Thirsty Thursday: Lost Dog

Sitting on the patio on a Thursday night in February.  Life is good.

On our latest Thirsty Thursday, we added a member to our group and switched up the location by visiting to our new neighborhood joint, BLD. 

I got there early and sat down at the outside bar because it is just that nice in Arizona in January, er February (already...WTH did January go????), and because I had just come from spin class.  Regardless of why, I was pretty much alone at the bar so I decided to chat with the friendly bartender guy. After listing all their beers on tap (not the greatest selection - but better than some places), I asked about the last beer on his list, the Lost Dog Red Ale (7.2% ABV) from Napa Smith Brewery in Napa, California. He said it was very popular and that it was the last keg they would be shipping to Arizona. I have never heard of this and may not have the chance to drink another one on tap?!?!?   Ooooooh, ok, twist my arm...gimme one!

I'm normally not a fan of red beers, but this was not a typical red.  As you can probably see from the picture, this is not a pretty beer when poured.  It is murky and almost muddy with a decent amount of foamy head.  It is the reason I hate swimming in lakes, rivers and the ocean.  It is why I will never compete in an open water triathlon.  None-the-less, it was a DELICIOUS beer.  I can't really think of what to compare it to, but I loved it.  It is thick and creamy but also somehow thin and light.  My trusty Thirsty Thursday companions liked it too.  In fact, I think we may have emptied the keg.

If you live in Arizona and you come across this beer, try it.  Rated a 4.75 out of 5.

Muffin top

Despite this being one of the few beers in our collection that The Husband picked out and was waiting to drink, he is still not inspired to write the blog.  Thanks for your help dude.

But apparently he will narrate for me:  "good bitterness.  Label said it was belgian-style, but it was not so much.  More of an unfiltered IPA with a slightly bitter taste.  Strong.  Bitter and tart finish.  Medium body, unless wife pours the bottom of the bottle into your glass like mine did...then it's a full figured beer - which is maybe where the muffin top comes into play.  Dunno. Slightly-boozy aftertaste.  No off flavors --- just a strong flavor.  Plenty of booze to fill up any muffin top.  Wouldn't purchase again."

In the meantime, I tasted lots of citrus, bubbles and a slight bitterness.  I didn't detect the IPA nature of this beer at all.  I would say that it is a high alcohol content Belgian-style brew.  I'd buy it again if the price were right and there was a fun occasion to present a beer with a fun (and apparently controversial) label.

Clown Shoes Muffin Top Belgian-Style Tripel India Pale Ale (10% ABV) from Mercury Brewing Company in Ipswich, MA

Switching it up...

For whatever reason, tonight we switched to wine.  We used to drink lots of wine, well not LOTS, but at least a lot more frequently than we do these days.  So we've got a bunch sitting around on our lovely wine rack.  The Husband opened this bottle tonight and initially, I was not excited.  It had been so long since I had enjoyed a glass of wine that I was just not excited about wine.  But this was a great re-introduction to wine.  It was light, smooth, juicy and fruity.  I'm not sure if I should admit it, but we enjoyed our wine with a few Fig Newtons (it's not a cookie...it's a bit of fruited cake) and couch lounging.

I don't remember what I paid for this bottle, but I would definitely buy it again if it's under $20.  It's good, but it's not >$20/bottle good.  Then again, I'm a wine novice so my taste buds are by no means refined.

Beringer Founders Estate 2009 Pinot Noir

Birthday Blog

Happy Birthday Pat!

We had a family get together this weekend to celebrate a birthday for my brother in law.  He is one of the few people that reads the beer blog often and has even started to make suggestions for beers to try, a rating system, etc.  He has even been kind enough to supply a few beers for us to try and review (Camelback IPA). 

So, in honor of the birthday boy, I will use his exact words sent to me in series of 3 text messages to describe today's beer, the Whitewater IPA (5.8% ABV) from The Boston Beer Company (i.e. Sam Adams) in Boston, Massachusetts.

"Whitewater IPA is a non-memorable brew in the world of IPA's.  Was it great, no.  Was it bad, no.  On a scale of 1 to 5, it was a solid 3.  Neither remarkable or offensive.  Given the nearby reviews of the Mossy Oak (previously reviewed here), I'd choose the Whitewater.  But if I strolled the aisles of Total Wine or the East Mesa Costco, I'd go another direction.  Perhaps a Deschutes, Sierra Nevada or 4 Peaks would catch my eye. It seems that Sam Adams wants to be the jack of all trades but ends up the master of none..."

Cheers!