The beers of Fountain Inn: Lagunitas Imperial Stout

I've written on Lagunitas before, please refer to the post on (2016511) for information on the brewery. Tonight' beer is the Imperial Stout by Lagunitas out of Petaluma California. I purchased this beer from Crafted in Simpsonville, SC for $5.

I received this beer in a 22oz steep shouldered bottle with a slightly bulbed neck and crimpcap. The label is one of their standard rough paper labels which says "Unlimited Release" "Lagunitas Imperial Stout" "brewed and bottled by the Lagunitas Brewing Co. Petaluma, Calif. and Chicago Ill." and at the very bottom has the Lagunitas dog, who says this beer is "Doggone Good". It has two little hammer and sickles on either side of the word Stout, I suppose to imply Russian. On the side epitaph (one of the things I love about Lagunitas beer) it says "Having downed his fourth imperial stout of the day, the wild eyed charlatan from Voldvostoganiaky belched and hollered for the Czarina to enter his chamber and bend herself to his will. The economy was a wreck and revolt was just around the corner. Nicky the Czar dude was off playing soldier like ny pale nobleman with a hemmorrhagic skin condition would. Such were the final days of the old empire. Reactionary, decadent, sputnik, stroganoff, weird, and drunk. But even as the proletariat countryside labored under inhuman conditiones and a trheat of being sent to a futile war in the east, they wisely took time to slam back an imperial stout or two. After all, life can be a real "suka", as they said in the old country. Big, black, bourgeois, bolshoy, belligerent, buxom, and scary- this is our version of the chaotic end of an era in a bottle". 72.45 IBU's, 1.092 Original Gravity, 9.9% ABV. I'm using my tall Hacker mug, a big beer like this need room.

Nose from the bottle is roasted malt, a little boozy, maybe some caramel. Color is black, It makes a fluffy brown beige heat, large bubbles. Nose from the mug is a sweet caramel with roasted malt and some fruitty esters. On first sip, it's boozy but smooth. It starts caramel, then to dark roast malt, a little bit of coffee, and slight bit grapefruit throughout. Finishes sweet with a bit of a burnt, boozy aftertaste. Full bodied, no acidity, really smooth.

Listening to Classic rock, YouTube playlist called Drinking Songs. Been really busy, what with building shutters, fixing guns, re-plumbing my Grandmothers house, trying to build my credit so I can move out of my parents house. Can't say I haven't mostly enjoyed it, but I'm going to be enjoying it allot more once I get this enclosed trailer on the 3rd. Just finished making the deal, $1600 and everything works. From this seed I shall build my empire! I'll be able to haul shutters, use it as a shop, use it camping, I'll probably use it for "The Trip". And it's not some boring white either, oh no, she's black and yellow. Truly a trailer to suit my personality.

 I wound up selling my holdings in CVS for the money to buy it. CVS hasn't really been doing so hot, and the way I see it, if you arn't doing well in this economy you probably aren't worth holding on to. HPQ has made most of it's money back since the split, HPE isn't doing quite as good. I figure both are worth holding onto, their dividends aren't bad and at the rate their price is increasing I'll have my money back in a couple years. Whenever I go to invest again, I'm probably going to go for more BWXT or NLY. Anyways, I've got light weight work bench coming in that I can slap in there. I've already got an extension cord on a reel, but I need a tabletop grinder as well as a chop saw and a drill press. I'm telling ya, tools are not cheap but you can't do without them if you really want to get anything done in a timely manner.
I think I should say something about some of the behind the scenes projects of Beerverted. I'm currently in the product development stage of my Viking Brewing Sticks with the intention of it being the first product of the Beerverted store. I'm also in the inital stages of designing a Water Denaturing Kit as well as a miniaturized homebrewers version of a Yorkshire Square. I think I'll also start looking into building Yorkshire Round Squares, but I'm afraid that it's a product that will be immediately copied if I put it out there. We have to get the ball rolling first and make enough product to fill a warehouse before product release, that way we can sell those things like hotcakes while everybody else has their thumbs up their butts and when by the man gets wise we will be mostly out of inventory and we can move on to the next thing. But first things first, Viking Brewing Sticks. I can't reveal our product Idea on the blog, but I can give you an idea of what they are. So back in the day when Norsemen were making their mead they would use what they considered a magic stick to stir it. This stick would cause the wort to ferment because it had yeast on it (although they did not understand that) and a particular stick would be used for every batch a village produced, giving each village's mead a particular taste. Anyways, there is a little more to it but that would be having the cow but giving the mild away for free. Anyways, Hilgar is in this venture with me, and it's going to be awesome

Final thoughts. Man that's tasty! And I can't get over how smooth it is! This is a beer to be had ladies and gentlemen! Although who am I kidding, I have an entirely male readership. Such is the life of a beer blogger. I give this beer my blurry seal of approval.

The beers of Fountain Inn: Cigar City's Tampa styled Lager

I picked this up from Crafted on Fairview road in Simpsonville SC. Tonight's beer is the Tampa styled Lager from Cigar City out of Tampa FL. I've written on this brewery before, so refer to my (20171007 or 7/10/2017) post for information on it. I'm not a huge lager fan, I think they tend to be too sweet. But then again, some of the best beers out there are lagers. According to the brewers website, the Tampa styled Lager is made from German barley, Hallertauer hops (imported from Germany), and Bavarian Lager yeast. So what's "Tampa Florida" about it? It would seem they're just making a Bavarian Lager in the Southern United States. I suppose I will have to drink and find out what's so special, what makes this beer so Tampa.

I purchased this beer in a beige 12.oz can. The front has the Cigar City Brewing seal, under which in beautiful classic Aisha script it says "Tampa-style Lager" and in more blunt stencil font on the blue bottom band it states it's ultimate purpose "made for drinkin'". On the reverse it says to drink it fresh, not to age it, and to pour it gently into the glass. Good to know, although I don't know why you would want to age a commercial Lager. I suppose people are getting a little overzealous with the beer cellaring. On the epitaph it describes itself as such: "This Tampa-style Lager is inspired by the traditional German-style Hells, which translates to "light colored."Perfect for the Florida heat, it's a beer that's made for drinkin' when it's truly hotter than hells outside." 4.5% alcohol by volume. I'll be using the super traditional Orion mug for this beer. Let's crack it open and see that head!

It's a cool font

Nose from the can is malty with a touch of sour, apple scent as well. Pours pale golden with low small bubble agitation. Not much head to speak of, just maintains a little froth around the edge. Nose from the glass is the same as the can. On first sip, it's sweet, salty, and malty. A little breadyness, allot of apple and a crisp finish. It's a lower medium body with light acidity.

Listening to The Doobie Brothers. So the Christmas season has begun, with all it's trappings. The one I'm sure everyone is familiar with is your family driving you crazy, which has been my hell for the past two months. I need to move out of my parents place, but I can't afford to get a place by my self and I don't know anyone who is trying to move in with someone. Kind of the trouble with being 29, everybody is either married or has moved far away. I'm looking into buying a three bedroom house and renting out the other two rooms, but I effectively have no credit and it will take about seven months of credit history before the VA will cosign on a home loan. I'm about to just sell off some stock, buy a small plot, get an internet connection and a spicket for water and just live in out of my van. This is driving me nuts. In other news, the past couple of weeks I've been re-plumbing my grandmothers house and it's just about done. I'm telling you, PEX is magical stuff. If I had to redo that place with PVC I would have just saved myself the trouble and burned the place down. This stuff is easy to install, dosn't rupture if it freezes, is dirt cheap, easy to insulate and is super flexible. I wouldn't use it for a drain or anything, but for a supply pipe you'd be a fool to use anything else.

Final thoughts. It's a perfectly serviceable beer. As the can says "Made for Drinkin'", not a beer to be mulled over (although I did anyways). This kind of thing really isn't my kind of beer, but it was good. If you're hanging out with a buddy who has plebeian taste buds but can't bring yourself to buy gas station crap, pick this up, it's pretty good. I give this beer my blurry seal of approval!

 https://cigarcitybrewing.com/beer/lager/?age-verified=52e2cfd2f7

The beers of Fountain Inn: Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA

Glad to be back. Sorry for not writing for a while. I've been busy getting my life set back up since leaving the Marine Corps. I have a cargo van now, got my room back at my Grandmothers house. This poses a problem in doing reviews because she is a teetotaler and has a bad internet connection. I'm just now getting back into the swing of things and getting around to doing reviews. Tonight's beer is the Fresh squeezed IPA by Deschutes brewery out of Bend Oregon. Founded in 1988 by Gary Fish and named for the Deschutes river (a tributary of the Colombia river), the brewery focused on community goodwill, to give a sense to the locals that it was "theirs". The strategy payed off, and by 1992 they were selling 3,954 barrels a year (up from 310 in 1988). They would move to a larger facility in 1993 with a 50 bbl system (massive for the time, and nothing to sneeze at now). In 2008 they would start a brewpub in Portland (beer Mecca) and in 2012 they would build a new 105,000 bbl facility with a water and Co2 reclamation system.They use a proprietary yeast strain in all of their beers and donate $1 for every barrel sold to local and national charities. I'm a big fan of their Obsidian Stout, so I have high expectations for this one.

 

I received this beer in a standard longneck bottle with crimpcap.The label art features a hop flower having the oil squeezed out of it by wooden screw presses  (I imagine a reference to the beers cirtus flavor)on a blue background. The cap and neck label both have the Deschutes brewery logo. According to the side, this beer has been "bottle conditioned for quality"so that the beer will stay fresher, longer. The profile is described as "a juicy, citrus and grapefruit flavor profile. As if fresh Citra and Mosaic hops were squeezed straight into the bottle. 60 IBU's and 6.4%ABV. Their website says it's 225 calories per bottle, not that I care. I will be using the super traditional Orion mug, just because I missed it so much!

 So, so much

 Nose from the bottle is a grapefruit citrus with a slight resin quality. Pours amber (I'd call it a 14 on the SRM) with a dissipating white head. Nose from the mug is orange peel with pineapple and an undertone of resin. On first sip, more malty then I expected. Starts with orange peel and some grapefruit bitterness with a bready malt character all the way through, finishes just a little bit dry. over medium to full body with low acidity, it's actually kind of syrupy. certainly full of flavor.

Listening to Metallica. So, back in the swing of things after leaving the Corps. Like I said at the beginning, I have a cargo van now. It's a 2001 Chevy express 2500 with a V6 at 194,000 miles. I got the thing for $3200, not a bad price for a work van. Used to be an AT&T van, so it's got a ladder rack, yellow flashing light, internal shelving, internal air tank storage with external hook up (so you can run pneumatic tools), cargo/cabin separation wall, it's a pretty awesome van. Still trying to reconnect with friends who still live in the area, but it's hard finding people who don't live more than an hour away now or have kids, or who even want to hang out. I'm sure I'll figure something out, but if I don't find some people close by who are not family I'm going to lose my mind.

Final thoughts. It's a perfectly sesionable beer, but nothing special. If you see it, give it a shot. But I wouldn't go out of my way for it.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deschutes_Brewery
 https://www.deschutesbrewery.com/beer/fresh-squeezed/

The beers of Iwakuni: Trappiste Rochefort #6

Final post in Japan. I have to shut my internet off tomorrow, so I may be out of contact for a bit. I've had this beer for more than a year and I'm pretty sure it was about two years old at that point, 2014 production if I'm not mistaken. It Came in one of the Trappist tour sets I reviewed. I've already written on the brewery, so refer to my 20150721 post on Rochefort #8 (I will be elaborating on some history here though). Tonight's beer, #6, is the rarest of the Rochefort line and makes up only 1% of their total production. Typically only brewed about once a year, it is the oldest of the three recipes brewed by the Abby and was their only beer between 1899 and the end of WWII. It was reworked along with the help of Prof. Jean Declerk, who also instructed the monks in modern sanitation practices and microbiology, and released to the public in it's current form in 1953. Their other two beers, the much applauded #8 and #10, would not be produced until 1958. Now you may ask "is there a #1-5, 7, and 9 that they no longer produce anymore?". No, there isn't from what I can gather. The numbers refer to the beers original gravity as measured in "Belgian degrees", a now defunct beer scale. As with nearly all Trappist beers, Rochefort #6 is considered to be among the best beers brewed today and on of the top 5 Belgian Dubbles.

The bottle I have is a European styled sloping shoulder longneck with crimpcap. The cap (which is red on the #6, green on #8, and blue on #10) says "Biere Des Trappistes Rochefort" with a large 6 in the center, the edges have several 6's all around. Label art says "Trappistes Rochefort" in cool Gothic lettering, under which it has the number six surrounded by the word beer in five different languages. In the corner it has the official seal certifying it as a Trappist beer and on the opposite it's liquid measurement and alcohol content (33cl and 7.5% ABV). On the reverse, it describes the ingredients in five languages as such "brewed with: water, malted barley, non malted cereals, hop, yeasts, sugars". It has an expiration date of September 30 2019, as they have a five year shelf life that means it is indeed a 2014. I will be using my Trappist Rochefort goblet which I haven't broken out in some time. Let's bid Japan Farewell in style!

Nose from the bottle is like cereal with a white wine quality. Pours a sort of walnut/apple cider brown with a quickly dissipating head, with clumps of yeast floating throughout. Nose from the glass is boozy and spiced with applejack and Asti (the Italian sparkling desert wine, much like champagne). On first sip, it immediately hits you with malt and cereal, finishes fruity and boozy, bit of a metallic aftertaste though. Body is light, acidity is high. The sips have developed a fruity quality at the beginning now, starts to extend throughout. It is much akin to drinking an under spiced and diluted hart apple cider. It kind of has this slight underlying flavor of herbal bitters that I'm starting to notice.

Listening to Electro-Swing. I would like to come back to Japan as a civilian, there are so many restrictions on military members here that it really limits your ability to enjoy the place. It's kind of a shame I didn't go to more historical sites, but I don't really know too many people who are really into that kind of thing out here. Sights are cool and all, but its just not as good by yourself. I'm exited to go back home, it'll be good to get the next part of my life started. The military has turned into a job, I just don't enjoy it like I used to, time to go. Kind of bittersweet really. I broke my wayfarers, I've been forced to wear my photo-reactive aviators. Their cool glasses in the sunlight, but kind of serial killer creepy when your inside. I'll probably order a replacement pair and have them sent to my parents house.

Final thoughts, it's OK. A bit of a letdown, but it's just fine. It just kind of tastes like stronger beer was diluted with seltzer water. Real shame, I love Rochefort's other two beers. It was worth having, but not worth having again.

https://belgium.beertourism.com/belgian-breweries/trappistes-rochefort
http://www.trappistes-rochefort.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochefort_Brewery
http://www.merchantduvin.com/brew-rochefort-trappist-6.php

The beers of Iwakuni: Sinebrychoff Porter

I apologize for the recent lull in posts. My computer had a meltdown and I had to get my old one up and running, on top of that last week I had duty and could not drink. Anyhow, Hilgar sent me tonight's beer. It is the Porter by Sinebrychoff brewery out of Kerava, Finland. I can't say I have ever had a beer from Finland, but seeing at the country has a population just a little bit larger than South Carolina It's not all that surprising. So, Sinebrychoff was started in 1819 by Russian businessman Nikolai Sinebrychoff and is the oldest brewery in northern Europe. It used to be located in Helsinki, but now it's in Kerava where it not only produces beer, but also licenced Coca-Cola products (as well as Dr.Pepper). The brewery is now part of the Carlsberg Group, but I have no idea as to when that happened, probably before 2006. For beer they produce their self named Porter and the Karhu line of pale lagers. Their porter gets a world class rating on both Beer Advocate and Rate Beer, but I won't let that sway my review. The brewery's website isn't in English and I really just don't want to have to translate all of that.

I received this beer in a stubby crimpcap 33cl (11.2 fl.oz) bottle. The crimpcap says IV B Portteri Porter, I am not sure what that means, it is stated again on the front label art. The neck label features the brewery seal flanked by two barley spikes. The main label states "Sinebrychoff Porter" "Brewers sinch 1819". It is flanked by barley as well as hops. The reverse is just import and nutritional information. 7.2 ABV, I'll be using an English pint glass for this one.

Nose from the bottle has a strong molasses character, with dark malt and rye bread. Pours black, with a creamy mocha head that stays. Nose from the glass is kind of fruity, but that may be the head getting in the way. On first sip, it is heavy on coffee with dark malt, a little boozy as well. It has a fruity character at the back end, but finishes with the same coffee and roasted malt, which continues into the aftertaste. Body is slightly over medium, heading towards full, with mild acidity and a little chewiness.

Listening to Arthur Lyman. Getting this old computer up and running has been a nightmare. I don't think I've turned it on since November of last year (the pictures folder is full of 2016 election memes) and I totally forgot had it had a bunch of software problems. I more or less solved that by deleting most of the programs I had on here and updating the ones I wanted to keep. I really only need the thing for the blog, and it is clearly serving it's purpose now. As for my nice gaming computer, I think I fried the CPU. Usually that is not such a big deal, easy swap really, but they soldered it in which makes replacing it a nightmare. I'm not saying it can't be replaced, but it would probably be impractical to do so. At the very least, it would have some performance issues unless I did a near perfect job. I think this one will have to do until I get back, then I'm building a tower so I won't have to deal with this laptop nonsense anymore. I may keep a laptop around for work purposes, but I don't think I will do anything intensive on one. Once I get that up and running, I need to get some good book keeping software for business purposes. Efficient and well managed finances and administration are important to a small business and I very much want to start off on the right foot. I'm still doing research for my multi pronged attack, which as of Shutter installation, Vending machines, antique militaria speculation, and a small marijuana farm (research shows that is still illegal in SC).

Final thoughts, It's a pretty good beer. I wouldn't say it's the best porter I've ever had, but it's pretty good. I give this beer my blurry seal of approval.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinebrychoff

The beers of Iwakuni: G. Schneider & Sohn's Aventinus Eisbock

I recently received this beer from my friend Hilgar. It is the Aventinus Eisbock from G. Schneider and Sohn out of Kelheim Germany. The brewery was started in 1872 by a father and son team, both named George Schneider, after they purchased the Weissus Brauhause in Munich. In 1890 GS3 (George Schneider III) took over the business at the age of 20. He would register the trade mark the company uses to this day as well as expand the Munich brewery. Dying unfortunately in 1905 at the age of 35, leaving the business to be run by his wife Mathilde Schneider. She would successfully run the business through the first world war and into post war economic depression. During that time the brewery created the Aventinus beer, who's decedent is currently under review. In 1924 GS3's young son GS4 came of age and took over the family business. He used the economic depression to his advantage, as other brewers were closing their doors and his mother had handed him a financially stable company. He purchased shuttered breweries in Straubing, Augsburg, and Kelheim, expanding his brewing capacity significantly. Unfortunately, a political movement combining socialism with extreme nationalist fervor swepped the country, and the politically liberal (in the classical sense of the word, not necessarily the modern one) GS4 wanted nothing to do with it. His refusal to join the NAZI party caused him and the business a great deal of trouble through out the course of their rule. After the Munich brewery was destroyed by Allied bombing in 1944, all production was moved to Kelheim. After the war the American Third Army allowed the brewer to deliver it's beer to Munich (not being a former NAZI had it's perks), but only for sale to military personnel and only if it was low ABV. This would change (I assume with the creation of the East German government in 1948) and the company began to sell to the general public again. Starting in the late 1950's with George Schneider V taking over from his father George Schneider IV, they would seek to export their beer to Austria, Switzerland, and the US. GS5 would also modernize the breweries to increase production, but not change the manner in which the beer was created. In 1983 he rebuilt the Munich fermentation cellar with open vats in order to maintain traditional brewing methods, and then moved on to the brewhouse in 1989. The total renovation of the "Weisses Brauhaus im Tal" to it's pre-war 1905 status would be completed in 1993. In 2000, GS6 took over and runs the business today, maintaining the breweries focus on traditional brewing without eschewing the modern world. He recently formed a relationship with craft brewer Brooklyn Brewing Co. to create specialty wheat beers outside of traditional brewing.
The Aventinus Eisbock is, as the name would suggest, based on G.Schneider and Sohn's original  Aventinus Weizendoppelbock (wheat double buck). It is made through a freezing process that condenses the beer by removing the excess water, not unlike making applejack from hard cider. The resulting beer is much stronger and more flavorful than it's original. As a big fan of Doppelbock, I'm exited to have a more extreme version. The fact that it's a wheat beer does concern me though, not usually a fan of those.

I received this beer in a 11.2oz long neck bottle with slender shoulders and silver crimpcap. The royal purple, silver trimmed neck label features the company seal and product name as well as proclaiming that it is a product of Bavaria. The front label is more or less a larger version of the neck label. On the reverse it states "Aventinus has been known to be the most intense and complex Wheat-Doppelbock in the world. This was the case in the past, but not anymore...  Recently, Hans-Peter Drexler, Brewmaster at G.Schneider & Sohn, heard stories about some extra special Aventinus resulting from partial freezing during a cold winter transport in the 1930's. He decided to recreate this classic "mistake" to further concentrate Aventinus in a modern controlled facility. Thus, the Aventinus Eisbock was reborn. Prost!" and then it is signed by GS6 at the bottom. 12% ABV. I will be using a tulip glass for this one as I don't own anything close to the Aventinus glass.

I can't tell you why, but I just skipped getting the nose from the bottle. Oh well, moving on. Color is a deep mahogany, I would say a 34 on the SRM. Allot of sediment at the bottom, may be yeast, may just be a side affect of not being filtered. Nose from the glass is fruity with an undertone of wheat sour and wisps of alcohol. While the scent of the alcohol is overpowered by the other prevailing scents, simply taking in the nose made me a little heady. On first sip, it is a strange mix of sour wheat and candied fig, finishing with a cherry candy fruitiness and a lingering alcohol aftertaste. It is a full bodied, rather acidic beer with heavy alcoholic warming, little bit chewy. Certainly made for sipping, for which it is sublime. As I drink, it gains a pronounced licorice flavor in the middle. It is a very sweet beer, with no hops to speak of.

Listening to Kansas Bible Company, which is neither from Kansas nor a purveyor of the Holy Scriptures. I have their album Domezone vol.1 on vinyl and I highly enjoy it. So anyway, the marijuana company American Green purchased the town of Nipton California for about $5 million. They plan to turn the old west mining town with a population of 12 into a pot friendly tourist destination, selling edibles and marijuana infused water on top of keeping the current hotel and campgrounds open. Nipton currently derives most of it's revenue from selling California lottery tickets to Nevada citizens who can't buy them in their state, so quasi legal things are nothing new for them. (switched to The Upsetters "Return of the super ape) I'm sure the purchase will revitalize the former ghost town, the Mojave desert is the ideal place for this kind of thing and the lotto isn't that much of a money maker. It's funny, the town was founded the same year GS3 died, how serendipitous. In other news, I need to buy a truck when I get back. Something In working condition, but I can fix if I have to. I'll probably get a Dodge, as that's what I'm used to working on, but I'm not married to the idea. I'm looking at spending about $2500 if I can, hopefully on something newer. I need it for business purposes, so it needs to look good. Nobody want's to do high end business with a guy driving a truck from the 80's that desperately needs a paint job. Speaking of paint, the 180sx is going to need a full paint job whenever that becomes a financial possibility. It's all scratched up and now chips are coming off when I spray it off. Just an unfortunate reality of having a 25 year old car.

Final thoughts. Highly enjoyable, very flavorful. Go find this one. I give this beer my blurry seal of approval.

 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G._Schneider_%26_Sohn
 https://schneider-weisse.de/en/node/16
 http://www.businessinsider.com/ap-cannabis-company-plans-to-turn-desert-town-into-pot-paradise-2017-8-2

The beers of Iwakuni: Hitachino Nest Lager

I have written on Hitachino Nest before, so refer to my 20170416 (4/16/17) post for brewery information. I purchased tonight's lager and a white ale (which I will be reviewing later) from World Liquor in Hiroshima. According to Hitachino Nest's website tonight's beer is brewed with Chinook,Cascade,Saaz, and Nelson Sauvi Hops as well as Kaneko Golden Malt.

I received this beer in a 350ml silver topped can. The art features the Hitachino owl, sitting in a tree hole over the word "LAGER" and a lithograph of the Kiuchi brewery, surrounded by golden leaves. On the side they have a description in English, "Hitachino nest lager is bottom fermented beer with light color. Please enjoy the well-balanced taste of malt and light flavor of hops". 5.5% ABV. I'll be having this in my Japanese lager glass.

Nose from the can is surprisingly hopy, like almost IPA hopy. Allot of pine character, little citrussy. Color is bright golden with a massive amount of small bubble agitation, light but stable head. Nose from the glass is not quite as hopy, but has a little of a bready character. On first sip, allot of hops, a little bit of bready malt. It starts with a piney, resiny hopyness and then moves to a bready fruitiness and finishes with a semi-dry piney flavor that lingers as an aftertaste. Acidity is lower medium with a straight medium body. This is hopy to the point of almost being a mild IPL, and a delicious one at that. As you drink it develops a bit more of a malt characteristic, but it's still a little overwhelmed by the hops.

Listening to Frank Sinatra. As part of leaving the Marine Corps, I am required to fill out paperwork that features exhaustive details of my plans for the next year after I'm gone. I have been dragging my feat on doing it because I hate people probing into the details of my business. I'm having trouble writing about it because it makes me angry. Just sign off that I have some sort of a plan so I can move on and start signing out, because I only have a couple of weeks to do that and it's allot to do. Years of being in the Marines has taught me to have objectives, but amorphous plans to reach them. Once you have a rigid, concrete plan it will be destroyed by reality. But if you have a plan that is flexible to the point of almost not seeming to be a plan at all, it can just evolve to become anything it needs to be.

Final thought's, it's a great beer. I wouldn't call it just a lager, but it's a great beer altogether. Very sessionable and tasty. I give this beer my blurry seal of approval.