Craft beer

Six Pack Sunday: Happy Hour and Meaty Power

/ foodsweatandbeers / 13 Comments

It’s that kind of weekend.  You know the one, the kind where you spend so much time hanging with your family and pretending that there’s no such thing as the real world that time sort of escapes you. The kind when a Six Pack Sunday turns into a Six Pack Monday. I was in DC for my little sister’s volleyball tournament, and between the screaming and cheering, the eating, the drinking, and the driving around looking for parking, there was little time for the internet.

No worries, though, I’m back in action.

1. We Flying First Class….

G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S

I’m certain that when Fergalicious sang of the Glamorous (the flossy, flossy), this is what she had in mind.  For the first time since I officially achieved “A-List Status” with Southwest, my special boarding pass actually came in handy in the rarely-crowded RDU airport. Thank goodness, as I was running a little late after enjoying a pre-flight Bud Light Platinum.

Making it Platinum is first class too, right?

2. Meat, Meat, the Magical Fruit

Welcome Home, right?

Upon my arrival in Philly on Friday, I was greeted by a sight that anyone from the Philly area would consider magical.  Half a large, meaty cheesesteak complete with fried onions (and a glass of Pinot? Eh, I’m not gonna argue with that).

This was especially important considering my plan for the upcoming 40 day period of Lent.

I’m going pescatarian.  I’m giving up cows, pigs, and chicken as a slightly tougher challenge this Lent. It’s also going to help me embrace fish a little bit more, and require a little more planning than usual.  No worries, this isn’t some sort of permanent life-change, I have no qualms with meat-eating, and I’m not really doing this for serious religious reasons. Until Wednesday, all-you-can-(m)eat buffet.

3. Nocturnum Owl

Hip hip HOORAY!

My baby brother (who is 21 years old, about 6’3″, and made entirely out of muscles) also surprised me with a treat he picked up at the liquor store.  Delirium Nocturnum, from the folks at the un-pronouncable Brouwerij Huyghe.  I was hesitant, considering my less-than-stellar experience with let-down Delirium Tremens.  I had no reason to be nervous, though, with this fantastic brew.

Described by the brewery:

Initially, a very good mouthfeel of alcohol and softness. This is followed by an increasing bitterness, partially from the hop, but also from the roasted malt and chocolate malt. Towards the end a nice balance between bitterness, sour and sweet.

I thought it was extremely drinkable for a 8.5% ABV beer, and tasted a little bit like the sweetness of raisins.  It was smooth, dark, and lightly spiced.  Even my brother, who’s not a huge fan of craft beer and tends to sip on the college favorites of Bud Light, Natty Light, and ____ Light (whatevz) thought this one was delicious, and it was a great way to start our night in DC.

4. Matchbox Chinatown

Smoke and Fire, baby!

After a number of suggestions from friends on Facebook, Julie from Table for Two, and a bit of Yelping around, I convinced my family that we needed to hit up Matchbox for some pizza.

My choice? The Fire & Smoke:

fire roasted red peppers / spanish onions / chipotle pepper / tomato sauce / garlic puree / smoked gouda / fresh basil /(very spicy)

WOW! They were not kidding on the (Very spicy) note.  The smoked gouda cooled the whole pie down a little bit, but I wished that we had some parmesan cheese to help with that.  Even my mom, who loves all things picante, commented that her mouth was on fire.

We also got a pepperoni for my less-adventurous parents. It was also DELICIOUS with tiny, crispy pepperonis and loads of cheese.  Hard to go wrong with a classic.  THANKS to Julie and my friends on Facebook for the rec, loved it!

5. Oyster Happy Hour at the Sea Catch!

Chesapeake Bay and Chef's Creek!

I think that one of the things I like the most about bars NOT in North Carolina is the idea of Happy Hour (fact: Happy “Hours” are illegal in NC, and all drink specials must be offered from open to close). And at the Sea Catch in Georgetown had a great one, including 1/2 off beers, wines (that cost less than $9 a glass regularly), and well drinks AND dollar oysters on the half-shell (Including Chesapeake Bay and Chef’s Creek oysters).  What a DEAL! My mom and I stopped by before some shopping, and noshed on complimentary house made potato chips while waiting for my oysters.  There’s something that feels so luxurious drinking a cocktail and eating oysters at 5pm.  It doesn’t hurt when the bartender makes a quality cocktail.

6. Phone Stack Game

Stack City, chick

Have you heard of the phone stack game?

The premise is simple. To get folks to actually interact at dinner and stop tweeting, texting, etc, everyone stacks their phones in the middle of the table.  The first one to pull their cell phone out to check it has to pay for dinner/lunch/drinks.

Even though my little brother was technically the first to break protocol, my folks didn’t force him to foot the bill for all 9 of us at lunch (4 sibs, 2 parents, 2 significant others).  BUT I really like the idea of the game in theory (and could probably use the reminder to yank myself off the phone.)

Great weekend, and I still have another day left!  Thank goodness for those Presidents and their days.

Food, Sweat, AND Beers! Solid Valentine’s Day.

/ foodsweatandbeers / 19 Comments

Oh, it is love.  Love of a day dedicated to love, and love of my friends, family, and studly boyf.  Bust mostly just love.

I apologize if your day was made sadder by my Debbie Downer post yesterday.  If you’re lucky, it really was the Most Depressing Valentine Story you read all day.  If not, you need to stop reading such sad stories on Valentine’s Day, seriously!  I tried to fill my day with productivity at work, listening to romantic songs or scenes from romantic movies, and a solid lady date.  But, really, I just tried to jam pack as much of the good stuff in as possible.  You know the stuff: Food, Sweat, and BEERS!!

Mission: Accomplished.

Food: 

Greenery!

A sublime spinach salad with black beans, avocado, yellow pepper, salsa, and cheese. Perfect lunch.

Homemade tastes much better

I DELIGHTED my office-mates with my white chocolate-covered strawberries that I whipped up on Monday night. The strawberries tasted much juicier than the ones that I recently had from some caterer.  Thus proving, yet again, that when something’s made with love, it’s gonna be dank.

Not'yo Nachos!

Spanky’s in Chapel Hill, the very first Chapel Hill restaurant I ever visited, delivered quality appetizers tonight for my lady-date with Melissa. The nachos were just the first course.  The quesadilla was so delicious that I didn’t even bother snapping a shot before wolfing down my share. What a feast!!

Sweat: 

Tonight’s Zumba class was a class of LOVE!

I got super sweaty, and my Garmin Connect even showered me with hearts my heart rate.  All the songs played featured love (or being sexy and knowing it….)  It was fantastic to get my sweat going.  If that hadn’t gotten my heart pumping, though, I’m sure that the last aspect of the night would’ve…

Beers:

Rose beers!

Not only did we get to enjoy a cask of Rustic Plow Farmhouse Saison from newcomer Haw River Farmhouse Ales, featuring rose hips and hibiscus petals, BUT that little number in the bottom right (by my OTHER hand) was a pint of Foothills‘ infamous Sexual Chocolate.

As described by the brewer:

A cocoa infused Imperial Stout – Opaque black in color with a dark brown head. Big chocolate aroma with notes of espresso, blackstrap molasses, dark sweet toffee and dark fruit. Smooth dark chocolate backbone with complex notes of coffee, dark toffee and dark fruit.

SRM: 70
IBU: 85
ABV: 9.75%

Translation? Delicious! This beer, like almost all my favorite winter warmers and chocolate beers and stouts and whatever, got better the longer it sat out.  If I ever ask you for chocolate in my life, I probably just mean a glass of this beer, served in a pint glass and let to rest for a little while. There was initially a sharp taste to it, almost like burned hot chocolate, but the longer I let it sit (and focused on my nachos), the more the taste smoothed out to a sweet, creamy chocolate taste.

Get this beer if you can.

All in all, considering my Valentine was over 400 miles away, it was an ideal Valentine’s Day. Hopefully, he thought so too, as I sent him a surprise pizza for his V-Day dinner.  I hope you felt the love as well.  And, if you’re like me, you wore your heart on your sleeve. Or maybe your chest.

to remove the giant black thing from my teeth)”]because I had a GIANT black thing in my teeth)”]Just make believe that I showed up to your door bearing love gifts. I’d be singing, too.  I’d make a GREAT singing telegram.

What was the best food you ate or drink you sipped on during V-day?

North Carolina Girls’ Pint Out Takes Big Boss by Storm

/ foodsweatandbeers / 4 Comments

There’s been oodles of fitness lately, and plenty of  food, but you might be wondering where the beer’s been.  Well, don’t worry, because Wednesday night, I’m pretty sure I drank all of it.

See, one of my goals that I wrote in my fitbook was to drink less during the week. Namely, limit myself to drinking one weekday.  And yet, when there’s a special occasion like this one: NC GPO Big Operator Tour and Belgian Beer Tasting, hosted at one of my favorite Triangle breweries, Big Boss.  My resident beer buddy, Melissa, and I headed to Raleigh after work and, after cashing in a coupon for a free pizza at Brixx, hit up Big Boss for our private tour, tasting, and some other shenanigans. For $10, each lady received a tour of the brewery, a tasting of three Belgian style beers, a box of Elemental Chocolates, and a gorgeous etched glass to take home.

Sweet glassware

Talk about the deal of the century! But, as with all GPO events, the company stole the show.

New friends!

Oh goodness, the company and the beer.

Big Operator Lovin' by Melissa!

Big Boss was releasing their divine Big Operator black ale.  The brewery describes the beer as so:

Big Operator Belgian Black Raspberry is a full-flavored black ale.  The beer is infused with locally roasted cacao from Elemental Chocolate Company of Raleigh with added raspberry overnighted to us from the Pacific North West. Coming in at 8% abv please enjoy responsibly in a chalice of your choosing.

It was a truly decadent brew. It smelled malty and rich, a little chocolatey.  I didn’t really get the raspberry on the nose, but when I tasted it, that’s when I got it.  It was a hint of fruity perfection. So smooth, and not as boozey as expected.  It drank dangerously easy, but no worries, I wasn’t driving.

Ah, the tongue came out. Classy.

And the chocolate…. wow! I don’t throw around fondness for chocolate lightly, and tend to be more of a vanilla girl.  Well, consider me a convert.  From Elemental:

Elemental Chocolate brings you dark chocolate with whole, shelled cocoa bean centers. They are picked by hand. Roasted by hand. Crafted by hand. Just for you.

The company sources direct from co-ops and purchases certified organic cocoa beans. We are committed to sustainable business practices that help conserve the rain forests and let farmers make more than a living wage. We do not use GMO ingredients to make chocolate.

Elemental Chocolate is based in Raleigh, NC.  Thank you for supporting independent specialty food artisans, like Elemental Chocolate, & spreading the love that was used to make our fine products!

Fair trade, gourmet, and oh so dark.

Dig in, ladies!

I could eat my way through the entire rainforest that they get the cocoa from, it was that tasty.

Chocolate and beer, a match made in heaven, right?

As always, I had a blast with my fellow ladies and it made me wish that I lived closer to the Raleigh-based brewery so I could bask in its glory more regularly.  Then again, with beer, chocolates, and food trucks all around, I can’t imagine my waistline would appreciate that proximity.

Huge thanks to Dave and Robin at Big Boss for being such wonderful hosts. Oh, and for being adorable and in love.

True true true

I know everyone had a blast.  And for the sake of all you voyeurs, here’s some more pictures!

Educating us on the ingredients in the Belgian style beers

Trying a little Abita Abbey Ale!

BEER SCIENCE!

Lovely ladies

Now my tummy is full of shrimp & grits, and all that Wednesday night partying makes for a sleepy Thursday night. Fingers crossed the white noise app knocks me out fast.

 

Founders Breakfast Stout

/ foodsweatandbeers / 4 Comments

Think about breakfast.  It’s night-time as I write this, and I just enjoyed dinner, so that’s a little tough for me.  But I’m asking you to do me a solid and think about it anyway.

Golden orbs of yummy.

Mmmm. Doesn’t that look good?

When I think about breakfast, I think about the standards. French toast smothered in syrup, breakfast sandwiches piled high on everything bagels, omelets full of spinach and tomatoes, gooey with cheese.  It’s time to think about something else for breakfast.

Liquid Meal

Founders Breakfast Stout is a super hyped imperial stout that I’d heard touted by beer snobs and infrequent drinkers alike. When I saw it for $10/4-pack at Whole Foods (and had a gift card) I couldn’t say no.  So I didn’t.

I saved the bottles for a rainy day, which actually just meant a visit from the beau. I really think that I should have waited for this very cold, skin-biting weather that hit North Carolina the moment I returned from my long holiday break.  I think it’d be the perfect beer for a cold night by a fire (a tiny one inside of a Yankee Candle glass.)

The beer is described by Founders Brewing Company as:

The coffee lover’s consummate beer. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and imported chocolates, and Sumatra and Kona coffee, this stout has an intense fresh-roasted java nose topped with a frothy, cinnamon-colored head that goes forever. 8.3% ABV

It’s interesting thing about this beer… I don’t like coffee. In fact, I don’t drink it at all, never have, never will. But, for whatever reason, coffee beer just fills my heart (and mouth) with joy. Founders Breakfast Stout poured a dark brown, basically opaque glass of beer. The smell is rich, intense, and reminds me of a romance between a brewery and a coffee house.

Are there any hybrid brewpubs and coffee spots around?  I bet there’d be a number of intriguing regular customers frequenting that joint.

ANYWAY, the aroma was intoxicating, like a sweeter version of the bitter coffee of which I’m not a fan.

I can’t say anything about a Kona or Sumatra coffee and what that might taste like, but the sensations that hit my tongue were heavy, creamy, and VERY coffee-like (says the non-coffee drinker, basing that opinion on nothing but imagination). It was also pretty sweet and, frankly, a little too rich for my tastes.  It didn’t beat out my very favorite coffee brew, Big Boss’ Aces & Ates, but for a one-beer drink with a loved one, not too shabby. I wouldn’t say it lived up to the almost fanatical hype I’d heard about it, but I’d totally enjoy it again.

What’s your favorite pairing with a coffee flavor? 

Mine’s definitely the beer + coffee combo.

Once, I tried a coffee frozen yogurt, and hated it more than I’ve ever hated any frozen yogurt flavor. That’s just depressing.

Bruisin’ Ales: A Place for Beer People

/ foodsweatandbeers / 15 Comments

You folks like Third Eye Blind? I love Third Eye Blind. And the lyrics from one of their songs, “Misfits”, always fill my heart with joy.

My people are the misfits
The ones that don’t fit in
With the smile I know it comes within
I can feel you in the corners laughing when the lighting’s low.

This song speaks of that feeling you get, that warmth that glows and grows inside of you when you’re surrounded by a community of people that, while unlike many, are so like you that it just fits.

That’s how I feel about Beer People, and that’s how I felt at Bruisin’ Ales in Asheville, NC this weekend.

Put up your dukes!

In the Triangle, there’s Sam’s Quik Shop in Durham, Bottle Revolution and Tasty Beverage Co. in Raleigh, and TJ’s Beverage & Tobacco  in Carrboro. But I wasn’t in the Triangle, I was in Asheville, and after a day of shopping in the Biltmore Village, I needed less artisanal soaps and more craft suds of the boozy nature. Bruisin’ Ales delivered on that, and so much more.

Tasty Asheville beers!

There’s was a special treat waiting behind the bar, though, as Sierra Nevada’s Head Brewer Terrence Sullivan and Harry Wannemacher, NC Brand Rep/Distributor Extraordinaire, were in town serving up some tasting action of Sierra Nevada’s beers as well as their newest collaboration Abbey Ales.

So many options!!

I even convinced my beer-hating mom to try Sierra Nevada’s flagship Pale Ale (though after that, she booked it for more shopping.)

(Thanks to a less than professional photographer, you can't see too much of us.)

After she left, though, that’s when the recognition of my fellow Beer People came into play. I love to be surrounded by folks who get as fired up over things like Collaboration Ales and Randalization as I do. Bruisin’ Ales was chock full of them. I watched one man fill up two baskets with different beers, dropping over $150 on craft beer. He mentioned he stopped by every time he drove through Asheville, and lived about 800 miles away!  Other folks were scanning through the aisles, trying to find that elusive rare brew that they knew they could only find on one of Bruisin’ Ales’ numerous shelves.

I spent most of my time by the tasting, chatting up the fellows of Sierra Nevada. We swapped stories of our first sip of a sour ale, I explained the glory of Girls’ Pint Out to them, and they were more than impressed with the tale of Fullsteam’s Sean Wilson chugging a 4-year old Miller Chill (by “impressed”, I think I mean disgusted. To-may-toe, to-mah-toe.)

Harry and Terrence called this a Jordan Sandwich

The beers were delicious (my favorite was probably the rich, dark Ovila Quad), but the company was even more delightful. I laughed with strangers, I toasted the possibility of Sierra Nevada setting up an East coast Headquarters in Asheville (YAY!! NC is Beer Country, baby!) and relished in my new-found Beer People buddies.

I love the vibe of Bruisin’ Ales. I love the fact that you can get a beer to drink while you shop the store, and I love their festive decorations.

Merry merry

If you’re in the Asheville area and you’re a fellow Beer Person, get yourself to Bruisin’ Ales.

And if you’re Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, get yourself to Asheville, NC.

And if you’re a jolly monk, get yourself to my apartment, because we complement each other quite nicely.

Monks of a feather flock together.

Who are your “beer people”?

 

 

 

Victory Dark Intrigue: A Family Affair

/ foodsweatandbeers / 3 Comments

Let me start off by saying I am a marketer’s wet dream.

Make me laugh in a commercial? I’ll take a dozen.  Tell me something’s limited, I’ll hand my credit card over.   I over-commit to hype, and you bet that I was crazy about all sorts of 90s trends: Beanie Babies, Tamagotchi, Zwibble Dibbles, Pokemon cards, Crazy Bones, Yu Gi Oh stuff, Cabbage Patch Kids…. You name it, I had them all.

Well, when Victory Brewing Company, a brewery near and dear to my heart/home in Pennsylvania, mentioned via Twitter and their website that their infamous Dark Intrigue was going to be released the day before Thanksgiving (affectionately known as Dark Wednesday), about 12 hours before I was going to be flying into Philly, and it could be their last time brewing the particular beer, I knew I had to obtain some.  I also knew the right man for the job.

The Man with the Plan!

The beer sold out 3 hours after they opened their doors, and my brother, Connor, waited for 5 hours with his dear friend, Gilly. If there’s one person who is at least as intense as I am, if not more, when it comes to dedication to a cause, whether it’s a Black Friday sale or crushing some child’s spirit as he out-trades Pokemon cards (we’re a mean family), it’s Connor. And he nailed it, picking up two bombers for his big sister.

The beer was $15 a bottle and, while that’s steep, I couldn’t say no to the opportunity.  As I’ve said before, what money I save when I refuse to use heat and air conditioning, I just spend on Craft Beer. Such is life.

Delicious!

Since pint glasses are in high demand in my household (read: there are none because everyone either drinks canned beer or cocktails), Connor enjoyed his from a classic Coca Cola glass.

Described by the brewery:

Our Storm King Stout spent the summer in bourbon barrels from Jim Beam and Heaven Hill Distilleries, and has finally emerged as Dark Intrigue. (It’s like Clark Kent going into a phone booth and coming out as Superman, only more delicious and less crime-fighty.)

This beer poured such a dark, opaque brown-black that even the head was a rich brown color. It smelled boozy to say the least, of bourbon and maybe some vanilla.

We refused to wait for the beer to warm at all for the first sip which, I’ll admit, was a little heavy on the bourbon taste for my liking. However, as my good from Michael from Rockfish taught me, sometimes you just have to let certain beers warm up for all the flavors to come out right.

One adjective I’d use to describe the  flavor would be burnt, kind of the way crème brûlée tastes a little burnt. As it warmed, it sort of just tasted softer. Malty and sweet, it was definitely easier to drink as the night progressed.

Now, I have been to several classes or events that described how we should taste beer. What we should say about it, how we should use our retronasal tasting, etc.  But I’m going off that formula for a second.

Maybe it was the post-Thanksgiving glow of a late night on Black Friday. Maybe it was enjoying a fantastic beer with my brother. Perhaps it was just the 9.1% ABV. Most likely, it was a combination of all three.  But both of us agreed that this beer just made us feel really wonderful. As we sipped, the stressful bits of the day, the looming deadlines just slipped away. Smiling was easier, laughter came quicker, and even though we each only enjoyed one glass, I’d say that beer was worth every penny of the $15. It warms the body, and it warmed the soul.

The family that drinks craft beer together stays together.

Huge thanks to my brother and his partner in crime, Gilly, for supporting my craft beer crazy, and to Victory Brewing Company, for bringing me even closer to my brother!

Six Pack Sunday: Laughter, Lager, and Luchadoras

/ foodsweatandbeers / 5 Comments

Good afternoon, campers!!

It’s Sunday and, though I spent last night relaxing, my neck and booty are incredibly sore.  More on that in a moment.

This weekend was particularly special because my beau, Ryan, decided to semi-surprise me by visiting!!  It was such a treat to have him back in our little nest and we managed to have a stellar weekend so far.  The major points of this weekend that will be featured in the Six Pack Sunday for the week? Laughter, lager, and luchadoras.

1. Yeti: It’s what’s for dinner?

Gotta keep that yeti from spoiling

We spotted this little gem outside of the local grocery store. And I couldn’t help but snap a shot, probably because of the mental picture that I got after seeing it. Imagine a young hunter killing her first Yeti. She wanted to bring it home, and was nervous it would spoil before she could tote it back for Thanksgiving dinner with the family.

Thank goodness she picked up the specialized Yeti Cooler: Now, with more space for chunks of yeti than EVER BEFORE.

Hilarious to me. Ryan was less amused.

2.  Toast King Queen

Cheers to the freaking weekend?

I’m a pretty generous lady with my toasts, apparently, as identified by my newest badge on Untappd  (friend me!) I have to wonder, though, if there’s any way that Untappd could make gender specific badges. It’d probably be a little extra work on the front end, but I’ll admit, I wish that I was badged the “Toast Queen” badge instead of the Toast King.

Just saying, Untappd, as noted by all those Girls’ Pint Out chapters popping up, ladies are drinking (and toasting) a lot, too!! Show us some love?

3. Luchadoras Lovin’

Hard Earned Mask? Get on my level.

I’ll save most of the gory details from this event for another post…. but I fought 3 women in a ring to earn my own luchadoras mask. And I haven’t ever been so sore from a 2 minute event in my life. Even though none of the other women were more than 5’6″ (I’m estimating), they fought like little ankle-biters. It was a rough battle, but Jordan came out on top.

I also may have mooned the entire crowd.

Note to self: Low-rise jeans are NOT the best attire for a wrestling match.

4. Sam Adams Chocolate Cherry Bock!

Smooth and delightful!

Rockfish’s Rare Beer Fridays are managing to make me a twice-a-week regular at the bar.  And this week’s tapping was Sam Adams’ Chocolate Cherry Bock!  I’ve never actually even tried their Chocolate Bock  before, but this beer (as my friend, Michael pointed out) tasted just like a chocolate covered cherry. And, while that may not be up some beer drinkers’ alleys, it was like a decadent dessert for me.  Loved it, though I probably couldn’t drink many more than the one!!

5. Draft & Dogs!

Chorizo Dog for m'lady?

If you live in the Triangle area, GET TO DRAFT! Located in Raleigh, this spot is known for it’s burgers and beers. But I went for cheers and chorizo.  This dog was only $6, and was made of chorizo with chimichurri & grilled peppers.  Also, on Wednesday, their giant pilsner glasses are only $5!  Since I live pretty far away, I only enjoyed the one beer and the dog, but it was a delight on my palate!

Mmmm beer.

6. True Love

 

Did I mention that Ryan offered to be my trainer for all future wrestling matches?

Nothing says love quite like a grapple rope shoulder slam combo.

 

 

Six Pack Sunday: Chi Town, Get Down!

/ foodsweatandbeers / 5 Comments

Hi friends!!

It’s after midnight so, technically, I’m doing Six Pack Sunday a little off (by minutes.) But I wanted to share a few tidbits of my trip before I went to sleep (as the effects of my in-flight soda wear off).

Six Pack Sunday: Chi Town, Get Down!

1. 11:11 11/11/11

How’d you spend your eleventh minute of the eleventh hour of Veteran’s Day?

Perfect timing

If it was with a cold glass of 3Floyds Alpha King, then… jinx.

You owe me a soda. Or a beer.

We may have sped to get to a bar before 11:05… good hustle, us.

2. I’m on a Boat

On Saturday afternoon, we got a chance to putz around on this beauty.

Yacht PARTAY

Well, not really. We did SEE this yacht. But my fellow Tar Heels WERE on a boat. And tore up some hardwood.  The USS Carl Vinson was the stage of the Carrier Classic, where UNC beat MSU! And, in a bar full of MSU fans, I proudly screamed for Roy’s Boys.

Love those boys in blue (blue camoflage… I’m sure they blended into all the blue foliage on the boat.)

3. Subjective Scales of Spiciness

Hot Cha CHAAAAAAAAAAA!

Sometimes, you think you’re a tough gal who can handle spice . So you arrogantly tell your waitress at the funky Thai restaurant you want medium-hot spicy. Like a 6-7 on spice.

Then you realize that you were a cocky fool and actively sweat at the table, decked out in your night-time finery.

Sweat goes so well with party dresses.

4. You Tryna See That Party Dress?

Max And Cleo, Jojo and Kiki!

I knew I couldn’t mention that dress without you all clamoring to see it. It’s new, it’s lovely, and I can’t wait to wear it more often.

5. Deep Dish Pizza. That’s all.

Dream Come True

All I wanted all weekend was a deep dish pizza. And, on Sunday, I got just that. A six-inch personal Chicago deep dish pizza. It was perfect. And as tiny as it looked, it was filling and delicious.  Perfect.

6. I am the MASTER!!

WAHOO!!

This weekend, I earned my Master badge on Untappd (friend me if you’re on it!!)

I didn’t even know it was coming, which is unfortunate because the beer I earned it on (Dortmunder Gold) was absolutely my least favorite beer I tried over the weekend.

Oh well, it takes all kinds, right?

What was the best food or drink that you enjoyed this weekend?

HUGE thanks to Caitlin for hosting me all weekend!!

Visit to Brooklyn Brewery

/ foodsweatandbeers / 11 Comments

Merry Tuesday to each of you!! In case you’re curious, today’s the last day of Harris Teeter’s Super Double coupons!

In case you’re just getting here, check out my first day of NYC adventures.  Today’s post is a little bit out of order, chronologically, but one I really was itching to write.  I love to visit breweries, ever since my Senior year in college when, for spring break, I didn’t go get topless in Cancun or make mischief in Cabo. Nope, instead, I went to scenic Pottsville, PA to visit Yuengling, America’s Oldest Brewery!

Knowing that we were going to spending the weekend based primarily in Brooklyn, how could I miss the infamous Brooklyn Brewery?

Actually, the construction outside of the building made it pretty easy to miss (or hard to find, depending on how you look at it.)

Inconspicuous, much?

Oh, there it is!

That’s the good stuff, right there!

Located just a few blocks from Smorgasburg in Williamsburg, we were even able to pick up Claire’s little brother, John, for the trip. This was important because: 1. I think he’s great and 2. He could take pictures of Claire and me! (vanity, thy name is Jordan.)

For $20, we grabbed 6 drink tokens and, if you can’t handle basic math, that meant two beers for each of us.  We arrived around 12:45, just in time to pick up a beer before the “tour” of the brewery.  Each token = one 12 oz beer, so we each went for the East India Pale Ale.

That’s 72 oz of beer right there!!

Read it and weep drink!

Unfortunately for us, but fortunately for the brewery, they’re expanding, so the first room, the brewhouse, which is normally open to visitors, was closed off.  Luckily, they had this handy-dandy illustration that made us feel like we were right there!

Eric, our wise old tour guide, described the process of brewing, explaining how they outsource their bottling (of their smaller bottles) to a factory in upstate New York but their kegs and their bombers are brewed in the brewery in Brooklyn.

Wise owl!

Eric was funny, charismatic, and an excellent guide. I will admit, there wasn’t much to the “tour” as we mostly just relaxed, sipping our beers, in the main room of the brewery.  It was okay, though, because he told some hilarious stories and shared interesting factoids with the group, ones we’d never know about if not for the tour.

Gorgeous logo!

Brooklyn Brewery’s iconic logo was actually developed by Milton Glaser, creator of the I Love NY logo (you know, the one with the heart instead of the word love).  He originally asked WAY more than the $20,000 that Brooklyn Brewery had allocated for logo development. Luckily, though, Milton’s a bit of a beer fan.  So what he did was create a fantastic logo and, in turn, Milton gets free beer from the brewery for LIFE!! (Hear that, graphic designers? Get those pens to the paper!)

Also, when the brewery was created, the NY mafia was taxing EVERY business in the area, and approached the brewery, former Associated Press correspondent Steve Hindy and former Chemical Bank lending officer Tom Potter, for some moneys.  After weeks of negotiation and not really wanting to pay the mafia, one of the bosses approached Tom in the factory, telling everyone to get lost.  Tom, probably shaking in his boots, was pretty certainhe was going to get “offed” and sleep with fishes.  Then, to everyone’s surprise, the boss told Tom he was just messing with him and decided that the Brewery would be good for business and the area, and thus they were exempt from the tax.

We also learned the exciting tale of how the brewery got their tiny chandelier!!

Twinkle, twinkle!

Actually, this was the least interesting story of all. Someone put it up for a holiday party a few years ago, and everyone’s too lazy to take it down.  Gotta respect their honesty.

After getting a quick shot with (some of) the logo, we decided to head back to the bar for another brew!

The bar is only open on Fridays from 6-11pm and Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 6pm, but it’s a lively atmosphere and a great vibe!  They sell water and beer but, if you’d like, you can order pizza or delivery food right to the brewery (they’ll even provide menus!)  It reminded me a lot of the atmosphere of Fullsteam in Durham, very open, very relaxed, and very much about the community. We saw birthday parties, bachelor parties, and a mom who’d brought her kids and some cupcakes while she enjoyed a beer.  I loved it!

JOHNWICH!

JOHNWICH!

True to form, since I can’t go anywhere without making a friend, we ended up connecting with our tour guide while getting our second beer and, since we’re adorable and great (and humble?), Eric treated us to another beer, on the house!I went with the Winter Ale for my second beer (delicious, malty, almost biscuity) and back to the IPA for the freebie.

Thanks, Eric!! We love you!

Everyone was nice, the vibe was great, and, if you’re interested in beer, some history, and a good time AND you’re in NYC, I’d totally recommend getting over to Brooklyn Brewery for a Saturday or Sunday tour!

Friday, I’m in NYC! Eataly, Ippudo, and Farmer’s Market!

/ foodsweatandbeers / 10 Comments

Hey there all!! It’s Monday, already, and despite that extra hour, I feel like I could’ve used at least 6 extra hours of sleep.  Such is the life of a jet-setter.

In case you missed yesterday’s Six Pack Sunday: Brooklyn, Baby and hate following me on twitter, I’ll clue you into the good stuff. I spent the past weekend in NYC with my dear friend Claire (yup, the one that I spent Halloweekend with only a few days ago) and, though I’ve been in NYC a bunch of times in my life for conventions, weddings, or field trips, this was the first time I’ve gone in without much in the way of a schedule. I had a list of things I wanted to accomplish or visit, and that was about it.

Luckily, both Claire and I have one thing in common.

329_607714642848_449_n

No, it’s not just that we love the Hoff.

We are totally and completely Type-A when it comes to planning.

Armed with smart phones and maps and print outs and lists, we will handle our BUSINESS to jam as much into a weekend as possible.  I love that in a traveling partner.

After flying into JFK (and arriving half an hour early!), I navigated the public transportation (if you’re flying to NYC and you wanna use public transportation, FLY TO JFK!! Their AirTrain situation can get you from the airport to Manhattan in about an hour-ish, and for $7.25.) I killed it.

After dropping off my bags at Club Claire (aka her workplace), I was on my own for about 2.5 hours. I decided to kick my legs into high gear and walk ALL OVER THE PLACE!!

First up: Union Square Greenmarket!

Bustling on a Friday afternoon

There were so many options of something to nibble on, but I decided to save my tummy for an exciting dinner later and picked up a few little hard pretzels for crunch and some DIVINE tea to warm my chilly bones.

Hot and DANGEROUS!

The hot wild mint tea was sweeter than I thought it would be, and tasted more like cider than anything else.  Luckily, that’s exactly what I wanted so, gloves on hand, tea in gloved-hand, I headed over to 5th Avenue for a little shopping.

Knowing that I didn’t want to fill up my carry-on with stuff I could get in NC, and not wanting to pay for a checked bag, I held myself back.  The other thing that held me back?

H&M (Hectic Madhouse?)

I feel like H&M is always crowded and messy and crazy, no matter where you go.  Oh well.

Next stop was somewhere Claire had mentioned, but I only accidentally stumbled on it (and I’m so glad I did!)

Eataly , an “Italian Culinary Funhouse”, was also a madhouse, but in a much more organized fashion.  This place seemingly had everything, from fresh produce to gourmet cured meats and cheese plates.  Although the Florence-lover in me was initially tempted by the wine, Eataly had something else pretty amazing to offer.

Molto Birra.

Molto Birra.

Their rooftop beer garden, Birreria, was more pleasant than I could’ve imagined.  The heat lamps scattered all over kept me warm (important, considering it was on the 14th floor) and the beer selection was top notch.

I nabbed myself a Captain Lawrence Liquid Gold (mostly because it was a NY based brewery and because it reminded me of this hilarious Velveeta commercial) and enjoyed it, while giving this fellow a side eye.

So much for chivalry

I guess he decided that, although the bar was completely full and people were trying to sit down, his jacket was more deserving of a stool than the rest of us lonely stander-uppers.  The man stayed like that for the 30 minutes I was there, never sat down once.  Thanks for nothing, buddy.

Anyway, after I left Birreria, it was time to meet up with Claire and get our own culinary fun going.  As I mentioned before, we headed to Ippudo (home of Anne Hathaway Drinking White Wine and Reading a Book).  Unassuming from the outside, this place was popping inside!!

In case you can't tell, that says Ippudo.

In case you can’t tell, that says Ippudo.

Once inside, we nabbed ourselves some Sapporo (when in Rome err Japan , or just a Japanese restaurant) and waited about 40 minutes for our spot.  Well worth the wait, though, once we arrived at our seats.  We were greeted with some Japanese words shouted at us (I was told they meant something like, welcome! or Eat! but they could’ve been calling me a clap-having jezebel for all I know) and seated at the “bar” right by where the food was prepped. This was the best seat in the house for a nosy Nelly like myself, and I had front row seats to watch all the food being plated, prepped, cooked, flipped, and served.

Oh lawdy.

Oh lawdy.

The Hirata buns were ordered, described as: Steamed buns filled with your choice of pork, chicken, or shrimp served with Ippudo original spicy buns sauce.

We went with the pork, and were not disappointed in the slightest. In fact, if this had been the end of my NYC trip, I think I would’ve gone hope happy (well, at least my belly would’ve).  Luckily, it was only the beginning.

Next up, the main course!

Having never tried Ramen from anywhere other than a pot in college, this was an experience that just blew my mind. It was hot and delicious , from the broth to the pork, and I think this was the one I got:

Akamaru Modern: The original “Tonkotsu” noodle soup topped with Ippudo’s secret “Umami Dama” miso paste, pork chashu, cabage, kikurage, scallions, and fragrant garlic oil

Totally on point, I slurped up the last drop.  Couldn’t get enough.

Pure Bliss.

Pure Bliss.

After dinner, we waddled our way back to Brooklyn to drop off our things and enjoy some brewskies (Lagunitas, to be more specific).

It was then that I realized the perfect simplicity of something which I tweeted immediately after.

Gloves are like koozies that you wear.

Why didn't I figure this out earlier?

Why didn’t I figure this out earlier?

Ignore the devilish grin and the weirdy out of focus shot, I needed to illustrate this.

We took a bus to The Woods which was loud and fun and crowded.  Someone snuck this picture of me, and I’m pretty sure I make this face ALL the time when I feel bars are too crowded.

Oh, Jordy.

Oh, Jordy.

But, after a Pickle Back (recap: shot of whiskey chased with pickle juice) and a few beers, I was in better spirits.

We danced the night away, then cabbed back to Brooklyn to fall instantly to sleep.  It was an ideal way to start my NYC vacation!

Have you ever had ramen at a noodle house?  What’d you think (and what’d you get in it?!)

What kind of bar is your favorite?

Cozy and dark, loud and flashing lights, discotheques, open, crowded, empty? SHARE WITH THE CLASS!