Go Bears!!

Like so much of the city, I am currently enjoying the Bears/Eagles game.  Mr. Hayes made chili for the occasion.  He browned the ground turkey and turkey sausage in 3 Floyds Alpha King.  Excellent!!   So I ate like a pig  -- now we'll see what the Bears can do tonight.  Orton's gotta get some protection!!!  

more on ER

It is heavy on the violins tonight, kids.

oh, the picture below is from our trip to Costa Rica last summer.  It was absolutely beautiful, and the IMPERIAL lager really grows on you after awhile.

Charlotte Rae on ER

Good for Charlotte Rae, formerly of FACTS OF LIFE and DIFF'RENT STROKES -- she had a guest spot on the season opener of ER.  I, for one, have had enough of ER.  There's always something horrible going on, and poor alcoholic Abby Lockhart.  Really.  Will they give her a happy ending?

We spent the evening toasting the end of the American Girl Theater, where so many of my friends worked.  I drank Great Lakes Burning River at Jake Melnick's on Superior Street (I drank as many as I could since it was a few days out of date.  I'm willing to take one or four for the team), then headed to Clark Street Ale House for good beer and free appetizers.  

Most of your better beer stores in Chicago should have FOUNDER'S BREAKFAST STOUT currently on the shelves.  It is a beer geek's dream, a rare and beautiful stout made with double chocolate malt, oatmeal, and coffee.  It truly is a perfect first-thing-in-the-morning beer -- or last thing at night.  And I love the label.  Check it out!

Hmmm.  Things don't look good for Mekhi Phifer on ER.  Guess I will watch and see what happens.  As my dear friend Dave says, Cheerios, Beerios!  

Me after the brewery tour this year at Unibroue --one of my favorite places in all the world.  

Yeah, I took this picture with my phone, so what?

Here's a picture of beer heroes Jim Koch and Sam Calagione at The Map Room in February.  I had much, much, much too much high octane Dogfish Head beer that night.  But a surprisingly memorable night nonetheless.

Whither the Beer Blog?

Ultimately, why blog?  We discussed the Beer Advocates and such this morning in the sales office at my dream job at Louis Glunz Beer Inc.  -- celebrating our 120th year, by the way . . . 

Some of my friends and family have blogs.  Check out quickIneedmycamera.blogspot.com and brooklyncookin.blogspot.com, in your abundant spare time.  Reasons for blogging:  it's fun, that's one reason . . . Oftentimes, nobody in my circle of friends gives a rip about if I think a beer is delicious or not . . . that's another reason . . . 

Every year, I think, "oooh, I love Octoberfest beers" and then I have a really hard time finding one I like.  This year is no exception  . . . of the classic Octoberfest Marzen beers, I like Spaten the best.  And, my new favorite brand, Coney Island has a beer called FREAKTOBERFEST -- and what's not to like about that?  

Currently I am enjoying a 3 Floyds Alpha King.  Saving a Coney Island Sword Swallower for the weekend.  oh -- I had a Dogfish Head 120 minute yesterday.  It smells like nail polish remover, but is surprisingly well balanced to the taste.   You can definitely taste the strength of the alcohol.  Talk about a timesaver -- Drink a beer, get drunk, and get hung over all in about two hours.  

Okay -- have to talk about this beer

My new favorite beer just may be SWORD SWALLOWER, steel hop lager from my friend Jeremy and his team at Shmaltz Brewing.  Their CONEY ISLAND series of beers are 22 ounce bottles of deliciousness.