Friday, November 20, 2009

CU Beer Weekend Nov 20

It's the week of Thanksgiving. I hope you have your beer planned for Thursday. Garrett Oliver, of Brooklyn Brewery, and the author of The Brewmaster's Table, recommends a Biere de Garde for turkeyday. Two Brothers Domaine DuPage, is probably the localest version of a Biere de Garde that you'll find (it's also quite good).

7 Saints

Wednesday: Whiskey Wedensday, this week, Scotch
Thanksgiving: closed

Radio Maria

Online beer list hasn't been updated in a week; waiting on the email.

Friday: Happy Hour 4:30-5:30
Thanksgiving: closed

Blind Pig

Tap List:
Rogue XS Old Crustacean 10 Year Vintage Newport, OR, Barley Wine, 11.5% abv
Rogue XS Imperial I²PA Newport, OR, Imperial IPA, 9.5% abv
Rouge XS Imperial Porter Newport, OR, Imperial Porter, 8.2% abv
Rogue Chocolate Stout Newport, OR, Sweet Stout 6.3% abv
Rogue Brutal Bitter Newport, OR, Premium Bitter, 6.2% abv
Rogue Dead Guy Ale Newport, OR, Heller Bock, 6.6%
Southern Tier IPA Lakewood, New York, India Pale Ale, 6.5% abv
Bells Amber Kalamazoo, Michigan, Amber Ale, 6% abv
Fullers London Pride England, Premium Bitter, 4.7% abv
Delirium Tremens Belgium, Belgian Strong Ale, 8.5% abv
Blue Moon Golden, Colorado, Belgian White, 5.4% abv
Krusovice Imperial 12° Bohemian Pilsener, Czech Republic, 5% abv
Stella Artois Belgium, Pale Lager, 5.2% abv
Pabst Blue Ribbon San Antonio, Texas, Pale Lager, 5% abv
Dark Horse Reserve Special Black Bier Marshall, Michigan, Porter, 7.5%
Atwater Teufel Bock Detroit, Michigan, Weizen Bock, 10.9% abv
Founders Dirty Bastard Grand Rapids, Michigan, Scotch Ale, 8.3%
Lagunitas IPA Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 5.7% abv
Duchesse De Bourgogne Belgium, Sour Ale, 6.2% abv
Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3% abv
Lindemans Framboise Belgium, Lambic, 2.5% abv
Monk’s Café Sour Ale Belgium, Sour Ale, 5.5% abv
Youngs Double Chocolate Stout England, Stout, 5.2%
Guinness Dublin, Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

December 3: 7 p.m. Left Hand Fade to Black Kickoff Party

Blind Pig Brewery (the Piglet)

Blind Pig English Bitter
Blind Pig Hefeweizen
Blind Pig Weizen Bock
Schlafly Dry Hopped APA Maplewood, Missouri, American Pale Ale, 5.9% abv
Veltins Pilsener Germany, Classic German Pilsener, 4.8% abv
Arcadia Roggen Berry Battle Creek, Michigan, Fruit Beer% abv
Port Brewing Wipeout IPA San Marcos, California, India Pale Ale, 7% abv
Two Brothers Cane & Ebel Warrenville, Illinois, American Strong Ale, 7% abv
Dark Horse Scotty Karate Marshall, Michigan, Scotch Ale, 9.75% abv
Heileman's Old Style Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pale Lager, 5% abv
Gulden Draak Belgium, Quadrupel, 10.5% abv
König Ludwig Weiss Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.5% abv
Guinness Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Coming soon: Blind Pig Belgian Pale Ale, Blind Pig Oatmeal Stout

I've heard good things about the Weizen Bock.

Sunday: Trivia from 7-9 pm

Crane Alley

Veltins Pilsener 4.9%
Big Sky Moose Drool Brown Ale 5.3%
Arcadia Nut Brown Ale 5.6%
Lost Abbey Red Barn Saison 6.7%
Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale 7.2%
Lindemans Pomme 4.0%
Southern Tier Imperial Oatmeal Stout 11.0%
Hoegaarden Belgian Wit 5.4%
Guinness 4.2%
Rogue Cap'n Sig's India Red Ale 6.2%
Piraat Belgian Pale Ale 10.5%
Two Brothers Red Eye Coffee Porter 9.2%
Pabst Blue Ribbon 4.7%
Troubadour Obscura Stout 8.5%
Lagunitas IPA 5.7%
Ballast Point Big Eye IPA 7.0%

Thanksgiving: Closed

Dec 7, 7:30: Chimay Beer Dinner. Tickets available at Crane Alley or contact aaron@crane-alley.com

Cowboy Monkey

Friday: DJ Stifler, 10 pm, free
Saturday: The Sugar Prophets, 10pm, $5
Sunday: Dirt Daubers, 9:30, $5
Thanksgiving: closed

Highdive

Friday: DJ Delayney, 10pm, $5
Saturday: DJ, 10pm, $5
Monday: 80's Night, 10pm, free
Wednesday: DJ A-Ron, 10pm, free before midnight, $5 after
Thanksgiving: Closed

Canopy Club

Friday: Achtung Baby, U2 Tribute Band, $7
Saturday: Monte Montgomery, $12 in Advance
Sunday: Pizza, Pitcher & Movie, 6pm Planes, Trains, and Automobiles; 8pm The Jerk; 10pm Watchmen
Monday: Jobu, no cover, $1 beers and well
Tuesday: Trivia Diner: Live Game Show/The Piano Man
Wednesday: Physical Challenge: A Dance Party Getdown

Jupiters at the Crossing

Thanksgiving: open in the evening

Other places that might be open on Thanksgiving are Guidos and Jupiters (downtown) (according to Cowboy Monkey website).

Thursday, November 19, 2009

A beer to your health; even more for better health!

Some of the best news you'll ever read.


Drinking alcohol every day cuts the risk of heart disease in men by more than a third, a major study suggests.

The Spanish research involving more than 15,500 men and 26,000 women found large quantities of alcohol could be even more beneficial for men.

I think I probably fit into the large quantities of alcohol group.

For those drinking little - less than a shot of vodka a day for instance - the risk was reduced by 35%. And for those who drank anything from three shots to more than 11 shots each day, the risk worked out an average of 50% less.
I'm confused does that mean my risk is 50% less, or does that mean it's 17.5% less?

Either way, drinking lowers the risk of heart disease; according to that study.

Thanks to smart@ss for sending me the link.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Blind Pig Brewery

Well, yesterday was the Blind Pig Brewery (Piglet) beer release.

They currently have three house beers and a cider on tap. Their samplers were 3 for $4, and are decent sized. They are also served on a neat carrier.

The bar is dark, so getting a good picture on the cellphone isn't the easiest thing. Each of the beers are in vats behind the bar, and have their Original Gravity, Final Gravity, and Alcohol By Volume on them. Additionally the IBU's are listed (not on the cider).

I had the Hefe, Kolsch, and IPA.

The Hefeweizen was a pale yellow, it was cloudy with a light thin head. There was a little bit of a malt presence and no hops in the nose, unless there was a bit of a floral smell, but I couldn't tell if that was leftover soap on my hands. When I first smelled the three beers to figure out which was which, the Hefe had an obvious banana note. Later that went away. It had a decent mouthfeel and was a little bit fizzy. It didn't have any noticeable banana. There was some sweetness and a bit of florally hops in it. I thought it to be a decent sessionable beer.

The next beer was the Kolsch. (Kolsch beer can only be brewed in Cologne, Germany, so this one is a Kolsch style). This was light and somewhat clear, almost a bit greenish; there was some haze. Apparently it's a Wieß Kölsch, which is an unfiltered version that is cloudy (So they don't have filtering capabilities, I get it). It had a slight hoppy smell. It had a rather thick mouthfeel. The taste was predominately a bit bitter, with a little bit of malt. I didn't really like it. Gene (from the beer club) thought this to be his favorite beer there.

My final sample was the IPA. This was to be a traditional IPA. It was 6.5% ABV, and had 55 IBU. It wasn't that bitter. It had a lot of malt. It was a darker brown than I would have expected. It looked to be unfiltered, as all their beers seemed to be unfiltered. It smelled bitter, but that's from the East Kent Goldings hops. They didn't really smell piney, or floral, it just smelled... bitter. It did have a bit of sweetness in the smell initially. As it warmed up, it started to smell quite caramelly. It felt rather thick. Definitely more thick than the others on the menu. It's final gravity was 1.012, and it seemed really heavy for that. It also was quite drying. It initially tasted sweet (Gene thought there was an unpleasant initial taste that he couldn't quite figure out; he thought the beer was off or wrong) it eventually turned into a lingering bitter, that came with the drying. It was decent. As it warmed up, the caramel smell became a caramel taste, mixed with a little bitterness.

I didn't have a full sample of the Cider, which was made with Curtis Orchard (also local) sweet cider. I did have a taste, and it seemed like it was granny smith apples, because there was the tart flavor that is common with those apples. It seemed very sparkly, like a champagne, was quite effervescent. It was more like Original Sin cider, than the regular woodchuck's or strongbow. It was close to the Granny Smith Woodchuck.

All in all, it was... ok. The beers were... just ok. They weren't great, they weren't horrible. They were just... beer. The hefe was my favorite of them, but that's not saying that much. The Blind Pig Brewery has Konig Ludwig on tap, I would drink that before I had this one again. They've got Port Wipeout IPA on tap, I'd have that before the house IPA. They don't have another Kolsch on, so if I were in the mood for a Kolsch, I'd go to the Blind Pig Brewery. They are the only place in town that has Kolsch on tap, so if I wanted a Kolsch, I'd go there. I'm not sure I've ever said "You know, I really want a Kolsch".

Destihl is set to open in about 6 months. Blind Pig beat them to market, but still has some work to do. At the Urbana Beer and Chili Cookoff, Destihl showed off some of their beers, their line was the longest of the day, and their beers were some of the best ones there. If Blind Pig doesn't get better quick, they are going to be put out of business. Destihl isn't the greatest brewpub in Illinois (I'd pick Flossmoor) but their's are better than the ones I had yesterday. I will go back to the Piglet for their other beers, but unless their beers get better, it won't be my first choice in town.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

The Prisoner, Night 2

Episodes 3 and 4

Last night's episodes were "Anvil" and "Darling".

"Anvil" is about 6 becoming an undercover spy for 2. In it we learn some things about the village.

In "Anvil" 6 asks the question we've all been waiting for: "Who is number one?" Apparently, there is no #1.

"There is no number 1, there never has been, and there never will be. The concept of the number 2 is an act of humility. The title reminds us all that we are all public servants."

Ok, so that makes the place sort of communist/socialist. Everyone has their role, and everyone should be treated the same. This is not the case.

It's evident in that there are groups of similar houses, but there are different groups, from #2's palace, to the A frames in 6's neighborhood, 147's family neighborhood, to 909's trailerpark; each area has their role and a stereotype.

"Darling" is about 6 falling in love, or at least thinking he's falling in love. In this episode we find out that the village has been messing with 6 while he's sleeping. Pretty much every night. This time, they are manipulating him to fall in love, and be with the girl that he was with in New York before his abduction. There's also holes in the ground, what the hell they are about, we don't know.

We also get to find out more about what 6 did at his former job, but not very much.

Some things I noticed.

1. Everyone in the village seems to have blue eyes. The only person that I really noticed that didn't have blue eyes, was Lucy (415). Oddly, the brown eyed girl is also blind (or acting that way). Did 6 have brown eyes in New York? Looking at the pictures from the show, it seems everyone doesn't have blue eyes. It sure seemed like everyone did last night.

2. "Anvil" almost had a classic opening sequence. It did show him resigning, which he did on the first night. So that was kind of cool.

3. All the vehicles have the steering wheels on the right, except for the golf cart. Why, dunno. Do all golf carts come with the steering wheel on the left?

4. The teaser commercials are really pissing me off. "What's with the holes, we'll tell you in 30 seconds" after this subaru commercial... and then ... the teaser is crap. It doesn't tell you anything.

5. 11-12 has a relationship with 909.

6. Rover can light up and vaporize people.


Night two was a lot better than night one. We know that the outside world is real. Is this all a dream?

Tonight is the conclusion. Does he escape? Does he take anyone with him?

If this is just a dream, I will be very disappointed.

Monday, November 16, 2009

The Prisoner

(It says "other thinking" so this is more of that)

Last night I watched the first two episodes of The Prisoner, on AMC. It was OK. That's about it. The episodes last night were "Arrival" and "Harmony". "Arrival" was close to the original. "Living in Harmony" was one of the original episodes that took place in the old west. This one didn't have anything to do with that. It seemed closer to being "the Schizoid Man", than an old west episode.

I did have some thoughts on the show...

1. They could have actual alcohol? In the original alcohol was not allowed in the village. Several of the episodes referenced that it was a dry community, including a part where 6 was drinking with 2. In the new re-imagining, alcohol is available.

2. They did throw a couple of bones to the old style, in that in 93's apartment, there were lava lamps, that brought a smile to my face.

3. It kind of started the same as the first, in that when 6 first arrives in the village, he gets in a cab and asks to pretty much leave, but the cabbie says he's local only. In the new village, the residents don't seem to know they aren't in the rest of society, whereas in the original, they all seemed to know they weren't from there. Why would the cabbie say he was local only, when there is nowhere else?

4. The new map scene was funny.

5. The don't do the salute with "be seeing you". That really saddened me.

6. Why are they giving 6 a love interest? Especially one who seems as tied to the village as she is. Is he going to make her escape?

7. I am saddened that the beginning doesn't have the familiar "we want information..."

8. There hasn't been a reference to a number 1 yet. Number 2 seems more godlike than number 2 did in the "Chimes of Big Ben" when everyone made the art in honor of #2.

Those are just a few of my thoughts. If you would like to watch the original it's available on AMC's website, here. Granted the original show wasn't perfect, and had some serious plot and consistency issues, but it seemed a bit better than the new imagining. There's 2 more days of it, and I'll watch. The original seemed like a David Lynch film. The new, seems like they want it to be, but just can't pull their inner Lynch.

There will be more... oh yes.

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Seven Saints Whiskey Wednesdays

For all you whiskey lovers, Seven Saints has published their schedule for Whiskey Wednesday.

Whiskey Wednesday is half off the selected whiskey type.

Nov. 18; Bourbon + Rye
Nov. 25; Scotch
Dec. 2; Canadian + Micro
Dec. 9; Irish
Dec. 16; Bourbon + Rye
Dec. 23; Scotch
Dec. 30; Canadian + Micro

Now, I'm not a whiskey guy, but I do know that 7S has one of the best back bars south of Chicago (in Illinois). It's one of the most impressive that I've seen in my travels. The liquor menu is huge.
(They have whiskeys that go up to $250 if not higher; so you can get that at half price.)

So, if you like whiskey's, 7 Saints is probably where you want to go on Wednesday nights. If I was a whiskey guy, I'd be there.

*edit* Wow, when did they get a website.

Here's the whiskey list.

Bourbon:

Basil Hayden’s
Baker’s
Black Maple Hills
Blanton’s
Booker’s
Buffalo Trace
Eagle Rare
Eagle Rare 17yr
Elijah Craig 18yr
Elmer T. Lee
George T. Stagg
Jefferson’s Reserve
Jim Beam
Knob Creek
Maker’s Mark
Noah’s Mill
Pappy Van Winkle 15yr
Pappy Van Winkle 20yr
Pappy Van Winkle 23yr
Pogue Master’s Select
Rip Van Winkle
Rock Hill Farms
Van Winkle 12yr
Vintage Bourbon 17yr
Wild Turkey
William Larue Weller
Woodford Reserve

Rye:

Black Maple Hills Rye
Michter’s Reserve 10yr
Sazerac Rye
Sazerac 18yr Rye
Templeton Rye
Thomas Handy
VW Family Reserve

Scotch:
Ardbeg Uigedial
Arran Single Cask
Auchentoshan Select
Auchentoshan 3Wood
Balvenie 15 yr
Benraich 1994 Unchill
Benromach Marsala
Bladnoch Unchillfiltered
Bruidladdich 1989
Bunnahabhain 1978
Caol Ila
Chivas Regal
Clynelish 9yr 1996
Cragganmore 12yr
Dalwhinnie 15yr
Edradour Grand Arome
Glenkitchie Distiller’s Edition
Glenlivet 12yr
Glenmorangie
HIghland Park 12yr
Highland Park 25yr
Johnnie Walker Black
Johnnie Walker Blue
Johnnie Walker Gold
Johnnie Walker Green
Johnnie Walker Red
Jura 1989
Lagavulin
Laphroaig
Laphroaig Cask Str.
Ledaig 1994
Macallan 12yr
Macallan 18yr
Macallan 25yr
Mortlach 1994
Oban 14yr
Rosebank 1994
Rosebank Cask Str.
Springbank
Talisker

Canadian:

Wiser’s 18yr
Pendleton
Forty Creek
Seagram’s 7
Seagram’s VO
Canadian Club
Crown Royal
Crown Royal Cask 16
Crown Royal XR

Irish:

Bushmills Black Bush
Bushmills 10yr
Bushmills 16yr
Bushmills 21yr
Bushmills 1608
Connemara
Cooley (Murray McDavid)
Greenore
Jameson
Jameson 12yr
Jameson 18yr
Jameson Gold
Midleton Very Rare
Red Breast 12yr
Tyrconnell

Friday, November 13, 2009

CU Beer Weekend Nov 13

This is going to be a busy week for beer in Champaign Urbana; so get your schedules planned now.

7 Saints


Rotating taps at Saints are still:

Bells Rye Stout
Southern Tier Back Burner Barleywine

Sunday: NORTH SHORE COCKTAIL EVENT 6-8 pm.
Wednesday: Whiskey Wednesday, Half off Whiskey Category, this Wed, Bourbon + Rye.

Not exactly sure how open to the public this is, but if you read it here, call the bar and ask for Andy. I'm sure he'll let you in. 217-351-7775

Radio Maria

Radio has a new dinner menu. They also have a new bottle menu, it's been trimmed down to get rid of some of the less sellers, and to make room for some other beers. Highlights include Goose Island Matilda; Rodenbach Grand Cru; Allagash Curieux; Orval; Westmalle. There's also several Mikkeller's that are now on the menu, so that's nice.

Tap list (as of Nov 13):

1. Ename Belgian Trippel $6
2. Brasserie Blanche de Bruxelles $5
3. Two Brothers Red Eye Coffee Porter $5
4. Two Brothers Heavy Handed IPA $4
5. Three Floyd's Robert the Bruce $4
6. Ballast Pointe Sculpin IPA $6
7. Founders Breakfast Stout $5
8. Victory Prima Pils $5
9. Scaldis Bush Ambree $5
10.Kulmbacher Eisbock $5
11.Pizza Port Hop 15 IPA $5.5
12.Green Flash Hop Head Red $5
13.Unibroue La Terrible $6.5
14.DogfishHead 90 Min IPA $4
15.Three Floyd's Pride N' Joy $4
16.Guinness $4
17.North Coast Old Rasputin $5.5
18.Southern Tier Hop*Sun $3.5
19.Old Bruin Brown $6.5
20.Lagunitas A Little Sumpin Extra $5
21.Capital Autumnal Fire $4
22.Capital Wild Rice $3
23.Arcadia Jaw Jacker $4
24.Dark Horse Perkulator Dopplebock $5.5
25.Coney Island Albino Python $6
26.Kapuziner Weissbier $5
27.PBR $2.25

Friday: Happy Hour 4:30-5:30. Southern Tier Hop*Sun $3. DJ's at 10, with $10 Smirnoff drinks
Saturday: Salsa Night 10 p.m. $3 Bacardi Drinks, $6 Bacardi Mojitos
Sunday: $2 wells, $1 PBR

This weekend will also be Prime Rib specials.

Jan 17, North Coast Brewing Company beer dinner.

Blind Pig

Tap List:
Bells Amber Kalamazoo, Michigan, Amber Ale, 6% abv
Arcadia Jaw-Jacker Pumpkin Battle Creek, Michigan, Spice Ale, 6% abv
Southern Tier Pumpking Lakewood, New York, Spice Ale, 9% abv
Southern Tier Oat Lakewood, New York, Imperial Stout, 11% abv
Celis Grand Cru Webberville, Michigan, Belgian Strong Ale, 8% abv
Unibroue Maudite Canada, Belgian Strong Ale, 8%
Arcadia Hop Rocket Battle Creek, Michigan, Imperial IPA, 9%% abv
Rogue Chocolate Stout Newport, Oregon, Sweet Stout, 6.3% abv
Fullers London Pride England, Premium Bitter, 4.7% abv
Delirium Tremens Belgium, Belgian Strong Ale, 8.5% abv
Blue Moon Golden, Colorado, Belgian White, 5.4% abv
North Coast Scrimshaw Fort Bragg, California, Pilsener, 4.4% abv
Stella Artois Belgium, Pale Lager, 5.2% abv
Pabst Blue Ribbon San Antonio, Texas, Pale Lager, 5% abv
Arcadia Nut Brown Battle Creek, Michigan, Brown Ale, 5.6%
Atwater Teufel Bock Detroit, Michigan, Weizen Bock, 10.9% abv
Founders Dirty Bastard Grand Rapids, Michigan, Scotch Ale, 8.3%
Lagunitas IPA Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 5.7% abv
Duchesse De Bourgogne Belgium, Sour Ale, 6.2% abv
Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3% abv
Lindemans Framboise Belgium, Lambic, 2.5% abv
Monk’s Café Sour Ale Belgium, Sour Ale, 5.5% abv
Youngs Double Chocolate Stout England, Stout, 5.2%
Guinness Dublin, Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Tuesday, Nov 19: Blind Pig 5th Anniversary Party. From 7-9 p.m. Rogue giveaways & meet Rogue Brewery rep Dennis Zulanas. Chocolate Stout, Dead Guy Ale, Brutal Bitter, Vintage Aged Imperial Porter, Vintage Aged Imperial IPA, 10 Year Old Crustacean Barleywine, and Dry-Hopped Mogul Madness on CASK!

The Brewery (the Piglet)

Southern Tier Harvest Lakewood, New York, Premium Bitter, 5.7% abv
Veltins Pilsener Germany, Classic German Pilsener, 4.8% abv
Arcadia Roggen Berry Battle Creek, Michigan, Fruit Beer% abv
Port Brewing Wipeout IPA San Marcos, California, India Pale Ale, 7% abv
Two Brothers Cane & Ebel Warrenville, Illinois, American Strong Ale, 7% abv
Dark Horse Scotty Karate Marshall, Michigan, Scotch Ale, 9.75% abv
Heileman's Old Style Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pale Lager, 5% abv
Gulden Draak Belgium, Quadrupel, 10.5% abv
König Ludwig Weiss Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.5% abv
Guinness Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Sunday: Trivia 7-9. $2 well liquor; $3 Guinness.

Tuesday, Nov. 17: 3 p.m. Beer Release Party! The starting lineup will be a Kölsch, Hefe Weizen, IPA and a Hard Cider made with Curtis Orchard apples.

Crane Alley

Tap list:
Veltins Pilsener 4.9%
Victory Moonglow Weizenbock 8.7%
Arcadia Nut Brown Ale 5.6%
Lost Abbey Red Barn Saison 6.7%
Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale 7.2%
Lindemans Pomme 4.0%
Founders Breakfast Stout 8.3%
Hoegaarden Belgian Wit 5.4%
Guinness 4.2%
Rogue Xs Imperial Ipa 9.5%
Unibroue La Terrible 10.5%
Original Sin Hard Cider 6.0%
Pabst Blue Ribbon 4.7%
Troubadour Obscura Stout 8.5%
Two Brothers Heavy Handed Ipa 5.6%
Port Brewing High Tide Fresh Hop Ipa 6.5%

Coming soon:

Schneider Weiss 5.4%
Piraat 10.5%
Founders Porter 6.5%
Belhaven Wee Heavy 6.5%
Old Speckled Hen
Erdinger Octoberfest Weizen 5.6%
Gulden Draak 10.5%
Avery Dugan A Imperial Ipa 8.5%
Great Divide Hibernation
Southern Tier Oatmeal Stout 11.0%
Two Brothers Red Eye Coffee Porter 8.2%
Three Floyds Robert The Bruce 7.0%
Lagunitas Ipa 5.6%
Hebrew Origin Pomegranate Ale 8.0%

Food specials for the weekend of November 13:

BRIE AND PEAR QUESADILLAS - Flour tortillas with pear, red onion, bell peppers, and brie cheese served with lime sour cream

PINEAPPLE FRIED RICE - Pineapple, bell peppers, and green onion tossed in fried rice with a sweet chili sauce

3 PEPPER RIBEYE - Chipotle dusted ribeye with guajillo mashed potatoes, sauteed vegetables, and ancho chili cream suace

Cowboy Monkey

Friday: Heyokas $5 opening act at 9:45, Heyokas at 11:45
Saturday: Heavy Trash $12, Whiskey Daredevils at 10

Highdive

Friday: DJ Delayney $5 10pm
Saturday: DJ World $5 10pm
Monday: 80's night 10pm Free
Wednesday: Stephen Kellogg and the SK6ERS 8pm $15 in Advance.

Canopy Club

Friday: Family Groove Company $7
Saturday: Urbanite Fall '09 "MJ Forever" $10
Sunday: Pizza + Pitcher and Movie, 6 pm Trading Places; 8 pm National Lampoon's Vacation; 10 pm Burn After Reading
Monday: Jobu, no cover, $1 beers and well
Tuesday: Trivia Diner: Live Game Show/The Piano Man
Wednesday: Physical Challenge: A Dance Party Getdown
Thursday: Cross Canadian Ragweed, $15

Other events:

Champaign Urbana Beer Club
November Meeting.
Wednesday 6:30 Crane Alley
There is no cover, no fees, no dues. Just show up with a beer that goes with the theme.

The November theme is 10%+ ABV. So you may want to have a cab on standby or a designated driver handy. Also, you might want to think about taking Thursday off.

Here's how my schedule is currently shaping up.

Friday: Radio Maria happy hour around 5. Probably go get something to eat somewhere after
Saturday: Seems to be free right now
Sunday: Hooters for football, The Prisoner remake on AMC on Sunday night.
Monday: Currently open
Tuesday: 3 p.m. Blind Pig Brewery beer release party. I'm probably going to the Illini vs Northern Ill game with Phil (from highschool)
Wednesday: CU Beer Club November meeting, Crane Alley 6:30 theme is 10%+ ABV
Thursday: Blind Pig 5th Anniversary Party, with Rogue Brewery Rep from 7-9. Beer Class at 7 Saints at 9:30, hopefully we'll get to do IPA's.

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Beer Review, Bud Select 55

On Saturday, I had a beer I haven't had before. Bud Select 55. Well, I'm not sure you can actually call it a beer.

I didn't really sit down to review it, I didn't write anything down, but I did remember a lot about it.

The beer is light yellow. It seemed somewhat flat. There wasn't much head. (Look at the picture, it looks flat in the bottle). It had absolutely no smell. Nothing, I couldn't pick up a hint of anything in it. At one point I thought I smelled something, but I still had some soap on my hands from when I returned from the bathroom. A hint of soap on my hands had more smell than this.

It tasted like it smelled... in other words, it had no taste. There was no evident malt, there was no evident hops, there was no evidence of yeast. Anheuser-Busch has managed to make a product that has less flavor than water. It really didn't have much of a mouthfeel either. There may have been some slight bubbles giving it an acidic feel, but that's about it.

Beer reviewing is normally a five step process. You'll notice that my reviews tend to follow that five step process. I don't know an acronym for that process, or even if there is one. I just know there are five steps and I follow them.

1. Appearance. How does the beer look? This was covered above.
2. Aroma/smell. How does the beer smell? This was covered above.
3. Mouthfeel. How does it feel (bubbly/thick/thin/coaty... that kind of thing)? This was covered above.
4. Taste. We finally get to taste it, how is it? This was covered above.
5. Overall impression. Did you like it? Did this beer get it done for you? This hasn't been covered yet.

This beer, sucked. It wound up giving me an upset stomach, and the next day gave me the shits.

Now that that's out of the way. I'm very impressed by this beverage. I am (surprisingly) impressed by AB. How they can produce the same beer all across the country in their 12 breweries is an extremely impressive fact. You can go anywhere in the U.S. and have a Bud, it was produced relatively locally, and it will taste the exact same.

Pepsi can't even do that. Go for a 300 mile road trip, and get a Mountain Dew and a Bud every 100 miles. When you get there, have a tasting of those 4 (get one before you leave) see how much of a difference in flavor you get in the soda. See how much difference there is in the beer.

If you go from Illinois to Atlanta, Georgia, you can pass through 3 Bud brewing areas. Illinois is in the St. Louis region, go east to 75 in Ohio, and you'll be in the Columbus region. Go south to Georgia, and you'll be in the Cartersville, Georgia region. Beers from those 3 areas will taste the same.

The Mountain Dew in Tennessee has a flavor that Kridz and I refer to as "skittledew". Skittledew tastes like Skittles. You can taste the rainbow in the dew. Some other places have dew that tastes like starburst candy. The bud doesn't have that change. That's really impressive.

At Seven Saints beer class (Thursday nights at 9:30, $10) Andy often mentions brewing heritage. He says that there are 4 countries that are the main brewing places. I agree with him and have a few changes to his theory. The four countries are Germany, England, Belgium, and the U.S.

Andy says Germany brought us seasonal drinking. I say Germany brought us Lagers.

England brings us stylistic changes. I say England brought us Ales.

Belgium brought adjuncts. I agree. They are also more of a yeast flavor driven beer (if that makes sense).

Andy says that what we Americans bring to the beer table is... we do everything BIGGER. England makes an IPA, we'll make an IMPERIAL IPA. You make a Russian Imperial Stout, We'll make it have twice the malt, twice the alcohol; your original (Brittish) RIS's will be more like our porters (look at Gonzo, or Founders Porter). Making things bigger is an art-form in America.

Equally as impressive, we make everything smaller too. Bud Select 55 is a prime example of that. Most American Light Lagers are good examples of that.

MGD 64 has 64 calories. Miller Lite had 96, Bud Select 55 has 55, Coors Light has 102, Bud Select has 99.

That's amazing. No other country produces that kind of product. (No one really wants to, but that's different.) We've got people drinking this stuff, thinking it's awesome. They are watching their calories and carbohydrates, and thinking they are having a beer.

How do they make it? Do they just take a beer that's already light and add more water... kinda. It's either watered down at the boil, or it's watered down after the fermentation. I'd have to assume it would be watered down directly after the boil. Additions of water after fermentation are more noticeable.

That they can consistently make this product is really impressive.

It's a shitty beer that gave me the shits, but it's a feat of American ingenuity!

I will never drink it again.

Now where can I get a Bud Light Golden Wheat? So I can try that and then complain about the beer, while praising AB some more?

Monday, November 9, 2009

A brewery in CU, whaaaat???

Blind Pig Brewery is open, it has been for a while, it's not their beer on tap. That is about to change.

The beer release party is November 17 at 3 p.m.

The first beers they will be having are a Kölsch, Hefe Weizen, IPA and a Hard Cider made with Curtis Orchard apples. Future beers are an English Bitter, Weizen Bock, and an Oatmeal Stout. They may be brewing Belgian styles and winter seasonals soon.

The brewery is located at 120 N. Neil St. in Champaign.

Champaign/Urbana doesn't have a rich history of breweries, I can only find a reference to one.

In 1996 (roughly) Joe's Brewery quit brewing. Prior to that it was known as Chief's Brewing Company. 88 and Broadway claimed to have Joe's beer on tap, although I'm not sure where that came from.

Legends also claims to have "Legends Special Ale" on tap, although I'm not sure where that comes from either.

Destihl is now planning on opening the Champaign version in spring of 2010.

Friday, November 6, 2009

The IPA Story

Most everyone is familiar with the IPA (India Pale Ale) story. If you aren't; it goes something like this.

During the 18th century, during Britain's colonial period, they had troops stationed in India. All the troops were entitled to a ration of beer. The beer being sent to India was only done by ship, and that went around the Cape of Good Hope. This voyage took a long time. By the time the beer arrived, it had gone bad and was undrinkable. To fix this, the brewers added more hops to their beer (since hops is a preservative), then when the beer arrived it was drinkable. When those troops who were deployed to India returned, they went looking for the India Pale Ale that they had been drinking, and demanded it back in England.

That's pretty much the romantic story. Beer went bad due to long travel; more hops were added; people came back and wanted it. Sounds nice, doesn't it?

It's crap.

If you think about the "hops as preservative" part of the story, you start to see how it falls apart. If that is the reason for the hops was to act as a preservative, and the hops did their job, then the beer that arrived wouldn't be extra hoppy, it would be a normal tasting beer, like a regular lightly hopped pale ale. Hops degrade over time, a several month journey would degrade the hops making the beer not be a hop bomb, but be a nice mellow beer.

Ok, so since the beer would wind up being not so hoppy (bitter) once it reached India, then what happened was that people back in England drank the beer before it was sent overseas. They discovered that it was really good, and they drank more of it locally.

The problem with this possibility is again with the hops. Have you ever made a homebrew? One of the biggest things you are shooting for in a beer is balance. If you make an IPA, you want it to be bitter and have some hoppy flavors, but it needs to have a strong malty backbone to support those hops. Otherwise you wind up with hop water, and it's really hard to drink. Trust me, Fun Bags IPA (that we brewed on teach a friend to homebrew day) was a plain Pale Ale recipe, we then put about 5 times more hops in it than the recipe called for, hoping to make an IPA. Instead we got a beer that was initially undrinkable. It was like drinking pureed hops. There was no balance. After about 6 months, the beer mellowed out and became more balanced. It was still hoppy, but wasn't just hop water. It was actually pretty good. It only took half a year to get that way.

A good IPA (or IIPA or DIPA) has a solid malt base. That's what the P stands for. P is for Pale. Pale is a style of malted barley. If you drink some of the better IIPA's (Blind Pig; the Pliny's) they are designed to be drank right away. When the hops are freshest. The brewer wants you to get the full hops experience. In order to make that beer drinkable, it needs to have a strong malt base. If it didn't, it would be just as undrinkable as the beer I brewed was. Those brewers don't want their beer to sit for months, they don't want them to sit for weeks. They would prefer if you could drink it the day it is bottled. (Sometimes fresh beer does taste better).

If you were making a beer that was designed to withstand the trip, and age better, you would add the hops without adding the extra malt. That makes the "locals got ahold of it" version of the story unbelievable as well.

Ok, so where did the beer come from?

The zythophile is the definitive source for beer myths. He's the mythbusters of beer. I will paraphrase him.

Most people credit George Hodgson with inventing IPA. The IPA is a beer based off the October Beer (not Oktoberfest beer or Marzan). October is the harvest time. Brewers were making an October "malt wine" that was designed for a year's keeping. It actually fermented for a year, and then was bottle conditioned for another year. It had lots of barley and lots of hops. So, how did that beer wind up in India?

Luck.

Hodgson's brewery was on the docks, right next to where the ships landed that went to and from India. (It's not like there were daily, weekly or even monthly trips there) The merchants of the ships needed to get beer to take on the trip. They didn't go into downtown London to get the beer. They went to the brewer on the docks, George Hodgson.

Hodgson made many beers, including porter and October-brewed "stock" bitter ale. During the 4 month trip, the beer did mature faster and arrived in India ready to be drank.

Ok, so where did the name IPA come from?

Next IPA article by zythophile.

But, I'm not going to rephrase that, because, I'm just talking about where the beer came from, and not the name.

Read... read.

CU Beer Weekend Nov 6.

7 Saints

Rotating taps at Saints are still

Bells Rye Stout
Southern Tier Back Burner Barleywine

How the hell have these beers survived being on tap for a week? Whatever you do, don't buy Jack Ross a drink for his birthday.

Radio Maria

Beer list as of 11/02 (Monday)

. Ename Belgian Trippel $6
2. Brasserie Blanche de Bruxelles $5
3. Two Brothers Red Eye Coffee Porter $5
4. Two Brothers Heavy Handed IPA $4
5. Three Floyd's Robert the Bruce $4
6. Moylan Moylander Imperial IPA $6
7. Founders Breakfast Stout $5
8. Victory Prima Pils $5
9. Two Brothers Moaten Flemish Red Ale $6
10.Eggenburg Samiclaus Helles $5
11.Pizza Port Hop 15 IPA $5.5
12.Green Flash Hop Head Red $5
13.Unibroue La Terrible $6.5
14.Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale $5
15.Allagash White $4
16.Guinness $4
17.North Coast Old Rasputin $5.5
18.Southern Tier Hop*Sun $3.5
19.Old Bruin Brown $6.5
20.Lagunitas A Little Sumpin Extra $5
21.Big Sky Moose Drool $4
22.Capital Wild Rice $3
23.Arcadia Jaw Jacker $4
24.Dark Horse Perkulator Dopplebock $5.5
25.Witkap Pater $6.5
26.Kapuziner Weissbier $5
27.PBR $2.25

Friday: Happy Hour from 4:30 to 5:30, free appetizers $3 Pints of Three Floyds Robert the Bruce. DJ's playing at 10 p.m.
Saturday: $3 Bacardi drinks and $6 Bacardi Mojitos. Salsa Night at 10 p.m.
Sunday $2 wells and $1 PBR.

Next beer dinner is Jan. 17 at 6 p.m. It will be a North Coast Brewing Company dinner. Talk to Jacob if you are interested in attending.

Blind Pig

Lakefront Pumpkin Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Spice Lager, 5.4% abv
Arcadia Jaw-Jacker Pumpkin Battle Creek, Michigan, Spice Ale, 6% abv
Southern Tier Pumpking Lakewood, New York, Spice Ale, 9% abv
Founders Breakfast Stout Grand Rapids, Michigan, Imperial Stout, 8.3% abv
Celis Grand Cru Webberville, Michigan, Belgian Strong Ale, 8% abv
Unibroue Maudite Canada, Belgian Strong Ale, 8%
Arcadia Hop Rocket Battle Creek, Michigan, Imperial IPA, 9%% abv
Rogue Chocolate Stout Newport, Oregon, Sweet Stout, 6.3% abv
Fullers London Pride England, Premium Bitter, 4.7% abv
Delirium Tremens Belgium, Belgian Strong Ale, 8.5% abv
Blue Moon Golden, Colorado, Belgian White, 5.4% abv
North Coast Scrimshaw Fort Bragg, California, Pilsener, 4.4% abv
Stella Artois Belgium, Pale Lager, 5.2% abv
Pabst Blue Ribbon San Antonio, Texas, Pale Lager, 5% abv
Arcadia Nut Brown Battle Creek, Michigan, Brown Ale, 5.6%
Victory Hop Devil Downington, Pennsylvania, India Pale Ale, 6.7% abv
Three Floyds Robert The Bruce Munster, Indiana, Scottish Ale, 7.2%
Lagunitas IPA Petaluma, California, India Pale Ale, 5.7% abv
Duchesse De Bourgogne Belgium, Sour Ale, 6.2% abv
Tucher Helles Hefe Weizen Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.3% abv
Lindemans Framboise Belgium, Lambic, 2.5% abv
Piraat Belgium, Belgian Strong Ale, 10.5% abv
Youngs Double Chocolate Stout England, Stout, 5.2%
Guinness Dublin, Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Nov 19: Blind Pig 5th Anniversary Party. From 7-9 p.m. Rogue giveaways & meet Rogue Brewery rep Dennis Zulanas. Chocolate Stout, Dead Guy Ale, Brutal Bitter, Vintage Aged Imperial Porter, Vintage Aged Imperial IPA, 10 Year Old Crustacean Barleywine, and Dry-Hopped Mogul Madness on CASK!

The Brewery (the Piglet)

Southern Tier Harvest Lakewood, New York, Premium Bitter, 5.7% abv
Veltins Pilsener Germany, Classic German Pilsener, 4.8% abv
Arcadia Roggen Berry Battle Creek, Michigan, Fruit Beer% abv
Port Brewing Wipeout IPA San Marcos, California, India Pale Ale, 7% abv
New Holland Dragon’s Milk Holland, Michigan, English Strong Ale, 9% abv
Left Hand Deep Cover Longmont, Colorado, Brown Ale, 4.3% abv
Heileman's Old Style Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Pale Lager, 5% abv
Gulden Draak Belgium, Quadrupel, 10.5% abv
König Ludwig Weiss Germany, German Hefeweizen, 5.5% abv
Guinness Ireland, Dry Stout, 4.1% abv

Sunday: Trivia 7-9. $2 well; $3 Guinness.

Nov. 17: 3 p.m. Beer Release Party! The starting lineup will be a Kölsch, Hefe Weizen, IPA and a Hard Cider made with Curtis Orchard apples.

Crane Alley

Victory Prima Pils 5.4%
Left Hand Deep Cover Brown Ale 4.3%
Arcadia Nut Brown Ale 5.6%
Great Divide Hades 7.3%
Wychwood Hobgoblin 5.2%
Van Diest Fruli Strawberry 4.0%
Founders Breakfast Stout 8.3%
Hoegaarden Belgian Wit 5.4%
Guinness 4.2%
Rogue Dead Guy Ale 6.5%
St Bernardus Abt 12 Quadruple 10.0%
Original Sin Hard Cider 6.0%
Pabst Blue Ribbon 4.7%
Harviestoun Old Engine Oil 6.0%
Two Brothers Heavy Handed Ipa 5.6%
Port Brewing High Tide Fresh Hop Ipa 6.5%

coming soon

Schneider Weiss 5.4%
Piraat 10.5%
Erdinger Octoberfest Weizen
Gulden Draak 10.5%
Southern Tier Oatmeal Stout 11.0%
Two Brothers Red Eye Coffee Porter 8.2%
Lagunitas Ipa 5.6%
Hebrew Origin Pomegranate Ale 8.0%
Troubadour Obscura Imperial Stout 8.5%
Veltins Pilsener 4.9%
Lindemans Pomme 4.0%

Food specials for the weekend:

GRILLED MARLIN - Grilled marlin over crab and shrimp risotto with spicy creole sauce.

TEX-MEX FILLET - Grilled 8oz beef tenderloin with black bean sauce, spanish cous-cous, and avocado.

Cowboy Monkey

Friday: DJ Mingram (Free)
Saturday: i:scintilla ($5) i:scintilla plays industrial/gothpop. Show starts at 9 p.m. (I've been told this band is good)

Highdive

Friday: DJ Delayney ($5) 10 p.m.
Saturday: DJ Night ($5) 10 .m.

Canopy Club

Friday: Neko Case ($22 in advance) 9 p.m.
Saturday: Corey Smith ($12 in advance) 9:30 p.m.
Monday: Ace Frehley ($20 in advance) 7:00 p.m. (Ace is old and needs his sleep)

Other events:

FOBAB!!!

Seventh Annual Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beer. Tickets are sold out. It's in Chicago.



Does anyone have the list (or contact information) for Mike N' Molly's. I feel bad for leaving them out.

*edit, Noah has sold his tix*

Thursday, November 5, 2009

Problem Solving

1. Recognize And Define The Problem

2. Gather Facts And Make Assumptions

3. Define End States And Establish Criteria

4. Develop Possible Solutions

5. Analyze And Compare Possible Solutions

6. Select And Implement Solution

7. Analyze Solution For Effectiveness



Step 1 is more important than any of the others, that's why it's first.

Monday, November 2, 2009

It's time for a new religion; I voluneteer to be the Messiah.

We are quickly approaching the next great time. If you follow the precession of the equinoxes, you'll see that at, or near the beginning of each Astrological Age, there was a new messiah, or new covenant.

At some point, real soon, we will be in the Age of Aquarius. Each age is about 2,160 years long. If Jesus happened at the year 0, then we're darn close to the end of the age. The current age is Pisces. Pisces is the fish. Jesus ministry had a lot to do with fish. Heck, how many Jesus fish bumper stickers and decals do you see? Jesus made his people fisher's of men. The pope wears the Ring of the Fisherman. Jesus did the loaves and fishes trick. Jesus walked on water. One of the last stories in John is about Jesus and fish. So, Jesus was very fishy.

Now, think back to Matthew 28:20.

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

That's from the KJV. Makes it sound like Jesus will be around forever. What does the NIV have?

and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

Ohhh, there he says end of the age. So that would be the end of the current age, the one Jesus existed in.

So, if the ages last for about 2000 years, then about 2000 years before Jesus, there would have been another massive religious shift. Who was one of the previous Messianic figures?

Moses came around in about 1500 BC. Moses is often depicted with horns. Moses sacrificed goats. What Age is before Pisces? The Age of Aries. Aries is the Ram. Moses was the ram.

Prior to the age of Aries was the age of Taurus, the bull. Remember, when Moses came down off mount Sinai, he destroyed the golden calf. He was telling the people that it wasn't time to worship Taurus anymore, it was time for Aries.

Since the world is only 6000 years old, that means we've only had the 3 ages. It's now time for the fourth. The age of Aquarius.

During Taurus, humanity had just discovered religion. They were polytheistic. Aries led people to monotheism. Pisces led people to having a god-person on earth. What does Aquarius have in store?

Many gods, one god, god-man... could man, or no gods be the coming religion?

If so, I volunteer to be the messiah of the new age. If it's not a godless age, I wonder what is in store for humanity.

So, friends, the time of Jesus is coming to an end. You will be able to look back fondly at the past 2000 years that featured all kinds of cool things to happen. Think back to how religion has been used to enslave people; to keep people in poverty; to kill people; to promote disease. When the next messiah comes (he may already be here), he'll probably have several different religious organizations trying to kill him. His role will be to end Islam; Christianity; and Judaism (and everything else). I don't see Islam going down without a fight. The one thing that would draw all those religions together would be a person who promotes the end of their religions.

I will bear that cross.

So, vote for me to be your next messiah.