Beer Tasting, Distilling, Other Typical Activities

[aggienaut]

   Beer tasting. I go every Tuesday to the beer tasting at the local Bevmo (for those from Far Away Lands, Beverages & More is like a grocery store sized liquor store).
   At first I thought it was a hoot that half the people new my name and half of THEM knew my taste in beer (so I'd come walking up and people would be like "ooh we're having lagers today you're not gonna like it!"). That was only the beginning.
   Regulars started bringing cookies and brownies to the tasting that they'd baked themselves. I of course brought beer I'd brewed. We probably violated all kinds of FDA regulations.
   Once four guys who didn't know eachother beforehand got to talking at a Friday tasting and all decided to go straight from there to Vegas for the weekend (one had a room comped), and they did!
   Anyway, yesterday we reached a new level of silly. As I walked in, extremely late (wearing a santa hat), Jeff, the host, said "dude, you're late, we're out of beer!" to which I responded "thats okay, I'm kind of sick, wasn't really looking forward to drinking anyway" ... ie now I'm showing up at beer tasting with no intent to drink?! (though while I was there I bought another four pack of official best beeer ever* -- Goose Island Brewing "Bourbon County Brand Stout" (thick as tar, black as my heart & 13% ABV!).

   Oh and earlier in the day I emptied Bevmo's shelves of their (3) four liter jugs of Carlo Rossi Burgundy... O:)

* Not including Sam Adams Utopias, but thats on a whole new level, if you can find it for less than $200 please inform me immediately

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   Yesterday we spent the day at work distilling tequila from agave juice. If you're interested in hearing more about that, see my post in homedistilling.
   Also, I went to Bevmo to get the aforementioned jugs of wine so that we can give making brandy a try today. (=

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   And as long as I'm reporting real world happenings (in reverse order), this past weekend I actually got invited to a college party at UC Irvine and partied it up over there.
   And then totally almost forgot about my own work holiday party

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Random: This was recently brought to my attention and I find it hilarious: They're Made of Meat?!

Comments

[tigrkittn.livejournal.com]

Bwahaha @ meat story!!

Meat Story

[emosnail.livejournal.com]

My thoughts exactly!

[caninespirit.livejournal.com]

Beer is something I've never liked. I got my first taste as a five year old from my mom's dad and spit it out at him! In colege my sorority sisters urged me to try again at one of our formal events. Again, one sip and I was grossed out big time. After that I just gave up.

The Road to Loving Beer (=

[emosnail.livejournal.com]

Well I'm not saying your guaranteed to love it if you had the right experience, but I think I'd think I hated it if I only had the experiences you've had. There are wild differences across the beer spectrum. I'm certain what you had at your sorority event was American macro lager, if not "light" macro lager, which anymone with self respect will probably agree is total shit (not to denegrate your fine sorority, its just that thats what usually ends up at any big gathering, its the cheapest). By macro lager I mean budweiser, coors, miller, and/or their "light" equivalents (and especially, "natty ice", king of the shit beers).

I seriously thought I hated beer until probably half way through college. I had encountered a lot of beer by then, and I thought I hated the stuff. For me guinness was the gateway beer to realizing there was better beer out there. I think anyone will agree that guinness is kind of an acquired flavour at first, with its thickness and darkness and such, but from the start I thought it was at least interesting and at least a LOT more drinkable than that swill I encountered at every fratparty. From there I moved on to other beers in that direction. Beers that weren't just gross carbonated yellow water but had strong flavour, different flavours. Colour and body! And now, as you might gather, I'm a big fan of good beer. But honest to god I thought I hated it until halfway through college.

Rahr!

[emosnail.livejournal.com]

Haha "Rahr", nice name! Myself and some friends use that as an expression sometimes. I guess I'd say its usage is.. a humorous greeting. Like seeing my friend Gabi online I might greet her with it.

That said, I have never heard of this brewery, but I'll be sure to check it out if I'm ever in the area! I'd probably volunteer if I was down there, I think brewing is really neat.

Also, yes India Pale Ales are good. Which is your favourite?

[freckledphreak.livejournal.com]

thick as tar, black as my heart & 13% ABV

this brought the lulz. :)

Black like my heart!

[emosnail.livejournal.com]

When I buy coffee I either say "black, like my beer" or "black, like my heart!" for serious. the baristas are usually too zombified to notice though and just continue with "room for cream", necessetating me to explain that no, I dont' want cream in my black coffee...

Re: Black like my heart!

[freckledphreak.livejournal.com]

lol barista's are so lacking in senses of humor. Over at the bby...we drink a lot of coffee. Something about being to work @ 4 am....a lot of us drink what's called a blackeye...its black coffee with 3 shots of espresso. They'll always ask if we want sugar and milk with it...and we're always like 0.o..i mean seriously...whats so hard to believe that I'm really just in it for the cafiene...

[painindesire.livejournal.com]

I have to say, my experience taste testing various home brewed alcoholic beverages has NOT been pleasant WHATSOEVER. What makes it worst is I had to actually finish the glasses I had been given as I did not want to be rude and kill the host's dreams.

I drive by BevMos all the time and I have never stepped inside. Now I know what kinds of shenanigans take place inside. :)

Bevmo

[emosnail.livejournal.com]

Ahaha I was really suprised despite that I made it CLEAR that _I_ didn't think my beer was that good everyone seemed totally stoked on it. Maybe they're all too polite for their own good. Cause I was like "seriously guys? seriously? you want the rest of my cup then?" hahaha.

And yes, SHENANIGANS await within!!!

[jnel.livejournal.com]

hahah i love that meat story, my bf has told it to me a few times..that is the first time ive ever read it tho..haha awessssome!

Meat Stories

[emosnail.livejournal.com]

He just told you it off the top of his head?

Re: Meat Stories

[jnel.livejournal.com]

basically, just not as much detail :) nice to read the actual version! lol

[boxsofrain.livejournal.com]

Sounds like lots of fun. =)

[sh-she-thinking.livejournal.com]

thanks for the add :)

[emo-snal.livejournal.com]

No problem. (= thanks for the add-back