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Every month I like to point other beer bloggers out that people should check out to get a different perspective on beer than mine or your own.
This month we get Lost in the Beer Aisle.
JD has loads of reviews on his site but he also hosts events, does creative beer Facebook posts and has guest reviewers contribute to his site. (Like me) He also does group beer reviews. Lots of good stuff to scroll through here.
I have been slack in recommending other beer blogs lately. But Draft Magazine was running a vote on best beer blogs so it rekindled the fire to let you all know about other cool beer blogs out there.
First up is The Drunken Polack. I go to his site just to check his updated chart of the beer that he has stored. Blows me away everytime.
This April, the Beer Search Party has the privilege of hosting Session # 38.
With Kate the Great Day a recent memory and the day of the Dark Lord fast approaching, I started thinking about what beer or beers that I would get up at 4:00 in the morning, drive across state lines, stand in a long unmoving line in the cold and rain for the chance to taste with a crowd the size of Woodstock.
So here is my question to you (with a couple addendums).
What beer have you tasted recently (say, the last six months or so) that is worthy of their own day in the media sun?
And to add a little extra to it, how does “great” expectations affect your beer drinking enjoyment?
AND If you have attended one of these release parties, stories and anecdotes of your experience will be welcomed too.
To join in:
1) Publish your blog post by Friday, April 2, 2010.
2) Leave a link to your blog in the comment section of this post or put your response in the comment section or email me your link to beersearchparty@gmail.com.
3)On Monday, I will post a round-up with comments and links to all entries.
Thanks to Stan and Jay for giving me the opportunity to host.
First, a little backstory. The last apartment that my wife and I shared was on the 2nd floor. Since Los Angeles is the home of bright lights and nearly year long heat, it was not conducive to creating an “awesome stash” from jaunts to San Francisco, Portland or San Diego.
Now, in a larger and more temperate apartment. The cellaring can begin. Unfortunately, this session has caught me too early in the process. So I will have to tell you what I will be opening in 2015.
Anchor Steam: I will start with the 2009 Our Special Ale and end with the 2015 version. I will convene a tasting panel to decide which year has aged well and whether or not the latest will be good in 2020.
IPA’s: For my 45th birthday, I will open up a selection of aged IPA’s to see if this style can withstand the aging process.
Local: I will re-gather my tasting crew to sample a variety of beers from the then (fingers crossed) thriving LA brewing scene. Cellared Eagle Rock, Gentlemen Scholar, The Strand and others.
Collaborations: Of one thing, I am sure. There will be some great collaborative beers out and I plan on grabbing what I can while the grabbing is good.
Here is the question for Session # 35 hosted by the beer savvy Naked Pint authors, Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune, New Beer’s Resolutions.
“So we want to know what was your best and worst of beer for 2009? What beer mistakes did you make? What beer resolutions do you have for 2010? What are your beer regrets and embarrassing moments? What are you hoping to change about your beer experience in 2010?”
Here is my addition….
Best Beer of 2009 – Mikkeller Nelson Sauvin. It had a wonderful grape flavor that matched beautifully with the slight bitterness. Great cereal taste and all well balanced.
Worst Beer of 2009 – Budweiser American Ale. This was an amber that had been severely watered down. Almost as if they tasted it and thought it was too strong and just started dumping buckets of water into it.
2009 Beer Mistake – Tasting Utopias from Sam Adams at the Denver Rare Beer Event halfway through. Everything else that day tasted of bourbon and alcohol.
2010 Beer Resolution – To taste a beer from each and every state in the United States. I certainly hope there are beers from each 50 then I have to somehow get my hands on them.
2009 Beer Regrets – I regret each time someone offers me a taste of their beer and I said no, just because I either had a beer from that brewery that I didn’t enjoy or because it was an imperial aged monster. I need to continue to be more receptive to all kinds of beer.
2010 will be the year that I stop and enjoy each beer and give it it’s time in the sun.