I had minor eye surgery about ten days ago that went pretty well. My first day of recovery was okay, but my second and third were really tough. I was experiencing discomfort in both eyes and I felt like I had a very bad head cold. Then things started slowly getting better each passing day.
A couple of days ago I went in for my one week post-op check-up. I was still experiencing some discomfort in my left eye, so the surgeon snipped a few sutures in my nose holding a silicon tube that provided drainage from my eye and - voila - things were even better.
The calm before the storm, I think they call it.
That night the tube in the other eye came partly out, but not through the nose. Through my tear duct. Not pretty. Attempts to pull it back in from within the nose by both the ocular surgeon and an Ear-Nose-Throat specialist only brought forth excruciating pain and a whole lot of blood. Things are better now, but the last couple of days have not been pleasant at all.
You've heard the phrase "life imitates art?" I've got a new one. "Beer quests imitate life."
The last few days have not been good. Mediocre, I'd say. I haven't tried anything I'd recommend until today. Four Peaks Kilt Lifter Scottish Ale. Very good. Well balanced and smooth. Another winner from Four Peaks is their 8th Street Ale, a Premium Bitter/ESB that was very good. Despite the name of the style, they tend to be well balanced. Finally, from Big Sky Brewing, their Scape Goat Pale Ale. Also very well balanced and smooth.
So, hopefully, I've turned the corner. My eye problems are fading and the beer is getting better. You can't ask for more than that.
Sant Hilari, Sant Hilari, fill de puta qui no se l'acabi! That's Catalan for "Son of a bitch the one that does not finish the cup." Supposedly that's vulgar. It makes perfect sense to me.
Goal...............524.....365
Progress.........139.......74
Remaining.....385.....291
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Day 70 – Week Ten
Week 10 - one fifth of the way home, more or less. Okay, more, but not by much. As is my bent, let's take stock of my progress, shall we?
131 different beers tasted. Works out to more than 13 a week, 3 above the desired goal.
31 beers ahead of schedule for this time milestone or three weeks ahead of schedule for this beer milestone.
Total amount spent: $207.
Average ratebeerian rating of beers tasted: 3.07
Average personal rating of beers tasted: 2.97 (I'm still tougher than the ratebeerians).
Best beer since my last blog: Spanish Peaks Honey Raspberry Ale and Samuel Adams Imperial Stout. Both highly recommended.
Worst beer since my last blog: Shiner Blonde (honestly, can we pass a law that shuts this brewery down?) and Stone Levitation Ale (worst amber ale on the planet).
So, the adventure continues for many weeks to come. It is possible I may slow down by the halfway point, but we'll have to see. Though my blogging has slowed to twice a week, my commitment to the goal hasn't slowed a bit. It's not that I don't like or want to write, but it is difficult coming up with themes every darn day that ties into beer drinking.
What do you want, quantity or quality?
What do you mean, either would be a nice change?
Na zdrave! That's Bulgarian for "to your health."
Goal...............524.....365
Progress.........131.......70
Remaining.....393.....295
131 different beers tasted. Works out to more than 13 a week, 3 above the desired goal.
31 beers ahead of schedule for this time milestone or three weeks ahead of schedule for this beer milestone.
Total amount spent: $207.
Average ratebeerian rating of beers tasted: 3.07
Average personal rating of beers tasted: 2.97 (I'm still tougher than the ratebeerians).
Best beer since my last blog: Spanish Peaks Honey Raspberry Ale and Samuel Adams Imperial Stout. Both highly recommended.
Worst beer since my last blog: Shiner Blonde (honestly, can we pass a law that shuts this brewery down?) and Stone Levitation Ale (worst amber ale on the planet).
So, the adventure continues for many weeks to come. It is possible I may slow down by the halfway point, but we'll have to see. Though my blogging has slowed to twice a week, my commitment to the goal hasn't slowed a bit. It's not that I don't like or want to write, but it is difficult coming up with themes every darn day that ties into beer drinking.
What do you want, quantity or quality?
What do you mean, either would be a nice change?
Na zdrave! That's Bulgarian for "to your health."
Goal...............524.....365
Progress.........131.......70
Remaining.....393.....295
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Day 67 – On A Roll
For a while there, I was concerned about being able to find enough beers to finish my quest. And, to be sure, I still have a long, long way to go. But I have been on a roll lately.
To refresh your memory, my weekly visits to Shangri-La, otherwise known as my local Total Wine store, had me visiting the Import section because I was having difficulty finding American Craft Beers I might like and hadn't sampled (I don't do bitter). Since I hadn't even hit the century mark at that time, I was worried that I would be able to find 524 beers to sample.
The last two visits, however, have been really good. I've found no less than thirty beers in the ACB section I wanted to try that were not duplicates. Once sampled, I will easily be beyond the one quarter mark of 131. In fact, I'll be around 140 beers tasted and logged. Since I haven't had too many porters and stouts - which I like, but not love - I think I can hit the one third mark (175) without too much trouble before moving on to the imports.
Okay, granted, that still leaves a lot of beer to find and sample. Like 349, to be precise. But I think I can find enough imports to get me the second third of the way, so the last third will be the one where I will face the most difficulty. As it should be.
I still have some plans of attack, however, so I'm still hopeful that I can achieve this wacky and worthwhile goal.
Ratebeer.com, where I record my progression, offered me another funny video yesterday. At the century mark, I was favored with a Homer Simpson video. Yesterday, as I recorded my 123rd beer, they played a Sesame Street video of counting to 3. Clever guys, these ratebeerians. It makes me wonder what else is out there for me to discover.
Okay, so what have I had that's good lately? Well, I did have a fruit beer that was actually pretty good called Blue Paw Wild Blueberry Wheat Ale from Sea Dog Brewing that was NOT a wheat ale with added fruit juice, like some fruit beers are. Like Sam Adams Cherry Wheat, they actually include real fruit in the brewing process, so the taste is there, but subtle. I also had some Sam Adams' products, including their Boston Ale (not their flagship lager; their ale) which was really good and their Irish Red, which is also really good.
The one thing about this quest, however, is the search for the "really good or great that surprises you." Sam Adams LongShot Lemon Pepper Saison is one such product. Didn't sound all that great, but it was. There was a hint of pepper in the drink, but it complimented the citrus and hops so well, it was fantastic. I highly recommend this if you can find it.
I read a story today online today about great American breweries and Boston Beer was one of them. Amen, Brother. You can't beat Boston Beer, can you?
So, I'm below 400 beers and 300 days, both significant milestones, in my book. It's been a fun ride so far and I still have a lot of momentum going for me. I am on a roll!
Budmo! That's Ukrainian for "shall we live forever." We shall.
Goal...............524.....365
Progress.........125.......67
Remaining.....399.....298
To refresh your memory, my weekly visits to Shangri-La, otherwise known as my local Total Wine store, had me visiting the Import section because I was having difficulty finding American Craft Beers I might like and hadn't sampled (I don't do bitter). Since I hadn't even hit the century mark at that time, I was worried that I would be able to find 524 beers to sample.
The last two visits, however, have been really good. I've found no less than thirty beers in the ACB section I wanted to try that were not duplicates. Once sampled, I will easily be beyond the one quarter mark of 131. In fact, I'll be around 140 beers tasted and logged. Since I haven't had too many porters and stouts - which I like, but not love - I think I can hit the one third mark (175) without too much trouble before moving on to the imports.
Okay, granted, that still leaves a lot of beer to find and sample. Like 349, to be precise. But I think I can find enough imports to get me the second third of the way, so the last third will be the one where I will face the most difficulty. As it should be.
I still have some plans of attack, however, so I'm still hopeful that I can achieve this wacky and worthwhile goal.
Ratebeer.com, where I record my progression, offered me another funny video yesterday. At the century mark, I was favored with a Homer Simpson video. Yesterday, as I recorded my 123rd beer, they played a Sesame Street video of counting to 3. Clever guys, these ratebeerians. It makes me wonder what else is out there for me to discover.
Okay, so what have I had that's good lately? Well, I did have a fruit beer that was actually pretty good called Blue Paw Wild Blueberry Wheat Ale from Sea Dog Brewing that was NOT a wheat ale with added fruit juice, like some fruit beers are. Like Sam Adams Cherry Wheat, they actually include real fruit in the brewing process, so the taste is there, but subtle. I also had some Sam Adams' products, including their Boston Ale (not their flagship lager; their ale) which was really good and their Irish Red, which is also really good.
The one thing about this quest, however, is the search for the "really good or great that surprises you." Sam Adams LongShot Lemon Pepper Saison is one such product. Didn't sound all that great, but it was. There was a hint of pepper in the drink, but it complimented the citrus and hops so well, it was fantastic. I highly recommend this if you can find it.
I read a story today online today about great American breweries and Boston Beer was one of them. Amen, Brother. You can't beat Boston Beer, can you?
So, I'm below 400 beers and 300 days, both significant milestones, in my book. It's been a fun ride so far and I still have a lot of momentum going for me. I am on a roll!
Budmo! That's Ukrainian for "shall we live forever." We shall.
Goal...............524.....365
Progress.........125.......67
Remaining.....399.....298
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Day 63 – Week Nine and Counting
Well, once again for a milestone of sorts, a minor one to be sure, but every one counts for something. I have completed Week Nine well ahead of schedule. I have sampled enough beers for the twelve week mark. I am averaging over 13 beers a week, three better than I'm supposed to. I am thirty beers ahead of schedule. The average rating for the beers I have sampled from my fellow ratebeerians is 3.06. My average rating for the same beers is 2.98.
I'm feeling pretty good right now.
I still have a long way to go, of course, but I'm 17% of the way through with 23% of the beer sampling goal completed. Within a couple of days, I will be below the 400 mark in beers and the 300 mark in days.
I'm feeling pretty good right now.
In the past two days, I've had some pretty good pale ales and some not so good not pale ales. Acme California Pale Ale from North Coast Brewing and Drifter Pale Ale from Widmer Brothers are both worth trying. A tad on the bitter side, but mostly well balanced, which, if you have been following me for a while, is my preference. However, if you of the same taste as I, then you might want to think a bit about PranQster Golden Ale from North Coast and Glissade Golden Bock from Sierra Nevada. The former was a bit too sweet and the latter was a bit too bitter.
Still, I'm feeling pretty good right now.
In spite of the fact that AZ has become the laughing stock of the country. Whether you agree with the laws AZ has passed lately or not, you have to admit they are pretty far out there. First there was the Birther law, the one where a presidential candidate has to submit proof of citizenship to the AZ Secretary of State in order to appear on the state ballot, in spite of the fact that there is a national agency that certifies such a thing. It is an effort to keep them lying Kenyans out of office, I suppose. Then there is the Immigration Law, giving AZ law enforcement personnel the power of national Immigration police. Papers please?
Then came the call for a law that would require employers to hire Spanish translators for those patrons who don't speak English. Fortunately, AZ did pass a law that banned that outlandish idea. For those people who disagree, I ask one simple question - name me one other country that has that law? Mexico? Sorry, no habla englais. Canada? Try that in Quebec, my friend, and find yourself on the outside looking in. So why here? If we did that for hispanics, then why not orientals and europeans and - oh, wait! - native americans? Can you imagine the price of groceries when your local stop and rob has twenty people on staff in case they are needed to translate?
Give me a f@*#ing break.
Still, I'm feeling pretty good right now.
What? What do you mean I have to translate this blog into Armenian? You can't shut me down for that! I'm an American and I have my rights!
What? What do you mean by "prove it?" I don't know, my birth certificate is around here somewhere...
Fine. I didn't want to be President anyway.
Salud!
Goal...............524.....365
Progress.........120.......63
Remaining.....404.....301
I'm feeling pretty good right now.
I still have a long way to go, of course, but I'm 17% of the way through with 23% of the beer sampling goal completed. Within a couple of days, I will be below the 400 mark in beers and the 300 mark in days.
I'm feeling pretty good right now.
In the past two days, I've had some pretty good pale ales and some not so good not pale ales. Acme California Pale Ale from North Coast Brewing and Drifter Pale Ale from Widmer Brothers are both worth trying. A tad on the bitter side, but mostly well balanced, which, if you have been following me for a while, is my preference. However, if you of the same taste as I, then you might want to think a bit about PranQster Golden Ale from North Coast and Glissade Golden Bock from Sierra Nevada. The former was a bit too sweet and the latter was a bit too bitter.
Still, I'm feeling pretty good right now.
In spite of the fact that AZ has become the laughing stock of the country. Whether you agree with the laws AZ has passed lately or not, you have to admit they are pretty far out there. First there was the Birther law, the one where a presidential candidate has to submit proof of citizenship to the AZ Secretary of State in order to appear on the state ballot, in spite of the fact that there is a national agency that certifies such a thing. It is an effort to keep them lying Kenyans out of office, I suppose. Then there is the Immigration Law, giving AZ law enforcement personnel the power of national Immigration police. Papers please?
Then came the call for a law that would require employers to hire Spanish translators for those patrons who don't speak English. Fortunately, AZ did pass a law that banned that outlandish idea. For those people who disagree, I ask one simple question - name me one other country that has that law? Mexico? Sorry, no habla englais. Canada? Try that in Quebec, my friend, and find yourself on the outside looking in. So why here? If we did that for hispanics, then why not orientals and europeans and - oh, wait! - native americans? Can you imagine the price of groceries when your local stop and rob has twenty people on staff in case they are needed to translate?
Give me a f@*#ing break.
Still, I'm feeling pretty good right now.
What? What do you mean I have to translate this blog into Armenian? You can't shut me down for that! I'm an American and I have my rights!
What? What do you mean by "prove it?" I don't know, my birth certificate is around here somewhere...
Fine. I didn't want to be President anyway.
Salud!
Goal...............524.....365
Progress.........120.......63
Remaining.....404.....301
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Day 60 – Life Goes On
Yesterday I wrote from the heart about the loss of a close friend and the burden of letting another close friend, her husband, down. Today I began the road to recovery, a much easier path for me than for Denny.
My wife and I drove up to Mesa, a growing town on the southeast side of Phoenix, to purchase a memorial stone made of flagstaff. It was a two-hour drive there and the same coming back, but it felt good to do something in remembrance of a dear friend.
A part of me yesterday wondered if I should have written my blog at all. I thought it might be best to keep such things to myself. After all, I haven't written much lately. How would anyone know I refrained from writing out of sadness and regret?
Sometimes life gives you a sign, however. I was thumbing through the channels last night in search of something to watch and came across the movie Julie and Julia. I had seen it before, of course. It was the catalyst for undertaking this quest and writing this blog. It is what JNJ stands for, a tip of the hat to the original. I tuned in at the scene where Julie is preparing Beef Bourguignon for someone of note. She falls asleep before it is done and ends up burning it. The next day she calls in sick to work and prepares the dish again, only to have the person cancel at the last minute. From there Julie and her husband get into a fight. She blogs about the disaster and almost blogs about the fight, but deletes the text after recalling her husband's admonition not to.
The point is, not all of Julie's blogs were upbeat and lighthearted. She had to deal with real life while going through her quest as do I. So, in the final analysis, I don't regret blogging about the loss I felt. It was necessary, a process we all go through from time to time. I just did it more publicly on this occasion.
Today I began the road to recovery. I had a couple of old favorites, Sam Adams Boston Lager and Sam Adams Light. Personally I prefer the taste of the Light to the original, but both are very good. It was a step in the right direction for me.
Here's looking at you, kid.
Goal...............524.....365
Progress..........116.......61
Remaining.....408.....304
My wife and I drove up to Mesa, a growing town on the southeast side of Phoenix, to purchase a memorial stone made of flagstaff. It was a two-hour drive there and the same coming back, but it felt good to do something in remembrance of a dear friend.
A part of me yesterday wondered if I should have written my blog at all. I thought it might be best to keep such things to myself. After all, I haven't written much lately. How would anyone know I refrained from writing out of sadness and regret?
Sometimes life gives you a sign, however. I was thumbing through the channels last night in search of something to watch and came across the movie Julie and Julia. I had seen it before, of course. It was the catalyst for undertaking this quest and writing this blog. It is what JNJ stands for, a tip of the hat to the original. I tuned in at the scene where Julie is preparing Beef Bourguignon for someone of note. She falls asleep before it is done and ends up burning it. The next day she calls in sick to work and prepares the dish again, only to have the person cancel at the last minute. From there Julie and her husband get into a fight. She blogs about the disaster and almost blogs about the fight, but deletes the text after recalling her husband's admonition not to.
The point is, not all of Julie's blogs were upbeat and lighthearted. She had to deal with real life while going through her quest as do I. So, in the final analysis, I don't regret blogging about the loss I felt. It was necessary, a process we all go through from time to time. I just did it more publicly on this occasion.
Today I began the road to recovery. I had a couple of old favorites, Sam Adams Boston Lager and Sam Adams Light. Personally I prefer the taste of the Light to the original, but both are very good. It was a step in the right direction for me.
Here's looking at you, kid.
Goal...............524.....365
Progress..........116.......61
Remaining.....408.....304
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Day 60 – A Note of Sadness
I received some very bad news a few days ago. A dear friend died unexpectedly back in Michigan. It was a shock to everyone, of course, but none more than her husband. He called to let me know and I immediately told him my wife and I would be heading back to stand by his side. Unfortunately that was before I knew when the funeral would be. It was also before I checked the airline schedules.
The funeral, I found out a few hours later, was in two days, not much time to make arrangements, but I tried. Not to make excuses, but it is a long trip back to Grand Rapids from Tucson. There is at least one stop, sometimes two, and with the three-hour time difference, the trip pretty much consumes an entire day. The soonest we could have gotten in to GR was late Thursday night. Her funeral was Friday morning.
That, of course, assumes there were seats available. Have you tried to book a flight that leaves the next day? There aren't that many flights any more. I couldn't find us a flight. So, with a heavy heart, I had to break my promise to a dear friend.
I still feel bad about that. Almost as bad as I feel over the loss of his wife and our friend. I couldn't be there for him. Others did, but not us. Time and distance waits for no one and we have to live with that.
I'm so sorry, Denny. For your loss and for breaking a promise. I wanted to be supportive. Instead I violated a trust. I hope someday you will understand and forgive us.
Tomorrow we're going to drive north to Phoenix where a monument business we know is located. We're going to have a large piece of slate engraved with a heartfelt sentiment to give to our friend, a remembrance that he can keep with him from those who loved him and his wife, gone from this world far too soon. It won't make up for our absence, but perhaps one day it will provide the comfort we couldn't give to him on a day when he needed it.
Obviously I don't feel much like celebrating or writing about beer, so I'll close for now. Life does and will go on, but I need a few days.
In loving memory of Norma Taylor.
Goal...............524.....365
Progress.........114.......60
Remaining.....410.....305
The funeral, I found out a few hours later, was in two days, not much time to make arrangements, but I tried. Not to make excuses, but it is a long trip back to Grand Rapids from Tucson. There is at least one stop, sometimes two, and with the three-hour time difference, the trip pretty much consumes an entire day. The soonest we could have gotten in to GR was late Thursday night. Her funeral was Friday morning.
That, of course, assumes there were seats available. Have you tried to book a flight that leaves the next day? There aren't that many flights any more. I couldn't find us a flight. So, with a heavy heart, I had to break my promise to a dear friend.
I still feel bad about that. Almost as bad as I feel over the loss of his wife and our friend. I couldn't be there for him. Others did, but not us. Time and distance waits for no one and we have to live with that.
I'm so sorry, Denny. For your loss and for breaking a promise. I wanted to be supportive. Instead I violated a trust. I hope someday you will understand and forgive us.
Tomorrow we're going to drive north to Phoenix where a monument business we know is located. We're going to have a large piece of slate engraved with a heartfelt sentiment to give to our friend, a remembrance that he can keep with him from those who loved him and his wife, gone from this world far too soon. It won't make up for our absence, but perhaps one day it will provide the comfort we couldn't give to him on a day when he needed it.
Obviously I don't feel much like celebrating or writing about beer, so I'll close for now. Life does and will go on, but I need a few days.
In loving memory of Norma Taylor.
Goal...............524.....365
Progress.........114.......60
Remaining.....410.....305
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Day 56 – Week Eight...Doing Great.
Today is another milestone of sorts. The end of Week Eight. Day Fifty Six. 105 beers down. Another couple of weeks and I'll be under 400 and 300, respectively. Cool beans.
By the way, tomorrow it's only supposed to reach 78 degrees here in Tucson. In Michigan, I would have been cheering. In Arizona, that seems cool to me somehow. Slowly but surely I'm becoming a Tucsonan. I'm so proud.
Since I last wrote, I haven't had any really good beers. Total Wine had the last of the seasonals (as in...brrrr...winter) on sale, so I bought a bunch. The Winter Bock from Gordon Biersch wasn't bad, but the Powder Hound Winter Ale from Big Sky Brewing was, well, more like Easter...HOPPY! I was able to choke it down, but barely.
I had a Fireside Nut Brown Ale from Leinenkugal's (out your way, Derek!) that was decent - a bit too much maple for me - but the Trout Slayer Wheat Ale from Big Sky Brewing was pretty bitter. Hmmm....I'm detecting a trend here. I can understand the English Strong Ale (Powder Hound) being hoppy, but the wheat ale? C'mon, give the hops a break when it comes to the wheat stuff!
Fortunately, I'm nearing the end of the winter stuff and will soon move on to the imports. Call me a traitor, but I'm finding the imports to land more often in my wheel house. Not that American Micro Brews don't make some good stuff... they do...but a number of breweries here think that if some hops are good, a boat load is better. The imports tend to be more balanced, which is more to my liking.
Of course, when I say imports, I'm referring to crafted brews from Belgium and Germany. I haven't tried anything from, say, Poland or Upper Volta. You know, the places not exactly known for their beer heritage. Still, eventually I'm going to have to try some of that. Just as soon as I run out of brands from countries I trust.
Op uw gezondheid! That's Flemish for, well, supposedly Cheers, but who knows? It almost looks like something you'd say when someone sneezes. Even so, that works.
Goal...............524.....365
Progress.........105.......56
Remaining......419.....309
By the way, tomorrow it's only supposed to reach 78 degrees here in Tucson. In Michigan, I would have been cheering. In Arizona, that seems cool to me somehow. Slowly but surely I'm becoming a Tucsonan. I'm so proud.
Since I last wrote, I haven't had any really good beers. Total Wine had the last of the seasonals (as in...brrrr...winter) on sale, so I bought a bunch. The Winter Bock from Gordon Biersch wasn't bad, but the Powder Hound Winter Ale from Big Sky Brewing was, well, more like Easter...HOPPY! I was able to choke it down, but barely.
I had a Fireside Nut Brown Ale from Leinenkugal's (out your way, Derek!) that was decent - a bit too much maple for me - but the Trout Slayer Wheat Ale from Big Sky Brewing was pretty bitter. Hmmm....I'm detecting a trend here. I can understand the English Strong Ale (Powder Hound) being hoppy, but the wheat ale? C'mon, give the hops a break when it comes to the wheat stuff!
Fortunately, I'm nearing the end of the winter stuff and will soon move on to the imports. Call me a traitor, but I'm finding the imports to land more often in my wheel house. Not that American Micro Brews don't make some good stuff... they do...but a number of breweries here think that if some hops are good, a boat load is better. The imports tend to be more balanced, which is more to my liking.
Of course, when I say imports, I'm referring to crafted brews from Belgium and Germany. I haven't tried anything from, say, Poland or Upper Volta. You know, the places not exactly known for their beer heritage. Still, eventually I'm going to have to try some of that. Just as soon as I run out of brands from countries I trust.
Op uw gezondheid! That's Flemish for, well, supposedly Cheers, but who knows? It almost looks like something you'd say when someone sneezes. Even so, that works.
Goal...............524.....365
Progress.........105.......56
Remaining......419.....309
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Day 54 – Where The Hell Have I Been?
Whoa! How time flies, huh? It's been two weeks since I last blogged. Miss me? All two of you, I mean? My humble apologies...I have taken on a lot lately and the Beer Blog was the thing that went first. Not the beer quest, mind you, but the writing is time consuming and at the end of the day, I haven't had the creative energy to wax poetically about beer.
As Dennis Quaid said in Independence Day, "Hello boys! I'm baaaaaaccccckkkk!"
The last time I wrote I was concerned about reaching the end game (524 different beers). Well, the concern is still there, but I'm plunging bravely forward. I visited other stores in the Tucson area and found one that had a tad better selection than Total Wine, but not by much. At TW, I'm hitting the imports already and haven't hit the twenty percent mark yet. Still, I'm going to see how it goes as I move forward. Seasonals are always popping up and I haven't hit the brew pubs yet, so I'm not giving up hope yet. If I have to, I'll choke down some IPA's, assuming I get close enough to my goal to make it worth the effort.
The last time I wrote I had 74 beers sampled. I'm proud to say that I have hit the century mark. At Ratebeer.com, this is a significant milestone and I was rewarded with a video of Homer Simpson singing "When I Was Seventeen." Pretty funny and worth sampling 100 different beers just to see. Now I get a crown by my username on the site, one of thousands to have one. I feel so proud.
If you're keeping track (I am), I am just shy of 20% of the beer goal in 15% of the time. I only needed to have 78 beers sampled at this point, so I'm 23 ahead of schedule or more than two weeks. Cool.
So what good beers have I had? Hmm, 27 beers since I last wrote. Instead of a sentence or two about each, how about I just break them down in a list by Delicious, Acceptable, and Don't Bother.
Don't Bother
None! Avoiding the over-hopped beers and fruit juice-spiked ales, I've elevated my game, so to speak.
Acceptable
Acai Berry Wheat (Eel River Brewery), Single Track Copper Ale (Boulder Beer Co.), Fire Rock Pale Ale (Kona Brewing Co.), Blue Paddle Pilsner (New Belgium Brewing), Polestar Pilsner (Left Hand Brewing), Sam Adams Summer Ale (Boston Beer), Dundee Honey Brown Lager (High Falls Brewing), Czech Style Pilsner (Gordon Biersch), Shiner 101 Pilsner (Spoetzl Brewery), Sam Adams Imperial White (Boston Beer), Red Tail Ale (Mendocino Brewing), and 1888 Bock (Leinenkugal).
Delicious
Haywire Hefeweizen (Pyramid Breweries), Pass Time Pale Ale (Boulder Beer Co.), Bell's Amber Ale (Bells Brewery), Scrimshaw Pilsner (North Coast Brewing), Drop Top Amber Ale (Widmer Brothers Brewing), Blue Star Wheat Ale (North Coast Brewing), Tire Bite Golden Ale (Flying Dog Brewery), Alaskan Summer Ale (Alaskan Brewing), Sam Adams Cherry Wheat (Boston Beer), Yellowtail Pale Ale (Ballast Point Brewing), Konig Ludwig Weissbier (Konig Ludwig Schlossbrauerei), Hacker-Pschorr Weisse (Paulaner Brauerei), Ayinger Brau-Weisse (Brauerei Aying), and Downtown Brown Ale (Lost Coast Brewing).
Salud y amor y tiempo para disfrutarlo! (A tip o' the hat to my hispanic friends in honor of Cinco de Mayo).
Goal...............524.....365
Progress.........101.......54
Remaining.....423.....311
As Dennis Quaid said in Independence Day, "Hello boys! I'm baaaaaaccccckkkk!"
The last time I wrote I was concerned about reaching the end game (524 different beers). Well, the concern is still there, but I'm plunging bravely forward. I visited other stores in the Tucson area and found one that had a tad better selection than Total Wine, but not by much. At TW, I'm hitting the imports already and haven't hit the twenty percent mark yet. Still, I'm going to see how it goes as I move forward. Seasonals are always popping up and I haven't hit the brew pubs yet, so I'm not giving up hope yet. If I have to, I'll choke down some IPA's, assuming I get close enough to my goal to make it worth the effort.
The last time I wrote I had 74 beers sampled. I'm proud to say that I have hit the century mark. At Ratebeer.com, this is a significant milestone and I was rewarded with a video of Homer Simpson singing "When I Was Seventeen." Pretty funny and worth sampling 100 different beers just to see. Now I get a crown by my username on the site, one of thousands to have one. I feel so proud.
If you're keeping track (I am), I am just shy of 20% of the beer goal in 15% of the time. I only needed to have 78 beers sampled at this point, so I'm 23 ahead of schedule or more than two weeks. Cool.
So what good beers have I had? Hmm, 27 beers since I last wrote. Instead of a sentence or two about each, how about I just break them down in a list by Delicious, Acceptable, and Don't Bother.
Don't Bother
None! Avoiding the over-hopped beers and fruit juice-spiked ales, I've elevated my game, so to speak.
Acceptable
Acai Berry Wheat (Eel River Brewery), Single Track Copper Ale (Boulder Beer Co.), Fire Rock Pale Ale (Kona Brewing Co.), Blue Paddle Pilsner (New Belgium Brewing), Polestar Pilsner (Left Hand Brewing), Sam Adams Summer Ale (Boston Beer), Dundee Honey Brown Lager (High Falls Brewing), Czech Style Pilsner (Gordon Biersch), Shiner 101 Pilsner (Spoetzl Brewery), Sam Adams Imperial White (Boston Beer), Red Tail Ale (Mendocino Brewing), and 1888 Bock (Leinenkugal).
Delicious
Haywire Hefeweizen (Pyramid Breweries), Pass Time Pale Ale (Boulder Beer Co.), Bell's Amber Ale (Bells Brewery), Scrimshaw Pilsner (North Coast Brewing), Drop Top Amber Ale (Widmer Brothers Brewing), Blue Star Wheat Ale (North Coast Brewing), Tire Bite Golden Ale (Flying Dog Brewery), Alaskan Summer Ale (Alaskan Brewing), Sam Adams Cherry Wheat (Boston Beer), Yellowtail Pale Ale (Ballast Point Brewing), Konig Ludwig Weissbier (Konig Ludwig Schlossbrauerei), Hacker-Pschorr Weisse (Paulaner Brauerei), Ayinger Brau-Weisse (Brauerei Aying), and Downtown Brown Ale (Lost Coast Brewing).
Salud y amor y tiempo para disfrutarlo! (A tip o' the hat to my hispanic friends in honor of Cinco de Mayo).
Goal...............524.....365
Progress.........101.......54
Remaining.....423.....311
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