Days of the Beer, December 8

The beer for today (isn't a beer) is Original Sin Cider.

On December 8, 1854, Pope Pius IX declared the Catholic dogma of Immaculate Conception, that states that the Virgin Mary was born free of original sin.

The Catholics believe, that Mary was born without any stain, "macula" in Latin. They state that from the first moment of her existence, she was preserved by God from the lack of sanctifying grace, and was instead filled with divine grace. They also believe that she lived a life completely free from sin.

Pope Pius XII said "she was free from any personal or hereditary sin". Her immaculate conception by normal sexual intercourse, should not be confused with the virginal conception of Jesus.

This whole concept sort of goes against the teachings of the rest of the Bible.

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Now, lets get into a bit of theology, shall we? If Mary never sinned, then why did she take the offering of the turtledoves to the temple? Having a child was considered unclean (is uncleanliness sin?)

Luke 2:24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

One of two things would have happened here, either she had to offer them as the sin offering, or she lied to everyone about why she had to offer the pigeons. (Additionally, what was Jesus purpose, if not to get people from following the letter of the law, but to follow the spirit of the law?) Why would his mother (who is supposedly sin free) have to give that offering?

Leviticus 12: 6 And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest:
8 And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean.

You see, it was for a sin offering. So, did Mary sin?

As to the cider:

Original Sin Cidery is based out of New York, New York.

Original Sin Hard Cider is a 6% alcohol cider made from the finest domestic apples. Light and crisp with a smooth finish, Original Sin contains no artificial flavors or colors, allowing the natural flavor of the apple to speak for itself.

Original Sin is gluten-free.

Original Sin is available in bars, restaurants, and gourmet markets throughout New York, and is now available in MA, VA, MI, DC, OH, NJ, MD, NC, KY, IN, GA, SC, IL, and KS as well. Coming soon to TN and WI!

So, for the girl born without original sin, have an Original Sin yourself, heck, have a couple, make up for all those who believe in that too.

Days of the Beer, December 7

The beer for today is Warbird Brewing Company WarHawk Pale Ale.

On December 7, 1941, the Japanese launched a surprise military strike on the United States' naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The result of this attack brought the United States into World War II, with a declaration of war against Japan on December 8, and against Germany on December 11.

Yesterday, December 7, 1941—a date which will live in infamy—the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The events that led up to the attack included the 1940 U.S. Export Control Act, that halted shipments of airplanes, parts, machine tools, and aviation gasoline; this was taken by Japan as a provocation. In the summer of 1941, the U.S. ceased oil exports to Japan, who was getting 80% of their oil from the U.S.

The attack led the U.S. from isolationism to the public accepting participation into the war.

The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our secretary of state a formal reply to a recent American message. While this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or armed attack.

The McCollum Memo...

The "McCollum Memo" was an 8 point action plan, that was devised by Lt. Commander Arthur McCollum, of the U.S. Navy. In the plan, he outlined 8 steps that the U.S. would have to take that would cause Japan to attack the U.S. The memo was given to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt around October 7, 1940. On October 8, 1940, the Japanase Ambasador warned the U.S. that the (before mentioned) Export Control Act, would be considered an "unfriendly act".

Four battleships, three cruisers, one minelayer, and 188 aircraft were lost that day. There were 2,345 military deaths and 57 civilians killed. More than 1000 people were wounded.

Many of the 188 planes lost that day were P-40 Warhawks.

As to the beer:

Warbird Brewing is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. They love beer, and retired military airplanes.

Warhawk Pale Ale is the best pale ale I've ever tasted. It is a truly "drinkable" pale ale. Warhawk Pale Ale is an American-Style Pale Ale, which means that it has assertive American hop character. You can really taste the Cascade hops. But what makes this a "drinkable" pale ale is the malt. We use premium 2-row malt and 3 specialty malts to give this beer the full malt complexity required to balance a "hoppy" beer. If you're a Pale Ale fan, you will absolutely love this beer. I guarantee it.

I'm not sure who said that, but it's on their website.

The beer comes in at 7.3% ABV.

So, for the lives (and planes) that were lost in the day of infamy, have a beer named after those planes.

Days of the Beer, December 6

The beer for today is Penn Brewery, St. Nikolas Bock.

On December 6, 346, Saint Nicholas, died. Yes kids, Santa Claus is dead. Nicholas of Myra was the bishop of Myra in Lycia of Anatolia (Turkey). Nicholas had a reputation for secret gift-giving.

There are a couple of miracles and legends attributed to Saint Nick. The first deals with how he became a bishop. Nicholas was said to have been on a ship traveling from Alexandria to Myra, and a sailor on the ship fell from the rigging, and was saved by Nick. After they arrived, Nick went in to pray and the sailor went around and told how he was saved by Nikei-Laos. It just so happened that the previous bishop had just died, and the church fathers were told in a dream that the next bishop would be a "man who conquers" (Nike is Greek for conquer/victory). Suddenly, Nike-laos is in their midst, so they elect him as bishop.

Another story is about how there was a famine on Myra, and a butcher had taken three children (or clerks) and chopped them up, put them in a barrel and intended to sell them as meat. Nick realized that the meat was children, so he prayed for them, and they came back to life.

One of Nick's most famous stories is about a poor father who had three daughters, but couldn't pay their dowry. Because of that, they'd remain unmarried and (obviously) have to become prostitutes. Nich helped them out by throwing three bags of gold through the window. This either happened on one night, three consecutive nights, or over three years. In one version of the story, the man was trying to figure out who was giving the money, so Nick snuck onto the roof, and dropped the money down the chimney. When it came down, it landed in the third girls stocking, that she was drying by the fireplace.

As to the beer:

Penn Brewery was founded in 1986 in Pittsburgh's North Side. It was established to brew authentic German beers.

A very rich, dark bock beer. Dark ruby in color with subtle tones of chocolate and burn malt. It will warm you on a cold winter night and brighten your days. The perfect holiday gift for the beer drinker.

So, for Saint Nick, have a Saint Nick. There are many different Santa beers out there, so just find one and suck it down for the bishop.

Brewing on Sunday

Sunday afternoon around 3:30 or so (around the start of the second round of football games) we're going to be brewing at my house.

We'll be making a Blueberry wheat, hoping to get an ABV of about 8% and I think we might be able to get that.

So, if you want to come out and play, look me up.

V

Days of the Beer, December 5

The beer for today is Russian River Blind Pig.

On December 5, 1933, Utah became the 36th state to ratify the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which gave the 75% of states needed to enact the amendment. The 21st Amendment overturned the 18th Amendment which outlawed alcohol in the U.S.

There are two methods to approve amendments to the U.S. Constitution. 1. Ratification by the state legislatures of 3/4 of the states. 2. State Conventions. The 21st Amendment is the only one to have been ratified by the State Convention process. The amendment was passed this way because state legislatures were fearful of the still strong temperance movement.

The Amendment was proposed on February 20, 1933. Michigan was the first state to ratify the amendment on April 10. Wisconsin was next in April 25. Ohio, Pennsylvania and Utah all passed it on December 5. Maine and Montana ratified it after, on December 6, and August 6, 1934. South Carolina rejected it, on December 4.

The amendment put alcohol control in the hands of the states. Mississippi was the last dry state, that lasted until 1966.

As to the beer:

Blind pig, has two meanings. The first is as an establishment. Blind Pig's were saloons like a speakeasy. A speakeasy was normally a higher class venue than the blind pig. At a Blind Pig, the saloon keeper would charge customers to see an animal and provide a "complimentary" alcoholic beverage.

The other definition is of a mason jar. A mason jar was known as a pig, and an un-marked mason jar was known as a blind pig.

Blind Pig IPA: Blind Pig IPA was originally brewed by Vinnie at Blind Pig Brewing Co. in Temecula CA. Inspired by the original Blind Pig IPA, this beer is loaded with hop character but only has 6.0% ABV.

So, for the end of prohibition, raise your glass to the people who stood up to the temperance movement. Have a drink for Utah, even though it's got some of the most restrictive laws about bringing beer into their state. Drink it out of a mason jar, just say it's a blind pig.

Days of the Beer, December 4

The beer for today is Shoreline Foggy Loggy Lager.

On December 4, 1952, a fog covered London, England. It lasted until December 9. The fog directly caused, or contributed to the death of around 12,000 people. It became known as the Great Smog of 1952.

The fog was the result of a cold pressure system, that caused people to burn more coal than normal to heat their homes. The cold trapped the smoke lower in the atmosphere close to the ground. Coal at the time in London was low in quality and high in sulfur, as the higher quality coal was being exported to help the post-war economy.

Shortly after the fog lifted, medical services found that the fog had killed 4,000 people, many of which had pre-existing respiratory problems. Most of the deaths were from respiratory tract infections or from hypoxia (low oxygenation of blood). Others died from being suffocated by pus, from lung infections. In the weeks an months that followed, another 8,000 people died from the fog.

As to the beer:

Shoreline Brewery is located in Michigan City, Indiana, on the coast of Lake Michigan. Foggy Loggy is a pale lager and comes in at 4.4% ABV.

Shoreline's lightest offering. This lager is styled after the first beer brewed celebrating King Ludwig's wedding to Princess Teresa of Saxon which turned into the modern day Oktoberfest. It has a nice white lacey head followed by a beautiful golden blonde hue.

As far as I know, this beer is only available at the brewery. I had this beer on March 5, when Kriddy and I went on our Indiana brewery/brewpub tour.

So, for the Great Smog of 1952, have a Foggy Loggy.

Days of the Beer, December 3

The beer for today is Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA.

On December 3, 1984, in Bhopal, India; a methyl isocyanate leak from a Union Carbide pesticide plant killed more than 3,800 people and injured 150,000 - 600,000 others (more than 6,000 would later die from their injuries).

During the night, large amounts of water entered a tank that held 42 tonnes of methyl isocyanate. This caused a chemical reaction that raised the pressure and the temperature inside the tank to over 400 degrees F. The tank wasn't designed to hold the pressure, and released the gas. The plant was located in the center of Bhopal, and the gases flooded the city. People woke up in a cloud of gas that burned their lungs.

The cause of the incident, which is labeled as one of the worst industrial accidents in history, is unknown. Some think that peopel were cleaning pipes out with water that leaked into the tank, others think it was an act of sabotage by a disgruntled worker.

As to the beer:

I had this beer recently, and it was awesome.

The newest member of the Firestone family, Union Jack is the aggressive IPA that you’ve been searching for. Citrus, pineapple, and a full chewy malt profile finish clean on your palate. Over 70 IBUs and 7.5% alcohol by volume, Union Jack won’t have any problem competing with the big India Pale Ales. A beer true to its origins; deeply hopped and bolstered for a long voyage.

The beer is currently only available in California, so unless you have a hook-up, you'll just have to wait.

So, for the Union Carbide disaster in Bhopal, India, have a Firestone Walker Union Jack India Pale Ale.

*the incident was commemorated in song by the Revolting Cocks*

Days of the Beer, December 2

The beer for today is Magic Hat Circus Boy.

On December 2, 1863, Charles Edward Ringling was born in McGregor, Iowa. Charles was one of the Ringling Brothers who owned the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. While there, he was in charge of production.

The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus was started in 1919, after the Ringling brothers had purchased the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1907. The circuses ran separately for several years, but finally merged.

The Ringling brothers originally had four brothers, but by 1919, only Charles and John Nicholas Ringling were remaining. The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus debuted on March 29, 1919, in Madison Square Garden.

Charles died December 3, 1926.

As to the beer:

Magic Hat is based out of South Burlington Vermont. They began in 1994. Magic Hat is known for puting short phrases on the underside of their bottle caps.

THE Hefeweizen: Unfiltered and unfettered, Circus Boy is a unique and refreshing American-style Hefeweizen.

Is he a who? Or a what? Or perhaps some of both?

ABV: 5.4
Gravity: 1.055
Bitterness: 18
SRM: 5.0
Yeast: Hefeweizen Ale
Hops: Cascade & Warrior
Malts: Wheat, Pale

So for one of the men who started one of the great circuses, have a Circus Boy.

Beer Review, Lost Abbey Judgement Day

After finishing up the first series of football games at Hooters with our 50 free wings, headed home to watch the afternoon game. Sadly, the televised game was the Jets versus the Broncos, I have no idea how that one wound up being the best option for East-Central Illinois, but it's probably the Favre connection.

To wash the game down, I split a bottle of The Lost Abbey Judgement Day with Paddy, as Kriddy was taking a nap.

The bottle said this one was a Belgian (style) Dark Quad. It poured almost purple, it was dark, and let some light through. I thought it looked kind of like tea, maybe a purple tea? It smelled winey, yeasty, and a bit of alcohol. There was some grape in it, that made it almost smell like grape bubble gum.

It had a medium to thin thickness, and was slightly effervescent. It also was very drying.

It tasted of grape, bread, raisin, and coffee. I thought I might have gotten some prune or fig in the flavor, like drinking a slightly grape-y fig newton. There was no perceivable hop bitterness in the flavor. Paddy said it was "wicked sweet". As I got down to the bottom of the glass, it started to feel very familiar. At first I couldn't place it, but I think it reminded me of Grape Mad Dog 20/20. To which Paddy said, "WTF? this high end delicious bottle of beer reminds you of $3 swill?"

Sadly, just a bit. He then said, ok, well, at least it didn't remind me of purple passion.

This beer was awesome. It came in the Port/Lost Abbey gift pack from Rob. Sadly, I won't need my California hookup for these beers anymore. Happily, it is available in Illinois, if you are willing to travel to Chicago. The beer is currently available at West Lakeview Liquors, who also will ship. It is also at Archer Liquors, who also do shipping.

Oddly, the price tag on the bottle that came from California, was the same price as I picked it up for in Chicago on Thanksgiving. I do have another bottle of this in my box from Thursday, and I think I'll be putting it down in the basement. I'll be stocking up on this one.

Days of the Beer, December 1

The beer for today is Pabst Blue Ribbon.

On December 1, 1981, the AIDS virus was officially recognized. Prior to being named AIDS, it was known as GRID, for Gay-Related Immune Deficiency (I am no relation).

December 1, is World AIDS Day. Now, granted, you are supposed to wear a Red Ribbon to show your solidarity with HIV-positive and people with AIDS, but I can't find a Red Ribbon beer, so a blue one will have to suffice.

AIDS has killed more than 25 million people between 1981, and 2007. It is estimated there are 33 million people worldwide who have HIV. In 2007, AIDS claimed an estimated 2 million people, of which, about 270,000 were children.

World AIDS day originated in 1988 at the World Summit of Ministers of Health on Programmes for AIDS Prevention.

The theme this year is Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise - Lead - Empower- Deliver.

As to the beer:

PBR is produced by the Pabst Brewing Company. Their beer is currently produced on a contract by Miller Brewing Company.

Here's Charlie Papazian's notes on it.

"A contrasting counterpoint of sharp texture and flowing sweetness is evident at the first sip of this historic brew. A slowly increasing hoppiness adds to the interplay of ingredients, while the texture smooths out by mid-bottle. The clear, pale-gold body is light and fizzy. Medium-bodied Blue Ribbon finishes with a dusting of malts and hops. A satisfying American classic and a Gold Medal winner at the 2006 Great American Beer Festival."

If you look at the PBR logo, you will notice a red strip behind the blue ribbon, this was put there in 1958, to commemorate the sale of 100 million barrels since the beer was first brewed.

So, for the day where you are to show your support for AIDS and HIV folks by wearing a Red Ribbon, have yourself a Blue Ribbon.