What are you guys drinking tonight?

Lots of locally brewed beer.

been a long month at work. I gave up my Christmas Break so the new guy could have time with his clan. Did not want him feeling lousy over the Christmas break having to work....we need him!

so as a result I have 4 days off , go back to trucking Jan 2 2019.

cranking music LOUD, puttering around the apt - tweaking webbing gear, greasing my boots, looking for the damn tire chains for the truck, treating the new MACV-SOG Recondo sheath with Huberd's shoe grease and Sno-Seal, getting ready to head out for snowshoeing in Manning Park this weekend and seeing my mom on New Years Day. Got lots to pick up at her house.....2 pairs trad gut snowshoes (need to buy varnish for them), plus other stuff. We're going for falafel dinner too.

did i mention music?

 

I’m usually a Wild Turkey 101 (Bourbon) drinker, but I thought I’d try their Rye. Bought some on the way home.

Not bad, but nothing special. their “Rye” mash-bill needs more rye. So, I’ve poured myself the old standby (101 Bourbon).

 

Pseudo Sue Mosaic dry hopped IPA from Toppling Goliath Brewing in Decorha Iowa. Has a strong grapefruit aroma, a sweet grapefruit. The taste follows, lots of juicy ripe grapefruit, a little of that pithy dryness. There is a light malty sweetness but it is mostly dry fruity flavors, hard to explain a tropical fruit flavor but still has that dry component. Doesn't feel as thick as it looks but it isn't light by any means. Has a light fizzy carbonation that backs up that pithy dry note. As usual, a fantastic beer from TG.
I notice as it warms a bit the tropical fruit, mango or papaya, starts to assert itself along with that sweet malty note.

 

Made just up the road in Big Sky, Mt - deeelicious.

 

A nice cup of Black Tea most would consider about as bad as battery acid. Personally I can squeeze in a couple of extra hours of work after the Fam goes to sleep this way

 

Coffee! Personal mix of Trader Joe’s Sumatran, Breakfast Blend, and Cafe du Monde French Roast w/ Chicory. Filtered water, fresh grind of the TJ beans, and 1/3 of each. Mix works well as the flavors align.

Every so often, I’ll tinker with the roasts a/o proportions.

 

Spending a little meditative honing time with the Winklers and a Hop Notion IPA courtesy of the good folks @ Crooked Fence Brewing...

 

A dram of Ballvenie 12 year, then a Jack’s Abbey Hoponius Union IPL.

 

Gamma Gamma Ray IPA from Toppling Goliath Brewing in Decorha Iowa and Bottle Logic Brewing. Has a super strong pineapple mango aroma, very pleasant. The taste follows the aroma, there is a bit of a malty flavor but it takes a back seat to the hops. Mostly a pineapple, citrus, tropical fruit flavor but about any flavor associated with hops that can be described is in here, a little dank, a little pine, leaves on a dry pithy note. Feels like a thicker fruit juice in the mouth. A 22 ounce bottle is all I want with the 8% ABV!

 

Reyka Vodka, straight from the freezer (Icelandic, small-batch). Perfect on a chilly, rainy, New England night.

 

Naughty 90 Oaked Ale English IPA from Toppling Goliath Brewing in Decorha Iowa. Has a malty vanilla aroma, a hint of caramel. Taste has hints of a toffee/caramel/vanilla sweetness and roasted malt. Mostly dominated by a boozy/woodsy flavor though. The hops just don't come through for me other than a little bitterness. Good but not one I will go after again, kinda reminded me of cheap scotch.

 

what is the blade in this picture? It looks awesome.

 

Town Branch Bourbon, on the eve of a winter storm.

 

ZeeLander IPA from Toppling Goliath Brewing in Decorha Iowa, brewed with a hop from New Zealand, Nelson Sauvin . Has a citus/tropical fruit with a touch of dank pine smell. Starts with a big burst of bitter orange pith and a unique floral marigold flavor called out by the brewer, I'd swear they put marigold blooms in this beer. There is a dank piney note but not real strong. The bitter fades to a melon fruit with notes of a caramel malt. Leaves with a sweet floral note and opposite most IPA's of this style the bitter is all up front in a big burst then quickly fades. Has a resinous oily mouth feel that lingers on. Another very tasty beer from TG!

 

Arrogant Bastard Ale and Town Branch Bourbon.

 

Jingle Java from Bent River Brewing in Rock Island, Illinois. Not real strong on the coffee flavor, mostly toasted malt. Hints of cinnamon and caramel with a touch of a boozy flavor.

 

Dunkin' Coffee Porter from Harpoon Brewery in Massachusetts. A roasted malt and expresso aroma. A heavily smoked malty flavor with hints of coffee and maybe dark chocolate which gets a little stronger as the beer warms. A nice balance of sweet and bitter and a not to thick, not to thin feel. Pretty well balanced but leans on the smoky side.