More from the Beerathalon

Unfortunately I have a leg injury and will be unable to participate in the first event (not pictured here) of the Beerathalon this week. I'll have to make up for it by hammering the second event.

The Beautiful Beer

With the World Cup looming I've been scouting appropriate viewing venues. RiRa was the go to spot in 2006, and remains a favorite for 2010. The two Allagash offerings pictured here were recommended by Joe, the man behind the stick at RiRa. They are both terrific beers: the Malone is a Belgian/IPA fusion that is bold, tart, complex, and delicious. The Four has four of everything--hops, malt, and flavor. Earthy balance. 10+% alcohol. Packs a punch but is deceptively smooth on the way down.

It's going to be a good tournament!

Beerathalon 3 Approaches

The next chapter of the 2010 beerathlon series will be held on Wednesday, May 19 (tomorrow). As a reminder, a beerathalon is a uniquely local multi-sport event that combines a hard 5K run around the Back Cove and the consumption of two beer at the Great Lost Bear. Join us: the running starts at 6:00 PM. Sign up here. Then head to the Great Lost Bear and order up a couple from the world class beer list.

The Problem With Authenticity

Two of my favorite spots to eat, Enzo and El Rayo, suffer from authenticity. Specifically, El Rayo, which offers terrific tacos at very reasonable prices, serves only Mexican beer. Mexican beer spawned tequila and the drug trade before finding its niche as an alternative to Montezuma's Revenge inducing water. El Rayo's beer list is exclusively Mexican, and the best of the lot--Sol (Sol is the beer Corona would be if Corona had any flavor)--is a bad beer. At El Rayo recently I was forced to drink tequila, with Sebago Lake water back. The tequila flight coupled with a flight of tacos made for a nice dining/drinking experience, though. Nonetheless, the tacos begged for a strong local beer, HSA or Full Throttle would complement perfectly.

Enzo is the new bar attached to Otto, the Congress Street pizzeria. The bar features Otto's delicious pizza, a lot of wine, and a grand total of three beer. One of the beer choices is Morreti, the best of Italy's mass produced beers. Italian beer is why Italians drink wine. It's awful. The other two options are the mediocre Gritty Vacationland and the slightly above average Harpoon IPA. My pizza slice was delicious: basil and tomato topping on a perfectly prepared crust. As for my beverage choice, I picked authenticity and did what an Italian would do: I drank the house red. A nice combination.

Wow!

The Downtown Lounge has long been one of my favorite watering holes. A little worn at the heels, with a rode hard and put away wet feel that is my tavern equivalent of comfort food. A limited but above average beer selection that generally includes HSA, my go to beer (sadly, the HSA has been replaced by Geary's Summer, probably until the weather sucks again). Good food, professionally prepared. Friendly but not overbearing bar staff. Regulars, who settle in and order their regular with a nod, then read or watch TV or chat quietly with other regulars. It's a terrific place.

And it just got a whole lot better! The food specials--items like tacos, Greek/chicken/steak salads, burgers--are half off until 8 pm! So, a real meal for less than McDonalds prices. Take last night: Research Assistant and I polished off a Greek Salad and an order of pork tacos, washed down with 3 Long Trail IPAs, and the bill was 20 bucks. The food was delicious. I'll be back, maybe tonight!

Buy Local

Every purchase is political.
Every purchase affects the environment.
Every purchase is your conscience.
Every purchase is a vote.
Every purchase is a prayer.
Every purchase matters.
Buy local. Buy little. Buy organic.
Live in the world you want to create.
Create the world you want to live in.

by motivateufatbastard.

The Perfect Storm

The nonfiction book about the fishing crew out of Gloucester, Massachusetts that inspired both a George Clooney movie and an idiom has little in common with the best beer I've had in 2010 other than both originated in Gloucester.

Actually though, Cape Ann Brewing's fabulous Greenhorn Double IPA, cask conditioning, a pull tap at the GLB, a tulip glass, and my mouth formed a perfect storm-like chain of circumstances and events that resulted in my enjoying a beer as much as I have at any point this year. The Greenhorn (I don't like the name--because I don't like green as a beer descriptor--but brewer T.J. Peckham says it refers to first time fishermen, and the similarity between the rookie fisherfolk and the woobly knees effect this beer can have on the novice drinker) is more balanced than most double IPAs, and the cask smooths out the hops a bit more. The result is an incredibly easy drinking double that is still bursting with hoppy flavor. It's a complex beer that goes down like a session beer.

Brewer Peckham also told me that Cape Ann has a brew pub, staffed entirely with current and former and itinerent fishermen, in keeping with Gloucester's heritage. It's 106 miles from here, by land. I might have to go by sea!

NYC Trip

Had a great trip to NYC, although my research assistant and I had an initial disagreement over the need for hand sanitizer after strap and pole-hanging on the subway. I agreed with her after a couple of trips in from Queens, and we carried antibiotic for the longer subway rides. We drank some great beer at
the Waterfront, which doesn't seem that close to the water, and I found some mediocre ramen at Zen, on St. Mark's Place (skipable). Research assistant had a Meg Ryan moment over the corned beef at Katz's Deli. All in all, a terrific trip!

This Beer Will Suck

7 Eleven convenience stores are going to start brewing their own beer, kind of. They've contracted the brewing to Wisconsin based City Brewing. It's a safe bet this beer will suck. Actually, I wonder why they think we need more shitty beer in the marketplace? Maybe, it's to wash down the double down. A potentially perfect food-beer pairing.

A Pause for Tea, Not Beer

The tea-baggers were within locavore limits, in Boston, and attracted a crowd of literally tens of like-minded citizens. The fellow (?) pictured here, sometimes known as "Pat", typifies the movement. A couple of Bud Lights, three or four KFC Double Downs, a cleverly misspelled sign or banner (resisance?) protesting something like health care reform, foreigners, gun control, gays, taxes, or Obama's birth certificate and it's time to tea party!

In the latest local news, we had a story which blends the tea-bag with the d-bag: a poor Windham bastard got too fired up in the unique tea-baggers approach to the tail-gate party and was unable to attend the rally.

Hey, Yarmouth, This is NOT Beer

The local news has been strange lately: a young woman took advantage of the fact that it's perfectly legal for all--men and women--to march topless in downtown Portland and organized a topless march. She then expressed outrage that men showed up with cameras. In a similar move, a young man has organized a walk around the Back Cove (my running path) with the only requirement being that participants must carry a loaded and visible handgun (taking advantage of laws allowing the open display of handguns). The fellow insists it's not a publicity stunt. So the purpose is?

In marginally related gun news, my former favorite host of my former favorite show--Anthony Bourdain--was dismissive of Portland, condescending towards Maine and Mainers, and an all around jack-ass New Yorker (sorry for the redundancy) in his Maine segment of No Reservations, which aired this week. He even out-douched Dana Street. He finished the segment, as he frequently does, by shooting guns. Hey, Tony, that gun is not your penis!

And then there's this: A Yarmouth High School student was disciplined for violating an honor code that she'd signed which indicated she (and other signees) weren't allowed to drink beer. The evidence of her violation--a Facebook photo of her holding a silver can. She (her parents) hired a lawyer to fight the penalty, which he (the lawyer) is doing (and losing, apparently) on constitutional grounds. They've missed the boat however. Coors Light is NOT beer. That's the point. Unless the honor code strictly prohibits the consumption of yellowy, favorless, corny, over marketed, liquid crap she should not be penalized.

Mountain Beer

There's a brew pub in North Conway (or maybe Conway) New Hampshire called Moat Mountain BBQ and Brew or something like that (sorry, I should be accurate with the name of the place). Anyway, they brew technically sound, good quality, but generally not very adventurous beers. I found an exception to the "not very adventurous" label: a smoke bock that was outside the norm and quite tasty. So I had a pint. This is not a destination bar or brew pub, like Lion's Pride or 3 Tides, but if you are in North Conway (which, by the way, seems to have morphed from a sleepy climbers/skiers village into a shopping mall) swing by, get a tasters set and settle in to one that hits your fancy.

Full Throttle, Baby!

The email from the Great Lost Bear stopped me in my tracks: the first Full Throttle of the season was out, and they had it at the GLB. All other plans cancelled! I hustled to the GLB and ordered one. After a momentary pause I ordered a second (risk management).

Full Throttle Double IPA from Sebago Brewing Company has been my absolute favorite locally brewed beer. How would the 2010 batch fare?

I sipped my first glass and pondered this question. 10 or 15 seconds later I continued my careful cogitation over the second glass. Midway through my third glass the verdict was in: yes, this is the beer I thought it was! A hoppy masterpiece. Beer fantasy fulfilled. While on my fourth glass however I began to have second thoughts: is the beer just a little smoother than the 2009 batch? In this case, by the way, smoother is not better.

So the final verdict is: more research is necessary.

More Belgian Touring

In Brunswick, Maine this time. At the Lion's Pride. What a wonderful beer experience!

As research trips go, this wasn't a bad assignment. A mere 30 miles or so up the road. Anticipating an extreme Belgian beer experience, I booked a room at the Travelers Inn, a short walk from Lion's Pride.

Lion's Pride is worth the drive, the stay, and the manageable headache the next day. The Struise Pannepot alone (I'm sipping the Pannepot in a photo here that features the beautiful glass taps and knowledgeable bartender Zac) is worth the trip: strong, sour, fruity, unique, wonderful! With 35 different beers on tap the place is amazing. And I didn't get to all 35. I guess I need to go back.

Saturday Beer Plan

Visited Belgium by way of Canada. Started with the Fin du Monde, the terrific Tripel from Unibroue. After confirming that the Monde was not finis, followed up with a Belgian strong ale--the Maudite. Damned! It was good. Then had the Arrogant Bastard. The West Coast Bastard topped the Unibroue, in my opinion.

There was an interlude after that, an interlude that included other beer. As a result, I can't really comment on the Saison other than to confirm it was consumed.

2$ Tuesdays

Yeah, I know it's Friday--I been busy, ok?

The Port City Music Hall is a beautiful venue that features some terrific music: local, regional, and beyond. Read about it in more detail here.

Beyond the music, though, they have a great deal on Tuesday nights: pay the 2$ cover and all their draft beers are $2. And they have some great beer. Like the Victory Hop Devil (the tap is pictured here with a pleasantly surprised and moderately buzzed beer locavorian, who, at least on this evening, included Downington, Pa as local, provided that it was poured locally. And it was.)

Our Little Jewel of a Beer City By the Sea...

....gets some nice (and appropriate) recognition in the Atlantic. You can read about it here.

Not to be picky, but Geary's seems slighted. At least they had a recent glowing review for their HSA in the prestigious Beer Locavore!

My Go To Beer

Malty, hoppy, goodness. Consistently pleasing. And, frequently available. They might even have it at the fucking Thatchers (ok, that's a stretch--you're probably in Harpoon IPA land there).

For a different take on the old stand-by the GLB has the HSA on cask now. It's great. Frothy malty hoppy smooth good stuff. But the rest of the extensive menu at the GLB can prove distracting. I wandered in yesterday and had a cask conditioned HSA. It was great, but then I found myself wandering in Yellow Snow.

I need to figure out a go to food for those times when I'm with a group and appetizers are being ordered and I'm so hungry I could eat at the Thatchers. What's the secret? Do I special order? Ask them not to deep fry the quesadilla? Why is everything deep-fried and covered with cheese, anyway?

Local Taverns

George's Tavern had a long history as a classic working class bar. Its successor, Awful Annie's, was just plain awful. The current tavern at the same location (a third of the way up Munjoy hill), the bar soon to be known as Mama's Crowbar, is well worth the trip. Here's why: a small, esoteric, terrific draft beer selection supplemented by a tremendous offering of bottled beers. A visit there earlier this week found the 4 taps filled with the Allagash Black; Rogue Yellow Snow; their signature beer, Allagash Curieux (yellow); and, straying from the color scheme, Anchor Steam, one of the world's great session beers.

If I still lived on the hill I'd be a regular. As it is, the Crowbar is worth the trek from the West End. The 5 K roundtrip hike is probably just what I need to walk off the black and yellow.

There's live music and lively discussion and beer (nothing else to drink except maybe cider). There's a restroom. And a piano. They could probably rustle up a bag of chips if you asked politely. It's cash only. And it's a nice addition to the Portland bar scene.

Problems in Belgium

InBev, the Belgium-based, Brazilian-funded multinational corporation that owns, among other brands, Anheuser-Busch, reported quarterly profits of $1.55 Billion in their most recent earnings announcement. That's Billion, with a "B". Not good enough for the greedy suits, though, so they've announced plans to shitcan many of the people who make the beer. The people who make the beer are pissed off about this, and have protested by giving the beer away (free is an appropriate price for Budweiser), among other acts. You can read about it here.

Beer Trips

Beer tripping is hard, given the general lack of mass transit in this country. I can't really figure out Ebenezer's, for example. Great place, fabulous beer, but how the fuck do you get home afterwards, given that it's 2 hours drive from anywhere? I guess you go in the summer and pitch a tent. The new Lion's Pride (same ownership) in Brunswick is more accessible and has a couple of cheap hotels just a short walk away. I'm planning a trip there. Hoping to convince the research assistant to come along.

After dropping Sam off at school last weekend, and as a reward for completing 400 of the 450 mile round trip journey, I stopped at the Portsmouth Brewery for a bottle rocket. It's a terrific IPA and the 1 pint tester proved enough of an incentive to buy a growler, finish the drive home, and consume the growler. It was hoppy, and I was happy.

Beyond Beer

On Monday and Tuesday nights Pom's Thai on Congress street has a $1 sushi special. Best sushi in town? No. Benkay, Yosaku, and Miyake can fight over that honor (although Shima might get my vote). But it's not bad. I recommend ordering 8 or so, then doubling up on the best of the lot (tonite I reordered the magaro, the hamachi, the unagi, and the ebi) and you'll have a tremendous meal for a very reasonable price. Wash it down with a hot sake'. Tip generously. And it's still under $25.

It's On

Not only does the GLB have the King Crimson, they also have the Dogfish Head/Sierra Nevada Collaboration brew: Life and Limb.

I prefer the Peak KC. It's hoppy, without being over the toppy, and red and bitter and just plain good. The Life and Limb is fine, it's a kind of extreme brown ale. but it's a bit sweet for my tastes.

Back into the Battle

With the help of a volunteer research assistant I sampled some local specialties recently. A nice, smooth, malty brown wheat beer (Matt's Wheat) is a home brew success. Drinks like a session beer but packs a six and a half percent ABV wallop.

Less successful, despite a long track record as a Maine classic: the Burnt Trailer. Equal parts Allen's Coffee Brandy and Moxie, this drink is pure wretched. I was just barely able to choke mine down. And, uncharacteristically, when my research assistant gave up on hers after a mere sip, I was unable to finish her drink. A shame. And we were in Westbrook, which seems like an appropriate locale.

On a more positive note, while the folks at Peak Organic aren't currently working on a large batch Ruckus (the unequivocal hit of the 2009 Maine Brewer's Fest), the do have a new Imperial Red Ale, the King Crimson. It may not be readily available until later in 2010, however.