beernesday

wish i was gonna be in edinburgh on november 4th and not just because i'd love to be off work and travelling (yes, i know, i only just got me a new contract, but still, who doesn't love being on vacation???) but because i want this meal!! (and not just because every other line says "tasting of 3 brewdog beers", although that certainly doesn't hurt my wanting to eat this meal!!) (click here to get to the actual brewdog blog post) The Menu and Beers Arrival glass of Brewdog 77 Lager Tasting of 3 Brewdog beers followed by Pumpkin and Orange Soup w/ caraway breadstick  and Brewdog 5am Saint or Mussel and Saffron Chowder w/ crostini  and Brewdog Trashy Blond Tasting of 3 more Brewdog Beers followed by Zinfandel braised Lamb Shank w/ sweet potato mash and root vegetable  and Brewdog Dogma or Tornedos of Fresh Salmon w/ crab & cilantro crumble and green lentils  and Brewdog Hardcore IPA or Woodland Mushroom and Potato Gratin w/ lemon paprika braised rice ...

Breaking IPA news!! Hardcore IPA claimed a Gold Medal in the Imperial India Pale Ale category at the 2010 World Beer Cup in Chicago on Saturday.  Woohoo!

i love the wax over the cap on Half Pints Brewing Company's humulus ludicrous.  it makes me feel like i just got transported back to medieval times and someone's going to challenge me to a duel at any moment... and i keep hoping a buxom bar wench will sidle up to me...   currently i'm pairing it with nachos.  and the historical anachronism to medieval times "please sir, can i have some more" comes to mind.  just go with it, i am. its got quite the head on it, and a fabulous hoppy aroma.  oh yeah, and it tastes fabulously hoppy too.  Lots of lace left on the glass as i drain it, but the initial haze is not wearing off.  lovely dark golden colour.   the bottle says:  our most ridiculously hoppy beer. i would like more on their label.  more about the brewery, more about the beer, just more personality.  but all i get is "craft brewed in winnipeg mb canada" and that its 8% apv and 100 IBUs.  delightful.  i'm a fan....

i'm currently swilling BrewDog's Hardcore IPA. at 9% i think i might have a lot of fun at the grocery store in half an hour. better write a list...  oops too late, better to have written that list earlier. label didn't grab me quite as much as the punk ipa, not enough contrast is hard for these old eyes to read - love the general brewdog label theme though, and not ashamed to admit label grab is a large part of my beer purchasing checklist called an explicit imperial ale, i'd argue its an imperious ale. definite toffee notes after the first sip, lovely aroma, still hazy after half an hour (again, what do you expect from a beer with no preservatives and no additives - a little haze ain't such a bad thing!), has me licking my chops and slavering for more. what the label says: "This imperial Indian Pale Ale Rocks... Hardcore! But don’t feel obliged to take our word for it, this little bottle has a grandiloquent story to tell. 2,204 malted Maris Otter g...