tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7286823271635356522012-02-16T17:07:47.758-06:00a beer blogcomoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.comBlogger381100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-86263498598054018232010-02-12T15:13:00.008-06:002010-02-13T20:45:55.921-06:00

In the early nineties, we had zines. Zines were like blogs you photocopied. Before anyone could say anything to millions of readers, folks wrote manifestos to copy and paste for tens of people.The past and present collide with Hot Knives' Greatest Sips. The vegan/vegetarian hipster beer blog published a zine of their favorite beer reviews. And I have to say that for the beers I know, their tastes

Zac Earlynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-54607526231184604672010-02-10T21:45:00.010-06:002010-02-10T22:18:10.768-06:00

I keep meaning to post the beers I've had over the past several days, but I have been unable to keep up with this blog, which is better than I can say about several of my other blogs.Anyway, here are some highlights over the past few days. You can also check my RateBeer account for other reviews.I had new Belgium's take on the IPA, Ranger. The aroma hit me in the face with Simcoe and Amarillo,

Zac Earlynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-39450530706368125362010-02-04T22:10:00.005-06:002010-02-04T22:23:48.211-06:00

I'll drink and enjoy anything the folks at Stone brew. That's just a fact.On the other hand, whatever BrewDog puts in a bottle promises an awful lot, but it rarely delivers on that promise.This beer somehow fulfills both prophesies. Like the black pilsner they collaborated on, the beer defies style and definition. It's black black with lovely lacing. The aroma is big, roasty, raisiny, and even

Zac Earlynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-12572664201011130222010-02-02T22:48:00.004-06:002010-02-03T22:30:48.988-06:00

4...8...15...16...23...42...Such are the mysterious numbers in my favorite TV show, Lost. They come up time and time again throughout the series, hiding some cryptic meaning for Losties like myself to ponder endlessly.The obsession for this show runs deep as I wait nine or so months for the show to return to the weekly lineup. Even as intensely frustrating as the series can be, I'll wait for it's

Zac Earlynoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-3563650425232008162010-02-01T16:52:00.006-06:002010-02-02T04:25:53.475-06:00

There was a post from the previous week about drinking some beer over football. It was never completed, but I'll somehow manage this sports-related post concerning sports and beer. Maybe I'll have room for a Super Bowl edition...Sunday afternoon is a great time to take in a college basketball game and even better time to take in a beer.Notice the champagne cap. It works when you can't finish a

Zac Earlynoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-48310294151672760852010-01-17T08:07:00.004-06:002010-01-17T08:24:12.321-06:00

Sometimes there are beers that get lost in one's cellar. It's not that they're bad beers. It's just that it might not be a style one is really into. You have to figure out something to do with it. To drink an entire bomber of a beer you're not entirely sure you want to drink in the first place is hard to do. So, we look to cooking as an option.For me, there have been a couple of wheat beers that

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-75280254474549100172010-01-12T19:42:00.005-06:002010-01-13T22:01:00.291-06:00

Every year, there is a mad rush to claim every case, sixer, and bottle of Bell's DIPA, better known as Hopslam, in this town. We don't normally get as many cases as we received this year, but last year's crazed onslaught of beer geeks seeking hop heaven has finally earned us additional shipments of Hopslam.Last year's edition was a punch in the face of pure grapefruit. I loved it. I would eat

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-81883788536177503072010-01-11T22:47:00.007-06:002010-01-12T09:23:47.875-06:00

I decided some time ago that maybe I should take better care of myself. To do this, it seemed best to rid my body of toxins in order to begin a new regimen of eating better and exercising more. I certainly ate better, limiting portions, sugar, caffeine, and even alcohol. (The exercise will have to come later when it gets warmer.)The program of supplements meant to clean me out was a ten-day deal.

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-55464956714160686182009-11-24T06:07:00.015-06:002009-11-24T10:34:23.954-06:00

Possibly due to the holiday and the fact I live in a college town, last night's Columbia Beer Enthusiast gathering at Sycamore was somewhat small. This was surprising in that the tasting involved only beers on Beer Advocate's top 100 list(s). Granted, the list at BA is lacking a few great beers, but overall it is pretty solid from top to bottom.The list is fluid as beers are rated daily. One of

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-69983568465467826482009-10-20T20:50:00.004-05:002009-10-20T21:00:25.472-05:00

I planned a dinner the other night consisting of stove top brats, German potato salad, and Brussels sprouts with sour cream and bacon. These foods made my "Oktoberfeast" complete...well, almost.With fall comes a new set of seasonal beers. There are the porters, stouts, and pumpkin beers for sure, but I love a good Oktoberfest. Not being the biggest fan of lagers, I struggle to find a good

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-37571426076869655442009-10-20T16:00:00.008-05:002009-10-20T20:49:05.126-05:00

Last night we had what I am calling the "Oktoberfeast." This was a meal featuring German potato salad and some Brussels sprouts mixed with sour cream and bacon. There was an excellent Oktoberfest beer from Avery, but I'll post more on that later.Now, I've made beer brats before, but this was different. First of all, I cooked the sausage in some water. One good tip I picked up was to poke some

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-32773156245317506752009-10-05T22:32:00.004-05:002009-10-05T22:48:42.083-05:00

I asked a friend to come over in order to drink my Stone 13th anniversary ale. (Thank you KT.)That's the Stone on the left, a holy hop bomb that just got better as it warmed. This is how craft beers used to taste to me when I mostly drank Sam Adams and Guinness.(At this point, I broke out the potato chips so that we could taste something other than the hop assault we just experienced.)Next was a

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-12500312934843918952009-10-03T11:28:00.004-05:002009-10-03T11:42:07.995-05:00

It was Friday. We didn't feel like going out. We didn't feel like cooking dinner. In this case, the best choices include calling for pizza or making breakfast for dinner (BFD). We went with the latter.While making our famous pumpkin pancakes (half a can of pumpkin puree and spices tossed into a batch of pancake batter), I contemplated my beer options. This is not an easy pairing. I know that some

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-37743788403369403272009-10-03T09:20:00.005-05:002009-10-03T10:56:09.497-05:00

October rolled in this week. For me, the fall begins on October 1st. This year, the weather obliged as there was definitely a shift toward colder, wetter conditions. Using some fall seasonal beers, I made some dinner.MeatloafI had to make some dinner and we had ground beef in the freezer, so I figured I could make a meatloaf. Several online recipes suggested adding some wine or various spirits to

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-16184662596308620162009-10-01T05:12:00.007-05:002009-10-01T06:46:34.035-05:00

The Broadway Brewery opened a while back, maybe a week or so ago. We finally got our chance to check it out last night. I liked the place so much, I went twice.The first trip was to get some dinner. The atmosphere is nice with the lights just low enough and the noise level just high enough. I won't get into specifics about the decor, but the bar had a nice semi-circular design with the brewing

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-8355873984419360682009-09-29T17:32:00.001-05:002009-10-01T05:11:48.166-05:00

We made the trip to a friend's farm for some coq au vin which is basically rooster in wine sauce. Now, I realize a rooster might not sound appetizing, but how could anything not taste good after be cooked and soaked in wine for many hours?Anyway, one of my favorite websites - Beer Sommelier - suggested a Belgian dubbel for this meal. Luckily, someone brought us an Ommegang Abbey Ale a few weeks

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-6860460066160621102009-08-28T05:18:00.002-05:002009-08-28T05:18:56.119-05:00

I know that some of you have not been out to the Ragtag in a while for happy hour. That's OK. This is your time for redemption.Between 6:00 and 6:30 this evening, Barry will tap a cask of Schlafly's wildly popular and very sessionable Dry-Hopped American Pale Ale. He will be offering specials before breaking into the free beer in a wooden cask.I'll see you there!(Image lifted from STL Hops.)

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-25518982167506155962009-08-25T22:57:00.003-05:002009-08-25T23:01:07.732-05:00

Is there anything better than beer and pizza? I'm not sure there is. Tonight, I had my partner's chicken/bacon pizza with pesto and some veggies on her whole-wheat crust. This pizza was the inaugural pie on her new pizza stone. To wash it down, I broke open a Three Floyds Alpha King Pale Ale. There isn't much to say beyond that. Words would ruin the whole experience.

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-45829661873656471742009-08-25T22:40:00.007-05:002009-08-25T22:56:40.022-05:00

I know that I've mentioned their events before on this blog, but I can't imagine where my beer drinking and brewing would be without the Columbia Beer Enthusiasts. Every community should have a beer club.I have learned a ton about great craft beer and homebrewing. Some beers that I would have never tried or even heard of have touched my lips thanks to some of the generous members of our crew. All

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-39768268120980777252009-08-25T22:33:00.003-05:002009-08-25T22:40:21.412-05:00

I came home late last week from work to find my partner had fixed a nice chicken dinner. It was a long day, so this was very welcome. Also, waiting for me at the door were some records I had mail ordered a while back. This all made me want to pour an Oaked Arrogant Bastard.As I sat there, enjoying my dinner, drinking my beer, and unwrapping my new music, I thought of another perfect pairing: beer

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-57964827139899910032009-08-13T21:28:00.007-05:002009-08-13T22:00:25.330-05:00

As mentioned before, I'm making it my goal to find the perfect beers to pair with my friend Alan's chocolates. Honestly, I had no idea where to start. I figured imperial stouts may match the flavors and lambics could possibly compliment. Otherwise, I really had no clue.At a chocolate and wine tasting a few months back, Alan suggested a Trappistes Rochefort 10 would pair well with his chocolate. I

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-66895773313807721002009-08-10T20:42:00.010-05:002009-08-11T21:12:27.237-05:00

I invited over a friend to have some beers Sunday. I have several beers in my stash that not just anyone would enjoy. On top of that, I don't know that I should enjoy them alone. So, there they sat on their shelf under the basement stairs until yesterday.My friend Alan is a major foodie. In fact, you might have heard of his chocolate. He brought over some super dense rye bread, this great cheese

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-23803861734346385712009-07-23T04:16:00.007-05:002009-07-23T04:50:28.550-05:00

My busy schedule has not allowed me to keep up with my beer reports. I'm not even entirely sure I remember all the beers I've tried over the past couple of weeks. So, I'll just highlight a few noteworthy brews in no particular order.Goose Island Matilda '08This beer was part of a shipment from New York. I traded a few MO-centric brews for a mixture of fine beers. The Matilda was one of these

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-7425431705308904732009-07-23T04:04:00.004-05:002009-07-23T04:15:02.610-05:00

Sometimes the brats from the farmer's market are a little dry for my taste. So, I find it helpful to boil my brats in some beer. I used to go buy a tall-boy of Bud to boil my brats so as not to waste a good beer, but my thinking on this has changed. My partner feels that you should only cook with a wine you would drink. I've decided the same goes for beer.For my beer brats, I like to use a dark

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-65144558139078946142009-07-21T19:34:00.010-05:002009-07-23T04:04:11.974-05:00

Last year, I jumped into the craft beer scene head-first. This year, I've begun to brew my own beer. I'm now two batches in and I'm already planning numbers three and four. Here's what I've done so far...My first attempt (below) was with the Three-Hearted Ale from Northern Brewer. I knew a lot of people who tried this extract mix from NB who all had successful batches. I thought I was getting a

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-4184523202480654042009-07-08T20:17:00.005-05:002009-07-08T20:36:17.881-05:00

Friends brought over a chicken they raised. We decided to do something we hadn't done in a while: do a beer can chicken. The biggest difference was that I didn't run to the store to buy a Bud for the chicken. It was decided that we should use a beer that we would drink.I did some research and found that many different beers could be used, but which would we use for this chicken? R put a spicy rub

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-15741979877181026682009-07-06T17:33:00.011-05:002009-07-07T10:07:57.152-05:00

New Belgium Lips of Faith Dandelion AleR and I actually escaped the kid for a drink at Sycamore. While R sipped on a Manhattan, I ordered this specialty beer from New Belgium. I really appreciate that Sycamore brings in such hard-to-find beers as this one. However, the beer was unremarkable. It was refreshing and sweet though, just nothing special.Boulevard Unfiltered Wheat AleI had a rock show

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-56067297216134291312009-07-05T23:38:00.000-05:002009-07-06T17:33:06.273-05:00

Usually, a barley wine is saved for dessert or used as a digestive. However, at the suggestion of He Said Beer She Said Wine, I decided to put Hair of the Dog Fred to good use. The idea is that the strong hop character will stand up to the gamey lamb and the cilantro-mint sauce R prepared to slather on the kebabs.It did work. the sauce was spicier than expected, but the beer stood its ground.Fred

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-4738005039121780272009-07-05T11:20:00.006-05:002009-07-05T20:21:49.420-05:00

Booches might possibly make the best burgers in the world. You don't believe me? Come to Columbia, MO and try them for yourself.I understand. You'll take my word for it.Anyway, my folks took the kid to Booches for some lunch while R and I painted her office. Thankfully, the grandparents returned with two Booches cheeseburgers with everything plus grilled onions. A burger like this calls for

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-12487184934673572202009-07-03T21:18:00.004-05:002009-07-03T21:26:44.319-05:00

After eating out with my folks, we returned home to munch on some of R's delicious blueberry pie. A bock would have been a nice compliment to the dessert, but I had something better in mind. A pie as thick and heavy as this pie deserves a little caramel. Plus, I wanted some alcohol to finish off my night. For this pie, I pulled out the big guns: Dogfish Head's Palo Santo Marron. Molasses and

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-20788003792015000022009-06-30T20:57:00.007-05:002009-06-30T21:57:43.586-05:00

Sunday marked the Columbia Beer Enthusiast's stout blind taste test. Fifteen or so stouts and maybe 11 or 12 imperial stouts later, we had some winners. I swiped the 411 from our Ning. The pics are mine.It should also be noted that I brought the imperial winner: Bell's Expedition Stout. My prize? I won a Brugge Black, a Belgian dark ale from Indiana.Yesterday the CBE put on it's second blind

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-8980750544592212982009-06-29T18:12:00.007-05:002009-06-29T19:45:05.451-05:00

Saturday for dinner, we grilled steak. I needed a beer to match the smokiness and richness of a fillet hot off the grill. I considered a double IPA in order to match the richness of a steak, but I always go IPA by default. There are several good imperial stouts that would compliment a steak well, but that felt heavy on a near-100 degree day. For this meal I went with a Belgian strong dark ale:

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-46806359740445954472009-06-27T14:42:00.021-05:002009-07-01T07:40:37.860-05:00

Between work, school, and vacation, I have severely neglected my blogs. It's as if I was lost on the Appalachian Trail or in Argentina visiting my mistress or some shit like that.So, in the spirit of keeping things updated, I thought I'd fill you in on what was missed. Will I chronicle every beer I had over the past two weeks? No. But here are some highlights...I was able to make out to Sycamore

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-12768521550603134102009-06-16T10:20:00.017-05:002009-06-18T13:39:59.958-05:00

Here are the beers I had this week...Bell's Expedition StoutDid you read about my ice cream? It is so good. The best part is that I finished the half of the beer that did not go into the dessert.Chimay Tripel (White)R and I actually had a date night. I passed on a mediocre beer for dinner mostly so I could truly enjoy this great beer at the 'Tag.Dogfish Head Indian Brown AleThe sitter and I

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-57046491918557055692009-06-14T20:17:00.014-05:002009-06-17T21:50:20.651-05:00

Sunday was brew day for a few Columbia Beer Enthusiasts. I did not participate, although I did brew my own batch later. Instead, I hung out while Jamie and Josh brewed a couple of Belgian-style beers. Jeff was there as well, giving input where needed and consuming his share of the beer.It was a nice to watch a couple of experienced home brewers do their thing. Josh brewed a Belgian Ale and Jamie

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-38912700277839728092009-06-11T22:26:00.008-05:002009-06-11T23:17:03.519-05:00

This post is a continuation of a series I started on my other blog. The idea is to write about a brewery that I regularly turn to whenever I get the chance. The first was Southern Tier; the second is one of my top-three breweries, Stone.Brewery: Stone Location: Escondido, CABeers I've had: IPA, Ruination IPA, Arrogant Bastard, Oaked Arrogant Bastard, Old Guardian Barley Wine, Smoked

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-76623135785450137562009-06-10T07:40:00.004-05:002009-06-10T07:43:43.788-05:00

I made an ice cream with Bell's Expedition Stout using a recipe from Perfect Scoop. The original actually called for Guinness Stout which is a little on the weak side for me. An imperial Russian stout like the Bell's Expedition is more than twice as alcoholic and infinitely more flavorful.Due to the extra alcohol, the ice cream was soft, but it was still very good. Chocolate, roasted malt, hops,

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-728682327163535652.post-36076358858162993702009-06-07T21:39:00.011-05:002009-06-09T09:18:34.217-05:00

Here are the beers I had this week...Schlafly KolschI was in STL for a beer event at The Wine & Cheese Place. After doing some shopping, I had time to kill. I chose to do this at a nearby pub. I went with the Kolsch from Schlafly. It was light, crisp, and refreshing. That was all I needed.Founders Dirty Bastard Scotch AleSo, the first beer tried at said beer event was this fine scotch ale.

comoprozachttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07898082287641166601noreply@blogger.com0