watched that video of the 67 year old Vietnam Vet Tom Slick beat the hell out of a guy on the bus to the point of "leaking."

Anyways, back to the story. In an attempt to convice Nancy's sister to look after Shane, Uncle Andy pulls out all the stops. He adorns his kick ass Stone Brewery T-shirt and proceeds to convice her to keep Shane in Oakland for a while. For his own protection.

Little did the average Weeds viewer realize the power of a Stone Brewing T-shirt. But I knew of that power. On occasion, I have used such power. I'm sure most of you figured out what happend next. That's right, Andy proceeds to seduce the girl from Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Yes, Brad Hamilton's (Judge Reinhold) little sister, Stacy Hamilton (Jennifer Jason Leigh). Not a bad triumph for Andy.

Episode 4 "Super Lucky Happy"

Even though it was a school night, I decided to watch a few more episodes. In episode 4, Uncle Andy, Shane, Nancy, and her sister Stacy Hamilton have fled again. This time she chose a new hideout, "Family Fun Bowlarama". I guess that was a safer place than Oakland.

As Nancy takes out her frustrations by blowing away bunnies and owls in the arcade, Andy runs out of tokens, gets tired of bowling, and starts to drink. In a time like this, what would be the perfect beer? If you can find it, Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. If that's not available, a Stone Brewing IPA would be a great consolation prize. That's exactly what Andy does. He chills out with his bottle of Stone IPA while attempting to speak a little wisdom into Nancy. What's even more impressive about this situation is the huge Moosehead sign glowing on the wall behind them. Yep, Andy just moved a few notches up the cool chart.

Normally Andy is a bit of a loser. A loose cannon, always getting into trouble. However he somehow finds a way to "hook up" with woman after woman. I never really understood how a guy like Uncle Andy could pull that off. Same for George Costanza. How could a a guy like George get Marisa Tomeii? He must have had Stone or Dogfish head on tap in his apartment.

After 5 seasons of Weeds, I figured it out. Andy is a Stone man.

Never underestimate the power of Stone beer.

-Cheers!

I'm Back!

2010-03-27T18:12:00.005-07:00

What's up? It's been a while, hasn't it. I had some stuff to do. I'm a very busy and important man. But I'm back despite all that other stuff. I'm sure you missed me, and I have missed you too.

So lets get you all caught up.

Previously, on Lost....I mean Good Burp. "Brandon gives up beer in an attempt to loose weight after he made a stupid bet with his friend Schlampe." (It sounds a lot more cool if you imagine it in that deep, ominous voice like the Lost dude. Or if it was Waylen Jennings telling you as I attempted to jump a creek in the General Lee).

Back to the story.

I gave up beer, for a short time. I went days without a beer and even started working out. That didn't last long. After some encouraging words of advice from my beer buddies, Michael and the Beer Buddah, I started up again.

At first it was just one. Guinness was my gateway beer. Hell, it's nearly diet beer. And that bit about the monks drinkings beer, and liquid bread, why wouldn't I keep drinking it? It's almost as if God himself wanted me to keep drinking beer.

Eventually, I graduated to the better and stronger beers. Before I knew it I was right back at it. But what about that $100? Through the grapevine (Mrs. Schlampe), I found out that Mr. Schlampe wasn't doing so well. In fact, he had gained a pound. At that time, I was down nearly 7 pounds, and doing awesome. But that bit of news did me in. I started to slack off. First the beer came knocking. Then i divorced the exercise bike. The poor thing just sat there, collecting dust. Before I knew it, I was back in line at BevMo every Friday night. Thank God they extended their hours. Coincidence, I think not!

(Swirling music, and a "Flash Forward"...Just like on Lost)

What if I kept hitting the gym, and kept buying and trying and enjoying the beers? What would happen? The Hulk is what happens! OK, not quite, more like Iron Man, with hopes of becoming Wolverine in the not so distant future.

For the past 2 months, I have been hitting the gym 2 or 3 times a week. I try to watch what I eat, but drink just about whatever I want. And it's working. I have managed to maintain my weight, but add nearly 2" in each arm and my chest. In addition, I've lost an inch in my waist. Who wouldn't be excited about that? I might not win that $100, but at least I'm not going to have to pay it out!

To celebrate this glorious day, I'm busting out a very special beer which I've been saving in my very crowded beer fridge. It's a Dogfish Head - Midas Touch. Yes I know, it's so good! Sam is amazing. I'm enjoying it very much. More than that cheap ass Dahrma Beer that Sawyer drinks in his little cabin on his weird, time traveling island. I don't care how thirsty I was, or what you offered me. I would refuse to give up beer here in the world we live, to go to freakin island. What the hell were Jack, Kate, Hurley, and Sayid thinking? They knew there wasn't good beer there, yet they all went back. Idiots!

Back in the real world, I'm moving forward with my plans. It seems that building websites and designing logos takes up much more time than writing blog posts. Luckily, I am really good at one of those tasks, so it's done. The other (websites) has taken much longer than I expected. I have logos, but why is it so difficult to create a website? Actually, it's not that hard. Acquiring the program to create such websites has been a struggle, and the time to sit and design exactly what I want has been very, very time consuming. But I'm working on it.

Everything else is still in the works. The brewery is in it's infancy. I have the domain, and most of the logo. The website still needs work, but I have a plan. I'm working on raising the capital to get it going. That street looks good. I'll know more in the coming months. So stay tuned for that.

I think we are all caught up. But there is a new episode tomorrow. Who knows what is going to happen? A beer review? Some pictures from Beerfest? More about my addition to Netflix? Who knows. But I'll tell you this, It sure feels good to be back!

-Cheers!

My empty promises

2010-03-14T19:13:00.003-07:00

I feel that I cant keep up with myself. There is so much I want to do, and so much I want to say, but I can't seem to find the time to do it. Is this an excuse? Probably.

When I sit down to write out my next new amazing blog post, I want it to be right. That's the way I am with most things in my life. I don't half ass anything. Because I do that, it prevents me from doing a lot of things that I want to do. Example, writing a blog post every other day.

I have plenty to write about. My life has been quite hectic as of late, which has really lit a fire under my ass to change things. Therefore my usual time of writing a blog post has been used instead on research, and reading, and education, and figuring out how I'm going to do everything I am setting out to do.

I have a list of 40 beer to write about. I have 3 pages of notes about last weeks Great Arizona Beerfest to share. I have some rough templates of websites I would love to get feedback on before I go live. I even found a welder who has agreed to build my Brutus 10 brewing system for me. I just don't want to write about any of these things until I have completed at least one of them to my satisfaction.

But I'll throw these gems out there. I registered my brewery name last week. That's good news huh. I finished off the Firestone keg in my kegerator, so I need to replace it. BevMo extended their hours so I can pick up my beer even later now. I'm going to play in the Dogfish Head Bocce Ball tournament next month, as long as I can find another couple to play.

Things are changing. Things are definitely changing for the better. Sometimes life gets in the way of fun. But I'm working on that issue as well.

-Cheers.

Arizona Beer Festival, another great time

2010-03-07T21:06:00.004-07:00

I spent yesterday at the Great Arizona Beer Festival. I couldn't think of a better way to spend a Saturday. Great people, great weather, and great beer. Another beerfest to remember.

I'm not sure how many samples I officially tried. However, I did take notes on 19 different ones. Some good, some bad, and some great! A few really stuck out and reminded me why I love beer. Not that I needed a reminder, but it helps.

There were a few new breweries pouring this year. That's what I really makes a beerfest outstanding for me. I go out of my way to try the breweries I might never tried before, or ever again. I don't stand in line for a Sierra Nevada, or a Widmer, or Heaven forbid, a Miller. I will stand in line for Odell's and New Belgium, and Stone, and of course, Dogfish Head. You can't go wrong with these guys because at worst, you get a great beer. But if you're lucky, you get to try a new beer or seasonal concoction which you may never try again. Just my two cents.

I'm compiling the data and will post reviews and pictures this week.

-Cheers!

Note: The battery in my camera died, so I didn't get as many shots as I wanted.

A two year plan

2010-03-02T17:24:00.002-07:00

I'm starting the journey. Yesterday was the first day of my new venture. I'm moving forward with the brewery.

There is a lot going on so far. Most of it is preliminary work. Setting up the llc, designing the logo, building the website, building the brew system, and I'm sure another 30 things I have yet to think about. But for now, its enough to keep me busy.

I know its going to be a long process. I would love to get everything up and going tomorrow, but that's not going to happen. Instead I'm planning on a two year plan. With a lot of hard work, and a descent sized bank roll, I really think two years will be enough time to get the brewery opened and brewing beer.

The other day I wrote about the website. I wasn't being completely truhful when I said it was a place to expand Good Burp. In truth, it's the website for the brewery. I hope to have a site up and running by this weekend. That's my plan anyway. But I know that I'm such a perfectionist that when it comes time to go live, I'm going to want the site to be perfect. So cross your fingers.

As soon as its ready to go, ill let you all know where you can find it.

Good Burp, the website

2010-02-24T19:16:00.004-07:00

That's right, Good Burp will soon have a it's own Website. A site to enjoy more Good Burp.

With a blog, you can only do so much. You can write about the things you like, or know, or hate, or just about anything else. In my case, I love to write about beer. A blog is fine for doing that. However, I am ready to take it to the next level.

I have been slow to update posts, the beers I've been drinking, reviews of the beer, and photos of beer, because blogger just can't handle it. My plan for 2010 was to organize the beer reviews, and start a new beer list, and start a gallery. I wanted to improve the overall appearance and content of Good Burp. But it just hasn't worked out the way I had hoped it would.

By next week, I should have Good Burp 1.0 up and running. It's going to take some time to get all the photos uploaded, list the beers I've tried that past 2 years, and write the reviews of the beers I've evaluated.

But don't worry, I Good Burp isn't going anywhere. I will still write blog post about beer and my adventures with beer. I will link both sites to each other so you can jump from one to the other. There is just going to be more Good Burp to love.

-Cheers!

Good news, my liver is OK

2010-02-15T20:04:00.003-07:00

I had to go to the Doctor on Friday. Don't worry, I'm fine. Just a routine check up for some of the meds I take. No big deal.

The cool thing about my Doc, he likes beer. We usually spend a good 5 or 10 minutes talking about beer. What we have tried, where the best places in town to go drink beer, and about my blog. This Doc is so cool because his uncle is one of the Widmer Brothers.

Anyways, he was asking me about my typical week of "beer testing". I tried to explain to him that I was currently on a fast (which I broke tonight) due to a stupid bet I made with my friend. I told him that I usually only have 1 or 2 on the weekends since January. I was trying to cut back. Hey, we all hold back when we talk to our doctors, unless it means we are getting better meds if the pain is worse.

He asked me this zinger, "How many times have you been drunk in the past year?"

Hmmmm, I had to stop and think about that one. His definition of "drunk" and my definition of "drunk" are probably quite different. Besides, I have been training for a long time, and it takes me quite a while to get to a condition where I would consider myself drunk.

So I counted. The last time was after the 30 something samples at the last beer fest. That makes 1. This summer, when every one threw up in my front yard, I was hurting pretty good that night as well. Lets say that is 2. What was Friday, and when would the cut off be? I don't know, the pressure was getting to me. So I blurted out 3.

You know what his response was? "Three, that is close to pushing it." Really? Only 3 times a year is pushing it? Who knew. Then in a nearly passing manner, he asked me about my liver. I said it was fine. Then he told me to lay down, and said "No, I want to check your liver."

What? Really? I'm not even 40 yet, and I consider myself to be in descent shape. I lost 5 pounds last week. Do you really need to check my liver? "Yes."

He proceeded to push really hard around the area for a minute or so. What was he checking for? I have no idea. But I do know this, my liver is A.O.K! Awesome!

Then he asked my where I was planning on going for vacation this year. I told him Amsterdam, Belgium, Germany, and Copenhagen. "Are you going to Oktoberfest" he asked excitedly. I told him no, not this year. "It starts on the 18th right?" Honestly, I didn't know for sure, but my Doctor did. Isn't that awesome!

I left the office with a bag full of goodies, and a smile on my face. My liver was good. So what is today, February 15th? I guess I can only get drunk 2 more times this year because I celebrated Friday night!

-Cheers!

What would you do for $100?

2010-02-08T19:27:00.005-07:00

I must have had way to much to drink the other night. Apparently, I agreed to answer the question stated above. What would I do for $100? Give up beer.

I know, I know, how could I be so stupid to give up drinking my beloved beer for the mere sum of $100? What was I thinking? Honestly, I wasn't.

Here is the story.

April and I met with our most favorite, and awesome friends the Schlampes. We met up at Gordon Biersch on Saturday night to talk about our upcoming Beercation, I mean Eurotrip 2010. It was happy hour, and the beers were flowing. I was trying to get my moneys worth.

By the time we sat down for dinner, I was really happy. And when I am happy, I agree to stupid things which I normally would never do, like agree to see who can loose 20 pounds the fastest. You heard that right, I agreed to a stupid bet with a mind full of hops and malt. All for $100.

It hit me yesterday that in order to win this stupid bet, I would have to pull out all the stops. The main stop being my kegerator and beer fridge. If I want to win this, and God knows I do, I have to give up beer.

So I am calling it the race to 20! It isn't about the money, or bragging rights. It is a race to drink beer again. I worked out twice today. Yes, 2 times! And I'm going to do it again tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that, and then continue down that long and sober road until I get a phone call, or until that scale tells me I win.

Aside from getting that tattoo, this has got to be one of the stupidest things I have ever agreed to do. I am already thinking about quitting. I just picked up a few new beers Friday night for the Super Bowl. Instead, I drank Diet Coke. Now I know how Peyton Manning feels, even though I was pulling for Breese and the Saints.

-No Cheers tonight.

Total Wine, a follow up

2010-02-07T19:13:00.002-07:00

A few months ago, I had a little run in with the manager at my local Total Wine and More. You might remembe that, I wrote a post a about it. Since I've been catching everyone up on some old posts, I figured it was about time to catch you up on this one.

After I wrote about the issue at Total Wine, it didn't take long for me to be contacted by the people running things. In fact, they contacted before I even realized it. The Business Development Manager, Rob Hill started to follow me on Twitter, and attempted to contact me by posting comments om my posts.

I have been through this before, and I was again a little apprehensive to reply so quickly. Before I knew it, I was on the phone talking to Mr. Hill about my incident at his store.

We talked for some time, and I will tell you it was a complete pleasure. Mr Hill is a very nice man. He was very concerned about what had happened. He asked that I tell him my story, which I did. He apologized for the situation, and assured me that it wasn't something that they (as a company) tolerated.

When we were finished with our conversation, he asked if it would be alright if he had the District Manager, Mr. Sowden contact me and if I wouldn't mind telling him my story, which I did a few days later.

To my enjoyement, Mr. Sowden and Mr. Hill are both beer men. I have must have talked to Mr. Sowden for 20 minutes just about beer. I learned about the founders of Total Wine and that even though they are called Total Wine, beer runs deep in their veins.

I have talked to Mr. Hill on several occasions sine then. Each time, it has been a pleasure. I've also stopped by my local Total Wine a few times to pick up some seasonal and single bottles of different brews which I have yet to try or review (I have so many to write about).

Did I mention that Total wine has a close relationship with non other than Dogfish Head? I didn't? How could I have forgot? But yes, it's true. And I absolutely loved the Dogfish Head Squall IPA!

So now you are up to date on yet another cliffhanger from Good Burp. I'm sure there are a few more, but lets move on.

-cheers

Sun Devil Ale no more

2010-02-03T19:54:00.002-07:00

Just a brief follow up to the San Tan Brewing Company v. ASU rumble.

It's over.

Sun Devil Ale is no more. It will now be known as Devil's Ale. Same beer, just without the "Sun". From what I hear, ASU likes the name.

What is funny about the new name is who inspired it. The owner of San Tan Brewing Co., Anthony Canecchia is giving the credit to Terri Schafer. What is so funny about Terri Schafer? Nothing really. But the fact that Mr. Schafer is the Associate Vice President of Public Affairs for Arizona State Univesity is really funny.

I thought it was funny anyway.

So I say, way to go Terry. Thanks for the help.

-Cheers!

Netflix for Beer

2010-01-31T19:26:00.005-07:00

Hello, my name is Brandon, and I'm addicted to Netflix.

I don't know exactly when I started, but I think it was around New Years Day. What started off as a fun thing to do, has since turned into a 4 hour a day habit. Everything is suffering as a result. My yard, my blog, and even my beer.

It's weird. I really don't know how to explain it. I sit down at the computer and start to read what going on with my the world, aka what is going on in the world of sports and beer. Eventually, I end up on the Netflix site. Before I know it, I have added 10 new movies to my queue, and reviewed 537 movies. Before I know it, I have missed my chance to drink and review a beer, or even attempt to type out some other post.

But I do have some good news. Because of Netfilx, I have been able to find and watch some great movies about Beer. Who knew there was such a plethora of movies about the wonder full world of beer? I sure didn't. Thanks to Netflix, I have found a new form of beer enjoyment.

Over the last month, I think I have watched 7 or 8 beer related movies or documentaries. Some have been ok, but most have been great. I feel it is my duty to let you know about them.

Beerfest - The name says it all. An group of 5 Americans go to Germany to compete in a Super Secret Beer drinking competition. Awesome movie. One of my all time favorites. Grade - 4 1/2 Burps

Beerwars - Most of have seen it, or at least heard of it. The documentary changed my view of beer. It really is a great story of being the little fish in the pond. If you don't own it already, do yourself a favor and rent it. Grade - 4 1/2 Burps

Last Cup: Road to the World Series of Beer Pong - We have all played it at one time or another. But these guys live it. It documents several teams and the founders of the World Series of Beer Pong. I loved this movie. It was great fun. I'm buying my own table and practicing for next year. Grade - 4 Burps

The Historic Pubs of Dublin - "Join Pulitzer Prize-winning author Frank McCourt (Angela's Ashes) as he leads you on an intimate tour of Dublin's most charming and famous ale houses, including The Stag's Head, Doheny & Nesbitt, Neary's and The Long Hall" I really enjoyed this Documentary. And I'll tell you what, I am seriously considering adding Dublin to by 2010 Eurotrip. Grade - 3 1/2 Burps

American Beer - It really had nothing to do with American beer. I think this was some sort of Canadian Independent movie. It was so boring and honestly, it sucked. I stopped it about half way through it. Don't waste your time. Grade - 1/2 Burp

Empires of Industry: Brewed in America. There is good and bad in this one. It traces of the history or beer to what it has become today. The bad it that it became Anheuser Busch. It was informative and enjoyable. However, it was a reminder of what beer has become in America. Decide for yourself. Grade - 3 Burps.

There are a few more in there, but nothing to write home about. I still have some very cool ones still in my Netflix queue.

Netflix, it's like Beer for your Brain.

-Cheers!

Sun Devil Burp

2010-01-21T19:22:00.004-07:00

Could I have named my blog after the Arizona State Sun Devils? Even if I meant it in a good way? It all depends on who you ask.

I went to ASU (Go Devils). Does that give me the right to use the trademarked term "Sun Devil"? Well, I'm not an attorney, but I would love to be admitted to the ASU School of Law.

There are some nice Brew Pubs near Arizona State's Tempe campus. Four Peaks Brewing Company, Papago Brewing Company, and the brewery of which we speak, San Tan Brewing Company.

San Tan Brewing Company opened it's doors in fall of 2007. They are a young company in the Arizona Beer scene. I have never actually made it to their brewpub, but I have had plenty of their beer. One such beer is called, "Sun Devil Ale", and ASU doesn't like it.

Arizona State filed a cease and desist against San Tan, asking them to rename the ale. Ultimately, San Tan agreed to change the name of their beer.

It pains me to write the rest of this post. Why? Because I agree with ASU.

The term "Sun Devil" is a trademarked term, and San Tan was using it without permission. I wouldn;t like it if someone used a term I trademarked for their own benefit. I'm sure you wouldn't either.

Now don't get the wrong idea. I fight for the little guy (that is why I want to go to law school). I have been the little guy many, many times in legal battles. Just ask former Chicago Whitesox slugger, Frank Thomas about it. I can no longer "use the term Bighurt, or The Big Hurt" ever again (God, I hope I don't get sued for using the term "Bighurt" in my blog post).

To San Tan's defense, there are countless business around town using the Sun Devil name. For example, Sun Devil Auto, Sun Devil Plumbing, Sun Devil Boxers, Sun Devil Heating & Cooling Inc., Sun Devil Garage Door Repair, and on and on. There is even a Sun Devil Manufacturing which makes "top end custom billet aluminum rifle parts and accessories." But the best one in Sun Devil Liquors. Located walking distance from the main campus. So why single out San Tan? I couldn't tell you.

What does it all mean? That's not for us to decide. But what you can help decide is the new name for the former "Sun Devil Ale". Show San Tan your support, and vote. Better yet, stop by for a pint. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

One last thing, Wildcats Suck!

-Cheers.

I'll be your Tourguide

2010-01-09T18:35:00.008-07:00

Disclaimer: Some of the information in this post may have been stated in earlier posts. Read it anyway and enjoy the ride.

In August of 2008, I started this blog "Good Burp" as a way to speak my mind. A God given gift that I have honed and crafted over the years. Sometime I use my gift for good, and other times, well, you know.

Over time, I began to write less about everything else, while writing more and more about my love of beer. I slowly realized that I really enjoyed writing, and that beer was a subject that I could drink and enjoy and express to everyone around the world.

Before I knew it, people from all over the country were reading my thoughts about beer. Then more people stopped by for a read, and eventually most of the world was reading what I had to say. The amazing thing is that they kept coming back, and wanting more.

Before I knew it, I was attending beerfests, going to breweries, and making what seems like daily visits to BevMo, Total Wine, and just about any other place I could find the next new beer. It became a passion. And it was all in the interest of writing my opinions about my new discoveries.

Things were moving along at a steady pace. I became friends with other beer bloggers and carved out my little piece in the beer world. We all wrote and shared ideas and opinions. It's been great fun. Eventually, my readership was growing at a pace I never thought it would. Each month, more stopped by than the month before.

Then it happened. I showed up on the radar. Before I knew it, I began to be contacted. As hard as I tried to stay anonymous, people were still able to track me down. Albeit, a difficult task, but nonetheless, they did it. Still today, I am dumbfounded by the results from such contacts.

The next I know, fellow bloggers, breweries, brew masters, distributors, brewery owners, and even CEO's were sending me messages and other "goodies". This was shocking to say the least. I honestly didn't know how to react to it.

After some soul searching, and a lot of deliberating with the special few who knew who I was, I decided it was time to go mainstream. It was time to go PUBLIC!

So without further adieu, here we go.

My name is Brandon. I live in Phoenix Arizona, and I like beer.

All together now, "Hello Brandon"

My love affair with beer started in 2007 after spending time in Europe. I fell in love with the English Ales being served in the Pubs of London. It was such a drastically different style of beer. Nothing like the typical American style lagers I was used to. It was better! I wrote about it in my second post. Go ahead and read it. It's a good post.

When I arrived home, I had a new found love of beer. But not just any beer, good beer. I wanted to try as many beers as I could. And you know what, I have tried many great beers. Even today, I am drinking a new, great beer from Bootlegger's Brewery in Fullerton California.

So what does all this mean for Good Burp? I don't know exactly, but I do hope it is positive. I will continue to attend beerfests and report my findings. And I will still attempt to try as many new and different beers as possible and write about my adventures with beer.

But in my attempt to take Good Burp to the next level, I plan on posting interviews with some of todays newest and brightest breweries, playing in Sam Calagione's Bocce Ball tournement, and hitting as many breweries as I can. In addition, I'm planning a 5 city, 3 country tour of northern Europe (yes Belgium is on that list) this fall. And before I go, I will have a list of breweries, beer, and pubs to try along the way. What I am willing to do for all of you, my fans.

In the meantime, I want to thank all of you who have stopped by, read my posts, commented, and become friends. Without all of you, Good Burp would have amounted to one of the millions of failed blogs sitting out there in cyberspace.

-Cheers.

New look for 2010

2010-01-08T10:50:00.001-07:00

Please forgive me for the lack of posts so far. The switch has not gone as smooth as I planned.

I have been trying to clean up old post, organize the beer list, and create a newer look for Good Burp.

it seems as if my plan might not work, so I should be back this weekend pounding out some new posts about my adventures with beer.

(It is a little difficult typing on my phone instead of a keyboard)

So check back, because I will be spilling the good about "ME" in the next day or two.

In the mean time, thank you for reading.

-Cheers!

Sometimes, it's hard

2009-12-28T13:00:00.001-07:00

Sometimes it is hard to find beer, even for me. One of the biggest reasons I love going on vacation is finding a new beer. Sometimes, I hit the jackpot. Other times, it is a difficult task. I fear the later.

California is gaining status in the beer world. That's awesome because I make it to the land of movies quite often. Luckily, that is where I am now (stop by and say hi if you're in the area). I have been here for 3 days now and I feel like I'm failing in my search for great West Coast beer.

I still have some plans to make up for the slow start. A trip to BevMo, and a stop at a local brewery or two will make everything better again.

In the mean time, I'm getting on a ride now, so I will have to finish this post later. I hope I do it with a microbrew in my hand.

-Cheers!

Beercation in SoCal

2009-12-25T16:07:00.004-07:00

I apologize for the extreme delay in posts as of late. But I'm back, and I'm on another Beercation.

I arrived in SoCal (Southern California) today. I'm going to be here fthrough Wednesday, and plan to see some characters, and drink plenty of beer.

My original plan was to hit Bootlegger's Brewery today, but I didn't make it. Instead, I made it down to TJ Schmid's Restaurant and Brewery for dinner and some beer.

TJ Schmid's had 6 different beers on tap for me to try tonight. I'm going to tell you right now, I was not impressed. Honestly, I was disappointed. Very disappointed. The beer just wasn't good. I think there was a problem with their Co2, because everything seemed flat, weak, and lifeless. None of the samples had any head at all. I don't know exactly what it was, but something just wasn't right.

So here is the list.

1. JT Light. "Weak flavor. It's like a Bud Light". I didn't like this beer. It was flat without much texture. It was a subpar beer. Grade - 1 1/2 Burps

2. IPA. "Missing that Hops hit I want, or would expect from an IPA. Again, it seems weak, and flat". I was noticing a theme with the beers after the first two. Grade - 2 Burps

3. Hefe. "Ew, I don't like this. I'm not a fan of Hefes and I'm not a fan of this particular beer either. The big slice of lemon doesn't help the flavor by any means. It is more sour than sweet." I can't recommend it. Actually, I didn't even finish it. Grade - 1 Burp

-Note- Our good friends, the Schalmpes are here with us just like all our other vacations (or Beercations). Mr. Schlampe is a Hefe kind of guy. I have taught him the way, and he didn't like it either. He said the one he had at Gordon Beirsch last night was 100 times better.

4. Amber. "A slight caramel flavor at the start, but quickly fades. Weak flavor again." This one was slightly better than the previous three. But there really wasn't anyplace to go but up. Grade - 2 Burps

5. Stout. "Again, weak and a lack of carbonation". It was very thin for a Stout. There wasn't that amazing smell or taste of roasted malt or coffee that I love. It was the best beer of the night, but it wouldn't be something I would buy. Grade - 2 1/2 Burps

6. Seasonal. I was so bummed out by the time I tried this last sample. Just like all the other samples, it was weak and flat. But you know what my first opinion of it was, "Water". This beer was so weak and flavorless, it was like a watered down Corona Light. It was not good, at all. I didn't even finish it. Grade - 1/2 Burp

There you have it. A very unpleasant beer tasting. So much that I didn't even buy a T-shirt. this isn't how I wanted to start off my Beercation. They do have an impressive brew system on display at the back of the restaurant. I didn't get a picture, but I think there were 5 fermentation vessels. It looks cool. But the beer coming from them isn't.

I'm curious what other beer people think of the beer flowing from the taps at TJ Schmid's. Because I can't imagine a brewery like this being able to succeed with beer like this. There has got to be some quality beer flowing at some time.

Early Christmas present

2009-12-13T17:59:00.003-07:00

I know it isn't Christmas yet, but I am in the mood for giving. So I am going to throw this one out there as a teaser. Kind of like that present you get to open on Christmas Eve. Actually, I think it is more like being there when somebody bought you a present. You don't know what it is, but you know it's going to be good.

What could it be?

I'm going public!

Good Burp has evolved over the past year. It didn't start out as a blog all about beer, but it has become a very popular one. (Thank you)

For the past couple months, I have been more and more open about my beer adventures. In addition, I have started to tell people about my blog. So much that people have been looking for me. Some have found me, and others are very close. There are some out there who I need to be a little more accessible to. So I think it's time.

The day I remove my mask and show the world my secret identity is still a bit of a secret. But your smart, I think you will figure it out.

-Cheers!

Another party tonight

2009-12-05T12:59:00.002-07:00

It's that time of the year again. That means it's time for another party at my house tonight. I wonder what kind of stories I will have tomorrow. I always have something to share the next day.

I have the kegs all ready to go. I kept it a little mild this time. Sam Adams Oktoberfest and Firestone Double Barrel Ale will be the choices this evening. I'm sure plenty of beer will be knocking at my front door as well.

The people arrive in 5 hours. However, it isn't a party until someone throws up!

-Cheers!

Are you sure you're drinking a real Micro Brew?

2009-12-01T21:08:00.002-07:00

Anat Baron's insightful film, Beerwars introduced us to the war between Anheuser Busch and Miller Coors vs. the American Microbreweries. It was a fascinating film about the American brewing industry. It's a real life "David and Goliath" story.

I was fortunate to see the film on the theater when it was shown nationwide. I left the theater vowing to never drink another beer owned by Anheuser Busch (now In Bev) or the Miller Coors partnership.

Some of you fellow beer drinkers might feel the same way, and drink imported beers such as Pislner Urquell, Lowenbrau, Beck's, Bass, or Blue Moon is your way of sticking it to the man. I hate to brake it to you, but you have been had. Their evil plan has worked on you.

I have been searching for a list of beers and breweries owned by the corporate giants since that day. But I have been unable to find it, until today. Anat Baron was kind enough to post a partial list on the Beer Wars website today. I encourage you to read the list, and avoid the beers listed.

I also recommend that you watch the film Beer Wars. It really is a great documentary about the little guy taking on the big guy. I'm sure you will enjoy it for what it is. Who knows, it might even change your opinion of beer.

Here is the list. I hope you avoid them in the future.

http://beerwarsmovie.com/2009/12/01/who-owns-what/#more-927

NaBloPoMo comes to an end

2009-11-30T19:28:00.004-07:00

Well, I did it. I posted about beer for 30 straight days. November was National Blog Posting Month and I was stupid enough to sign up for it. Thank God it's over.

I started off like a 21 year old kid at his first beerfest. Pounding down post after post. By the time I hit post 11 or 12, I was drunk, I mean done. That was my wall.

Since I am not a rookie, and more like a special forces trained beer man, I powered through. I wrote post after post with skill and precision. I talked about Beerfests. I reviewed different beers. I talked about beer stores and beer people. Even the Queen stopped by and wrote a post (making my writing skills look bad in the process) about her first ever Beerfest. I even posted drunk!

Honestly, it was fun. I made a few new friends, and picked up a few new followers. But most of all, I hope you all enjoyed it.

-Cheers!

Total Wine doesn't care.

2009-11-29T21:12:00.000-07:00

After my encounter at Total Wine last week, absolutely nothing happened. Nothing at all.

Honestly, I'm a little surprised. Total Wine has come by Good Burp and read some of the posts before. They have even left a comment from time to time. And recently, they started following me on Twitter. So after the issue I had with them last week, I thought they might post a comment attempting to explain their side of the story. But it didn't happen.

Honestly, I didn't write the post to get their attention. I wrote the post because I write about my adventures with beer. I'm sure fellow beer fans in my area frequent Total Wine. So I wanted to share my experience.

I'm left with the opinion that Total Wine doesn't care. They don't care how their employees treat the customers. They don't care what their customers think. In fact, it seems like Total Wine just doesn't care about their customers at all.

Then there is BevMo. BevMo goes out of their way to show their customers that they are important. In fact, they go above and beyond. Can anyone out there tell me that a CEO of a major company contacted them over an issue in a store? Anyone? Anyone?

I can. Alan Johnson, CEO of BevMo contacted me. But he wasn't the only one. The store manager and the District manager both called to apologize and attempt to make things right. Believe me when I tell you, they did.

There really is a difference between BevMo and Total Wine.

-Cheers!

Unlike the people at BevMo.

A new keg for Christmas

2009-11-28T20:05:00.003-07:00

I ordered my keg from BevMo today. It was a long and strenuous process. But I feel I mad the right decision. The masses will thank me next weekend for having such a beer available. So what is this new tap going to be pouring?

Firestone Walker - DBA. The Double Barrel Ale is exactly what I was looking for. An English style ale is what my kegerator has been missing. Next to a Marzen, a good English Ale is nest on the list.

It should be ready to pick up and tap come Thursday. Lets all cross our fingers it works out according to plan.

-Cheers!

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

2009-11-27T22:41:00.006-07:00

The other night I picked up Sierra Nevada's new Celebration Ale for 2009 from the BevMo. I look forward to it every year. And this year, they didn't disappoint.

Each year the good people at Sierra Nevada brew up a new batch of their Celebration Ale for all of us to enjoy. Some years are better than others. I recall last year being a bit heavy on the hops side of the spectrum. For 2009 however, it is a much better balanced ale. It might even lean a little to the malt side, which I have made my camp. No wonder I'm a fan.

It rings in at a jolly 6.8% abv, but I didn't notice to tell you the truth. It had a slight bitter finish, but I would say it was from the hops and not the alcohol. It was a little on the thin side for a winter beer, but I'm not holding it against them.

I like the smell. It has a bit of a fruity and hops aroma, with a hint of Christmas Tree. Honestly, I wish the pine smell was a little more dominant. Then it would qualify as the perfect Holiday beer. However, it does a good job of getting you into that "Christmas Spirit!"

Grade: 3 1/2 Burps.

Black Friday at BevMo

2009-11-26T21:53:00.002-07:00

This is going to be a short post. I have to go to bed early because tomorrow is Black Friday. I have to get up really early so I make it to the BevMo first thing in the morning. I'm so excited. I wonder what kind of deals I'm going to find.

I have been looking through the catalog all day. I have an item picked out for each and everyone on my list. I hope there are some great "door buster" deals. I plan on picking up a few special things for myself as well. Not to mention a new keg for the kegerator.

Time to go. I have to make sure I'm first in line.

-Cheers!

The Queen's View of The Big Pour

2009-11-25T19:40:00.005-07:00

Well hello lovers. It is I, The Queen. I am here today at the request of the One Who Burps to talk to you about my very first Beerfest experience. Usually he attends these events with his little beer buddies, while I sit at home with the Little Burpers. Okay, so that's a lie. I am usually out shopping with some of the beer wives. But that is neither here nor there. The point is, I attended this one with him (and two of our closest friends) and it was my first.

Now first and foremost, I must tell you a tiny little nothing bit of background info on me. Are you ready? Okay.

Ahem.

I am not a beer lover.

(gasps)

I know. I am sorry. Hey! I know! Stop yelling and throwing things! Let's all just calm down a little. I have slowly been developing a taste for beer over the past few months, and I rarely make that "Oh my god this is so disgusting" face after I take a sip of the Burper's beer. And recently, I have been known to knock back a few whole ones on my own. I know, right? Baby steps people. Baby steps.

So needless to say, I was a little nervous about what this day would bring. But I walked in with an open mind and left with a few faves. Without further ado, here is my review.

Please note: There are many "girly" beers on this list. News flash: I'm a girl. You don't have to try them, but I'm not gonna tell anyone if you do. It's our secret, okay? All righty then, where were we?

1. Lindeman's Framboise: I have had this before, it is divine. Seriously. It tastes like liquefied raspberry jam in a glass. So delish. Grade: a million Burps.

2. Dogfish Head Raison: Yummy. But kind of a yucky after taste. But it's fun to say. "Raison!" You have to kind of start your "r" sound in the back of your throat and then end it with a long "oh" sound and only a hint of the "n", just like the French. Say it with me - "Raison!" Ooh la la, oui oui! Grade: 3 burps (2 1/2 for taste and 1/2 for pronunciation).

3. Coney Island: Okay so obviously I was still concentrating on saying "Raison" and I forgot to write down which Coney Island I tried. But I did note that it was a little "gingery" with a nutty after taste. And just okay. Grade: 2 Burps.

4. Wyders Pear Cider: Gross. So so so gross. Not even Burp Grade material. Instead I give it a gag.

5. Wyders Raspberry Cider: Excellent. Light and refreshing, like a flavored mineral water. Grade: 3 Burps.

6. Redstone Meadery Black Raspberry Nectar: First sip was okay. Second sip not so good. An overwhelming flavor of cheap beer and cough syrup, but slightly fruity. Grade: 1 Burp.

7. Strongbow Cider: Oh. My. God. This is my most favorite thing in the whole world to drink. Just hook me up to an IV and I am happy. I paid so many visits to this booth, by the end of the night I was Facebook friends with the girl pouring. Grade: A million trillion bazillion Burps and four snaps in a Z formation.

8. Mikes Hard Lemonade - Spiced Apple: Delicious! Like Christmas in your mouth. I am pretty sure this is what Mrs. Claus is drinking while Santa is out doing deliveries. Grade: 4 Burps.

9. Full Sail Session Black - I was surprised at how good this was. I actually met the Pour Girl, Celeste, in the ladies room prior to tasting the beer. My girlfriend Lola and I were having a serious conversation about legalizing marijuana and Celeste piped in with her opinions. I liked her right away. She took good care of us the rest of the day. Another fun thing about this beer, there are drinking games in the cap! How cool is that? Fun and functional! And dudes, I am all about multi tasking, know what I mean? Grade: 4 Burps!

10. Session Lager - Not as good as the black, the aftertaste was a little too much for me. But because Celeste knew her stuff, I am still giving it 2 1/2 Burps.

11. Ace Pear Cider - Sweet and Yummy. Grade 3 Burps.

12. Fuller's London Pride - I know The One Who Burps loves this beer. And I feel a little guilty about saying this but BLECH!! Not good. Grade: 1 gag.

13. Stone Smoked Porter - I don't remember this one. My notes say it tasted like "dirt mixed with asshole." That can't be good. Grade: 1 gag.

14. Rogue Dead Guy Ale - Oh. My. God. So disgusting. Lola said this one was like swallowing a fart. Grade: 2 gags.

15. NYPD Pizza is the BOMB. (Obviously this is where I got a little loopy.) And just in case you are wondering, this note has nothing to do with beer.

16. Magner's Irish Cider - My notes say this one tastes like ass sitting in apples. Again, can't be good. Grade: 40 gags and a dry heave.

17. Old World Blonde - A deliciously refreshing and nutty beer. Loved it! Thank God The One Who Burps is friends with these guys. YUM! Grade - 4 Burps.

Well there you have it. All in all, my first Beerfest experience was a good one. I had a great time, learned a lot about beer and got to see my man in his element. It was wonderful and I am looking forward to the next one.

Until then, cheers!

I'm sick, so no beer tonight

2009-11-24T21:25:00.003-07:00

I'm sick. So no beer tonight.

It sucks being sick. But it sucks even more not being able to drink on of the new seasonal beers I just picked up. Scratch that. I can drink the beer, but it just doesn't taste the same. It doesn't smell the same either. And that's what I love the most about beer, the smell.

I wish they had beer scented cologne and beer air fresheners. I would douse myself with it every day. Then hop into my car with a Hops shaped air freshener hanging from the review mirror. That is what I wish.

But I don't want to go to jail, or get fired from my job, or have people insinuate that I am an alcoholic. That's what my cousin is for.

So I'm going to go to bed, and be ready to post tomorrow.

Tomorrow, The Queen is going to make her much anticipated guest post about her very first Beerfest!

-Cheers!

BevMo vs. Total Wine

2009-11-23T22:27:00.007-07:00

On Sunday night, I stopped by Total Wine on my way home. I'm in need of a new keg, and I wanted to see what they had before I stopped at the BevMo. I planned to be in and out in a few minutes. I would have been because there wasn't much to choose from. However, on my way to the checkout line, I happened upon a treasure box. A treasure box filled with Oktoberfest.

There were 6 packs of Left Hand Oktoberfest, Shipyard Pumkin Ale, Weihenstephaner Festbier, Gordon Biersch FestBier, Paulaner Oktoberfest, and a few others.

I instantly grabbed a 6 pack of Flying Dog's Dogtoberfest for $7.99 and put it in a cart. Then I noticed another 6 pack of Dogtoberfest with a pink tag which read, $1.00 off. So I grabbed that one too. At the next register, there were a bunch of single bottles available. I picked a few other beers, then noticed that there were 3 single bottles of Dogtoberfest, priced at $1.09 each.

Lets do some math here. 6 bottles at $1.09 is $6.54. But the 6 pack is going to cost me $6.99. Shouldn't it be the other way around? I think it should. So I wanted to find out.

I loaded up my cart and wheeled it over to the Managers station where Marlene was standing. I stood there being ignored for a good few minutes until I finally said, "excuse me."

Marlene finally looked at me and said, "yes", in a dismissive tone.

Me: "Are all the Oktoberfest beers on sale?"
Marlene: "The ones with stickers."
Me: "Some have stickers, and some don't."
Marlene: "Only the ones with stickers are $1 off."
Me: "But they are the same thing. So only certain ones are $1 off?"
Marlene: "Only the ones with the $1 sticker are on sale. They are from last season and we're trying to get rid of them."
Me: "Ok."

I was still confused. There must have been 8 or 10 six packs of the Dogtoberfest there, but only 2 of them had the pink $1 off stickers. I couldn't imagine that they were the only two 6 packs on sale. Then there were the other beers. Some Paulaners had tags and others didn't. Same for the Left Hand and the Breckenridge Fall Ales. Some were tagged and others were not.

I wanted to ask her a few more questions, but I could tell she didn't want to help me. She was getting very short, and very snippy with me at this point. But I asked a few more questions anyway.

Me: "There are some single bottles priced at $1.09. That is cheaper than buying a 6 pack."

Marlene: "Ok."

Me: "Can I buy single bottles from the 6 pack then or get them at at $1.09 price as well?"
Marlene: "No!"

I was a little shocked by her demeanor. This isn't the help nor attitude I would expect from a manager helping a customer trying to purchase MORE beer.

Me: "Do you have any more single bottles then?"
Marlene: "That's all we have."
Me: "I just want to make sure, because it ends up being cheaper to buy single bottles instead of 6 at a time."
Marlene: "Then buy them that way!"

Wow, I was amazed by her complete lack of profesionalism. She obviously didn't want to help me, and made it known by her rude replies. If I wasn't such a big fan of the beers, I would have walked out buying nothing.

So I spend the next 5 minutes searching each check out line for the single bottles priced at the $1.09. At one point a young lady asked if I was ready to check out, and that she could help me if I was. I told her I was just about ready, but I was searching for single bottles because they were cheaper that buying 6 at a time. She said no problem, and for me to let her know when I was ready.

Some Flying Dog and Four bottles of Dogfish Head Punkin Ale later, I got in line.

The young lady started to scan each individual bottle. The first one scanned in at $1.49. I said that it's supposed to be $1.09, not $1.49. She stopped, looked at the bottle, and said she would have here manager fix it. She walked over to her as I stood there waiting.

The young lady came back and told me that her manager would fix it in a minute. She then proceeded to scan the rest of the bottles. Again, each one scanned it at $1.49. Then she asked if I wanted the 6 packs scanned in 1 at a time since it would be cheaper that way. I said "sure, that would be great." So she grabbed the first one, and it scanned in at $10.99.

I was starting to get a little adgitated at this point. I told her that was the wrong price, and it was even the wrong beer. The scanner said it was Flying Dog K9 istead of the Dogtpberfest. The poor young lady looked puzzled and again asked me to wait why she went to talk to her manager.

Another few minutes later, they both returned to the checkout line. The manager, Marlene, asked what the problem was. I told her that the bottles were scanning in at $1.49 instead of the $1.09 as advertised, and that the 6 pack was scanning in at $10.99 instead of the $6.99 on the side of the carton. Then she got mean.

Marlene: "Where does it say that price?"
Me: "Right here, on the tag stuck to the shelf.....Flying Dog Dogtoberfest Marzen $1.09."
Marlene: "Then what's wrong with this one?"
Me: "It says Flying Dog K9 for $10.99, when it's Dogtoberfest for $6.99."

Marlene then walks over to the shelf, and rips the tag off. Then she shuts the register off, and tells the young lady that she needs to start all over again. That poor girl had to start scanning each bottle of Dogtoberfest again.

She picks up the first bottle, scanns it at $1.49, then the next, and then another. Then she picks one of the bottles from the 6 pack carton and scans it in.

Marlene stops her, and says, "I already talked to him before. I told him he couldn't do that." She then turns to me, and starts pointing at me. "I told you before you can't do that!"

This is when I got mad. What is wrong with this woman? She is getting loud, and pointing, and accusing me of something I didn't do. I'm the customer. Did she forget that?

I told her that the young lady offered to scan them 1 at a time because it would be cheaper, and I said that would be great. Marlene's face was turning red, and I felt like I was being disciplined for cheating on a test or something.

I told Marlene that I didn't ask for the bottles to be scanned 1 at a time. "Your employee offered to do it." I told her to stop pointing at me and accusing me of something.

At this point, I was done. I put my wallet back in my pocket and was ready to walk out. I was mad and shocked that this Total Wine store manager was talking to me like this. I was a customer, and she was treating me like this. Customers were staring, employees were watching. It was a complete scene!

Then something popped into my head. I thought of BevMo, and Alan Johnson. I knew Mr. Johnson would never stand for this. At that point, I felt guilt. I felt guilty for being there, for buying beer there, and for allowing this to escalate to that level. Then I realized that this would be a great story for BevMo and Alan Johnson to hear about. So I pulled my wallet out again, and stood there quietly while the scared young lady rescanned all the beer, correctly this time.

The other customers behind me quitely backed their cart out of line, and moved to another register.

As I paid and loaded up my cart, the manager told the young lady, "When you are done here, I need to talk to you." I felt so bad for her. This girl was just trying to do her job, and do it well. She was even offering to take out the trash before I got into her check out line. She asked twice while I was searching for the single bottles. The manager, Marlene never even responded to her. It was sad.

I left the store in shock, and still a little upset about what just happened. To make myself feel better, I stopped off at the BevMo and picked up a 6 pack of Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. Tomorrow, I'm going back to order my kegs.

-Cheers!

God was looking out for me last night

2009-11-22T21:16:00.007-07:00

I had to go to a wedding Saturday night. Honestly, I'm not a wedding kind of guy. So the first thing I do is look for the bar. It's usually the basic brews. Bud, Bud Light, Miller Lite, Coors, Corona, and Heineken. If it's a step above a saloon, you might be able to score a Dos Equis, Michelob Amber Bock, or a Sam Adams. Thank God for Mr. Adams. Without him, I would go thirsty.

$5 later, I was in my happy place, drinking with Sam (not Calagione) Adams. $5 for a bottle of beer takes me back to the cruise ship. This was going to be an expensive night. About the time I finished number 1, my cousin walked by with a bottle of blood, I mean Bud. I asked him how much it cost him. He laughed as he blurted out "$3.50"!

What? How did I just pay $5 for a Sam Adams, and he paid $3.50 for a Bud. I can justify the difference due to quality and taste, but come on, I got ripped off. What I didn't know was that there was a bar set up to the side of the reception hall for us wedding patrons.

Now was the prefect time to grab another. I was in the mood after my $5 mistake. I sulked over to the bartender and asked what he had to make me feel better. He rattles off the saloon favorites, and a few other mass produced variations like Bud Light Golden Wheat. Then he turns around, and pulls a bottle from the ice. He says, "I have a few bottles of this".

I heard Angels sing as he pulled a Holy Grail from that sea of beer and ice. A bottle of 2008 Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout. I tried to subdue my excitement. I recall saying something like, "hell yeah, give me that"!

I asked him how much, expecting the $5.00 price tag or more. God must have been looking down on me, because he said those magic words, "$3.50". Can you believe that? I was just at BevMo tonight and it was selling for $19.99 a 4 pack.

He said it was an old case given to them, and they were just trying to get rid of it. As luck would have it, I showed up. Coincidence, I think not!

I spent the rest of the night drinking with my new friend on Bourbon Street. It turned out to be a great night!

Grade: 4 Burps!

-Cheers

Look at me, I'm almost famous

2009-11-21T22:05:00.002-07:00

My relationship with the BevMo has been chronicled here, almost on a weekly basis. Yes, I am a fan. Sure, there have been issues, but they were taken care of. In the process, I found a new level of respect for the company and it's CEO, Alan Johnson.

Imagine my surprise when I found this story in the Contra Costa Times about BevMo, Mr. Johnson, and me!

I know, I'm famous!

I will soon be posting my shopping schedule at the BevMo just in case you might want to stop by and chat about beer. I will be more than willing to give you my opinions and recommendations.

Sorry, no autographs.

-Cheers!

Time to go to BevMo. I need a new keg

2009-11-20T21:44:00.005-07:00

The time has come again. It's time to order a new Keg for my kegerator.

It's a bittersweet decision. I get to choose a new beer, but I can't pick them all. It's hard making a decision like this. No matter which keg I ultimately choose, there is that voice in the back of my head saying, "you should have gone with the Flying Dog instead, or the Stone".

Honestly, I would love to go with something from Lost Abbey, Port, Rogue, Firestone, or Breckenridge this time. I'm all about variety and trying a new beer. Besides, it's time for another "Epic" party and I have a beer rep to protect.

I have until Monday to make up my mind. But it seems like every time I finally do, that keg isn't available. But I don't have time to mess around. The party is in 2 weeks!

I'm going to stop by The BevMo tomorrow grab the updated keg list. I'll post my top 5. Look them over, and let me know what you think. I'm open for suggestions.

-Cheers!

Big Pour Beer List

2009-11-19T19:25:00.003-07:00

Here we go.

9. Firestone - Oaktoberfest. This was a good beer. I am a sucker for Oktoberfests, and I loved this one. I know I liked it, and I remember it had a more hop style to it that I expect. With that said, I would buy it again. Well, if I could buy it, I would. Grade: 3.5 Burps.

Honestly, I've never been a fan of Firestone. I figured it was the tire company or the guy from The Bachelor making beer out back. The label also gave me the impression it was one of those fake microbrews owned by Anheuser Busch. Boy was I wrong.

I was lucky enough to spend about an 30 minutes talking to Jennifer, "The Goddess of Pale". This is where the beerfest really started for me. I was able to ask her questions about the beer and the brewery. And she was more than willing to share her thoughts and opinions. It was great. I learned so much about Firestone, that I am now a loyal fan. I hope to set up an interview with her soon.

10. Firestone - Aged. I spent so much time talking, and tasting, that I forgot to write down which beer it was. But I will tell you it was awesome. It is aged in their multi barrel system. It was really good. In fact, I am going to give it a good grade. Grade: 4 1/2 Burps

11. Speakeasy - Prohibition Ale. I have had this before, but it is worth trying again. It's a nice beer. Light and clean, with a citrus feel. It's a nice beer to have around for friends and novice beer drinkers. Grade: 3 burps

12. Full Sail - Session Black. It's better than the Lager. I would consider this to be a nice session beer. I would buy it, but I think I would be more interested in something else. I hate to not love this beer. Don't get me wrong, you will like it. Grade: 3 Burps

13. Full Sail - Brewers Reserve, Grandson of Spot IPA? I don't know exactly what it was. This was a table with "hired professionals". She offered us some "Jamaican Pastime", and poured us as much beer as we wanted. But she knew shit about beer. Grade: 3 Burps

14. Avery - IPA. From my notes, "Great Beer. I like it, actually love it". The hops flavor stuck around and didn't fade like a regular IPA. Avery is a great brewery. The IPA is a beer you have to try. Grade: 3 1/2 Burps

15. Bell's - Amber Ale. I have been able to try a few bottles of Bell's before. My friend Seawolf sent me a few bottles. But this was a new one. From my notes, "Very smooth beer. It's on the hops side, but has a clean finish". Grade: 3 1/2 Burps.

This is the point where I wrote down, "Finally Tipsy". It had been a good beerfest to this point. Had some average, good, and great beers. But I was only halfway through the evening.

-Cheers

Draft's Big Pour Beer list

2009-11-18T18:17:00.004-07:00

Here it is, my list. It is an impressive list. However, much of it I can't read. I was writing so fast, and sharing the LPN with The Queen. I missed a few here and there, but got the bulk of them. So here we go.

1. Ayinger - Oktoberfest. I was beyond excited to try this. I can't get it anywhere. Imagine my excitement when I say that tap handle. Pure joy. Ayinger is one of my favorite German Breweries. Their Oktoberfest Marzen solidified my opinion. Grade: 4 Burps

2. Coney Island - ___________. I don't know what it was. It was one of the tables where nobody seemed to know what was going on. I was excited to try Coney Island though. Grade: 3 Burps

3. Alpine Beer Co. - Captain Stout. It was weak for a Stout. Very thin on the pallet. Had a heavy coffee flavor with a tart finish. Grade: 3 Burps

4. Big Sky Brewing - Bi ere De Noel. This was a treat. A limited edition, bottle conditioned Belgian style Ale brewed for the holidays. It was so smooth. I really liked this one. It was a nicely rounded beer. Grade: 4 Burps

5. Lost Abbey - Devotion Ale. I've had this before. And I try to have it as much as I can. These guys are quickly moving up my favorite brewery list. Devotion Ale is a must beer for anyone who enjoys beer. Grade: 4 Burps

6. Port Brewing - Santa's Little Helper. A great name for a great beer. Port has been turning out some amazing beers lately. This Imperial Winter Stout was good, but not awesome. For a winter style stout, it leaned a little to much on the hops, and a little bitter. I still prefer Avery's Stout over Port's. Grade: 3.5

7. Coronado Brewing Co. - Orange Beer. That's not the name, but it was something Orange. I didn't want to try it, but I felt bad for the woman pouring. She actually works for the Brewery, and was excited about it. Although sh said it wasn't for everyone. Count me in that group. Ugh, I didn't like it. I don't like fruit in my beer. Grade: 2 Burps

8. Coronado Brewing Co. - Islander IPA. This was better. Not my favorite from these guys. I enjoyed their Mermaids Red Ale I tried last week more. But it's a descent beer. Grade: 3 Burps

I'm going to stop here, because this is where the beer "got good"! I actually had the opportunity to talk to who worked for the breweries who were pouring the great beers.

-Cheers

Who's pouring the beer?

2009-11-17T21:44:00.002-07:00

I was going through my Little Pink Notebook tonight, and I noticed something very bothersome. Many of the beers I tried had little to no information. Now hear me out before you judge. But I want to know who decided it was a good idea to hire models to pour beer at a Beerfest? Don't get me wrong, I don't mind if the model actually works for the brewery or actually knows something about the beer they are pouring. But I'm not there for a live Budweiser commercial.

This weekend at The Big Pour, I was constantly given blank stares when I asked about the brewery which they were pouring for. Most of them didn't know anything about the beer period! It was so annoying and aggravating.

There were so many breweries that I was excite to try. I really wanted to talk to someone who could tell me about the beer they were serving. I was excited to try all the new beers. I wanted to know about the different styles they brewed and what was available in my area. I wanted to ask them about the hops and the malts. I wanted to know how they brewed and aged their beers. But I couldn't.

Instead, I was told "I don't know" or "I don't work for the company". It sucked. So I usually took my sample, made a few notes, and moved on to the next table looking for a little beer conversation. Luckily, I was able to find it.

So a word to you, the distributors and breweries. Do yourself a favor. Use educated people to pour your beer. Most people who are willing to fork over $30 or more to try some quality beer aren't there for a Miller Light. They like beer, and they want to know about it. If they wanted some pretty girl to give them beer, they would head down to the local bar and have the girls sell them buckets of cheap, mass produced beer with hopes of winning a free koosie.

-Cheers

I didn't plan to get drunk

2009-11-16T21:56:00.003-07:00

I had a post all written out and ready to go. But it fell "off the wagon" if you know what I mean. It was all about the fact that I don't get drunk. Scratch that, I don't get drunk that often.

I can count on 1 hand the amount of times I would consider myself to be "drunk".

My definition of drunk is: "drinking to the point of vomitting, or passing out".

On Saturday night, after a good 25-30 samples of some serious beer, I got drunk. There is a note in my little pink notebook after sample 15 (Fuller's London Pride) which says, "I'm starting to feel a little buzzed, finally". Who would have thought that I was just about at the half way point.

But I finished the night strong, and made it back to the car just fine.

On the ride home, that's when it hit me, I was drunk.

I remember most of the ride home, and getting home and going to bed.

There was no vomitting, and no passing out. I went to bed. However, I am going to count this one. Either way, I am still counting on 1 hand!

-Cheers!

Beerfest was better than I remember

2009-11-15T20:40:00.003-07:00

Another beerfest, another job well done. Damn, it was a lot of fun.

I'm not sure how many samples I had. The Queen and I were sharing my little pink notebook. I have a list of 22 different samples. But there were so many more that I didn't get to write down. There were some really great beers this year. I think I only tried a few that I didn't like.

The good news is that The Queen kept a list, and even made notes. I am so proud of here. She did so well.

Tomorrow, we will start our reviews.

This should be fun!

-Cheers!

I still owe you guys pictures from the beerfest last week. I'll get them edited and posted this week.

I'm sorry, but I'm drunk

2009-11-14T22:20:00.002-07:00

Ok. I made a deal with the devil to post for a month. What the hell is wrong with me?

I just got home from the Draft Magazine Big Pour, and I am so drunk. Honestly, I remember walking in the door to my house, and not much more. I'm not proud, I'm drunk.

This has got to be the longest post ever. It's taken me like 20 minutes to type this shit out.

I feel like an armature. I'm so embarrassed.

I;ll make it up to you tomorrow.

Peace!

My BevMo Christmas List

2009-11-13T21:16:00.002-07:00

Guess what I got in the mail today. The BevMo Holiday catalog!

AKA, my 2009 Christmas list.

Lets see what I want this year.

Page 3: New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale Keg. $119.99 for a 15.5 gallon keg. This is a big keg. I might want to make a note, and ask for a 5 gallon instead.

Page 4: Anchor Steam Christmas Ale. $10.99 for a 6 pack.
I love this beer. I buy it every year, and give it away as Christmas presents to my friends. But I want some some for myself this year.

Page 12: Mendoncino Red Tail Ale. On sale for $6.49 a 6 pack. I've never had this before. It's on sale, so someone on a budget can pick this up for a bargain!

Page 13: Duvel Belgian Ale. Only $2.99 each, for a 11.2 oz bottle. I like to have a beer like this on stock for those times a friend is looking for a different beer. Can't beat it at this price.

Page 14: Stone Brewing Double Bastard. $6.99 for a 22 oz bottle. 2 bottles please.

Page 14: Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. $3.99 for a 24 oz bottle. I still have one of these in the beer fridge from last year. I love to age a bottle of this every year.

Page 14: Moylan's Tipperary Pale Ale. $3.99 for a 22 oz bottle. I am excited about this one. I've never tried it. I think I'm going to pick up a bottle of this early.

Page 15: Stone Brewing IPA. $9.99 for a 6 pack. This is a good deal. I like having a Stone in the fridge at all times.

Page 15: Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA. $8.99 for a 6 pack. You know I gotta get some Flying Dog for Christmas. Nothing says Holiday Spirit like a beer from Flying Dog. Some of their 20th Anniversary "Raging Bitch" would be even better!

Page 15: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. $149.99 for a 15.5 Gallon Keg. This is a must for any beer loving American with a kegerator in their house.

Page 18: North Coast Old Rasputin. $6.99 for a 4 pack. On sale from it's regular price of $7.99. I am crossing my fingers for this.

Page 24. Anchor Steam Christmas Ale. $14.99 for a 1.5 Litre bottle. "This Special Ale is the thirty-fifth annual ale from the brewers at Anchor." Who doesn't want a bottle of this?

Well there is my Christmas list for 2009.

I want to thank BevMo! Thanks to their Holiday catalog, they will make my Christmas just a little brighter.

-Cheers!

Draft Magazine, The Big Pour

2009-11-12T18:54:00.002-07:00

This weekend, I'm going to hit another beerfest. This time it is The Big Pour, put on by Draft Magazine. It is a four day event that is sure to be better than their first attempt last year. This 4 day event is sure to be fun. Hell, even NORM from Cheers is going to be there.

As much as I would love to go to a beerfest for 4 days, I'm not. Saturday is my day. I have to work on Thursday and Friday, and Sunday is a day to nurse the hangover, and watch football.

There is an impressive list of beers available for the sampling. I'm not sure how many I will get to try, but I'm going to do my best to try as many as I can. I really want to concentrate on the rare, seasonal, and beers not available around here. From a look at the list, this isn't going to be a problem.

If you get a chance, click on this link, and go through the list. If you see a beer you think I can't pass, let me know. I will go out of my way to find it, try it, and review it in my little pink notebook.

-Cheer!

The Queen joins the club

2009-11-11T22:40:00.003-07:00

This week has been a wild one for The Queen. First, she proclaimed that she liked beer. Then she followed it up by drinking the real King of Beers (Dogfish Head). Now, she is ready to meet her followers.

This weekend is Draft Magazines, Big Pour Beer Festival. And the Queen is going to be there!

She has been to many beerfests before. She always picks me up. So this is actually going to be the first time she ever participates. She's really excited about it too.

But the news doesn't end there. Next week, she is going to "Guest Blog". That's right ladies and gentlemen, The Queen herself is going to give all of you were thoughts and opinions of the beer she tried at The Bog Pour.

You guys are in for a treat!

The Queen drinks Dogfish

2009-11-10T19:09:00.003-07:00

Late week the Queen surprised me when she uttered the words. "I think I am starting to like beer". At that point, my heart grew just a little bit. My love for her increased to a level never before reached.

I had no idea that that level could go any higher. How could my love for such an amazing woman, who was starting to like beer grow any larger?

I just found out.

A I am sitting here, typing out this amazing blog post, The Queen is drinking a pint of Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA. I have a little tear right now. Can you believe it? My wife is drinking a serious beer. A beer that some of my friends can't even handle. A beer that God himself gave to Sam to create.

I love this beer, and I love this woman.

-Cheers!

You know what, I just remembered that The Queen thinks Sam is "cute". Do you think she is drinking his beer just to get closer to him? We will find out next week.

Little Pink Notepad

2009-11-09T20:52:00.004-07:00

Normally, my notebook doesn't draw much attention. But this time, it was routinely a topic of conversation. "Are you taking notes?" "What are you writing?" "Do you want my number?"

I have the same routine. I stand in line. I hand the person standing behind the table my sample cup and a drink ticket. Tell him what I want to try. Then I step to the side, take a few sips, and begin to write. Sometimes the notes are better than others, sometimes they just say "Good, or "Not Good". But I always try to write down the name of the beer, and what my first impression of it was.

Normally, people don't say anything. They just go about their day, slamming down their sample, then stumbling on to the next line. A true tale sign of the amature.

But this brewfest was different. On several occasions, I was asked about my bright pink notepad. Don't judge, it was all I had at the time, and it works. It's worked for the last 3 beerfests so why stop now?

The most common question they asked was if I was keeping a list. My response, "Yes, I am keeping a list". Then some were asking if I was taking notes. My response, "Yes, I am taking notes". Then a few actually wanted to know what I was writing, and why I was writing. So I told them.

This is a direct violation of my beer blog rule #1. Keep your identity a secret. But just like Prohibition, that rule seems to be relaxing on a daily basis. Depending on who I was talking to, I told them that I wrote a beer blog, and that I was making notes about the beers I was sampling. The people in line thought it was cool. The people pouring the beer thought it was awesome, and wanted to know more. And as they would pour me another, or suggest a special or seasonal beer, they would attempt to talk up their beer. In other words, they were "schmoozing" me. They were attempting to bribe me with beer.

Did it work? No. But I did take the extra sample, and give it an honest review in my notebook. Sometimes, I told them I liked it when I really didn't. And sometimes I told them I really liked it when I did. When it came down to the truth, I didn't want to lie. I didn't want to be influenced by the people with an agenda.

On a few occasions, I did let the title of my blog slip out. But I tried to avoid that question. And for the most part, I did. I think 2 or 3 people actually know the title. That's not that bad considering that I tried at least 20 different beers.

I was fortunate to talk to Brendan from Left Hand Brewery. He had some vacation time, and offered to come and pour at the brewfest. We talked for a while, and he gave me his card. He said he would love to answer some questions. So next week, I plan on talking to him and conducting my first real interview.

So don't knock the little pink notepad. It did it's job well. And next week, I'll pull it out again and fill out the pages with my thoughts, and first impressions.

-Cheers.

Brewest Continued

2009-11-08T21:01:00.002-07:00

Where was I? O, getting intoxicated. Just kidding I was up to beer number 10.

10. Oskar Blues - Mama's Little Yella Pils. This was the first big disappointment of the day. I really like Oskar Blues. It is the only brewery that I will buy in a can. They really make some nice beers. But this just isn't one of them. I'll say it with my notes, "Almost Not Good. Ugh, it's not good. Bummer". It wasn't good. It was a bit sour, and bland, and dare I say Budweiser like. As much as I want to give it a good grade, and am struggling to give it this one. Grade: 2 burps

11. Flying Dog - Old Scratch Amber Lager. (Smile). Was there really a need to try this beer? Actually yes, there was. After that last one, I needed a great beer to get me back in the mood. And what better was to do that than with a Flying Dog. We all know this is a kick ass beer. One of my favorites. I've reviewed and gushed about it before. So just do yourself a favor and go out and buy some for yourself. Grade: 4 Burps.

12. Flying Dog - Classic Pale Ale. Why stop? I was already at the table, and I still had plenty of tickets left. So why not one for the road. Besides, I was talking to the guy pouring the beer, how awesome Flying Dog is. He agreed, and topped me off once more. Classic Pale Ale is a great beer overall. It isn't extreme, and it is such an enjoyable beer that you can't stop with just one. This is becoming the beer I give to people to get them hooked on microbrews. Grad: 4 burps

13. Breckenridge - Vanilla Porter. This is a really nice beer. I am not a fan of vanilla. Don't like it as an ice cream, and I don't like it in my Diet Coke. However, that small amount in the beer really makes it different. In fact, I really enjoyed it. This would be a perfect beer for a cold winter evening. The vanilla is not overpowering, yet you can taste it. With the malts, it makes this beer so smooth. Grade: 3 1/2 burps

14. Guinness - 250 Anniversary Stout. I should have known as soon as I watched the girl try to pour it from a pitcher. They had filled pitchers then tried to pour them into the sample cups. It was all kinds of bad. The pitchers were more than filled with foam,and not much beer. It was a disgrace honestly. We all love Guinness. But they really messed it up. I don't think it would be fare to grade it.

15. Port Brewing - Panzer Imperial Stout. This is a hoppy beer. Since I've been on a hops binge lately, I'm getting a little burned out honestly. But this was still a good beer. It's very flavorful, and not finished clean. I actually liked it, even though it didn't fit my idea of an Imperial Stout. There are far better choices when it comes to this style of beer. But if you are a fan of Port Brewing, then you will like it. Grade: 3 1/2 burps

16. Avery - White Rascal. "This is a good beer. In my opinion, this is a beer for the seasoned drinker." It's a White, which I usually don't enjoy. So why did I like it? Honestly, I don't know. I wasn't past the point of no return, but I was getting there. It's a Belgium style so I would have passed at this point in the day. I don't understand my grade. So don't hold me to it. Grade: 4 burps. (This has got to be wrong. I'm going to buy a bottle and try it again next week)

17. Santan Brewery - Sun Devil Ale. The first thing I noticed was the hops. They were strong. I can't read my notes. But I do see the words, "but I'm not buying". So I don't think I liked it. Grade: 3 burps.

18-?. I can't read it. By this time, it had been about 2 - 3 hours of "sampling". I did have a few more than once. And I had a few more that I didn't write down. I know I had a Dogfish Head, something else from Alaskan, one from Anderson Valley, another one from a can, and something organic. But I don't remember what they were.

As much as I wanted to write more, and be more descriptive, I couldn't. It was hard to walk, and write, and drink and take pictures. But I tried.

Well that's the list. Some were better than others. Some I will try again (next week). Some I won't. But I still had fun.

-Cheers!

Another Beerfest, Brewfest review

2009-11-07T19:42:00.002-07:00

I did it. I managed to make it through another beerfest for you, my fans. This was the first of what I hope to be more Southwest Brewfests. Overall, it was worth it. Not the best beerfest by any means, but I still enjoyed myself.

I was on a slow pace this time. There wasn't as many beers to choose from. I wasn't going to stand in line, nor attempt to try Negra Modelo, Coors, or Killian's Irish Red. That is not my style. I was looking for the beers that I have yet to try. Overall, I think it was a job well done.

So without further fodder, here is the list.

1. Grimbergen - Abbey Ale. This was an awesome beer. It was different and so good. I loved it. What a way to start off a beerfest. The guy pouring it said it was a Double Bock. But this is the guy who was setting up the Co2 tanks at the last beerfest. So I'm not taking his word for it. It was on line with a Belgium style ale. It was sweet, but no to the point where it bothered me. Overall it's a flavorful beer. Grade - 4 burps

2. Alaskan - Baltic Porter. I was hit with a strong, almost overpowering coffee taste. It also has a very nutty taste. However, it is still a nice beer. But I still don't think I will be picking up a sixer of it any time soon. Grade - 3 burps

3. Cucapa - I missed the name, and it isn't on their website. But I will tell you, hey poured it from a can! It had a picture of a man, or a monster on the bottle. But honestly, it doesn't matter, because I didn't like it. It was very dry. Not something I was expecting. I think they labeled it a Pilsner style. It had a slight malty flavor with a bit of nutty hops aroma. Overall, it was a weak beer that I didn't enjoy. Grade - 2 burps

4. Lost Abbey - Devotion Ale. Damn I love this brewery. Just about everything they make is a beer of art. And Devotion Ale is not different. Again, I am not a fan of the Belgium style ales, but these guys are converting me. This is a great beer, especially for a fan of this style. Grade - 3 1/2 Burps

5. Lost Abbey - Red Barn Ale. Again, this is a Belgium style ale without that over sweet flavor. Had a nice, clean finish with any aftertaste. I like it for the style. You just gotta love a beer that has a cork. Grade - 3.5 Burps

6. The Bruery - Black Orchard. This is my first time ever trying this brewery. Based in Orange County, this brewery is doing something right. So why haven't I tried them before? The Black Orchard was a good beer. I was beginning to see trend here. It was a Belgium style ale, but not a sweet as I was expecting. Good thing. Good beer. Grade - 3.5 Burps

7. The Burery - Trade Winds. Can you guess the style? Yep, a Belgium ale. However, this was a little different for a Triple. It was sweet, but not like candy. And not to the point where I hated it. It was actually enjoyable. I think I still enjoyed the Black Orchard a little more. Grade - 3 Burps

8. Coronado - Mermaids Red. This was another first. It was a typical red, nothing special. The guy pouring it was all excited, trying to tell me it was "an awesome beer". No, it wasn't. I guess that is why he was pouring instead of drinking. I can't tell you that I hated it, but I can't tell you that I liked it. It's just, o.k. Grade - 2.5 burps

9. Speakeasy - Untouchable Pale Ale. This is a good beer. I really liked it. It was had a nice flower hops aroma. Not like an IPA, but fits the Pale Ale style very well. I guess it might lean toward the hops side of the scale for some. Grade - 3 Burps

This brings us to the halfway point of the day. I'll finish up tomorrow, with some pictures. Until then, have a good night.

- Prosit!

Beerfest Tomorrow

2009-11-06T21:31:00.004-07:00

Again, going down to the line with my post. But don't worry, I made with 3 hours to spare. Good thing too, because I have to go to bed soon. I have a big day tomorrow.

What could be so important as to make me go to bed sober on a Friday night at 9:30?

BEERFEST!

That's right ladies and gentlemen, tomorrow is the Southwest Brewfest! Yes, I am a little excited about it. I always get excited about a beerfest. I love beerfests. Beerfests are my friends.

This is the first Southwest Brewfest, so I really don't know what to expect. It has received a lot of press, and I am expecting a big crowd. But the crowd I am expecting is not the typical beerfan.

I think tomorrow is going to be a shitload of college students looking to get lit before the football game. It is being held at an outdoor mall, 1 mile from ASU, who is playing USC.

Not to mention that the largest brewery in attendance is going to be Anheuser Busch. That is disappointing. As much as I would love to tease, and laugh, and make fun of the people standing in line to get a "sample" of Budweiser, Bud Light, or the newest creation Bud Light Golden Wheat, I am all for it. It's simple actually, the won't be drinking any of the good beers. That means more for me and the beer snobs.

Again, I will be toting my camera and notepad. I will be taking plenty of pictures. Beer, Babes, and boobs.....and drunk people. I'm also going to do y best to keep a list and attempt to critique each and every beer I sample. I will be making notes of things overheard while standing in "the beer line".

This is going to be fun!

-Cheers!

Stuck at work, with no beer.

2009-11-05T22:32:00.002-07:00

It's almost 11:00, and I am stuck at work. That means I wasn't able to drink any beer tonight. It also means that I just made it for the NaBloPoMo.

So this is short and sweet. I'll make up for it tomorrow. It's Friday night!

-Cheers

Here's to Number 27

2009-11-04T22:59:00.004-07:00

It's over. The New York Yankees just beat the Phillies to become the World Series Champions. What else can I say but "Congratulations"! Good for you New York. That makes 27 total for the storied franchise.

I grew up a die hard Yankee fan. And I wasn't one of those band wagon fans either. When I was 6, my first T-Ball team was the Yankees. If you doubt me, I have the pictures to prove it, so there!

I want to send my condolences to all you Philly beer guys. It has to be rough. But you got yours last year.

So I hold up my Pint, and congratulate those New York Yankees. See you next year.

-Cheers

Photo Courtesy of: The New York Times

"I think I'm starting to like beer"

2009-11-03T19:01:00.002-07:00

Queen: "Do you have any beer?"
Me: "Are you serious?" "Of course I have beer, I'm me."
Queen: "Do you have one that I might like"
Me: "Really?"
Queen: "I think I'm starting to like beer."

I have been known to help others switch teams. I enjoy educating anyone willing to listen, about beer. So far, I have had a very high success rate. Everyone from my Miller Lite swilling cousin, to the Queen's Wine drinking father.

But this was the last person I thought I would ever be able to show the way. Beer has never been her drink of choice. She has tried it plenty of times, but she still didn't like it.

Recently, she has been asking for a beer every now and then. Because I am so awesome at what I do, I gave her a Dogfish Head Punkin Ale. Guess what, she liked it. She liked it, a lot.

I guess it is time to make a trip to the BevMo to pick out a few different beers I think she might like. I'm so excited.

Can I tell you that I don't think I have ever loved my wife more than this very moment.

-Cheers!

The never ending Keg

2009-11-02T19:48:00.006-07:00

I don't know what is going on. But I think I have the next best thing since the fountain of youth in my Man Room. I have, the never ending keg. As luck would have it, it's Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA. I know, God loves me.

There are what, about 50 pints of sweet golden nectar in a 5 gallon keg, give or take. I'm sure I went through half of them the first night I tapped it. That left about 25 more pints for me to enjoy.

Over the past 4 months, I estimate that I pour myself at least 1 pint every other day when I get home. That is like another 60 pints. But yet, the beer just keeps on flowing.

Let's do some math here. Even if I am overestimating a little, or more than a little, I'm sure I've gone through 50 pints. It just doesn't add up. It isn't possible. Even if there was only a single pint poured that night I originally tapped it, I am still defying the laws of physics.

Can I explain this 8th wonder of the world? No, I can't. Am I complaining? No, I'm not. In fact I am thanking the All Mighty Beer God and Sam Calagione for this magic keg. Because I'm sure they both got together to make this keg of "Godfish Head" just for me.

-Cheers!

Trick or Treat, give me some beer to drink

2009-11-01T13:43:00.005-07:00

It was another fun Halloween in the Good Burp neighborhood. Drank some great beer. Made a few new friends, and scored a huge stash of candy. I must say, a job well done.

The doorbell was ringing before I opened my first beer. Sorry, but the kids had to wait until I was ready. How many times are they allowed to ring the doorbell by the way? Seriously, let me pop the cap off first. Thank you.

I asked for some of your favorite Halloween beers last week. I received 1 recommendation. That's it, just 1. At least is was from the Beer Budha. He knows what he is talking about. However, even with his helpful information, I still ended up with the beers I thought I would.

The first beer of the night was Dead Guy Ale from Rogue Brewery. I knew I was going to drink it on Halloween night the day I bought it. And I'm happy I did.

As I walked around the neighborhood, it became quite the conversation starter. The fellas were sure interested in the "Man" sized bottle of beer I was carrying around. It sure made those little bottles of Miller Lite and Heineken seem "girly". And it helped open the door for a few beer conversations.

As much as I enjoyed drinking the Dead Guy Ale, I think it served a higher purpose. It was a means of spreading the amazing, and sometimes a little bit scary, word of beer. Thanks to my beer, and my big mouth, it looks like I have become one of the most popular guys in the neighborhood. Once the word "kegerator" was mentioned, the next words were something like, "which house is yours again" and "how often are you brewing beer" and my favorite, "when can I come over"?

-Happy Halloween.

What is the perfect beer for Halloween?

2009-10-25T20:39:00.012-07:00

I love Halloween, and I love beer. This year, they are both going to be enjoyed on a Saturday night. Yes, I am a little excited.

Halloween is a huge deal in my neighborhood. It's like a ginormous block party. Everyone is out, there are parties everywhere. People set up tables with food and drinks for kids and parents alike. But the best part is sitting on the front porch, drinking some great beer with the guys.

But what is the best beer to drink on Halloween? Last year I spent the night going through a couple offerings from Reaper Ale. I think it was a great choice for the night. If anything says "Halloween Beer", it's any offering from Reaper Ale.

But this year, I need to find something new. I have been thinking about it for the past week. So I ask you my beer swilling friends, what is the perfect beer for this Halloween?

I have come up with a few ideas. Let me know your thoughts.

1. Stone Brewing Co. Anything from them would be a safe choice. Sure, their labels kick ass. But their beer is even better. I was leaning here at first. But I think it is just a little to obvious.

2. Reaper Ale. Again, a safe choice. But they have a few other offering that I can try. Aside from the Redemption Red, I could go with the Mortality Stout, Ritual Dark Ale, or the Inevitable Ale. I like these choices, a lot. To be honest, I think one of these will end up in my Trick or Treat bag before the night is over.

3. Rogue. Dead Guy Ale. To help celebrate the evening, I will be sporting my Dead Guy Ale t-shirt. I think it will go well with the events. But I don't want to be "that guy" wearing the t-shirt, and drinking the beer.

I know there are so many other choices out there. But what do you guys think? What are you going to be drinking? Let me know.

No more Dogtoberfest

2009-10-25T19:41:00.003-07:00

I tried. I mean I really tried. But any way I look at it, the search is over. I will tell you that I have a void inside. A void that can only be filled by the sweet, brewed nectar from Flying Dog Brewery called, Dogtoberfest.

I love Oktoberfest style beers. They are by far my favorite. At the top of my list is an amazing beer called "Dogtoberfest" made by that kick ass brewery in Colorado, Flying Dog. It isn't their fault. They did their job. They brewed a great batch this season. It kept me going for the last month. But now I feel like a junkie looking to his dealer for his next fix.

I looked to a few of the other dealers, but they were no help. They were either trying to sell me something else to get my fix, or some cheap knockoff of the real thing. But I can tell the difference. I'm not stupid. I'm a seasoned user of Dogtoberfest. And that is all that I will settle for.

I will admit it, I strayed. There are some others out there that I really enjoy. However, Dogtoberfest is just a well balanced and extremely flavorful marzen. Not only is it a great Oktoberfest, it is a great beer!

I held out hope all week that I would be able to score some more. But no luck. I even went so far as to go around my normal dealer, and went straight to the source. I talked to a "friend" who is connected to Flying Dog. He told me "I'm not sure there's lots of Dogtoberfest 2009 left in the world, actually". Those words crushed me.

The only place I was able to score any this season was at Total Wine and More. I stopped by on several occasions and stocked up. I went through plenty of them myself. But I am a nice guy, and I like to share. So my stash went fast. I think about it now, and realize that was a bad thing to do.

For weeks now, I tried to track some down from BevMo, but they were not able to get any. I started asking about it the first week of September. I figured that was early enough to get some. But I was wrong. The list from BevMo included a Flying Dog "seasonal". But for some reason, they were unable to get it for me.

I tried to get it in bulk (keg) from Total Wine as well. Same thing. No go. But I was able to pick it up in 6 packs, which I did. I had to cheat on my normal dealer, BevMo because they were never able to get any. I tried at 3 different BevMo locations. All of them told me that they were expecting to get some, but it never showed up. My father in law (my latest beer conversion student) tried at another BevMo. He even left his name and number, but never got the call.

So I sit here, shaking from withdrawals, trying to type out my story. But all I can think of is that I have to wait another 10 months before I can get my next fix. It is going to be a long, cold, and lonely winter.

-auf Wiedersehen

This Bud's for You

2009-10-18T18:43:00.008-07:00

Note: It didn't work on Zerksis, and it didn't work on us.

Did you have absolutely nothing to do last Saturday night? If you one of the few, and didn't have anything to watch on your Tivo, then you might have done something stupid, like call your old girlfriend, or "drunk channel" surfed and crashed into the latest installment of Saturday Night Live.

The once famous show who gave us stars like Eddie Murphy, Bill Murray, Will Ferrell and Tim Meadows is a mere shell of it's once great self. To add insult to injury, along comes Anheuser Busch to drag the once funny show, further down their spilled beer drain.

I don't know who though it would be a good idea, but the CSI of beer (aka Bud Light Golden Wheat) was the sole sponsor for the entire show. Nearly ever commercial was a Bud Light Golden Wheat commercial. Every segment was brought to you by Bud Light Golden Wheat. There were even Bud Light Golden Wheat viewing parties around the country where I'm sure they handed out Bud Light Golden Wheat t-shirts and Bud Light Golden Wheat koosies.

As hard as I tried to watch the guy from 300 attempt to be funny, I just couldn't get over the constant bombardment of Bud Light Golden Wheat adds. It was nothing short of annoying. What disgust I already have for Anheuser Busch (which brings you Bud Light Golden Wheat) was magnified by the power of 10 burning suns!

Was it really necessary? Was it even a good idea? I don't think so. In fact, I think it probably had the complete opposite effect that AB (who brings you Bud Light Golden Wheat) was looking for. It became almost comical. In fact, the repeated commercials became the best humor of the night. Not for the comedic value, but for the joke that it was.

If not for that kid in the flying saucer balloon (which I think was sponsored by Bud Light Golden Wheat), this would be the worst publicity stunt of the year!

-Cheers

-This blog post was not brought to you by, Bud Light Golden Wheat.

A man becomes a Brewmaster

2009-10-16T18:26:00.004-07:00

I wish I could tell you that it was me, but it isn't. This is the story of a man, who quit his job, to chase his dream to one day become a brewmaster.

Burr Street Brew Blog has been writing about his journey for nearly 6 months now. I have been following him, and cheering him on from afar.

It is a great story. And I encourage all of you to go, and read his story. At the least, read his most recent post.

BSBB, keep on living the dream!

Ho White? That is funny, unless you are Disney

2009-10-15T18:09:00.005-07:00

I don't care who you are, this is funny! Well, unless you're Disney. I don't think they are going to find is as funny as everyone else does. Whatever side you decide to take, hold on. Because this is going to be an E ticket ride!

So who would be so smart, or stupid, and use this image to promote their beer? None other that the Australian brewery, Jamieson Brewery . They decided to use this marketing idea to promote their new Raspberry Ale. They are using the picture, along with the tag line "Anything but Sweet" to convince Australian beer drinkers that their Raspberry Ale flavored beer was anything but sweet.

I think the picture of Ho White lying bare ass naked in bed with 7 little men, and smoking proves that point. It proves it very well.

This is pure genius. Anyway you look at it, it is going to sell. Even if the beer sucks, people are still going to buy it just for the label. And I hope they do, because they are really going to need the money to pay Disney when they get sued.

-Cheers!

Bud Light Golden Wheat?

2009-10-11T17:42:00.004-07:00

Are you kidding me? First it was Bud Light Chelada. Then it was Bud Light Lime. Now it's Bud Light Golden Wheat? What the hell is this all about?

Bud light has become the CSI of beers. In their attempt to market yet another variation of their Bud Light series of beers, Anheuser Busch gives you Bud Light Golden Wheat. An unfiltered wheat beer brewed with "wheat malt, coriander, and citrus peels".

Could it be that InBev (Anheuser Busch) actually cares about making a nice tasting beer? No, it's just marketing. I'm sure it is nothing more than a direct attempt to gain market share from the Miller Coors Blue Moon drinkers? That seems to be the beer with the largest demand these days. A beer that most uneducated beer drinkers think is a craft brewed beer.

Don't expect a review of it here. It's not going to happen. That's not the kind of beer drinker I am. Plus, I don't think A/B ever intended for me to drink one. If they did, they are really stupid. Your average beer snobs will avoid this beer like the Swine Flu.

There are plenty of other "Wheat" style beers out there if you want one. Do yourself a favor, and try any of of them before you actually waste your hard earned money on a bottle of anything with a Bud Light label on it.

-Cheers!

My problem with BevMo

2009-10-06T19:20:00.003-07:00

Since "the incident" this summer, things have been great at BevMo. Everyone knows my name, I get treated with the utmost courtesy, and I leave happy every time. After my dealings with Alan Johnson, I found a new respect for his company. However, that respect has been wavering lately.

When it comes to beer drinking season, what comes to mind? Cinco De Mayo? St. Patrick's Day? Sure, but nothing says beer like Oktoberfest! So you would think that BevMo would be busting at the seems with seasonal beers from all the breweries to celebrate. However, that isn't the case.

Starting in September, I have been stopping by the local BevMo to see what kind of Oktoberfest Marzen style beers they had available. I look forward to this every year. But all I have been able to find in Samuel Adams Oktoberfest. Yes, they do carry Paulaner Oktoberfest all year around, and it keeps me satisfied throughout the rest of the year.

But what about the rest of the breweries? What about Flying Dog Dogtoberfest, Erdinger Oktoberfest Weizen, Leinenkugel's Oktoberfest, or Left Hand Brewing Company's Oktoberfest? I was able to buy them last week. But no at BevMo. No, I bought them at Total Wine and More. None of these seasonal Oktoberfest beers were available at BevMo.

As I mentioned, the one Oktoberfest beer I am able to get in a keg from BevMo is the Samuel Adams Oktoberfest. Because I am a loyal customer, and I like the way they have treated me, I ordered one. That was over 3 weeks ago.

Take a wild guess who took my order? Yes, the same fella I had the run in with this summer. Before I go on, let me tell you that he did apologize to me a while back. It was sincere, and I accepted. So I figured when I went in to order my keg, he would make sure to take care of if for me. Well, that didn't happen. I have been waiting for the phone call. It never came. I figured they were just waiting on me to stop by since.

I have been wondering about my keg, so I stopped by tonight. None of the regular guys were working tonight. So I asked the guy atop the ordering desk if my keg was ready. I told him that I had orderd a keg about 3 weeks ago, and it should be there for me. But guess what, it wasn't. I was shocked. How could this have happened? Things had been great since the "incident". So how could they let me down like this?

I went ahead and ordered the keg, again. It should be there Thursday. If not, I think that will be the perfect time to head over to Total Wine, and buy 2 kegs, and a bunch of Oktoberfest!

-Cheers

Beercation - part 3

2009-10-04T20:19:00.006-07:00

Jamaica started off a little rough. First, we were about 30 minutes late getting to our bus. Then we had to wait another hour while Louie, our tour guide and driver, waited for Vagina. (Imagine my laughter when he told us that) I guess "Virginia" had a group of 20 people for another tour bus, but she was late. Louie asked if I would go back to the boat and page Vagina....but I thought it was better if I didn't.

Eventually, at the stroke of 9:30, we were off. Louie drove us around the different areas of town so we could experience the good, and the bad. He wanted to show us how the different groups of people lived. I'm really glad he did. I have a different perspective of Jamaica because of it. Eventually, we stopped off at a little shop to do buy some Jamaican crap. I had to try some more rum, get a beer, and buy a Bob Marley t-shirt.

Beer 30-31 - Kingston Pilsner. From my notes. "It's better than Red Stripe. It was a typical lager style beer. I wasn't expecting much, but it's worth the $3.00". Grade - 3 burps

Beer 32 - Red Strip. I had to have one. I was in Jamaica. All I was missing was a big joint, and I would have fit right in. It would have been easy. I was offered "Smoke" 9 times throughout the day. Grade - 2 1/2 burps

Beer 33-35 - Guinness Foreign Extra. Dom, dis is good beir mon. I am a fan of Guinness, but I had no idea this Guinness existed. It is hot in Jamaica, and I never really understood why they wanted to drink a stout in that kind of heat. Now I know, because it is so awesome! Foreign Extra isn't like the Guinness we get here in the states. It is so much better. I absolutely loved it. There I was, sitting on the beach, drinking a Guinness and eating Jerk chicken (which also kicked ass). The think that sucks about Guinness Foreign Extra, it isn't available here. Grade - 4 burps

Beer 36 - Twisted Lager. I found out there was a brewery in Ocho Rios, with WiFi. So I had to hit it. It's called the Twisted Kilt. No, not the Tilted Kilt, but the Twisted Kilt. Anyways, how can I say this without being mean? From my notes. "No Internet, no t-shirts, no quality beer, welcome to the Twisted Kilt, Jamaica". Yes, there was no WiFi, and they had no t-shirts for sale, and the Twisted Lager wasn't that good. From my notes. "It is really weak and without any flavor. I really wanted to enjoy it, but it is just a weak beer. Honestly, I would avoid it".
Grade - 2 burps

Beer 37 - Twisted Stout. From my notes. "It's good. Guinness like". They only thing they had available was the Twisted Lager. Once we got talking, and they realized I really wanted to try all their beers, they actually tapped a new keg for me. It seemed like they were excited about me being there and wanting to try their stout. They even talked my out of trying their Carib Lager in favor of the newly tapped Stout.

From my notes. "Definitely better than the Twisted Lager. Very smooth, but a light mouth feel. It does have a nice color though. But I think the the cold might have masked some of the flavor". Grade - 3 1/5 burps

It was getting late, and it was time to head back to the ship. I tried one last time to get Ishenne, the waitress, to hook me up with a T-shirt. Again, my charm worked. Ishenne promised to ship a shirt to me if I left her my name and address. It has been 3 weeks now, and still no shirt. Time will tell if she keeps her word.

- Cheers

Beercation - part 2

2009-10-02T19:49:00.003-07:00

So, where was I? O, back on the boat. Key West was awesome! I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. It is packed with bars, and some descent beers. But I couldn't stay there and hope they picked me up on the way home. So I had to get back on the boat. At least I did it with a great buzz

Beer 21-25 - Samuel Adams. I enjoy drinking with my friend. And Sam has never done me wrong. In fact, I am picking up a keg of his Oktoberfest tomorrow. Sam was there for me when I needed him. And thanks to Renata, I was never without.

Beer 26 - Cay Brew. The Sharkbite Brewery is located in Grand Cayman. This is the place I wanted to go. And I'm happy I did. It's a cool place, right on the beach. They brew a few different beers, and a nice Rum which the bartender was nice to give me, on the house. So I started with the only beer they had on tap, Cay Brew. From my notes. "Typical Lager". "Great session beer while on a beach, so I love it". It is brewed on the island, and brought to the bar. However, their facility is only big enough to brew beer, or distill rum. But not both at the same time. The cool thing about their rum is that "it is aged in Jack Daniels barrels under the ocean". It is their thought that the constant subtle movement of the barrels under the water enhance the flavor of their rum. I'm not sure if it does or not, but I enjoyed it. Grade: 3 1/2 burps.

Beer 27 - Cay Light. Ok, before you judge me for drinking a "Light Beer", hear me out. I was on a "Beercation". Attempting to try as many beers as possible. Cay Light was all they had on Tap. The only other beer they had available was their Cay Light, in a bottle. So I tried it. From my notes. "Actually a good light beer". I don't drink light beer, so I am far from a qualified judge on it. But for a lighter style beer, it was ok. Grade: 3 burps

Beer 28 - Cay Brew. I enjoyed it the first time, and I wanted to enjoy it again.

From Hammerhead's, I headed back towards the dock. It was getting late. But I had time for at least 1 more beer. So I stopped at one of the tourist type bars, Senior Frogs. The only thing I could find on their beer list that I had yet to try was beer 29.

Beer 29 - Presidente Light. From my notes. "I don't enjoy it". "It is a super light lager made by Miller Brewing Co.". "If I knew that, ,"I wouldn't have ordered it". "Honestly, I couldn't tell the difference between Presidente Light, and a Dos Equis. Grade - 2 burps

The day was running out, and it was time to get back on the boat. I was feeling good, really good. Did I mention that I took a tour of the Tortuga Rum factory. I didn't? How could I forget? It must have been all the rums, because they give you free shots! Sure, they are smaller than a regular shot, but if you get 2, or 9 like I had, it is as good as 4 or 5. Damn it is good rum. I bought 7 bottles. Yes, 7. Some smaller than others. But flavored rums like Banana, Vanilla, Coffee, Orange, Spiced 12 year old Gold, Liqueur, and Coconut are worth the $9 a bottle. Isn't that nuts, $9 for a big bottle of rum? Who cares, it was worth double that!

Back on the boat, we went to dinner and called it an early night. I was done drinking. But tomorrow was another day it was going to be a day in Jamaica!

-Cheers!

Beercation - part 1

2009-09-28T17:54:00.010-07:00

I have been back from my beercation for two weeks now. I got a little sidetracked with Oktoberfest. Who hasn't? So I have yet to write about my beer adventures in the Caribbean. I'm sure the suspense has been killing you. Since I am such a nice guy, and care so much about you, my beer swilling friends, I give you my list.

Beer 1 - Zeigen Bock. I had a 2 hour layover in he Houston airport. So I killed the time in a Buffalo Wild Wings drinking some beer. I asked the bartender for something local, a beer made in Texas. She turned around and looked at all the taps. She replied with "Well, I think Sam Adams is made here in Texas". Uhmmm, she was blond. So I said to her, "You mean Boston Lager is made here in Texas"? She had a look on her face like I asked her to perform a math question. I could tell I was loosing brain cells talking to her, so I asked her for the Zeigen Bock. Big Mistake!

It wasn't good, at all. I made notes right away. This is exactly what I wrote. "Weak, watered down taste, like a homebrew gone bad". "Has a slight chemical taste that I just can't figure out".

So I asked the other bartender about this Zeigen Bock. I asked if it was made in Texas. He told me it was, and that it was made by Shiner. I was really disappointed when he told me that. I think they make much better beers than this.

I later found out, from an informative reader, that it is a beer made by the evil empire. I had been duped! Yes, Anhueser Busch had tricked me. Those bastards!

Beer 2 - Heineken. It sucked! I talked about it a few posts back. It's in the past, and I don't want to think about it ever again.

Beer 3 - Yuengling. Loved it! I talked about it in the same post. It's in the past, and I think about it all the time. I really wish I could get it here.

Beer 4 - Pilsner Urquel. It was the first beer on the boat. It was the safe choice. I needed a beer in the worst way. I shotgunned it once I realized it cost me $4.75 plus a $1.35 gratuity. This was going to be an expensive vacation.

Beer 5-9 - Boston Lager. Yes, from Texas. I spent the first night at sea drinking with my old friend Samuel Adams. It helped drown out the sticker shock from the first one. No need to grade, we all enjoy a beer from the Boston Beer Company.

First city of port, Key West Florida. First stop, Irish Kevin's. This is where the fun began.

Beer 10 - Tucher Belgium Ale. On tap. This was my first time having a Tucher. I enjoyed it. I didn't make any notes about it. I tried to pull out my netbook and blog about it, but as I would realize much later, WiFi is a hard thing to come by. Grade - 3 1/2 Burps

Beer 11 - Murphy's Red. I have seen it before, but never had the chance to enjoy it on tap. Honestly, it was OK. It was just another beer on the list. Grade - 3 Burps

Beer 12 - Banks Caribbean Lager. From my notes, "Actually a good beer, nothing like I expected". "Has a nice malty flavor". Grade - 3 1/2 Burps

As much as I wanted to stay, and drink with our new friends "Team Ship Faced", It was time to leave Irish Kevin's. There was a brewery on the island someplace, and I had to find it.

Next stop, Kelly's Caribbean Bar, Grill, and Brewery. How cool is it to visit "The Country's southern most brewery". I know I was. And I was even more excited to try all their different beers. Imagine my reaction when my new friend Jenny, told me that all they had available was their Wheat. Of course it was. My least favorite style of beer. But I was on vacation, and dammit, I was there to drink, and write about it. So that is what I did. Jenny poured me a pint.

Beer 13 - Southern Clipper Wheat. From my notes, "Hops taste, which blends well with the sweetness of the Heffe style". "A slight sour taste". Grade - 3.5 burps

Jenny, an aspiring brewmaster informed my that they were currently without a brewmaster. She had been asking to help, and learn the skills to no avail. But she was cool enough to take me into a small building around the back. This was their brewery. She pointed out the tanks, the filters, and where they kept their grains. She said I could stay as long as I wanted and take pictures. So I did.

Jenny was cool. And I hope she gets the chance to brew someday.

It was time to move on. After a quick stop at a Bong Store to ask for directions to some bar that supposedly had 10 plus different beers on tap, we found ourselves at Sloppy Joe's. Yani. my new friend from the Czech Republic brought me beer number 14.

Beer 14 - Key West Sunset Ale. From my notes. "A slightly above average ale". "Leans to the hops side". "I could drink it as a session beer". Grade - 3 burps

Yani was awesome. She told me how to say Cheers in Czech. Not sure how to spell it, but I will tell you it is "Naa-Straa-Vee". I spent the rest of the trip saying this. I'm still waiting for my facebook friend request from her.

It was about time to head back to the boat. But I had to stop by Irish Kevin's to get a t-shirt. Imagine my surprise when we run into out old friends, "Team Shipfaced". Yep, they were still there drinking 4 hours later. And they were all wasted when we got there the first time. I want to party with them!

That concludes the island of Key West. What a blast it was. I was actually had a good time, and had plenty of beer. All of which I had never had.

Back on the boat, I proceeded to drink more beer.
.
Beer 15-20 - Boston Lager. It was the staple of my diet on the boat. My old friend Sam kept me happy. I learned that it was cheaper to buy them in a bucket, 4 at a time. So I would buy my bucket and carry it around with me on the boat. I'm sure I looked like an absolute alcoholic carrying around my bucket of beer. But believe me when I tell you, there was so much more horrifying things to look at. I'll show you later.

The trip continues tomorrow. Until then, Naa-Straa-Vee!

Oktoberfest, Score!

2009-09-24T19:19:00.006-07:00

You I know I love Oktoberfest. To bad it is so far away in Munchen, and I am out of vacation time for the rest of the year. Thank God that I can get some great Oktoberfest beer here!

Every September, I start to linger around the BevMo and the Total Wine like a fat guy at the buffet. Then it happens, the Oktoberfest beers hit the shelf! Lucky for me, I was there just in time.

Yes, I scored this year. After dropping $145, this is what I brought home.

1. Flying Dog - Dogtoberfest Marzen. I have to say (and I did last year) that this is my favorite of the Oktoberfest beers. Marzen is my favorite style to begin with. So to label one as my favorite, you know it has to be good! I talk, and gush, and pander to Flying Dog. But you know what, they just kick ass!
Grade: 4 burps

2. Leinenkugel's - Oktoberfest German style Marzen. This is the first year I have tried their Oktoberfest offering. I have had a few of the Leinenkugel's brews a long time ago. They seem to brew some good beers. So I knew that I was going to like this one. It is a nice Marzen beer. I do like it. Although it doesn't do anything to set it aside from the masses. Either way, I'm sure you will enjoy it.
Grade: 3 burps

3. Paulaner - Oktoberfest Marzen. Ahh, a true German Oktoberfest beer. And I love it! This is what makes me proud to be German. You just can't go wrong with it. I have tried and tried to get a keg of this for my kegerator, but it just isn't happening. So I hate to stick with the bottles. A $1,000,000 in $100 bills is the same at $1,000,000 in $20's. It just takes up more space.
Grade: 3 1/2 Burps

4. Boston Brewery - Oktoberfest. I'll tell you a secret. I buy an extra case of this every year and store it in my auxiliary beer fridge. Because you never know when you are going to get that itch to celebrate Oktoberfest in February. So I am sure to have some on hand for such a regular occurrence. But this year, I splurged. I bought a keg of it. I added this beautiful Oktoberfest offering as the 4th keg in my kegerator. I hope it lasts until Halloween. I doubt it, but at least I have that stash in the garage fridge.
Grade: 3 1/2 Burps

5. Erdinger - Weissbrau Oktoberfest Weizen. This is new. An Oktoberfest Weizen. Honestly, it doesn't do it for me. When I think of Oktoberfest, I really don't want something sweet that reminds me of a Belgium Ale. I get it though. Some people really enjoy Heffes. I don't. I guess Erdinger figured that there was the need to make a other than traditional Oktoberfest beer for them. Overall, the beer isn't bad. It's just not an Oktoberfest, and I'm not a fan.
Grade: 2 1/2 burps.

6. Left Hand Brewing Co. - Oktoberfest. I applaud them. They pulled off a really nice tasting Oktoberfest. This is the first time I have had their Marzen. It is a differnet representation of an Oktoberfest Marzen however. But you know what, I like it. It's not my favorite, but it isn't bad.
Grade: 3 burps

I have a few other "seasonals" to try. They stopped short of calling them an "Oktoberfest". But I know what they were trying to acheive. I'll give them a shot this weekend, and let youknow what I think.

So until then, drink up, and celebrate along with the rest of the world. Happy Oktoberfest!

-Prosit!

Oktoberfest is here!

2009-09-19T17:40:00.005-07:00

O'zapft! The keg is tapped. Oktoberfest is here. Now lets get dampf.

I love Oktoberfest. The temperature is dropping, and the beer is getting better. Gone are the light lagers and pale ales of summer. Bring on the Marzen. Quite possibly, the best style of beer ever created. And by no coincidence, it was created in Germany, by Germans. And you know whatever Germans make, is superior to everything else.

Everyone in the world knows that. That is why Oktoberfest is the largest festival, in the entire world! I missed it by 2 days, 2 freaking days the last time. But in 2011, I am there!

St. Patricks day is for amateures. Cinco D'Mayo is for pussies. They are Blembe! Oktoberfest is for the real beer dinker. So drink the entire Litre of Beer instead of a Quartl, of the pint or 12oz bottle the other guys do.

-Prosit!

PS: Gotta love the Gaudinockerln!

I'm back!

2009-09-16T17:07:00.004-07:00

I am back from vacation. My much needed, and much enjoyed "Beercation". Aside from not going to work for a week, the best part of a vacation (or beercation), is trying all the new beers. And I tried a lot!

I kept a notebook from the time I left, to the time I got home. It looks like I made 3 pages of notes just about beer. In addition, I took pictures of most of the beers I drank.

Note: People tend to give you funny looks when you take pictures of yourself holding a beer.
Note 2: People give you judgemental looks when you take a picture of a beer.

I hate to leave this post without all the info, but it just isn't ready yet. I am still downloading, and editing the photos. And I am trying to decipher all my notes. I think I will be able to blog just about every night about my beer adventures.

Sorry to tease, but these are my rules.

-Cheers!

Day one, not so bad

2009-09-06T06:39:00.003-07:00

Day one of my "beercation" is in the books. I don't know exactly what I was expecting. I think a little more excitement. The last couple times I made the trek across the country, it was nothing more than a pit stop on the way to London, or Munich, or some other beer filled European destination.

My first stop was in Houston. Let me start with this, Texas has some good beer. However, I didn't get to try it.

Shiner brews some good beer. I have tried some of them. I wouldn't say they are my favorite, but some are good. I had a 2 hour layover in Houston, on the way to get here (Florida). So I spent that time in a Buffalo Wild wings drinking the only local brew they had on tap. No, "Samuel Adams Boston Lager" is not from Texas, as the young bartender just told me. Yes, she actually said that.

Anyways, I ended up with a brew made by Shiner called Ziegen Bock. Now how can I say this nicely? It was less than good? Honestly, I didn't like it. It was just weak. There wasn't much of a hops, or a malt flavor. The first thing that came to mind was, it is a dirty glass. Then I could taste a slight, almost chemical flavor. It reminded me of a homebrew that didn't go quite right. I was very disappointed.

Shiner - Ziegen Bock Grade: 1 burp

When I got back on the plane, I could help but think about that beer. I wanted to buy a bottle of Shiner Bock and drink it on the plane. But my wife didn't think that would be a good idea. So instead, I busted out a free drink coupon, and bought a round of the best beer the airline had to offer, Heineken. What a mistake!

I should have known better. But I'm on a Beercation, and I need to keep the beers flowing. I'm going to put it out there right now, I am never going to drink another Heineken again. It made me feel a little ill. I forced myself to drink as much as I could, but I couldn't finish it. Good thing, or I think everyone in my row would have been sick after I vomited all over them.

Heineken Grade: BAD!

I hate having the last beer be a bad beer. Just one of my things I guess. But last night ended on a good night. I was finally able to have a good beer. I have had one before, but it was a long, long time ago. So I never had the opportunity to really appreciate it.

Yuengling. Damn it was good. I really liked it. I only wish I knew which one it was. I believe it was their Lager. The sweetness from the caramel malt is what I enjoyed the most. It was a nice, balanced flavor that finished with a slight honey taste. It reminded me of my sweet, sweet, Tennent's (which I don't drink anymore because it is owned by Bud). I only wish I could get Yuengling on the west coast.

Yuengling - Lager Grade: 4 Burps

That was day one. It wasn't what I wanted it to be. But today is another day. And I plan on drinking many, many, many more beers.

-Cheers!

My beer vacation begins, now

2009-09-05T05:26:00.003-07:00

After a quick 3 hours of sleep, I am up at the but crack of dawn, getting ready to head to the airport. I am tired, but the excitement of a much needed "beer vacation" (a.k.a. 7 days of non soberness) has me running on adrenaline.

I know I am flying through someplace in Texas. I hope they have some Shiner in there for me to start the day with. I do have free drink coupons for the plane, but I just can't drink a Bud, Corona, or some other cheap beer. Besides, it comes from a can, and they pour it in one of those little plastic cups. It is just vile.

I hope to blog a lot this week. Remember, I'm better when I'm drunk.

-Cheers!

Florida Breweries, here I come

2009-09-01T19:12:00.002-07:00

I'm heading out on the road. A quick stop off in Texas, then another in Florida on the way to my super, secret destination. So what is a beer guy supposed to do when he visits another city, place, or time? Drink some local beer, with some local people comes to mind.

I have been working on a list of the best places to drink beer in the Key West area. So far, I have found a few that look interesting. I hope to make it to 3 or 4 establishments, and try as many different beers as possible.

WiFi willing, I hope to write reviews and post pictures during, and soon after my visits.

I'm looking for recommendations. If you know of a place I just can't pass up, please let me know by Friday night. If I am lucky enough to make it to one of your favorite spots, I will be sure to give you "props".

-Cheers!

Not enough beer in the world

2009-08-29T18:19:00.003-07:00

I have been slacking. I haven't been here in nearly 2 weeks now. It is so unlike me. What has happened? Someone has entered my life and disrupted it. They have thrown my entire world off it's nicely spinning axis. And I don't know what to do to get it spinning again.

About 4 weeks ago, I was introduced to a guy who needed my services. A mutual friend hooked us up. And since I am a guy who loves to make money, I agreed to make the money without realizing the amount of time and wasted effort if would take to make this person happy.

I know I am good. And I figured that I would be able to spend the allotted amount of time with this guy, and make a big chuck of change. However, it seems Satan has sent his spawn and I am now stuck in a never ending vortex. And as of a few minutes ago, I it started all over again.

There isn't enough beer in the world to help me stay sane. I don't know what to do. I don't know when it will ever end. And I don't know what to do. I guess I am going to keep drinking as much beer as possible with hopes that the Happy Juice will take me away.

In the mean time, I have been going through the brews. Check out the "what I'm drinking section". I'm sure it is going to double in length this week.

-help!

Beer, it's what's for Dinner

2009-08-19T20:47:00.002-07:00

I have been so busy lately. I work full time. I have another job that takes a lot of time....but pays off big when a deal closes. In addition, I decided to start my own business, or two. The draw back to my ambition is, it takes up all my time. I have been letting everything go while I struggle to work on all my ventures. That leaves little time for blogging.

However, I am committed to writing about beer for all to enjoy. I might not get a chance to eat dinner every night, but I am sure to pour myself a beer. Sometimes it is just a simple pint from my kegerator. Other nights, it is a new brew from my last trip to the BevMo.

To be honest, I am feeling guilty that I am not posting every other night like I wish I could. Tonight is one of those nights. Luckily I have been drinking tonight, and on an empty stomach. And as I posted before, I am better when I'm drunk. Hey, it is hump day, and I deserve it. I have plenty of beer to choose from, and I am taking full advantage of it.

If I can close one of my deals in the next week or so, I think I will get the opportunity to get back to my normal routine of blogging about my beer adventures on a regular basis. Until then, I am trying to make a little extra coin, so some day I can live like no one else, and blog like no one else.

-Cheers!

"This beer doesn't taste right"

2009-08-13T18:33:00.004-07:00

I wish I could claim this story, but I doubt it would ever happen to me. Instead, it happened to a good friend of mine (Fireman). As with 99.5% of my friends, he doesn't know about my blog, so I doubt he will ever read this. Thus, he can't be embarrassed.

Fireman decided to have some friends over last weekend for a good ole' fashion Beer and BBQ party. Fireman is a beer guy, and one of my Beer Students. As guys do, he wanted to show off a little bit and have some cool beers available.

He gave me a call and asked what he should pick up for his friends to drink. He wanted something imported, and on he lighter side. I told him to go with something from Germany. Who doesn't love a beer from Germany? Well, as long as it isn't Becks or St. Paulie Girl. I told him that he couldn't go wrong with something from Paulaner, one of my favorites.

By the time his friends arrived, he had all the Paulaner chilling in the cooler, and ready to go. It doesn't take long for a guy to drink a free beer. And it didn't take long for the guys to go through nearly 2 cases of it.

A few hours, and many beers later, Fireman still felt pretty good. He figured his training at my house with some serious beers was finally paying off. He really enjoyed the Paulaner Oktoberfest at my house. However, he wasn't sold on the taste of this one.

Eventually, he came to the realization that, "this beer doesn't taste right". He thought he just picked out a beer that was a little too light. After 3 hours of drinking his special German brew, he was puzzled why he didn't have his usual buzz.

This is where it finally hit him. No, not the o-so enjoyable buzz, but the word on the side of the Paulaner -Thomasbrau box. There it was, in not so big, bold letters......."Non Alcoholic Beer".

Rookies.

-Prosit!

New Beer for my Birthday

2009-08-09T10:52:00.004-07:00

I became another year wiser this week. It's cool that I stay the same age though. Age doesn't mean anything to me unless it is printed on a bottle, and aged in my fridge. Thank God my fridge is full.

So it was time to make a trip to the BevMo to pick up something special to drink for my birthday. I never know what I am going to buy. I start thinking early in the day about what beers I am going to find, or what new ones might be available. However, I hardly ever leave with what I originally thought I would. And this tip turned out to be better than I expected.

What did I buy? Something new, and something again.

Flying Dog - Old Scratch Amber Lager.
This is why I went to the BevMo. I have been jonesin' for some Flying Dog. I went through the last batch of Pale Ale so fast, it left a void inside my beer heart. A void that only another batch of Flying Dog could fill. And I will tell you what, it did. Old Scratch has become my session beer. It has replaced Tennent's and Fuller's on the top shelf. Sorry guys.

The next beer I found was something I have tried many times at Beer Fests. But I have been unable to find it anywhere. I remembered that I liked the beers that they brew. So much in fact that I bought a T-shirts from them. So what is this new brew? Grand Teton Brewing Co.

Up first was the Au Natural Organic Blonde Ale. I love the logo, and I really enjoy the beer. It has a light, yet flavorful taste. It weighs in at a moderate 4.9% ABV and 24 IBUs. It says so right there on the bottle. It leans to the malt side of the spectrum, which I prefer. This is an ale you can enjoy all night.
Grade: 3 1/2 Burps

Next up was the Bitch Creek ESB Ale. Again, I love the name, and I love the beer. It is a more flavorful beer than the Blonde. The hops are there without overkill. They blend nicely with the malt and create a perfect balance of flavor. It just has a little something extra that notches it up a level. This really is a good beer. And I plan on buying it again.
Grade: 4 Burps

So I spent my birthday weekend going through these 3 great beers. It really made my birthday special. But the weekend is nearly over. It might be time to head back over to the BevMo and pickup another batch of brew from

Uninspired no more, thanks to Twilight

2009-08-01T20:26:00.004-07:00

I've been a little uninspired lately. I don't know what it is, but every time I sit down to talk about something, I get side tracked and tell myself, I'll make a post tomorrow. However, tomorrow turns into the weekend, and it became a viscious cycle. I guess it is just the dog days of summer.

I have been drinking some nice beers though. In fact, right now I am drinking Twilight Ale, the newest seasonal release from Deschutes Brewery. And I'm really enjoying it. So much in fact, that I am actually typing out a blog post about it.

Out here in the Wild, Wild Southwest, certain beers are a little less enjoyable this time of year. When the temperature doesn't drop below 100 at night, a nice lighter style beer is what I look for. Deschutes Brewery does turn out some fine ales. In my opinion, I tend to think they are a little mild for my taste. However, for this time of year, Twilight Ale is exactly what I have been looking for.

This is turning out to be a nice session beer. It has a nice, full flavor for an ale on the lighter side. It leans to the hops side of the spectrum, without reaching into that IPA category. To even things out, the slight hint of malt really mellows out this ale.

Grade: 3 1/2 Burps

So I tip my hat to Deschutes, and give them a big "Thank You". Thank you for making such an enjoyable ale, and thank you for inspiring me again.

-Cheers!

Flying Dog Brewery, after my own heart

2009-07-18T17:55:00.005-07:00

Today, I sit here with a plan to write a post about another beer "happening" in my life. I usually do so with a beer by my side. As luck would have it, it is another great beer from the people at Flying Dog Brewery. My plan was to tell you about my run in at the BevMo last night with the "culprit" from a few months ago. However, that is going to have to wait until tomorrow. In the mean time, I'm going to tell you about the beer in my hand.

As planned, I stopped by the BevMo last night to stock up on a few new beers for the weekend. It was a long day, and I was just able to make it into the store before it closed. I didn't have the time to spend the usual hour searching through all the beers for something new or exciting.

"Attention BevMo Shoppers, it is now 8:55. We will be closing in 5 minutes". So I grabbed something I knew I would enjoy, Flying Dog Classic Pale Ale.

There are a few breweries that are dear to my heart. More and more, I find myself drinking something from Flying Dog. Last week it was the Barley Wine, and the week before that it was the Old Scratch Amber Lager. And the weeks before that it was the Road Dog Porter, and the Snake God IPA. My favorite style of beer is a Marzen, a.k.a. "Oktoberfest". With no disrespect to my German brothers, Flying Dog Dogtoberfest is my favorite. So it comes as no surprise that I love their Classic Pale Ale, Doggie Style.

I find myself gushing about Flying Dog every time I drink one. Who am I kidding, I never drink just one. So how can I sit here and drink their amazing beers, and not talk about them to you, my beer loving friends. Isn't that the whole idea of the beer blog? Drink, review, and talk about the breweries that are different, and make drinking beer an enjoyable adventure each and every day. What else can I say about Flying Dog that I haven't said before? I love them. They are just different enough without being an outcast. Then again, would that be so bad?

My birthday is next month. Guess what I asked for, a Flying Dog t-shirt. It's the least I can do to support one of my favorite breweries. Keep up the great work guys. I can't wait for the next one.

-Prost!

It's been such a long time

2009-07-15T21:38:00.002-07:00

It has been over a week since my last post. I know, I can't believe it eather. I have been so busy, that I just can't get to writing a blog post that is worth reading. However, I do have a few great stories to tell you. Such as my run in with the Corona girls at the local watering hole. As well as my student outdrinking me this weekend at The Yard House. Or this little riddle, Guess what I received in the mail today. I was shocked, happy, and disappointed at the same time.

Tomorrow night, I will tell you one of the above. Stay tuned.

-Cheers!

I love Draft Magazine, but they suck!

2009-07-05T14:44:00.007-07:00

I love Draft Magazine. It is so cool to have a magazine that caters to Beer. Sure, there have been and still are other magazines that cater to beer. However Draft Magazine seems to be a modern view on today's beer culture. But why is it so hard to get?

The first time I found a copy of it on the shelf, I bought it. Didn't even thumb through it. I just knew I had to have it, and that I was going to love it. And I was right! I read it cover to cover in one night. Then I went back and looked through it countless times.

Then came the hard part, waiting for the next issue. So I signed up for a subscription, and waited. Then I waited some more. Then I waited even more. Then I found the next issue on the shelf at the bookstore. So I bought it. But I wondered why I never received it at home. Maybe the subscription just missed the shipping date. So I was sure I would get the next issue. Nope. It never came.

I signed up and paid for my original subscription in October of 2008. Come March of 2009, still no issues in the mail. I was starting to get a little irritated. So I sent off a bunch of emails trying to find out what the deal was. After a few days, I received an email back letting me know that they had no record of my subscription. That is funny. Because I forwarded them the email with my receipt, and my confirmation number. I forwarded it to them again, and told them that they took the money out of my account. So either way, they owed me money, or a subscription.

A few days after my last email, I received an email informing me that they had found my account. They were sorry, blah, blah, blah. Problem with the distributor, etc. The email said I would start receiving my issues "shortly". And guess what, I received an issue. The January/February issue. I guess all was well.

That issue has been the only issue I have received. I still have yet to get another issue in the mail. What the hell is wrong with them? I wanted to call, or send another email, but I didn't seem to solve the problem the first time. This time, I wanted to talk to them face to face. And that is exactly what I did.

A few weeks ago, Draft Magazine held the Craft Beer Festival. I was there to help pour, and try some amazing beers. However, I was looking to talk to someone about my subscription. When I arrived, I signed in and got mt credentials. Then I asked who I could talk to about my subscription problem. The woman sitting at the registration table said she could help me. She informed me that she was aware of some "issues" with the delivery of the magazines. She said she would help me, and asked that I stop by again at the end of the show so I could give her all my information.

Once the show was over, I made sure that I talked to her again about my subscription. I stopped by her table on my way out, and asked what she could do. She took all my information. My name, address, email, and phone number. She said she was going to get all the outstanding issues and send them to me. I "will get one big bundle of magazines in the mail". She apologized and told me that they were in the process of switching distributors. But she was going to take care of it. She said she was going to send me an email soon letting me know that she took care of it.

That was 2 weeks ago. No email. No magazines. And another issue on the shelf. But no issues in my mail. I just don't get it. What the hell is wrong with them? I love the magazine. I have been to both of their Beerfests. I am trying to support them. But they are not helping.

This isn't over. I am going to get my money back and sign up for a different magazine. So consider this a warning. If you are thinking about signing up for a subscription to Draft Magazine, think long and hard. There are other magazines out there like All About Beer, BEER, Brew Your Own, Celebrator, and Mutineer. I haven't had any problems with them.

-Cheers!

How to teach an old dog a new beer

2009-06-29T19:10:00.007-07:00

I love to teach people about beer. Normally, it is my friends. However, lately it has been my father in law. It was a little intimidating to teach the wine lover, the finer points of beer. But guess what, it's working.

I am lucky enough to have a cool father in law. Don't get me wrong, he used to scare me when I was a kid. When I explain to people what he is like, all I have to say is Red Forman. Yes, my father in law is Red Forman from That 70's Show. Looks like him, talks like him, drinks like him, and was probably in the same platoon with him.

For as long as I have know him, he has enjoyed a beer from time to time, but wine has been his drink of choice. We usually talk about sports, cars, and money. But we have been talking more and more about beer. The last few times he has come over, he has had a beer, or two with me. And you know I am not giving him cheap beer. He really liked the Flying Dog Old Scratch Lager. I think he had 2 pints during the game. Funny thing, he was done. I don't think he was prepared for the punch of a high alcohol beer.

Yesterday, we went to the baseball game. What better way to enjoy a baseball game, than with a beer. How cool is it that we have a Gordon Biersch beer stand at the stadium? So that is all I drink. So I asked him if he wanted a beer. He said sure, and told me to point the way. I asked him what kind of beer he wanted. "Whatever you are having has got to be good". So I ordered up two of my favorites, Marzens. It is my favorite style of beer, and Gordon Biersch makes a good one.

Cut to the chase, he liked it, a lot. He commented on it several times. By the 3rd inning, it was gone. Now I know the guy can drink, but I was impressed, and a little proud. That one beer was enough for him. I could have used a few more though. We played like the Bad News Bears. Honestly, it was the worst game I have every watched. I was so mad. We made a run late, but still lost.

When we got home, he told my mother in law about the beer he had at the game. He told her how much he liked it, and that he really enjoyed it. He then told her that she needs to quit drinking that piss, I mean Michelob Light. I told him if he wanted to try another beer, I had a great one upstairs in my kegerator he might like. He was all for it.

I poured him a half pint of the Avery Russian Imperial Stout. This is a big beer for most people. But he drank it like a man. He commented that it was a little thick for him, but he still enjoyed it. Next time, I am going to pour him a pint of the Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA. I doubt he will like it, but it just might grow on him.

I sent him home with my normal list of beers he should try. Stone, Rogue, Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, and Gordon Biersch. He said he was going to pick some up and give them a try. I think he is going to enjoy them. Who wouldn't?

I think I represented the Beer Snob well. I have converted yet another to our team. Not to pat myself on the back, but when you convert a Red Forman, you did a great job.

-Cheers!

The Beer Doctor

2009-06-27T19:09:00.004-07:00

It's fun to talk about beer. I can have a conversation about beer with just about anyone. In fact, I think I have. Sometimes the conversations are fun, and interesting. Then there are other times where I leave thinking that the other person must think I am a raging alcoholic.

But the other day, I had a conversation about beer with someone I never thought I would. My doctor. Yes, my Dr. Who knows how conversations jump from one topic to the other. It is kinda like the Kevin Bacon game. You know, name an actor, and within 4 movies, you can connect them to a movie with Kevin Bacon.

I think it started with allergies, then medications for allergies on vacation, to my vacation in Munich, to the beer in Germany. See, I did it. It ends up that my Dr. likes beer. Who wouldn't? But for a doctor to talk to you about how much he drinks and the beers he really likes is a first.

He told me that he likes to drink authentic German beers at some little Bavarian restaurant down town. I have heard about that place, but never tried it. He raved about the beer, and the fact that you can get the beer in Liter size mugs. Guess where I am going to dinner?

We talked about beers we really enjoy. He really enjoys the beers of New Belgium. Fat Tire is a beer he drinks on a regular basis. But his favorite is "1554". If I wasn't impressed before, I sure was now. Of all the beers New Belgium brews, 1554 Black Lager is my favorite. We talked about a few other breweries, and some other beers we really enjoy. When he asked for a list of breweries he should try, I mentioned a few of my favorite breweries like, Dogfish Head (of course), Stone, Lost Abbey, and Rogue. Then I told him where he could get them.

How cool is my doctor? I know you are jealous. To top everything off, he told me that he is related to the Widmer Brothers. Well, his dad is. I guess one of them is his cousin. I wounder if it is beyond the Dr.-Patient relationship to offer beer as payment. It's worth a try.

-Cheers!

Another BEERFEST, in the books

2009-06-22T18:55:00.003-07:00

Saturday was Draft Magazine's Craft Beer Festival. A beerfest for some rare, and special beers. How could I pass an event up like this? I was planning to head up north for the Made in the Shade Beerfest, but I have been there, and done that. Although, I will continue to go there, and do it again, the Craft Beer Festival was going to be different. And the beer didn't disappoint.

How about I just get to the list.

Dogfish Head - Sahtea. I watched the video on the website. I cringed as I watched Sam try to scoop up the molten rocks with a shovel, and drop them in a bucket. All I can say it that I hope OSHA never watches that video. But how was the beer? Good! I liked it. It was a different tasting beer. I tried to label it with a style, but I just couldn't do it. I could taste the berries, which Dogfish Lou told me were Juniper berries. It had a nice mouth feel, and was smooth for a 9% beer. Then again, most Dogfish Head beers are. I really enjoyed it. I am planning on buying a couple bottles. One to drink, and one to age.
Grade: 4 burps

Flying Dog - Woody Creek White. As soon as I saw Flying Dog, I got in line. This was my first taste of their Summer Seasonal. Normally, I am not a big fan of Belgium style beers. However, this one I liked. It was light, and crisp, with a nice citrus flavor. It wasn't over the top like I would have expected. It was just right. Dare I say, a session white?
Grade: 4 burps

Avery Brewing - 15th Anniversary Ale. Wow, how can I describe it? "Funky"? Yes, that is the word, funky. Can I tell you that I didn't like it. Well, lets say that I didn't enjoy it. It had a sour like taste, and a strong one. I'm happy I tried it, but I won't buy it.
Grade: 2 burps

Great Divide - Belgica. A "Belgian Style Indian Pale ale". Ringing in at 7.2 abv, I enjoyed it. It is a different style, and had a bit more of a citrus flavor than I expected. The hops helped to even out the taste. I would say that it is an above average beer that I would drink from time to time. I would recommend that you try it though.
Grade: 3 burps

Lost Abbey - Brandy Angel's Share. Oh my God, I love this beer. The flavor is absolutely amazing. It is 10% abv. but so damn smooth. It must be all that malt and caramel that gets to party in the barrel for a year. This is officially my new favorite beer. But guess what, I can't get it. Nope, it is only available at the brewery. I am so upset about this. How can they tease me like this? So if you happen to be at the brewery, and feel it in your heart to buy a bottle, I will happily accept is as a gift. Hell, I'll pay you for it! Either way, if you can get your hands on it, Buy it!
Grade: 5 burps

Draft put on a good show. The beer was why we were there. But people had to pay $60 to get in. For me, the beer was worth it. However, it was promoted as a beer and food event. Uhmmm, I think I speak for 90% of the people when I say, the "food" just wasn't up to par. Sure, it was some nice, high quality cheese, and bread, and salami. However, I could only eat so many little cheese cubes, and cracker sized pieces of bread. The salami was good, but I had to put 3 slices together so it was no longer transparent. Imagine a see through pepperoni. If you were lucky, you were given 3 pieces to go along with your 6 or 8 cheese cubes.

Basically, the food line sucked! People were upset about it. Everyone thought there was going to be food to eat, not just samples from Hickory Farms. I eat more trying the free samples at Costco. Here we are drinking some serious high abv. beers, and no food....and no water. Yes, there wasn't any water either. I did see a few people who managed to find a glass of water someplace. Some of the breweries brought bottles with them. I watched Dogfish Lou give his own bottle of water to an older woman who obviosly needed it. What a guy.

Overall, it was a great event. I will make sure that I am there again next year. I just hope it isn't on the same day as the other beerfest. I hate missing a beerfest...even for another one.

I do have notes on another 12 beers in my little notebook. I will pick through the important ones and write about them in a day or so.

-Cheers!

Is it ok to drink cheap beer, if it is free?

2009-06-17T19:17:00.002-07:00

I have mass quantities of beer in my house. That is a normal thing. However, I seem to have amassed even more. After the party last weekend, I keep finding bottles of beer in my fridge, that I didn't buy. How do I know? Because it is beer I wouldn't buy, anymore.

As a "Beer Snob", my craving for new beer is never ending. There is always a new beer on the shelf to buy. A new beer in my fridge to drink. A different beer to write about. However, this is not the case.

My fridge is full of beer that a "newbie" beer drinker would buy in an attempt to move up the Beer Snob ladder. Beers that are to the right of all the Bud, Coors, and Miller dominated shelf space. Beers like Becks, Smithwick's, Guinness, Moose Drool, Samuel Adams, Pyramid, Alaskan, etc.

They knew better than to show up with anything other than something that would qualify as an import, or microbrew. For most of them, this wasn't their first time to one of my parties. For the others, lets just say that they were warned.

I need to clear off some shelf space for the new seasonals. But how can I do that? The only thing I can think of is, drink the beer. Is that wrong? Am I going against everything I believe in? AB owns a few of these breweries now, but I didn't buy it. But is it wrong to drink it? I don't know. I am torn. So far, I have downed the Moose Drool, Sam Adams, Smithwick's, and Alaskan. What do I do with the Becks, St. Paulie, Stella Artois, and Blue Moon. Do I dump them, save them for the next bash, or drink them?

There are a few Dogfish Head left from IV. But don't worry, I am going to enjoy those. In fact, I think I am going to crack one open right now. It might help me make up my mind. Decisions, decisions, decisions.

-Cheers!

Damn, I throw a good party!

2009-06-15T20:09:00.003-07:00

Has it really been 10 days since my last post? Did I really drink that much? (Yes, I did). I have been shying away from most things beer since the big bash last weekend. I'll tell you a secret. I have had only 2 beers (yes TWO) since that fateful night. That is how good my party was.

This little get together for 40 of my closest friends. After the one we had last Christmas, everyone was excited for this one. It was the place to be. And I think all who remember being here will agree with me. It was a blast!

Since I carry the torch of "Beer Snob", it was vital that I had some great beer on tap. I had to take some time and really think about what the masses would enjoy. I had to consider taste, experience, and ABV. I needed to choose a variety of different styles of beer so people would have a choice, as well as the option to try a really good beer that they might never have chosen on their own. Besides, it give me the opportunity to educate the "Beer Rookies", and the girlyman who brought the Smirnoff Ice.

What did I choose as my means of education?
1. Sierra Nevada - Summer Lager. I wanted a beer that the women would drink. A beer that would be a little on the normal side. This was the first time for 8 or 10 of them, and I wanted to make sure there would be something they would enjoy.

2. Dogfish Head - 90 Minute IPA. Honestly, this one was for me. I was willing to share, but it is mine. I think there were a few pints pulled by some of the fellas. For the most part, they avoided it, and chose keg 1, or 3. What was keg number 3?

3. Avery - Russian Imperial Stout. Yes, that is right. How cool am I that I would hook up a keg of this beer, and let people drink from it for free? It can't be measured. But hey, that's how I roll. It is quite an amazing beer. It was the most popular beer of the night. Even the guy who tried to buy his way into my inner circle by bringing a 6er of Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale, spent the night "enjoying" (aka POUNDING) the Avery.

At first, the ABV of the beers was my little secret. However I realized that there was way too much alcohol in this house, and it was flowing like a river down my stairs. However, by the time I told the guys that the Stout was about 12% alcohol, it was too late. Most just kept on drinking it.

The party was a huge success. The cops didn't show up. But one did throw up in my front yard. At last count, there were 5 guys who were unable to hold on to their alcohol that night. 3 of them didn't even make it to the car. At least they did it in my yard and not my living room.

O ya, I almost forgot. Remember that guy who brought the Dogfish Head, and spent the night trying to become a real life Russian? He spent the night hooked up to an I.V. But all is well. He is fine.

That is the story, and I'm sticking to it.

-Cheers!

The Beer Dork

2009-06-05T21:28:00.003-07:00

Ok. How can I say this without sounding pretentious, or like a flat out beer snob? I don't think I can.

Hey, beer dork. Shut up. You don't know what the hell you are talking about. You sound like an infomercial for Miller Lite. Are you seriously telling the people sitting with you that "triple hopping" was invented by Miller? Did you just describe the taste of Hops, as "Hoppy"? Yes you did, I heard you. I nearly shot my Stone Arrogant Bastard out of my nose.

What was that little gem you just spewed? Budweiser is the oldest beer in America? Are you serious Cliff Claven? Where are you getting this information? I think you are spending to much time watching the logos and commercials on Nascars. All that turning left must have made you dizzy. I need to ignore you now.

But I can't. All your bull shit is violating my ears. No, you can not tell the beer was made with rice because of the color. No, dark beer isn't made with brown rice. That's it. I am done.

You are just a dumbass. That's it. Nothing more. And it is idiots like you that make real "Beer Snobs" like us, look bad. So how about you actually put down your so-called "micro brew" (aka, Blue Moon) and try a real beer.

My BevMo kegs, almost home

2009-06-04T20:17:00.004-07:00

I have been waiting to tell the ongoing story of my dealings with the BevMo. I thought it would have been all finished by now....but it isn't. It is close though. So far, I have picked up 2 of the 3 kegs I ordered. Tomorrow, the last is supposed to be there. As soon as I pick it, and tap it, I will let you guys know what about my "deal".

I will tell you this little tidbit. The Store Manager took it upon himself to order me 2 kegs. Dogfish Head 60 Minute, and 90 Minute. I didn't want to order both of these fine brews. I never got the chance to actually order either one of them, remember. I was going to order the 60 Minute, until I found out 90 Minute was available.

After my initial talks with Alan Johnson, I received a call from the store manager. He informed me that he had ordered my kegs. My Kegs? I didn't know I had ordered any kegs yet. I didn't even know what I was going to order yet. He took it upon himself to order both the 60 and the 90. Ok, I guess I will take them, just to alleviate the problem. I decided I would order a 4th keg so I would still have 3 different styles of beer on tap.

So I drive on over to the BevMo to pick them up. The store manager called to let me know they were in. But guess what, someone messed up. I loaded the first keg into my car. Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA. Now it was time to load up the 60 Minute. As I am ready to load it into my car, I noticed that the 60 Minute was not 60 Minute. It was actually another 90 Minute. Can you believe that?

Anyways, I am in possession of one 90 Minute IPA keg. Keg number 2 arrived on Tuesday. I picked it up and it is chillin in my kegerator right now. Tomorrow, I will hopefully pick up my 3rd keg. I'm crossing my fingers.

-Cheers!

BevMo is working on it

2009-05-23T11:49:00.004-07:00

Well, it looks like my little blog started quite an uproar. Who would have thought that a blog post could have so much clout? But it has. So much in fact that the Alan Johnson, the CEO of BevMo actually found my blog, read my post, and commented on it. He even went so far to ask me to contact him. So I did.

When I first read the comment, I didn't believe it was him. I did a quick Google search to see what I could find. Indeed, he is listed as the CEO, so I sent him an email. Within minutes, he replied. He was really wanted to talk to me about the "incident" at my local BevMo. He asked if I would be so kind, and call him. Or, I could give him my number and he would call me. I felt a little apprehensive about giving my phone number to someone who might possibly not be who I think they are. So I told him I would call him tomorrow.

Thursday night, I called him, and he answered. We talked for 20 minutes or so. He told me that he was very upset about what had happened. He asked my if I could tell him exactly what happened. So I did. He apologized , and told me that it should never have happened. He said they have policies in place, and obviously they were not followed. In addition, he said the BevMo will not be beaten by anyone. After our conversation, I believe him.

Mr. Johnson has offered to make things right. He is working out a "resolution" right now. We are going to talk again next week. I will tell you that I am excited. After our conversation, I knew that I really liked this guy. He cared. He cared about me, his customer, and his company. He was a cool guy. Nothing like I was expected him to be.

That is where we are today. I have talked to the Manager, and the assistant Manager. They have been very apologetic. I might even stop my there tonight. Who knows. There is more to say about this. But I gotta run. Got plans at The Yard House today. I need to plan out my "tasting" list.

-Cheers

BevMo Sucks (well, the employee does)

2009-05-18T20:53:00.005-07:00

Can you believe I said that? I can't. I really don't think BevMo sucks. I love the BevMo. But today, I had my first negative experience there. I will tell you what, I was pissed!

I have been wanting to replace my kegs for the last week now. I have stopped by the BevMo two or three times, but the guy I normally deal with hasn't been there. And I really didn't want to order it from the older lady who runs the checkout. She just doesn't seem to understand what I am trying to order.

Total Wine offers Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPa in 5 gallon kegs for $64.00. So I can get it there if I have to. But I like the BevMo, and it is closer to my house, and I really like the guy I deal with. So I prefer to buy it from him.

Time is running out, so I stopped by tonight to see if anyone could help me. Again, the cool guy was out, and the old lady was running the register. Just as usual, she didn't know what I was talking about. She also thought that I called earlier about it, which I didn't. I tried to explain to her that it wasn't me, and that I was looking for a Dogfish Head. Finally, she asked the older fella, who I guess was the acting manager. "This is the guy who called earlier asking about the Dogs Head". No, that wasn't me.

I told him that I wanted to order a keg that wasn't on their list. He started to walk over to grab the flier with all the kegs listed. I again told him that it wasn't listed in the flier, but Total Wine offers it, and I wanted to see if BevMo can get it as well. He said he would check right now.

So I followed him over to the station with the computer. He found Dogfish Head 60 minute IPA right away. I thought to myself, Excellent. Then I asked him if there were any other Dogfish Head beers available in addition to the 60 Minute IPA. So he looked again, "yes, there are 3". Really, 3? How cool is that! I need 3 kegs. 90 Minute IPA and Raison D'etre are the other two. So I asked how much the 90 minute was. He looked down at the computer again, typed a little bit, and said it was $159. Wow, that is a little more than the $64 at Total Wine.

I asked him if that was for a 5 gallon keg. He looked down again, and then said "no, it isn't available in 5 gallon kegs". Hmmm, really? It is at Total Wine. So I began to tell him that Total Wine advertises it for $64. But before I could get out that information, he leaned over the wall, put his hand in my face as if he was telling me to stop, and loudly commanded me to "Sir, Calm Down!"

What just happened? Is this guys seriously scolding me? Yes, he was. That is exactly what happened. He just yelled at me. What the hell? I told him to "forget it". Turned and started to walk away. He stood up and replied "sir, I am sorry. I was being rude". Damn right asshole, you were being rude. I didn't say that, but I wanted too. Instead, I told him that I was trying to help him. Then I said that I spend a lot of money in that store, and never have I been talked to that way. I turned and walked out, all the time with him calling "Sir......Sir.........Sir............"

I wasn't about to give this guy my business. What was he thinking? I was shocked he scolded me like that. Actually, I was pissed. Normally, I would have enjoyed giving the douche bag a piece of my mind, but today was not the day for it. Lucky for him.

So guess what I am doing tomorrow. I am going to drive my happy ass over to Total Wine and order 3 kegs. I should have done that in the first place. They have a better beer selection, better prices, and now, better employees. In fact, one of them posted a reply on my blog a while back. Nobody from BevMo ever did that.

-Cheers!

Running on Empty

2009-05-13T18:55:00.003-07:00

That's it. I'm on empty. I have finished off all three of my kegs. 15 Gallons of beer in 4 months. Not bad. But now, the fun begins. I get to buy more beer!

My first choice was an easy one. Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA. How can I not have a Sam Calagione brewed beer on tap? That would violate a "Good Burp Beer Rule", (Must have Dogfish Head beer available at all times). I can order it this weekend, and be drinking by Tuesday. Gotta love it!

That still leaves two more taps to fill. I'm not really sure on the two yet. But I am planning on having a party. In actualality, I am having a part in a mere three weeks. I am supplying the beer, and I have a reputation to uphold. I want to have quality beer on tap, but I really don't want all of them to drink my Dogfish Head. I would like for them to try it, and like it. Then go out and but themselves some Dogfish on their own dime. But I am worried they will try it, like it, and keep on drinking it. Or worse, try it and not like it, then waste it. That would be a travesty. A completer beer foul. So I need to find a beer that a novice beer drinker will enjoy, as well as myself.

Therefore, I think my second choice is going to be New Belgium Straight Arrow Ale. It is quality ale. A session ale if you will. I know I can go through it if need be. And I think the party goers will enjoy it as well. I think it is going to be the safe choice. What do you think?

The third choice is going to be the hard one. I really wish I could get another Dogfish Head Beer on tap, but I can't. So I need to find a different style of beer that I will enjoy, and a guy looking for a good beer will appreciate. Something like a Flying Dog Old Scratch Lager (like I had the last time around), or a New Belgium Fat Tire, or possibly a Four Peaks Kilt Lifter again. I might be able to pick up a seasonal brew like the Sierra Nevada Summer Lager, or the latest Sam Adams offering. I really don't know. It is such a hard decision.

I think I need to make a trip to the BevMo, and the Total Wine and see what it available. 5 Gallons of beer is a great thing to have. However, it can be a burden if you make the wrong decision. I wish I had a better choice of kegs to choose from, but I don't. So I am forced to make a decision from what is available.

I will keep you posted.

-Cheers!

I'm starting a brewery

2009-05-09T20:33:00.006-07:00

Yes, you read that right. I made the decision this week. I want to start my own brewery. Why not? Many others have done it, and been very successful at it. Why not me? Many have failed. But I don't plan on being one of them. It is going to be a long process. Are you ready? I know I am.

I have been a working man for most of my life. I really don't remember a time in my life (aside from being a child) where I didn't have a job, or some sort of income. I remember, in 3rd grade, I would buy a pack of candy filled wax sticks for $1. I would take them to school, and sell them. I turned each pack into $10. I bought 2 packs the next time, and turned that $2, into $20.

Then in 6th grade, I got a paper route. I didn't tell my parents. I saw a commercial on TV, and called the number. As luck would have it, our regular paper boy was quiting, and I started a mere week later. I made good amount of money doing that over the next 2 plus years. Enough to buy my my first CD player, and put the down payment on my first truck.

In the summers, I would go to work for my dad. He didn't pay me a lot, but as a 12 year old kid, getting paid $200 a week was a lot of money! Sure, I blew so much of it on stupid stuff, but I did manage to save a lot of it. Ever summer through High school, I worked. It allowed me to have a nice car, nice things, and save for my future. Most of all, it instilled in me that money doesn't come easy. And business is hard, yet fulfilling.

Four years ago, my dad decided to retire, and sell his company. I didn't like his decision, but in my heart, I knew it was the right choice for him. But it left me working for someone else. Something I have never done before. From that time in 3rd grade selling candy, I was my own boss. Even with my paper route, I collected payment whenever I wanted. And as I grew up, every summer I made my own hours and my own money. I answered to myself.

When the time came for me to work for someone else, I hated it. How was I going to do it? I don't know how I did it, but I did, for 3 plus years. And I was good at it. I worked my way up to the top. However, I was never happy. No matter how high I worked my way through Corporate America, there was always going to be someone above me, telling me what to do. I hated it. I hated it with a passion. But I sucked it up, and did a great job.

In the back of my mind, I longed to be my own boss again. That is what I spent most of my life doing. And I really missed it. About a year ago, I was offered a position in a start up company. I jumped on it! And I really enjoy it. However, it just doesn't have the same feeling for me. I miss being my own boss. Not for the feeling of being the boss, but for the feelings of being "the man". I miss it being my name on the bottom line. I miss calling the shots. But most of all, I miss that feeling that it was mine.

I am in the process of starting 3 different small companies. One is for fun. The second is for fun, with the possibility of growing into something serious. The third is a business that I have been doing for nearly 20 years now. It is a business I could do on a full time basis, and make a living at.

However, I don't know if it is what I want to do for the rest of my life. Like I said, I have been the man, and I have worked for the man. And trust me when I say, being the man is better. But being happy is so much better. In order to do that, I need to be the man, in a business that would make me happy. And what might that business be? Beer.

So right there, right now, I am putting it out there for all to see. I am going to start my own brewery. I know it is going to be hard, And I know it is going to be a lot of work. I don't think it will be easy by any means. But I know I can do it. I know I am going to do it!

I'm not going to open a brewery next week, or next year. I am being serious about this. I don't jump into anything until I have researched and educated myself as much as possible about it. And that is the way I am going to do it. I am going to immerse myself in research and education. How did the other breweries do it? What education can I get before I start? What is the best plan of attack? That is what I am doing now.

What does the future hold for me? I don't know. But I am going to do whatever I can to make it fun. And in the words of Curt Schilling, I am going to do "Whatever it Takes" to succeed.

As my plans evolve, I will be sure to post them for you to read. This is going to be a 3 to 5 year process. I'm not going to rush it. I'm going to do it right. Wish me luck.

-Cheers!

How do you play Bocce Ball?

2009-05-08T19:04:00.004-07:00

I am in! That is right ladies and gentlemen, I have a team. Next year, I won't have to watch from the sideline, because I have a Bocce Ball team. I don't know how to play, but who cares. I have a year to learn how.

I was so pissed that I wasn't able to play in Sam Calagione's Bocce Ball Tournament again this year. However, all was not lost. I was able to meet my hero, Sam. However, I couldn't help but wish I was participating instead of sitting on the wall, drinking Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, and watching all the people have fun.

As soon as I got home, I put the word out. I asked everyone I knew if they were interested in joining my Bocce Ball team. Within minutes, I had a team. Gotta love it! I know I do. I'm sure the other teammates do as well. The only problem is that none of us have ever played before. Not to mention that we don't know the rules or how to play.

Either way, I get to play. And it is going to be so much fun. This weekend, I am going to buy a Bocce Ball set, and figure out how to play. I think I might even set up an official Bocce Ball field in my back yard. Yes, I just might do that. And I am going to practice, practice, and practice some more.

So I am going to say this. I love Sam, but next year, he is going down!

-Cheers!

I met Sam Calagione

2009-05-02T19:15:00.004-07:00

Today I met the man, the legend, Sam Calagione. That's right, I was able to meet my hero today. And I have yet to stop smiling.

After the devastating news on Thursday night, I though all was lost. However, the good news was that Sam was going to be in town through the weekend. And there was no way on God's green Earth that I was going to miss my chance to meet Sam. So thank you God, I did!

After my sons baseball game, I drove across town to the Bocce Tournament. I was never able to talk to anyone at the hotel who could tell me anything about it. I called 5 times on Friday, and still had no answers. So the only way I was going to find out, was to go. I am so happy I did.

As soon as I pulled into the parking lot, I knew it was going to be fun. Right there, in front of me were the Bocce Ball fields and a good sized group of people holding red cups. Red cups are always great sign. So I got out, and simply watched the for a while. As I sat there, I scanned the area for any site of Sam. I kept getting distracted by all the people dressed up in costumes. There were Super Heroes, Safari guys, Human Beer Bottles, and countless groups wearing matching Jerseys or shirts. All I knew was that I was missing out on a good time. And the only way to make the trip,was to meet Sam.

So I grabbed my backpack, and walked out onto the field. I was amazed at how nice everyone was. There were people playing Bocce, people playing Cornhole, and people just chilling, or recuperating from the night before. I grabbed a chair, and enjoyed the time.

After 15 minutes or so, I spotted Sam. He was in the group wearing Sombreros. A good look for them. I watched him and his team win their match and have a celebratory beer. I wanted to walk up and introduce myself, but I didn't want to bother him.

Finally, Sam came walking by and noticed me. Actually, he noticed my shirt. He thought it was cool. He shook my hand, and asked me my name. Then he asked if I was playing. I explained to him that I was huge fan, and tried to get a team together. However, all my friends are too cheap and I wasn't able to pull it off in time. He then told me that I should have come by yesterday, because he could have got me on a team. Go figure. I told him how I called 5 times on Friday and nobody at the hotel was able to help me out.

Then he told me to just hang out then, and "go grab a beer". Was he serious? I told him that I didn't pay, and I was just here to watch and get his autograph when he had the time. He told me. "Who cares, go grab a beer, and hang out with us, and I will sign your stuff".

Wow, after a moment of shock, I went over and poured myself a beer. 60 Minute IPA was on tap, and something else. I didn't know what it was, so I poured myself a cup. I am glad I did.

I did exactly what Sam said, I poured myself a couple pints and watched everyone play Bocce Ball. I have never played, so I wanted to figure out how it works. It looks simple enough. And I am going to start practicing as soon as I buy myself a set.

After an hour or so, Sam noticed me again and said "Hey, you wanted me to sign something, bring it over". So I did. I had a copy of Draft Magazine with Sam and Jim Koch on the cover. He signed it and asked "should I sign it over Jim's face"? I told him he could sign it where ever he wanted. He chuckled, and said "No, Jim is my friend, I couldn't do that". So he signed it for me, and then he signed my his book, Brewing Up a Business. I told him that I have met hundreds of famous athletes and got their autographs. But meeting his was really a big thing for me.

I thanked him again for everything. He was so gracious to let me hang out and drink the beer, for free. But it didn't end there. He told me to go grab another beer. And to be sure to try the Pale Ale, because it isn't available anywhere other than the Atlantic region because it "doesn't travel well". So that is what that was. I liked it. I really liked it. How could I turn down Sam? I didn't. Then he started asking me questions.

Sam: "Do you home brew"?
Me: "Yes, but just a little bit. I am trying to be more prolific at it".
Sam: "You know, I only brewed 7 batches before I went into business".
Me: "That is amazing. And I can' believe you did it on that home brew system".
Sam: "I know, it was hard, but it worked".
Me: "That is amazing".
Sam: "Go grab another beer and watch us play"
Me: "OK, I will thanks so much for letting me hang out today. And thanks for the autographs".
Sam: "My pleasure".

So I poured myself another Pale Ale, and watched Sam and his team win their next match. He really seems to enjoy Bocce Ball. And I can understand why. It looks like fun, and you can play while you drink beer. It is the perfect sport, or game. On one occasion, he said to me, "We are in this"! He really seemed to take it serious, yet in a fun way. And his team did indeed pull off the win, in come from behind fashion. I told him I was pulling for him.

But my time was up. I needed to get home. So I thanked him again for everything. He said to me:
Sam: "__________, are you leaving"? (He called me by name. On all 3 occasions, he remembered my name)
Me: "Yes, I gotta get going"
Sam: "Well thanks for coming and hanging out with us today".
Me: "It was my pleasure. Thanks for letting me hang out".
Sam: "Are you going to play next year"?
Me: "Are you going to do it again next year:?
Sam: "We sure are".
Me: "Then I am going to have a team ready for sure".
Sam: "Great".

I asked him if I could get a picture with him, and without pausing, he said sure. He was more than happy to do it. He asked the woman standing next to us if she would take the picture for me. Then he told me to make sure I sent him an email. How could I forget. (I already sent him one). You see, he liked my shirt. And as luck would be, I just so happened to have an extra one, brand new. I told him I would send it to him. He told me if I did, he would send me a Dogfish Head shirt. How could I turn down a deal like that? So he gave me his email address, and told me to send him an email and he would give me the info and where to send it.

That's my story. Can you believe it? I can't. I am still in awe. I can't believe I got to meet him. And to make it even better, he was cool as hell! He was so much cooler than I thought he would be. Completely down to earth, and an all around nice guy. If I wasn't already a fan, I surely am now. In fact, I am a fan for life.

A truly amazing day. A day I will never forget. Thanks Sam.

-Cheers!

I missed my chance

2009-05-01T20:10:00.005-07:00

Are you ready for this? Sam Calagione, the man himself, was in town yesterday, and I didn't know about it. By the time I heard about, it was too late. O, the Horror! I have been dying to meet my hero Sam, and I just missed my chance. He was kind enough to fly all the way across the country to my home town, and I didn't even know it. How could this have happened?

Here is the deal. My dad tells me last night at my son's baseball game, "Hey, some brewery guy is in town signing his book". What? How did I not head about this? Honestly, I am not up to date with Authors signing their books. I am not that kind of guy. But if it is a Beer Guy, I need to know about it. I should have known about it.

I racked my brain, and went down the list of the possible brew guys it might have been.
Me: "Charlie Papazian"?
Dad: "No, that's not it".
Me: "Jim Koch"?
Dad: "That Sam Adams guy? No, that isn't it".
- Who could it be? Who might have been in town promoting a book?
Me: "O, Garrett Oliver from Brooklyn Brewery?
Dad: "Never heard of him".
Me: "It wasn't Fritz Maytag was it?
Dad: "I don't think that was it". "It was something about brewing a business".
Me: "WHAT? ARE YOU SERIOUS? SAM CALAGIONE from DOGFISH HEAD"?
Dad: "Yeah, that's it"

O my God. How did this just happen? All these thoughts ran through my head. I can leave, buy a paper, find out where he is, and go. Or I can call everyone I know, have them find the article i their paper, and tell me what the article said. This is exactly what I did.

By the time my cousin called me back, it was too late. Sam held a 2 hour event to talk about his book, and his beer. And I missed it. By the time My cousin read me the details, the event was over. I wanted to cry. Yes, I am man enough to tell you that I really wanted to cry. How, after all this time of waiting, and reading, and talking to people about my "Man Crush" on Sam Calagione, did I miss my probable, once in a lifetime, opportunity to meet him in my one home town. It's a tragedy.

But all hope is not lost. I found out that Sam is still in town, through Sunday. Has my luck changed? You see, Sam is in town for his annual Bocce Ball tournament. It's the "Dogfish Head Intergalactic Bocce Tournament, Western Version".

This part is my fault. I have been trying to put together a team for 2 years now. But I have cheap friends. And none of them have the cash to play. But I try, and try, and try to put together a team. But I have struck out every time.

I also look at the website all the time to find out if Sam is going to be in a town where I just so happen to be visiting. And I kept checking the Dogfish Head website, looking for information about the Bocce ball tournament. But I never found it. And I guess, I just got a little too lazy, and I missed out on the giant post about it on their website. How could I have let this happen? I don't know, but I did.

I spent the better part of the day trying to contact anyone at the hotel who might be able to let me know about the details. But all I got was the head chef, concierge, or a receptionist. None of which were able to help me.

So I am stuck watching from the sidelines this year. That is the price I have to pay. I get it. But next year, I am there.

So right here, right now, I am putting it out there. Who wants to join my team? Who wants to play Bocce Ball next year?

-Prost. (gotta say it, but I don't mean it tonight)