Shiner: Spezial Leicht

At the local HEB and saw a few new Shiner labels, one of a re-do of the Heffeweizen with a bold new orange label, plus the new Light, or Leicht or whatever. To tell you the truth, I buy Shiner to drink a local beer with flavor, this tasted just like your regular light beer). It would probably be cheaper to go with any light beer out there. Not a fan.

When free beer is everyones favorite

I went downtown last night to take in a few promotional happy hours from the latest environmental trade fair. We started of at Scholz Garten with some live music and beer. The next stop was Iron Cactus, where the party hostwould give you a coupons for free drinks. They have a pretty wide selection of beers and some good top shelf liquors, but the majority of people were still drinking bud light or another domestic beer. If you ask me, if the drinks are free, try something new or maybe with a little more flavor. Of course once I figured out I could get a mixed drink for free, I put down the beer and started my own rum tasting tour!

On the way home we stumbled into the Whip In for a St Bernardus ABT12 as the nightcap. While I was there I picked up aBush or Scaldis Prestige and a De Koninck Winter Dark Ale as well as another Taj Mahal for a friend.

Louisiana Trip: Festival International

Thursday: So here we are again visiting family, taking a break and going to Festival International. After we settle into Breaux Bridge we head out to the basin, on the way we stop for beer and I pick up a sixer of Abita Red Ale. We get to the Atchafalaya Basin to visit some of my wife's family that are vacationing on the boat, we were picked up via a party barge and transported out into the basin, tucked away into a cypress and willow flooded area. Nice and peaceful setting, I was able to fish for bluegill right off the deck. The family enjoyed a wonderful crawfish etouffee made on the spot with fresh ingredients. I shared a couple of bottles of St Bernardus Wit and Prior 8 with the house boat members as well as brought a variety of local Texas beers. The Wit is becoming a favorite of mine and the more I try the other styles St Bernardus offers, they are growing on me pretty quick. We finish with a moonlight boat ride back to the cars and head home.

Friday: Off to the festival for live music, art and socializing. Luis Perez is a family artist that was showing his work. I picked up a wood carved voodoo doll to hang at the shop. The smaller doll on the right is from New Orleans, from my wife. Chantal's grandfather Al Grace built a still and would make is own whiskey, this was several years back. Since his passing the still has sat in his old shop unused. It was loaned to me today by the family, it needs a little work but I think I can get it to operate. pictures soon.

Sat: First stop Marcellos to take a quick look, a box and some cash later I emerge. It's always hit or miss but this time they had a large variety of corked Belgium beers that I have not tried, plus a few french beer and corked cider.

Beer List:
Meantime Coffe Porter, London UK
Gouden Carolus Triple, corked, Belgium
Gouden Caroulus Grand Cru, corked, Belgium
Corsendonk Brown and Pale Ale corked, Belgium
Silver Jubilee Farmhouse Ale, corked, US
Guldenberg Abbey Ale, corked, Belgium
Gavroche Red Ale, France
Cidre Bouchet Brut Du Normandie, Cider, Corked, France

A few of these will be cellared and a few will show up later here. After we deposit the beers at home we head out to the festival. One of the festival events was a beer class: Good for what ALES you: The History of brewing techniques of beer from around the world. Due to a scheduling mishap the classes didn't form but a few die hard beer lovers showed up and were treated with a very small, social beer tasting environment. The local distributing representative was on hand with a variety of beer available from a Bud distributor. Of these I tasted the Wild Blue, Blueberry Lager a blueberry infused lager. Deep purple color, little carbonation and a super sweet blueberry taste. Not what I expected in a beer, I think this beer would be better suited for cooking. Next up the Shock Top Belgian Style White ale with a slice of orange, hazy wheat color, sweet notes, coriander. Not a bad value based selection for the style. The rest of the selections were pretty domestic but the conversation and free beer is always enjoyable. The rain finally set in and we decided to leave early and get some fresh boiled crawfish.

More photos and tasting notes soon.

Corsendonk Belgian Pale Ale

Corsendonk, Brewed at Du Bocq in Pernode Belgium. The Corsendonk Priory dates from 1659, it was shut down in 1789 by Austrian Emperor Joseph II, again in 1789 during the French Revolution the properties were seized and auctioned off. From the 19th century forward Monks no longer make the beer but it's logos and taste reflect an abbey style.

Fermented twice, once with top fermentation and the second time in the bottle. It is matured for three weeks before being sent out. A six month aging period is recommended for a better result.

Orkney SkullSplitter Ale

Orkney Brewery
Quoyloo Sandwick
UK Scotland

Orkney is a small group of islands off Scotland. Home of Thorfin Hausakluif (Skullsplitter), the 7th Viking Earl of Orkney 1,000 AD.

Dark reddish copper color, thick tan head. Heavy malt taste with a slight bitter finish. Picked this up on my last trip to Louisiana.

This guy celebrated St. Patrick's day a little to much.

Seems fitting for a day were everyone is Irish and gives us an excuse to drink. I wonder if they had green beer back around 3000 BC?

"Canterbury Archaeological Trust said the curled-up skeleton was an example of a "Beaker" burial because of the pottery vessel placed at its feet.

Education officer Marion Green said the "beautifully decorated" pot could have been "a type of beer mug"."

Read the full article here

Fwd: Email Sucks, sometimes......

Typically when I get a fwd email from someone, it is a tragic story with a life lesson at the end, or a feel good story about overcoming great adversity, lately it has been political with different reasons why a candidate is evil.

In most cases the story is usually false and it still gets passed around. This email started off the same way, friend of a friend sent me this story and they were actually there so it must be true, let me fwd it to you. I started reading with the usual skepticism trying to guess the outcome of the story, this one seemed like it was going to be a tragic story with a lesson at the end. So I read on the learn today's life lesson. Let me tell you, after reading it I was convinced that it needed to be shared, so not only did I fwd it to every person in my address book, I posted it here. Please read on.

-----Original Message-----
From: []
Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2008 2:34 PM
Subject: Fw: Accident Photos



I actually had to think about whether to send this or not.....it's pretty
graphic



I almost cried when I saw this picture. It is absolutely gut wrenching.
It shows the importance of being properly strapped in.
A friend of a friend sent him this photo of a horrible highway accident
in Germany. The picture may be kind of hard to take for some of you. If
you look closely you can see what appear to be some survivors of the
accident still in the wreckage. Although the picture is quite graphic, it
makes you realize how quickly our loved ones can be taken from us.

My friend stayed on the scene to help and even though he performed mouth
to mouth on quite a few of them, none apparently survived.



Ha, I had to laugh and share!