The World Tour Team

Indigo Imp

2009-07-22T05:58:00.000-07:00

It has been a very long time since I have posted something on this blog. There have been a lot of Miller Lite and Guinness jammed in that period, but last night I had a new beer from a new brewing company in Cleveland - Indigo Imp.

I had a nice beer called the Jester. It is a pale ale fermented with a special blend of Belgian style yeast, has a pleasant clove and a banana flavor with a slight hop bitterness. It was great to try this new beer, and even better that such good stuff was coming out of a new brewery in Cleveland.

Ever since Crooked River folded, Great Lakes Brewing has dominated the Cleveland Craft brewing scene. It is true that Buckeye Beer puts out some decent beers, but nothing as complex and lovely like the Indigo Imp selections.

They have a small selection right now, but it will be nice to watch this brewery and see if they can grow their selection and locations.

Great Christmas Ale

2008-11-30T14:39:00.000-08:00

It has been a long time since I have posted. I haven't been very adventurous on the beer front. However, Christmas Ale from Great Lakes has arrived. It is some super yummy stuff.

This year, it seems like they have minimized the fruit and rounded out the flavors of the beer. It is some wickely good stuff. This year's batch is going to sell out super fast. I need to get a couple of six packs to tide me over!

Great Lakes Celebrates 20 Years!

2008-08-18T19:02:00.000-07:00

Just a few miles away, The Great Lakes Brewing Company has been serving lovely beers to Cleveland for 20 years.

Rumor has it they are going to have an all day happy hour this Thursday - Yipee!

Coast Brewing IPA

2008-07-14T18:02:00.000-07:00

While I was sampling the culinary scene in Charleston, I managed to have a few of the local brews. One of the best ones was the Coast IPA.

It has a nice hoppy finish. What made it even better is that I enjoyed it with my friends at a great beach bar called Poe's Tavern on Sullivan's Island - a short hop from Charleston and very close to the ocean.

The burgers were amazing - making the beer that much enjoyable.

Palmetto Amber

2008-07-14T17:58:00.001-07:00

While I was in Charleston, I decided to sample the local ales. I think it is one of my favorite parts of going to a new town.

There is a local brewing company named Palmetto. They have several types of beers. While I was there I tried the Palmetto Amber. It was a good beer. However, I noticed a few places had stopped serving it on draft.

I really liked it, but I wonder if the surge of Magic Hat is driving the local brew off the tap.

Updates to WLWTOB

2008-06-17T07:51:00.001-07:00

My old co-workers have been giving me crap because I have not been very good on the world tour this year. Now that it is summer time, I am setting a vow to devote more time to drinking my world tour beers.

Just wanted to have a post to let everyone know I am serious. The Winking Lizard is going to see business picking up. I will also be making more of an effort to have regular blog posts as I go along.

West Side Market

2008-04-28T19:07:00.001-07:00

One of the best features of the area where I live is the West Side Market. It is an old market building that houses Cleveland's oldest public market. In 1902 the city purchased a site for a new market that stands today.

The market house cost $680,000 to build. It was designed by the firm of HUBBELL & BENES was dedicated in 1912--a massive yellow-brick building with an interior concourse providing room for 100 stalls, an outdoor arcade with 85 stands, and a large clock tower.

The photography was taken on Saturday during the busiest time of the week for the market.

Betraying the Team

2008-04-28T09:18:00.001-07:00

I have been unmotivated to finish the tour this year. I have been going to the Lincoln Park Pub and the Tremont Tap House. I think it is because I don't see the other members of the team on a regular basis. I also think the completely ridiculous winter has stopped me from driving any distance over 3 miles.

I think it is time to step up the effort sand start going to the Winking Lizard downtown and ticking off a few beers from my list.

Visiting the Guinness Factory

2008-02-21T13:23:00.000-08:00

Did I mention that I was recently in Ireland. Dublin to be specific. I had a great time and drank as much Guinness as I could. Even better, I made a trip to the Guinness factory for the sixth time. I took a couple of photos from my trip that are posted on my photo blog.

Here are a few of my favorites:

Vat House sign at Guinness factory
Reading with a Guinness
Watching the musicians at the Cobblestone - who are drinking Guinness as well

Jealous. Well, you should be because the Guinness isn't quite as good in the United States. However, St. Patrick's Day is approaching the Guinness gets better and better as March 17th approaches. Go on - go out and have pint, you'll feel better. Remember, Guinness for Strength!

WLWTOB Finishers Party

2008-02-03T11:20:00.000-08:00

So it all drew to a close. It finished much the same way that it started, Anelyn and I doing the world tour of beer. We both finished the tour and made it to the finishers party. Anelyn was deathly ill, but she managed to make it to the party.

Hollow leg and the Cruise Director were not able to make it . . . I guess they just couldn't tough it out in the long run.

So is it coming to an end . . no, it is just beginning. We have re-enlisted for another round. However, this year, the sophmore tour participants are allowed to have teammates. I am teaming up with Hollow Leg. Anelyn is pairing up with her boyfriend. The good news, there are going to be three more team members including Loose Lips and a new comer - St. Louis.

The kickoff beer was Smithwicks, but I have a suspicion that hollow leg is going to put down most of the tally.

I am not a blithering idiot

2008-01-16T18:22:00.000-08:00

Most of these posts are about the beers I have had to drink. Tonight, this blog is about the beer I did not drink. I was at a new local establishment call the Tremont Tap House. They have great beer and a good beer selection. I decided to have a Brooklyn Brown Ale with my dinner.

Although I was being encouraged to have another beer after dinner, I decided to pass. There was a lot of pressure applied upon me. (Actually, I deserved it because I was trying to encourage my friend to come to my apartment to drink IC Lights). At any rate, I managed to weave my way around the Weyerback Blithering Idiot.

I think that might be a first or last beer of the night kind of drink.

Bells Two Hearted

2008-01-05T19:03:00.000-08:00

On Friday night, I checked out a new restaurant/pub in the the neighborhood. Not only did they have great food, they had great beer selection. There were some beers that I had never heard. It was pretty exciting and I will definitely return to explore.

Last night I had the Bell's Two Hearted Ale. Maybe it is was the name of the beer. It was quite yummy, by the way. However, it game me the courage to send out a message to my friends from the world tour. (see photo)

Yes, the bar had a section that was covered with chalkboard paint, and the proprietors leave chalk out for the patrons (another reason to return). I got some immediate responses from my WLWTOB friends. Can't wait for the next tourney. The local bar has mini kegs of Bell's Two Hearted. Definitely think it will help my game - at least the trash talking part.

Ringing in the New Year

2008-01-03T16:24:00.001-08:00

Well, 2008 is upon us. It seem like 2007 has gone by so quickly. I just wanted to take a few minutes to recap some great beer events from the past year.

March 13th - The day I started the blog. When we actually started to grow the World Tour Team.

March 22nd - Hitting the midway point in the tour.

May 13th - Finishing the Century of beers at Winking Lizard.

July 2nd - The First Annual Corn Hole Extravaganza

August 15th - Discovering Shipyard and Smutty Nose brewing on my trip to Down East

September 11th - Having my first try of Magic Hat #9 - which has become one of my favorite beers

November 11th - Learning how to pour a half and half from the Guinness experts

December 31st - Pouring my last half and half of the year before drinking a bottle of champagne with my sister-in-law at midnight.

A Light Beer from Iron City

2007-12-28T14:22:00.000-08:00

Yes, my blog has been a bit quiet lately. As I have mentioned before, it is the holiday drinking season. Only a few days until it is completed. It feels like it was more of an endurance challenge than the Winking Lizard World Tour of Beer.

As I am rounding the bend to the finish line, I am taking time to go back and appreciate the beers I have enjoyed over the years. Last time, I reminisced about the Sierra Nevada Christmas Ale. Today, I am thinking about an old stand by IC Light from the good folks at Pittsburgh Brewing Company (also known as Iron City Brewing).

They do have a few other good selections such as Augustiner - it reminds me of Yuengling Lager.

Not only is IC Light one of my favorite light beers, it is amazing how innovative a company they are. Here is a list of a few I really like:

inventors of aluminum beer bottles
First Snap Top can, produced in conjunction with Alcoa, revolutionized the beer and soft drink industries 1962.
First Twist Off Resealable cap, 1963.
First brewery to print scenes honoring local sports teams and individuals.
First draught beer available in a can, Iron City.
First light beer, Mark V, made in 1976

Of course, I am from Pittsburgh, so there is a lot of hometown pride in there for me as well. That is amplified because I know the stories of close calls when the brewery almost shut down. If they need to sell more beer to keep brewing after 142 years, I think I can have a couple bottles to keep the production going.

Cheers!

The Long Forgotten Christmas Ale

2007-12-10T07:09:00.000-08:00

Daily life seems to go by at a break neck pace, especially at the holidays. In the midst of this crazy pace, I have forgotten many things. Life is quite lovely in the way it reminds us of the things we have tucked away in our memories.

I attended my company holiday party on Friday. At the holiday party, there was Rouge Ale - Santa's Private Reserve and Anchor Steam Christmas Ale. Both were really good brews, maybe not as good as Great Lakes version. However, they stood up on their own.

With all of these Christmas ales hitting the market, I seem to have forgotten the first seasonal ale that started the tradition for me. As I was getting beer for my own holiday party, a lovely 12 pack of Celebration Ale was staring me down in the beer aisle. It has been a long time since I had the good stuff from the people at Sierra Nevada. How could I be so forgetful. I enjoy their Pale Ale all year long.

I even have a special connection from the days when I first graduated from college and was extremely poor. A good friend of my sisters introduced me to Sierra Nevada. She also had the good grace to bring along some Celebration Ale to a party my parents were hosting one year. (nothing better than the girls kicking the boys butts at Taboo and making them sing Christmas carols in front of the tree).

I fell in love with the Celebration ale. It was really expensive; and I didn't really have the resources to buy a case of it. I was more of a Rolling Rock for $10 a case type of girl back then. I guess people and their tastes grow up.

At any rate, I was doing some Christmas shopping at a local mall. As I walked in, I spotted a wad of cash on the floor. I picked it up and looked around. There wasn't anyone near me. I was tempted to take it to the mall concierge desk, but I was enough of a veteran of the mall to know it would never make it to its rightful owner.

I stopped for a minute. Maybe this was a small miracle - a gift. There was about $30 in the stack of cash. That was just about enough money to buy a case of Celebration Ale. In general, I didn't have this kind of money and it did happen to fall into my path.

Maybe I won't go to heaven for taking found money and buying a case of beer with it. I know I definitely enjoyed having those beer with my friends. Maybe I am OK with that when I think of these famous lines.

"In heaven, there is no beer. That is why we are drinking here."

The Holiday Drinking Season

2007-11-26T09:18:00.000-08:00

It is true that I did not write a post to ring in the official holiday drinking season. Yes, it starts on Halloween. Think about it. When Halloween hits, all bets are off.

It quickly wanders into Thanksgiving, the mac daddy of all drinking holidays. It is a holiday that is engineered for you get together with friends, have dinner, drink wine and beer, the eats lots of left overs. I think the idea of black Friday isn't just about retailers making boat loads of dough from holiday shoppers, it might be that people are a little hung over or drink so much on Thursday night they black out by Friday.

Here is the thing that is important about the drinking season. First, it provides so many opportunities from Halloween until the New Year to go out and be social. Second, it also provides a chance to try lots of different types of beer, wine or other assorted drinks.

Over the Thanksgiving weekend, I was in Atlanta. While I was there, I was introduced to Sweetwater Brewing Company. I had the Sweetwater 420 at a local pub when I was in town. This Extra Pale Ale was a great little brew. It is Georgia's equivalent to Great Lakes in Cleveland. Although I do have to say, any beer company would not have a tough time in comparison to the local favorite, Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR).

I have never really enjoyed drinking PBR. People are super loyal to this brand. My brother indicated it was a Southern thing. I guess my neck wasn't red enough to really enjoy it. He said if it is really cold, it tastes better. I commented that it needed to be so could you couldn't taste it.

I will say this for Atlanta, the Guinness was great. Everywhere we went, they managed to pour a good glass of the black stuff. Apparently, the bartenders in the Peach Tree State are well versed in the pouring technique necessary for a good pint.

Well, the holidays are underway (as you can tell by the Christmas decorations that have popped up everywhere). The holiday ales have made their appearance . . . and I love it.

Now, the only thing to really worry about it the amount of time I need to exercise to stave off the inevitable holiday sludge that manages to attach itself to my body during the days of eating, drinking and being merry.

Does the walking during a bar tour constitute as exercise?

Guinness Believer Event in Chicago

2007-11-11T09:57:00.000-08:00

As I was cruising through all of the random emails I get every week, one caught my eye . . Guinness True Believer. I thought it was probably spam, but when it comes to Guinness, I am willing to take that risk.

I opened the email and it was an invitation to a Guinness event being held in several locations, none of which was my current hometown. As you know with the Irish, luck happens upon us from time to time. One of the events was in Chicago the weekend I was going to be there for business.

My co-worker and I made our way to the West Loop of Chicago. We started standing in line a couple of minutes early . . thank heavens because it was first come, first entry. I had no idea what to expect, the sign outside of the event didn't give any indication either.

We get into the venue after a few minutes in the windy Chicago evening (our event was at 9pm). When you get into the room, you take a token to the bar and great a freshly poured pint of Guinness. I was liking this event already. They told us we had until 9:40 when we would be asked to go to another room.

My co-worker and I moseyed up to the bar, waited in line for a bit and waited for the nice bar keeper to pour our pints. I was fevered with anticipation. Could there be a band inside? We had all kinds of theories.

Of course the reality was not as good as us imaging U2 was playing a super secret gig in Chicago and we were there to see it.

It was pretty cool. There was a Guinness pouring competition. Everyone learned how to pour a half and half. We got mini pint glasses and a half and half spoon. There were a few other things going on. Overall, it was definitely worth the trip and the experience.

It made me really long for Ireland. How much I miss the relaxing experience of sitting in a pub, reading a good book and having a few pints. Slainte!

Something I always knew . . beer can be good for you

2007-11-05T06:50:00.000-08:00

So I am always excited to hear some good news about beer. I am not quite sure what I think about anyone who isn't. Before I go on a tangent, I want to share some great news that I read this morning.

According to a story in the British Telegraph, people can benefit from drinking a beer after strenuous physical activity. Now, it does indicate you need to limit the consumption to one or two (that is where the goodness of the theory falls apart).

The study talks about how Spanish researchers have determined that beer can help someone who is dehydrated retain liquid better than water. I knew those Hash House Harriers had something going there.

Personally, I had a couple of pints after I ran the Army 10 miler and I felt ducky the next day. I have to say, one of my favorite races is the Arlington September 11th Memorial Run. Not only do you get to run around the Pentagon at sundown, the sponsors serve beer and pizza at the finish line.

So there you have it folks. Motivation to run a couple of laps around the neighborhood!

World Tour . . Japanese Style

2007-11-02T06:36:00.000-07:00

On the World Tour of Beer, participants drink beverages from all over the globe. I have talked about some of the fine brews we have had from the Czech Republic, from Trappist Monks in Belgium and from spots as exotic as Sri Lanka.

One of the countries that was not represented in this year's tour was Japan. When I was working at the Swage, we often hosted associates from Japan. Although there was a language barrier, we often found common ground in the fact that they love beer and we love beer.

I have to admit, the Japanese are not the only people in Asia who like to drink. Our friends in China and South Korea like to participate in their fair share of a good time. If you ever want to inquire, Hollow Leg and the Cruise Director have very incriminating photographs to back up my claims.

Partaking of some great Japanese beers like Ashi, Sapporo or Kirin can get you into a party mood and a little hung over. It made me wonder about the cultural experience of the Japanese. As we know, Americans like to drink. When we drink too much, most of us get hungover . . . with the exception of Hollow Leg.

I went exploring this topic on the Internet. I found a great blog entry about How the Japanese cure a hangover. Even better was the detailed explanation about the Japanese culture of the two-day and three-day drinking session.

I think they have the Americans beat here. There are actual words for two-day drunk and three-day drunk in their language. We just call it a lost weekend.

With a series of hangover remedies listed in the posting, the author rightly poses the question - what do YOU do to prevent a hangover?

My answer - have a Bailey's and coffee or just start praying for lunch hour to go sleep it off. Not that I EVER had to do that.

Buckeye Beer Extravaganza

2007-10-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

So time is a bit tight these days, but I didn't want it to slip away without writing about Hollow Leg's Beer extravaganza. OK, so it was Beer, Corn hole, Fire Pit, OSU v. PSU and Gorgeous George's Gyros as well, but I think you get the idea.

One of the big things is that I took the Rapid to Hollow Leg's house. Yes, it is true. I am notorious for pulling the fade and heading home after a few beers. Everyone worries about me doing that (although I am generally more tired than anything else). I figured, if I didn't drive there. I couldn't drive home. It was a good plan . . . until I realized there were tons of kids staying in the house and sleeping in wasn't an option.

Mick to the rescue. A previous work mate who recently relocated here was at the party. Luckily, I swindled him into giving me a place to stay and a lift home the next morning. We had an interesting conversation about Cleveland, and his duty to participate in the WLWTOB 2008.

Yes, Mick is a gentle man and I was a lady, so don't worry you pretty little head about it. Even better, he is now a Magic Hat fan.

Good Times! Also, my corn hole playing has greatly improved and I wasn't as pathetic as I usually am.

Five Great Beer Sites

2007-10-18T13:12:00.000-07:00

So I am taking a page from other bloggers and my cohort, Hollow Leg. Hollow Leg regularly sends his numbered list of reasons to do something.

Here is an example of his list

Hey, all you ____s! I have some questions for y'all!

1. What are we doing this week??? I'll tell you what we're doing, we're finding a day to go to WL. Tomorrow?
2. What do you think would have the faster terminal velocity if dropped from an airplane, a pumpkin or a box turtle?
3. Did Anelyn get a haircut?
4. Would you rather have a wedgie for a full year or jam a toothpick under your entire thumbnail?
5. Who's taller - Entertainment Director or an average male ostrich?

In his honor, I decided to track down some of my favorite beer websites.

1. www.mickeys.com

Not only does this website harken back to my college days, but it has some amazing content on it. Besides, you got to love the stinger and the big mouth bottles

2. www.beerhunter.com

Michael Jackson became a beer expert before anyone else I know. He has elevated the idea of drinking beer and understanding it to an art form.

3. www.ratebeer.com

If you need to find some information on a beer, this is the spot. I often refer to their compendium of beer information to get ABVs and brewery information. Careful, it can be an addictive site.

4. www.thirstytraveler.tv

Ok. He doesn't just talk about beer, but it is a often the subject. You have to love a guy who travels around the world to drink beer, taste the local cuisine and experience the culture. Can you say Dream Job?

5. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beer

I reference this website a lot. There is a ton of information about beer styles and beer. Even better, the wikipedia exists in several languages.

Cheers

New Winking Lizard . . Same Good Beer

2007-10-16T06:07:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in a previous post, original Winking Lizard closed its doors. Fortunately, it opened a new place literally next door. I have to admit, before I went there, I was hesitant. there were so many good times at the old place. I didn't know if it would be the same.

Low and behold, the new place is great. The layout is much better. The patio looks fabulous. Even more importantly, the good times were still there. I met up with Hollow Leg and friends for a few beers.

We fell immediately back into our usual habits with all of the same great beers on tap. It made me realize something: it is not about the place, it is about the people. It is about the beer.

Speaking of being about the beer, Great Lakes unveiled it Christmas Ale last Friday. I have to say, buyer beware. This ale is a potent one. At 7.5% abv, one pint is enough. If you are feeling crazy, maybe two for the entire evening.

On this particular night, I went with one and a quarter, then downshifted to Shiner Bock from our good friends in Shiner, TX. Anything that 7-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong will drink is good enough for me!

Cheers until next time.

The Last Cornhole of Summer

2007-09-28T12:25:00.001-07:00

Admittedly, I have been busy. Too busy to write up a corn hole day blog? Well, yes - that busy!!

How does it all happen? One day you are drinking beast, ironically made by Miller Brewing. from a keg in some dinky apartment, struggling to get your BA/BS. The next thing you know, you are worrying that you do not have enough money in your 401(k) to live in Ireland when you retire.

With so many things changing, I have to ask myself, "What hasn't changed in my life?"

My ridiculous sense of competition. Yes, I love being outside and playing corn hole. No, I do not like losing or being terrible at a child's game. The fact that Hollow Leg and AneLyn are great at it - only more frustrating. I think they have experience on their side. Let's come back to this one after a couple years of practice.
I love to drink beer in the middle of the day. I know this sounds incredibly irresponsible of me. However, there is something about a sunny day that makes me want to grab a bag of Lay's Potato Chips and six pack of Miller Lite and head outside. Of course, you have to eat half of the bag (a common lays chip issue) and drink every single bottle. Good times!
I have a magic ability to organize an impromptu tournament. Yes, other people have this power, but I exercise it on a regular basis. Others might try, but I am so pushy, it works for me.
Work hard, play hard.
I realize that having good friends is the secret to staying sane in life. Everyone has crap they need to deal with, but it is better to realize that you are not the only one with a bad boss, a weird co-worker, a pain-in-the-backside parent. Misery loves company. That said, who is really that miserable when they are playing corn hole?

OK, so this has been a post more about life than about beer. Sometimes, Life is like corn hole. You throw four bags. No matter how much you play, sometimes you miss altogether, sometimes you overshoot, sometimes you land short, sometimes you land on the board and sometimes you drain it in the hole!

The Last Swigs of Summer

2007-09-20T11:04:00.001-07:00

It is that time of year. The football teams are in action, the baseball teams are fighting their way into post season and Fall is at our doorstep.

What does that mean? Well, we are going to sneak in a game of corn hole at Anelyn's place. Of course, Hollow Leg has already started the trash talking. It is very exciting that some new members will be joining.

I am sure the standard Miller Lite will be the staple at the event. I am hoping to do a quick run to the Chop House to get some Irish Red. As I was looking for the address on the Internet, I noticed that the Oktoberfest beer is going to be unveiled.

Oktoberfest in September. Oh yes. I was once fooled by the term as well. It is a celebration that originates in Germany. They start in mid-September and have a 16-day celebration going until October 1. There are several festivals throughout Germany, but the most famous Oktoberfest is in Munich.

As fortune would have it, I was in Munich as this time last year and didn't have any business meetings. Lady luck is a friend some times. I got to go the Theresienwise - the fairgrounds where the festival is held. I had no idea what to expect. It was unbelievable.

There were over a dozen beer tents and each one was bigger and more grand than the last. I walked around a bit stunned. I was seeing names like Paulaner, Augustiner, Lowenbrau and Schottenhamel. There were rides, like at American Carnivals, and teams of draught horses.

The tradition of good German beer has its place in America. Most microbreweries, and some of the major ones, offer an Oktoberfest. The local Great Lakes Brewing Company has a very nice Oktoberfest.

I think I know what I am going to be doing after our Corn Hole Tournament this weekend!

Magic Hat and a Black T-Shirt

2007-09-11T16:37:00.000-07:00

One of the great benefits of my new job is the very close proximity to a wide variety of drinking establishments. For instance, I went to a gallery opening on Friday across the bridge from where I work. Afterward, we went to McCarthy's Ale House for a few cheap beers.

As the group gathered we decided to play bar bowling at the Harbor Inn. We bowled a couple of rounds and I purchased everyone their own individual styled ale. I had the Celebrator Doppelbock (mostly because someone else wanted my beer).

So as the night rolled on, we ended back at the bar in the building where I work . . . the Nauti Mermaid. I had a lovely Magic Hat 9 draft. It is a lovely brew. I had a few drafts when it was on special at the Winking Lizard. I even got a pint glass with it.

I was even more encourage to drink it because I happened to meet the East Coast Representative earlier in the week when I went for a happy hour drink with a co-worker. It was pretty cool. He told me he bought me the drink. I told him I really liked the beer. After that, he offered me a t-shirt.

It is a cool Magic Hat Brewing Company t-shirt. Even better, it is an American Apparel t-shirt. Given the recent situation with Chinese imports, I was glad to be drinking an American beer, wearing an American t-shirt.