My father was awesome enough to buy me a sweet set of home brewing equipment-- everything I need for brewing partial boil extract (complete with a secondary fermenter and an immersion chiller)! I figure I'll try a few batches of extract, and if all goes well, I'll move on to all grain; probably buy a bigger brew kettle and build myself a mash tun.
But, I'm getting ahead of myself. I'm just SO EXCITED! This set is SO much more than I would have expected. Fucking awesome.
Anyway, despite my excitement, I am kind of nervous. I've been reading about home brewing for nigh on a year now, especially the BeerAdvocate.com forum, and there seems to be a LOT that can go wrong. I want my beer to be great. Realistically, though, I know I'll probably make mistakes. SO in order to get past my beginners jitters, I'm going to give myself a few weeks to read up on proper procedure, then get to brewing ready or not. So, come January 19th, which is exactly four weeks from today my first beer will be bubbling happily away in the fermenter.
Wish me luck!
Now, since my first beer will be a blonde ale, I will be reviewing Leffe Blonde tonight.
Abbaye de Leffe S.A., Belgium
Leffe Blonde (they call it a blonde ale, but BA lists it as a Belgian Pale)
6.6% ABV, 12oz bottle.
Nice golden color with reddish tint. Persistent carbonation, generous white head that diminishes slowly. Smells more alchoholic than 6.6%. A clean, fruity smell
Tastes very refreshing. Definite alcohol warmth. Malty, but not BIG malty. It's balanced well with hop bitterness and a fruitiness that I assume comes from the hops, and maybe yeast? This one is hard to pin down. Mouthfeel is dry, yet refreshing. Crisp, I suppose is the word.
VERY drinkable. Probably the drinkablest(?) Belgian I've had yet.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
My First Real Magickal Ritual: A Summoning
If you remember this post I talked a lot about symbols and magick. If you haven't read it, it'll help you understand this post.
A few weeks ago I did my first ritual. I chose to create and summon an angel who represents all the good things in my life; all the things about myself that I like, and all the ways I want myself to be. I figured if I were to have a conversation with this being, it might help me realize these things within myself, so that they are no longer just wants.
I set up a fairly tall mirror in front of me, set lit candles around me, and got on my knees. I had a glass filled with cranberry juice as an offering to the angel. Just as cranberry juice is used to cleanse the body, and flush out impurities, it was a symbolic offering to remove all the negative things in my life. I took a drink of the juice, and said "Angel, I wait for you to appear" or something of that nature. I just sat there, staring at my reflection, waiting patiently, trying not to expect much. After a while, I noticed the shadows were casting what looked like wings behind me, and I automatically felt a presence. The hairs on the back of my head stood up. I asked no one in particular "Are you here?" and heard in my head "Yes". Granted, this was not an audible answer, but more like a feeling, or a thought, like when you "hear" your own voice in your head when you think to yourself.
After the presence made itself known to me, I started swinging back and forth, and from side to side, not really able, or willing to stop it. This went on for some time, though I'm not sure how long. Then I felt a push and my back, and I was staring at my reflection in the cranberry juice. The weird part was, even though my eyes were open, my reflection's eyes were closed. Again, I "heard" the presence, which said "When my eyes open, drink the juice." At that point I had an understanding that the reflection was not mine, but that of the angel's, who was not yet powerful enough to have full consciousness. For some reason, I began breathing hard into the glass, effectively breathing "life" into the being. Then, after a while, I saw the reflection's eyes snap open. I sat up, and drank the juice quickly. I understood then, that the "angel" was "within me" and the ritual was over.
I blew out the candles, and put away my various implements. Then I just hung out outside on my porch, had a cigarette, and talked with the angel. She helped belay some fears I was having, instilled confidence in me, and was generally very helpful. She was the same way the next morning. The next day though, she was gone, with only a small whisper a couple times during the day. I haven't attempted to summon her again, but I have a feeling that the more I do, the stronger she will become, and better able to help me. Ideally, I would like to do this once a week, if not once every few days.
For those of you who are confused; I do not believe I summoned a literal entity, nor did I really hear voices. I used this ritual to compartmentalize the positive aspects of myself, and to think of them as a teacher. The ritual was my subconscious acting on the mood and way of thinking I put it in... this is where the swaying, angel wings, and reflection with the closed eyes came from. The voices were my own thoughts, which after focusing on the positive, became more encouraging. They went away after a day or so because the negative thoughts again began to assert themselves. So, if I keep at this ritual every so often, I feel I will become a more positive, and successful person.
I have a few more rituals I am working on, and will talk about soon. The biggest being the inverse of the last. Creating an entity composed of all my negativity, and "killing" it.
BEER! BEER! BEER!
Stone Brewing Company, Escondido, CA
Oaked Arrogant Bastard, 7.2% ABV, 12oz bottle
Stone's Oaked AB is an American Strong Ale.
Dark, reddish and cloudy. Looks a slight bit thick coming out of the bottle. About a finger's worth of creamy off white head. Retention is lower than I expected, but plenty of lacing. I smell mostly caramel and alcohol. A little bit of oak but I'm not sure if that's placebo effect.
I wonder if maybe this has gone bad. It HAS been sitting in the back of my fridge for at least a few months. I bought a six pack a while back and kept one to review, but only got around to it now. Carbonation is a lot less than I remember, but that may be due to poor memory. I don't taste the oak at all. Alcohol warmth and a good bit of bitterness. I taste slight caramel, but I have to really concentrate to find it. Cloves come through as well.
On second thought, I don't think it has gone bad, I just think it has been a long time since I've had it or regular Bastard. Moderate thickness. Carbonation doesn't come through well unless I hold it in my mouth. I could have a couple, but it's not what I would choose to drink often. I'm a little disappointed. It's not as good as I remember, and for the price, I would buy this very sparingly.
I feel bad not giving this beer a better review. Stone has consistently been one of my favorites, but I think my tastes are leaning toward different styles now.
***
Finally, I'd like to show you a little video. For those of you who don't know, Budweiser recently rolled out an ale.
This seems a little silly to me. In the video they are really trying to change their image, ostensibly to appeal to Craft beer drinkers, and Beer Geeks. Now, if this ale is fuller bodied, and fuller flavored, what I think it will do, if people like it, is make them more curious about better beers, try some craft offerings, and maybe convert them to REAL beer. I can hope. Either that, or people will hate it, and it'll get pushed from the market. OR people who were already Bud fans will drink it as well as the Lager, and not really make a difference. It's really funny to see people tasting, and swirling around that watery, straw yellow stuff like it was a finely crafted beer, when they KNOW it's not. What they are really tasting for is consistency, not quality. But hell. I'll quit wining and give it a try, maybe even review it for this site. It does look darker, and have more head to it than the lager. I might like it, but I'm not holding my breath.
A few weeks ago I did my first ritual. I chose to create and summon an angel who represents all the good things in my life; all the things about myself that I like, and all the ways I want myself to be. I figured if I were to have a conversation with this being, it might help me realize these things within myself, so that they are no longer just wants.
I set up a fairly tall mirror in front of me, set lit candles around me, and got on my knees. I had a glass filled with cranberry juice as an offering to the angel. Just as cranberry juice is used to cleanse the body, and flush out impurities, it was a symbolic offering to remove all the negative things in my life. I took a drink of the juice, and said "Angel, I wait for you to appear" or something of that nature. I just sat there, staring at my reflection, waiting patiently, trying not to expect much. After a while, I noticed the shadows were casting what looked like wings behind me, and I automatically felt a presence. The hairs on the back of my head stood up. I asked no one in particular "Are you here?" and heard in my head "Yes". Granted, this was not an audible answer, but more like a feeling, or a thought, like when you "hear" your own voice in your head when you think to yourself.
After the presence made itself known to me, I started swinging back and forth, and from side to side, not really able, or willing to stop it. This went on for some time, though I'm not sure how long. Then I felt a push and my back, and I was staring at my reflection in the cranberry juice. The weird part was, even though my eyes were open, my reflection's eyes were closed. Again, I "heard" the presence, which said "When my eyes open, drink the juice." At that point I had an understanding that the reflection was not mine, but that of the angel's, who was not yet powerful enough to have full consciousness. For some reason, I began breathing hard into the glass, effectively breathing "life" into the being. Then, after a while, I saw the reflection's eyes snap open. I sat up, and drank the juice quickly. I understood then, that the "angel" was "within me" and the ritual was over.
I blew out the candles, and put away my various implements. Then I just hung out outside on my porch, had a cigarette, and talked with the angel. She helped belay some fears I was having, instilled confidence in me, and was generally very helpful. She was the same way the next morning. The next day though, she was gone, with only a small whisper a couple times during the day. I haven't attempted to summon her again, but I have a feeling that the more I do, the stronger she will become, and better able to help me. Ideally, I would like to do this once a week, if not once every few days.
For those of you who are confused; I do not believe I summoned a literal entity, nor did I really hear voices. I used this ritual to compartmentalize the positive aspects of myself, and to think of them as a teacher. The ritual was my subconscious acting on the mood and way of thinking I put it in... this is where the swaying, angel wings, and reflection with the closed eyes came from. The voices were my own thoughts, which after focusing on the positive, became more encouraging. They went away after a day or so because the negative thoughts again began to assert themselves. So, if I keep at this ritual every so often, I feel I will become a more positive, and successful person.
I have a few more rituals I am working on, and will talk about soon. The biggest being the inverse of the last. Creating an entity composed of all my negativity, and "killing" it.
BEER! BEER! BEER!
Stone Brewing Company, Escondido, CA
Oaked Arrogant Bastard, 7.2% ABV, 12oz bottle
Stone's Oaked AB is an American Strong Ale.
Dark, reddish and cloudy. Looks a slight bit thick coming out of the bottle. About a finger's worth of creamy off white head. Retention is lower than I expected, but plenty of lacing. I smell mostly caramel and alcohol. A little bit of oak but I'm not sure if that's placebo effect.
I wonder if maybe this has gone bad. It HAS been sitting in the back of my fridge for at least a few months. I bought a six pack a while back and kept one to review, but only got around to it now. Carbonation is a lot less than I remember, but that may be due to poor memory. I don't taste the oak at all. Alcohol warmth and a good bit of bitterness. I taste slight caramel, but I have to really concentrate to find it. Cloves come through as well.
On second thought, I don't think it has gone bad, I just think it has been a long time since I've had it or regular Bastard. Moderate thickness. Carbonation doesn't come through well unless I hold it in my mouth. I could have a couple, but it's not what I would choose to drink often. I'm a little disappointed. It's not as good as I remember, and for the price, I would buy this very sparingly.
I feel bad not giving this beer a better review. Stone has consistently been one of my favorites, but I think my tastes are leaning toward different styles now.
***
Finally, I'd like to show you a little video. For those of you who don't know, Budweiser recently rolled out an ale.
This seems a little silly to me. In the video they are really trying to change their image, ostensibly to appeal to Craft beer drinkers, and Beer Geeks. Now, if this ale is fuller bodied, and fuller flavored, what I think it will do, if people like it, is make them more curious about better beers, try some craft offerings, and maybe convert them to REAL beer. I can hope. Either that, or people will hate it, and it'll get pushed from the market. OR people who were already Bud fans will drink it as well as the Lager, and not really make a difference. It's really funny to see people tasting, and swirling around that watery, straw yellow stuff like it was a finely crafted beer, when they KNOW it's not. What they are really tasting for is consistency, not quality. But hell. I'll quit wining and give it a try, maybe even review it for this site. It does look darker, and have more head to it than the lager. I might like it, but I'm not holding my breath.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Dimmu Borgir's "In Sorte Diaboli" and Dogfish Head's Festina Pêche
Ok, So it's no secret that Dimmu Borgir is one of my favorite if not my all time favorite metal bands. Their latest (over a year old), is no exception.
In Sorte Diaboli is the story of a Christian Priest who moves from the side of Christ, to the side of Satan.
The first track "The Serpentine Offering" opens with a darkly triumphant symphonic section, full of strings, horns, and a men's choir, presumably the hordes of Satan being called to battle for this Priest's soul. It builds to a driving hard guitar riff and double bass, until Shagrath, putting on the guise of the dark lord himself proclaims:
"My decent is the story of everyman
I am hatred, darkness and despair
My decent is the story of everyman
I am hatred, darkness and despair"
Then the riff that begins after:
"Evoked and entertained through centuries
Wrathful and sullen--dormant still "
has me wishing my office was a mosh pit. Awesome.
On we go to a rising chorus:
"Reconcile not with the fear of the snake
But embrace it as your own
Inject it's venom into your veins
And replant the seed that gives growth
Still shrouded in mystery
Until you arise above perception
A veil of ignorance is in motion
Continuing throughout generation"
The song moves on and gets the blood pumping, ending in a chant of "Share my Sacrifice!"
Clearly, this priest is leaning from light to darkness.
On to "The Chosen Legacy," where the priest stops leaning and chooses sides. More driving riffs, a simple, primal scream escapes Shagrath's throat before he growls:
"Hence I will anoint
And whisper wholeheartedly
The creed of Hades and beyond
As I succumb to inevitable sin
For I can not enslave myself
With imaginary words of salvation
The hypocrisy that surrounds my temple
Is assisted by pretenders to the throne"
Again, the driving riffs are joined by symphonic strings, marching, brutal, double bass, and chants of:
IN SORTE DIABOLI meaning "in the lot of the Devil" Around 3:05 the bass drum doubletimes it rattling your chest with sound... that is, of course, if you have it at the proper ear-spliting volume.
Then there is "The Conspiracy Unfolds"
"Fallen I have, fallen I am
Cursed and destined to burn
My loyalty towards a liar ceased to exist
Once misled my and empty fraudulent face
I will never turn my back on you
And deceive the flesh of our race
I will always speak truly
So you can understand
No riddles that manipulate
The words and symbols of Man"
The promises that Satan gives is this: there is no cross, no Trinity, no virgin Birth, no Ressurection, there is the simplicity of the Darkness inside you.
"Do not believe false promises
Conspiring to cover up the truth
Find sollace in darkness within yourself
And have your legions unleashed "
Next is "The Sacrilegious Scorn" where Satan challenges God:
"Have I not
Been too long in your shadows of invention and creation?
As I rightfully behold the flesh
Fear of the conscious mind will have you facing away
My word and world holds ground and is real
Your world is like floods of poisoned water
A language spoken with spit from different tongues
It all seems like an eternity
This battle between us two
"Good and evil"
Me and you
Time has come to step up
And take back what you took from me"
He certainly has a way with words!
Still more to come with "The Fallen Arise" an instrumental, and like the title, Dark, and hopeful. Actually, a quite beautiful song with rising and falling strings, and percussion that seems to come from a subterranean lake. The sounds of marching soldiers and horses fade out.
I like the lyrics to "The Heretic Hammer" the best.
"Vengeance is mine
Neither sweet nor kind
Vengeance is mine
No longer will I be held responsible
For the error of your ways
My conscience
Stands defiantly proud and rigid
So take my advice
Meet your opposition
Profane and disciplined
Take back your pride
With a pounding hammer"
Then in "The Sinister Awakening" the Priest says:
I am warm by this fire
And it's flaming desire
For what I cannot fulfil
My destiny completes"
Comfortable in his choice as a new agent of Darkness, chanting "Antichristus Spiritualis"
You know what? Fuck that. The more I really pay attention to the lyrics, I don't see much of a "Story" presenting itself. I'll be honest. I was trying too hard to put the pieces together, because I read it was supposed to be a concept album. The only real story is the priest saying "FUCK YOU JESUS!" ... Not a good story.
Well, the music is great despite that. Get the album if you don't already have it. It's loud, and evil, and it's great to drive with it blasting. Especially the opening to track 9, "The Invaluable Darkness" I mostly wanna talk about beer anyway.
Well summer's over, so here is it's last gasp for breath:
Dogfish Head's Festina Pêche. It's a Berliner Weissbeir at a paltry 4.5% ABV.
Moderately cloudy, yellowish champagne color... a little darker than. What little head there was quickly dissipated. Moderate carbonation. Not to prettiest beer I've seen, but here we go.
There's a tangy and sweet; champagne-like smell. A little syrupy. Nice, but not a strong smell overall. Fruity, peach taste; again, tangy, but not too sour. It's really almost like I'm drinking champagne at this point. There's a very slight saltiness on the back and sides of the tongue as it goes down. Unexpected but pleasant. Nothing new comes out as it warms a bit.
This beer is dry and light, but far from watery. Tingly carbonation. Very refreshing. Not my favorite, overall, but a great summer beer. Could be enjoyed in the blistering noon heat, or in cooler summer nights. I hope to see this beer next year.
In Sorte Diaboli is the story of a Christian Priest who moves from the side of Christ, to the side of Satan.
The first track "The Serpentine Offering" opens with a darkly triumphant symphonic section, full of strings, horns, and a men's choir, presumably the hordes of Satan being called to battle for this Priest's soul. It builds to a driving hard guitar riff and double bass, until Shagrath, putting on the guise of the dark lord himself proclaims:
"My decent is the story of everyman
I am hatred, darkness and despair
My decent is the story of everyman
I am hatred, darkness and despair"
Then the riff that begins after:
"Evoked and entertained through centuries
Wrathful and sullen--dormant still "
has me wishing my office was a mosh pit. Awesome.
On we go to a rising chorus:
"Reconcile not with the fear of the snake
But embrace it as your own
Inject it's venom into your veins
And replant the seed that gives growth
Still shrouded in mystery
Until you arise above perception
A veil of ignorance is in motion
Continuing throughout generation"
The song moves on and gets the blood pumping, ending in a chant of "Share my Sacrifice!"
Clearly, this priest is leaning from light to darkness.
On to "The Chosen Legacy," where the priest stops leaning and chooses sides. More driving riffs, a simple, primal scream escapes Shagrath's throat before he growls:
"Hence I will anoint
And whisper wholeheartedly
The creed of Hades and beyond
As I succumb to inevitable sin
For I can not enslave myself
With imaginary words of salvation
The hypocrisy that surrounds my temple
Is assisted by pretenders to the throne"
Again, the driving riffs are joined by symphonic strings, marching, brutal, double bass, and chants of:
IN SORTE DIABOLI meaning "in the lot of the Devil" Around 3:05 the bass drum doubletimes it rattling your chest with sound... that is, of course, if you have it at the proper ear-spliting volume.
Then there is "The Conspiracy Unfolds"
"Fallen I have, fallen I am
Cursed and destined to burn
My loyalty towards a liar ceased to exist
Once misled my and empty fraudulent face
I will never turn my back on you
And deceive the flesh of our race
I will always speak truly
So you can understand
No riddles that manipulate
The words and symbols of Man"
The promises that Satan gives is this: there is no cross, no Trinity, no virgin Birth, no Ressurection, there is the simplicity of the Darkness inside you.
"Do not believe false promises
Conspiring to cover up the truth
Find sollace in darkness within yourself
And have your legions unleashed "
Next is "The Sacrilegious Scorn" where Satan challenges God:
"Have I not
Been too long in your shadows of invention and creation?
As I rightfully behold the flesh
Fear of the conscious mind will have you facing away
My word and world holds ground and is real
Your world is like floods of poisoned water
A language spoken with spit from different tongues
It all seems like an eternity
This battle between us two
"Good and evil"
Me and you
Time has come to step up
And take back what you took from me"
He certainly has a way with words!
Still more to come with "The Fallen Arise" an instrumental, and like the title, Dark, and hopeful. Actually, a quite beautiful song with rising and falling strings, and percussion that seems to come from a subterranean lake. The sounds of marching soldiers and horses fade out.
I like the lyrics to "The Heretic Hammer" the best.
"Vengeance is mine
Neither sweet nor kind
Vengeance is mine
No longer will I be held responsible
For the error of your ways
My conscience
Stands defiantly proud and rigid
So take my advice
Meet your opposition
Profane and disciplined
Take back your pride
With a pounding hammer"
Then in "The Sinister Awakening" the Priest says:
I am warm by this fire
And it's flaming desire
For what I cannot fulfil
My destiny completes"
Comfortable in his choice as a new agent of Darkness, chanting "Antichristus Spiritualis"
You know what? Fuck that. The more I really pay attention to the lyrics, I don't see much of a "Story" presenting itself. I'll be honest. I was trying too hard to put the pieces together, because I read it was supposed to be a concept album. The only real story is the priest saying "FUCK YOU JESUS!" ... Not a good story.
Well, the music is great despite that. Get the album if you don't already have it. It's loud, and evil, and it's great to drive with it blasting. Especially the opening to track 9, "The Invaluable Darkness" I mostly wanna talk about beer anyway.
Well summer's over, so here is it's last gasp for breath:
Dogfish Head's Festina Pêche. It's a Berliner Weissbeir at a paltry 4.5% ABV.
Moderately cloudy, yellowish champagne color... a little darker than. What little head there was quickly dissipated. Moderate carbonation. Not to prettiest beer I've seen, but here we go.
There's a tangy and sweet; champagne-like smell. A little syrupy. Nice, but not a strong smell overall. Fruity, peach taste; again, tangy, but not too sour. It's really almost like I'm drinking champagne at this point. There's a very slight saltiness on the back and sides of the tongue as it goes down. Unexpected but pleasant. Nothing new comes out as it warms a bit.
This beer is dry and light, but far from watery. Tingly carbonation. Very refreshing. Not my favorite, overall, but a great summer beer. Could be enjoyed in the blistering noon heat, or in cooler summer nights. I hope to see this beer next year.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
The Black Oven
So, I recently found another blog that relates black metal and things you ingest! It's called The Black Oven. I think it's pretty cool. Instead of reviewing beer, she posts recipes for black metal baked goods!
To give you an idea, allow me to quote:
"As far as I am concerned, brownies are one of the truest manifestations of metal in the scope of baking.
Nestled inside their dark, viscous hearts lies a sickening world of decadence.
The following recipe is no exception."
or
"In a perfect world everything would be as stark and void of color as these cupcakes."
or my favorite:
"Boiled down to its very essence, metal is nothing more than a mixture of molasses and alienation. "
Yeah. Pretty much awesome. Perhaps we will combine our unholy powers in the near future. A nice Cream Stout/ Chocolate Cake pairing while listening to Dimmu Borgir?
She will teach us the infernal ways of Baal's bakerey , and we in turn, will impart the evils of Bahamut's brewpub.
\m/
To give you an idea, allow me to quote:
"As far as I am concerned, brownies are one of the truest manifestations of metal in the scope of baking.
Nestled inside their dark, viscous hearts lies a sickening world of decadence.
The following recipe is no exception."
or
"In a perfect world everything would be as stark and void of color as these cupcakes."
or my favorite:
"Boiled down to its very essence, metal is nothing more than a mixture of molasses and alienation. "
Yeah. Pretty much awesome. Perhaps we will combine our unholy powers in the near future. A nice Cream Stout/ Chocolate Cake pairing while listening to Dimmu Borgir?
She will teach us the infernal ways of Baal's bakerey , and we in turn, will impart the evils of Bahamut's brewpub.
\m/
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Cool New Picture
Click the title to see a full sized version.
Look what I did! It was really fun designing this. The picture in the middle needs some work, as it may or may not be copyrighted. We shall see.
I know we've been slackin on posts, but you can be inspired every day! :P
Monday, May 19, 2008
Origin - Antithesis
A brutal album, period. It culls together the best of blast-beaty, chromatic grindcore in certain passages and then emerges into a groovy wash of the classic “riff,” something not often seen anymore in the majority of metal. Nothing technically complicated always, but carries the point across with no frills and without mathcore-y noodling. The highlight track on this album is “Antithesis” with the classic Robert Oppenheimer sample (quoting the Bhagavad Gita) at the beginning as well in the lyrics of the song:
I am become death
The destroyer of worlds
The most apt description of this album I can give is: a wall closing in on you. Just when you think Antithesis can’t get any closer to crushing you, it lets up and then hits back farther than it initially reached. From the beginning track “The Aftermath” to the aforementioned title track at the end of the CD, the themes of the eschaton meshing with ideas of Hindu gods. This album is a celebration of the grandeur of mastery and power and what may be called a prayer to the gods of destruction and dominance. The track aftermath sets the stage for the good to come from our destruction:
Among the songs dealing with death in inventive ways, the most stunning tracks have the themes of Hindu mythology in them which add a more sinister and epic sense to the album – they are not only dealing with death, but death on a complete scale anticipating annihilation; the only suitable term is the German Vernichtung which connotes not only death but removal from history and time. In Wrath of Vishnu, Origin states:
Furthermore, they appear to be seeking
Between the annihilation and nothingness is a worship of pure power in the Eternal Return, the power of the cosmos to create from nothing and return to nothing:
Definitely pick up this album and check them out on their tour this summer – http://www.relapse.com. Up next, live from London 3/2/2007 and a beer review:
Flying Dog - Gonzo Imperial Porter
Appearance - Chocolate brown with significant lacing. Coffee head.
Smell - Strong red grape hints with chocolate and nutmeg. Very holiday-like and reminds me of a winter ale.
Mouthfeel - Milkshake-thick with minimal carbonation.
Taste - Chocolate with a LOT of hops, but very tangy (rather than bitter) hops. Smooth and creamy finish like a bitter cream soda.
Drinkability - Would drink many times over, but more than one a sitting would be overkill. A great stout that reminds me of arrogant bastard with less bitter hops. I will revisit this one frequently as it stands as a fine example from my prefered brewery, Flying Dog.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Voting, Idealism, Cynicism, and the Jaded
I suppose you could call me an idealist. I'd like to find another term, because I think that word has too many connotations of naiveté and unattainable goals. I don't think there is anything naive about expecting the best out of myself, and others (including my government). In fact, I would consider it practical to be an "idealist". If you expect the best, you're more likely to get the better. If you expect the worst, you'll most likely get it.
I started thinking about this after I read this article:
Obama woos blue collar voters with beer taste
Oooh look! Beer and politics in the same post! And I haven't even gotten to the beer review! I'll quote the bit that irked me:
I made that point to someone last weekend, and she said something to the tune of "Well, everybody in politics does it. That's just the way things are. If he wants to make changes, he has to play the game."
That is so much bullshit it makes me sick to my stomach. If you believe that our democracy works the way they want us to think it works (highly debatable) then the people have the power. If politics is a game, we make the rules!
If you take her argument to its logical conclusion, the reason we have a two party system is because third party candidates stick to their convictions and don't pretend to be something they are not! Wow. Those foolish, naive idealists.
The way I see it, people choose to vote the two-party line because voting third party is throwing your vote away. Third party candidates can never win. Well that's because everyone votes the two-party line!
It's so unbelievably obvious, it blows my mind that few people can see it. If we were to vote for candidates we actually believed in and not just those who had a chance of winning, I have no doubt in my mind we would have a much more honest political discourse.
For example; I voted for Ron Paul in the Virginia primary, not because he represents everything I believe, not because I thought he has any chance of winning, but because he speaks honestly. I will support anybody who says what they believe, and stays true to themselves despite how the "game" works. If everyone were to do that, we would have many more options, and a system based on IDEALS and getting things done, not a government based on games and lies.
I'll get into what I think about government another time. I'm spent for now. Just remember one thing: People shouldn't be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.
Thank you Alan Moore.
I'll add a beer review some time later this week.
On a different note, Dickie and I just bought tickets to Boston for the
June 20-21
Click on the pic to buy your own tix!
(See what I did there?)
Expect a full report from one or both of us on the drunkenness and blasphemy that is sure to follow!
I started thinking about this after I read this article:
Obama woos blue collar voters with beer taste
Oooh look! Beer and politics in the same post! And I haven't even gotten to the beer review! I'll quote the bit that irked me:
"Where's my beer?" he asked, loud enough for the reporters to hear.OK, I don't really give two shits about what kind of beer he really drinks. I mean, sure, my beer geekiness was kind of offended, but not that much. It's just that this was so obviously a calculated move. Frankly, I am fucking tired of this stuff. Almost everybody I know talks about Obama like a fat kid talks about a ham sandwich. But you know what? He's just as much a typical politician as the rest of them. He'll do and say whatever it takes to get elected. Shouldn't we hold our "leaders" to higher standards than that?He eyed an array of fine micro brews on tap, from the amber Maharaja IPA to the "naturally cloudy" Blanche Bruxelles. He zeroed in on the mass market.
"PBR," he said, choosing Pabst Blue Ribbon, an inexpensive lager, before working the crowd.
Last week the 46-year-old senator visited a Veterans For America clubhouse, and ordered a Budweiser, while in Pennsylvania, where his campaign beer-drinking began, he found himself drinking Yuengling, a popular local brew, but had to double-check the name of the beer, anxious that “it’s not some designer beer or something”.
I made that point to someone last weekend, and she said something to the tune of "Well, everybody in politics does it. That's just the way things are. If he wants to make changes, he has to play the game."
That is so much bullshit it makes me sick to my stomach. If you believe that our democracy works the way they want us to think it works (highly debatable) then the people have the power. If politics is a game, we make the rules!
If you take her argument to its logical conclusion, the reason we have a two party system is because third party candidates stick to their convictions and don't pretend to be something they are not! Wow. Those foolish, naive idealists.
The way I see it, people choose to vote the two-party line because voting third party is throwing your vote away. Third party candidates can never win. Well that's because everyone votes the two-party line!
It's so unbelievably obvious, it blows my mind that few people can see it. If we were to vote for candidates we actually believed in and not just those who had a chance of winning, I have no doubt in my mind we would have a much more honest political discourse.
For example; I voted for Ron Paul in the Virginia primary, not because he represents everything I believe, not because I thought he has any chance of winning, but because he speaks honestly. I will support anybody who says what they believe, and stays true to themselves despite how the "game" works. If everyone were to do that, we would have many more options, and a system based on IDEALS and getting things done, not a government based on games and lies.
I'll get into what I think about government another time. I'm spent for now. Just remember one thing: People shouldn't be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.
Thank you Alan Moore.
I'll add a beer review some time later this week.
On a different note, Dickie and I just bought tickets to Boston for the
(See what I did there?)
Expect a full report from one or both of us on the drunkenness and blasphemy that is sure to follow!
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