Beer Reviews

Here’s the Mail, It Never Fails. It Makes Me Wanna Wag My Tail….

/ foodsweatandbeers / 8 Comments

Hey there friends and neighbors…

Before you do anything else with your day, pop over to NC Brewing to read my guest post Recap: NC Girls’ Pint Out detects good beer from the bad. By writing an article for them, I’ve basically become a superstar in the beer world and if you wanna catch me on the way up, make sure you keep tabs on me now.

Anyway, shameless self-plugs aside…

If you were drawn to this post by the title, you might be expecting this little friend:

MAILBOX! (click for Source)

Well, sorry to disappoint.  Looks like you’re stuck with me.

Yup. Stuck with me.

I’m home for lunch and SO excited because this time tomorrow, I’ll be headed to the airport for yet ANOTHER wonderful weekend in the North. I had a blast this weekend at my cousin’s wedding shower but barely got to see my better half, Ryan. Luckily, this weekend I’ll have a chance to split the difference and spend some time in his stomping grounds of Philly!! It’ll be nice to return after enjoying myself so much during the Healthy Living Summit… maybe I’ll even revisit Reading Terminal Market !

Today’s lunch is brought to you by: every single thing that could possibly go bad in over the weekend!

SCRAMBLED AND SEXY!

It was random as all get-out and included about 1/5 of a sausage cooked with spinach, egg, and some cheese as well as steamed veggies on the side. Yummy and filling!

The reason I’m stoked to write especially for today’s properly labeled post is that, in the past few days, I got some SERIOUS mail swag!!

Today, I picked up a massive set of boxes from my apartment complex office. Well, after digging into those bad boys, check out the goodies!

More and More MUIR!

I won the Muir Glen Organic giveaway from the effervescent Kaitlin over at For Love of Carrots, and now have a pantry chock FULL of amazing tomato products (and soup to boot!) This couldn’t come at a better time considering the squash love of my life, spaghetti squash, AND pizza dough are on sale at my local Harris Teeter this week!  I know what I’ll be making when I get back from PA!

Also in the mail?  Something I’ve been waiting for with bated breath since I signed up for Foodie Pen Pals through Lindsay’s blog.

The best things in life are VERMONT!

Allie from Healthy Balance, Healthy Life sent me a package so chock-full of maple syrup goodness, I almost choked. But honestly, I think I choked more on the granola that I spent the past two days virtually gargling (only then, I swallowed).

Seriously, I’ve knocked granola in the past but this…. this is ethereal.  Luckily, there wasn’t too much, so now that it’s gone, I’m just working my way through the cookies. Speaking of which, I think there’s just enough time to have a Puppy Love peanut butter chocolate chip cookie before going back to work.

EDIT: I ended up eating a banana and saving the cookies for when I visit Ryan tomorrow. You’re welcome, boyfriend.

Southern Tier Brewing Company Crème Brûlée (Imperial Milk Stout)

/ foodsweatandbeers / 15 Comments

Ok, I have a treat for you all. A delicious, sweet, creamy treat. And the best part?

It’s a beer.

I went to my buddy Katie’s Labor Day BBQ on Monday with my dearest pal, Veronika, and we toted along a delicious Buffalo Chicken Dip that was only the tip of a delicious iceberg that was the “spread”.

Buffalo Chicken Dip in the front, actual buffalo chicken wings on the left

Cherries, pasta salad, all the chips and dips, clementines, collard greens, green peppers, and carrots. Mmmm!

But that really wasn’t the treat I meant (though these were all treats).

That's the money shot.

Sweating in my hand is 22 oz of tastiness in the form of a bottle of Southern Tier Brewing‘s Crème Brûlée Imperial Milk Stout.

Described by the brewer:

We are not the harbingers of truth as some may suggest but it may indeed be argued that our brewing philosophy is tantamount to a dessert with a bellicose past. How, you may ask, would a brewery determine a likeness to hard-coated custard? Our response is simple; it’s all in the power of history, and of course, the extra finesse needed to top off a contentious treat with definition.

By comprehending the labyrinthine movement of time, one would not think it strange to trace the errant path of an ordinary object such as a cream dessert only to discover that it has been the cause of cultural disputes since the middle ages. The British founders of burnt cream and from Spain, crema catalana, both stand by their creative originality and we respect that, but it was the French Crème Brûlée, amid the strife of contention, that survived to represent our deliciously creamy brew.

9.6% ABV

Wow. That’s a lot of words to describe this beer (or not even really describe it. Either way, it’s a lot of words.)

Here’s my description: This is a beer for every dessert lover out there. It’s a beer that I genuinely believe could even win the hearts of devout “non-beer drinkers” and beer drinkers alike. It’s sweet, it’s creamy, and, when served cold, it’s better than any popsicle I’ve had (except maybe Locopops… maybe). And by God, if it doesn’t taste like Crème Brûlée!!

The smell resembled a rich vanilla, the taste kept that vanilla party going with a few hints of coffee or cocoa (I’m looking forward to trying their Mokah Imperial Stout soon, bottle of that waiting in the fridge). The mouthfeel was so creamy that we decided to do a little experiment, for the sake of science.

Do I dare?

Oh, yes. I dared.

One scoop of vanilla ice cream + a liberal pouring of Crème Brûlée Imperial Milk Stout + blender = best boozy milkshake I’ve ever had in my entire life.

Here’s the thing about this beer: I don’t think I could’ve had more than the one, at least not in one night. It’s a special treat, but I enjoyed every last drop. If you’re curious to try a beer that doesn’t really taste like a beer…. try this beer. If you already taste many beers on a regular basis, still try this beer. It’s a beer that isn’t like any other one I’ve tried. And I’d totally recommend it.

It pairs nicely with ribs AND with Paul's crazy face!

Now, all I need to do is get a hold of their infamous Pumking!!

Have you ever tried a dessert beer? How about a beer milkshake?  Or any other kind of creamy boozy drink? 

I used to be a big fan of the occasional White Russian. Smooth and tasty. But cream and booze…. you can only take it so far before someone gets very ill (I assume, that’s one experience I’ve never had, thank goodness!)

Foothills Brewing + City Beverage: Winston Salem Beer Scene

/ foodsweatandbeers / 15 Comments

Friiiiiiiiiiiiday, Friiiiiiiiiiiiiiiday, hate to wear pants on Friiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiday!

Just wanted to let everyone know, in case you weren’t aware, that it is, in fact, Friday.  And though I’m no Rebecca Black, I’ve got big plans for this freakin’ weekend!   On the agenda:

  • Going out with one of my best friends and fellow Floretine study (a)broads, Kinsley!

    Margaritas in the Hard Rock? When in Rome.... (literally. we were in Rome.)

    Haven’t seen her in WAY too long, and I expect a night of joy and joyness. In fact, a whole weekend of it.

  • UNC FOOTBALL!!

    I LOVED reading that Nicole of Sugar-Coated Sisters is fired up for her first game as a USC Trojan! I, on the other coast, can hardly see straight with my excitement for Tar Heel football starting tomorrow!!

  • Shopping.
    I’m going to try to control myself. Gotta watch this one. But I AM picking up my new TV!!

Clearly, some good ish…. even though it’s no long weekend beach trip.  Or my standard fare of a trip to Oxford, MS. Times, they are a-changing.

As I mentioned in my post on Old Salem Tavern, there was more fun to be had in Winston Salem.  Fun in the form of my favorite sudsy beverage.

Come to mama!

After prepping for the next day of training for work I looked at my clock, not feeling tired at all, and realized it was only a little after nine.  Well, I consulted the glory of the internet, after tweeting a call to arms about fun to be had in Winston Salem, and realized that Foothills Brewing Brewpub was within walking distance of my hotel. Say WHAT?!

I wasted no time in hitting the ground running (walking. carefully) over to the pub. Thanks to advice from one of my fellow Girls’ Pint Out buddies, Anna, I reviewed the menu and despite the fact that it was $3 pint night, I went for something a little different.

Much better than that delayed Southwest Flight

6 full size samples, 3 of their seasonal samples in a smaller form, all for $7.99?!?! I DIE!

This is the very best way of visiting a new brewery/brewpub. I was able to enjoy a little bit of everything without getting drunk, and could focus on the flavors without clearing out my wallet.  I was able to meet some friendly locals who hooked me up with a little information on their favorites. Some highlights? (If you follow me on untappd, feel free to gloss over this part)

  • Barrel Aged People’s Porter-Fantastic porter, creamy rich and delicious, I could taste the almost chocolatey bourbon in the aftertaste.
  • Hoppyum IPA-This hoppy beer is never not good. A pretty classic IPA, it’s got some tasty citrus notes too!
  • Seeing Double IPA-Wow. You’d never expect the ABV content by tasting this beer (it’s 9.5%). It’s smooth, delicious, and the mouthfeel is actually enjoyable.

I loved being able to just relax and (very slowly) enjoy all that Foothills had to offer. Even with tip, I left without spending more than $11 and enjoyed every second.  The bartender was nice, knowledgeable, and friendly, especially without being too pushy. He let me make my own choices and even talked a little beer with me. I know it was slow, it was a Monday, but it meant a lot.

Thanks for the hospitality, new friends! Can't wait to go back!!

On my way out of WS, I stopped by City Beverage to pick up something new that I’ve never tried before (seriously, that was my only condition. other than that, I was open to everything.)

Oldies are the goodies.

The glassware put my own collection to shame, and they had an adorable tasting room but, like a fool in love, I was so enamored with looking at all the pretty bottles that I skipped taking a picture of that. Trust me, though, it’s adorable, it’s wooden, and it smells of rich mahogany (real talk.)

Want em all.

View from the bottom

The selection was amazing, and I was totally overwhelmed, but finally managed to waltz out of there with some tasty bevvies….

You’ll just have to wait and see what they were, though.

Have you ever tried a flight of beers? How about a beer tasting?

What’s a hidden gem in your town? Beer related if you’d like, but really, I’ll accept any/everything!

Who knows, maybe one day I’ll visit!

 

 

Delirium Tremens Review: Great Expectations

/ foodsweatandbeers / 16 Comments

For the longest time, the only fancy beer I even knew of was Delirium Tremens. I liked the white bottle, I liked the name (it was only later [read: two seconds ago] that I realized the name truly meant: Delirium tremens is a severe form of alcohol withdrawal that involves sudden and severe mental or neurological changes), and I really liked the elephant on the bottle.

Aw, drunk elephant (click image for Source)

And I didn’t know what it would taste like because it was expensive and I was a college student who was more interested in throwing back cans of PBR than I was in thinking serious thoughts about things like beer or the future or neurological changes resulting from alcohol withdrawal. Luckily, times changed.

Not all that much, apparently.

During the sale of the CENTURY at A Southern Season beer, of all things, was discounted (I know, I freaked out too!) I did what any self-respecting beer lover would do: I grabbed a discounted bottle of the beer I’d been longing to try for years.

I saved it for a lovely evening with some friends, the weather was right, the sun was setting (but very very slowly) and the bottle was chilled. The stage was set:

Cork in a beer? This must be good.

I pried out the cork, imagining this as the TRUE champagne of beers (Miller High Life be damned!) I even found an appropriate glass (not difficult with an entire shelf full of glassware.)

Gorgeous, isn't she?

The color was lovely, an amberish gold that just glittered in the sun.
The smell? Citruses, definitely. Is that an aroma of banana bread? It just may be!

The taste…. well here’s where the great expectations came into play.  This Belgian Pale Ale from Brouwerij Huyghe in Belgium was too fruity for me (and that’s saying something!) That faint smell of banana bread…. that was definitely in the taste. There were lemony flavors and some spiciness as I sipped it but my mouth was not celebrating with the party I’d expected. Perhaps it’s because I hate Blue Moon’s Pale Moon (or really, anything Blue Moon does) and I couldn’t help but feel reminded of it as I sipped. Maybe it was just that my tastes have been leaning lately towards IPAs or powerful stouts/porters with something else fancy going on.  Or there’s always the chance that it just wasn’t meant to be.

I was bummed that this expensive beer (a little over $10 when it was on sale, though that is for the big-girl bottle) had tasted worse than a $3 Bell’s Two Hearted (which I used to consider “SUPER EXPENSIVE!”)

I think that, like a raccoon, I was drawn to the shiny colors and bright animals on the bottle, the off-white mottled color, the novelty of a cork on beer. And, unlike a raccoon, I was rewarded with a beer that simply didn’t live up to my great expectations (AH!! I said the name of the post IN THE POST! If you’re playing the “food, sweat, and beers” drinking game You have to drink now!!)

Oh well. Didn’t stop me from drinking the rest of it.  But I think, in the future, I’d rather spend my $10-13 on a tasty 6-pack.

SPEAKING of which, if you haven’t read Alan Shaw’s article on the profits made from selling beers in bigger bottles (and hoodwinking innocent drinkers like ME!) Check it out: There are big profits in bigger beer bottles.

I’d like to thank him for doing the math that I simply can’t bother doing. Mind = rocked. Expectations…. not so much. But hey, you live and learn.

And then you switch to coolers full of the less expensive stuff.

College football, anyone?

Have you ever been sorely disappointed by a beer (or wine or food) you were really looking forward to, especially due to hype and a high price tag?

North Carolina Girls’ Pint Out: We’re Busy Bees

/ foodsweatandbeers / 20 Comments

Hey there friends and neighbors! Hope you’re all surviving Irene, that clap-having jezebel who seems to be ruining everyone’s plans. I was supposed to be in Ocean City, NJ prepping for my cousin’s bridal shower. Instead, the whole island was put under a mandatory evacuation, and I spent some time gathering the essentials in the Wilmington, Delaware Total Wine.  Which. Is. Epic.

3 bottles of wine, a handle of rum, pick six, pretzel crisps, AND 40 lbs of ice. We're ready for anything.

And I have a hot date tonight with this little scene:

As I said before, Happy hour is my happy hour.

But even though my spirit of choice is rum and coke with my mom and dad tonight, it wasn’t too long ago that I joined the fine ladies of North Carolina Girls’ Pint Out at Busy Bee Cafe in downtown Raleigh.  Not too long at all…….

(cue hazy cloudy mist that brings us back to August 18th, 2011. Or maybe just imagine Wayne and Garth waving their hands for a flashback….)

Party on Wayne, party on Garth.

After another successful glass night at Rockfish with the folks representing Palm Brewery (a new tasty beer from Belgium!) I bid everyone a fond farewell.

Thanks, for repping it hard, fellers.

I only enjoyed a single brew, but knew that there were some tasty ones in store at Busy Bee.

The Hive gets a little crazy with their beer list!

The options seemed endless.  The two beers I personally featured in my writeup were:

Dogfish Head Namaste, often translated as “The spirit in me respects the spirit in you”, is Dogfish Head’s way to respect your thirst for beer in the hot summertime. This Belgian White is made with dried organic orange slices, fresh cut lemongrass and a bit of coriander, and is perfect to pair with spicy fare, so try to get some kick from Busy Bee’s Pork Burger, featuring sriracha and Bok Choy slaw.

and

St. Louis Gueuze Fond Tradition: (alas, this beer ran out faster than we had the chance to feature it!) Interested in stepping up your beer game? Step outside the bottle and try this sour, traditional Geuze style beer. A tart beer with lemony fruitiness, you can enjoy the crisp, clean mouthfeel that puckers the lips and makes you crave the creaminess of cheeses, such as Busy Bee’s Baked Mac and Cheese.

Here's me screaming my face off as I talk about beer. (photo credit to Ben Woodward, click to hit up the facebook source)

There were some amazing little treats (for free) provided by the glorious host, Busy Bee!!

Tots are ALWAYS part of my happy hour.

Although this was only our second event, we had over 30 craft beer lovin’ ladies (and some especially brave gentlemen!)

Wow. We're popular.

We upped our profession game:

Sign in sheets! You want a shirt? SIGN OUR SHEET!

We also met some local folks who are keeping it real in the craft beer scene!

Ted from Bottle Revolution!

Ted from Bottle Revolution came and handed out some camo koozies (in case we have to drink while undercover… in the forest).  His store’s going to be opening soon with awesome features like A Year of Beer Club and pre-packaged craft beer coolers (LIKE IF YOU NEED THEM FOR FOOTBALL TAILGATING!!)

I may have even met my soulmate in Somer, a fellow blogger in the Triangle who’s interested in reproductive health and advocacy, UNC, craft beer, and my brother! (well, maybe not my brother yet…. but one day.)

True True and we didn't even know it!

I’m so proud of my fellow planners and coordinators, and I hope that they’re all proud of what we put together!!

Just a few of the founding gals. Again, photo credit to Ben Woodward, click for source!

If you’re a lady, and you like craft beer, and you live in/around the Triangle (or LOVE to travel wicked far), and/or you want to be my friend (duh.), follow NCGirlsPintOut on Twitter or check us out on facebook!

Word on the street is we have another excellent event coming in Mid-September…. Stay tuned!

What’s your favorite appetizer to pair with beer?

August is the New October

/ foodsweatandbeers / 4 Comments

Good evening y’all!!  as I said before in my tweet, tonight I had both:

  • So many beers and
  • So much fun.

The theme of tonight was…. well, it was awesome. I hosted a top notch meetup for Tri-Beer (The Triangle Beer Meetup featured in this month’s All About Beer magazine!!).  The featured beer was Sam Adams Octoberfest and, because we drank that bad boy, we all got a freebie glass (only the PERFECT pint glass.)

That one, pictured here three times.

This glass, known as the Perfect Pint glass, was designed by MIT students. You might be wondering what it was so “perfect”.  Well, according to the Sam Adams website, this is why!

It’s got a narrow top to retain the hop aroma & sustain the head, a rounded shape to collect aroma, thinner walls to maintain the proper temperature longer, and laser etching on the bottom to createe bubbles for constant aroma release.

The featured beer of the night was the Sam Adams Octoberfest (as I mentioned moments ago), and here’s what the brewery has to say about it:

Brewed with five varieties of malted barley for a big, rich flavor.

The first thing you notice when pouring a glass of this seasonal beer is the color. Samuel Adams® Octoberfest has a rich, deep reddish amber hue which itself is reflective of the season. Samuel Adams Octoberfest masterfully blends together five roasts of malt to create a delicious harmony of sweet flavors including caramel and toffee. The malt is complimented by the elegant bitterness imparted by the Bavarian Noble hops. Samuel Adams Octoberfest provides a wonderful transition from the lighter beers of summer to the heartier brews of winter.

October comes early.

What I have to say:

It poured a beautiful copper orange color, and it poured many a time (lots of folks came out for this beer night!)

The smell resembled a creamy caramel or butterscotch (and I promise that’s not just because I watched the flick, Cedar Rapids, last night), and was a nice, malty, and sweet.

The taste was so smooth and a pleasant surprise, as what I recall about last year, this beer was nothing to write home about.  The tastes of this beer remind me of college football, of bonfires, and of spending time with some warm rising bread dough.

The best part about this beer…. was that I got to try different ones shortly after.

Sorry this is the only photo I have, and it's from online. I was busier drinking than I was photographing.

The Steelhead Scotch Porter from Mad River Brewing Company was as dark in color as it is by name….  It smelled like a rich scotch, and it poured a deep brown color with a nice beige head. Someone mentioned this tasted like molasses, and I can TOTALLY see that.  And by see, I mean taste.  The coffee taste wasn’t as strong as previous dark beers (like the coffee infused Sweet Josie Brown from Lonerider Brewery!! which was off the chain on every account).  However, I tasted chocolate, and I tasted smooth.  It also, without question, tasted boozy.

I was pleasantly surprised with both these beers, and felt obliged to share with the class.  Seriously, if you’re unsure about trying porters or dark beers, try something like this Scotch Porter, or a coffee infused porter.  It’s a nice way to ease you into the beer of the night, and it gives you a chance to try something you might never try otherwise!

How was your Thursday evening?  Was it as thirsty as my own?

PS this was my dinner:

Egg flatout with turkey, cheese, and spinach

Tasty, but nothing fancy.

Can’t wait for the weekend!

Any big plans?

Surprise Samurai Ale Review!

/ foodsweatandbeers / 4 Comments

I bet you thought that my night was over.  You think I just go have random surprise date nights and then that’s it?

Ye of little faith.

I have another treat for you.

Treat for you? More like a treat for ME!

Tonight’s beer was one I’ve been holding onto for a little while.  But I’m not too upset, it was worth the wait.

A little brewski from the fine folks at Great Divide Brewing Company, this beer was not quite as delicious as that Hercules Double IPA I enjoyed at Milltown last week.  But man, was it drinkable.

Samurai Rice Ale, described by the brewer:

An easy drinking, unfiltered ale that changes the status quo for unfiltered beers. The addition of rice gives Samurai a slightly fruity, crisp, refreshing and clean taste. This is definitely not your everyday unfiltered beer.  5.1% ABV

Samurai Rice Ale, described my MOI:

This beer comes out a beautiful golden color, a teensy bit cloudy but that faded fast, with a little bit of sediment on the bottom of the glass.  One thing I liked about this beer was the amount of carbonation in it (i.e. quite a good amount!)  I smelled malts and maybe like… cut grass. It smelled clean and good.

The taste was tart on my tongue, and very crisp. It finished with very little mouthfeel, and there may have been some sort of bitter fruit taste in there too.  My favorite part about this beer was the drinkability, without question.  If it weren’t a little out of my price range, I’d want to drink these all summer.

I’m not sure what exactly made this a rice ale, I’m sure it’s something beyond my knowledge of beer, but I’d enjoy trying another rice ale in the future to know if it’s anything similar to this Samurai Ale.

Have you ever tried a rice ale?

Do you like a little sediment in your beer?

Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ Festival in Cary

/ foodsweatandbeers / 11 Comments

Good morning and happy weekend all!!

I’m writing to you from a comfortable couch after sleeping on a less-than-comfortable floor…. ah, the life of a Triangle Nomad, right?

It was more than worth it though, as last night was the Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ Festival in Cary, NC!

This was the second year in a row I’ve attended the festival, both celebrating (a day later) my beau’s birthday!  We had a killer groupon deal for it, and joined two of our buddies, Claire and Taylor, for the festivities.

Even though we got there half an hour before the doors opened, there was still a line.  Luckily, we were toward the front (whew).

Oi vay, lots of thirsty folks!

Luckily, we had entertainment in the form of some classy zydeco music.

Nothing classier than overalls in front of a moving van, right?

They actually ended up letting the “will-call” ticket holders in about 5 minutes before the Groupon holders, which was pretty lame in my book. That being said, by the time we got in, there was a lotta beer to go around.

Cheers!!

You can see Taylor’s sweet lanyard on the right there, which perfectly held our tasting glasses when we didn’t feel like holding them ourselves.  It was a nice enabler to my laziness, I have to say.

There was some awesome drinks there:

Offerings from Blue Point Brewery

Outstanding cocktails made with St. Germain elderflower liqueur

There were some…. less than tasty drinks there:

Hey! That's not beer, bourbon, OR BBQ... but it is Burnett's.

The BBQ was off the chain (and included with the Groupon!!)

A full plate of deliciousness!! Pork, beans, a roll, and coleslaw!

And we had a lot of laughs.

RELEASE THE KRACKEN! (and I basically wore that eye patch all night).

We even found some other beer buddies in the area.

Oh, hey LaurPo!

We had Zingo come and pick us up/drive my car back to Taylor’s house for a little late night swimming.

I also have a bit of a confession. When I’m surrounded by the possibility of coming home with free stuff…. I kinda go a little crazy.

So. Much. Swag.

  • 6 temporary tattoos
  • Heavy Seas Eye patch
  • Absolut Vodka bar mat
  • Malibu Rum bar mat
  • Palms Sticker
  • Lanyard and tasting glass
  • 3 koozies
  • a little baggy of hops!
  • 1 flashlight keychain
  • 2 bottle opener keychains
  • a Magic Hat sticker
  • a Magic Hat condom (get it…. a “magic hat”! — That’s what the Magic Hat rep told us.)
  • And an Iron Man shirt…. in a boys medium. Yeah that may have been from the pool later. Sorry, little man. Don’t leave your things lying around.  Creeps might pick em up.  Creeps like me.

Since we lived it up and dined/drank like royalty last night, I’m off to a pilates class at noon. I’m nervous…. Wish me luck!

 

IPA Day, Birthday, Thursday

/ foodsweatandbeers / 5 Comments

Good afternoon to you all and TGIF so, so much.

It’s been a long week, a full one, and a busy one! In fact, yesterday I was so busy that I had no time to write even a single post.  I’m sure you were all very disappointed, so here’s what you missed!

23 years (and one day) ago, this little man was born:

RyBaby!! So pensive over pizza.

It only made sense to start celebrating the day of his birth with a treat specially requested by the beau himself.

Cafe du Monde Beignet mix!!

While these were easy enough to mix, I realized moments after pouring that I was missing two key ingredients for the process:

  • Powdered sugar
  • A rolling pin

Neither of these could be substituted (well, I just really needed a rolling pin anyway) so at 7:40 am, I rolled up to Harris Teeter, looking classy as all get out in a dapper oversized t-shirt and boxers, unshowered and wiping sleep from my eyes. I’m sure everyone wanted to be my friend.  A quick purchase later, and a REALLY difficult amount of rolling the dough out, followed by a minor grease burn, with Ry’s help, we had…. BEIGNETS!

Mm.... Greasy fried dough!

They may not have been exactly like the ones we ate in NOLA, they were darn tasty.

During my lunch hour, instead of coming home for some No Pants time , I went to the gym, knowing full well I’d have no time to go after work.  A sweaty three miles on the elliptical were chased with a quick shower and then a delicious, yet slightly unfilling, meal.

Trader Joe's Chicken Tikka Masala

However, when I did what I normally do with tikka masala and rice (jam it all together for a mixed up tasty mash), it looked more like this:

Not exactly a lot of foods...

This frozen meal felt more like an appetizer. And I’m DESPERATELY craving real Indian food now (hear that, Ryan?  are you reading?)

After work, I was FINALLY able to participate in one of my (new) all-time favorite holidays!

We had a great night planned at Rockfish, and it was packed! Great company, a great brand rep from Peak Organic Brewing Company, and, let’s not forget, a great beer!!

Peak Organic's Hop Noir

From the brewer:

Hop Noir is a delectable Black IPA, dripping with piney, aromatic Centennial hops. The malt base is dark and rich, anchored by organic black malt. This provides a strong foundation for the extravagant kettle hopping and dry-hopping that this beer experiences. Enjoy with a night-light.

My thoughts?

This beer was a WELCOME change of pace from the other super floral hoppy IPAs I’ve enjoyed all week (like Monday’s double IPA lineup!)  The words I’d use to describe the beer would be malty, smokey, and dark! It was sort of like a campfire burn taste, but there were enough hops in there that you could absolutely tell it was an IPA. Black IPAs are pretty new to me, so I was stoked on this one.  We even had a few ladies from Girls Pint Out come to join in the fun!!

Oh yeah, then we came home and split an ENTIRE pepperoni pizza.

I’d say it was a bangup birthday, all around.  This weekend will be more exciting celebrations, one of the highlights being Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ tonight in Cary.

What are you doing this weekend?  Any fun plans?

Everyone’s in Crisis!! Better do a Beer Review…

/ foodsweatandbeers / 4 Comments

Good evening ladies and gentlemen, and a happy Hump Day!  Normally, I love Wednesdays, mostly due to the changing of the sales. But there weren’t too many excellent sales today, and so I just putzed around.  Lunchtime was great, as I bared my soul and told you all about No Pants Wednesday (and every day, for me). I was happy to hear how many of you hate pants as well. To all you pants lovers… there’s hope for you still.  After work, I got dolled up in my workout gear, and hit the gym.

I'm workout Barbie!

Tonight, I’m on call for a crisis line. This could either mean nothing, or it could mean a lot of stressful calls. Unfortunately, tonight, it meant a lot of stressful calls. I checked in for my shift at 5pm and then hopped into an AbSculpt class. The teacher this week was that same instructor from the last week I took the class, the pilates queen, and so it was a different vibe of workout. We did some leg circle things, and some nice inner thigh workout that I loved.  I made it through the 26 minutes of the workout no sweat (well, false, some sweat, but you know what I mean.)

Then, it was time for BodyPump. I love taking the ab class before BodyPump, if only to be able to have a jump start on the “good spots” for Pump (which is always a packed house.)  In the middle of Pump, though, I received my first crisis call of the evening, right before the tricep track. I ran out of the fitness room and to a secluded section of the gym, only to return after the 12 minute call (aka right in the middle of the lunge track.)  Even though it was a choppy workout, it was a good one (nice to get some strength training in there after all my cardio).

Work it, now!

After working it, I got TWO more calls, leaving me a little worse for wear in the stress zone. Luckily, the beau took the wheel and cooked up some ground turkey, perfect for a taco salad (what else is new, right?)  I didn’t snap a shot, but it looked a LOT like this:

Deconstruct your meals into salads!

Recycled picture, just imagine that salad with less tomatoes and no avocado, and more salsa and pepper. Either way, it was fantastic.

In honor of #IPADay, we’ve been enjoying quite a few IPAs this week, and tonight, I figured “Why not?!”

Fort Collins Brewery Rocky Mountain IPA (with a fun elephant!!)

The Fort Collins Brewery Rocky Mountain IPA  is described by the brewer as:

An IPA by definition is liberally hopped and higher in alcohol. We made Rocky Mountain IPA by dry hopping for an intense floral aroma and adding a generous helping of malt to create a backbone stable enough to support the characteristic bitterness of the beer.

In my opinion, this is a quality beer (shock shock, another from Colorado) worthy of trying during IPA day (or any day). It was poured into a glass with very little head, coming out a dark orange/brown color.  When I smelled it, I initially smelled the hops (typical with an IPA) but I also thought I smelled some sort of cinnamon or dark spice.  The taste was a little malty, which is why Ryan liked it, and why he wasn’t so turned off by the floral tastes (think Bell’s Two Hearted, that’s what he’s not a fan of, but which I am a big fan!). The only part that I didn’t like was the mouthfeel (hee hee that word always makes me chuckle). My mouth felt sort of dry afterwards, almost like a bitter friction on my tongue which I am not too fond of… Still tasty, but probably wouldn’t go outta my way to get it in the future.  Unless I’m in a fun elephant mood. If that’s the case…. Maybe.

But maybe then, I’ll just watch these funny elephants.

Do you have any plans for IPA Day?

Are you excited for any beer related events? How about any other weekend fun?

I can’t wait for this weekend (which unofficially starts tomorrow!) Peak Brewing Hop Noir glass night tomorrow at Rockfish, then Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ this weekend!!