Beer CAN make you smarter!!

Who knew that drinking beer could make you smarter??  Here are a few things we learned just from drinking a single can of beer:

• "'New Columbia' is the name of the proposed U.S. state that would be created by the admission of the District of Columbia into the United States as the 51st state according to legislation offered starting in the 98th Congress in 1983" 
•  "In November 2000, the DC Department of Motor Vehicles began issuing license plates bearing the slogan 'Taxation Without Representation' - Visit www.dcvote.org for more information"

The Public Pale (6.0% ABV)
DC Brau Brewing Company
Washington D.C.

Whenever possible, we try to keep our poolside beers in cans when there are kids around.  This used to mean we had a fairly limited selection of poolside beers, but thankfully, more and more breweries are switching to cans.  Today's beer is compliments of some of our beer swap friends in Virginia who recently discovered that THEY were the ones who actually had the beer swap box hidden away at their house. Ha!  (If you're reading this ... is it our turn?  Send me a message or an e-mail or something.)

This is a well done beer.  Slightly hoppy and bitter but not so much so that I didn't like it.  It was a bit heavy for poolside consumption, but I'd love to try it again in a glass while sitting on the couch watching football and eating a bowl of peanuts.

Recommendations: should be enjoyed in a glass in an environment that is not 120 degrees Fahrenheit

Score: 4 out of 5 pint glasses on the unofficial Suburban Suds pint glass rating system

Perfect Summer Saison

Dear Green Flash Brewing Co.:

This beer rocks.  It is absolutely perfect.  Please make more and send it directly to my house.  On ice.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
    Me.

Summer Saison (4.5% ABV)
Green Flash Brewing Company
San Diego, CA

Suburban happy hour....fail

With two kids and a puppy, we still try to get out of the house like we used to.  Friday night was one of those nights where we were trying to get out and enjoy Happy Hour like normal people but a tragic string of events kept crapping on our plans.  First, our establishment of choice was out of business.  The curse of suburbia.  Second, the backup plan was packed and they lied about their wait time.  Who does this when 4 adults and 4 small children show up at their restaurant?  Don't you people know that when you say 20 minutes, we carefully weigh if the kids can wait 30 minutes before getting a morsel of food in their fingers?  Even though you make the most delicious chicken and bacon-laced waffles in suburban America, 40 minutes without an end in sight was enough to make me want to boycott you for a while.  And I will.

So anyway, we ordered takeout from somewhere else and decided to do some bomber tasting back at the Casa de Beer.  First up, the Anniversary Ale [3rd] from Port Brewing Company. 

Anniversary Ale (10% ABV)
Port Brewing Company
San Marcos, California

Wow, great first choice.  This beer is strong....and it tastes strong.  On their website, the Brewer describes it as "the taste is a thick, chewy hop presence only barely contained by balancing malts. The finish is pure hop expression with a moderate warming alcohol sensation."  If by warming sensation you mean giant buzz, then yes, you are correct all around.  I give it 4 stars because although the flavor was good, it was just a bit much (heavy, both on the booze scale and flavor scale) for me.  But if you like strong beers, you'll probably like this one.

2nd Annual International IPA Day

August 2: International India Pale Ale (IPA) Day was founded in 2011 by Ashley Routson and Ryan Ross.  They set out to start a movement desiged to unite the voices of craft beer enthusiasts, bloggers, and brewers using social media.  Their goal was to pick a day, August 2, and give breweries, bloggers, businesses and consumers the chance to connect and share their love of one specific type of craft beer.

Ok, whatever. 

For me, IPA day is just another reason I should drink a beer after work.  Maybe it will be an IPA and maybe it won't be.  Regardless of if it is an IPA or not, it will be a good beer, that is for sure.

After a 60-minute hellacious workout at bootcamp on Thursday night, I went out for a beer with my bootcamp partner in crime.  Our beer of choice?  90 Shilling from Odell.  Solid.  But I knew that the Husband had selected an IPA to share with me when I got home.

His selection?  The Brutal IPA from Rogue Ales in Oregon.  Previously bottled as the "Brutal Bitter Ale" and also sometimes bottled as "Portland State IPA" (2010). When I first smelled this after pouring it into my glass, I was scared.  It smelled like something I would very much hate. 

Brutal IPA (5.8% ABV)
Rogue Ales
Newport, Oregon

However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the severely hoppy smell didn't hold a candle to the taste.  It was hoppy alright, but it wasn't nearly as hoppy as it smelled.  It wasn't so hoppy that you would only want to order one of them.  4 stars.

Oh, and Gus gave this beer 2 paws up after sneezing 5 times but before passing out in his kennel.

Summertime in Arizona

I think this just about sums it up...

Fat Tire Amber Ale
New Belgium Brewing Co.
Fort Collins, Colorado

Beer and friendship

The New River Brewing Company was Kenny Lefkowitz's dream.  He has been developing recipes and experimenting with the infinite combinations of malt, hops and yeast for years. According to Kenny, "the only problem I see with this love is that you don't get to live long enough to try them all."

In May 1995, he and a friend dreamed up the brewery and encountered many bumps along the way.  His friend went on to begin a new career and Kenny was left to select a brewery to produce his beer. He chose Old Dominion Brewing Company of Ashburn, Virginia. At the time, Old Dominion had been producing award winning beers since 1989. He contacted the head brewer at Old Dominion and told him he wanted Old Dominion to brew his beer.  He agreed.  The first batch of New River Pale Ale was brewed on Monday, September 27, 1999. The first batch arrived in Blacksburg, Virginia on November 4th, 1999.

In 2001, Kenny Lefkowitz died suddenly from a massive coronary at the age of 32.  In 2002, Kenny's original brewing partner rejoined New River to help carry on Kenny's dream.


Lost Rhino Brewing Company was formed by longtime brewers from Old Dominion.  They have since acquired the rights to New River Pale Ale and brew it with the exact recipe as Kenny originally designed it.

New River Pale Ale (5.6%ABV)
Lost Rhino Brewing Company
Ashburn, Virginia

Kenny's mother writes, "To all of you who enjoy the beer and have been touched by Kenny, I want to say that I personally appreciate you. Moving on without Kenny has been the most difficult challenge of my life. What keeps me going is my wish to make New River Pale Ale known to all beer connoisseurs in this country - - my desire is to make Kenny's dream a reality…"

Cheers to Kenny for following his dream and never giving up.  And cheers to his buddy Chad for being a good friend and helping carry out Kenny's dream.  Everyone should be so lucky to have friends like you.

Thanks to John and Sarah for sending us this little gem.  It was delicious!

http://www.newriverbrewing.com/story.html