December 2008

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Sumerian Beer Recipe, 3200 BC

December 29, 2008 in Beer History | No comments

Sumerian Beer Recipe 3200bc

According to the New York Times, you’re looking at one of the earliest known recipes ever written down by man.

It’s for beer.

One of the contentions of the novel I’m currently writing is that humanity’s entire modern civilization owes everything to the discovery of beer, that mankind changed from hunter-gatherers to farmers, and then developed cities and society, specifically so that they could produce beer.  Beer to them was divine and the nectar of the Gods.  It got them buzzed, helped them forget about their worries, and got even the ugly guys laid.

Anyway, I stumbled upon this while doing research and thought I’d share it with you.  The picture links to the article that I stole it from.

Favorite Beer Posters

December 27, 2008 in Beer Fun | No comments

 

 

DAZ103-RetroBeerCVR-01

 

I don’t know why I love these types of posters so much, but I do.

Saranac Caramel Porter

December 24, 2008 in Beer Reviews | No comments

Saranac Caramel PorterMerry Christmas!

I thought I would celebrate with something sweet, so I chose a Saranac Caramel Porter.  I’m assuming it’s sweet.  After all, it has caramel in the name.

Popping the top, I take a whiff.  Well, it definitely smells of caramel.  Artificially so, like it’s something added.  It overwhelms all the beer scents and puts me on my guard.

It smells, in fact, like caramel flavored coffee syrup, or perhaps caramel schnapps.  I’d been saving this and couldn’t wait to drink it, but now I’m kind of dreading the first swig.  Here’s hoping I’m wrong.

Tipping it up to my lips, I take a taste.

Exactly as I’d feared, it tastes like beer with caramel flavor added to it.  It’s not bad or unpleasant, but … not satisfying.

After half a bottle my stomach is feeling a bit unsettled.  Of course that could just be in my head.

According to the label it’s naturally flavored, but has caramel coloring added to it.  I wonder if it’s that “coloring” that I taste?  There is a definite artificial tang to the flavor.

Still, now that the bottle is gone, I have  to say I did enjoy it.  I hesitate to deem it groovy, however.

Let’s just say it’s “pretty good.”

Hope you all have a wonderful holiday!  Be careful driving on that ice, stay warm, and have a safe new years.

Hub City Oatmeal Stout

December 18, 2008 in Beer Reviews, Gulp Alert!, Holy Beer Contenders | No comments

IMG_0509 I am not used to all this snow.

Its still new enough to me that I’m not sick of it, but I really do miss Texas – even if they are having an ice storm down there.  I’d rather face 7 inches of snow in Illinois than 1/2 inch of ice in Dallas.

So, anyway, on this snowy evening I am treating myself to a brew I wouldn’t have been able to get down south:  Hub City Oatmeal Stout.  Brewed not too far away from here in Iowa, this little brew comes highly recommended, and so I’m rather looking forward to it.

Popping the top, I’m greeted with a sweet scent that has distinctly whisky overtones.

The first sip … mild, smooth, with a richness that sneaks up on you.

My immediate first impression:  Yummy!

The marked lack of carbonation makes this far too easy to chug down, so I’m sounding the gulp alert on this one.  Extremely smooth, I’m tasting a perfect balance of sweet and bitter over a rich chocolaty malt base, with delicious biscuity oatmeal overtones.

And with that, the bottle is already empty!  That went down fast, and it left me craving another.

This is hereby proclaimed a groovy brew, and I’m awarding it a very respectable 6.9 on the Holy Grail Scale.

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