The beers of Iwakuni: Speakeasy prohabition ale

I purchased this at a grocer in Corona California when I was there for my friend Capon's wedding. I can't remember which one though. It is the Prohabition Ale by Speakeasy Ales out of San Fransisco California. Speakeasy Ales was started by Forest Gray in a warehouse in the butchertown district in the years since the coming of our lord 1997. In their early years they just distributed to northern California, starting with their Prohibition Ale and then the Big Daddy IPA which would eventually become their flagship. In 2011 they opened a taproom and started fostering national recognition. in 2015 they started a 60 barrel brewhouse which improved their production capacity to 90,000 barrels a year.

I purchased this particular beer in a 1 pint 6 fluid oz bottle (AKA the venerable 22 oz bomber), with noted shoulders and a bulged neck featuring some suspicious eyes. The art has a 1920's lithograph feel, especially with the couple entering the speakeasy on the cover. Everything is written in the Neon lights and "fill in all the spaces" advertisement of the time. The bottle says "Amber ale with a perfect balance of Bold Hops and Caramel maltiness" "Prohibition ale is a boldly hopped amber ale that strikes a perfect balance between caramel maltiness and its aggressive hopping" "Legit since 1997 SPEAKEASY ales &lagers San Fransisco California, Independently owned and operated". 6.1% abv. I will be using my crass brookstone beer mug with the bottle opener bottom. Let's pop this cap, put on some 1920's music and see the head.

Nose from the bottle smells of piney, floral, hop oil with some pear qualities as well. The beer forms a quickly dissipating beige head and has a deep hazy oak color, I would say a 22 on the SRM. Nose from the mug is the same as from the bottle. I would actually say the nose also has a quality a bit like pickled cherries, which may not sound appetizing if you've never had them, but trust me, they are delicious. On first sip, It's bitter and hoppy with significant resin flavor. It starts out piney, then goes to pickled cherry, then juniper berry with a resin finish and dry aftertaste. Body is medium full with more mild acidity than you would expect from such a hoppy beer. It is a little chewey as well. There are actually quite a few yeast clumps in this beer. They are not as large as you would find in Belgian beers, but there are a great deal of them.

While I'm a big fan of music from the 1920's, but I don't have allot of records with it. I'm currently listening to a late 1960's Readers Digest nostalgia collection I got in a blind Ebay box lot that has a decent amount of music from the 20's and 30's. It's about 10 disks but only a handful have the music I'm looking for, most of it is 40's and 50's. After this I'm probably going to listen to the Mississippi Sheiks. I became a fan of the Sheiks after discovering their song "Sales Tax" while looking for music by my other favorite 1920's blues musician, Charlie Patton. This blog is officially apolitical, so I'm not going to get into why I love this song. But to get into a subject to rant about, Turbosuperchargers. I've been interested in turbo's for a while now, mostly because I'm a freak for efficiency but also because they are generally fascinating pieces of equipment despite their conceptual simplicity. The idea of a turboshupercharger is to take exhaust gasses from your engine and spin a turbine that is connected by a spindle to a turbine in your intake and that turbine is going to force air into your engine, allowing you to burn more gas more quickly. This will give you a power boost at higher RPM's and will allow a generally small engine to produce power much greater power than it would be able if naturally aspirated (doesn't have something forcing air into it). Now, there are two problems with doing this. The first problem is that these two turbines share heat (as they must, it's just a thermodynamic reality) and in turn heats the air coming into the engine. Now hot air does not burn nearly as well as cold air because the oxygen molecules are spread out due to the heat, so there are fewer of them in your combustion chamber when it comes time to have them react to the fuel and cause an explosion to turn chemical energy into mechanical energy. To solve this we have what we call an intercooler, which is a radiator placed between the turbo and the engine which will cool the air before it gets to the engine intake by dissipating heat through a series of cooling fins. The second problem is specific to engines that very greatly in RPM during their operation. So you just forced a bunch of air into this duct work in front of an engine and then you cut the throttle, what happens? Back in the day you would have a rush of back pressure that would work against your turbo and slow it down significantly. To alleviate this, we have the blow off valve. Blow off valves are simple devices, when they reach a certain PSI they open an relieve the pressure in the system. Crisis averted right? Not quite. You want to leave just a little pressure in the system so that the turbine does not have to spin for a while to build it back up. For this we have the modern adjustable blow off valve, which is something I'm looking to stick on my 180SX. What this is going to do is let off as little pressure as necessary for your turbo so that the system is ready for the next time you open up the throttle, greatly increasing response time.You could also alleviate this by using whats called a bypass valve, but that is terrible for your engine, so I won't be using one of those.

Final thoughts. I loved this beer. It was delicious, it was hoppy but not overpowering. It was nuanced. It was everything I'm looking for it a good beer. I could not recommend this highly enough. I very much give this my blurry seal of approval.

The beers of Iwakuni: Kaiserdom Kellerbier

I purchased this beer from the World Liqueur in Hiroshima. It is the Kellerbier by Kaiserdom out of Bamburg Germany. Kaiserdom brewery was started in 1718 in the village of Gaustadt by Georg Morg in one of the public houses of the Benedictine Monastery of Saint Michelsburg of Bamburg back when the place only had 300 residents. At the time it was just called the brewery of Gaustadt, and would not adopt the name Kaiserdom until the city of Bamburg incorporated Gaustadt in 1972. In 1910 George Worner (son of Maichel Worner of Erbacher brewery) would come to run the brewery after marrying Monika Muller, the daughter of Anton Muller, the Gaustadt brewery's owner. He would grow the brewery to 6 hectolitere capacity when he turned it over Monika and His sons Theodor and Ludwig in 1952. They would grow the brewery to 300 hectolitere capacity by Ludwig's death in 1978 when His son George (not to be confused for his grandfather George) would leave college and run the family business. George would start exporting Kaiserdom beer in 1980 and assumed full control when his uncle retired in 1986. He runs the brewery to this day. The brewery focuses on traditional Bavarian beers, but also has a distribution business for not only their own beers, but Kingfisher (of India) and Everands (of England).  Tonight's Kellerbier is one of their six year round brews. I also have their dark lager, which I will be reviewing at a later date.

This beer came to me in a one liter can inside of a glass mug. I swear all of these glass 1 liter mugs are made at the same place and they just slap the brewery logo on for the tourists. This can is massive. It's like one of those massive cans you see in the back of cafeterias, but it's full of beer. It's kind of a plain label, featuring the brewery name and logo over a picture of wooden kegs and a simple descriptive name, "Kellerbier Unfiltriert". Made for export is an understatement. The content description is in 16 languages, all more or less saying "ingredients: water, barley malt, yeast, hops, hops extract." and then some importers information. According to the website: "In the glass a shimmering orange colour , on top a fluffy white foamy head with a compact consistency . This naturally cloudy beer has the discreet aroma of malt and freshly toasted white bread. A yeasty soft palate is caressed by an elegant sweetness which is finely balanced by a discreet hoppy bitterness. Kaiserdom Kellerbier is a typical Bavarian Beer , which is filled unfiltered and contains all the natural cloudy substances".  Sounds like they churched up a simple "Cloudy orange malty, bready beer with slight sweetness contrasted by hoppy bitterness". That description is so bare bones I don't know If I could disagree with it. Maybe there is more, but even the brewer doesn't think so. I suppose We'll find out, not like I'm going to suddenly run out of this one. For obvious reasons I'm going to use the mug that came with it. Let's pop this tab.

Nose from the can is indeed bready and malty, maybe with just a little sour essence and a little bit of apple. It is a hazy brown orange color with a fluffy white head. Nose from the mug is more bready than the can. On first sip, boy is this sweet and creamy. It tastes like these cream swirls they make here in Japan. It starts off creamy and sweet, then goes to a bready hoppyness, then finishes with a dry hoppyness with a sweet dough aftertaste. It has a medium body with low acidity, kind of chewy. It honestly tastes like someone was making bread and then decided to make beer instead. Which is kind of the idea behind Kellerbier anyways.

I'm exited for getting this car. Not only am I fascinated by the technical prospects but the mobility this will provide me will finally allow me to visit all of the historic sites I've wanted to visit since I've been here. I want to see the site of the battle of Shimonoseki Straits. Ever since I was a little kid I've been fascinated with 1860's-1870's gun batteries (in a similar way that I was fascinated by medieval castles and the equipment used to defend them), and Shimonoseki Straits still has some dahlgren guns stationed at it's banks, waiting to blast some western warships that will never come. So the story goes that Lord Mori Takachika decided to expel the barbarians in the emperors name by making preemptive strikes on any ships passing through the straits. In case you don't know, The Shimonoseki Straits sepparate Honshu from Kyushu and were (and still are) a major thoroughfare. So after the lord of Choshu domain bombards the US merchant steamer Pembroke with guns we had given him, David McDougal turns his ship the USS Wyoming around and sails for the straits where he is met by the barque Daniel Webster, the brig Lanrick (now called the Kosai), and the steamer Lancefield (now called the Koshin), all of which we had sold to the shogun. Thank God we learned our lesson from this event and have never sold weapons to an unstable government rifle with warlords who hate us ever again. So Capitan McDougal sails the Wyoming right amoungs those ships, firing it's 11 inch guns and destroying the two steamers as well as sending all of it's missed shells into the local town. Afterword he shelled the gun battery and after an hour and a half, left. The Wyoming had sustained 11 shots to her hull and lost four of Her crew, 3 Sailors and one Marine. A tremendous success compared to the two ships, 40 men, and heavily damaged barque and gun battery Lord Mori received. This would not be the end though, and lord Mori would fight western powers until giving up his Han to the Emperor after the Boshin war.

You will never look as badass as a 1870's sea captain

Final thoughts. This beer was sufficient in both quality and quantity. I have no complaints. I give this beer my blurry seal of approval.

The beers of Iwakuni: Nanto Brewery's Black Ale

I bought this at the world liquor in Iwakuni. It is Nanto Brewery's Black ale. It's a little hard to find information on this brewery as they don't seem to have an official web site. I have had to construct a profile using peoples reviews. I know the water used in the beer is filtered with coral (although I knew that from the bottle) and it is made on Miyakojima (an island off of Okinawa)

The water may be filtered by coral, but the beer wasn't filtered by anything. Not complaining, this is how I prefer it. Filtering reduces the flavor.

It came to me in a short, broad shouldered longneck bottle with pulltab cap (which seems to be popular in craft beer in the Pacific) and is 330 ml. The black and white label features a coral and the symbol of the brewery. It says on the bottle " Okinawa Sango Beer, Nanto brewery" "country pride" "Black Ale coral water 100%. The bottle describes the beer as such "This aroma-rich beer is brewed by the natural coral water. The underground water was created by a coral-formed limestone cave called 'Gyokusendo' in Okinawa" "Black Ale, The superb balance of the roasted malt fragrance and hops". 5% abv. I will be using the "tasty beer" glass from my Japanese set. Lets pull the tab, take a whiff, and see that head.

Nose from the bottle is bready with caramel malt. Makes an nice fluffy beige head and deep black color, some sediment is at the bottom of my glass now. Nose from the glass is the same as the bottle. On first sip, It is malty and bready with a dry barley finish and raw wine grape aftertaste. This wine taste comes to the forefront as you drink it, the dark malt taking a backseat. Body is actually pretty light, no acidity to speak of. You can taste the alcohol just a little at the end, but it's not pronounced.

Listening to Tokyo paradise Ska orchestra's 2014 album "Ska me forever". In personal news, I'm buying a 1992 Nissan 180SX with the sought after SR20DET engine and it's BONE STOCK WITH LESS 70k MILES ON IT. This one is coming back to America with me, slightly modified. As amazing as it is to find one of these as stock as it is (the plastic parts don't even have cracks on them, I can't even find 10 year old cars like that), this thing was built for the aftermarket. First things first, I'm moving the inter cooler to the front where it should be. After that I'm getting adjustable coil-overs and putting strut bars on it. Finally, I'm putting a larger oil sump on it because every one on the internet says that's their biggest problem, the stock oil sump isn't big enough to supply the engine. It's an automatic (part of why It's in its present condition), but I'm eventually going to change that.

Final thoughts, it's a pretty decent beer. I wouldn't pay the ¥550 I paid for it again, but it was OK. Supposedly their IPA is better. I have that one as well, so expect a review soon. It was certainly flavorful, but it does not command the price they charge for it.

The beers of Iwakuni: Ayinger Brewery's Celebrator Doppelbock

I purchased this beer at the World Liquor in Iwakuni. I've had it before back in South Carolina, but I didn't review it. But anyway, tonight is the much celebrated Celebrator Doppelbock by Ayinger Brewery out of the city of Aying in Bavaria. Brauerei Aying started in 1878 by the same family that still owns it and is attached to the 400 year old Aying Gasthouse Hotel. Finding more about the brewery is like pulling teeth, but I'm a glutton for internet research punishment. The family that started the brewery and still owns it are the Inselkammers, who have lived in the 1200 year old village of Aying since about 1800. Under the leadership of Master Brewer Franz Inselkammer, Sr., a graduate of Weihenstephan Abbey brewing school (the brewing school is part of the Technical University of Munich, operated with the monks of the Abby), the family brewery has become world famous, in no small part to tonight's beer.

The bottle is a nearly shoulderless longneck with a white crimpcap. I love the old world charm of Celebrator Doppelbock's bottle. I especially like the little goat buck charm they hang around the bottle, it's like a little beer geek trophy. The label art features late 19th century styled artwork featuring two goat bucks rearing up against a goblet of beer and proclaims that it is the "CELEBRATOR DOPPELBOCK" Dunkles Bayrisches Starkbier" (dark Bavarian strong beer) and "Familientradition in der 6. generation" (I'm going to assume you can figure that one out) and "Ayinger, privatbrauerei seit 1878". The rear of the bottle says (in several languages, and thanks to an added sticker Japanese is one of them) Ingredients: Water, barley malt, hops. It has a date of 03.17, I'm not sure whether this is the production date (which would make this remarkably new) or the "best by" date which would not be surprising to see as this is made on the other side of the planet from where I bought it. It is 330 ml and 6.7% ABV. I will be using one of my many delirium tulip snifters. Time to pop cap and take a whiff.

Nose from the bottle is bready, roasted malts, with a slight fruitiness. The beer forms a beige head which quickly dissipates. Nose from the glass is much more pronounced fruitiness with chocolate and a slightly malty characteristic. Color is a deep opaque black. On first sip, It is immediately chocolaty and malty, with a bready roasted malt finish. It has a medium full body with higher than average acidity. The roasted malt characteristic is coming more to the forefront, as well as a taste of alcohol. The finish has changed to being chocolaty with a cherry fruit characteristic, kind of like a dark chocolate cherry cordial. 

I bought a 1975 Sony TA-1630 integrated stereo amplifier from a Japanese thrift shop for 2,000 yen. When I bought it the guy at the counter told me that the left channel didn't work. This actually made me want it more, I love refurbishing vintage electronics. I bought a set of Sony stack amps at the same place for 1,500 yen. I've always wanted stack amps and finally have a set of vintage ones. All of this was inspired by my recent thrift shop acquisition of a Technics SL-Q6 turntable that I found for $25. For those not in the know, those retail for about $160 in questionable condition. It's a direct drive, so that's one less thing to go wrong, but the queuing stylus is belt driven so I was a little worried that would have turned to gum. Thankfully that drive belt seems good as the day it was made, unfortunately I think azimuth bumpers have worn down over the years and now the stylus suffers from over travel and gets stuck. You can bump it back into position and it will start playing just fine, but I'm going to have to open it up and fix that problem. It shouldn't be difficult, although I won't be able to get original parts and will have to jerryrig something to act as the bumper. I tested the amplifier with the speakers. The potentiometers have some dirty spots and unfortunately I don't have any spray on connector cleaner to fix the problem, nor can I order it on Amazon as they come in aerosol cans. I did manage to figure out that my left channel problem was a blown fuse, which I ordered online, along with a tube of connector cleaning grease. Unfortunately that's all I can find, supposedly this DeoxIT stuff is pretty good, if Amazon reviews can be believed. In other news, remembering Chuck Berry, who died today at the age of 90. Been listening to his music for this review. It's a shame I wasn't exposed to more of his music before he died. I always knew "Johnny be good", "Nadine", "You never can tell", "No particular place to go" and "Rock and Roll Music", but he has a fantastic discography that goes beyond that if you love early rock and roll, which I do. 

Final thoughts. It is world renowned for a reason, and that reason is it's delicious. This is one of those absolute must try beers for any beer nerd. I give this beer my blurry seal of approval.

The beers of Iwakuni: Hokkaido Brewing Company Otarueru Ale

I got this one at the YouMe a couple of months ago. The only English on the bottle is "Hokkaido beer" on the cap and the web site so it took a little extra research. The website is entirely in Japanese so I had to Google translate it.

This is what I'm working with.

Unfortunately, I started to write this a while back and I can't find the website again. From what II remember, it's an amber ale using ingredients from Hokkaido prefecture. The brewery is not to be confused with the Hokkaido brewery owned by Sapporo. This is a microbrewery in the city of Otaru with some limited distribution throughout Japan. (hang on, I found the website again). According to the website "The amber color tickles the beer-loving heart, it is a very rich flavor". The bottle is a steep shouldered longneck bottle with a pull tab cap featuring the shape of Hokkaido prefecture and the breweries website (the only English on the bottle). The label is pretty cool, even though I can't read anything on it. Nice little symbol featuring hops and barley stalks. It is 5% ABV and 330 ml. I will be using the dry beer glass from my Japanese beer glass set (mostly because I've never used this one).

Nose from the bottle is a sweet malt barley, kind of bready. Pours off golden with a light white head and has lively small bubble agitation. Nose from the glass is the same but with an overriding apple characteristic. On first sip, it's bready with cracked barley characteristic (which is to say, it's malty but not roasted), this subsides to light hops being the overriding characteristic, then a bread finish with a hop aftertaste. It's very German, as most Japanese beers are, despite being an ale. I certainly like how the hops make their presence known more and more as you sip this beer. It is a light body with medium acidity.

So I recently discovered the late 70's-early 90's metal band Saxon. Although I suppose that's a rather limiting view of them, as the band is still mostly intact after 40 years. I have had the song "Crusader" stuck in my head all day and I don't mind one bit. I bought their 1984 album "Crusader" and 1986 album "Rock the Nations" based on their epic cover art from a record store in Iwakuni I frequent. I also purchased the late 70's Canadian hard rock band Teaze's first self titled album for similar reasons.

Just look at that jungle cat, makes me want to buy a panel van just to have this painted on the side. Maybe It's because I was raised on Cheap Trick (by the way, bought their 1977 album "in color" at the same place) and the only good radio station in town when I was growing up was the classic rock station and on top of all of that, the majority of my friends were metal heads (I being the lone rude boy), but the late 1970's-early 1980's is just a cultural golden age for me. The majority of my favorite bands are from that era or have styled themselves after it. I love the trucks from that era. The vinyl from then is both of great and awful, the recording tech was better than it ever had been but the disks were flimsy. On the other hand, we have only just recently started making turn table cartridges that are better then the ones of that time. 

Final thoughts. I love the fact that it's a Japanese beer that you can taste the hops in but it's not trying to be American. Very refreshing to see. I give this beer my blurry seal of approval.

The beers of Iwakuni: Three Ring Brewing Co.'s Hi- Wire Twice as Nice Doppelbock

This is another from Hilgar's porchbomb. It is the Hi-Wire "twice as nice" Doppelbock by Three Ring Brewing Co. out of Ashville NC. They advertise themselves as "Hi-Wire brewing" but the actual name of the company is Three Ring Brewing Co., possibly to avoid confusion with Three Rings Brewery out of McPherson Kansas. The brewery was started (in 2013, from what evidence I could gather) with the Idea of producing easy drinking, approachable versions of traditional beer styles for the average Joe who wants to have a couple of brews with his friends but doesn't want to resort to frat boy barley water. For such a new brewery, they have a myriad of beers under their belt, with four year round brews and eight seasonal, and over thirty others. The Twice as Nice is one of their Lager seasonals.

I received this in a 12 oz standard longneck bottle with blue crimpcap featuring a silhouette on a high wire and the label art featuring a classic sideshow "Siamese twins". According to the description "Doppelbock black lager. Inspired by a traditional German doppelbock, Twice as Nice is a robust dark lager. Despite its full flavor and high alcohol, this beer was lagered for more than 8 weeks to make it light on the palate and incredibly smooth. Expect Vienna and Munich malt to contribute subtle flavors of fig, plum and chocolate to this big yet easy-drinking beer". According to the Hi-wire website this beer is 20 IBUs  and is a 28 on the SRM color scale. The website also says it uses Hallertau Tradition hopps which is an aromatic hopp created in 1989 by cross breeding Hallertau Mittelfrüher, Hallertauer Gold, and Saaz hopps to create a more fungus and blight resistant version while maintaining the light characteristics favored in most German beers. I haven't had a good Dopplebock in a hot minute, makes me nostalgic for the days when PX on Futenma had stocked way more Hacker-Pschor Habertous bock then they could sell so they marked the price down to something like "buy one for $2 and get three free". I miss those days. I'll be using my lager glass for this one "as is appropriate".

Nose from the bottle is thick coffee and chocolate. Color is a deep black and caramel with a light beige head. Nose from the glass has dropped most of the coffee and gained a fruity scent on top of the chocolate. On first sip, It begins fruity, then goes to a coffee chocolate mix, then goes to a dark chocolate finish and has a figgy aftertaste. It is a full body, just slightly chewey, and has a low acidity. I suppose there is also a bready quality to it, but it's not really pronounced.

I'm trying to apply to AMU (American Military University) to start in their Entrepreneurship program. Hopefully I can transfer to Clemson after I get out and live off the GI bill for a while. I know from experience that I can't study and work at the same time. To those who can pull that kind of thing off, more power to you, but I'm not one of those. The first time I tried college, I really didn't know what I wanted, I just did whatever was put in front of me. I didn't own it, it wasn't what I wanted, it was what other people wanted, and so I failed because I didn't care. Entrepreneurship is something I want for myself. I want to be self employed and own multiple businesses, just like the guys I smoke cigars with. That is my ultimate goal, to always have be occupied and to be able to do things in my own idiosyncratic way. I've learned a couple of things in my attempts to test the business waters, and one of the biggest is not to rely on friends and family for anything business related, or rather, don't rely on anyone who does not have a financial interest in doing things for you and for whom failure puts them at some sort of risk. As much as it makes me angry when my brother doesn't SHIP MY GOAT HEAD! I'm not going to disown him, our relationship is not based on the utility we have for one another. But that is kind of the way you have to be in a business, you have them around to complete the tasks you need completed, and you are there (as far as they are concerned) to pay them for completing those tasks. Another thing I learned is something that also applies to Poker, if your hand sucks, don't try to play with it unless you are forced to, just fold and get another hand.

Final thoughts. I loved this beer. It was full of flavor, the ABV was perfect for that flavor, just a good beer all around. I give this beer my blurry seal of approval.

The beers of Iwakuni: D9 brewing, Viking Scottish sour Ale

This is another from Hilgar's porch bomb. It's the Viking Scottish sour Ale from D9 brewing out of Cornelious NC. They don't say much about their history other than having previously ran a one barrel system and now being on a ten barrel at their new facility. The brewery is focused on re-imagining classic beer styles which could really go either way on it being good or not. I usually hate sour beers, so this review may be a little skewed. I will try to be as open minded as possible but keep in mind my bias.

I recieved this beer in a nearly sholderless longneck bottle with black crimpcap. The label features a literary Viking with horned helmet, giant beard, and dragon headed longboat among flowers (geitrams, if I'm not mistaken). The bottle proclaims "Viking Scottish sour ale" "A raiding party to your senses, this viking beer is meant to be enjoyed unapologetically. Sweet, floral and exploding with sour flavor, this ancient ale was created by the Vikings, claimed by the Scots, lost to time and given rebirth by our brewers to share amongst the enlightened". ABV 5%, SRM 14 (so a sort of light orange amber color), and 0 IBU's. I don't think I've had anything with a 0, but I imagine this doesn't have hopps in it, being a beer styled after those of the early middle ages. At least it's not flavored with wormwood or bladderwort (as they often flavored beer with before hopps became common). I'm going to have to clean out my almost thistle tulip glass for this one.

Nose from the bottle if fruity and yeasty, kind of like a Belgian trippel, except with a spiciness to it as well. Color is an oak brown, I'd put it at a 28 on the SRM actually. The head is quickly dissipating, but it's so lively you can hear it crackle. Nose from the glass is extremely sweet and floral, probably the most floral beer that has ever emanated a scent into my senses, still just a litte bit of spice. It actually smells a great deal like the Japanese energy soft drink Real Gold. I realize most probably don't know that scent, but if you ever have the pleasure it is the same scent as this beer. Oh wow, on first sip I discover much to my delight that it's not wheat sour, it's a fruit sour! Fist on the blog and I'm exited! Sour black cherry, then intensely floral and sweet, with a tart granny smith apple finish. It is a medium body and despite the sour and tart characteristics, is not particularly acidic.

Listening to Hank Williams III's 2014 album "Ramblin Man", but on to the subject of my rant. I've had a fascination since I was young with the military technology of the middle ages, so just after the fall of the Western Roman Empire and into the very beginnings of the Renascence (just before European cannons started to supersede their Chinese ancestors and change the nature of warfare, along with the arquebus). There are allot of misconceptions about the time, people tend to blend 1000 years of history together like there were not significant differences between the centuries. I don't know where I was going with this. I want to both rant and rave about medieval technology and not get into it because I want to go to bed. Oh well, bed and the responsibilities of tomorrow win.

Final thoughts. Loved this beer! It is so refreshing to have something that not only tastes like they finished brewing it, but isn't hoppy. As much as I love hopps, they are getting kind of boring. I give this beer my blurry seal of approval.