First, I really like the Sierra Nevada logo. It’s just classic, and the Pale Ale bottle is wonderful. The green along with green fields just speaks to how refreshing and enjoyable this beer is.

It pours a nice light golden amber, pretty clear. It poured with a nice thick bubbly head, not real deep, but nice. Medium carbonation is present, not a ton of bubbles, but a good looking amount.

The aroma is similar to an IPA but more subtle, with hints of grapefruit and pine, with a nice caramel backing.  It smells of hops, but it seems well balanced, and this comes through in the taste.

Upon taste, the tartness of the grapefruit is present, and the caramel smoothness balances the bitterness. It’s a great balance actually, the bitterness balanced by a slight caramel sweetness makes for a perfect combination. It doesn’t overwhelm either sense, but rolls wonderfully. The mouthfeel then is as smooth as you’d imagine given this balance. It is full, but beautifully smooth, I mean just perfect.

My overall assessment? This is one hell of a fine beer. Damn. It doesn’t pound like an IPA, but it also isn’t wussy either. I know I talk a lot about balance, but with good reason, as I think life is all about balance. This beer does absolutely everything a great beer does. It soothes, fills, cleanses and invigorates. You could do much worse than drink this on a very regular basis, and I’m definitely going to be bringing this to bonfires all summer long. It’s a staple, and I’ll tell you this: if you can’t figure out what you want to get, just go ahead and make this your default beer, I’m sure as hell making it mine.

Wednesday went like this–

Sarah (who is slightly slower than me, so a good running buddy) bailed; she couldn’t get out of work on time.

So, I was left with “the boys” who all run easy 8′s. I figured I’d count it as a tempo run, and try to “hold on” with them as long as I could. Seeing as I was still a little tight from Sunday’s run, I thought I’d slow them down a lot.

Well, I did a good job- 8:23 for the first mile, 8:22 for the second mile, and 8:13 for the third. Then, I kind of lost it. I hit the last steady uphill, and tried with all my energy to “charge” it (at probably a 9:30 pace). My last mile was 9:04, and the last half mile was about a 9:02 pace. Still, not too bad all-around.

We went around the corner to Trophy; had a beer, and enjoyed ourselves.

Tomorrow is a kilted 8K for St Paddys in downtown Raleigh. It will be lots of fun, and they are expecting about ~2000 kilted runners for the race (a record if that happens). Bruce and Dan agreed they’d just hang back with me and “take it slow”… which means I may PR (Because their “slow” is my “OMFG?! I can’t breathe! And a hill? Is this course getting longer?” pace)

I’ll post pics of the race. I know a few people running, so am sure to get a couple shots of the kilted beer-loving runner and my kilted beer-loving runner friends

Some inspiration for any St Patricks Day races….

Oh, my birthday was last Thursday. WIN! …Except that I was sick.

I went for a  run, and felt great so I stretched it to a 7.25. Yes, I was supposed to be tapering, but I pleaded with the running gods that it would be my last long weeknight run so I was allowed to do 7+ miles. I guess the running gods were not happy. Basically, the sickness began about 10 minutes after I got home from the run. A sore throat. So I drank OJ (I’d been oddly craving it Sunday after Tuna. Is that my body’s way of telling me I’m gonna get sick), and tons of water and hoped it’d get better with some sleep.

It didn’t.

I woke up Thursday with an even scratchier throat, and it was my birthday. I was supposed to go to work. But I had already been feeling iffy about going to work on my birthday. I mean, what am I, a grown up or something? So I typed an email to my coworkers, and got breakfast. Then went back to sleep til 1.

I planned to meet friends with a few beers at Tyler’s in Raleigh. And it was a few friends from this group, a few friends from that group; basically, they were there for me. So I couldn’t cancel. But, I could take a nap, oversleep, get a phone call from my GBF (gay best friend), and head out, leaving my ID in my apartment, drive for 10 minutes before realizing, have to turn around, and be 20 minutes late. Whatevs. It’s my birthday, I do what I want.

Thursday was fun. But I felt obligated to drink. I mean, I dragged my friends out on a weeknight. To a bar. Sarah was preparing for the Tough Mudder (look it up- it’s too crazy for me to do… Ever. <— remind me of this if I ever post about doing one). And Allison basically did the same thing as me- oversleep. And hey, it wasn’t her party. So she stayed in bed (bravo girl! I would have been there too!). And my friend, Carolyn had been working for 12 hours, and managed to walk over from work for a drink before going home to work for a few more hours (She works at a law firm and they were scheduled to go to court Monday). Megan and Dave were there. And Dan and Dave. I know! Two Daves! It gets confusing!

It was fun though. My drinks were covered by various people. And I had one of these: SKA Autumnal Mole Stout It’s spicy, with cocoa nibs, so spicy, but drinks really smooth. I thought the spice would clear me up, and the smoothness would coat my throat. Oh, and in bigger news- Dan and Dave brought me a present. In true Tuna teammate fashion, they got me a Dunkin Donuts gift card, and Cadbury Screme Eggs (and you thought they were only around at Easter… Not anymore! I seriously scour stores looking for these in April. I have spent 30 minutes in Target trying to find them. And had told Dave about my obsession). They’re the best. Really, just great guys. Any ladies interested, totally let me know. They’re cute. I should probably sell them as individuals, shouldn’t I? haha, ooooh well.

I slept most of the day Friday. And family dinner, where I was forced to eat birthday cake. Yes, I know how lame that sounds. I felt forced to eat it. I generally LOVE birthday cake, and buy it year-round. But, my cold stole my appetite. And then Saturday was a long run day. 16 miles. Ugh.

I woke up at 530, per usual. And just kept saying ‘If I vom, I’m going back to bed; Allie will understand’ But I felt okay- like 70%, so I was off to run the muddy hills of Umstead. I knew I wouldn’t make it 16 miles; maybe 12 miles of running? Maybe 10, maybe some walking. It was worse than I thought. After 5 miles at a decent pace (10:15s), I felt queasy, and slowed to a walk. And then started the hacking. Allison and Matthew ran ahead, and I swear they probably could hear me for miles, that’s how loud the coughing was. I decided it was best to turn around, and struggle to get 10 miles in. I ran/walked the rest of the way back to my car.

Then went home, showered, and slept some more. And finally, Sunday, I started feeling better.

So, tapering. Apparently a lot of people get sick. Especially if they do a no-sleep, run-in-the-cold approach. Like I did with Tuna200. So the goal isn’t to set any records, or even boost my confidence during this taper period. In the next ten days, my goal is to get better. And be 100% by race day.

Side note- I ran 4.6 miles at a 9:00 pace with Dave yesterday. And felt better this morning, so 3 miles today; then resting until Saturday’s long run (11 miles).

MARATHON in 11 FREAKING DAYS!

Rating: 4.8/5

Barrel Aged Human Blockhead by Coney Island is a 10.0%ABV Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial American Bock/Doppelbock. First thing you get right out of opening the bottle is an insane sweet fragrance of rich bourbon, caramel, vanilla, coffee, pecan pie and honey. Coney Island makes some pretty good craft lagers like the Albino Python but taking those lagers and barrel aging them into this type of beer bring a crazy world of complexity not formerly known in their beer styles. Once I actually tried this beer, I was quite amazed. If I was able to tell so much complexity from smelling this beer, the taste was just phenomenal. The brew starts pretty thick and creamy yet not that much of a full body yet it is kinda syrupy. Some Maple, vanilla, Mexican caramelized candy, oak, coffee, hazelnut, pecan pie, raisins, cinnamon and other spices. The beer taste ends with a Bourbon boozy feel and like a coconut aftertaste. Quite the delicious beer that this is. If you are a fan of sweet beer, just be careful about drinking this one too quick as it may gone before you know it. If you are a fan of complex barrel aged beers, go get this one at Downey Liquor before it is gone. You wont be disappointed

After a hard and hilly tempo (with “the boys” + Jarod, so three faster-than-me boys, and Allison, I thought a beer was well deserved. As we walked into Ridgewood Wine & Beer, and Dan & Dave say they’re just gonna probably go with something easier… As if the run was hard, therefore a hard beer is a bad idea, I thought “oh boy!” And announced “I want a good IPA, maybe even a double”… And the boys weren’t sure what to make of that. And oh, that I did. I almost switched to the Stone 16th Anniversary IPA, because I love Stone and basically they piss excellence. However, as the guy was pouring, I saw Stone’s 16th, and asked him about it. He said, “no you want the Citra”… I was like “Is the Stone 16th actually bad? I love everything Stone” and he told me they were almost done with the Citra.

Then he said the thing I love when bartenders say to me. I mean, it really makes me laugh… “That’s a lot stronger than it tastes, so go easy”… It’s like tempting my irish liver to go hard and see what happens. But, I was with new friends. And well Jarod (trained with him through Nashville 2.0; I’m pretty sure I saw him out that night. But can’t fully recall…)

So, all of the boys get the Octoberfest. I ask them which one it is- Foothills or Aviator? They have no clue. Wow, this is new for me- knowing more about beer than the guys We hung out and drank. And apparently the boys tapped the Octoberfest keg and it was closing, so we got an extra glass. Go us. Smelly and sweaty and red-faced and all.

So my review:

HEAVEN IN A GLASS!

I love Flying Dog. One of my top 3 favorite beers is their Raging Bitch. I mean all of their names are catchy- Doggie Style, Horn Dog, In-Heat Wheat… haha they even have a Oyster Stout named Pearl Necklace… When you have names like that you really have to back it up with flavor. So, the Citra- it’s limited (for a professional review http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/68/82934). Even though it’s not labeled as a “Double IPA”, it should be. It’s 10%. It is also delicious. It was light and citrusy, You could taste the hops, but it really had a refreshing citrus aftertaste. Smooth to go down. And probably the best double I’ve had in a long time. You can tell it’s an imperial/ california style ale. Something about that style I love. Reminds me of the Green Flash Imperial IPA, but it’s somehow a lighter (citrusy-er) flavor, but packs a bigger “knock you on your ass” kind of punch… Image was stolen from Flying Dog’s site. [No, I didn't take a picture... I was too giddy to try the damn beer!]

So, after a delicious beer. And a fun (And OMFG HILLY! WAIT- I MADE THAT COURSE?! WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME kind of hilly) tempo run, I am kind of on a running+beer high.

AND LOVING IT.

THE END.

Good night Raleigh.

Day 1 – Norfolk
Norwich – Great Pub…
After enduring much traffic on the way to Norfolk we finally arrived about 7pm. We managed to secure a room attached to a large pub a few hundred yards from Norwich. This was incredibly cheap. The room was fine but the shower was dire although the one saving grace was I could make a cup of tea because a kettle and tray of refreshments had been left for our use. We stayed 2 nights and it did suffice and suited our requirements because we could walk into Norwich. It was lalso near a rather super pub (see below).

Having settled in we wandered down the road and ate a rather ordinary Chinese supper. It was ok but infused with sticky sauces and soggy veg. What has happened to veggie Chinese meals? They used to be full of fresh bean shoots and vegetables.
Having been fed we decided to head for Norwich itself. We wandered around hoping to find some lively pubs and were relieved to hear some loud live music as we walked through the town centre. Great town, greater shops! We had a quick drink and much needed sit down and then decided to move on. After much navigation and walking through several backstreets we found the famous Fat Cat Free House. This pub has recently become Norfolk Pub of the Year (CAMRA). This is well deserved with a range of real ales, continental beers and draught Belgian beers. We settled down and enjoyed a jolly night in this wonderful pub and drank some delicious beer including Fat Cat Honey Ale and Dark Star Hophead.

An over enthusiastic chap sat down with us and starting rattling on about the Olympics and questioning us about who was on the telly. We disappointed him by smiling dutifully and confessing we hadn’t a clue and we were just trying to catch up on the news. He roared with laughter and scurried off back to his mates. Friendly place and a good start to a great weekend and of course, we returned the following evening.

Day 2 – Norwich
First, we walked into Norwich and enjoyed an amazing breakfast in Louis’ Deli. After which, we amused ourselves by wandering around the market and shops we decided we ought to do the cultural thing and decided to explore the Castle and Cathedral.
The Castle was fascinating although, as usual, a bit over modernised for my tastes. Sometimes it is difficult to get a feel for how people used to exist. Anyway, Norwich Castle was built by the Normans as a Royal Palace 900 years ago and is now a museum and art gallery. It has a collection of fine art, archaeology and history. There is an interesting reconstruction of an Anglo-Saxon grave site and Viking treasures which were found in the surrounding area. Also, viewed an Egyptian tomb and ancient mummies which are extraordinary and unexpected. Examined art galleries, Lowerstoft porcelain, and ceramic teapots and toured the dungeons. Super place to visit with all the hidden and unexpected treasures and experiences.

Then we went around the Cathedral and beautiful herb garden. The Cathedral has stood for over 900 years as a Christian place in the middle of Norfolk. It is a spectacular vision that can be seen from miles around. One enters the Cathedral through the Hostry which is built on the foundations of the medieval Hostry where visitors would be welcomed into the Benedictine monastery which then served the Cathedral. As you walk towards the Centre of the Nave we realised how light and bright the Cathedral is. D remarked that our Cathedrals are much more inviting because of the light shining through the stained glass windows.
The Font is a copper vessel, filled with water and used for the Christian rite of Baptism. It was previously used in a Norwich chocolate factory. The Cathedral is well worth a visit and so is the herb garden which I found quite tranquil after a long day of walking and reflection.

We finished our day by walking back towards our room via the river side which was a lovely end to a day.
During the evening we rested and showered and went out and had a lovely (if a little small) dinner at the Loch Fyne Restaurant in Norwich. I elected to drive because I was rather weary. However, we drove back to our room afterwards, parked the car and trotted back to the Fat Cat pub.
End note: As my husband was taking a shower there was a light knocking on our door. I slowly opened it full of trepidation. There was a man standing there. He informed me, rather sternly, that he was staying in the room below and I should be aware that water is running down their wall. I think I was a little shocked and probably unimpressed. I duly informed him that my husband had nearly finished. Needless to say we stayed in a very pleasant hotel in Great Yarmouth.

Day 3 – Great Yarmouth
Ok, so I was really tired from the previous day of walking and more walking. I needed to sit on the beach. We did and it was glorious. I loved Great Yarmouth with its wonderful array of pubs, cafes and, get this; the fair ground is still there! I could not believe it. Only been to Norfolk as a skinny 15 year old and all I really remember was the great beach and fair ground. Having thus explored the above we booked into our hotel and plonked ourselves on the beach. It really felt like a proper holiday. I think weekends away are a good idea if you need a break. Although I must admit rather expensive.

Day 4 Lowestoft and homeward bound…
Got to admit I found Lowestoft quiet but enjoyed walking along the sea front, around the rather industrial harbour and relaxing on the beach. I expected more but must say we really enjoyed the weekend and plan to return to Norfolk.

The week I picked to go into the brewery was a busy one as the boys were gearing up for Beervana and the Brewers Guild of New Zealand awards where they picked up the ’International Ale Styles’ award for their IPA, Bitterbitch. Wanting to catch as much of the brewing process as I could I went along early, too early for me on my day off, I arrived around about 6:30AM and stayed for most of the day.

It’s really great to see the process that goes into brewing something that I love consuming and one bonus of being there was getting to also taste one of their newest brews, Dogg, which is a dark mild ale. I highly recommend Parrotdogs range of six beers to any fellow beerlover out there. You can find them at most good bars around Wellington and a few other bars around the country, plus if you head down to their brewery at 29 Vivian Street you can have a rigger filled with the beer of your choice, straight from the source.

Keep an eye out for more Workplace posts as I visit some more places around the city.

http://www.facebook.com/parrotdog

(a very old photo of when i lived in sweden (!) )

New Belgium currently does a great deal of social marketing and has quite a following on the main channels, over 194,000 Facebook “Likes” and over 31,000 followers on Twitter.  Their Twitter mainly serves as an information outlet.  Promoting their company blog posts, events, and retweets of their most loyal fans.  Their Facebook page on the other hand should be a social media model for breweries all over.  They have all the basic information necessities and links on how to find out more about their company.  Where they really excel is in their multiple Facebook Apps that allow users to engage in the brand and share these engagements with their friends.

New Belgium has three main Facebook Apps that operate and cover the Relationship Building, Entertainment, and Publishing/Broadcasting zones of social media.  Their first Facebook App is called “Catch a Foodbuzz” and is essentially a user generated recipe book that either has a New Belgium beer in the dish or pairs nicely with a New Belgium variety.  Once clicking on the “Catch a Foodbuzz” icon, you can view the dozens of recipes, “Like” the recipes or share the recipes with friends or on your own wall.  You can also sort recipes by the type of beer used/paired with.

Their second, and in my opinion most useful app is their “Rangers” Facebook App.  Once you click on the “Rangers” tab on their Facebook page you are presenting with a very artistic representation of the US map with each state outlined in Orange or Tan.  If you hover over an orange shaded state (for example North Carolina) you are presenting with an option to click and be taken to the local “North Carolina New Belgium” Facebook page.  42 out of the 50 US states have their own Facebook New Belgium Chapter/State page.  On these sites users can connect with other people in their area and organize events that are geographically relevant to them. This operates in a cross between the Relationship Building zone and the Entertainment zone of social media.  Fans are able to connect with each other to build relationships and chat about New Belgium while also planning events and outings centered around New Belgium and their free spirited, home grown mantra.

While New Belgium’s social media strategy is engaging and relevant, there is always room for improvement.   For example in their “Rangers” Facebook App some of the states do not have a Chapter or State New Belgium page.  I am not sure why this is, but those are clearly a missed out market opportunity.  Also, while I was clicking through various state New Belgium pages there were quite a few that seemed inactive.  There was not much sharing or chatting happening on the walls and event sections of the pages.  New Belgium could initiate the conversation more and possibly create events in these areas or appoint people to start them in each geographic area.

All in all, New Belgium has a solid marketing plan that could stand as a model for other similar companies.  Brew-masters are passionate about the beer they make and beer drinkers are passionate about their beer.  New Belgium has found they can engage their followers in a way that is beneficial to the company and to the customers.  Their social media marketing strategy is one you can raise a glass to.

Cheers!

Many a good folk came out and braved mild winter non-summer weather for June’s Drink & Draw event.  Beers were imbibed and doodles were made on Apex’s expansive patio while we exchanged nerdy discourse on everything from bad art, film editing, and horror flicks.

FIFTY BEERS.  Apex.  Beer.  Good.

I brought entirely too many supplies (practically everything I use in my studio) and lamented over my lack of hair dryer to speed up the drying of my soppy watercolor pages.  However, Mom Nature was kind enough to oblige with some blusters of her own.  Here are the results of my beer-induced drawing;

(My version of sexxy lady wears high collars and towering beehives)

Yes, my scanner keeps shaving off those precious last few centimeters, even though the table space is there.  I don’t get it.

These color experiments continue to play out in my sketchbook, allowing me to ruminate on bigger versions.  Shout out to my Sakura White Gelly Roll pen for all the fancy detailing.

Thanks to EVERYONE that came out last evening, and Jake & I look forward to hosting next month’s Drink & Draw event!  We have invited the Sun and rumor has it he’ll be there.

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Oh, these shrimp.

They are, omigodhowdoiexpressthis, the most deliciously yummy shrimp.

It may have something to do with the fact that they are cooked in a pan of hot, sizzling, garlicky, spicy olive oil…

But who really cares about that?

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If you have good shrimp, fresh or frozen mind you, this dish is perfect for a lazy weekend dinner. I don’t say it’s best for the weekend because it takes all day to prepare. Not because this dish needs to simmer for 8 hours on the stove.

No, I say it’s good for the weekend because, well…

It goes best with a beer, of course.

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My favorite is Sunshine Wheat, made locally in Fort Collins, CO… it’s light, but not bitter, full of wheaty deliciousness.

This is, in fact, a SUPER quick dish to throw together. As long as your shrimp are peeled and deveined (and thawed if you started off with frozen, of course), this dish is 10 minutes in the making. It’s simply a few cloves of garlic chopped together with some parsley, thrown into hot oil along with bay leaves and dried chiles. The shrimp are cooked in this fragrant, spicy oil until just tender and cooked though. Serve directly from your pan, if you want, just remember to throw down a towel so you don’t burn your table.

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Another thing? This dish isn’t made with any purely “summer only” ingredients. So make this in the dead of winter, serve with cold beers… and tell me you don’t feel like you’re sitting on the beach somewhere. I certainly felt that way, and I live 1100 miles from the nearest beach.

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Gambas al Ajillo (Sizzling Shrimp with Garlic and Parsley)

Adapted from Saveur
Serves 4

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Serve with plenty of crusty bread to soak up the spicy oil.

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Gather:
1 cup olive oil
8 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1/3 cup flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
4 bay leaves (fresh or dried)
4 dried chiles, such as chile de arbol
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined with tails on
crusty bread, to serve

Prepare:
Pour the olive oil into a large, heavy pan. Heat over medium until the oil is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, parsley, bay leaves, and chiles to the oil. Heat, stirring frequently, until the oil is fragrant and sizzling, about 2-3 minutes. Add shrimp to pan, and cook for 3 minutes, or until just tender. Do not overcook shrimp. Serve immediately, with bread to soak up the oil.

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Maps & Atlases / Solid Ground

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Someone whose sober enough to know a lot more about beer than I do went ahead and put together this handy-dandy infographic to make it clear for the rest of us.  If only he could get rid of the doubled blurriness…

What’s your favorite?

Check out the FULL SIZE at popchartlab.com, where you can order the poster if you have a dorm room to hang it in.

via obviouswinner

For a while now, we’ve been hearing that 1 or 2 glasses of red wine can be a benefit to your health.  Now a study published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research says that even heavy drinking can result in a longer than average lifespan compared to going at it dry.  That explains why homeless guys can live off alcohol alone.

[W]hy would abstaining from alcohol lead to a shorter life? It’s true that those who abstain from alcohol tend to be from lower socioeconomic classes, since drinking can be expensive. And people of lower socioeconomic status have more life stressors – job and child-care worries that might not only keep them from the bottle but also cause stress-related illnesses over long periods. (They also don’t get the stress-reducing benefits of a drink or two after work.)

But even after controlling for nearly all imaginable variables – socioeconomic status, level of physical activity, number of close friends, quality of social support and so on – the researchers (a six-member team led by psychologist Charles Holahan of the University of Texas at Austin) found that over a 20-year period, mortality rates were highest for those who had never been drinkers, second-highest for heavy drinkers and lowest for moderate drinkers.

-Yahoo! News

See folks, this is why you can’t be afraid to try shit.  There’s such a barrage of chemicals, bacteria, and wireless signals hitting you everyday that you’re literally killing yourself if you don’t stay in shape by regularly inflicting them on your body.  This why I’m spearheading research to show that 1-3 cheeseburgers a day improves heart health.  It’s a muscle, people.  And like any other muscle, it needs to be vigorously strained until it’s sore, twitching irregularly, and teetering on the brink of collapse in order to get stronger.  Feel the burn in your left arm?  That’s the feeling of vitality.

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So, we have this wee little festival to celebrate beer here in Denver, called the Great American Beer Festival. You may have heard of it? It’s the biggest beer festival in the entire United States. After two years of missing out, Mr. Kitchenette scored us some tickets to the festivities this year. I was mildly terrified of attending, because let’s face it, I tend to be more of a let’s-stay-home-and-watch-movies-and-go-to-bed-at-10-pm type of person. I mean, it was sure to be filled with crazy, drunk, frat boys with popped collars slobbering all over each other. Not my idea of a good time.

… I conceed. It. Was. Awesome.

I mean, yes – there were lots of crazy, drunk people – but they weren’t all frat boys. I didn’t realize until I got there that the promise of unlimited beer in a 4 hour period appeals to much more than just the average frat boy. The conference hall was filled with people, mashed shoulder-to-shoulder near the beer servers. Essentially, there are long rows of tables, behind which stand volunteers that will serve you a 1-ounce tasting of any beer you like. And  you get a sweet little plastic beer glass to keep. And everytime your beer consumption overtakes your motor skillz, and you drop your little plastic beer glass on the concrete floor, you’re met with a resounding “OHHHHHHHHH!” from the crowd around you. You know, just in case you weren’t embarrassed enough. On the other hand, you shouldn’t be too embarrassed, as the guy next to you will probably drop his little plastic beer glass in the next 5 minutes, therefore stealing the attention away from your clumsiness.

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This drunk dude was wearing footie pajamas with the PBR logo all over

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If you love beer – nay, if you even like beer – you should definitely go to GABF at least once in your life. I’m not a huge beer drinker (although Mr. Kitchenette is – we have a pony keg of Heineken in our fridge right now) I thought this would be an extraordinary opportunity to taste a bunch of beers, and hopefully, find a few more that I could stomach.

So, while Mr. Kitchenette and his friend Piper tried all the “dude beers,” as I will henceforth refer to them, Jenny (my GABF partner-in-crime) and I conducted our own taste tests. I quickly realized that I couldn’t remember all of the great beers I was tasting, soooo… enter the Crackberry. I most definitely kept a list of all the beers we liked.

Behold, The Greatest Beers of GABF (Kitchenette-style):

• BJ’s Belgian Nit Wit – a Belgian witbier
• Full Sail Black Gold Bourbon Stout – a really dark beer, that I would never dream of actually drinking… I just really wanted to make a chocolate cake with it.
• Pelican Pub & Brewery Surfer’s Summer Ale
• Ohio Brewing Company Verich Gold – German kolsch-style beer
• Surly Brewing Company Coffee Bender – a beer with a light hint of coffee; again, I just really wanted to cook something with this! Any ideas?
• Upland Brewing Company Wheat Ale – delicious wheat beer
• Water Street Brewery Raspberry Weiss – a light weissbier with raspberries; the Ultimate Girly Brew
• Rockyard Brewing Company Wildcat White Ale
• Red Rock Brewing Company Black Bier
• Rocky Mountain Brewery Raspberry Cider – a raspberry hard cider, very sweet but would make a great sauce over fruit or cake
• Capitol City Brewing Company Honey Lager – not sweet like you would think, but just really delicious overall
• Capitol City Brewing Company Fuel - a coffee stout
• Heartland Brewery Summertime Apricot Ale – a light beer with a hint of apricots
• Shipyard Brewing Company Pumpkinhead Ale – pumpkin-flavored wheat ale
• Marble Brewery Wildflower Wheat – a wheat beer
• Triple 7 Brewpub Black Cherry Stout – a dark stout with a hint of cherry

As you can see, I definitely lean toward wheat beers and witbiers/weissbiers, as well as the crazy fruit-flavored girly beers. I can’t help it.

Speaking of the Crackberry, one dude actually saw me quickly write down which beer I liked and our conversation went like this:

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Drunk Dude: Whatcha doin’?

Me: Just keeping a list of the beers that I like.

Drunk Dude: Dude, that’s so… anal retentive.

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 Yes, but will he be able to remember all the delicious beers he tried? I don’t think so.

As I mentioned before, the GABF is a 4-hour shift in which you can try any of the 2100 beers, as many times as you like. There is food offered in the conference hall, but it’s overpriced and not very tasty. So most people have developed a system for having something on hand to eat during GABF, just so you don’t get too drizzunk during the 4 hours of debauchery. Enter the pretzel necklace.

I get it: pretzels and beer. Essentially you get some string (or ribbon, or whatever) and string a bunch of pretzels onto the string and tie it around your neck. Many people go with the traditional small pretzels for snacking, and a few I saw were working the sourdough necklace as well. Even more people string other foods onto their necklaces as well; I saw Fruit Loops and Cheerios, although pretzels tend to be the most traditional fashion choice. The best necklace I saw was the girl (see picture at beginning of post) wearing a necklace strung with pretzels and – I kid you not – string cheese, and tiny chocolate donuts. I had to take a picture to commemorate the Awesomeness.

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An unexpected bonus of GABF: a lot of people go in groups, and make it into a big event. Just like when your family went to Disney World in 5th grade, here you get matching t-shirts as well. Only at GABF, your t-shirts are likely to reference either sex, alcoholism, or both. Case in point:

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“My wife thinks I’m at Promise Keepers“ 

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And my personal favorite…

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I know… I can’t believe he wore that either.

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Thus concludes this year’s adventures at the Great American Beer Festival. I’m already designing my pretzel necklace for 2010.

What beers are in your fridge right now?

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Playing in the Kitchenette:  The Avett Brothers / Die Die Die - I saw this on sale at Starbucks and I died a little inside. At least whoever works at Corporate Starbucks has good taste in music… *sigh*.

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