December 31, 2013

SHIPYARD BREWING COMPANY - BLACK IPA

TRISTAN PRETTYMAN - LIVE SESSION EP

4 miles walking

December 30, 2013

LOST COAST BREWERY & CAFE - TANGERINE WHEAT BEER

KING TEE - ACT A FOOL

7 miles walking

December 29, 2013

MAGIC HAT BREWING CO. - HEART OF DARKNESS

HOLLY HENRY - THE IMMIGRANT EP

7 miles walking

December 28, 2013

DOGFISH HEAD BREWERY - 60 MINUTE IPA

ZAC BROWN BAND - THE GROHL SESSIONS VOL. 1

8 miles walking

December 27, 2013

D.G. YUENGLING & SON INC- YUENGLING LAGER

TONY YAYO - SEX, DRUGS, & HIP-HOP

9 miles walking (all during my 16 hours at the Orlando airport)

December 26, 2013

DANIELLE BRADBERY - DANIELLE BRADBERY

ODELL BREWING CO. - 5 BARREL PALE ALE

1mile on treadmill

December 25, 2013

BOSTON BEER COMPANY - SAMUEL ADAMS MERRY MAKER GINGERBREAD STOUT Nice Christmas style beer. Perfect as a dessert beer, not one you are going to have more of one in one setting though. Smell and taste ate both rich gingerbread, cinnamon, chocolately goodness. Nice sweetness, some might think its too sweet, but i thought it was just right for what its trying to be. Its easy to drink and hides the 9% ABV well and has great flavor.

SIN CITY SINNERS - A SINNERS CHRISTMAS 2  Day two of rock/metal Christmas classics. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, Let It Snow, Sleigh Ride, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, Please Come Home For Christmas, Come All Ye Faithful, Blue Christmas, (Theres No Place Like) Home For The Holidays, Chritmas In Vegas, and Dominick The Christmas Donkey. Fun as the first volume.

2 miles on treadmill

December 24, 2013

BRECKENRIDGE BREWERY - CHRISTMAS ALE   The aroma is pretty faint, some roasted malts and a little citrus. Tastes better than it smells. Lots of toasted malts and some fruits, not much for spices. They are there, but very subtle, nice. Overall, a decent winter warrmer, i probably wouldnt buy it again, but i wouldnt turn down a bottle if offered.

SIN CITY SINNERS - A SINNERS CHRISTMAS  Whats better than Christmas music performed by a hard rock/metal band? Unique takes on Christmas classics: We Three Kings, Winter Wonderland, Run Rudolph Run, Rocking Around The Christmas Tree, O Holy Night, I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus, Jingle Bell Rock, Silent Night, I'll Be Home For Christmas, We Wish You A Sinners Christmas, and I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas. (how is this not a classic Christmas song heard everywhere?) Great change of pace from what you normally hear this time of year.

3 miles on treadmill, 30 minutes on bike

December 23, 2013

GREAT LAKES BREWING CO. - CHRISTMAS ALE  The smell is of spices - cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg - with some caramel malts and a touch of honey. Tastes like it smells, the spices are there, but they dont overpower like a lot of other winter style beers. Very well rounded flavor, tastes fairly sweet. No notice of the 7.5% ABV. Really solid Christmas winter ale. Great Lakes does it again.

SISTER HAZEL - ...SOMEWHERE MORE FAMILIAR  Great underappreciated band. They had 1 album before this one, but this was their major label debut. Big hit single was All For You, but the whole album is solid, as is every album they have released. These guys deserve more commercial success than they have got, just a great band with great music and songs.

2 miles on treadmill, 1 hour on bike

December 22, 2013

ANCHOR BREWING COMPANY- OUR SPECIAL ALE 2013 (ANCHOR CHRISTMAS ALE)  Really nice aroma with lots of spices and malty sweetness. Hints of toffee, molasses, nutmeg, cinnamon, and caramel. Very nice. Tastes like it smells. Very well balanced, all the spices compliment each other and none of them overwhelm. A little bitter up front and a nice toasty finish. Anchor changes the recipe every year, and this year seems like a winner to me. I have tried a few different years in the past, but dont remember the differences. Had a chance to buy a vertical of 2009 ro 2013 bottles and passed, now i wish i would have bought it. Excellent winter seasonal, well worth trying.

WIDMER BROTHERS BREWING COMPANY - BRRR   Aroma has some cirrusy hops, caramel malts and some pine. Flavor has a nice hop balance with some caramel and roasted malts. Some spice notes, but not as many as other winter warmer style beers. Fairly solid beer, was more hop forward than i was expecting, but a nice change of pace, something different for the holidays that i would try again.

CROSS CANADIAN RAGWEED - SONY CONNECT ACOUSTIC TRACKS  A nice little EP of 4 of their songs recorded acoustically: Cold Hearted Woman, Final Curtain, Fightin' For, and Dimebag. Short but sweet.

3 miles on treadmill

December 21, 2013 - part 2

I thought i was done earlier, but a friend stopped by and we randomly sampled a few out of the fridge.

ALASKAN BREWING CO. - STOUT  Roasted malts, hints of coffee.  A little sweet with mostly a coffee and caramel flavor. Nothing special, not bad, certainly not one of Alaskans better beers.

OSKAR BLUES BREWERY - DALES PALE ALE  Nice American style pale ale. Strong hoppy smell. Grapefruit and pine. Grapefruit up front that gives way to a bitter bite and slight malt presence. A little too bitter for my liking, but worth the try especially since they dont distribute in MN.

DARK HORSE BREWING CO. -BOFFO BROWN ALE  Nice aroma, heavy on the malts; hints of chocolate and toffee. Very malty taste. I pick up mostly caramel at first, then a little chocolate and coffee and then finishes with more caramel. Not bad, but just kind of a traditional brown ale, nothing to make it stand out.

STELLA ARTOIS - STELLA ARTOIS  Typical Euro lager aroma, smells skunky. Luckily the taste is much better than the smell. Nice crisp clean taste, one of the better Euro lagers. If your going to pick one in a green bottle, this is the one to pick.

December 21, 2013

INDEED BREWING COMPANY - STIR CRAZY  Very sweet smell on this one.  Deep malty aroma with some cocoa, dark fruits, and vanilla. Very nice. Taste is great. Starts out with chocolate malts, then the vanilla, dark fruit, brown sugar, cinnamon and vanilla comes in. Nice array of flavors. Great mouthfeel. This is nice, smooth and easy drinking; a great winter style beer. I could drink this one all day long. Best beer from Indeed i have tried so far.

VAN HALEN - XCEL ENERGY CENTER, ST. PAUL, MN 5-19-12  This is a booleg of their concert return to Minnesota with David Lee Roth last year. Not a bad recording, a little muted at times, but beings VH are not "open taping", the reocrder did a great job. Just crank it and it sounds fine. A great reminder of a fun show, we had a great time there and this is a great memento, who knows if they will ever be back.

4 miles on treadmill and 30 minutes on bike

December 20, 2013

SPOETZL BREWERY - SHINER HOLIDAY CHEER  Not sure i have ever had a beer with a smell like this one. Huge amount of sweet peaches with a strong malty backbone. Very pleasant aroma. The peaches dominate the flavor too. Also a little bit of wheat and hints of nuttiness (label says pecans). Very sweet, no bitterness at all to balance it out. A very surprising beer, i was not expecting much, but i really lked this one. Its a holiday beer, but i would think it would go down really well in th summer too. I would for sure drink this one again.

NEW GLARUS BREWING COMPANY -  TWO WOMAN LAGER  Aroma has some roasted caramel and toffee with a hint of fruitiness, but its pretty faint. Taste echoes the smell. Toasted grains and roasted caramel up front with some lingering citrus.  Great balance. Smooth, light and refreshing, this is a very good German lager. New Glarus does it again, another solid beer in their line up, i think i have really liked every beer of theirs i have tried.

FLYING DOG BREWERY - SNAKE DOG IPA  Smell is heavy on the grapefruit and some faint pine, not much else. Not as hoppy as i was expecting. Light caramel malt flavor with some grapefruit. A little on the bitter side.  Taste is decent, but pretty middle of the road. It was enjoyable to drink, seems well balanced, but there just isnt anything notable about it.  With so many IPAs out there, you really need something to stand out and this one just doesnt have it.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - BORN IN THE USA  Classic album from Bruce. I remember hating this album when it came out, heard it everywhere and i think i was just burnt out on it. Today, i realize how good it was, although i still dont like thw title track, but the rest of the album is amazing.

3 miles on treadmill and 30 minutes on bike

December 19, 2013

NEW HOLLAND BREWING COMPANY - CABIN FEVER BROWN ALE  Very malty and roasty with some caramel, coffee, and cocoa. Taste is the same, and seems to have a little smokiness as well. Nice amount of sweetness too. Great balance.Very smooth and easy to drink, might be one of the best brown ale style beers i have tried. Good stuff.

REX BEVERAGE HOLDINGS - HORNY GOAT EXPOSED CREAM ALE  Not much going on in the aroma, grainy notes with a little lemon and maybe some vanilla.  Taste is wheaty and slightly sweet. A little note of citrus in the finish. Very thin, its drinkable, but my choices would have to be pretty limited to try it again. Just have not had any luck with any beers from Rex, just nothing special.

MILWAUKEE BREWING CO. - FATTY BOOMBALATTY  Belgian style pale ale with a 7.2% ABV. Smell is of fruits, yeast and some spice notes - mostly coriander. The taste has some sweet honey, mild caramel and some banana notes. You can definately notice the coriander. Decent, but the coriander is just a little too dominant to me, but other than that a pretty decent beer.

SIN CITY SINNERS - DIVEBAR DAYS REVISITED  This is basically a bar band from Las Vegas made up of some old metal heads that just love playing music. This is their latest album and is a bunch of cover songs with a ton of special guests. If you are a fan of 80s rock you will know most of these guys (Gilby Clarke, Brent Muscat, Dizzy Reed, George Lynch, Phil Lewis, Ron Keel, Chris Holmes, Taime Downe and others). Great fun record and if you are ever in Vegas and get a chance to see them, check it out, guaranteed fun time.

2 miles on treadmill, 30 minutes on bike

December 18, 2013

ODELL BREWING COMPANY - FOOTPRINT REGIONALE  This is a limited, brewed once beer with a 9.5% ABV. Odell distributes in 10 states and made this beer as a tribute to those states and used an ingredient from each state. Minnesotas contribution: wild rice. Some of the other ingredients listed: hops, barley, prickly pear, wheat, corn, green chiles, and honey. Needless to say,  there is a lot going on.  Main things i notice in the aroma are honey, sweet malts, some light fruit and a little booziness.  Flavor has a lot going on too. I swear each sip there was something new i noticed. Fruit, malts, oak, honey, vanilla, its all there. Interesting beer, its hard to fully describe what is going on, but its real tasty. I wouldnt mind finding another bottle and letting it age and see what happens.

RANCID - LET THE DOMINOES FALL  Most recent cd from this punk band. Decent offering, but not my favorite of theirs. This was the deluxe version and has a bonus dvd (not watched today) and a bonus cd of acoustic versions of some of the songs. I actually think i enjoyed the acoustic version more. Probably not a good thing for a punk band. Great band, ok album.

3 miles on treadmill

December 17, 2013

21ST AMENDMENT BREWERY - FIRESIDE CHAT  Nice spiced smell. Nutty roastiness with some cinnamon and nutmeg. Seems like a nice brown ale with some spices added. Taste has alot of malt and hints of spice. Nutty roasted malts up front that hide the spices somewhat. Nothing real complex. Tastes lighter than its 7.9% ABV would suggest. I was expecting more, just ok for a winter seasonal. I always enjoy the art on 21st cans, but unforunately that may be the highlight for this one.

SEVENDUST - SEVENDUST  Great debut from this southern metal band. Love the sound of their lead vocalist, very unique.

1 mile on treadmill

December 16, 2013

LAKEFRONT BREWERY INC - HOLIDAY SPICE LAGER BEER  Lots of spices in the aroma; cinnamon, nutmeg, honey and a little fruit. Very nice smell. The taste is malty and all the spices in the nose are there as well and the honey gives it its sweetness. Not bad, but i dont think the spices work quite as well in flavor as they do in the smell. Overall, still a nice holiday beer, a good change of pace and worth giving a try.

RAP: HALL OF FAME  I remember picking this one up in a .99 bin somewhere. Nice collection of early rap.
I Cant Live Without My Radio - LL Cool J
My Adidas - RUN-DMC
Rappers Delight - Sugarhill Gang
Leader Of The Pack - UTFO
Freaks Come Out At Night - Whodini
The Message - Grandmaster Flash And The Furious Five
Nightmares - Dana Dane
I'm Chillin - Kurtis Blow
Beat Street - Melle Mel
Make The Music With Your Mouth Biz - Biz Markie

3 miles on treadmill

December 15, 2013

BROOKLYN BREWERY - WINTER ALE  Very malty nose, with some toffee hints and a little smokiness. Not much sign of any spices like most winter style beers. Flavor has roasted malts and some nuttiness and hints of dark fruits. Its ok for a winter beer, but not as good as i was hoping from Brooklyn.

CLOWN SHOES - HOPPY FEET BLACK INDIA PALE ALE  Aroma of chocolate, coffee, roasted malts with a little hint of citrus. Taste of strong black coffee, roasted malts and some pine. Has a slight bitterness too. A nice beer, seems like a mix of a stout and a ipa. Smooth with a full rich flavor, very enjoyable.

ATMOSPHERE - SAD CLOWN BAD SUMMER #9  Nice little EP in their Sad Clown series. Basically 5 songs about growing up. Great stories, great lyrics, great beats, Atmosphere never dissapoints.

2.5 miles on treadmill, 30 minutes on bike

December 14, 2013

SOUTHERN TIER BREWING COMPANY - 2XMAS  "Ale brewed with figs, orange peel and spices."  The scent is definately on the spicy side. Lots of nutmeg, a little cinnamon, some caramel, and dark fruits. Really good smell. Tastes of cinnamon, brown sugar, nutmeg and gingerbread. Very complex taste. Very well balanced focusing on the spices without going overboard. This is very nice Christmas ale, i really enjoyed it, had no idea it had a 8% ABV while drinking it. Solid winter seasonal, well worth finding more of.

BROOKLYN BREWERY - BROOKLYN DRY IRISH STOUT  I misread the best buy date on this one, so it is a little old, oh well. Still holds the aroma really well. Roasted and toasted malts, coffee and hints of chocolate. Taste is smooth; coffee and roasted malts up front leads to some chocolate on the finish. Also get some smoke hints. Nice, seemed to hold up well, would like to try a fresh bottle, but i dont think it will make too much of a difference. Solid beer, right there with Guinness Draught.

CODY CANADA - SOME OLD, SOME NEW, MAYBE A COVER OR TWO   Cody was the lead singer of Cross Canadian Ragweed (before they broke up) and current lead singer of The Departed. This is his first "solo" album. Just him and an acoustic guitar.  Great sampling of songs, great stories and just plain fun. Would have loved to been at one of his solo acoustic shows. I saw both Cross Canadian Ragweed and The Departed live and neither dissapointed. I think the highlight of this record to me was he brought out each of his young sons to sing with him on songs he had written for them. Also the banter. Great stuff. I will love anything Cody does, he is just a born performer.

1 mile on treadmill, 30 minutes on bike

December 13, 2013

MANKATO BREWERY - LEAF RAKER NUT BROWN ALE  Aroma is full of roasted malts, caramel and some nuttiness.  This has a really nice taste for a brown ale. Starts with toasted malts with hints of nuts. The nuts were more apparant in the aroma, but they are not as abundant in the flavor. Nice balance and the caramel gives it a little bit of sweetness. My only complaint is that it is a little on the thin side, but thats minor. First beer i have tried from Mankato Brewery and i am very impressed.

LIFT BRIDGE BREWING CO. - HOP DISH IPA  Second beer of the night and another Minnesota brewery.  Nice American IPA with a 7.5% ABV.  First smell is some citrusy and piney hops with a little caramel malt backing. Great smell.  Flavor is a hop blast. Citrus hop kick at the beginning, followed by the pine balanced with the caramel malt. Really nice balance overall. This is a nice IPA from Lift Bridge and probably the best beer of theirs i have tried.

WIDMER BROTHERS BREWING - ALCHEMY ALE  If I was paying attention, i should have grabbed a 3rd Minnesota beer tonight, but i wasnt i guess. This is an American pale ale. Aroma is pretty muted. Some citrus with a touch of pine, but its all pretty faint. Taste is a little better, citrus, malt sweetness and fruit. Decent and easy to drink, but just kind of boring. I would have no problem downing a bunch of these though, good example of the style, but just not a stand out.

REEL BIG FISH - TURN THE RADIO OFF  A little ska to get me going this morning. Not a huge fan of the style, but these guys are really good. I think i enjoy the humor in their lyrics the most. I think this might be the best of their records. Hard not to smile and have fun while listening to these guys. Favorites: Sell Out, Trendy, She Has A Girlfriend Now, Beer, and Everything Sucks.

4 miles on treadmill

December 12, 2013

ROBINSONS FAMILY BREWERS - IRON MAIDEN TROOPER  This has a nice sweet malty aroma with a little caramel and some lemon hints.  Pretty much smells like a typical English Ale, sweet, rich and malty. Tastes just like it smells, pretty much malt dominated and tasted like i imagine a great English pub beer would. Nothing exciting, but easy to drink, the label is cool and its Iron Maiden approved! Fun to try once, but really no need to look for again. Wish i would have had some Iron Maiden music to listen to with it, but i know i only have a cassette or two and was too lazy to look for them.

FLICKERSTICK - WELCOMING HOME THE ASTRONAUTS  I always enjoyed these guys, and still do. They came into the public eye when they were on VH1s Band On The Run (if anybody remembers that show!) and this was their debut album from 2001. Just a nice straight rock/indie/pop sound. They went through a lot of band members and eventually broke up in 2009. This record is pretty amazing considering it was a debut. Great music and lyrics made for some well crafted songs. I still pull this one out alot and listen to it. Favorites: Got A Feeling, Beautiful, Smile, Coke, Sorry....Wrong Trajectory, Chloroform The One You Love, You're So Hollywood, Hey Or When The Drugs Where Off, Direct Line To The Telepathic, and Execution By X-mas Lights. Yep, great record.

1 mile on treadmill

December 11, 2013

GOOSE ISLAND BEER CO. - 6TH DAY  Limited release, holiday brown ale with a 8.3% ABV.  Starts with a nice sweet caramel malt smell with hints of dark fruits, spices and a hint of chocolate. Very nice. Tastes of sweet malts with some fruits. Alot going on; caramel, toffee, fruits, chocolate and some spices. A little on the sweet side, but very good. Super drinkable, nicely balanced, really no notice of the alcohol, a very nice winter seasonal. Perfect for that cold winter night.

BRECKENRIDGE BREWERY - AGAVE WHEAT  The aroma is pretty basic, wheat malts and some lemon. Taste is mostly wheat flavored with some citrus hints. Also has quite a bit of sweetness from the agave. Not much there, mostly just the wheat backbone, the hops are barely noticeable. Its easy to drink, just not all that memorable. Might have been a little better on a warm summer day.

KONA BREWING CO. - KOKO BROWN Huge coconut aroma. Also roasted malts and a hint of vanilla. Flavor is dark, complex, and full of coconut with a caramel malt back. Very unique flavor. I am not a huge fan of coconut at all, but this isnt bad as the coconut isnt overbearing. This is another well made beer from Kona, pretty one dimensional, but it tastes good, and thats all that really matters.

JANIS JOPLIN - 18 ESSENTIAL SONGS  Everyone needs a little Janis in their music collection, and this is the one i have. I am not a huge fan, but this one does just fine for me.

2 miles on treadmill

December 10, 2013

AUGUST SCHELL BREWING COMPANY - FRAMBOISE DU NORD  Holy raspberries, as soon as i popped the cork, there was a big blast of sweet raspberries but not much else. Great aroma, i poured a glass, left the room and could still smell it. The taste is all raspberries with quite a bit of sourness. Its very carbonated and it almost seems like you are drinking wine than beer. Pretty one dimensional, but its very good and easy to drink. Great sour beer, bursting with raspberry fruitness. I really enjoyed this one and glad i have an extra bottle waiting, could drink this any time, the only downside is its a limited release and a little spendy. I have seen it anywhere from $10.49 to $17.49 a bottle.

PINK FLOYD - DARK SIDE OF THE MOON  Classic.

1 mile on treadmill

December 9, 2013

NEW BELGIUM BREWING - HOP KITCHEN FRENCH ARAMIS IPA  Nice IPA aroma. Good aroma of hops, citrus and big floral notes. Light hop taste, a little bit of malt, citrus and floral notes like the nose. Seems a little less hoppy than a lot of IPAs out there, but thats not a bad thing to me. Very light and drinkable, was a nice change of pace than the standard hop bombs that are so popular right now. Not your typical IPA, but worth the try. Would be a great summer beer.

CROSS CANADIAN RAGWEED - LIVE & LOUD AT THE WORMY DOG SALOON  This was the 2nd release from this alternative country band and was a collection of live songs. This is them at their raw hard rocking best. Too bad these guys broke up a few years ago. One of my favorite bands. A couple of real fun covers, (Hey, Hey, My, My and Boys From Oklahoma), a few unreleased songs, and their hits up to this point make for a fun listen. Very underrated, glad i got to see them live a few times.

2 miles on treadmill

December 8, 2013

BIG SKY BREWING CO. - POWDER HOUND WINTER ALE  This is a American red ale with a 7.2% ABV.  Smell has some caramel, some pine, some floral hops and some maltiness. Starts with a little caramel malt flavor and then some piney hops. Pretty nicely balanced, good flavor that hides the alcohol well. Doesnt seem like a red or a winter style beer though to me. Decent and easy to drink, just not real sure what its trying to be.

TWO BROTHERS BREWING CO. - REVELRY IMPERIAL RED ALE  This is a red ale with a 9.5% ABV.  Aroma has some citrus and pine hops with some light caramel malt notes as well. A little notice of the alcohol as it warms. Taste ha some caramel malts up front but then the pine and citrus hops take over. I really dont notice the alcohol too much, but it is there. Almost seems like a dark or double IPA. Nice beer for a cold winter night, it will warm you up for sure.

LUCETTE BREWING CO. - HIPS DONT LIE
Can states "Bavarian style Weissbier brewed with rose hips and honey."  The aroma has bananas, honey, wheat, and floral notes. Reminds me a lot of a Hefeweissen style beer. Taste is on the sweet side, i think due to the honey, otherwise almost just like a Hefe. Decent beer, just a little on the sweet side for me, if the honey was a little more muted i would think this would be a really good Hefe.

FLYLEAF - FLYLEAF  Debut album from this alternative/rock band. Got to love a hard rocking band with a female lead vocalist. She has a great voice with a unique sound. Musically, kind of standard for the field, but her voice makes it work. They released 2 albums after this one and the lead singer, Lacey, left after that last album, so we will see where they go. They did get a new female singer, but i have not heard her yet. To me, the band was more about Lacey, so i am more likely to follow her i think. Decent debut though.

3 miles on treadmill, 1 hour on bike

December 7, 2013- part 2

Wound up trying a few extras tonight:

BRAUEREI BECK & CO. - BECKS DARK  The smell is light and very similar to a regular Becks; dark malt, caramel, and that typical skunky Euro smell. Tastes the same. Average brew, nothing that i will look for again.

SUMMIT BREWING CO. - FINNEGANS IRISH AMBER Aroma is kind of weak, caramel malts with some grassy hops. Taste is malty with some caramel sweetness with a slight hop bitterness. Tastes a little better than it smells. Light and easy to drink, just nothing special, could pound a bunch of these pretty easily though. Overall, just average, but could do worse.

NEW GLARUS BREWING CO. - BLACK TOP  Piney hops dominate the aroma with some chocolate and citrus hints.  Taste has some citrus, pine, chocolate and a bit of roasted malts. Malts are pretty understated compared to the hops though. A nice black IPA with great balance and is very drinkable. Another real solid beer from New Glarus. (Just dont like that they are not ditributed in MN, so a WI road trip has to happen every now and then)

December 7, 2013

ABITA BREWING CO. - ANDYGATOR  Helles Dopplebock style beer with 8% ABV. Nice malty aroma with a little fruity sweetness and some light hops. Pretty simple, but not bad. Starts with a little sweetness with caramel malt flavor and the hops give it a little grassy finish. Like the aroma, taste is pretty simple,  but surprisingly smooth and drinkable. I am not very familier with this style, but enjoyed this one. One of the better beers i have tried from Abita.

WEIRD AL YANKOVIC - EVEN WORSE  As usual, some more great parodies from Weird Al.  If i remember right, this might have been about the peak of his popularity.  The song and video for Fat (Michael Jackson's Bad) was huge on MTV. He still has a loyal fan base today, and if you are a fan, i am sure you have this one (and all of them actually) and if your not, i think your missing the boat. Fun to listen to.

4 miles on treadmill, 30 minutes on bike

December 6, 2013

DESCHUTES BREWERY - JUBELALE  The start of my winter seasonal beers. Nice aroma of caramel and toffee with some toasted malts and some dark fruits. Very nice. Starts with a fruity rich malt flavor. Has a little spice to it as well. Nice balance of sweetness and has a nice hoppy finish. This is a rich flavorful winter ale. Very refreshing and easy to drink, great winter seasonal. Will be a staple in the future along with Sierra Nevada Celebration.

CAPITAL BREWERY - HOP CREAM  The aroma was pretty faint to me. Some floral hops and some faint vanilla notes. Flavor was kind of mediocre. Hints of citrus and sweet malts, but not as hoppy as i was expecting with the name Hop Cream. I wasnt real sure what to expect with the Cream Ale style, but it had a little flavor and was easy to drink, just was a bit underwhelming. Fun to try, but would probably not look for it again.

BIERRA PERONI INDUSTRIALE S.P.A. - PERONI NASTRO AZZURRO  Euro style lager from Italy. Has that typical Euro lager smell: skunky, but it fades quickly. Again tastes like every other Euro style lager in a green bottle. Crisp, clean and drinkable for the style, just not one of my favorite styles. Grabbed it as part of a mix 6 because i couldnt find anything else to fill it out. If you like this style it will do just fine.

LITTLE SISTER - LIVE: FREE LOVE & NICKEL BEER  This is their debut album, which is a collection of live songs recorded over a 3 day weekend at Club DaDa. They later changed their name to Sister 7. Very underrated and underappreciated rock band. Had 5 albums and has officially broke up, although they still get together and do a few live shows every now and then. One of my go tos.

3 miles on treadmill, 30 minutes on bike

December 5, 2013

CENTRAL WATERS BREWING CO. - BREWHOUSE COFFEE STOUT  Sweet coffee smell, and lots of it. Also has some hints of cocoa and vanilla. Nice creamy  mouthfeel upront and then the coffee hits. Dark roasted malts, touch of chocolate, vanilla, caramel and roasted malts. Really nice smooth taste, has a little bit of a bitter finish. Nicely balanced, no hint of the 8.2% ABV. I am not a coffee guy at all and still really enjoyed this one. This is a very nice coffee stout that any beer fan should like and if you are a coffee lover, you will love it. Definately will grab a few more bottles of this next time i see it.

DAVE MATTHEWS & TIM REYNOLDS - DMB LIVE TRAX 24  This is from the DMB live trax series released on their website. Great show, some fun stories from Dave and a really nice performance.  Loved the cover of Angel From Montgomery. Tims guitar work is amazing as usual. Any fan of the band will like this one.

1 mile on treadmill

December 4, 2013

STONE BREWING CO. - SMOKED PORTER  Aroma has some roasted malts and a real smoky smell. Taste is the same with some hints of chocolate and caramel.  Nice balance of hop bitterness and malt sweetness, but i just couldnt get over the smokiness of it. Obviously with a name like Smoked Porter, i was expecting some smoke, but just seemed like a little too much for my tastes. It left a charred burnt aftertaste in my mouth. Other than the smoke, excellent porter, but if the smoke factor was toned down a little, i would probably enjoy it a lot more.

EMINEM - THE MARSHALL MATHERS LP  Great early record from him, it was his 2nd national release. Love him or hate him, he is one of the best wordsmiths around and i for one really enjoy his music.

2 miles on treadmill

Jimmy Buffett

December 3, 2013

LAKEFRONT BREWERY INC - PUMPKIN LAGER BEER  Last pumpkin style in my fridge. Aroma has a lot of spices, cinnamon and nutmeg stand out, along with some light sweet pumpkin. Has a very sweet pumkpkin taste too. Nice and crisp with the spices dominating. Not bad, usually not a big fan of Lakefront, but enjoyed this one. Could have saved a better pumpkin beer for the last one, but this one was just fine.

JIMMY BUFFETT - SONGS FROM ST. SOMEWHERE  Heading to the Buffett concert tonight so figured i would listen to his latest release. Not bad, Jimmy still does some nice songs after all these years. I dont notice anything that will probably end up being a live must hear, but still was a fun listen overall. The guy is just a great storyteller. Makes we want to have a cold drink in my hand, which i will shortly!

1 mile on treadmill

December 2, 2013

WASTACH BEERS - WASTACH PUMPKIN ALE  Aroma of pumpkin, spice and some sweet malts, but nothing really stands out. Flavor is pretty mild, pumpkin pie with nutmeg and cinnamon. Kind of thin and feels watery in the mouth. Seems kind of one dimensional, pretty basic standard pumpkin ale. Perfect for someone that wants to try the style as it is super light and easy to drink.

TOMMYKNOCKER BREWERY & PUB - SMALL PATCH PUMPKIN HARVEST ALE  Light aromas of pumpkins and pumpkin spices, but pretty muted. Taste is similar to the smell, but the flavors are at least a little stronger and a little more going on. I can notice a littly molasses, caramel, cinnamon, vanilla and of course a little pumpkin pie. Taste surprised me a little as the aroma was pretty one dimensional. Interesting tasting, actually seemed to get a little better as it warmed. Not bad, not one of my favorites in the style, but it is one i would return to.

CISCO BREWERS - PUMPLE DRUMKIN SPICED ALE  The smell was pretty light to me, some pumpkin spices with a hint of malt, but not much else. Taste is just like the nose, nothing stands out at all. Pretty light and soft. Not overly sweet and has a little bit of a bitter finish. Not a bad beer, but not a real good represetative of the pumpkin style. Pass.

PEARL JAM - LIVE AT BENAROYA HALL  OCTOBER 22, 2003  This was an official live release from Pearl Jam that is getting pretty hard to find. Mostly all acoustic and was also a benefit show. The sound on this is great. What an incredible show. A good representation of songs from all albums and some great covers. I have a lot of bootleg shows from Pearl Jam but this performance has got to be one of my favorites. This show just needs to be heard by any fan.

2 miles on treadmill

November Success

Well, month nine is in the books, only 3 months to go. With each month i have finished i have given at least $50 to a charity. Since November 14 was Give To The Max Day in Minnesota (big charity day with lots of matching funds, etc) and i had faith i would finish November as well, i made a handful of donations that day to count as my November choice. I donated to Cheerful Givers (cheerfulgivers.org), Angel Foundation (mnangel.org) and Lakes Area Humane Society (lakesareahumanesociety.org). Please support them if you can.

But, today, i still felt like doing something for completing November, so i got 54 Christmas cards all signed with messages ready to mail out to our troops. I would encourage that when everbody that is sending cards this year send at least one extra to show love and support, I know they will greatly appreciate it. The only downside is you need to mail them ASAP as they request they are there by December 6th to guarantee delivery. Mail them to:
Holiday Mail For Heroes
PO Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Heres to December!

December 1, 2013

21ST AMENDMENT BREWERY AND ELYSIAN BREWING - HE SAID BALTIC PORTER  Label describes it as a "baltic style porter - lager brewed with pumpkin and spices." It actually came with the He Said beer i tried yesterday in a 4pack with 2 of each style. Moderate aroma of roasted malts with a little bit of pumpkin and spices-cinnamon and even a little chocolate and coffee. Taste is much the same, roasted malts, some coffee, spices and a hint of pumpkin. You notice the pumpkin a little more as it warms up. A very good porter, just wish there was a bit more of pumpkin as that is how it is presented. I liked this one just a little better than the He Said i tried yesterday, but overall i would have to say both were actually a little dissapointing to me.

THE CURE - ANOTHER JOURNEY...AMSTERDAM 79  This is a bootleg recorded at The Melkweg in Amsterdam on 12-12-79. Sound is really good on this one, might have been a radio broadcast. I really enjoy the early Cure records and this concert is a good representation from that era. I saw them live when i was in high school, was a fun show, but lets just say our little group didnt really fit in, but we still had a great time.

3 miles on treadmill, 1 hour on bike

November 30, 2013

21ST AMENDMENT BREWERY & ELYSIAN BREWING- HE SAID TRIPEL  Label describes it as a "Belgian style Tripel ale brewed with pumpkin and spices."  It kind of has that Tripel smell (not sure on how to really describe it, but if you have drank a few Tripels, you know). Mostly fruity aroma with some light spices. I really didnt notice much for pumpkin at all. Tastes more like a Tripel than a pumpkin beer to me. Mostly fruits and some sweetness with a little spices,  the pumpkin was barely noticeable here in the taste as well. As a straight up Tripel style beer, not bad. However, as a pumpkin style beer it misses the mark for me.

THE DONNAS - SPEND THE NIGHT  This release is from 2002 from the all female rock band. Nothing groundbreaking, but just fun rock and roll, and these girls can rock!  Just straight up rock in the vein of Joan Jett, Heart, AC/DC, etc. Fun lyrics, a great party record and i stull think the drummer is hot.

4 miles on treadmill, 1 hour on bike

November 29, 2013

SOUTHERN TIER BREWING COMPANY - PUMKING  We might have a new leader for me for best pumpkin beer, this one was really good. Big natural pumpkin smell, a little caramel malt and just a hint of spices. Nice to see a pumpkin beer where the spices dont overwhelm. This has a nice smooth strong pumpkin flavor with just a hint of spice and caramel. Very well balanced, the 8.6% ABV is hidden well. I think this is what i want a pumpkin beer to be. True to the style, the pumpkin is not lost by spices and fake flavors. Might be the best representation of actual pumpkin flavor i have tried, this one is as pumpkin as it gets and is a must have each Thanksgiving season.

SOUTHERN TIER BREWING COMPANY - WARLOCK  Whereas the Pumking is more of an ale, this one is more of a imperial stout style. To me, the aroma is almost the same though, but with more roasted malts and perhaps a little more spiciness.Tastes much like it smells. Tastes a lot like Pumking, but the raosted malts give this some additional flavor. Seems a little on the thin side for an imperial stout though. Again, very well balanced, the 8.6% ABV is hidden well here too. Nice beer too. I dont think you can go wrong with either Pumking or Warlock, just depends on your tastes and preferences. For me, Pumking edges Warlock slightly, but i would have either again in a heartbeat.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND - NO PRIVATE PARTY-ROXY 1978  This is a bootleg of a concert from July 7, 1978. At the time it was broadcast live on select radio stations. I visit a few Springsteen bootleg sites on the internet machine and this show is often referred to as one of the best shows Bruce will ever do or as a contender for best show ever. The quality is amazing and i have to agree its a pretty high energy fun show to listen to and close to 3 hours long! The only downside to me is the few radio station plugs and DJs comments, but aside from that, wow!

3 miles on treadmill, 30 minutes on bike

November 28, 2013

SHIPYARD BREWING CO. - SMASHED PUMPKIN Of course i was going to try a pumpkin beer on Thanksgiving.  Smell is heavy on malts, with a nice pumpkin smell with some light nutmeg. Not as much spice aroma as others in the style. Great flavor, lots of nutmeg up front with a nice malt background. The pumpkin is there but it doesnt overwhelm. Very well balanced beer with a really good mouthfeel that is not too sweet.  I think it got even better as it warmed. Very smooth for having a 9% ABV. Really good example of the style, will definately be on the look out for this one next year.

JASON BOOTS - LOOKING BACK AHEAD  How about a little Minnesota talent for my Thanksgiving day musical choice? Hails from Hastings, but i thought i heard he was actually born in my hometown, Alexandria. This is a fun little EP. I reallly enjoy every song. Nice little rocking party record. The bonus song is a fun little rap song he did in one take which is amazing as its about 5 minutes long with no breaks and at a pretty fast clip.

3 miles on treadmill

November 27, 2013

BIG WOOD BREWERY - BARK BITE  Lots of citrus and malt scents with a touch of pine. Taste is just like it smells, a little citrus up front with a hoppy bitter finish. The citrus is pretty faint though. Eh, average IPA, highlight is it is a Minnesota brewery and is priced right, just dont expect to be wowed.

BIG WOOD BREWERY - JACK PINE SAVAGE  The smell has lots of malt up front. Caramel, toffee, and some toasted malts. Hints of some citrus hops, but they are not real prominent; its pretty nice overall. Taste follows the nose and is very well balanced. Nothing real extraordinary, but a really nice everyday take on an American pale ale. Crisp, smooth, and tasty, this is a nice addition to the Minnesota beer scene, will for sure revisit this one.

EVERLAST - WHITEY FORD SINGS THE BLUES  I really enjoy most of Everlasts work. This CD was pretty popular due to What Its Like and Ends, which kind of had an acoustic folk rap kind of vibe, but the rest of the album is straight up rap. Good stuff.

2 miles on treadmill, 1 hour on bike

November 26, 2013

BOSTON BEER COMPANY- FAT JACK DOUBLE PUMPKIN ALE  The smell is pretty muted, notes of cinnamon, caramel,allspice, a bit of pumpkin and some sweet malts. Taste is similar to the nose, but just doesnt seem like there is a lot of pumpkin present to me, especially beings its labeled a double pumpkin ale. The pumpkin is up front, and you get more of the spices in the finish, but its not overly spiced, I just wish the pumpkin stood out a little more. Still though, pretty good overall, nicely balanced and easy to drink, just missing a little something to really make it stand out. It has some pumpkin, but i was hoping for more. As a fall beer its good, but as a pumpkin beer it misses the mark a little. I actually enjoyed their regular pumpkin beer more.

ALISON KRAUSS AND ROBERT PLANT - RAISING SAND  Perhaps an odd pairing, but this album is unbelievable. The voice of Led Zeppelin and one of countrys best voices, just go so well together, its kind of hard to explain, but sounds great to me. This was released in 2007 and i sure wish they would team up again. Favorites: all of them.

1 mile on treadmill

Beer Fridge #2

And here it is fully stocked!

November 25, 2013

FLYING DOG BREWERY - UNDERDOG ATLANTIC LAGER  Smell is light, bready, malty with hints of floral hops, pretty light though. Malty with a slight citrus flavor and a hint of floral hopiness. Smooth, clean and crisp, this is a decent lager. Nothing groundbreaking, but a good representation of the style. Well balanced and easy to drink, could pound a few of these pretty easily.

FLYING DOG BREWERY - HORN DOG BARLEY WINE STYLE ALE  This one has a 10.2 ABV and is "vintage 13BB." Standard barleywine aroma - dark fruits, caramel, but I also detect a hint of black licorice. Tastes similar to the smell, only a little bit stronger. Heavy on the caramel and dark fruity sweetness, and has a slighlty bitter finish with a little alcohol warmth. Pretty nicely balanced and drinks fairly easy for having such a high ABV. Pretty standard for the style, but its just not one of my favorite styles. Got better as it warmed.

PHISH - NEW YEAR'S EVE 1995 LIVE AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN  Epic live show from "Americas Greatest Jam Band". If you are a fan you'll love it, but if your new to their music this is probably not a spot to start. They release a ton of live shows, so you have to kind of pick an choose as you could probably never be able to afford them all.Great band and the improvisation live is just incredible. Great versions of Reba, Weekapaug Groove, and You Enjoy Myself. A nice Auld Lang Syne at midnight. Fun stuff.

3 miles on treadmill

November 24, 2013

BOSTON BEER CO. - BLACK LAGER  The smell is roasted malts with some coffee notes and a hint chocolate. Has a nice creamy taste and was a little sweeter than i expected. The flavor is malty with some mild chocolate, toffee, coffee and even has a little spiciness from the hops. Lots going on in the flavor.  Easy to drink and very smooth for a dark beer, very tasty. If someone says the dont like dark beers, they should give this one a try, i think they would be pretty surprised how good it is.

BOSTON BEER CO. - CHERRY WHEAT  This is a very sweet smelling beer. The cherries dominate with a little wheat backbone. The cherry aroma reminds me of cough syrup. Cherry flavor is very up front, and is a little on the sweet side. The wheat is pretty light. I actually really didnt mind it at all, was pretty refreshing and enjoyable. I can see this one as being a love or hate with most people, there is probably no in between.

PATRICE PIKE - UNRAVELING  This CD was released when she probably was most recognizable. She had just been a contestent on Rockstar Supernova (or whatever it was that year). I thought she could have won, but was glad she didnt, so she didnt have to perform with those guys who were well past their prime.(Incidentally, i think they only released one album, and it was pretty much a bomb.) She had a few solo albums before this one and has had a few since too. Great songwriter and great voice. Her previous band, Sister 7, was very good too. I think she is unbelievably talented and has not got the commercial success she deserves. Check her solo stuff or Sister 7 records out, i dont think you will be dissapointed. Favorites: Beautiful Thing, Rufus, Dragonfly, Ridiculous Mess,  Unraveling, and Temple

2 miles on treadmill, 1 hour on bike

November 23, 2013

CISCO BREWERS ISLAND RESERVE - RUMPLE DRUMKIN  Bottle states its an "ale brewed with smoked pumpkins and spices then aged in ex rum barrels."  Aroma has some faint pumpkin and spices, but smoky malts seem to overwhelm those. There is also just a faint hint of rum. Everything is very muted though, not what i was expecting.  The smoked malts dominate the flavor, the pumpkin and spices just dont come out enough for me. The smoke is just too strong and hides everything else. There are alot better pumpkin style beers out there. Glad i gave it a try, but would not buy again.

RICHARD PRYOR - THE WARNER BROS. ALBUMS (1974-1983)  Listened to the third album in this box set, Bicentennial Nigger. Love Richard Pryor, but this is the weakest album in the box set so far, not bad, but just not up to the the first two i have listened to. Mudbone Goes To Hollywood is the highlight.

4 miles in treadmill

November 22, 2013

ODELL BREWING CO. - MYRCENARY DOUBLE IPA  A nice 9.3% ABV on this one.  Great fruity hop aroma, mostly tropical fruits; kiwi, orange, and grapefruit. Also a hint of some bready malts and pine. Taste is almost identical to the smell. Tropical fruits all over the place. Mild alcohol heat, buts its minimal, very nicely balanced. This is just really good. Great hop flavor and aroma, but not overpowering. Excellent.

ODELL BREWING CO. - MOUNTAIN STANDARD DOUBLE BLACK IPA  This one from Odell has a 9.5% ABV, definately no lite beers tonight. Smell has some big roasted malts and citrusy hops with hints of chocolate, coffee and pine. Taste has all kinds of roasted malts, caramel, coffee and chocolate. Hops give it a little bitterness, but it is very nicely balanced, you can hardly notice the alcohol. This is exactly what a black IPA should be; complex, balanced and tasty. Just awesome.
I think every beer from Odell i have tried has been excellent, i dont think you can go wrong with anything they offer. I cant wait to go back to their brewery in February.

N.E.R.D. - IN SEARCH OF...   This was their debut album. Great mix of rock and rap. Favorites: Lapdance, Provider, Truth Or Dare, Tape You, Rock Star, and Bobby James. Fun listen.

1 hour on bike