Idag sticker jag iväg på läger! Vi ska bl.a. fira in det kristna nyåret, söndagen i första advent är nämligen kyrkoårets första dag. När jag har kommit hem, på söndag, får ni se vad jag hade på mig på balen

Såhär såg jag ut samma helg förra året, fast då var det ett maskerad-läger och jag var utklädd till Nancy i Sin City (en av mina favoritfilmer).

Så var ytterligare en torsdag till ändo. Idag har vi pratat om dop, på eftermiddagen hade vi projekt och jag hade ett snabbt utvecklingssamtal. Jag har känt mig hängig och småsjuk hela veckan, så jag tänkte lägga mig en stund nu och sova. I helgen ska jag vara funkis på ett läger, så jag har inte riktigt tid att vara sjuk. Eller ja, det har jag väl aldrig… Men än mindre nu. Ikväll blir det nog en mathandlings-trip till Arlanda iaf : )

© MARCO CARLI / OSSERVATORIO ITALIA

So, what’s on your Thanksgiving drink menu? Wine, perhaps? Or maybe Cider? Wait, did you say water?! That’s it—I submit beer as the holiday beverage of choice! Luckily, I’m here to provide pointers about pairing your holiday meal with the perfect beer.

Approach appetizers with a light-bodied beer that goes easy on the taste buds. Try an amber ale or a pilsner—Victory makes the outstanding Prima Pils, but a Sam Adams Boston Lager would do the trick. If you’re feeling particularly dangerous, try a Belgian pale ale like Orval or Duvel, or maybe a Bière de Garde like Jolly Pumpkin’s Bière De Mars. These bright, funky ales will keep the palate fresh while slicing through those first-course flavors. And if greens are on the menu, pick up New Belgium’s Frambozen Raspberry Brown Ale. Its tart, fruity finish works well with non-ranch salad dressings.

Pairing with a primary dish can go a few different ways. Assuming you’re eating turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, etc., a dark ale will serve you well. Consider a Belgian-style beer like Ommegang’s Rare Vos or, for the brave souls, a quadruple like Rochefort 10 or St. Bernardus Abt 12. Be careful; quads are extremely potent. Conversely, you could revisit lagers. These crisp beers make great palate cleansers, and German pilsners in particular complement poultry.

For dessert, milk stouts harmonize perfectly with chocolate. You can experiment with bolder stouts, too: Pour a glass of The Abyss or Stone’s Russian Imperial Stout after dishing out the pumpkin pie. Several other styles, including porters, lambics, and weizenbocks, also pair well with dessert; the estery flavors in lambics and weizenbocks go well with rich fruit pies, while a porter’s chocolate and coffee flavors speak for themselves.

After dinner, let your food settle while you sink into a warm armchair of inebriation with a barleywine or dopplebock. But remember, none of these guidelines are written in stone. Experiment! Get to know the styles and play with flavor combinations. And have a happy and beer-drenched Thanksgiving!

Monday: A review of my Thanksgiving-day beer!

Tsingtao

Company info:
Tsingtao Brewery
QINGDAO, CHINA

[No site listed on bottle]

Bottle size sampled: 330 mL

Alcohol: 4.7%
Standard drinks: 1.1

Cap type: Non-twist

Cost: I picked this up for AU$3.20

Label info: ‘Since 1903 our beer has been internationally recognised as the finest beer in China. Our master brewers choose only the finest hops and malted barley to produce this award winning beer’.

What the label really means: Well la di da! Look at us! We’re internationally recognised! Internationally recognised.
In all fairness, this is a pretty decent label description, despite the text requiring a magnifying glass to be read. 

The Hell-Cat review starts here

Label: I like the metallic looking green and gold label, the Chinese characters, the Tsingtao (pronounced ‘Ching-Dow’) font, and the little logo. What I don’t like is the neck label giving me details on how I can win a trip to Beijing. Advertising a competition on the label? What, am I drinking Tooheys Extra Dry here? I believe the neck label has been added by the Australian importers of Tsingtao, so unfortunately the low rating is due to their evil hand.

I give it a label rating of 4.5 out of 10.

AROMA: This smells good! A delicious malty, full flavoured aroma wafts out!

Taste: GLASS – This pours really light in colour with an average sized head. I take a sip and note that it is very lightly carbonated…it’s almost to the point where I am searching for a use-by date, indignant that the bottle is flat. I can’t find any indication that something may be wrong with this bottle so I look to the company’s website that informs me “spring water from China’s Laoshan mountain region” is used in the brewing and I wonder if this has caused the lack of carbonation…maybe it has some property that kills bubbles!
On the upside, the light carbonation means it is very smooth. There is a slight citrus taste with an enticingly bitter aftertaste.

I give it a beer from glass rating of 6 out of 10.

Taste: BOTTLE - It’s a little more flavoursome from the bottle (perfect if you order one of these at your local Chinese restaurant and get handed a small water tumbler and told it’s a beer glass), with a stronger bitter hit. But still very mild. It goes back a tad easier here. Bubbles? Where are you? (and I’m not referring to the one under Michael Jackson’s bed)

I give it a taste from bottle rating of 6.5 out of 10.

A word from the wife: “Flat and unenjoyable”

She gave it a taste rating of 3 out of 10.

Accompanying food: Being that this is so light in flavour, I can’t help thinking it has been designed to be consumed with spicy Asian dishes. I suggest a hot Chinese or Thai dish, and the Tsingtao in your greasy palm will hit like a gentle breeze down your trouser leg.

Best season to appreciate: A real Summer beer here folks. Enjoy in the sun.

All-nighter beer? I’d like more carbonation (I still can’t get over this point….), but yeah I’d give it a go all-night!

Other notes: If you believe I have sampled a dodgy bottle, with less carbonation than is normal, let me know! I may just have to re-sample at a later date.  

Farewell Movember: This month I participated in Movember to raise awareness for male depression, and prostate cancer. If you’d like to donate to my tash, head here.

NEXT WEEK: Pike’s Oakbank Beer

This is a very unique beer. Apparently they brew it at medium temperatures so it develops characteristics to that of both ales and lagers. It is very mellow and smooth with a nice buttery malt flavor to it. It is not amazing but it is worth trying. -  s

Stefan: 3 Thumbs Up

Zack:

At last! My first entry in the Beer Pioneer series. With each new edition, I’ll find and rank beer hotspots in a distant city. Although this time the city is downright contiguous: Phoenix, Arizona … where I currently live. Let’s avoid eye contact with that awkward moment and dive right into the expedition log, which I’ve transcribed from notes taken during my explorations.

Tuesday, November 3rd – Embarkation

At dawn, my goodly wife, Erin, and I will set out with a stout mule and one week’s supply of salted elk. We seek a land where the macrobreweries’ shackles cannot bind our hands.

In the market, I bought a scouting hawk named Google. He reappeared this morn in the “magic window” with news of promising beer settlements. The beast seems to place credence in something called “user reviews”—I know not if I trust this newfangled devilry. But embark we must. Winter bares its teeth behind us.

November 4th through 12th – The West Valley

Per Erin’s request, I’m dropping the half-assed frontiersman act. I hope I can return the coonskin cap.

We’ve braved the liquor stores suggested by Google. Most in the West Valley sold standard fair; few excited me. One proprietor, when asked about craft brews, led me to a freezer and nodded stoically at Blue Moon. I smiled and backed away slowly. (I have no problem with Blue Moon; it just happens to be a Coors product.) Chains like Total Wine, Whole Foods, and AJ’s boast the best selections so far.

But wait! I’ve wandered into one that seems … different. Smells different, anyway. It’s called Magnum’s Cigar, Wine, and Liquor. The exterior mimics an average liquor mart, but inside it reeks of cigars and high society. Bottles housing fine wine and liquor sit regally on shelves, and all along the far right wall you’ll find row after row of beer. Quite a selection, too. The merchandise is a bit overpriced, but if you can handle that and the smoke (and its barely-in-the-West-Valley location), Magnum’s won’t disappoint.

Alas, my search continues. Driving west along Bell Road (where many sub par liquor stores dwell), I see an unexpected sign. It reads What Ale’s Ya. A beer pun!? I stomp the brakes so hard I nearly give my car a Flintstone’s makeover.

Upon entering the store, I don’t notice any bottles—only brewing equipment. It’s a local homebrew store! Modest in size but arranged with purpose, What Ale’s Ya exudes hospitality. The owner, Chuck, approaches promptly but without any obnoxious buy-this-or-you’re-an-idiot salesguy aggression. His manner announces that he knows beer, which he soon confirms by speaking. He showed me the (affordably priced) starter kit, took me back to investigate the barley, and chatted with me about beer for 30 minutes. I’ll definitely be going back to What Ale’s Ya.

November 14th through 22nd – The East Valley

Last night I discovered the BeerFly feature on Beer Advocate. This handy system spits out beer hotspots like a jackpotting slot machine. To be honest, I don’t have the time to visit them all, as I am currently not immortal. But I’ll hit several and report back with favorites.

Whooshing sound!

I’m back. The East Valley was brimming with beer destinations (no fair!), but I returned with two favorites: Papago Brewing Company and Sun Devil Liquors.

Sun Devil Liquors trounced the other stores in the ASU campus area (except Tops Liquors, its sister store, which was almost equally awesome). Inside you’ll discover a dimly lit room that runneth over with bottles. They even have themed areas! My favorite was the “Iron Curtain” section, where they’ve amassed tons of Eastern European imports. I did notice dust on a few bottles, but every beer I bought was fresh. Just keep an eye on those expiration dates.

Oh, the best part! After you enter, fight the urge to bear-hug the bottles on your left and keep walking forward. See that staircase twisting down to the right? At the bottom you’ll find a stylish tasting room with several beers on tap and the rest available for sampling from the bottle. In case you’re wondering, yes, I did wet myself. It was uncomfortable.

Let’s move on to Papago Brewing Company, a little brewpub crammed into a Scottsdale strip mall. It may not sound impressive, but wait till you see their beer menu. Of the 30 beers on tap, I saw craft brews, imports, and several Papago originals. What choice did I have but to sample one of each?

The Papago brew, dubbed Orange Blossom, was a hefeweizen with distinct citrus flavors. Light and refreshing, almost like a witbier—I can understand why it’s popular. Next I chose something more my speed: the Chimay tripel. Huge, spicy malts balanced by subtle hops and earthy yeast … in other words, standard Chimay awesomeness. But the night’s best brew awaited me in The Abyss, an imperial stout from Deschutes brewery. This towering ale smelled of bourbon, coffee beans, and oak; tasted like bitter chocolate and roasted malt; and had the mouthfeel of maple syrup. Yet it was surprisingly drinkable. One word can describe it: balanced.

Papago Brewing Co. respects beer. Each ale arrived in appropriate glassware (the tripel even came in a Chimay chalice!), and the interior design pays homage to great breweries around the world. And I haven’t even mentioned the rear wall lined with beer-stuffed coolers. At Papago, beer lovers can find respite. It’s an oasis for the brew-minded.

One cautionary note: Before you go, you might want to check your tolerance for boozed up college students; it’s just down the street from a state university, after all, and things were getting a little loud by the time I left. But it should be fine for a weekend lunch or midweek dinner.

Conclusion

Because everyone loves lists, I’ve narrowed it down to my top three spots:

1. Papago Brewing Company
2. Sun Devil Liquors/Tops Liquors
3. What Ale’s Ya

For the next Beer Pioneer … I, uh … I actually have no clue which city I’ll explore. It could be LA, Portland, Brussels (quite a jump from Phoenix, I know), or somewhere else entirely. You’ll just have to wait and see. And so will I!

WEDNESDAY: I’m taking Thursday off for obvious reasons, but you can expect a short Thanksgiving beer pairing guide on Wednesday!

Diacetyl Rest.

Brewing yeast naturally produce diacetyl, a vicinal diketone known as 2,3 butanedione (C4H6O2). Diacetyl is made from alpha-acetolactate which is then decarboxylated into diacetyl. In other words, at low concentrations, it gives a slippery mouth feel to the beer, and at higher concentrations it gives off a buttery aroma, like pop corn. This can overwhelm malt and hop flavor and aroma. At higher temperatures (65-75º F) the yeast will re-absorb the secreted diacetyl and re-metabolize it into acetoin and 2,3 butanediol, which have no flavor or aroma character.

To succesfully perform a diacetyl rest, increase the temperature to 60–70º F for 24-72 hours. The best time to do this is when the bulk of primary fermentation has finished. Usually, when the blow off CO2 bubbling has decreased to 5-6 bubbles per minute and the trub has settled. Either increase the refrigerator temperature to 60º F or remove the lager from the refrigerator and let sit at a cool room temperature (65-70º F) for 24-72 hours. Raising the temperature will not affect the lager, as the important part of fermenting with lager yeast takes place during the first 3/4 of the ferment. Then rack the lager off the lees/trub (yeast bed) into a clean carboy and decrease the temperature again back to 45-55º F for secondary fermentation (Conditioning Phase). Often times if the yeast had enough oxygen and bio-mass during the primary ferment, the secondary fermentation stage will not experience a high degree of continued fermentation. However, it is important for the yeast to clean up house after the party that just occured during primary fermentation. The yeast will finish off the complex sugars (maltotriose) and breakdown metabolic by-products produced during primary phase. This is why secondary fermentation is really more or less a conditioning phase. However, when you decrease temperatures for lagering (cold conditioning), this is considered the secondary fermentation. If fermentation is complete and you have done a diacetyl rest, it is safe to go ahead and drop the temperature for lagering.

By Andrea McCallum

PLANS are underway to lower the Scottish drink-driving limit to make it less than south of the border.

Pub-goers would break the law driving after two pints under new rules which would see the 80mg per 100ml of blood limit dropped to 50mg.

The new rules would restrict drinking motorists to a pint of lager or large glass of wine.

Ministers in London are being urged to change the legal limit by the SNP who have no power to change the road traffic law.

The idea for the change comes after Northern Ireland environment minister Edwin Poots said he wanted the legal limit slashed.

SNP Highlands and Islands MSP David Thompson, who has campaigned on the issue, said: “The UK government has claimed in the past that Scotland’s limit could not be changed because it would be wrong to have different limits in different parts of the UK.

“That argument has been blown out of the water by Northern Ireland’s decision.

“If the UK government won’t do it, they should pass the powers to Holyrood as soon as possible. Saving lives is too important for parties to play political games.”

The Republic of Ireland Transport Minister Noel Dempsey said the legal limit there would be lowered by the end of this year.

If successful, the UK and Malta would be the only nations in the EU with a higher drink-drive limit.

See more of our pictures at our Flickr site and videos at our dedicated channel,  Deadline TV.

Bahamian Brewery and Beverage Company launched its fourth beer, High Rock, a premium lager beer.   The newest addition to the Brewery’s line of successful beers is a higher end lager, delivering a crisp and refreshing taste with a bolder constitution.

“Lager beer is one of the most popular beers made in the world,“ said Lynden Johnson, Bahamian Brewery and Beverage Sales and Marketing Manager. “High Rock will be our higher end lager using the method of longer maturation which gives HIGH ROCK a wholesome quality.  Allowing the slow acting yeast to ferment during storage gives it more body – much like a European beer.”

The name of the newest beer to join the Bahamian Brewery and Beverage Co. family, HIGH ROCK, was derived from the 2006 competition launched by brewery owner James “Jimmy” Sands.  This unique contest allowed all Grand Bahamians to submit their ideas for “Truly Bahamian” beer names – even before the brewery opened!

The competition offered contestants a chance to win $3,000 for their ideas.  When the brewery opened “Sands” was the first name chosen and then “High Rock” the second name.  At the time two local ladies had submitted this name, Ethel Bethel and Garnell Frith, and thus won $1,500 each.

High Rock Premium Beer was named after the High Rock Township, a small and hospitable community in the eastern end of Grand Bahama.  “High Rock is a place where you can relax on a Sunday afternoon, while sipping on your favorite cocktail and enjoying the ocean breeze,” noted James “Jimmy” Sands, Bahamian Brewery Owner and President. “As you drive through the area, you are greeted by many locals and feel a sense of community, much like what we are trying to create at our brewery facilities and with our business practices.“

High Rock bellows “Truly Bahamian” from its smooth finish to its original bottle design.  The lighthouse on the label and bottle cap are reminiscent of an out island feel, and there is in fact a lighthouse in the High Rock community.  Its distinctive green bottle is not only a great “green” colour but is also a “green” environmental product as it is recyclable.

Notably though, for fans waiting for the next great brew, High Rock’s taste is pure and aromatic.  The longer aging process gives it a slightly darker golden colour as well as a wholesome quality.  Brewed with no sugar, it delivers a pure taste with a smooth finish.

Sands noted “I am ecstatic to present yet another beer to The Bahamas. We have had great success with Sands, Sands Light, Strong Back and even our malt-beverage, Triple B.  I am confident that our premium lager will have a similar impact on the market.”

Since opening in late 2007, the Bahamian Brewery and Beverage team has been steadily growing from 14 to now just over 60 employees.  Though all products are produced and bottled in Grand Bahama, the brewery has also expanded its operation into Nassau, opening a capital-based distribution centre at Kelly’s Liquor Store on Wulff Road in April of this year. This new distribution centre and the brewery in Grand Bahama are also the collection points for the brewery’s ongoing recycling of bottles programme.

“With the holiday season approaching, what better way to show our appreciation, to our many loyal distributors,” noted Johnson,” than by introducing the newest Truly Bahamian Premium Beer, High Rock, to them and saying thank you for their continued support of our brands.”       Johnson also released that High Rock  beer will be available for sale on Thursday, November 19^th at Jimmy’s Liquor Store, Bristol Wines and Spirits Freeport and at all Truly Bahamian Liquor stores and restaurants throughout Grand Bahama.

The Bahamian Brewery and Beverage Company has always held a special place for keeping it “Truly Bahamian” and is on a mission to make all of its products Bahamian sensations.  “We had great success with the Sands beer launch in late 2007” noted ‘Jimmy’ Sands, “and the local support here in Grand Bahama has been incredible.  I am hoping they will embrace High Rock the same way! So I will launch it here first and then in 2010 take it the rest of The Bahamas.”

Kraj pochodzenia: Czechy
Gatunek: Lager
Alkohol: 5,0%
Ekstrakt: 11,7%

Kraj pochodzenia: Polska
Gatunek: Dark Lager
Alkohol: 6,0%
Ekstrakt: 12,7%

Kraj pochodzenia: Polska
Gatunek: Lager
Alkohol: 6,0%
Ekstrakt: 12,7%

Kraj pochodzenia: Polska
Gatunek: Dark Lager, Hybrid
Alkohol: 5,5%
Ekstrakt: 12,7%

Photographed by tswicegood

I finished mine. That’s more than I can say for Meg.

– License

Am desoperit-o întâmplător în urmă cu ceva timp, pe când urmăream un lager de alt gen. Mi-a plăcut eticheta şi prezentarea şi am cumpărat spre exemplificare. Prima oară mi s-a părut ciudată, prea aromată. Am mai încercat-o iar după o perioadă, descoperind acelaşi gust, însă atunci am fost ceva mai atent la ea, considerând-o rezonabilă pentru ocazii mai speciale. Se pare că Bavaria Brewery este destul de bine cotată în Olanda ca să se situeze în top alături de Heineken şi Grolsch. Istoria i-a început în 1719 (aşa scrie pe sticlă) când Laurentius Moorees a început să braseze la Lieshout. În primul rând are o prezentare interesantă, cu o etichetă verde, cu raze şi cu spice de orz, puţin cam încărcată (după mine), dar interesantă. Nu are medalii. Se pare că nici olandezii de la Bavaria Brewery nu aleargă după cine ştie ce recunoaşteri internaţionale. Poate fi găsită şi la sticlă de 66cl, iar în pub-uri are preţuri mari. E o bere blondă, obişnuită ca aspect, carbonaţie medie, spumă densă care trece repede. Conţinutul este comun pentru un lager: apă malţ şi hamei. Olandezii se laudă că ar folosi o apă minerală de mare efect… asta nu pot controla, însă sunt convins că o apă bună e sursa principală a unei beri rezonabile, nu cred că trebuie să fie neapărat minerală. ABV 5%. Parfumul este sensibil de malţ cu o vagă inflexiune acrişoară şi aromată. Gustul este intens de malţ cu o aromă sensibil acrişoară (de mere verzi, mi s-a părut). Finish amărui cu aceeaşi undă de fruct. E de fapt o aromă comună la lager-ul olandez (mă rog, la cât am băut eu… ceva mai intensă decât la Heineken-ul produs la noi).

Sorry, loyal readers: Technical difficulties derailed today’s article. You’ll have to wait till Monday to read about my beer-trek through the desert. For now, I’m revisiting my Halloween feature by extracting this quote from Henry Miller’s 1925 work “Make Beer for Man”:

“Keep your libraries, your penal institutions, your insane asylums … give me beer. You think man needs rule, he needs beer. The world does not need morals, it needs beer. It does not need your lectures and charity. The souls of men have been fed with indigestibles, but the soul could make use of beer.”

-Henry Miller

Heavy stuff. We humans have spent our history erecting things like fortresses and governments and fast food drive-throughs. We’ve built structures that catch on Heaven’s undercarriage. But what of beer, the mortar in our base? Would our skies be less toxic, would our brothers and sisters be less, uh … shot at … if we carried goblets and growlers instead of guns?

Beer nourishes the flesh—pyramids were built on its back, after all, and many monks subsist on little else during fasts. But it also dazzles the mind and girds the spirit. Give me a pint a day and I’d be too blissfully besotted to wage a war or mess with drugs! I’d probably write a poem instead.

Author’s note: Beer isn’t a drug, silly! Which brings me to another quote, from Reverend Lovejoy back when The Simpsons was actually worth watching:

“Once something has been approved by the government, it’s no longer immoral!”

-Rev. Timothy Lovejoy

Indeed.

Monday: Beer trek! Finally! I hope!

(The pictured beer is a Black Butte Porter from Deschutes Brewery. Tasty! And yeah, it’s in a weizen glass. Wanna fight about it?)

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My Thoughts Enclosed…Rb

Last night was good. Today was not so good.

Last night I went to the pub with some friends and my boyfriend and took part in the quiz. I ended up fairly drunk on just two pints and a double Southern Comfort. I’m such a fucking light weight.  I was fine until I actually left the pub; my boyfriend walked me home and has since informed me that I was very slurred and didn’t stop talking.

Today was not so good because I was up at seven with a killer hangover. It still hasn’t quite gone. My Media teacher asked us if there was a social last night because the whole class seemed dead, but then someone piped up that there wasn’t but I had. He then asked if it was for any particular occasion, or whether it was “just getting fucked on a Wednesday?”

Luckily, I was able to rest up on the sofas at school with some of the others under a nice warm blanket and snooze most of the afternoon. Headache’s still lingering though…

A Spanish study involving 15,000 men and 26,000 women has come up with a result stating that large quantity of alcohol is more beneficial to men’s heart than it is to women’s.

The study was conducted in Spain where men and women participants, ages between 29 and 60, were first made to record their drinking routine as they went through life and the researchers monitoring the practice subsequently.

The participants, selected from centers across Spain, were divided into six groups according to the degree of consumption – from never having drunk to drinking more than 90g of alcohol each day. The latter translates to consuming the equivalent of about eight bottles of wine a week, or 28 pints of lager.

The study showed that risk in men was lowered by 35% for those designated as drinking little, as in less than a shot of vodka a day, and 50% on the average for those who drank anywhere between three shots to more than eleven shots per day.

The type of alcohol drunk was seen not to matter at all, but benefits were observed, however, for men who drunk moderate to high amounts of diverse drinks.

The same positive results could not be seen in women, the study showed. Researchers have theorized the fact that women normally process alcohol differently in the body, and that female hormones are natural defense mechanism against heart disease in younger age groups.