A man in the water is one of the worst things that can happen to a sailing vessel.  Suddenly the entire focus shifts from whatever the mission of the boat is to saving that sailor.  It is a singular focus that shifts the mission of the vessel radically and immediately.  It is no wonder that […]

The origins of Chicago’s Christmas Ship date back to merchants in the 1800s that would sail wooden hulled ships to Michigan and purchase Christmas trees from the Indians to sell to people in the City of Chicago.  Their business boomed for the better part of two decades and then through ship wrecks and other more […]

Well for every yin there is a yang, and I have found the Christmas yang.  I was really hoping that my first foray into a  Belgian  style  Christmas beer would be a great experience, but it was not to be.  This beer reminded me of a time I went to Lewiston, Idaho and had a micro […]

Finally, I have gotten a good explanation for what Christmas Brews are all about.  We have spent a lot of time on this blog discussing the flavors of the season, and trying to find a brew that explains Christmas in beer.  I think we have been thinking about this all wrong.  This has got to […]

Day eight proved to be the one where 90 percent of my head cold symptoms subsided and I actually had a dram of whiskey last night to celebrate!  Not only could I taste it, but I could smell it and at a high enough level to post this review!  I’m back with a vengeance. So the […]

I’m still playing with the new video cam, and took the opportunity to try a Dale’s Pale Ale from the can for the first time.  Check out the review below, and thanks to 52 Brews for turning me on to this beer! Have you tried this stuff?

The Holidays have their share of challenges.  There have been funny holiday songs like the “Twelve Disasters of Christmas”, countless humorous holiday cards, and I believe the quintessential holiday movie Christmas Vacation!  The story of Clark Griswald an average food additives scientist and his family in a quest to find the true meaning of Christmas.  Along the way he destroys his […]

At least that is what I thought when I bought my first Oatmeal Stout.  I thought lots of people like oats, and of course the horse thing, but there must be at least 10 people I can think of off hand that like oats…Lets see, theres Wilfred Brimley, He loves oats, there was Ulle Gibbins, […]

As you may know, I’ve been rather disappointed in the most of the Christmas beers I’ve had thus far.  It boils down to a simple fact – they just don’t taste like Christmas.  They’re have all been very nice beers and all will make lovely gifts, but unlike Oktoberfests or pumpkin beers, the tastes are […]

Have you ever noticed that some good things and some bad things come with age.  In time you learn that the bad things might not have been as bad as you thought they were when you were going through them.  Take for example the fall of the Greek empire, I’m sure it really blew for […]

Nothing evokes more of an emotional response than the color red.  It seems people either love it or hate it, and there are fewer people in the middle than other colors.  I fall in the middle, I think some things red are great, and others are not so good.  Take for example hair.  My wife […]

I’ve just had my second Christmas brew, a Southern Tier Krampus imperial helles lager. It was a very robust beer that got creamier as it warmed, with sweet malts balancing out piney hops. And while apricot flavors danced in the background, there was no trace of sugarplums, fruitcake or eggnog. It was also a very […]

It might be a little early for a Christmas beer review, but the seasonal brews have hit the store shelves and I decided to get the reviews up while you can still actually buy these puppies. This is the first time I’ve had St. Bernardus Christmas Ale, and I didn’t know what to expect. But […]

Sorry for the poor quality of this photo, but it was taken in a bar with very low lighting.  As you can see this is a bottle of A.H. Hirsch Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey.  It is 93 proof and aged 22 years in Oak.  I had a sample of this on a recent trip to […]

It has been quite the journey of discovery for me and Wheat Bourbons.  I have found some I liked, and others I loved.  I know there are more wheat bourbons out there for me to try, but I thought I would bring this series to a close.  I have found a great appreciation for the […]