October 31, 2013

STONE BREWING CO. - ENJOY BY 11-12-13 IPA  This double IPA limited release came in a 22oz bottle and is 9.4% ABV. This series they brew fresh and get it to market fast, its not designed to last, but to enjoy while fresh. Great aroma. Big smell of pine, floral hops and sweet citrus, smells just like a IPA should. Taste doesnt dissapoint either, follows the nose for the most part. Highly reccomended, one of the best IPAs i have tried. Same beer as i tried on 9-10-13,  but that one was labeled "Enjoy By 09-13-13". They make thse quite often and just change the name based on when it was brewed. If you like IPAs and see any of this series, grab them, you wont be sorry.

KID ROCK - DEVIL WITHOUT A CAUSE  This is the album that brought Kid Rock to the big time. Great mix of rock and rap. His band is tight and this album is all about having fun. I'm sure most of you have heard it, so i dont have much else. Favorites: Bawitdaba, Cowboy, I Am The Bullgod, Welcome To The Party, Somebodys Gotta Feel This, Fist Of Rage, Only God Knows Why, F-ck Off, and Black Chick White Guy.

1 mile on treadmill

October 30, 2013

FOUNDERS BREWING COMPANY - DIRTY BASTARD  Malt smells dominate, mostly caramel and toffee. Great taste, sweet caramel malts, toffee, dark fruits, and a little chocolate. A little bitter finish keeps this nicely balanced. It has a 8.5 ABV, that i didnt notice at all. Excellent beer. Rich and complex, this is a great Scottish Ale.

FOUNDERS BREWING COMPANY - BREAKFAST STOUT Whoa! This is probably one of the top 5 beers i have tried in the last 8 months. Great smell, roasted malts with chocolate and coffee. Nice complex taste. Coffee up front, followed by some oatmeal and finishes with a chocolate aftertaste. The alcohol is only slightly detectable which is nice considering it is a 8.3 ABV. Perfectly balanced. Nice smooth creamy thick mouthfeel, i could drink this anytime.
Both these Founders were great, and i really enjoyed their Rubaeus this summer, i need to find their other offerings as the 3 i have tried have really impressed me

311 - LIVE  If you like the band, you know they put on a great live show. This is a pretty good representation of what seeing them live is all about. Tuen it up and have fun.

2.5 miles on treadmill and 30 minutes on bike

October 29, 2013

ALASKAN BREWING CO. - IPA  The smell consists of grapefruit, hints of pine and some other citrus. Slightly bitter , smooth, slight malt taste, not as hoppy as i was expecting. Nicely balanced. This is a very well done IPA, very drinkable.

ALASKAN BREWING CO. - WHITE Not much to the aroma, nothing really stands out to me; sweet malt and a little citrus. Flavor is better than the aroma. Nicely spiced, nice wheat malt backbone complimented by some orange and coriander. A nice easy to drink beer with character, worth trying.

ALASKAN BREWING CO. - WINTER  Label states its brewed with spruce tips.  Smell has some spices and some pine.  Taste almost has a berry flavor to it. Taste is unique, its kind of hard to pin anything down in it. Kind of a sweet berry taste with some spices. Nicely balanced, all i know is i really liked it. Best of the 3 Alaskans i tried tonight.

RANDY ROGERS BAND - TROUBLE  Great country band. Most probably have not heard of these guys, but you should. Tight band, great fun lyrics and lots of energy. Favorites: Fuzzy, Flash Flood, Trouble Knows My Name feat Willie Nelson,  and Shotgun.

3 miles on treadmill

October 28, 2013

GOOSE ISLAND BEER CO.  OKTOBERFEST  Another Marzen style Oktoberfest beer, love this time of year. Aroma is caramel malts and some  grassy hops with a littlefruit hint. Nice flavor, standard for style: caramel, toffee, but has some sweetness from the fruits. Nice. This is a little unique Oktoberfest with the fruit, but i really enjoyed it. Well done, could pound a few of these no problem.

SAM KINISON - HAVE YOU SEEN ME LATELY?  Great comedy album, still has me smiling thinking about it. Sure wish i could find his debut, but it is out of print. I know i have it stored away somewhere on cassette though. This album really went big due to his remake of  the song Wild Thing. The video was great too. RIP Sam.

1 mile on treadmill

October 27, 2013

JACOB LEINENKUGEL BREWING COMPANY - HOPPIN' HELLES  Starts with some citrusy hops and some piney and floral aspects. The taste is floral with some citrus and pine. Not sure i have ever had a Helles style beer before, but from what i can tell this seems more like a pale ale. Not really sure it hits the style it is supposed to be, but as it is, its refreshing and drinkable.

JACOB LEINENKUGEL BREWING COMPANY - CANOE PADDLER  Kolsch style beer, but with the addition of rye. Very minimal smell, nothing stands out, maybe a little citrus. Light grainy taste with a touch of citrus, but not much there. Not enough flavor for me, goes down ok, but not something i would look for again.

JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS - UNVARNISHED  Newest offering from Joan Jett, came out about a month ago and is the first new studio record in 7 years. Band really sounds good and Joan still rocks as usual, even at the age of 55.  Nothing new here, just great songs in her rocking style. One of the better albums she has put out lately. Pretty solid top to bottom, while her last few albums seemed to have too many throw away songs on them. Glad i picked this one up.

3 miles on treadmill

October 26, 2013

BALLAST POINT BREWING COMPANY - PALE ALE  Smell has some hops, bread, corn and lemon. Good citrus in the taste, moderate hops, and a little grass.  Kind of sweet. Not bad, just doesnt really seem like a pale ale to me, more of a kolsch style beer.

BALLAST POINT BREWING COMPANY - LONGFIN LAGER  Not much to the aroma, some malts and a hint of lemon. Taste is light and mild with some malts, but overall not much there, pretty bland. Decent lager, but just average. Would i drink it again? Yes. Would i buy it again? Probably not.

BALLAST POINT BREWING COMPANY - CALICO AMBER ALE  The aroma is full of sweet caramel malts and just a hint of some piney hops. Taste is caramel and toffee with a little pine. Delicious and nicely balanced and real easy to drink. Really nice example of the style, one of the better ones i have tried. My favorite of the 3 Ballast Point beers i tried ronight.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN & THE E STREET BAND - PERFECTION AT LAST!-PHILADELPHIA 5TH NIGHT  This is a bootleg from a concert on September 17, 1984. It was night 5 of 6 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia during the Born In The USA tour. Great recording, the sound quality is amazing, could almost be a commercial release. Great setlist and a fun listen, as always Bruce puts on a great show.

4 miles on treadmill, 30 minutes on bike

October 25, 2013

LIFT BRIDGE BREWING CO. - CHESTNUT HILL BROWN ALE  The aroma has a faint nutty smell with some spicy notes, most noticeable is cinnamon. Taste is a little sweet and malty with a little caramel and a little bit of cinnamon and spices. The flavors could be a little more pronounced. Just an average brown ale, certainly not bad, but just doesnt stand out.

LIFT BRIDGE BREWING CO. - CROSSCUT PALE ALE  At first you get some citrus and floral hops, but then some grapefruit takes over. Nice. The taste has grapefruit and citrus hops with caramel malts: nicely balanced. A pretty good pale ale, the hops dont dominate like so many of them, very drinkable.

LIFT BRIDGE BREWING CO. - MINNESOTA TAN  The label says "Belgian style Tripel fermented with raspberries. A complex and tart beer thats wonderfully pink, reminiscent of a Minnesota Tan." I like that. Has a fruity nose and some wheat too. Taste has a fruity berry flavor, a little on the tart side though. Overall, nicely balanced, the alcohol is hidden well, and i think its around 8% ABV. Not too sweet and not too sour. I really liked this one best of the 3 Lift Bridge beers i tried tonight.

AC DC - LET THERE BE ROCK  Not much better than AC DC with Bon Scott. Great stuff. Classics: Dog Eat Dog, Let There Be Rock, Problem Child, Hell Aint A Bad Place To Be, and Whole Lotta Rosie. And the other 3 aernt bad either.

1 mile on treadmill

October 24, 2013

ABITA BREWING CO. - FALL FEST  This is Abitas Oktberfest offering. Has a decent aroma of caramel malts and a little nuttiness. Taste has some malt sweetness and some caramel in the finish. Pretty light and mild overall. Decent but not memorable. Just a average Oktoberfest style beer. Seems to me most Abita beers are like this, not bad, nothing special, just a nice average beer. I would drink it again if offered, but probably wouldnt seek it out.

LAKEFRONT BREWERY INC - OKTOBERFEST LAGER  The aroma is a nice caramel malt with some sweet grains amd maybe some fruit notes.Taste has some caramel and nuts and that is complimented by the breadniness. I didnt notice any hops, but that is typical of the style. Pretty much your typical Oktoberfest Marzen style beer. This is easy to drink, but just kind of average, nothing really wows me about it.

NEW HOLLAND BREWING COMPANY - ICHABOD ALE   Kind of a weak aroma, mostly pumpkin with a hint of cinnamon. The taste is a smooth blend if pumpkin pie and a little spice. Not as sweet as some of the other pumpkin beers i have tried, which is nice. Seems to have a little more of malt base than others, very well balanced. Nice and easy drinking, could drink a few of these in one setting no problem.

TOM PETTY - INTO THE GREAT WIDE OPEN  You can never go wrong with a little Petty. I really enjoy this one and think it is maybe one of his most underappreciated records. Great production and great songs lead to a great listen. You still hear Learning To Fly and Into The Great Wide Open on the radio quite often, but there are some other good songs too: Kings Highway, Two Gunslingers, All The Wrong Reasons, and You And I Will Meet Again. Good stuff.

1 mile on treadmill

October 23, 2013

VICTORY BREWING CO. - FESTBIER  Nice smell, roasted malt with some faint fruity notes. Taste has great malt character, mostly roasted malts with some slight sweetness. A little caramel taste too. This ia a really good example of an Oktoberfest style beer. Might be my favorite i have tried this year that was brewed in the states.

BOULEVARD BREWING CO. - BOB'S '47 OKTOBERFEST  This one seems like it has a little spice to it. I get some bready malts, a little caramel and some spicy hops. The taste starts with the toasted malts, more toffee than caramel and finishes with the hop spice. Drinks nice, and there is nothing bad about it, it just doesnt seem much like an Oktoberfest style beer to me.

SHIPYARD BREWING CO. - PUMPKINHEAD  Has a sweet pumpkin smell with some spiceness to it, maybe some cinnamon. Nice pumpkin in the flavor, but its definatly on the sweet side and the spices are more subdued in the flavor than they were in the smell. A really nice pumpkin beer, just wish it was a little less sweet. Perfect after beer to have after a meal in the fall, but probably wouldnt be one i would drink more than one of in a sitting.

UTFO - UTFO  Debut album from the 80s group. If you were a hip hop fan back in the day, you remember these guys made it big with Roxanne, Roxanne and that that song created lots of "response" records. It was pretty fun time and interesting. Great group with 3 rappers trading rhymes. Their first couple albums were really good and they kind of fell off after that. Still, their first couple records are well worth having.

3 miles on treadmill

October 22, 2013

CENTRAL WATERS BREWING CO. - OCTOBERFEST LAGER  Traditinal octoberfest aroma, malts, caramel and toffee. The flavor reflects the same. Medium bodied, but maybe leans toward the thin side. Nice beer overall, and does a good job of representing the style. A solid choice.

ZZ TOP - LA FUTURA  The first new music from the boys since 2003.  Nice to see them get back to the classic ZZ Top rootsy blues rock sound of their early albums. I got the "bonus tracks" version of this album which has 2 extra tracks, for 12 total. If you like ZZ Top, i suggest you find this version as the 2 bonus tracks are 2 of the better songs, but the whole record is really good on the whole, you wont be diddapointed. These guys are a blast to see live too, they are constantly touring, but they need to stop with the 70 minute shows. They have way tooo many good songs to be playing for that short of time. Until they get back to doing longer shows, i probably wont be seeing them again though.

1 mile on treadmill

October 21, 2013

LAKE SUPERIOR BREWING COMPANY -  OKTOBERFEST  Has a nic smell of caramel malts, toffee and even some floral notes. Sweet caramel maltiness with a touch of toffee in the taste. Has a little hop bite too. Fairly nice Oktoberest beer. Nice taste and drinks easy and smooth.

WIDMER BROTHERS BREWING COMPANY - OKTO  FESTIVAL ALE Great smell; caramel malts and some light spicey and floral hops. Taste didnt quite live up to the aroma for me though. It followed the nose, but just seemed on the weak side. Would have liked more of a malt backbone too. Doesnt quite meet octoberest standards for me.

CALIFORNIA CIDER COMPANY - ACE HARD PUMKIN CIDER  Didnt realize this was a cider when i bought it and not usually a big fan of ciders.  Smells of apple, spices and a little pumpkin. Tastes just like the nose, the pumpkin is barely noticeable though. Too sweet for my taste, would not give it another chance.

BILLY SQUIER - 16 STROKES: THE BEST OF BILLY SQUIER  Nice collection from a very underrated artist.  Maybe a bit too long, a few of these probably dont need to be on here. Most of his best songs are from the first two albums and not much after that. Still an enjoyable listen, but missing Lonely Is The Night though. Favorites: The Stroke, In The Dark, My Kinda Lover, Emotions In Motion, Everybody Wants You, Rock Me Tonight, and Dont Say You Love Me.

4 miles on treadmill

Octobet 20, 2013

BROOKLYN BREWERY - OKTOBERFEST  Smell is all sweet roasted malt, kind of subdued. Taste has some caramel up front, followed by the bready malts. Little to no hop prescence. Decent Oktoberfest beer, represents the style well, just a little on the thin side, but very drinkable. Another good offering from Brooklyn.

PAULANER BRAUEREI - OKTOBERFEST MARZEN  This used to be a seasonal beer, but now is brewed year round. Very pleasant smell of caramel and malts. Taste is bready and the caramel is not as noticeable as it was in the smell. Also has a slight bitterness that balances it out nicely. Great representation of the style, well there is nothing really outstanding, it is exactly what it should be. Nice to know its now available year round as i really enjoyed this one.

RED HOOK ALE BREWERY - OUT OF YOUR GOURD PUMPKIN PORTER  Smell has some malts up front, followed by some spices, cinnamon, maple and a little pumpkin. Taste seems a little thin for a porter. Alot of spices up front and can notice the maple too. Its kind of weird in that the pumpkin is barely noticeable to me and based on the name i expected a little more of it in the flavor. Its easy to drink, but just seems a little off to me.

On a side note, i love the Oktoberfest style beers, and it is the season for them, so i will be trying a lot of them in the next few weeks, also a good handful of pumpkin beers too.

VAN HALEN - 5150  First VH album with new vocalist Sammy Hagar. I loved VH and i loved Sammy solo and i really enjoyed this album but i think they gradually got worse after this one. At least they gave us this one. Favorites: Good Enough, Why Cant This Be Love, Dreams, Summer Nights, Best Of Both Worlds, Love Walks In, and Inside.

3.5 miles on treadmill

October 19, 2013

STEEL TOE BREWING - RAINMAKER DOUBLE RED ALE  First beer i have tried from this St. Louis Park, Minnesota brewer. This has a nice hop aroma with a malt backing and some citrus. Taste had the hops up front followed by the citrus notes, seems a little out of balance. It just didnt do it for me, just a little too hoppy in my opinion.

RICHARD PRYOR - THE WARNERS BROS. ALBUMS (1974-1983) Listened to the second album in this box set, ...Is It Something I Said? Another Pryor classic. This one conatains the famous Mudbone skit. Love It.

3 miles on treadmill and 1 hour on bike

October 18, 2013

BRAU BROTHERS BREWING COMPANY - MOO JOOS  The aroma is just what you would expect from the style; roasted malts, chocolate and coffee. Decent flavor, malts and chocolate but the coffee is a little on the bitter side. Something just seemed a little off though, hard to place but just seemed a little unbalanced and is a little thin. I wanted to like it more since it is a Minnesota brewer, but it just didnt do it for me.

TALLGRASS BREWING COMPANY - HALCYON UNFILTERED WHEAT  Another Tallgrass beer, and another winner. This is the 3rd brew of theirs i have tried lately and all have been really good. Nice aroma, starts out a little floral followed by some faints malts, wheat, and lemon. Nice sweet citrusy taste with a little subtle spice. Nice balance, really enjoyed this one, even though its a year round beer, i think it would be an exceptional summer beer. Nothing major stands out, but just a great wheat beer.

BELLS BREWING INC - AMBER ALE  Another Bells beer. Smell has a strong malt prescence with hints of caramel, grass, and some fruit. Taste follows the nose, mostly caramel malts with some citrus flavors. As with most Bells beers (to me), nothing flashy or out of the ordinary, but just another solid offering. They really do a good job on everything i have tried that they produce.

DAVE MATTHEWS BAND - 09-15-10  This is a bootleg of their concert at the Excel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. Luckily, I was there and I remember thinking at the time that i had never seen the Excel as packed as it was that night. DMB always put on a great live show, and this was no exception. All the greatest hits and i really enjoyed when they brought out the horns section from the opener, Black Joe Lewis And The Honeybears for the last few songs. Never miss DMB when they are in the area. CD artwork created by myself from the show poster. Always nice to get a copy of a show i have been to.

2 miles on treadmill

October 17, 2013

BOSTON BEER CO. - SAMUEL ADAMS LONGSHOT BEER FLOWER WHEAT   The longshot series from Sam Adams is a series of 3 beers per year that they make only once and are chosen from a contest. They choose 2 homebrewer recipes and one from an employee. This is a 2012 homebrewer winner from James Schirmer. Has a nice smell, wheat with some floral notes. The taste is the same as the nose, but the floral is more pronounced. Nice beer that is easy to drink, but nothing real interesting to make it stand out. They have been doing these Longshot beers for awhile, but this is the first i have ever seen around here. I like the concept and wish i could find others.

LUCID BREWING - SURFSIDE 2013  This is a German style lager. Lucid made this as a one time only beer for the Spirit Of The Lakes Festival. Nice aroma and taste, malty with a hint of lemon and grass. Pretty typical of a German lager, nothing really stands out to set it aside from the rest in this style. OK beer from a Minnesota brewer, checked their website to see what they have going on right now and was surprised that this beer isnt even listed, all they show is the 2012 Surfside. If they want to play with the big boys it would be nice if their website was a little more accurate.

TALLGRASS BREWING CO. - ETHOS IPA  Pretty nice IPA. Has a pleasant aroma, heavy on the hops with a little citrus and some pine notes. Nice taste, lots of hops up front with a lot of grapefruit and some pine. Nice balance, great easy drinking IPA, another excellent beer from Tallgrass.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND - HOMETOWN BOYS This is a bootleg of their concert at Wrigley Field on September 7, 2012. I was there and this might be the best concert i have ever been to. I had a blast and Bruce put on an epic show. It featured special guests of Tom Morello and Eddie Vedder. Sound is pretty decent on this one, but it is a bootleg, and it does have its little quirks. No big deal to me though, i am just happy to be able to relive a great fun night.

2 miles on treadmill, 30 minutes on bike

October 16, 2013

BOULDER BEER COMPANY - HOOPLA PALE ALE  The can says this is a collaborative brew with Kyle Hollingsworth of the String Cheese Incident. While i have heard of the band, i am not too familier with their music. Can also has a QR code than unlocks free music, great idea! Smells of citrus and some floral hops. Taste is sweet with floral and fruity hops and a little pine. A nice easy drinking beer with an interesting flavor. Nice, and i love the music tie in.

BELLS BREWERY INC - PORTER  Smell consists of roasted malts with hints of coffee. Taste is roasted malts with chocolate and coffee. Nothing really stands out, but its a good standard porter and Bells seems to do a good job on most of their beers.

TALLGRASS BREWING CO. - BUFFALO SWEAT OATMEAL CREAM STOUT  Nice aroma, roasted malts, chocolate, coffee and a little vanilla. Lots of flavor, it follows the nose and is very nicely balanced. A little thin for a stout, but its full flavored and has a fairly low ABV of 5%.  Nice well crafted beer and i could put a few of these away pretty easy. First beer of theirs i have tried an looking forward to see what else they offer.

PEARL JAM - LIGHTNING BOLT  The newest PJ album, released yesterday and is their first new music in 4 years. I have been a fan of these guys from the beginning and was really looking forward to this, and it doesnt dissapoint. They continue to deliver. Lots of range on this one, maybe a little mellower than we are used to, but they continue to evolve and every song is solid. If you are a PJ fan, you will enjoy it. I just wish their current tour came somewhere near me, might have to organize a road trip.

3 miles on treadmill

October 15, 2013

LEFT HAND BREWING COMPANY- MILK STOUT  Aroma was roated malts and coffee. Taste is sweet, full of chocolate and coffee with a slight bitterness in the finish. Creamy and smooth, a really nice stout, my only complaint is it seems a little on the thin side, but that is a minor detail, excellent overall.

SOUTHERN TIER BREWING COMPANY - LIVE   From the label, "bottle conditioned pale ale, brewed with 4 varieties of hops and 4 types of malts."  The aroma is piney with a hint of citrus, pretty appealing. Crisp, light and refreshing, hops are not too forward and you definately can notice the citrus and pine in the flavor. Not bad, quite enjoyable and a good example of an American Pale Ale.

LEFT COAST BREWING CO. - VOODOO AMERICAN STOUT  Smells like a stout should, roasted malts, chocolate and some coffee. Taste follows the nose, lots of roasted malts and coffee. This is a well balanced stout, the alcohol was masked well considering it is 8.5% ABV. Great mouthfeel and easy to drink, one of the top stouts i have tried, well worth trying.

CREEDENCE CLEARWATER REVIVAL - CHRONICLE  All their best, classic.

3 miles on treadmill

October 14, 2013

PEACE TREE BREWING CO. - RED RAMBLER ALE  Not much to the aroma, hints of malt with a little caramel. Tastes real malty and sweet up front. A little spice at the end to balance it out. Nothing memorable, but overall was a decent example of a red ale.

SIERRA NEVADA BREWING CO. - STOUT  Great smell; caramel, roasted malts and a hint of chocolate. Taste has a bold roasted malt flavor, sweet chocolate and a hint of coffee.  This is a great stout, maybe one of the best i have tried. Rich flavor and nicely balanced. This will be  regular in the future, wish i had a few more tonight.

PEACE TREE BREWING CO. - HOP WRANGLER 3  Nice floral hop aroma. Taste is well balanced, leans to the hop side though and you can really notice them in the finish. Not as hoppy as most IPAs out there today though, but was a nice change of pace. Would be a nice starter beer for somone new to IPAs.

SPRUNG MONKEY - MR. FUNNY FACE  Love these guys. Kind of an eclectic sound. Mix between alternative, punk, ska and a little reggae. Just fun to listen to, great riffs, fun lyrics and not mainstream at all.  Very unique. Great upbeat sound. Favorites: Get 'Em Outta Here, Super Breakdown, Hard Times, and Going For Th Angry

3 miles on treadmill, 30 minutes on bike

October 13, 2013

BOSTON BEER CO. - SAMUEL ADAMS LIGHT  As far as a light beer goes,  this is one of the best. Great taste for a light beer, most seem to lose their flavor. Smells pretty much like the regular version, wheat, grain and some hops. I probably wouldnt pick it up again, but it is excellent for what it is.

BELLS BREWERY INC - LAGER OF THE LAKES  Malts with light wheat and grassy hops smell. Tastes the same as the nose, maybe some light citrus at the end. Okay, but unexceptional lager, not my favorite offering from Bells, nothing stands out to me.

GREAT LAKES BREWING COMPANY - ELIOT NESS  Aroma has strong maltiness with a bit of some fruity notes. Flavor is all malts, with some sweet caramel. Delicious, well balanced, refreshing and easy to drink, this is one of the best lagers i have tried. Well worth finding.

STONEY LARUE - VELVET  A little red dirt country. I really like Stoneys voice and this is fun record. Not my favorite of his, but still enjoyable, great stories.

3 miles on treadmill, 30 minutes on bike

October 12, 2013

MILLER BREWING CO. - REDDS APPLE ALE
MILLER BREWING CO. - REDDS STRAWBERRY ALE
I am going to rate these two together, they are essentially the same other than the apple or strawberry flavor. Both smell artificial, i cant really describe it, they just seem off. The nice thing is they both taste better than they smell, but both are a little too sweet for my liking. They seem to have too much carbnation too, more like a pop than a beer/ale. Perhaps should be more in the cider category. Probably not something i would seek out again.

BLUE DAWG BREWING - RASCALS WILD RED  Massive raspberry smell. Very sweet tasting beer, big on the raspberry of course. Just doesnt seem like you are drinking a beer though, even though it has a ABV of 8%. The alcohol is pretty well hidden when drinking. I actually kind of enjoyed this one, but i am a big raspberry fan. I remember trying their blueberry flavored beer earlier this summer and was not impressed with that one. This is an improvement to me.

GAELIC STORM - WHATS THE RUMPUS?  Love me a little Gaelic Storm. Great party/drinking band.  Great stories, great musicianship, these guys are just plain fun. If you ever have a chance to catch them live, i highly reccomend it. Its a great party, be sure to bring your drinking shoes and have a ride home!  Favorites on this one: Darcys Donkey, Whats The Rumpus, and The Night I Punched Russel Crowe.

3 miles on treadmil, 30 minutes on bike

October 11, 2013

BOULDER BEER - NEVER SUMMER ALE Interesting smell, some caramel, some spices, and a little citrus. Taste has some sweet malts, cinnamon and fruit notes with a hop finish. Nice complexity, goes down pretty smooth. I actually thought this was a summer beer until i opened it and read the label, and its actually a winter seasonal. I didnt see a best buy date, but pretty sure i bought it not too long ago, but not sure if it was old or not, if it was, it held up well.

TYRANENA BREWING COMPANY - THREE BEACHES HONEY BLONDE  Has a smell of wheat, grass and lemon, with a slight hint of honey. Taste has honey sweetness with some light fruit notes. Pretty flavorful. Highly drinkable, first beer from them i have tried and was fairly impressed.

SALZBURGER - STIEGL RADLER   Stong grapefruit smell (surprise!) and not much else. Basically a grapefruit flavored beer, although the beer taste is barely noticeable until the end. (not shocking since its only 3.2 ABV). Most shandy and radler beers are pretty hard to pull off in my opinion, but this one does a good job. Its probably not going to be on many beer drinkers lists of their top beers, but its actually very good for what its trying to be. Perfect summer beer while grilling or relaxing on the patio.I would drink it again any time.

CHRIS ROBINSON BROTHERHOOD - BIG MOON RITUAL For those that dont know, Chris is/was the lead singer of the Black Crowes. When they went on hiatus in 2011, he started this band. Definately in the vein of the Black Crowes sound, but more on the "jammy" side. Nice songs that have that loose, almost Grateful Dead feel. I think this is one of his best solo projects he has done. The whole album is solid, not really any stand outs though. I actually enjoyed them live more than the album.

2 miles on treadmill

October 10, 2013

GOOSE ISLAND BEER CO. - SUMMERTIME  Some grainy malts and light fruity hops with a hint of lemon. Nice taste, malts up front followed by some nice sweet citrus. Nice, crisp ans smooth. A very solid offering for a summer brew

BRECKENRIDGE BBQ & BREW PUB - SUMMERBRIGHT ALE  Light lemon citrus and light grass aroma, its pretty faint, and there is not much else. Taste is fairly weak, a little wheat up front and that gives way to lemon and pine. Overall, a nice refreshing wheat beer that is pretty light and easy to drink.

WIDMER BROTHERS BREWING - CITRA BLONDE SUMMER BREW  Aroma is grainy with hints of grassy hops and some light citrus notes. Taste is citrus with sime bitterness. A very nice summer beer, its citrusy and refreshing without being too sweet.

Three very interesting takes on a summer style beer: Kolsch, Pale Wheat Ale anf Blonde Ale. As "summer" beers you would think they would be pretty close in taste, but these three i thought were very different.

BUTTHOLE SURFERS - PSYCHIC...POWERLESS...ANOTHER MANS SAC As i have noted before, if you dont get these guys, too bad. They might be at their creative best on this one. Words do not describe, amazing.

1 mile on treadmill

October 9, 2013

GREAT DIVIDE BREWING COMPANY - WILD RASPBERRY ALE  Nice berry smell, but its pretty subtle, not overwelming at all. Flavor is pretty raspbwrry forward with some light malts.  Nicely balanced, a beer well worth trying is you like fruit beers. Nicely done.

ALASKAN BREWING CO. - ALASKAN FREERIDE APA  Typical apa aroma, citrusy, caramel and pine. Taste is a little bitter up front and that gives way to the caramel malt. Finishes off with some citrusy hops. Pretty nicely balanced. Nothing extraordinary, just a nice straight forward APA.

AUGUST SCHELL BREWING COMPANY - SHOCKED GRAPEFRUIT RADLER BEER  Smell is sweet grapefruit. Tastes like it smells, but is too sweet though for my taste. Also a little tart. Just doesnt feel like you are drinking a beer at all, more like a Ruby Red Squirt. First radler style i have tried, not sure what to think. Cool can though.

TOM KIEFER - THE WAY LIFE GOES  Tom is the lead singer of 80s rockers Cinderella and this is his first solo album. This is a great record, not a full out rocker, but mixes lots of styles. Love his voice and he is a great song writer.

1 mile on treadmill

October 8, 2013

NEW BELGIUM BREWING - DIG  A little past the best buy date, but still tasted and smelled fresh to me. Nice lemony citrus smell and taste. Great American pale ale that would be a great summer beer.

LEFT COAST BREWING COMPANY - UNA MAS AMBER LAGER  Very mild aroma, some dark roasted malts and some caramel. Seems a little thin, not much hop presence at all. Kind of reminds me of a Mexican beer, Dos Equis Amber? Overall, not bad.

BROOKLYN BREWERY - SUMMER ALE Nice malty smell with hints of citrus. Kind of a lemony taste with bready malts. As far as a summer beer, not bad, but it didnt intrigue me enough to try more.

METALLICA - ...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL  Arguably one of their best albums and the one that pushed them more into the mainstream conciousness. Great songs,and heavy. After this one they got a little more hard rock/mainstream and less metal/thrash. Great record!

1 mile on treadmill

October 7, 2013

DOGFISH HEAD BREWERY - FESTINA PECHE

SHERYL CROW - FEELS LIKE HOME

1 mile on treadmill

October 6, 2013

FOUR PEAKS BREWING COMPANY - PUMPKIN PORTER

WEIRD AL YANKOVIC - DARE TO BE STUPID

2 mile run on beach

October 5, 2013

CORONADO BREWING COMPANY - CALIFORNIA WIT, ORANGE AVENUE WIT

EDDIE MURPHY - COMEDIAN

2 mile run on beach

October 4, 2013

SAN TAN BREWING COMPANY - DEVILS ALE. Heavy not the hops, nice.

FASTER PUSSYCAT - FASTER PUSSYCAT   You can never go wrong with 80s rock.

40 minute jog on beach

October 3, 2013

FORT COLLINS BREWERY - 1900 AMBER LAGER  Eh, average.

SAMMY HAGAR - SAMMY HAGAR & FRIENDS  This is Sammys newest, just came out a couple of weeks ago and is basically a solo album with a bunch of guests/friends. Sammy sounds as good a ever and this contains something for everyone. I enjoyed most of it, a few songs could have better, but overall, a great fun record.

1 mile on treadmill

October 2, 2013

BROOKLYN BREWERY - BROOKLYN LOCAL 1  This one came in a 750ml bottle and has a 9% ABV. This one is really good! Great malty aroma with some tropical fruits, its just begging to be drank. Lots of malts in the initial taste, semi sweet with a nicely balanced flavor of fruits and spices. The hops are very faint. Great balance and the alcohol is hidden nicely. This is probably one of those beers that is too complex for my limited skills, all i know is it is really good and will be looking for a few more bottles to stock the fridge.  One of my favorites so far, try it if you see it!

GEORGE CARLIN - PARENTAL ADVISORY EXPLICIT LYRICS  George Carlin, enough said. I'm still laughing.

1 mile on treadmill

September success

Month seven is in the books. This months charity was The Walk To End Alzheimers. I donated $100 to my friend Jill Pearson,  who did the walk in Minnesota on September 21. Visit www.alz.org to donate if you can. If you would like to donate to Jill, search MN, and then her name and you can still donate, tell her i sent you over!

Well, off to October. I need to clean the fridge out a little, so i might well eclipse the 31 beers i need for success in October!

October 1, 2013

SIERRA NEVADA BREWING CO. - OVILA ABBEY SAISON  Kind of a grassy and spicy aroma with some citrus hints. Taste is pretty complex; malty, grassy, orange, with a nice sweetness. I really enjoyed this one, glad i got the 750ml bottle so i could really enjoy it.

PRINCE - 1999  Back to back Prince? Why not? This might be my favorite album of his from top to bottom.

1 mile on treadmill and 75 minutes of tennis