Tag: Bells

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A Book & A Beer – This Searing Light, the Sun and Everything Else

It is strange to go back in time and behind the scenes of the musicians that created part of the soundtrack of your teenage years. You sometimes lose the luster of the music to details of private lives. I was a big New Order fan, still am of a range of their music but I did not know how they came to be, their origin story as it were. I got into a slice of Joy Division music and now after the movie Control and the book above, I know more about the people who created the music.

This is not a regular historical account of the Ian Curtis years. It is an oral history arranged in chronological order. All the people involved in the story have their say and you bounce from Bernard (Barney), Peter (Hooky) and Stephen (just Stephen) as the main protagonists as well as the roadies, the manager, the wives and girlfriends and music reviews.

This oral history style is popular on websites talking about films and TV and works to an extent here but I do wish there was more historical data in-between to add some context to the matter. But as a piece of the record (pun intended), it does add to the knowledge base of the band.

I have three ideas as to what to drink with this book. First, find some British cask ale and immerse yourself in Manchester of the late 1970’s. Yorkshire Square and MacLeod’s would be the L.A. options.

Second there is an anecdote in the book about drinking Duvel so that would work and probably get you in the mindset of the devil. And lastly, the new Leaves of Grass series from Bell’s would provide the needed poetry that great music has when it is really working.

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…and I didn’t even know it

I am not a big poetry fan and I assume that poetry slams are not going down in hazy can lines across the country so the above 1st beer of a Walt Whitman line of beers is pretty bold.

Per the Bell’s website, “The series will kick-off in late May 2019 with a German-inspired American IPA and conclude in May 2020. Each specialty beer will be limited and available on draft and in 12 oz. bottles, packaged in 6-packs.

Bell’s Leaves of Grass series is a celebration of Walt Whitman’s literary classic and one of Larry Bell’s favorites, “Leaves of Grass.” First published in 1855, Whitman’s book of poetry is a hallmark of American literature.”

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Sean Suggests for July 2016

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Running the gamut of styles this month as we head into the back half of 2016. Going from cherries to Wussies and then Imperialists for those with a political bent.

~LIGHT
Bell’s/ Poolside 5.0% ABV
“A refreshing Belgian-inspired Wheat Ale, Poolside is fermented with Montmorency cherry juice made from cherries grown near Traverse City in northern Michigan. It adds a subtle tartness and bright counterpoint to clove and other fruit aromas that result from the Belgian specialty yeast strain used to ferment this beer”

~MEDIUM
Stone/ Who You Callin’ Wussie Pilsner 5.8% ABV
“For far too long the tyrannical industrialized beer overlords have disgraced and cheapened the noble heritage of the pilsner with their relentless multi-generational downward drive to commercialized homogenization. Over decades, this once vaulted style has been slowly and methodically gutted, bringing forth a soulless and anemic result, all the while spending billions in advertising to convince the unwitting public that their fizzy yellow end result was beer. Well, I will not have it. We are striking back for true craft by stealing the pilsner back from their evil clutches, and restoring it to its almighty glory. They do it cheaply. We do it right. Choose vapidity, or choose righteousness…but whatever you do, choose wisely.”

~DARK
Eagle Rock/ Imperialist 10.0% ABV
“For many years American Light Lager dominated the global beer market, and the industrial brewers who made it worked hard to ensure a long reign of their beer king. Well, times have changed and the old king is dead. No more imperious agendas limiting your choices. You, my friend are the absolute ruler of this new, diverse landscape. Long live the new King!”

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When It Rains, It Let’s Pours – Part the 3rd

The last of three large boxes from Let’s Pour (THANKS K!) arrived at BSP HQ recently and yet another bonanza of beer-y goodness was revealed.  This time centered on the SE portion of the brewing country.

We start with Cigar City…..

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…from Florida we head to Georgia and Terrapin and the turtle….

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…and then hopscotch amongst other states for this final tableau…

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There is some good drinking ahead for me!

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Batch 10,000

I might have to buy a bottle of this to pair with my Batch 9,000 that is in my beer cellar. When I would pull them out is still in question but I think they might make a very compelling duo.

“After combing through the catalogs of many malt and hop suppliers, our brewers used over 100 different malts, grains, and other fermentables, and followed them up with a blend of 60 different hop varietals between the kettle additions and dry-hopping. The resulting beer presents a deep, chocolate brown hue and offers roasted and caramel notes from the malts mixed with an assertive hop character. Sharply bitter, the beer possesses a full mouthfeel without being heavy and will withstand aging in your cellar, if you prefer.”