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So Nu? Year
Jan. 2nd, 2010 08:27 pmHaving survived Avataron Wednesday, we stopped for gas and I was extremely pleased to discover they were carrying "Heritage" Dr. Pepper, made with sugar as opposed to the Demon High Fructose Corn Syrup. I had run across a variant form in Texas, but was amazed it had made the trek this far north (unlike Texas's other main export, armadillos, which have made it up here, but tend to freeze once the temperature gets into the winter area). Upon awakening on New Year's Eve, the family made a trek to Lowe's, where we returned a very lovely oil heater that had a nasty habit of blowing whatever circuit it was plugged into, and not in a good way. We then went to the WalMart next door, where they also had the new/old Dr. Pepper. I was allowed to get two 12-packs of the precious drink. I am assuming this is a short run production, and plan on hoarding the stuff to the maximum extent possible. It that spike in sales convinces the corporate overlords to continue the product, so much the better.
We began the evening at the home of friends where we have spent the holiday before, and a lovely variety of food was available, along with much good company. But I left there at 8.30p or so, to join other friends for a special beerfestapalooza. My very dear friend Bob Hise had emailed members of the KaCSFFS Zymurgists to say he had a bottle Sam Adams Utopias he was wanting to share on NYE. I was fortunate to have some of the 2007 bottling at the Boston SMOFcon, and was more than looking forward to another taste of this unique brew.
The 2009 version did not disappoint at all. According to some online reports, some of this batch was aged for 16 years in scotch barrels, while another part was aged in bourbon barrels. The combined product was then finished in wine casks of various types. It is incredibly rich, with so many different flavor notes it's hard to keep track of them all. The 27% abv* gives it an incredible kick. The highlight of the evening was watching our friend Paul Burns (who works at my neighborhood liquor store of choice*) try Utopias for the first time. The variety of expressions that crossed his face as he savored the first sip was wondrous to behold (and enhanced by the glo-stick "shock collar" around his neck).
In addition to that fine brew, I broke out a bottle of Arrogant Bastard I had brought back from Austin, and Bob shared several of his fine home brews (including an interesting Belgian Golden Ale and an incredible Bell's "Two Hearted Ale" clone that if anything was superior to its inspiration). Finally got home at 3a or so.
On Friday, we were joined by NPulsifer and Gisele and Lyle UU for a trip to Flying Saucer (the person who called for the trip wussed out at the last minute) I had the new stout from Left Hand Brewing, Fade to Black, as well as a generous amount of NPulsifer's choice, Goose Island's Bourbon County Stout, which I had never had on tap. Thick, black, full of malt and hop goodness and redolent of fine bourbon, it's one of my favorites. Even better fresh from the tap.
Today I sorted laundry and ironed a bunch of shirts in preparation for the upcoming work week. The main issue here remains th furnace, which has been on Cheyne-Stokes breathing since we turned it on in November. A new one will be installed over Monday and Tuesday, but that leaves us dependent upon space heaters and cats for warmth until then. An of course we're in the middle of an unseasonable cold snap hereabouts with the low tonight around 5˚, and highs for the week in the teens.
So I'm going to try to keep track of new beers I have had this year, with a rating even. And sometimes descriptions, if I feel like it. Deal. I will start with New Year's Eve, because (much like happy hour) it was the 1st somewhere when I was imbibing.
Sam Adams Noble Pils (incorporating all five varieties of Noble hops): 7.5/10
Sam Adams Utopias 2009: 9.75
Boulevard BBQ Stout 2008 (aged in bourbon barrels with cherries; this bottle cellared for 13 months): 9.25
Zymurgist Belgian Golden Ale: 8
Zymurgist Two-Hearted Clone: 9.25
Left Hand Fade to Black Stout: 7.5
Goose Island Bourbon County Stout (tap): 8.75
And more to come, I hope. As for now, the new decade (and of course it's a new decade, the tens digit has changed. How can any but the most obtusely innumerate not understand that?) has yet to improve on the last one, which had some fine, fine moments, but overall was less than amusing to say the least.
*This amazingly high alcohol content is achieved with a series of specially bred yeasts that can survive the environment, as opposed to most of the "extreme" abv beers, which get there by way of freezing the beer, then removing the ice, thus raising the alcohol content of the remaining liquid. That's not right, say I.
We began the evening at the home of friends where we have spent the holiday before, and a lovely variety of food was available, along with much good company. But I left there at 8.30p or so, to join other friends for a special beerfestapalooza. My very dear friend Bob Hise had emailed members of the KaCSFFS Zymurgists to say he had a bottle Sam Adams Utopias he was wanting to share on NYE. I was fortunate to have some of the 2007 bottling at the Boston SMOFcon, and was more than looking forward to another taste of this unique brew.
The 2009 version did not disappoint at all. According to some online reports, some of this batch was aged for 16 years in scotch barrels, while another part was aged in bourbon barrels. The combined product was then finished in wine casks of various types. It is incredibly rich, with so many different flavor notes it's hard to keep track of them all. The 27% abv* gives it an incredible kick. The highlight of the evening was watching our friend Paul Burns (who works at my neighborhood liquor store of choice*) try Utopias for the first time. The variety of expressions that crossed his face as he savored the first sip was wondrous to behold (and enhanced by the glo-stick "shock collar" around his neck).
In addition to that fine brew, I broke out a bottle of Arrogant Bastard I had brought back from Austin, and Bob shared several of his fine home brews (including an interesting Belgian Golden Ale and an incredible Bell's "Two Hearted Ale" clone that if anything was superior to its inspiration). Finally got home at 3a or so.
On Friday, we were joined by NPulsifer and Gisele and Lyle UU for a trip to Flying Saucer (the person who called for the trip wussed out at the last minute) I had the new stout from Left Hand Brewing, Fade to Black, as well as a generous amount of NPulsifer's choice, Goose Island's Bourbon County Stout, which I had never had on tap. Thick, black, full of malt and hop goodness and redolent of fine bourbon, it's one of my favorites. Even better fresh from the tap.
Today I sorted laundry and ironed a bunch of shirts in preparation for the upcoming work week. The main issue here remains th furnace, which has been on Cheyne-Stokes breathing since we turned it on in November. A new one will be installed over Monday and Tuesday, but that leaves us dependent upon space heaters and cats for warmth until then. An of course we're in the middle of an unseasonable cold snap hereabouts with the low tonight around 5˚, and highs for the week in the teens.
So I'm going to try to keep track of new beers I have had this year, with a rating even. And sometimes descriptions, if I feel like it. Deal. I will start with New Year's Eve, because (much like happy hour) it was the 1st somewhere when I was imbibing.
Sam Adams Noble Pils (incorporating all five varieties of Noble hops): 7.5/10
Sam Adams Utopias 2009: 9.75
Boulevard BBQ Stout 2008 (aged in bourbon barrels with cherries; this bottle cellared for 13 months): 9.25
Zymurgist Belgian Golden Ale: 8
Zymurgist Two-Hearted Clone: 9.25
Left Hand Fade to Black Stout: 7.5
Goose Island Bourbon County Stout (tap): 8.75
And more to come, I hope. As for now, the new decade (and of course it's a new decade, the tens digit has changed. How can any but the most obtusely innumerate not understand that?) has yet to improve on the last one, which had some fine, fine moments, but overall was less than amusing to say the least.
*This amazingly high alcohol content is achieved with a series of specially bred yeasts that can survive the environment, as opposed to most of the "extreme" abv beers, which get there by way of freezing the beer, then removing the ice, thus raising the alcohol content of the remaining liquid. That's not right, say I.