The barman produces another cup
Undismayed he wipes and turns it up
Then fills it with golden liquid
And dun froth, more of the hearty sup.
Why eat when you can drink?
Why work when you can think?
And when the waves are so cool, so comforting,
Why swim when you can sink?
Mistress barley golden hair
Will take you in her tender care
Let yourself sink to her tan
Bosom and nevermore gasp for air.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Monday, January 21, 2013
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
Beer Run 2012
So the whole beer run idea was my brother's. He runs all the time, and he sold it like this, "There are tons of breweries near Pops' house. We can try some beers and burn off the alcohol by running."
Now, as far as I'm concerned, running for its own sake is like shuffling but never dealing a game. But obviously I do love my beer, so I signed up. Besides, he's not in town that much, and he and I and Pops don't get to hang out that much, so it seemed like a great opportunity.
The run took place last Saturday, supposed to start around 2pm. I get to Pops' place about a quarter till. Pops is there, hanging out with his friend Junebug, who has a half shot of whiskey left. The shower is on, and I assume that Linus is in there. It doesn't make any sense to me to take a shower before you run, but, hey, maybe he knows better than me--after all he does run all the time.
Then Pops explained: "Your brother is in the shower."
"I figgered," I said.
"He just got home. He was out drinking all night with his buddy."
Turns out they went to the Cheeky Monk and enjoyed a bunch of tasty beers the night before. So, likely no running.
Linus got out and confirmed that there would likely be no running. He looked pretty bad. He was chugging some Water Plus or something like that. Then he had to excuse himself and returned with the wisdom: "Good Times is not so good the second time."
But he looked better and pronounced that he felt better. He just needed a cup of tea and then we could go.
While he was drinking his tea, we listened to some of Junebug's stories. He was talking about his best fishing season, with over 1600 caught. His best day, apparently, was about 116, he said, with his own flies. He also told us how when he went in the service he wanted to get assigned something he could use after he got out, like an electrician or something. What'd he get? Bomb loader. Now that's a skill with a lot of private sector demand.
Junebug finished his whiskey and left, and we got out walking about 3 or so.
Linus and I ordered the Christmas Ale, but I can't remember what Pops ordered this first time. It's not one of their mainline beers. Christmas Ale was a little bland for a winter warmer, but not bad.
We were getting ready to leave when we got invited to go on the tour. Since it included a free beer, we said, what the hey, and we went along. Linus got the Vanilla Porter. Pops got the Lucky U IPA, and I got the Stranahan's Vanilla Porter. This was a super delicious beer. The normal Vanilla Porter is just okay, but the whiskey hints fill in the leading edge of the flavor, accentuate the vanilla and enrich the malts. Highly recommended.
One excellent side effect of Stranahan's increasing its output since it was purchased by that industrial liquor maker is that almost everybody in Colorado offers some variant on a whiskey barrel aged beer. Some are really good and others are just okay, but on the whole I'd say that we beer drinkers got the best of that deal.
The brewery tour was just what they most always are. Not too interesting, except for a few little tidbits I'll leave for you to discover when you go. The bottling lines were silent, as was the canning line--which was really tiny--but they were filling barrels for aging, and once they pulled off the hose and a bunch of pressure escaped, making a loud noise that startled a bunch of people.
First round was a Hammer and Sickle for Linus, a Radiator for Pops, and a Midnight in Bruges for me. The MiB is a pretty tasty black IPA, though it has less of the heavy coffee-and-chocolate notes you'd expect based on its color and style. It was more of a sweet caramel taste, which gave it two distinct flavor peaks: the sweet malt and the bitter hops. These kind of crest one after another, never quite harmonizing, but not interfering with one another, either.
Second round I got a HaS, Linus got a Lost Brotha, and Pops got a 5 O'Clock Blonde because he said he wanted to get something light. The HaS was a pretty good Russian imperial stout, but not as good as the Moose and Squirrel. Linus said the LB was a pretty good Belgian style dark ale.
It was getting pretty cold by this time. The sun had been down for an hour or more, and it had never been a particularly warm day. But I didn't really feel the chill. We walked by Lincoln Park, and looked at the projects they were tearing down to make room for more projects, apparently.
It was kind of weird, because they tore down the buildings in a way that half of each apartment was left--two rooms connected by an open hallway, separated from the next apartment by a flimsy wall and medicine cabinet--the sort of arrangement that always reminds me of Candyman. There was also a weird beeping sound coming from them, like somebody forgot to remove the battery from a smoke detector and it was just warning that its battery would soon be dead.
It's only about a mile and a half from Pops' place to Strange Brewing, but it seemed like a long way at that time of night, in the cold, past demolished buildings and then through the industrial district. We were definitely ready to be there by the time we reached it.
We sat in their warehouse space adjacent to the taproom, which they didn't have last time I was there. It was supposed to be heated by one of those little propane stand heaters, but they were out of propane, so that was that. They didn't even try to turn it on for us--they only tried to turn it on when a beer tour van rolled up. Then they set up a little electric heater, but that did about nothing, so we moved back to the taproom.
Second round was Cherry Kriek for both Linus and I, which pours out really pretty, which a tall, pink head. And actually it's a super tasty brew, too. Very tart, but easy to drink.
Overall, it was a really great day, full of wonderful conversation--most of which I can't really remember, except to say that it was remarkably free of those awkward pauses and long silences that often characterize time spent with my father and brother. Something I definitely want to repeat, though perhaps maybe on a sunny spring day when it stays light and warm much longer.
Now, as far as I'm concerned, running for its own sake is like shuffling but never dealing a game. But obviously I do love my beer, so I signed up. Besides, he's not in town that much, and he and I and Pops don't get to hang out that much, so it seemed like a great opportunity.
The run took place last Saturday, supposed to start around 2pm. I get to Pops' place about a quarter till. Pops is there, hanging out with his friend Junebug, who has a half shot of whiskey left. The shower is on, and I assume that Linus is in there. It doesn't make any sense to me to take a shower before you run, but, hey, maybe he knows better than me--after all he does run all the time.
Then Pops explained: "Your brother is in the shower."
"I figgered," I said.
"He just got home. He was out drinking all night with his buddy."
Turns out they went to the Cheeky Monk and enjoyed a bunch of tasty beers the night before. So, likely no running.
Linus got out and confirmed that there would likely be no running. He looked pretty bad. He was chugging some Water Plus or something like that. Then he had to excuse himself and returned with the wisdom: "Good Times is not so good the second time."
But he looked better and pronounced that he felt better. He just needed a cup of tea and then we could go.
While he was drinking his tea, we listened to some of Junebug's stories. He was talking about his best fishing season, with over 1600 caught. His best day, apparently, was about 116, he said, with his own flies. He also told us how when he went in the service he wanted to get assigned something he could use after he got out, like an electrician or something. What'd he get? Bomb loader. Now that's a skill with a lot of private sector demand.
Junebug finished his whiskey and left, and we got out walking about 3 or so.
First Stop: Breckenridge
Breckenridge Brewery on 5th & Kalamath is a nice little brewery/BBQ. I've been in a few times, and always had fair service and good beer, though I hadn't tried the food. Linus said he needed to eat some soup, so he ordered a cup. I ordered some wings, which had a tangy smoky BBQ sauce. Very tasty, which is good because neither Linus nor Pops really embraced their commitment to eat some, so I ended up eating most of the dozen.Linus and I ordered the Christmas Ale, but I can't remember what Pops ordered this first time. It's not one of their mainline beers. Christmas Ale was a little bland for a winter warmer, but not bad.
We were getting ready to leave when we got invited to go on the tour. Since it included a free beer, we said, what the hey, and we went along. Linus got the Vanilla Porter. Pops got the Lucky U IPA, and I got the Stranahan's Vanilla Porter. This was a super delicious beer. The normal Vanilla Porter is just okay, but the whiskey hints fill in the leading edge of the flavor, accentuate the vanilla and enrich the malts. Highly recommended.
One excellent side effect of Stranahan's increasing its output since it was purchased by that industrial liquor maker is that almost everybody in Colorado offers some variant on a whiskey barrel aged beer. Some are really good and others are just okay, but on the whole I'd say that we beer drinkers got the best of that deal.
The brewery tour was just what they most always are. Not too interesting, except for a few little tidbits I'll leave for you to discover when you go. The bottling lines were silent, as was the canning line--which was really tiny--but they were filling barrels for aging, and once they pulled off the hose and a bunch of pressure escaped, making a loud noise that startled a bunch of people.
Second Stop: Renegade
Our next stop was Renegade Brewing over between Kalamath and Santa Fe on 9th. They haven't been there very long. I remember I first stopped in just a few days after they opened. They were happy because they'd just gotten their custom-crafted tap handles (they didn't tell me what they used before then), but they only had two beers available. I tried the Ryeteous IPA at the time, which was okay, but I think they've tweaked the recipe since then and if you pick it up in the cans, it's a really tasty brew--if you like rye and you like IPAs.First round was a Hammer and Sickle for Linus, a Radiator for Pops, and a Midnight in Bruges for me. The MiB is a pretty tasty black IPA, though it has less of the heavy coffee-and-chocolate notes you'd expect based on its color and style. It was more of a sweet caramel taste, which gave it two distinct flavor peaks: the sweet malt and the bitter hops. These kind of crest one after another, never quite harmonizing, but not interfering with one another, either.
Second round I got a HaS, Linus got a Lost Brotha, and Pops got a 5 O'Clock Blonde because he said he wanted to get something light. The HaS was a pretty good Russian imperial stout, but not as good as the Moose and Squirrel. Linus said the LB was a pretty good Belgian style dark ale.
Third Stop: Pops' House
After we left Renegade, Pops was staggering pretty bad. He didn't think he could make it any further, so we went back to his place--which is basically around the corner from Renegade: we'd already passed it and had to go back--to rest up a little bit. We hung out, talked some more, and then headed out.It was getting pretty cold by this time. The sun had been down for an hour or more, and it had never been a particularly warm day. But I didn't really feel the chill. We walked by Lincoln Park, and looked at the projects they were tearing down to make room for more projects, apparently.
It was kind of weird, because they tore down the buildings in a way that half of each apartment was left--two rooms connected by an open hallway, separated from the next apartment by a flimsy wall and medicine cabinet--the sort of arrangement that always reminds me of Candyman. There was also a weird beeping sound coming from them, like somebody forgot to remove the battery from a smoke detector and it was just warning that its battery would soon be dead.
It's only about a mile and a half from Pops' place to Strange Brewing, but it seemed like a long way at that time of night, in the cold, past demolished buildings and then through the industrial district. We were definitely ready to be there by the time we reached it.
Fourth Stop: Strange Brewing
Strange Brewing is a little off the beaten path for a brewpub, although I imagine it gets a fair amount of Broncos traffic. I'd been there once before and enjoyed a firkin at Hops & Pie. The first round I got Paint It Black, a honey coffee stout, and I can't remember what Linus got. Pops wasn't drinking any more. PIB was just okay, and Linus didn't seem too enthused about his, either, although any beer that's worth finishing at that point in the night can't be too bad.We sat in their warehouse space adjacent to the taproom, which they didn't have last time I was there. It was supposed to be heated by one of those little propane stand heaters, but they were out of propane, so that was that. They didn't even try to turn it on for us--they only tried to turn it on when a beer tour van rolled up. Then they set up a little electric heater, but that did about nothing, so we moved back to the taproom.
Second round was Cherry Kriek for both Linus and I, which pours out really pretty, which a tall, pink head. And actually it's a super tasty brew, too. Very tart, but easy to drink.
Overall, it was a really great day, full of wonderful conversation--most of which I can't really remember, except to say that it was remarkably free of those awkward pauses and long silences that often characterize time spent with my father and brother. Something I definitely want to repeat, though perhaps maybe on a sunny spring day when it stays light and warm much longer.
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