Saturday, December 24, 2011

'Twas the Frambozen Before Christmas

In the spirit of Christmas, Husband and I enjoyed a Frambozen Rasberry Brown Ale (6.5% ABV) from New Belgium Brewing Company in Fort Collins, Colorado after our return from Christmas Eve service.  After the the kids arranged the cookies and wrote a letter to Santa, we all gathered round and read "Twas the Night Before Christmas" on the couch together.  Kids drank eggnog and adults enjoyed some Frambozen, a delicious and festive raspberry ale.


At the request of my brother-in-law, we will bring back the rating system.  He did not specify the scale he would like me to use, but I hope that 1 (Yuck.  Could not finish.) to 10 (Amazeballs!!! I'm already heading to store to get another one) will satisfy his needs. 

Overall, a delicious "festive occasion" beer.  The raspberry initially tasted like cranberry to me, but after it warmed, it was distinctly raspberry.  One of these was enough.  Husband rates it a 7 and I would have to agree.

In the spirit of Christmas, here is a picture of the kids, busy writing a letter to Santa and snacking on baby puffs.  Big sister wrote it on behalf of herself, her little sister and her puppy.

2011 Jubelale

Each year just before the Holidays, the Deschutes Brewery in Bend, Oregon releases their Jubelale brew.   In the past, it hasn't been my favorite beer but I also haven't disliked it.

Tonight I sampled the 2011 Jubelale (6.7%) and I am happy to report that it is good.  The winter spices are present but not too overpowering.  I liked it more as it warmed slightly.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Blackbird Porter

The Flagstaff Brewing Company in Flagstaff, Arizona makes some delicious brews.  But beware, if you show up anxious to get some brew to take on the road, they will only fill a growler with their name on it.  A growler from any other brewery just won't do.  We learned this the hard way a few years ago.

So Husband went to Flagstaff to do a little boarding earlier this week and I sent him with 3 growlers, one from each of the main breweries in town.  I asked him to bring me home something good but didn't specify what I wanted.

He brought home the Blackbird Porter from Flagstaff Brewing Company (6.0%).  We drank it a day after the growler was filled and then driven from 8,000 feet above sea level to 1,000 feet above sea level ... so it was bordering a little on flat.  We had a friend over to help us drink it and he remarked how much it tasted more like a nut brown than a porter.  As soon as he said that, I agreed.  None-the-less, it was delicious and is now gone.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Search for Santa Ends Empty Handed

We took our 8-month old daughter to go see Santa this afternoon.  I was kind of obsessed with taking her to go see Santa.  I thought it was just what you were supposed to do.  You know, a right of passage somehow. I'm by no means a "competitive" mom, but I've seen pictures of everyone else and their kids sitting with Santa posted on Facebook and I thought, well I can do that.  Baby is cute and will LOVE Santa.  Let's do this.    So we get her dressed up in her little "I <heart> Santa" onesie and red pants and throw her in the car.  Somewhere along the way, she falls asleep.  No big deal.  She'll wake up once we get her out of the car.

So we arrive in our local mall's Santa Lane and are lucky enough to score a front row parking spot.  I swear Husband always gets good parking and now that I'm Wife, I'm starting to inherit this trait also.  We park the car and unload baby into stroller.  Still sound asleep.

We walk around and find Santa.  Lucky us -- only 5-10 people in line ahead of us.  A sign was posted along the roped Christmas version of the yellow brick road which detailed the costs of allowing your adorable little munchkin to experience this right of passage.  Well I'm cheap, so my eyeballs immediately gravitate to the cheapest option, the "Dasher Package" priced at $23.  For this, you get 1 5x7" print and 2 3x5" prints.  Hmmmm.  Ok.  I kind of wanted an electronic version.  I read on.  In order to get an electronic version of the print (you know, to post on Blog or Facebook or god forbid, share with Grandparents), we were going to have to fork over at least $39.99.  Whaaaaaaaaaaat?

At this point, I'm actually starting to get angry.  How can you possibly exploit people so badly just to see Santa?!?!?!?  He's SANTA!!!!  While I'm rocking the sleeping baby in the stroller and thinking about if this is a good idea, I notice that Husband is very quiet and patient.  This is uncharacteristic of him, especially in large crowds, while shopping or around the Holidays.  Finally I decide that I am opposed to this and blurt out "Sitting on Santa's lap is only for kids who write wish lists to Santa.  She's 8 months old -- she CAN'T even hold a pencil without trying to eat it."

As I turn the stroller around and navigate our way under the ropes and out of line, Husband smiles and says "yeah, I thought taking a baby to sit on Santa's lap was a stupid idea."

So here we are at the giant mall surrounded by 8 billion other people with a rockstar, and I mean ROCK STAR, parking spot.  The only way this spot could have been better is if we were handicapped (thankful we are not)...or just one of those people who has a handicap parking pass.  We decide to walk over to Total Wine while we're here.  During our stroll across the outdoor mega mall, Husband is whistling Reverend Horton Heat's "Please Don't Take The Baby to the Liquor Store."  http://youtu.be/rWbuvh9tneQ

We are in search of the 2011 version of our traditional holiday treat, the Anchor Christmas Ale from Anchor Steam Brewing Company in San Francisco, California. They've brewed this beer every year since 1975 and it comes in a giant oversized mega bottle.  It is fantastic. But more importantly, for the past 5-6 years, we've enjoyed this beer together on Christmas Eve after the kids are in bed while we're busy wrapping presents and playing Santa. 


We comb the aisles and search the endcaps.   No luck.  We check the surprisingly festive holiday booze display.   Nothing.  We finally break down and ask someone working there.  Sold out.  SOLD OUT!?!?!

Man, today is just full of disappointments.