Yeah, okay, you all were right . . . .

 . . . I can't blog every day.  I gave it a good try.  I will try to keep up on a beer for every day, though.  Last night, we went to a less-than-bueno Mexican restaurant in Northwest Indiana.  They had Miller Lite drafts for $1.00.  NO, Silly, I didn't order one!!!!  The waiter went down the list of bottled beers . . . Miller Lite (for those who don't enjoy the $1.00 drafts, I guess), MGD, Coors Light, Bud Light, Michelob Light, Corona, Corona Light, Modelo, Negra Modelo . . . I'm not even kidding.  I stopped him there.  I ended up with a Negra Modelo -- which in my humble opinion, doesn't really taste like anything but at least doesn't taste like corn and formaldehyde.  

My dear friend Rachel from Lush Wine and Spirits brought me a New Glarus Brewing Bohemian Lager.  New Glarus makes delicious beers, I used to sell Spotted Cow when I was a GM.  Their Bohemian Lager smells just like a German lager should.  It's nice to smell a domestic lager and not smell corn and adjuncts.  According to the label, the recipe is that of an Old World Czech Pilsner, using 100% Czech Moravian Malt, Saaz hops, and three month cold lagering.  All in all, a very serviceable, drinkable lager.  I wish New Glarus would come back to Chicago, and I wish we sold their beers.  Ah well.  If wishes were horses, every beggar would ride, as they say.  I'll blog more tomorrow.  I wanna talk about Surly.  Now I need to watch Amazing Race and fall asleep on the couch.  

I know, I know, it's been five days . . .

I missed my blogging Monday through Thursday this week.  I am ashamed.  But Thanksgiving preparations and the birthday of one of my very dearest friends had to take precedence.  We didn't get home til 1:30 in the morning on Monday and Tuesday, and WEDNESDAY was our annual pre-Thankgiving night of cooking and cleaning.  Yeah.  It's a big night.  

I did do some drinking these days, though.  To make up the four days I did not blog, I will talk about at least two beers for the next four days.  You'd think I was Catholic, I have such guilt.  

Tuesday night, we celebrated Johnny's birthday with a trip to Three Floyd's brew pub!!!!!  WHEEEEEEE!!  Oooooh, I had delicious beer!  I started with the DREADNAUGHT, the Floyds' imperial IPA, which is citrusy and grapefruity and flowery, and is absolutely one of my all time favorite beers.  I followed that up with an APOCALYPSE COW, pictured, available only in the brew pub.  It is a double IPA, 10% ABV, and just absolutely stinking delicious.  It is remarkable to me how well balanced the strong IPA's from Three Floyds can be.  Also -- What beer has a better name than Apocalypse Cow?  I mean really.  

Tonight I am drinking another of Jeremy Cowan of Shmaltz Brewing's fine beers, REJEWVENATOR.  I had a busy week, I am finally in my sweats on my couch enjoying my Thanksgiving bloat, and I wanted a full-flavored, satisfying beer.  The REEJEWVENATOR is brewed to celebrate the Jewish New Year.  It is a dark, moderately strong (7.8 % ABV), slightly sweet but not at all cloying ale brewed with figs.  The label notes reference some of the many mentions of the humble fig in the Bible and offers other historical information about the fig.  For example, I had always wondered why sometimes you see reproductions of the statue of Michaelangelo's DAVID with a fig leaf covering his naughty bits, and sometimes his stuff is right there, uncovered, flapping in the wind for all to see.  Turns out Queen Victoria, who may not have been the original prude but certainly perfected the art of prudishness, had an 18-inch fig leaf sculpted to cover the offending bits.  Buddha gained enlightenment by meditating under a fig tree.  And legend has it that figs have aphrodisiac qualities.  So, bring us some figgy pudding -- Christmas is coming!  

A clerk was trampled to death today at Wal-Mart!  Holy crap. 

So now, I'm going to watch HOOSIERS on the Retro channel and enjoy my beer.  

oh kids, my stomach's a mess

Not sure why.  We ordered from Chicago Pizza last night and had chicken tenders, fried mushrooms and mozzarella sticks.  Then today, we took Bettye Ruth to Long John Silver's for her birthday lunch.  I think the mass quantities of fried food got to me.  So this one's gonna be quick.

I almost hate to blog about another Great Lakes beer, but I looked in my crisper (that's where the beer is in my fridge), and found Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold.  

I knew I needed something smooth and well-balanced.  GL Dortmunder Gold, as it says on the label, is not as dry as a pilsner nor as malty as a Munich-style lager.  I love hoppy beers but I can't drink 'em on a bad stomach day.  I am happy to say, I am really able to enjoy this beer, even in my temporary fragile state.  It is easy to drink, a great "session" beer as the kids say, and brewed in keeping with the Reinheitsgebot, the Bavarian purity law of 1516.  So it is just pure barley malt, water, hops and yeast.  No funny stuff.  Just a good, clean, simple, delicious beer.  This beer would go great with turkey and football too, for those of you who are shopping for Thanksgiving food.  I'll try to choose some other turkey-friendly beers this week.  

If you are in Chicago -- Check out THIS MUCH IS TRUE and Drink this beer!

Tonight, we went to see my friend Nadine and her group, THIS MUCH IS TRUE.  They do autobiographical monologues that they have written about situations that have actually happened in their lives.  It is so awesome, touching and beautiful.  

While we were there, I had an experience that really brought home why I love beer so much.  We bought a bottle of ALPHA KLAUS, the Christmas Porter from Three Floyds brewing in Munster, Indiana.  If you are reading this, you know I love this brewery.  ALPHA KLAUS is a roasty American version of a classic London ale.  Porters were originally a working-class man's beer, named for the porters of London's railway.  A strong chocolate nose is complemented by a sweet maltiness, courtesy of English malts and Mexican sugars.  American hops provide a nice, balanced finish.  

More important than the components of the beer to me, though, are how a beer can bring people together.  I bought this 22 ouncer to share with a friend who enjoys Three Floyds beers, but had not tasted a Porter before.  He loved it, had not tasted a beer like this before, had no idea that beer could have roasty chocolate flavors and a smooth finish.  Before long, I was explaining the difference between porters and stouts, where porters come from, and what makes a porter different from lighter, crisper beers.  We let our friends taste the Alpha Klaus and they wanted a bottle too.  Then we bought another bottle.  There we all were, drinking beer and sharing stories.  It really was a lovely evening.  

Now we are eating pizza and chicken fingers and watching Akeelah and the Bee.  Thanks, Three Floyds.  Gotta go to sleep soon.  

Crap! I'm gonna be late!

Okay, you guys, I am still blogging every day!  It is now four minutes before midnight on Friday night, November 21st.  If I blog after midnight (when we're gonna let it all hang out), I wonder, will it post as Saturday? Well, it's still Friday until I go to sleep, as far as I am concerned.  Anyway . . .

First of all, deluxe thanks to the WOMEN OF LUSH for hosting me tonight at a tasting at Lush Wine and Spirits at 2232 West Roscoe.  We shared lots of excellent beers with the local folks.  It is always a pleasure to do anything there, it is such a beautiful space and all the "Lushes" who work there really know their stuff -- AND are remarkably good looking and smart as hell.

Today, I tried TWO BROTHERS BONFIRE.  I wish I sold Two Brothers beer!  Two Brothers is a fantastic family-owned brewery out there in the 'burbs in Warrenville, Illinois.  It is owned and operated by Jim and Jason Ebel (two brothers, get it), and they make delicious beer.  BONFIRE is their version of a Dunkel Weizen.  It is dark and cloudy with really nice carbonation, a fizzy head, and a strong fruity nose.  It has some sourness to it, almost has some qualities of a Belgian double or a Flemish sour.  Fairly creamy mouthfeel, spicy sour finish.  My favorite Two Brothers beer is HOP JUICE, an imperial IPA, which I hear should be out in a few weeks.  But all their brews are good, solid examples of their styles and worth sitting down for a beer or four.  

I had this on draught at Twisted Spoke, but you can get a 22 ounce bottle at Lush on Roscoe.  

Ladies and Gentlemen . . . DRINK THIS BEER!

ooooh, Jeremy Cowan.  His beers are so good.  My friend Jeremy is the proprietor of SHMALTZ brewing, quickly moving way up in the ranks of my favorite breweries.  I have yet to taste any of their beers that I do not love -- and by love, I mean I want to take them to all my beer-lovin' friends and say, "DRINK THIS!!"  Tonight, I am enjoying a BITTERSWEET LENNY'S R.I.P.A.  -- a double IPA brewed with rye malts.  It's got kind of a sweet hoppy nose, with a spicy rye middle and a powerful hop finish.  It comes in 22 ounce bottles, which as we all learned yesterday, I believe is the perfect portion size.  And I share with Jeremy not only a love of fantastic original delicious beer, but also a passion for the English language and all the magic it can impart.  PLEASE go buy this beer -- it's at all the Binny's, Lush on South Halsted and West Roscoe, and most of your better beer emporiums.  And then -- and this can be said of ANY Shmaltz beer -- READ THE LABEL!  The labels are chock-full of history, inspiration and fun facts about the liquid inside.  Oh -- I should talk a bit about the inspiration for this beer, the great Lenny Bruce.  Long before this world in which being irreverent, un-PC, and having a general fuck-you attitude became the epitome of cool, Lenny was doing it all.  And he really did not give a damn what anyone said or thought.  Get this beer, look for some Lenny Bruce on YouTube or rent a boxed set -- and toast the men whose names are on the label.  Lenny and Jeremy, brothers from different times.  

22 ounces of deliciousness is just enough for a Wednesday -- so drink this beer!

Yeah, when you only want one beer, I believe a bomber -- a 22 or 25 ouncer -- is just the right amount.  It's not too much, and yet you aren't left wanting just a little more . . . Tonight I enjoyed BROO DOO, the Harvest Ale from one of my all-time favorite breweries, Three Floyds.  I mentioned this beer when I talked about the Founder's Harvest Ale.  These beers are created using wet hops - fresh hops right off the vine, not dried or pellets.  In fact, Broo Doo's hops go from fresh on the vine to the brew kettle in just one day!  The nose is classic Three Floyds - citrusy, grapefruity, maybe a little astringent in a good way.  Broo Doo has a fuller body and mouthfeel than some of the Floyds' beers -- almost bready.  The surprise comes at the finish -- the wet hopping seems to result in a softer aftertaste than, say, an IPA.  

Also -- must mention how visually stunning this beer is!  It is so pretty, I had to photograph it with my phone from a variety of angles.  Wish you could see the pour -- the crimson amber beer cascading up into golden-white foam -- just gorgeous.  

BROO DOO boasts one of the coolest labels I have seen from a brewery known for their cool labels.  It features a classic "troll" with hops for hair, backed up by a Barbie Princess-looking character and a unicorn.  The entire label evokes an eleven-year-old girl's bedroom on 'shrooms.  Much props goes out to Randy Mosher for this label design.  I gotta e-mail him!  I told him back in May that I was going to start a blog or a web site or something . . . He is a true beer celebrity, and rightfully so; an amazing fine artist and author of a number of beer classics as well.  

We'll talk about more big bottles this winter.  I can't wait for the first big snowfall -- I will have a big bottle of something, my chair, and maybe some trashy reality fare on Bravo . . .   

I had a long day so I drank this beer!

Whew -- Even when one sells beer, which is not really like work, I mean, it's not like I am digging ditches or writing computer code or balancing budgets or anything . . . Sometimes it is still a long day.  So, when I have a long day, I like a beer that is refreshing but also just a LITTLE higher in alcohol . . . like an IPA!  

Everybody (well, most everybody) has heard why India Pale Ales are so called.  When India was part of the British Isles, and barrels of beer were transported by ship from Britain to India, some smart person discovered that adding extra hops to the beer acted as a preservative, so the beer stayed fresh for the long voyage.  I just read the other day that the good Czech folks who had been adding hops to their lagers and pilsners taught the Brits this trick.  So, an India Pale Ale is typically higher in hops than a regular Pale Ale.  Also, even though this style was originally English, an English IPA tends to have a softer, milder, peppery hop character, where an American IPA usually is more citrusy and floral.  American IPA's tend to be much, much more bitter.  It's the American Way!  If some bitterness is good, it is even better if it rips a bitter hole in your gut!  

Anyway, I LOVE IPA's.  For a long time, it was my favorite style, and sometimes it still is.  For better or worse, there will be a lot of them on this blog.  An absolutely delicious example of the style is GREAT LAKES COMMODORE PERRY IPA, named after the hero of the war of 1812.  At 7.5 percent, it is a perfect beer to close out a hard day.  It is citrusy, not as spicy as some American IPA's, but a nice gentle-but-pronounced hop finish.  I had this beer in my car, and looked forward to it all day.  

And now, I am going to watch some reality television.  

This is very important news -- also it's cold and snowing, so drink this beer

IMPORTANT NEWS FLASH!!  So, I did a little Christmas shopping and then had some time to kill, so I went for a little wander around Borders books and music.  There's this book that has been featured on Oprah and Ellen and all those shows called "Don't Eat That, Eat This" or "Don't eat this, eat that" or something.  What it basically is saying is, here's two nutritionally empty junk foods, both these foods are bad for you, one of them is less bad for you, so eat that.  So -- come to find out, THE ARBY'S BEEF AND CHEDDAR SANDWICH IS BETTER FOR YOU THAN THE ARBY'S TURKEY SANDWICH!!!  The Arby's Beef and Cheddar has only about 360 calories!!  Can you believe it?  I had to walk away from the book, I got a little obsessed with it and almost purchased copies for all my friends and family and started planning my next month of fast food meals based on the recommendations.  There is also a home edition (Spaghetti-O's are better for you than Kraft Macaroni and Cheese!).  I also learned at Borders that pretty much everybody has their own magazine nowadays.  Ty Pennington has a magazine, Rachael Ray has a couple of magazines, Paula Deen has one . . . there is even a Hooters magazine, not sure what the content of that would be -- barbecued shrimp recipes, maybe?  I bet I could have a magazine before too long if I play my cards right.  

So ANYWAY -- I should start doing a "don't drink that, drink this" thing.  Maybe next time . . .  For now, let's talk about ANCHOR BREWING-OUR SPECIAL ALE -- more commonly known as Anchor Christmas Beer.  Where to begin with this one  -- This beer grew out of what is now Anchor Liberty in the mid-1970's -- in fact, this 2008 version is the thirty-fourth special ale.  The nose is full of Christmas spices -- when you first open a cold one, it smells just like walking into a Christmas store.  And everyone who tastes it seems to detect different spices.  I can taste cloves and allspice, some can taste cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom in the brew.  The brewers aren't saying what's in it, but this year, like every year, the beer is offered to celebrate rebirth, renewal and the newness of life.  In this spirit, the label depicts a different sort of tree every year.  The evergreen tree was a symbol of rebirth in Medieval Europe due to its survival and continued growth throughout the cold winter months.  For me, ever since I discovered holiday beers in 1988, one of the first traditions of my holiday season every year has been to bring home Anchor Christmas.  Next week is Thanksgiving.  Go to the store, buy some Anchor Christmas and let's get this holiday started!  

All you lads and lasses should drink this beer

Robert the Bruce is a supermalty Scottish style ale from the good people at Three Floyds Brewing in Munster, Indiana.  This beer smells almost chocolate-malty, but is much drier to the taste.  It's a perfect blend of sweet and roasty malts and mellow hops.  Really well balanced, and not too strong at 6.5%.  Three Floyds Brewing is known for its well-hopped beers -- Robert the Bruce is the maltiest of their offerings that I have tried.  I recommend letting it open up after opening, like a good wine.  It is so much tastier after warming up a bit.    I've never actually seen the Mel Gibson movie BRAVEHEART in its entirety, but I believe Robert the Bruce figures in the plot somewhere.  The man, not the beer.  

By the way, Terrence on the Amazing Race is a complete baby.  How do women end up with guys like that?  

Baby it's cold outside this weekend, so drink this . . .

Gouden Carolus Noel!  It's warm and perfumy and 10% ABV, so it's great for this weekend in Chicago.  I love Chicago because it was 70 degrees about a week ago and today it was in the 30's pretty much all day.  But I digress.  Gouden Carolus is brewed by the Het Anker Brewery in Mechelen.  I have another of their beers in the fridge so I'll talk about that one in the next couple of weeks.  What I like about these beers is the complexity -- the rich, dark copper color, the port-wine-esque fruity nose, the warm black cherry fruit finishing with just a touch of cough-syrupy alcohol.  Also, I like the label!  I am asking Santa for beer this year.  I will leave some Gouden Carolus Noel by my new tabletop fireplace with some cookies -- a great pairing, by the way.  

Drink this while watching HBO's TRUE BLOOD

It's not too late to enjoy NOSFERATU from Great Lakes Brewing Company out of Cleveland, Ohio.  Absolutely one of my favorite breweries.  Nosferatu is a freaking delicious stock ale, strong and deep amber, chock full of rich maltiness with some soft hops on the finish.  When I tried it last year, I thought of it as sort of a big vampire brother to Great Lakes Eliot Ness, their amber lager.  This year, I found it a bit more complex, a little darker and warmer.  

NOSFERATU is the Great Lakes Halloween seasonal.  The vampire on the label is Count Orlock.  NOSFERATU was the original filmed version of Dracula, back in, I think, 1926.  The Bram Stoker estate refused to give up the rights to the story (I forget which production company made the film), so the filmmakers changed the name of the vampire, changed a few plot points (a VERY few) and made the movie anyway.  The actor who played the vampire was named Max Schreck.  Schreck is the German word for fear or fright, which contributed to all sorts of legends springing up around the making of the movie -- it was said Schreck insisted on staying in costume and character the whole time, it was even rumored he actually was a vampire!  Who knows.  At any rate, if you can find the original movie on cable or somewhere, it is absolutely worth a look -- it is a cool and creepy silent film.  Whether he was a vampire or not, Schreck was a scary looking dude.  The film was remade in the early '80's with Klaus Kinski as the vampire -- I didn't see it -- and there was a movie made recently about the making of the original NOSFERATU featuring John Malkovich as the film's director.  Do I remember the title?  Nope.  But it's a good movie too.  So -- anyway, that's all I know about NOSFERATU.  You can still buy the beer at Whole Foods at 30 West Huron and other stores in Chicago.  Go get some and drink it.  

Old Man Winter from Southern Tier Brewing

Everybody loves Phin and Matt's Southern Tier beers from Lakewood, New York.  They gave us a couple of holiday seasonals this year.  Their OLD MAN WINTER is one of the lightest-in-body winter beers I've ever tasted.  It is deep amber, almost Coca-Cola color and pours with a lovely thick burnt-marshmallow head.  Compared with many winter/Christmas beers, this one has a fairly light mouthfeel.  The taste profile is almost a mix of roasty porter and American pale ale, with dark toffee malt notes and a light but definitely there hop presence.  

What I think I like best about this beer is its drinkability.  Unlike a heavier, stronger, sweeter holiday offering, Old Man Winter invites you to enjoy one, and then enjoy another one, and maybe another one after that.  A true "session" beer for the cold wintry months.  This Old Man wants to spend the evening with you.  Let him.  

Thanks, Bernie

Bernie re-sized my picture.  At least I know someone is looking at this thing besides myself.

Founder's Harvest Ale

Today's beer is Founder's Harvest Ale from Founder's Brewing in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  I always thought Grand Rapids was sort of Bible-belty, but those guys know their beer . . . well,  there is a theory that Jesus changed the water into beer, not wine, because the word in the bible translates as "fermented beverage" . . . but that's another story for another day.  Here in Chicago, we got about 200 cases of Founder's Harvest to sell, for the entire city and surrounding area.  Needless to say, we sold it quickly.  The Founder's stuff is always eagerly anticipated.  I poured this beer into my favorite glass and was knocked out by the beauty and full body of the head!  A glowing cascade of bright shining white bubbles which lingered on the glass, forming a lovely lace.  Just the pour was exciting!  The nose was nail-polish-remover hoppy.  Harvest Ales are traditionally made from "wet" hops, meaning freshly harvested, not dried, hops, which is supposed to impart a fresh, bright hoppy flavor to the beer.  I was surprised at how understated the hops were to the taste.  While the malt flavors were very subtle and the hop presence was there throughout, it finished very softly, like hoppy rose petals.  Not at all the astringent bite I was hoping for.  So . . . as Randy Jackson will be saying from his American Idol judging seat in about two months . . . it was just okay for me, dawg.  I love the Founder's dry-hopped pale ale, much more traditionally hoppy than this.  But this is coming from a girl who lists Three Floyds Dreadnaught in her top five favorite beers.  If anybody reads this, can you tell me if Harvest Ales are traditionally not aggressively hoppy?  I did notice Three Floyds BrooDoo -- their Harvest Ale -- was not crazy hoppy either.  Stop saying "hoppy", Salls.  

Watch this spot tomorrow.  I will drink another beer and tell you about it.  

The picture

I don't know how to make the picture smaller.  Good, though, isn't it?  Megan took it.

I tasted some beers that I don't sell

Yes, I did.  It is one of my favorite things to do.  Tuesday afternoons at RODAN, 1530 North Milwaukee avenue, Dave and Eric taste out stuff that salesfolk like myself bring, in hopes of getting it put on their menu.  Of course, I got there too late to taste the Lost Abbey beers, but we tried a few . . .

BELL'S CHERRY STOUT -- Mr. Hayes tried this last weekend and said it was pretty sour, and he was right.  It was drinkable, but it tasted a lot like they mixed a stout and a Kriek lambic.  Very Robutussin-like, cough mediciny.  High acid level.  Again, drinkable, but I couldn't drink more than one.  Might be interesting on ice cream. 

MAGIC HAT REXY ROLLES -- Okay.  I don't like beer bashing, but sometimes . . . I want to like Magic Hat beers, I really do!  I think the #9 is okay.  But this one . . . my tasting companions described it thusly:"tastes like cat piss"  "When it comes back up, it tastes like the perfume counter at Macy's"  Ooooh.  It is labeled a hoppy amber ale, but I think something went awry somewhere.  I actually was curious about this when I saw it on the shelves, Magic Hat's packaging is super eye-catching and clever.  Glad I didn't buy a bottle.  

ROGUE CHOCOLATE STOUT -- Those folks at Rogue have a good thing going.  And their beers, I think, are consistent across the board for their styles.  This is a fairly light stout, sweet and chocolatey -- like a grown-up chocolate milk.  This would be a great beer for a holiday caroling party, really good with cookies or lighter desserts.