Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Tonight's Quaff - Wednesday, May 27th

Tonight's quaff is an Arizona Iced Tea Company special. The Arnold Palmer is probably the best beverage in the world. Half tea, half lemonade, all awesome. I can't really drink too much these days for the same reason I haven't posted as of late: surgery. Been busy with pre-surgery testing, forms, and phone interviews with very unenthusiastic nurses. Nothing takes the hard edge off of things like an Arnie. So damn good.

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Last Night's Quaff - Too Much

Drank way too much last night. Not enough Advil in the world to get rid of this headache. I feel like I lost a bare-knuckle boxing match with a big burly dude named Lumberjack Louis. Contemplating not drinking ever again, but I don't want to let the wide world of drinks down. Still...ugh.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Keegan Ales' Hurricane Kitty - Thursday, May 21st

Went back to Keegan Ales tonight and found out it was $2 Mason Jar Thursday. Had to try their Hurricane Kitty. Here's the review:

Pours the color of a dirty penny; a dark copper that looks brown when not in the light. Has about a finger's worth of head that fizzles out quickly. No lacing as it was in a Mason jar.

Smells like an IPA should. Very, very floral. Heavy grapefruit and orange, with whiffs of pine. Didn't smell pungent or bitter at all.

Taste is a normal IPA. Bitter and floral, but not as crisp and sharp as I was hoping. It was more a muted, softer hop profile than I was hoping. As floral as the nose, but heavier pine with a very nice astringency. Little watery, however, with low carbonation. Not a bad beer. Could be refreshing but I let mine warm up before finishing it and it kinda got to me in the end. If it had been cooler, it would have been quite a bit more crisp. However, it was still drinkable and I'd get it again. It's probably better in a pint glass anyway.

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Keegan Ales' Mother's Milk - Tuesday May 19th

Edit: Ok, got back from Keegan Ales. On tap for tonight was Keegan Ales Mother's Milk:

Pours a dark, deep brown the color of Hershey's Syrup. Opaque with a two finger head that dissipates relatively quickly, with no apparent lacing.

Smell is deep roasted but sweet malts, coffee, chocolate. It smells kind of like a mocha with slight cracker and fresh baked, dark bread hints.

Taste is quite palatable. A rich, traditional stout flavor reminiscent of crispy toast, dark chocolate and espresso, with a sweet creaminess. Its not heavy and robust, but a nice smooth, easy to drink stout with slightly higher carbonation than I'm used to. One of my friends referred to it as "like seltzer" but he just started drinking last week. I'll fix that though.

More coming soon (including some stronger stuff). I'm feeling a gin and tonic weekend and I've got a Sam Adams Summer Sampler to work through so I can start homebrewing. First up is an IPA that I desperately need to find hops and a better yeast for because I don't trust this kit. Something tells me it won't be a decent IPA unless its dry hopped with dry malt substitute for corn sugar.

Unibroue Fin Du Monde - Monday, May 18th

Tonight's beverage of choice is a Unibroue Fin Du Monde. Listed below are some of my notes:

Pours a honey/wheat color with a very thick, pearly white, three finger head. Looks thick and dense due to the fact that its nearly impossible to see through. Heavy lacing all the way down the glass with a head retention that's borderline forever.

Smells of very light soap (probably the glass) and thick, satisfying malt. Has a yeasty, rising dough smell to it too. Little to no hop influence in the aroma.

Taste is incredible. Sweet, but not cloyingly so. Alcohol is apparent, but not overpowering, rather is a nice warmness on the finish. Malt heavy with that yeasty/baked bread taste. Maybe a light citrus as well. No hops as far as I can tell

Mouthfeel is as thick and rich as the appearance. Slightly syrupy with medium carbonation.

This beer was quite drinkable. The sweetness was intense, but not overpowering. Despite its 9% ABV, it was easy as hell to drink with only a minor alcoholic warmth on the back end. It isn't something that I could drink day in and day out, one after another. Its a nightcap beer, really. One of these before bed would put me to sleep with some pretty sweet dreams. Probably about fighting zombie hordes. Those are always good ones.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Healthy? No. An adventure? Yes.

Honestly, I feel pretty stupid doing this but if I don't write this down, I'll forget it. And I suppose it would be a shame not to write it down. This will hopefully be a record of an exploration into the wide world of fermented, distilled, colored, sweetened, bittered, flavored, and non-flavored world of adult beverages. So far I'd like to think that I've plowed a decent way into the market, mainly in the proverbial "brown spirits". Bourbon, scotch, and rum are favorites of mine, along with good beer, but at this point I'd try anything you set in front of me. Vodka really isn't a good friend of mine per se, more of an acquaintance while tequila is a nemisis, at least. But regardless if its straight up, with a twist, on the rocks, or mixed, if you pay for it or recommend it, I will try it in the name of science and taste. Forthcoming will be reviews of what I've already sampled and hopefully there will be many more to come. If you know of any vodkas, gins, stouts, India Pale Ales or any other spirit or beer that you deem potable, then put it in the comments and I'll do my best to get a bottle or can of it as cash allows. I'd like to see this blog moved to my own site some day, but with a degree in Chemical Engineering still underway, who knows if I'll have the time or money.