Craft beer

What You (or maybe I) Missed Thursday

/ foodsweatandbeers / 4 Comments

Whoah, jam.  Sometimes, everything in life seems to hit you at once.

Between volleyball, beer events, exercise, work, personal care, meals, and sleep, my plate feels pretty full at the moment.  I wouldn’t go so far as to say that it’s overflowing, but I think I see a bit peeking over the edge of that plate.

I loved hearing what you all had to think about the Dr. Pepper Ten advertising campaign. While I still haven’t tried it, Serious Eats: Serious Drinks reviewed the three Doctors together, and Dr. Pepper Ten apparently tastes more like Dr. Pepper.  So, my personal jury is still out, at least until I try it, but I still don’t feel too fond of the campaign.  Oh well.

In other news, here’s what you’ve missed in my life (or, conversely, what I missed blogging about).

Girls' Pint Out repping it so hard!

NCGPO  rocked a table at the Casks for a Cure event hosted by Rockfish, and the event raised $2400 for Susan G. Komen for the Cure!!

Pink beer by Mystery Brewing!

HUGE crowd chomping at the bit for some Cask Beer!

My friends over at NC Brewing did a great job of covering this event, so I won’t bore you with my recap, but it was a blast to spend time with my favorite beer friends, drink new (to me) beers, andddd win some goodies.

This is probably when I won $30 to TJs.... or a brewery tour.

Winnings included:

  • Tour and Pint Glasses from Red Oak
  • $30 gift card to TJs in Carrboro!!

Not too shabby, eh?  The perks of buying raffle tickets…

In other news, No Pants Wednesday has, at least temporarily, been replaced with Giant Warm Pants Wednesday.  Adjust your calendars accordingly, it’s chilly out there!

Ole Miss on Top, UNC on the bottom, school spirit abounds!

I’ve also been eating a steady stream of spaghetti squash without getting sick of it one bit.  I’ve been adding different mix-ins including, but not limited to: cauliflower, broccoli, steamed carrots, pizza sauce, cheese, red pepper, oregano, spinach, pepperoni.

Variety is the spice of squash.

Fourth bowl in four days? Yup.

As far as what else I’ve been up to…. well, it mostly centers around Halloween prep.

Remember when I was brainstorming not too long ago?

I think I settled on something.

Hmmmm. Pretty easy.

Any guesses? I’ll give you a hint, this is the easiest game ever.

What are you being for Halloween?  

Since it seems to be THE weekend to celebrate, are you going out once, twice, thrice?  

I have the costume I’m making, as well as a backup, just in case.

You never know when you gotta throw on a full Santa suit.

Six Pack Sunday: The Leftovers

/ foodsweatandbeers / 11 Comments

Sometimes All the time, I keep a camera with me. It’s a little point a shoot, Nikon Coolpix S203.

Because I am painfully aware that I have this camera with me at all times, I find myself taking pictures a lot. Pictures of things I want to remember, pictures of things to remind myself of other things, funny pictures, stupid pictures. Then, I pull them onto my computer, and, unless I do something with them right away (blog, tweet, upload to Facebook), chances are, I’ll forget that I even took them.

This week’s Six Pack Sunday is dedicated to those pictures. The forgotten, the leftovers, the little snapshots that never surfaced on the world wide web.  Come along for the ride, why don’t you?

1. I’m the Queen of the Cubes!

At UNC I had the unique opportunity to be a female in a co-ed literary and arts fraternity. And, every now and then, I’d visit my brothers at Ole Miss.  Ole Miss being Ole Miss, their chapter was all male.

Ever wonder what it’s like to be in a fraternity?

This pretty much sums it up.

I know, I know, it’s not #craftbeer. I’m not mad.  And man, does it pair nicely with spicy crawfish, loud music, and springtime in Oxford, MS.

2. Dora the… Crustacean?

She’s super crabby

There’s a lot of wacky things at the Jersey shore.

This Dora the Explorer hermit crab is just one of them.

3. Dogfish Head Tap Takeover

Woody’s at City Market had a Dogfish Head Tap Takeover this summer. And I rushed from my beach volleyball game in Cary to make it, still wearing my sandy shorts and tank top, sweating my face off.

Glistening with beer joy

It was completely and totally worth it, if only for a chance to try the Sah’Tea Randalized with Black Indian Chai and lemon zest.  To date, one of the most delicious beers I’ve ever put in my mouth.

Oh, and the $3.50 flights didn’t hurt, either.

A Perfect Paddle

If I lived anywhere closer to Raleigh, I get the feeling that the folks at Woody’s and I would get very very close.

4. Sisters Icing Bros

Does anyone remember back when “Icing” was a thing? Icing is a drinking game for bros (and chick-bros), where the point is to make other bros drink Smirnoff Ice “against their will, at ridiculously inopportune times.”

Last year, we iced my brother on the beach.

And then, my aunt Iced him on Christmas.

Merry Christmas

99% of the time, I’m very very glad this is not a trend anymore.

1% of the time, when I’m writing Six Pack Sundays, I miss it so much.

5. Save the Date

I took the following picture the first weekend of January 2011.

Hmmm.

Well, I’m not absolutely certain what I was doing on May 21, 2011. But I’ll tell you what I wasn’t doing.  I wasn’t hanging out with the big JC, despite wearing my most appropriate Return of Christ outfit.

Maybe next year?

6. Some People Eat Bugs

Every year, Raleigh’s NC Museum of Natural Sciences hosts Bugfest.  There’s cool exhibits and people covered in bees and butterfly crafts.

Oh, and lots and lots of edible bug treats.  Local chefs and restaurants will whip up versions of their food featuring one key ingredient: BUGS!  There was lots to try last year.

Locopops featuring cricket bits!

The chocolate cricket Locopops were by far my favorite.

Cold and crickety, just how I like it.

Ever eaten a bug?

Ever iced a bro?

Ever relaxed on a pile of beers taller than you are?

Six Pack Sunday: Throwback Weekend

/ foodsweatandbeers / 6 Comments

Sunday night, buffalo shrimp pizza’s in the oven, and it’s time for another Six Pack Sunday. I spent most of this weekend putzing around Chapel Hill, relaxing with my friends and I finally feel totally recovered from last week’s Manhattan wedding weekend. (I realized that I never wrote a full post from the actual wedding/reception… I’ll save that for sometime this week!)

Anyway, since I’ve been soaking up all the Carolina blue UNC had to give, tailgating and enjoying every bit. I figured that’s all the reason to celebrate Six Pack Sunday with an  honor of my personal throwback weekend.

1. Pokey Party

Buttery, garlicy baked gold!

Remember that time that, when cleaning my apartment, I found 13 coupons for Gumby’s (and four teeth and 24 koozies?) Well, I got a chance to cash those bad boys in on Saturday night. Yup, ranch, marinara, and a whole lotta goodness. And what pairs better with grease and cheese than a mason jar full of Riesling? Nothing, that’s right. The employees at the store informed me that they hadn’t used the coupon system in over a year and a half.

Shows you how often I clean the apartment, right?

2. Some Things Never Change

Faces have been blocked to protect the livelihood of grown-ups!

I observed (and cheered on) a rousing game (or 7) of flip cup. And one of the MVPs of the team? A brother from my fraternity who joined when I was 1 year old.

I can only hope that, in 20 years, I’ll be half as awesome as he is.

3. Whole Mold Foods?

Eeww.

Since I was in Chapel Hill, I had a chance to stop by Whole Foods (a rare treat for someone who doesn’t live very close to one). And then, from a distance, I saw a basket of moldy bread.

Well, that’s what I thought it was. When I went closer, I realized that it was not mold, just the Whole Foods logo. In green, and on bread.  Maybe not the best marketing technique.

4. Massive Milltown Munchies

San Diego Fries: Fresh Cut Fries Topped with Sharp Cheddar, Marinated Flank Steak, Jalapeno,Guacatillo, Salsa and Chipotle Sour Cream

Smoked Cheddar Mac n’ Cheese with Leeks and Broccoli and Bacon

Even though my last trip to Milltown wasn’t that long ago, I’ll still count it. And this was the most tasty meal I’ve had out in a while!!

The skull sized liters of beer didn’t hurt, either. $8 for a liter of Spaten Oktoberfest?

Don't mind if I do.

5. Spark it Up

This ought to be stupid

Does anyone remember when Sparks were like, a huge “thing”? I must’ve been a sophomore or junior at UNC, and everywhere I went, I saw folks hyped up and rocking the signature orange Sparks tongue.  When I stopped by the grocery store and perused the discount priced for quick sale goodies (not in the produce section like I scoped out on Friday, obviously), I couldn’t resist spending $2 on a four pack. Though I have yet to drink a single sip, I can only imagine that this will not have positive results.

But I also predict that it will be the best drink review of my life.

(Don’t quote me on that.)

6. It’s Not Rocket Science, People.

Must we?

At Harris Teeter, earlier, I spotted these “store maps”. Having shopped in countless Harris Teeters (or Teets, as I like to call them), this is completely unnecessary and very silly.

I hope this isn’t a new trend in grocery stores.  It seems to go against everything the whole “reusable shopping bag” is about.

Ok, ok.

The pizza…. it calls to me.

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday, folks!

 

 

Why You Should Grocery Shop at Lunchtime

/ foodsweatandbeers / 8 Comments

Hey there y’all, and thank goodness it’s Friday!

I’m blurrily celebrating No-Pants Friday, so excited that I clearly couldn’t even hold still!

Too fast, too furious for the camera!

And I have to say, I just enjoyed the most divine salad at lunchtime.

Festive Friday Fare!

Yesterday, I tossed 2 frozen chicken breasts, half a can of black beans and half a can of fire-roasted tomatoes and some salsa into the crockpot. By dinnertime last night, it was a wonderful shreddable chicken with a Mexican flavor. Though I wrapped it in a tortilla last night, today I bulked it up with some spinach, tomato, half an avocado, and cheese. Out of this world.

Now, you might be asking yourself, “How does Jordan afford all these avocados? She must be a zillionaire!” because avocados are notoriously pricey and that’s a bummer. But I’ll tell you how I get em.

Shop for groceries at lunchtime!

A beautiful bounty!

The aisles are almost empty and the food is ripe for the picking. Also, this is a PRIME time to pick up those battered and bruised veggies and fruits that are “priced for quick sale”. The losers of the produce aisle, these treats always finagle their way into my heart and, shortly after, into my grocery cart. And, honestly, if you’re planning on putting together food with the veggies in the not-too-distant future, what’s the problem?

Sure, maybe they’re not as beautiful as the beautiful bananas, the attractive avocados, and the perfect plums. But they’re delicious as all get out, and just made my day.

For $2.50, I picked up 4 avocados and 8 tomatoes. I’ll chalk that one up to a major WIN!

Plans for tonight include a very special (and RARE in NC!) beer!  Epic Brewing’s Brainless on Peaches will be tapped at Rockfish tonight, and I can’t wait to try a glass.  Yummy, yummy.

What’s

Rehearsal Dinner at Open Door Gastropub

/ foodsweatandbeers / 11 Comments

Good evening, we made it to Wednesday!  Hope everyone celebrated in the right way (namely, No Pants Wednesday). Even though I have volleyball tonight, I’ve taken a break at home to enjoy some No Pants time…  and some blogging time.

Though I teased you all with some tidbits of my cousin’s wedding this weekend, there was more to it than silly mustaches and food on a stick.  In fact, there was a whole weekend of fun.  And it all started with the rehearsal (and rehearsal dinner!)  We were running a little late due to traffic from that crazy Occupy Wall Street stuff, so we went underground. Namely, to the subway!

Get her to the church on time!!

Luckily, we just made it, and the church was stunning.  Having been featured in Godfather II, Moonstruck, Men in Black, and Confessions of a Shopaholic, the Church of St. Anthony of Padua was picturesque, to say the least.

My camera just doesn't do it justice.

After watching the rehearsal go down (since I was giving a reading!!) we hopped a cab back to the hotel, which was luckily a stone’s throw from the location of the rehearsal dinner!  The location of the dinner was Open Door Gastropub  and, after reading some Yelp reviews and checking out their menu, I was specifically stoked for the extensive  drink menu. I decided, with so many options, it was definitely going to be a beer night.

Bottom's Up!

I started the night off with a Goose Island IPA which was tasty but not incredibly hoppy. A good way to start the night.  Also a good way to start the night?

Mini Beef Wellingtons... I'll be wolfing you down all night.

The appetizers were quality bar food, and also included pigs in a blanket. Pretty much a party in my mouth.

The best part of the night was definitely when my oldest brothers finally arrived!!

The Golden Age!

Despite our massive amount of love for my youngest brother and sister (the one I just had the Sister Date with!), the three of us always joke that we’re the “Golden Age”, as it took 3 years for all of us to be born, and 4 years later came the babies.  Well we were reunited in full force!

After all the tasty beers and appetizers, I was not all that interested in the food, but it was a pretty impressive spread.

Hot bar!

I was really looking forward to the infamous Mac and Cheese here… alas, no luck.  But let’s be honest, the real focus fell to the massive selection of beers.  Over the course of the night, I enjoyed:

  • Goose Head IPA
  • Southern Tier 5 Boroughs BPA (Something I’d NEVER seen before!)
  • Chimay Trappiste
  • Ommegang  Hennepin Farmhouse Saison
  • Brooklyn Brewery’s Brooklyner Schneider Hopfen-Weiss
  • La Chouffe
And mayyyybeeee a few more that I forgot to document on untappd.  Clearly, it’s a top notch spot for (affordable) craft beer in NYC, if you’re looking. Oh well, the drinks come, the focus switches from beer listing to family fun!

My lovely lady cousins! (the bride's the one in red...)

Getting our drinks after a looong wait!

Mini cupcakes from Crumbs. Oh my goodness...

Don't worry, I had no interest in this vodka.

My cousin, on the other hand.

All in all, it was a beery, bar-y fun time had by all.  But I still don’t understand the name, Open Door.  Darn doors were closed all over the place.

Or lead to nowhere.

Maybe they were being ironic?

I heard that’s big in NYC.

What’s your dream rehearsal dinner spot?

I’d love something with lots of tasty beers, comfort food, and good music!!

 

Six Pack Sunday: My Cousin’s Wedding!

/ foodsweatandbeers / 14 Comments

Long lost readers, I made it through the weekend!

I just woke up from a 2-ish hour nap after a long day of recovery (read: brunching, packing, trying to find my brother [who somehow ended up keyless at a train station in the next state over the morning after the wedding…], and riding back to PA from NYC. $100 to park for two days, that city is no joke.)

I’ll save the full write-up for another day, but in the meantime, in true Six Pack Sunday fashion, here are a few funny bits and pieces to tide you over (tie vs. tide? the link suggests I’m good with tide….)

Six Pack Sunday: My Cousin’s Wedding

1. Oh, do they?

Harsh warning.

Ok, maybe I was reading too much into this one. But doesn’t this just read almost like “They F**k You?”

Well, after a few hours in traffic, feeling a bit loopy, that’s how we all saw it.  Hilarious, at the time.  (Apparently, the translation of Daifuku is great luck. Now you know.)

2. A Dead Ringer… for Ringer!

The lovely Sarah Michelle Gellar was my inspiration for my wedding hairstyle, a la her new show, Ringer.

NAILED IT!

Ok, well I’m no Siobhan or Bridget, but I think I rocked it out. Pin straight, slicked back, feeling like a rockstar.

3. Workout Barbie Bunny

Energizer Bunny coincidence? I think not.

At 10:00 am the morning after the rehearsal dinner/party, my brother and I shocked everyone by heading to the hotel gym. Admittedly, it was a TINY room with a treadmill, an elliptical, and free weights + bench… but that was all we needed. GREAT to get a sweat session in while everyone else was nursing their hangovers.

4. Sneezy, Grumpy, Dopey and… Drunky?

The Eighth Dwarf?

I loved the venue of the rehearsal dinner/party. It was held at the Open Door Gastropub in the Financial District of NYC and had an excellent beer selection!! One of my favorites, initially for the name, was La Chouffe, an unfiltered fruity blonde beer. The glass it was served in was for the McChouffe, which they didn’t have on draught, but it was too cute. Friendliest little beer dwarf of all time!!

5. Put a Bird On Stick In It!

Party on a stick!

Skewers, kebobs, kabobs, shish kabobs, meat on a stick… call it what you want to call it, this station was one of the best parts of the reception.  It was simple. Marinated steak/salmon/chicken/veggies, meet sticks. Sticks meet fire. Cooked food, meet my mouth.

Repeat.

6. The Girls with the Bro-staches

With these, we’ll never get carded

Fact: For the duration of a single song (I think it was Love Train), my cousin, Devon, and I wore mustaches. Then we removed them. They were like ghost mustaches… I bet folks wondered if it was just their imagination.  Well, it wasn’t. It was real! It was ALL SO REAL!

What was the best/funniest part of your weekend?

Six Pack Sunday: The Science of Beer

/ foodsweatandbeers / 13 Comments

Happy Sunday, ladies and gentlemen!

It’s been an absolutely fantastic weekend, though not long enough (honestly, when are they ever?)  I got to visit the beau in Manayunk for some significant other loving. We made candy corn pancakes, we watched football, we dominated in beer pong survived playing beer pong (read: thank goodness for Ry’s years in a fraternity that played BP compulsively, because I maybe made 2 cups the entire night), and we cuddled during Cake Boss.  Pretty much straight quality.

Before the glory of the weekend, though, there was the Science of Beer.  On Thursday night, The North Carolina Museum of Life and Science  held one of their ever-popular “Museum After Hours” events called the Science of Beer. Though I am in the process of writing a more complete description of the event for a later release, I figured I’d share a few of the sillier, more personal bits and pieces with you all.

1. Like a Kid on Christmas Eve

I was stoked for this event. Seriously antsy. I’m every marketer’s dream consumer.  All you have to do is tell me an event is sold out, or a product is limited release, and I jump at the opportunity. So yes, we may have gotten there a half hour early and waited at the door like parents outside of Target on Black Friday.  And most of the time, I was peering anxiously through the door.

Not unlike this

But we were the proud owners of the designation “First Ladies in the Doors.”  Suck on that, little kids who were also waiting to get in (for the Science of Root Beer). Teach you to challenge me.

2. KOOZIE KRAZY!

The first station we went to (of course, after filling our tasting cups?)

DIY KOOZIES!!

If you guessed mine was the obnoxious pink one with my initials on it…. you clearly know me too well.

Melissa and I showing off our stuff

On the other side, I had a Moon sticker and made it say “I’m over the moon [sticker] for craft beer!”

I’m a class act.

3. Gender Beer Bias?

Maybe I’ve been thinking too much about chick beer but when I walked up to the “lab” and saw the sign below, I was like,

WHOAH GENDER BEER BIAS THIS IS GOING TO BE THE COOLEST DISPLAY EVER!! 

Wishful thinking?

 

Sadly, as I looked closer, I was disappointed to find out a) it was GENETIC beer bias and b) my genetics determined I was totally insensitive to the “bitter factor” of beer.

Couldn't even taste it.

Oh well, so I couldn’t taste bitter paper (or beer). NBD. All the more beer for me to enjoy.

4. The Most Educational Game of Beer Pong Ever

The absolute most awesome part of The Science Beer?

Beer Pong Physics?! SIGN ME UP!

Even though this weekend with the beau, we quickly realized that real beer pong might not be my forte, apparently, when it comes to the physics of the game, I’ve got it down pat.

Check out that bend in the knee.

They tracked our throws with a video and noted all the spots our ball hit to track the trajectory. SCIENCE AT IT’S FINEST!

AND IT'S GOOD!!

Scientifically, I'm on point.

So there’s no real reason why I shouldn’t sink every cup.  That’s just a scientific fact, right there.  Both Melissa and I sunk our cups, allowing us the honor of putting our names on the Wall of Fame.

Jealous?

5. Why Aren’t Beer Cans What They Used to Be?

Beer cans through the ages!

The folks at the Rusty Bunch brought an intimidating amount of beer cans to show the evolution over time.  I definitely found a favorite:

PBR can the size of my skull? Sure.

I’m currently working with the folks at PBR to bring this one back.

I’ll let you know if I make any progress.

6. Food Truck FIESTA!!

This was for the two of us.

The Rasta from Will and Pop’s (jerk chicken, pepper jack, and mango chutney grilled sandwich), Porkedamame Dumplings from Chirba Chirba (spell-check may be needed for that last one) and, the coup de gras, from Valentino’s , pale ale battered jalapeno poppers stuffed with mozzarella and NORTH CAROLINA BBQ!! Jalapeno poppers might be the fried food of my dreams. I imagine, in Heaven, all foods will be served like appetizers. And jalapeno poppers will be used as a palate cleanser.

Every bite of this meal, split between Melissa and me, was divine. I promise, it wasn’t just the beer talking. It was the most indulgent meal I’ve had in recent history but worth every messy, drippy, fried bite.

Note the Rapture of my face? That's popper induced rapture.

It was, in a word, BEERTASTIC!

And, in a less made-up word: paradise.

For a craft beer lover, for a food truck lover, and a fan of all things Triangle, it was just paradise.

How was your weekend?

Have you ever been to an after hours event at a local museum?  

I get the feeling that I’ll be signing myself right up for the Science of Wine in February…

 

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?

A Very Jordan Birthday: Food, Sweat, AND Beers

/ foodsweatandbeers / 22 Comments

Good morning, y’all! I’ll be honest, I’m either at a training for work right now or on a plane. Either way, while I’m being a busy bee (not unlike that time I went to the Busy Bee Cafe with NC Girls’ Pint Out) I figured it’d be nice to finally write up my amazing birthday of Joy and Joyness.  And honestly, since that fateful birthday where I finally wrote my feelings on the Healthy Living Summit and y’all responded with an outpouring your feelings, I’ve been so busy I’ve hardly had time to breathe.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Let’s do this thing.

I started my birthday the only way I know how: Wearing a tiara.

Tiara before 8 am = totally normal.

I opened a package from my tumblr buddy (a secret penpal I’ve had for the past year, can’t wait to find out who (s)he is so I can thank her!) that I’d been saving for the previous 2 days.  And that’s friggin’ hard because I hate waiting.  I’ll shoot you straight: It was worth the wait.

FINALLY!

All my goodies.

  • Frames, wooden pirate flags, and glitter glue to make em!
  • Duo Penotti (from the Netherlands?! WAH!)
  • Eiffel tower journal
  • gorgeous glass bottle for my fragrance of choice
  • J-letters
  • Birthday Cake Candle!! SMELLS LIKE THE BEST DAY EVER!

Well, I knew that the rest of the day was bound for greatness.

Lunch was served by my all-time favorite food truck: Klausie’s Pizza

The most delicious automobile

Klausie’s offers a delicious slice (or four, if you’re a birthday girl buying for your beau) of thick crust, OH SO CHEESY, incredibly flavor pizza. Their toppings are always fresh and tasty and the crust has a foccaccia-like texture that ends up greasy and good by the time you eat it.  It’s not what I would call “diet friendly”, but it’s very Jordan friendly.

My haul. I promise, two were for the beau.

I got a veggie slice and a meaty slice (put em together, that’s a Hypocrite slice!) and enjoyed it with a Coke Zero. Heavenly. I can’t imagine a more enjoyable birthday lunch, enjoyed with my studly man (who had just de-planed a work flight from Maryland less than an hour before!) Somehow, I managed to get through the rest of the work day, completing what needed to be done before scampering off long enough to prep and primp for my big night out.

Thanks to Veri for brightening my day with some sunflowers!

The plan? LivingSocial Adventures was hosting a Pub Crawl with Craft Beers and Organic Bites in Downtown Raleigh. My friends and I met up at my home and before I knew it, we were en route to Tir Na Nog (our first stop of the night!)

The schedule, printed up nice and neat

While we waited for our beers to show up, we enjoyed a spinach artichoke dip and some pita points.

No beers = toast with appetizers!

Unfortunately, the beers took a little while to come out, so we were just waiting after finishing our foods. But when the beer came out, we were in for a treat.

Hibernation... No breathing!

Happiest.

Great Divide Brewing’s Hibernation Ale was first on draft for me. A boozy winter ale that I’d never heard of, so I figured why not?! It was tasty, it was drinkable, and it did the trick.  Never one to drink alone, I decided to make friends. Friends…. with chicken wings.

Kim and Tim, thanks for the chick'n!

They were just a few of the many folks who I met/celebrated my birthday with that fateful August 24th. I actually kept going up to new folks and saying, “Happy my birthday!!” Some laughed. Those were my friends. Others…. well, we just walked away from them.

I even earned my Birthday Brew Badge on Untappd!! Untappd is my very favorite way to track/rate my beers, and if you wanna be my friend, DO IT! My name’s JPreezy22!

Happy Beer-day!

Great friends, great beers = great night!

Up next was The Oxford, a “gastropub” in Raleigh. The appetizers here were…. insane.

Words don't do them justice

Panko fried avocados and beef wellington bites

While I didn’t love the beer options (Carolina Pale Ale… not my favorite), Panko fried avocado is not of this world. It’s the crunch of a mozzarella stick, the creamy of brie, and the taste of avocado. All my dreams come true. I even tried some of Ryan’s Wellington Bite, and it was so savory, rich, and delicious with a crusty pastry around it. Every nibble was better than the last.

My knight in sharing armor

We all ended the night at The Big Easy, a Cajun spot in Raleigh with live music (at least there was live music on Wednesday!)

I’ll admit, the appetizers at this spot were teeny tiny, and left much to be desired. But the beer (and the company) were great.

Sweet sweet Brinnea

Ry and one of our hosts, Danny!

Ryan even surprised me with a massive brownie sundae and a candle!

Making a wish!

Chomping like a champ.

It wouldn’t have been half as fun without my buddies along for the ride!

And Ry even surprised me with a flower of his own. And by flower… I mean giant leaf.

I heard 3.5 years is the "leaf" anniversary. So nice of him to remember. Note the extreme tilt of the tiara. Yup, that's the end of the night.

We had a total blast, and big shout outs to the folks at LivingSocial and all the venues we hit up. I actually love the idea of LivingSocial adventures and hope to do some more in the future. I think that the process could’ve run a little smoother with the drinks and foods being out/coming out at the same time, but other than that, blast in a glass (several glasses.)

All in all…. a killer birthday. 24 on the 24th. Golden as ever.

What’s been your best birthday party?

Have you ever done a LivingSocial Adventure? Or would you? What would be your perfect adventure?