my buddy and i decided to get some beer and this is how we keep em cold…

CHRITSMAS! Yes, today is the big day here. Not like in Scandinavia where Christmas Eve is the day for celebration. This is also the last day for me to find a domestic Christmas beer that reminds me about Copenhagen. It’s been a tought ride but I think I finally found the beer.  The beer that reminds me most of a cold, snowy winter days just before Christmas in Copenhagen is Great Divide Brewing Company Hibernation Ale.  Hibernation Ale is a three times Great American Beer Festival award-winning  beer that’s been Great Divide’s winter seasonal since 1995. It’s a robust, 8.1% English style Old Ale with a big and malty flavor. Hibernation has a warming felling which is just what you need after some serious Christmas shopping in Copenhagen. This is the kind of beer I can find at the many brew pubs, beer bars and restaurants in Copenhagen. Hibernation Ale is also the beer I would choose  (if there were no Danish craft brewery options) with my Julefrokost (Christmas lunch) and of course a AALBORG JUBILÆUMS Akvavit or and a Gammel Dansk.

Merry Christmas!

Gledelig Jul!

God Jul!

Hauskaa Joulua!

St. Louis, Missouri, is the home of American beer! At least until last year when Anhauser & Bush was bought by InBev. St. Louis isn’t only A&B. There are many small breweries and brew pubs that are brewing great beers. As my number 2 beer in my Christmas Beer Count Down I went to a regular grocery store to see if I could pick up a beer from one of the local breweries. I found a beer from St. Louis Brewery that they sell under the name of Schlafly. Schlafly’s started in 1991 and they claim that it’s the first brew pub in Missouri.There is no doubt that they have been a leader in the craft beer revolution in Missouri.

I was able to get hold of their Winter ESB Ale. It’s a malty, 6.2 % beer with rye flakes to give it some extra flavor. This is close to what I’m looking for! It has that maltyness that I remember from the Copenhagen beers and dark brown color with a higher alcohol content than a normal British ales but not too high. This is a good beer to have by the fire-place on a rainy day in St. Louis.

They’re here!

Small craft breweries always release their holiday beers around this time of year. Christmas or Holiday beers are traditionally ales, and are darker, richer, and more flavorful. You’ll often taste flavors like cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, allspice, vanilla, etc. depending on the brewmaster’s recipe. These beers go great with the new cold weather and match up nicely with more robust holiday foods.

We have by far the largest selection of holiday beers around…and they’re all in stock and ready for your enjoyment. Here’s the (lengthy) list:

• Santa’s Butt – Winter Porter
• Seriously Bad Elf – English Double Ale
• Reindeer’s Revolt – English Christmas Ale
• Bad Elf – Winter Ale
• Insanely Bad Elf – Imperial Red Ale
• Breckenridge Christmas Ale
• Bell’s Christmas Ale
• Affligem Noel Christmas Ale
• Corsendonk Christmas Ale
• Serafijn Christmas Angel – Amber Ale
• Kerstmutske Christmas Nightcap – Belgian Ale
• Christmas in Belgium – a sampler pack of 5 Belgians
• 12 Dogs of Christmas Ale – from Thirsty Dog Brewery
• Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
• Three Floyds Alpha Klaus
• Delirium Noel
• Harpoon Winter Warmer
• Samuel Smith Winter Welcome
• Schlafly Christmas Ale
• Anchor Christmas Ale
• Winter’s Bourbon Cask Ale
• Goose Island Christmas Ale

Because these are special releases, when they’re gone, they’re gone. Be sure you get a chance to try at least a couple of these before the holidays are gone. Or maybe invite some friends over to taste and enjoy a bunch of them – it makes a great theme for a casual holiday get-together.

Happy Thursday!

I attended Beer Geek Thursday at Patrick’s tonight – something I recommend everyone in the Indy/Zionsville area do. My powers of persuasion (or maybe my charm and good looks – ha!) actually made Beer Geek Thursday an official event at Patrick’s Kitchen! I do a little blogging and social media for Patrick, along with a couple of friends, and after we had so much fun talking to Hans and learning about beer LAST week, we decided other people might like it too. This is what we do – drink beer and come up with great ideas. Can I please do this full time?!

The Flying Dog Double Dog is the bright red beer you see on your far left, and then you see a couple of beers that I got to taste – Young’s Double Chocolate Stout; and a Schlyfly Kolsch. Neither one made me jump off my stool and break into song, but they were good. To be honest, with the Double Dog in front of me, even the stout paled in comparison (A little beer humor, heh.)

The Double Dog was my reason for being at Patrick’s: 11.5% ABV & 85 IBUs. Double Pale Ale, dry hopped with an insane amount of Cascade and Columbus hops. Very, very good.

I also tried a Punk IPA –

I wanted to love every last drop of it, being a punk rocker at heart and all, but – I couldn’t drink any more! I took a few sips and then shared it with some fellow geeks – because that’s what drinking is all about, right? The sips that I did have were great, but not wanting to get drunk and kill anyone, I knew I had to stop while I was ahead…and there’s always next Thursday!

And, I’m kind of turning into a music/drinking blogger this week instead of running/drinking, which tells me I need to get back on task! (Even though technically, music could also be cheaper than therapy!) I’m making my weekly Trader Joe’s trip today and then a nice long workout first thing in the morning, so you should have plenty of food/exercise content to read over the weekend.

Sarah Posner of The American Prospect has this in her post today (and she describes “WND” as “Wingnut WorldNetDaily, the scandal-mongering, tinfoil-hat tabloid of the right”):

Eagle Forum founder and anti-feminist crusader Phyllis Schlafly will be honored at the Values Voters gala dinner with the James C. Dobson Vision and Leadership Award — just one week before Eagle Forum sponsors the How to Take Back America conference in St. Louis. Guess who serves on the host committee for that conference? None other than Joseph Farah, WND’s editor. And Schlafly’s co-chair is Janet Porter of the decidedly tinfoil Faith2Action (and a frequent contributor to WND), who recently hosted a guest on her radio program who claims that a secret group of international bankers who control the Federal Reserve, the World Health Organization, and the U.N. are conspiring with the Obama administration to cause a “mass genocide” through the H1N1 flu vaccine.

Other “How to Take Back America” co-hosts include the Home Schooling Legal Defense Association (where would the GOP be without them?) and the “Christian nation” demagogues at WallBuilders (ditto)? Noted speakers include Michele Bachmann and Mike Huckabee, and workshops include topics like “How to recognize living under Nazis & Communists.”

Who could resist?

Brew: Schlafly Oatmeal Stout

Location: St. Louis, MO

First Impressions: Nothing about the bottle makes your cock jump out of your pants, but I did enjoy the “Bottled with Love On” label at the bottom that ensured freshness with a recent date.  The pour was exceptional, a dark brown full-bodied beer with a creamy light head.

Aroma: The aroma was light with a scent of malt and coffee and a hint of chocolate.

Overall Taste: It’s been a while since I’ve had an oatmeal stout (matter of fact, my last one was from Highland Brewing Company based in Ashland, NC), so I had some mixed expectations on this brew out of St. Louis.

As I took my first sip of this brew, the chocolate scent seemed to be stronger and stronger.  I awaited a very sweet flavor.  At first taste, however, this stout seemed to be a tad heavy on the malt.  As I continued to drink this beer, I was pleasantly surprised.  Each sip seemed to be more balanced with a good flavor of malt, coffee, chocolate, and oats.  This was a very smooth brew that peaked at its final sip.

You might also like: Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald

Price:$8.59/6 pk.

ABV: 5.7%

Grade: B

So I’ll start with why commuting sucks. I try to fly from dallas to chicago, but so many many people love our airline the flights are full. No worries I got jumpseats to take. But alas my first flight is weight restricted so no jumpseat. Then the next flight the agent says everyone has been rolled over to the next flight. But what about the jumpseat I ask in a very loving tone? She says I didnt introduce myself so she didnt know I was out there (and shes not freindly). I dont need to intoduce myself it says CJ right next to my name and she had to have looked cause she gave away the other jumpseat….Bah.

Trial number 2, I’ll fly to ceader rapids and catch the rest of my trip. The first flight took off and came back for mechanical and now my flight and every one after it is oversold….quick thinking i’ll fly through st louis wher the plane i have to work is coming from and all will be as it should. I make it to stl, and then I notice the CID flight is 3 hours late (no problem thats my plane, so the return to st louis will be late too.) Wrong, operations decides that plane will now be going to chicago when it gets to ceader rapids, and the reason its late…..a flight attendant wrote up 28 seats! Seriously? WTF man. Missed assignment number 2, so I sit and await in st louis to pick up the rest of my trip.

We have 8 hours of sleep in raliegh before we fly back, We arrive in STL at 8:15 in the morining, sweet have a little nap and hang with my crew downtown. Nope they live here so they run away and leave me by myself. No worries, the cards are in town i’ll just watch them. Albert Pujols whom leads the national leauge doesnt even hit a homerun, a double, nothing……to make matters worse an Arizona fan “accidently” runs into me and spills his beer all over me . Great now I need a new shirt, and the cheapest one is 25 dollars plus tax……How are you gonna spill beer on me in my stadium, and then not offer to buy me a shirt, a beer, or big foam finger…..I got a finger i’ll give him (stinkin arizona fans…even a cubs fan has more class than that.)

Still I gotta say the new busch stadium is awsome ….and so is schlafly Pale ale made right in STL. Before the game I had a nice walk along Lacleades landing and watched little feet practice for thier concert that night……I then decided time to get a snack before the game so i dont have to buy 8 dollar nachos or try and find vegetarian food at a stadium (harder than finding it at an airport). i find my holyland….Thy name is taco bell.

Every flight crews dream to eat for 3 dollars, and have an appetizer, drink, entree, and dessert. And one of the most veggie friendly places to eat. “I’ll have two cheesy bean and rice burritos and a mt dew,” I say smiling in anticipation of my favorite fast food treat, We are out of mt dew, we fine a large soda then i’ll just fill it up. the cashier glares at me with cold dark eyes…..”we don’t have any SODA?”……what? the whole taco bell has nothing to drink? She rolls her eyes, “they have serviced our machine yet….OK” Oh there is a special place in heacen for this angel I think to myslef, “fine ill have water” 

Then two of her black freinds come in….”hey hey, hey she says……suddenly they have soda. Then two hispanic friends come in…..and guess what….yep there is soada. Well I went to fill up my water and i checked the soda….not only did it work but it was delicous. Now I’m pissed. i suck down as much mt dew as I can in the 20 minutes im am there…..yeah take that cashier lady……GRRRR and whats with a taco bell that has no fire sauce? Really? Did I die and go to the taco bell in hell? I make it a point to make it known that I have soada on my way out……”mmmmm I love mt dew” I smile as i take a huge gilp and take more.

I think from now on I will eat taco cabana….shrimp quesadillas…hells to the yes! So there you have it, taco bell doesnt like crackers, busch staduim rules (even though we lost), and commuting always sucks!

I spent the weekend with my girl and my family. It was a wonderful and busy adventure, and I’m sore. We went to St. Louis, got cherries at Soulard’s farmer’s market, Schlafly’s sticky toffee pudding, Boathouse at Forest Park, City Museum, ferris wheel, fireworks, got smores all over our faces at Kayak Coffee, paddle boated really hard, tried to catch ducklings, and accidentally went to Illinois 3 times.

This is a hobo, wrapped in tin foil to cook over a fire. Picture courtesy of picky-palate.com

Then we played with my 5 nieces and nephews. Played hard. I’m wo’ out! We all also ate at Lambert’s and made “Hobos,” Allison’s recipe for cooking some good food over an open fire. Wrap up meat, potatoes, carrots, onions, ketchup, barbecue sauce, and whatever spices you fancy all together in tin foil and put it on a wrack above your fire pit. It’s so good.

My favorite local brew gets props in the L.A. Times.  Read the article, Saint Louis Brewery Leads Microbrew Market. My favorite is their Pale Ale.