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I poured this beer into a snifter style glass and watched as it settled.  As I stare at this beer in the glass I see bright yellow clear liquid.  If you examine it really close you can see the very tiny bubbles that makes this beer so fizzy.  As this beer hits your tongue you can tell with in seconds it is special.  This beer explodes with flavor right from the start.  I get a very over whelming hit of green apple.  It has a very acidic bang to the mouth.  It is a very light and clean taste.  If  I didn't know any better I would call this a cider.  There is almost a bit of vinegar smell to this glass of bubbly.  I get a hint of the aged oak that the bottle talks about being aged for 20 months but I think I would prefer a bit more oak.  I really think it is a very nicely balanced beverage.  I'm not sure I could sit down and drink many of these.  It is a bit sweet and the sour kick in the after taste makes you feel a bit parched.  Over all I'm extremely happy with this beer.

I really wasn't sure what to expect from this one.  I' have been seeing a lot of articles out there talking about sour beers.  I didn't know what to expect honestly.  I had hoped for something similar to what is in this bottle of Petrus.  Its so completely different then anything I've been drinking recently it is a welcome change.  The 7.3% alcohol makes this a nice beer two drink right after a nice dinner to sort of cleanse the palate.

Ok, so that is all I have - I'm looking forward to the second two Sour Beers I bought.  If they are half as good as this one I'm going to be a very happy blogger.  Have a great night and I'll catch you tomorrow.

 
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So, the crew reached the end of the world last night.  No, it had nothing to do with the 2" of snow that fell to the ground.  Or the wild ride from downtown Pittsburgh to the 'burbs on the desolate snow covered streets at near mid-night.  Looks like the Mayan's may have been wrong about Dec 21 2012; yep the end of the world was last night.  Don't believe me - I have proof it ended last night; Downtown Pittsburgh; at Cioppino Restaurant.  Just look at the picture to the left (no this isn't me); a friend of mine, affectionately known as Lite in our following ventured far from the norm.  This is a one beer guy.  Oh, he'll try a beer here and there but usually turns a weird shade of green and crinkles his face.  His weapon of choice - ice cold Miller Lite.  But not last night; no last night as the world came to an end we sat at a very nice restaurant and watched Lite order a La Fin du Monde.  I was so proud it even brought a tear to my eye.  Even though I had drank a Spaten and had planned to order up a Duvel - I changed paths and ordered up a Unibroue.  Lite and I toasted to good beers and the rest is history!

We were all out celebrating the birthday of our deer friend.  Looking good and partying strong at the young age of 40!  You go on with your bad self girl... if you use Tracy as a barometer 40 definitely is the new 20!

On doing some research on this beer today - we obviously miss understood the definition of  "end of the world".  This brew is not using the "END" as a time but more a distance.  It is a dedication to the European travels that upon reaching North America thought they had reached "the end of the world".  I did some reading on the Unibroue site and it is a very interesting brew.  The brewery itself is crowned as the first North American brewery to brew a beer in the same style as the Trappist Monks had for centuries on end.  They work on unique styles with unique ingredients.  This is a triple style Golden Ale with a whopping 9% alcohol.  This brew holds a champagne like carbonation quality.  The taste packs a mouth full of spice and fruity flavors.  I definitely could taste some sweet orange flavors from the glass.  It really was a great beverage to accompany the quality of food that was served at this restaurant.  I have had this beer before and will definitely be looking for it again. 

To me, the most unique and exciting thing about this beer was the fact that Lite fell head over heels for this beer.  This beer holds no similarity to Miller Lite except maybe the fact that there is alcohol in it and they are both branded as beer.  Other than that I believe C.D. said it right that it was a very topsy turvy word that is completely out of whack when Lite finds a beer like La Fin du Monde to enjoy.

I'd also like to speak briefly about Cioppino's.  This restaurant was fantastic.  There were many of us at the table so to talk about every dish would be difficult.  But we did pass around most of our plates of food and I don't think there was a bad meal to be had.  I got the Shrimp and Clam broth soup - Magnificent!  Small chunks of clams and shrimp in a seafood stock with some small crushed tomatoes.  In the center was a nice large piece of bread/crouton that soaked up the goodness and was perfect center piece to the bowl.  We ordered the tuna tartar as our appetizer, but sampled the calamari, the meat and olive plate and the oysters.  For our main courses, Andrea ordered the Filet and Bread Pudding and I got the Hawaiian Mong Chong (if I remember that correctly).  All of these things were fantabulous to say the least.  The Filet was perfectly cooked, the bread pudding was cheesy and warm; my Mong Chong was so flavorful; it was a new fish for me so I was slightly nervous but incredibly happy once it was done.  The dish of ALL dishes though, the one that made the top of the list was the Scallops ordered by Lite and Andi.  That was incredible.  What was also very nice about this was that half way through our meal we were greeted by the chef who talked to us a bit and made sure everything was perfectly served.  There is also a cigar bar attached to the restaurant if the mood hits you.

Great night!  Great company!  Great Food!  Great Beer!  I am very blessed and thankful of it all!

I used Wikipedia for info on La Fin Du Monde and 2012 Phenomenon

 
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"Men's courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which, if persevered in, they must lead," said Scrooge. "But if the courses be departed from, the ends will change. Say it is thus with what you show me!""Ghost of the Future," he exclaimed, "I fear you more than any spectre I have seen. But as I know your purpose is to do me good, and as I hope to live to be another man from what I was, I am prepared to bear you company, and do it with a thankful heart. Will you not speak to me?"

If I were to tell you, you were to be visited by three ghosts tonight how would you prepare?  I've contemplated this question all day as I knew this is the beer I would be drinking.  I probably would not believe it first of all; unless of course like the story the person telling me this was a long lost friend that passed away years ago and I knew was no longer a part of the living.  I'm of the belief that there is a divine path for us to chose but that ultimately we have choices to make.  I don't really want to get to deep on the subject as it can of course strike all kinds of controversy.  Ultimately, we are presented choices in life and it is these choices we make that form the person we are at this very moment.  The person who we will become in 1, 5, 10 years will be dictated by those choices we make going forward.  Now, imagine for a minute that you get a chance like ol'Scrooge did to sit and see past, present and future; what would you do with that information.  Well, most of us do not really get that chance.  Its really more a perfect Hollywood story for people to have fun imagining but likely few of us will ever get to see our future and be able to consciously choose different.  As I sit here reading, the quotes from A Christmas Carol, and trying to get some tastes from this beer and decide whether I like it or not I sit and I contemplate this:

How will my life be different because I am drinking this beer right here right now rather than choosing say a Miller Lite to review, or a DogFish Pangeae?  Who knows, maybe this choice made little ripples in my future but what if it made a Tsunami of a difference?  Now, for the fun part - how will your future be different for choosing to read this article where ever you are at whatever time of night or day you read it?  OK, that is enough of that - maybe I'll sit and debate this with a few of my drinking friends this weekend over a few brews.  I would love to hear what everyone's opinion is on the above theory.  I would love to be able to research this more but I think I should instead drink this beer and give my opinions.

On to Old Fezziwig Ale by Samuel Adams; in my opinion this is a fairly mediocre beverage.  It poured a deep brown almost chocolatey color.  It is definitely a thinner textured beer as it pours into the glass.  The head was a heavy thick 2.5 finger high.  The head was pretty solid and dissipated slowly.  I am stuffy once again so my nose feels broken.  As I take a big whiff in, I pick up small hints of the orange peel used in the brew.  I may even get a hint of the ginger used.  I take a sip and am not truly impressed.  Maybe I'm Christmas Seasonal Brewed out.  Maybe my palette is having a hard time tasting the subtle notes of certain flavors; I doubt it.  In the front, I do not get anything amazing and huge.  One nice thing that I like about this beer is the silky texture the beer has as it flows over my tongue.  After I swallow and the taste sits in my mouth, I finally start to pick up the flavors a bit more.  I get hints of orange and of cinnamon.  I definitely am picking up the ginger.  The problem for me is those flavors are a little to late and stick around a little to long for my taste.  It makes my mouth feel parched and dry and needing to drink more to get rid of the taste.  I would NORMALLY say this is a good thing, unfortunately for me (and this beer) the future beverage I want to drink to wash it down is not itself.  It is leaving me wanting to down a glass of water or maybe another more refreshing beer.  This one for me was not a hit.  Though, I love the silky texture the flavors are not all there for me.

So, all in all this beer has two BIG POINT values for me - A) the silky smooth texture over my tongue (sort of like a Boddingtons texture that I remember) 2) I LOVE BEERS with stories.  I love beers that attach themselves to objects/stories/history/anything.  For me, I'd rather a beer company make a beer and tie it to a story and pay for the packaging of the brew - MORE SO then putting billions of dollars in marketing for commercials that talk about "Taste's great... Less Filling" - this tells me nothing.  When I drink it - sure it may be refreshing but it really doesn't take me any where or any time.  At least Coors drops me in the middle of the CO Rockies on a snowy winter day beside a nice fresh flowing creek.  That is a good start.  Don't get me wrong - Miller Lite is my "safety beer" at home.  I always try to have some on hand because its what I started on and what I enjoy.  But, the emotional part of it is my own history, not the history it bestowed on me.  So, here's to you Sam Adams.  It may not rank HIGH on my score sheet and may not be a GREAT beer in my book but I love the story behind it.

S0, I'll leave you with this thought.  Think about it and see how it may to change your future as you decide what your next step of the night will be:
"Men's courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which, if persevered in, they must lead," said Scrooge. "But if the courses be departed from, the ends will change. Say it is thus with what you show me!"_

Notes: the two quotes came from this LINK.  I also read a little on wikipedia about Fezziwig himself when thinking about this post.

 
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Terrapin Brewery Company is located in Athen Georgia.  This is a brewery I know little about.  I've seen their brews here and there but never really remember trying them any time in the past.  Finally my 2012 challenge is breaking me into that "beers I've seen but never tried" category!  Its paying off and that makes me a happy drinker.

This beer poured a very bright yellow.  I would liken it to the yellow of a bright young summer sun.  There was nothing really special about the pour as it poured a normal 1 finger head.  I have to say over all I really enjoyed this beer.  I drank this at Mad Mex in Robinson after dropping off my Minivan for a new set of wheels after a flat I had earlier in the day.  More on that in a minute; but now back to the beer.  I really enjoy this beer.  It was a typical pale ale beer with the bittiness of the hops the main character.  But I would say this beer has found a way to set itself apart from other Pale Ales and pure hop flavor.  There was an even-ness to this brew that I find hard to come by in Pale Ales.

My history with IPA and APAs is a one year jaunt about 6 years or so ago.  A beer couldn't be hoppy enough for me.  I wanted the hops.  I wanted ALL the hops.  I didn't care about anything else.  This lasted for about a year and I was done.  Its like anything else you grow a found attraction.  A beautiful blonde or red head, maybe a hobby you never thought you would like or cold be good at.  At some point, you try it so many times and begin to get an aversion to said thing (almost a allergic reaction sort of speak).  So for the past few years I've avoided Pale Ales like the plague!  I'm finding that I think I can once again start enjoying them.  That is by no stretch why I liked this beer.  I think the perfect amount of RYE has been used in this brew along with the balance of the 4 hops used (Magnum, Fuggle, East Kent Golding, Amarillo (Dry Hop)).  These ingredients  have been masterfully blended.  The gentle spice that comes off the rye.  The specific flavors and smell coming off the Fuggle and Golding hops were not hidden but flourished throughout.  It was very solid and balanced.  I could definitely see myself kicking back and enjoying a few of these brews.  Will have to look for this one again soon.

Well, I am off to a homeowners annual association meeting.  I am not looking forward to this meeting in the least so maybe I'll have to find some more Terrapin's after said meeting.  If you know of ANYONE looking to purchase a townhouse for sale in Pittsburgh PA please send them my way.  I want out - I want the luxuries that come with a single family home.  Yes I even want the pains and work that comes with it.  I think I have grown enough and ready for the challenge.  Please help me sell this beautiful townhouse!

 
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_Papa Elf: Oh, hello. You're, uh, you're probably here about the story.
[the pages flip to show Papa Elf talking to the camera]
Papa Elf: Elves love to tell stories. I-I'll bet you didn't know that about elves. There's, uh, probably a lot of things you didn't know about elves. Another, another interesting, uh, elfism, uh, there are only three jobs available to an elf. The first is making shoes at night while, you know, while the old cobbler sleeps.
[Cuts to elves doing work on the cobbler's shoes while the cobbler snores with his head on the table]
Disgruntled Cobbler Elf: Lazy bum! Couldn't even make a clog!
Papa Elf: You can bake cookies in a tree.
[Cuts to exterior view of a tree, which bursts into flames]
Papa Elf: As you can imagine, it's, uh, dangerous having an oven in an oak tree during the dry season.
[the elves inside run out screaming]
Tree Elf: I want to make shoes!
Papa Elf: But the third job, some call it, uh, "the show" or "the big dance," it's the profession that every elf aspires to. And that is to build toys in Santa's workshop.

This beer is enough to make you mad though I'm not sure why this particular elf is mad.  Therefore, I went out to the Troegs' site to see if I could find the story.  Maybe he was fired from Santa Workshop and sent to work in the tree house making cookies.  After all, no elf would be happy being transferred to such an unsafe profession trying to bake cookies inside of a tree.  Or maybe someone called him short; or a midget; I don't know.  This elf is Mad.

As I write this I stop and review the label on the brew, maybe they are using the term Mad in a different way.  I look at the bottle I begin to think.  He isn't an angry elf.  Maybe he is mad or CRAZY.  The "jolly" elf stands with an empty glass of brew with both eyes a bit crossed.  He has a green funnel circling behind him in the background.  The elf almost seems to be beckoning me to follow him into the green psychedelic tunnel.   He holds over his right shoulder a couple of red cherries with yellow cherry stems as if they are holding all the presences that lie in this bottom.  That must be why they talk of "jolly/cheerful/warming the heart" on the site and the bottle.  Troegs seems to leave this decision of "MAD" in the trusted hands of its holder and their own imagination.  Trust me when I say 2 or three of these 12 oz'rs will have your imagination rolling.  These bottles weigh in at a huge 11% alcohol.  But the cherries, honey and sweetness seem to mask that alcohol as I remember some of the sweet flavors of the first wine coolers I ever tried did to the alcohol from with in their own bottles.

This beer pours an almost cheery red.  Looking down into the glass I feel like I have to stir or filter for the cherry stems.  They have to be hidden in this drink some where.  There just can't be any way to get this much cherry BURST in a normal every day ale.  This is not your normal every day brew.  This is Cheerful; Happy; JOLLY.  The pour was a nice mellow pour with a gentle head.  The head disappears faster than "Thomas the Elf" (Our elf on the shelf that visits every year before Christmas) does on Christmas morning.  Maybe the head too is heading for warmer weather in the tropics as I suspect Thomas does once he packs his bags at the North Pole after working so hard watching my girls.  The taste is explosive.  It is extreme sweet; almost to sweet if you aren't ready for it.  I liken the sweetness to maybe a Mad Dog 20/20!  Yes, I compared a Troegs to a Maddog.  No it isn't disgusting and wino like in any way - just sweet.  That is what we do here at 365!  We push the envelope!  We get a little crazy (usually when drinking an 11% ale).  But if you are ready for it, it isn't to sweet; so be ready!  The honey is there to help.  They must be using the honey and cherry tastes to mask the alcohol and to make this beer seem happier and fun.  Which in itself is a little crazy mad and honestly down right sneaky!  There is actually a nice bouquet to this beer.  I can put my nose in to the glass and breath in all the goodness.  I smell almost the same cherry goodness you get when you open a jar of red cherries.  The mouth feel is very vibrant and soddsy!   The carbonation explodes in your mouth and makes it light and fresh.

Over all I really like this beer.  I could not and would not recommend drinking more then 2 or maybe 3 if you are feeling a bit frisky!  But it is a great Christmas seasonal brew.  So, Christmas is over.  Thomas is long gone and warm in some tropical island get-away (well deserved mind you).  Yet I sit here day in and day out working my nose to a grind.  Each day, trudging across the hall to a bank of monitors that sit there anxiously awaiting my stone cold glare as I attempt to make a quarter or two to pay the Christmas bills that Santa left behind.  I'm lucky to find myself in the situation that this brew was left over.  I will definitely be seeking another one of these in 11 more months.  Because, if you didn't realize there is only 342 shopping days left till next Christmas.  So, here is to Christmas 2011 - you were extremely good to me and the family here at 365 beers!  And cheers to 2012 - so far these 17 days in have brought the family here at 365 much happiness and joy!

Note: The beginning quotes come compliments of  imdb quotes

 
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I spent most of this night working on the website.  I'm working on improving my HTML coding.  Something I wish I would play with more and have learned by now.  Yes, I know how to do a lot out here but I'm not as proficient as I'd like.  I'm still learning and hoping this 365 journey will improve this talent as well.  See drinking really can't lead me to more education.

I'd love to provide a history lesson tonight on Trappist Yeast.  I really would.  I may do this later in the year when I myself attempt to learn more about the beers.  For your own pleasure and service I've included a link to their site Chimay.com.  The quick and simple is - this beer is brewed by trappist monks.  It is brewed in the monastery that the monks live/breath/teach/learn.  Its been around since 1862.  This is a Belgium brewery.  They make cheeses and beers - the key factor is that they both use yeast.  One interesting note is that it wasn't till 1948 that someone actually isolated the unique yeast cells for these brews.  Seems that is something that would have been found long before.  But hey, that is why the science of brewing is so amazing.

I think there is a time I would have really loved this brew.  Don't get me wrong - I don't want to be struck by lightning talking down or bad about this beer.  I think it is a tremendous brew.  Its just a little much for my liking.  And maybe that is because I"m not in the mood for a brew tonight.  Maybe Its because I'm serving it a little colder then it should be.  Maybe its because I'm sick of sitting in front of this computer tonight and would rather be catching up on some tv and couch time with my lovely wife.  What ever the reason its not my cup of tea tonight.  But I'll give it a shot.

This pours a foggy unfiltered brown.  It is a very distinct brown also.  There isn't really a red'sh tint or blackness to it.  It is brown - as brown as the bottle it is served in.  The nose is complex.  I really smell a lot in this beer but again I have to work on my smells.  I definitely smell some sort of hoppy strength coming from this brew.  Maybe a bit sweet and definitely a huge hop aroma.  Taste - the taste is spicy.  It is sort of a hoppy brew that has some caremel notes attempting to cut through.  You can definitely get the 9% alcohol and almost a wooden oak cask type taste to it.  It has some light bitey characterists of a bourbon with out the nosey burns that come with it.  The mouth feel is explosive.  I think it sort of explodes in my mouth with carbonation and head.  Its almost more heady in your mouth then in the glass.  Its has an almost airy texture to it because of all the bubbly carbonation.  The finish is a dry one for sure.  I think this would be a good beer to sit out back and smoke a nice large cigar.

Today was a busy day and I don't really have more in me to give the history.  I'm bummed because I was hopeful I would have some good stuff for you to read and catch up on.  You'll have to wait till my next trappist and hope that I'm in a better mood!  haha... have a great night and I'll catch you tomorrow.    

 
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Hello all, so 15 days in and still having a good time with this.  Of course, there is another 351 days to go.  So far most of the 15 beers that I've tried are ones I've had in the past at one point or another. I'd love to get my hands on a few rare gems over the next few weeks.  I'll have to keep my eyes and ears open.

So, tonights beer is an imperial stout by Brooklyn Brewery.  This beer almost seems angry.  So very angry!  It pours into the glass strong and angry.  The head billows to the top a dark chocolate brown.  And settles to a silky/creamy blanket on top of the beer.  The nose on this beer is even angry!  Once I place my nose in the glass and smell I get kicked in the face with a chocolatey spicey hop aroma.  You even get an almost cherry type aroma that pulls through the smell.  The taste of this beer is... you guessed it ANGRY!  Now, because I've just got braces Wednesday my mouth is a mess.  My tongue is all cut up and my teeth feel like they are being attacked by 100 vice grips.  Because of this, my taste buds are bit ripped up and I'm missing some notes that could really pop through.  But on the front of my tongue is a very spicy bite.  It tingles and burns a little on the tip of my tongue.  As I swish it through my mouth I get hints of chocolate, maybe a huge amout of roaster grains and even a bit of coffee comes through.  It has a lot going on.  You might notice a hint of sweet almost fruity bite from the hops shining through.  As it fills your mouth, it is thick rich and creamy.  It blakets your tongue like a heavy fleece blankey.

Over all this beer is nice.  Its very complex to pick out all the flavors and notes in the smell.  At 10% alcohol this beer is not for the weak of heart.  Please proceed with caution when you see this brew come towards you.  The name, Black Chocolate Stout, may at first sound harmless.   But proceed with caution; this beer will put a hurting on you!  If you can tame it and teach it to be nice, I would suggest maybe some nice fresh WARM homemade chocolate chip cookies with this.  I might even imagine putting a scoop of vanilla ice cream in this beer and having it as a float.  But, if you aren't careful, and the beer beats you - I suggest you just going with it and have some extremely strong and or smoked cheeses to be at the ready and assist you with the ride.  It will over power the weakest palettes.

 
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Ein Prosit, Ein Prosit, der gemütlichkeit
Ein Prosit, Ein Prosit, der gemütlichkeit
Eins, zwei, Drei gesoffe!
Zick! zacke! zicke! zacke! hoi! hoi! hoi!
Zicke! zacke! zicke! zacke! hoi! hoi! hoi!
Prosit

I’ve  never been to the original Oktoberfest but it is on my bucket list.  A slightly more affordable option for me would be the Hofbrauhaus in Pittsburgh PA.  This is the real deal.  It is a branch of the original brewery over in Germany.  There is only 3 of these in the states.  Cincinnati was first in 2003; followed by Las Vegas in 2004. What do these 3 cities have in common?  Their German heritage/population. The original brewery started back in 1589 in Munich Germany.  It has been brewing to the German law of beer ever since.

Walking up to this place my first impression is wow.  There are multiple brew kettles lined up outside all labeled with their signature beers.  There are picnic tables and some tent areas that sit there awaiting the warmth of the sun on a hot summer day.  Entering the establishment almost time warps you to a simpler era.  And if it doesn’t time warp you it most definitely transports you to a small German village where everyone is jolly and inviting.  The tables in the main
dining/bar area are solid. The benches weigh a ton.  This is because if the mood happens to strike or the liters go down a little too quick and you find yourself having an irresistible urge of doing the chicken dance – why not do it on the table for one and all to enjoy!

I ordered the Bergbock; a maibock style brew.  This is a semi-sweet brew.  I got some hints of a spicy hop bite.  The beer had a slightly dry finish to it.  I take it this dryness came from the 6%+ alcohol content in the brew.  I could only order it by the .5 Liter so I of course ordered two!  The drinking vessel it is served in was very sturdy glass stein that builds the character of the beer and the brewery even higher.  Over all the beer was good.  I haven't found a beer there I didn't like.  

Prosit!

 
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"Hey Jimmy, you know anybody in Miami that can get me a passport
real quick?"
Really did you just ask who Jimmy is?  And why does he need someone in Miami?  Well, Jimmy is Jimmy Buffett.  The quote comes from "Everybody has a cousin in Miami".  I have had a cousin in Miami for, well since I married my wife - cousin-in-law I guess!  Anyway, though I don't like Miami persay my relative-in-laws that live there treat me like family myself.  And I love visiting them.  This weekend, my cousin is visiting us!  Yay!  So far we are haing a great time, with snow on the ground and cold in the air my cousins friend is LOVING IT ALL while my c-i-l is wanting the warmth of the south!

Why do I start with the quote?  Not just because my c-i-l is visitin from Maimi... NO!  I had so much fun playing 6 degrees yesterday I thought I'd do it again today.  So, Miami... what is just a we bit north of Miami? A 'quaint' little town called Ft Lauderdale!  And what is in Ft L?  I little restaurant called Primanti's!   Well 3 of them actually!  Where is the original Primanti's from?  Oh yea, Pittsburgh.  Pittsburgh is home of the 6 time Super Bowl Champions Pittsburgh Steelers.  And what do the fans of the Steelers drink?  Iron City!!  Yes, so in the last 6 days I've drank two different Iron City Brews.  Today happens to be an Iron City Light.  This is going to be a small blog for a reason - Iron City Light has a very specific purpose in life.  It is - in my opinion primarily used to washed down Primanti San-miches!  Or large pepperoni pizzas from Belle Note at the strip.

Don't get me wrong - I don't hate the brew.  I don't like it either.  I'm not going to evaluate it for tase/color/mouth feel.  It isn't that kind of beer!  It is a mans man kind of beer!  It doesn't ask to be commented on.  It doesn't ask to be evaluated.  And I pay it respect by drinking it with out reviewing.  Basically, 'when in Rome, do as the Romans!" - when in Pittsburgh drink an Iron City.  Yes, there is better Pittsburgh Beer.  Yes, there is beer that tastes incredible to the point that I had our c-i-l's friend pick up a 6'r of Penn Dark in the fridge (this beer to be reviewed at another time).  So, don't be a beer snob.  Don't say MAN this beer sucks!  No, drink it and shut the hell up!  Its refreshing and cold!  Its awesome with some original Pittsburgh food; ie Primanti's samich, pierogies, or salad with french fries on it.  If/when you are in Pittsburgh have one - and don't judge!  Just drink!

'Everybody's got a cousin in Miami
(Everybody's got a cousin in Miami)

Everybody understands the impromptu
Dancing in the heat to the beat

That turns your clothing clammy (ooooohhhhh)
Everybody needs to have a
  dream come true'

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The camera I had this trip was HORRIBLE! I remember this day much clearer then this fuzzy pic! But this is the Primanti's on the Atlantic Coast
 
_"If I ask anybody who learned to ski after the age of five, they can remember their first day of skiing -- what the weather was like, who they went with, what they had for lunch. I believe that's because that first day on skis was the first day of total freedom in their life.? - Warren Miller

I am a  snowboarder.  Its been awhile but still today nothing gets me amp'd up more about winter and snow then the Warren Miller videos.  This guy was inspirational.  I remember the first few times I 'happened' upon his videos.  I was a bit confused, was this a boring old documentary or was this cool new innovative stuff?  It only took me about 3 to 4 videos to realize he was inspiration.  If you haven't seen his work you don't know what you are missing.  Its a little part history, a little part humor, a little part extreme skiing, and a lot of part fantastic soundtracks.  Well, Warren has nothing to do with beer right?  WRONG... there is the 6 degrees of separation.  Warren Miller knows skiing, boarding and snow; snow is all over this world; one of the most amazing places in the world that has awesome snow is Colorado; more specifically one of my two favorite party towns in America is Breckenridge;  What is in Breckenridge?  Snow?  Yes!  Warren Miller?  Possibly!  Beer... oh yea, beer!  Glorious beer.  Its the common thread between us at 365 and you the reader!  There is a brewery named after this quaint little ski town named Breckenridge brewery.  My friends (and my real estate agent - that should be selling my house right now) are currently out there gliding the powder doing what they do best, relaxing, drinking, partying, and oh yea SKIING too.  Its been awhile since I've been to Breck and I miss it.  I'm actually very jealous!  I love the town so much there is probably some routed connection between this town and my second daughters name of Brecken!  This post is dedicated to Lite and Deb.

But I digress, after a long hard day of riding the back country, catching the fresh powder on peak 7 or Cucumber Bowl, if you come down off the mountain, turn right up Main Street you find the bar up the road on the left.  I don't remember much about their food.  I remember the decor was nice but nothing that REALLY stands out.  But the beer... OH THEIR Beer.  In my opinion this brewery has a some what unfair advantage to most other breweies; most any beer would taste incredible after a long hard day of skiing.  But I'm not skiing tonight; I haven't been today or the last few years actually (but I bet my friends were).  So, here I sit, Breckenridge Christmas Ale in front of me!  Yes... here I sit!

The beer pours nice and smooth, a clean white head fills the snifter glass.  The beer lays down soft and gentle in the bottom of this glass like the white soft snow of the Rockies.  I look down the lip of the glass as if I were looking down the lip of the Horse shoe Bowl about to drop in for the first time ever.  The beer looks up at me and I can almost here it laughing at me just like the Peak 7 did the first time I saw it.  There is definitely a smell about this brew (again my nose has a hard time deciphering smells.  I find this interesting because I recently read someone say that 75 percent of what we taste comes from the smell; an investigation/discussion for another time).  I smell a freshness coming from the top of the glass like the crisp clean are at the peak.  It is sweet, maybe there is a bit of orange peel, some clove, or it could simply be the cupcakes my wife is baking in the back ground.  I put the glass to my lips tilt the glass back dropping in for my ride of fresh brew; the beer glides across my tongue like a fresh waxed board slides down the double blacks.  Hints of spices, cloves and cinnamon seem to spray to the sides as the beer carves through my mouth.  The spice slices through your tongue as the freshly sharpened edges of the board carve the powdery mountain side.  The beer comes to a gentle stop at the back of the mouth .  As I place the glass down, I board the chair lift back to the top for sip number two.  This has a nice mouth feel to it; not very heavy, a fairly easy drinking Christmas Ale, I would put it near the top of my Christmas brews of the years.

This beer doesn't make me think of Christmas though.  It has the hints of Christmas through out it.  This beer makes me nostalgic for another clean/crisp ride on the mountains.  With the forecast of snow in the air I am feeling that tingle that I remember feeling every year for snow.  I remember what I loved about the mountains.  I loved the 'total freedom' that Warren speaks above in the quote.  Maybe as my daughters get older I can persuade one of them to be my riding partner and once again recapture those feelings!

I leave you with this:

"Streets are straight, houses are square, and our bodies are round. We don't belong there. We belong outside, doing stuff." - Warren Miller

Quotes came from the following link.
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Main Street Brecken Ridge CO 2004!