Tasty Beverage of the Week

I turned to one of the finest brewers on the East Coast for the accompaniment to tonight's bowl game. Penn State plays Texas A&M in the Alamo Bowl at 8pm. I poured a glass of Shelter Pale Ale and put on my #24 jersey. Life is good.
This brew by Dogfish Head is mellow and extremely drinkable. A great introductory beer for friends who are unsure about craft beers. The finish reminds me of vanilla, and leaves me craving another glass. The mouthfeel is smooth, with minimal hoppy bitterness. At just 5% ABV, I assume I can enjoy my share and still feel good about being at work at 8am tomorrow.
"This is our original brew and our most approachable beer. It's brewed with a premium barley and whole-leaf Glacial & Warrior hops. Our Shelter Pale Ale has a fine malt backbone and a slightly nutty flavor. A versatile, quaffable beer. The Shelter Pale Ale is available exclusively in the Mid-Atlantic region... Food Pairing recommendations: Great with burgers, pizza, earthy mushrooms, hummus & cheese."

Let's Go State!

Tasty Beverage of the Week

The sad news is that Otto's has exhausted its supply of Mom's Elderberry Stout. The great news is that the replacement is Sumatra Stout. I was never a huge fan of the Elderberry, although it was my wife's favorite. The Jolly Roger Imperial Stout is just way, way too much (over 10% ABV). But the Sumatra is just right!
Ratebeer.com gives it an overall score of 99 out of 100. "A dry stout brewed with Sumatra Mandeling coffee. This ale combines the smooth dryness of an Irish stout with the aroma and flavor of a bold coffee. This stout is nitro-poured for a delicious creamy taste."
Traditionally, I drink coffee in the morning, and beer in the evening. Who knew I could do both at the same time? The perfect breakfast beer. The perfect evening coffee. Worlds are colliding.
My plan for the evening is to watch the Steelers play the Rams at one of the "Top 50 Places to Have a Pint" in the country. My only concern is how many other people have the same plan...

Top 20 Albums of 2007

By July it was clear that 2007 was shaping up to be a great year for music. Personally, I spent tons of time searching out new artists and sorting through all the new music I could find. Compiling this list has been a 2-step process that began in January.
Phase 1: Find the newest releases. This was accomplished with the help of Sirius Channel 26, music blogs and friends, magazines, and Amazon. I read everything I could about artists I had never heard of.
Phase 2: Listen to entire albums to determine their overall and lasting impression. Sometimes this was done intentionally and on purpose. But I have long been extremely passionate about music, so music is the soundtrack to my daily activities. I generally listen to music while driving, working around the house, running and exercising, grilling on the deck, enjoying tasty beverages with friends, at the pool in Duck, and sitting at the computer. Some albums are tough to make it the whole way through. Some encourage repeat listenings over and over again. Some of these albums became routine favorites completely by accident. All of them remind me of people, places, trips, food, beverages, dogs, weather, and the other adventures that make up my existance.
I've thought alot about how I will feel about this list next year, or five years from now, or 40 years from now. But I think that's part of the fun. Will I be embarrassed by my choices or impressed with my ability to sort through the commercial crap to find true art? But enough already, let's see the list- in no particular order, followed by the top 5!

• The National - Boxer: I heard them on LOC, but it was Gus's stories and passion for the band that made me listen until I understood. "You were always weird but I never had to hold you by the edges like I do now."
• Amy Winehouse - Back to Black: Soul sounds that remind me of a time before I was born. And then a train crash that you can't stop watching.
• Bright Eyes - Cassadega: Wow. I've always respected his songwriting, but this album, to me, is a standout.
• The Good, the Bad, and the Queen: Supergroups sometimes suck (see Velvet Revolver), but this is for reals.
• Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank: Complicated and intense. Equal parts radio-friendly pop rock and melting, crashing oblivion.
• Queens of the Stone Age - Era Vulgaris: Great for running on a hot summer day. Hard rock that doesn't suck. This album made me dig into their back catalog, and I like what I've heard. How was I not a fan before?
• Wilco - Sky Blue Sky: Great classic rock - mellow and jammy. Fleeting moments of Allman Brothers greatness.
• The New Pornographers - Challengers: Phenomenal pop music. It reminds me of driving through Virginia in the sun on the way to a hurricane. "Here is the mutiny I promised you, and here is the party it turned into."
• Ryan Adams - Easy Tiger: Halloweenhead rules. Period. And the rest of the album is one you can just put on and let play. Again.
• Rilo Kiley - Under the Blacklight: Jenny Lewis moans her best fake orgasm Ah, Ah, Ah... Oh Yeah. I never heard of them until they graced the cover of Spin. Another great pop album, which also encouraged me to listen to their earlier efforts. I'm a fan.
• Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Baby 81: This is definitely not what I expected after seeing the name of the band. It's classic guitar-driven hard rock. I was afraid, but not anymore.
• Of Montreal - Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer: Psychedelic insanity mixed with Prince. It has so much going on at once. These guys would be fun to see live. I've seen pictures of some interesting stage setups and costumes.
• Black Lips - Good Bad Not Evil: Also a band I would like to see live - from a distance. They remind me of punk with a Beach Boys twist.
• Peter Bjorn and John - Writer's Block: Catchy tunes you can whistle. Some are annoyed, but I love it.
• Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog: Soft and intense. Incredible songwriting. Just listen to it.
  
  #5 Spoon - Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga: I've been waiting for this since 2005's Gimme Fiction. Great rock and roll music. Reminds me of summertime evenings just before dusk.

#4 The Bees - Octopus: Loads of fun that will release your inner hippie. Rockin' reggae funky grooves. You may want to dance around a little.#3 LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver: It took me several listenings to understand this, but I knew it was worth the effort. Modern-day genius. My most common choice for running. Just thinking about the beats makes me want to lace up my shoes, but it's snowing.

#2 Radiohead - In Rainbows: It's what I'm listening to right now. Disc 1 is awesome. Disc 2 is awesome. Everyone should listen to this album. Alot. Radiohead has been redefining music in the modern context since day one. Never mind the revolutionary online release for no predetermined fee. The songwriting is stuff no one else imagines. "Wakey wakey rise and shine."

#1 Band of Horses - Cease to Begin: Gus introduced me to their previous album. Band of Horses is like a cross between Neil Young, My Morning Jacket, and The Black Crowes. It's my favorite bands all wrapped into one. Haunting yet comforting. I can listen to this nonstop. It may not be as revolutionary or complicated as In Rainbows, but it's intense and pure. Straight up rock and roll from Seattle with a southern twist. This album could have been released any time during the last 40 years. It's universal.

So there you have it. RatBat Bear's Top 20 of 2007. Many albums deserve honorable mention nods, so here are a few: Interpol, M.I.A., Mark Ronson, Feist, Arcade Fire, The White Stripes, Bruce Springsteen, Great Lake Swimmers, Justice, Lifesavas and Clutch.

I can't wait for next year!

Tasty Beverage of the Week

I've had Bass Pale Ale a handful of times over the years, and I've never been overly impressed. Don't get me wrong - there's lots of history and it's a great example of its style. But Bass is not something I search out.
The reason I have had several bottles of Bass recently is because some (otherwise) great restaurants lack variety and selection when it comes to pale ales. Specifically, Prospector's and The Tavern. Why do they choose to serve Bass? Is it because it's imported and everyone has heard of it? I think I probably answered my own question. This is probably also why it's overpriced.
Regardless, apparently the "red triangle" was England's first registered trademark. The logo has appeared countless times through history in many different contexts.
I can't really recommend Bass based on a unique or interesting flavor. It doesn't impress me a whole lot. Nonetheless, when I go back to those particular establishments, I'll probably order another Bass. If you've never had it, give it a whirl. It's a classic English Pale Ale.
But I think I prefer our American version. The good ol' U.S. of A.

Tasty Beverage of the Week

This week's edition features a new treat from an old favorite. My love affair with Magic Hat beers dates back to my first taste of #9 at a hazy music festival - it may have been Phish's Big Cypress for NYE 2000, or it may have been my first trip to Bonnaroo... either way, what was I talking about? Oh yeah, beer.
As I once previously mentioned, my wife and I honeymooned in Burlington, VT. It's a beautiful, fun-filled town (actually quite reminiscent of Happy Valley, but with a huge lake). South Burlington is the home to the Magic Hat brewery. I can't describe how much fun the place is. A great atmosphere, and everyone that works there seems to love what they do. But who wouldn't? The trip to VT would not have been complete without a pilgrimage to Ben and Jerry's and Magic Hat. We went to Ben and Jerry's one afternoon; we went to Magic Hat every single day. At that time, they had several offerings on tap that are not available around these parts: Humble Patience, Mother Lager, Single Chair Ale, Jinx, Fat Angel, and Blind Faith (my favorite of all time) to name a few. I brought home several cases worth from that adventure, but it soon ran out.
Before you could buy Magic Hat locally, I drove to Corning, NY to purchase a few cases (it was less than an hour out of the way on the trip home from a Keuka Lake winery mission). Soon after, bars and distributors began to carry the elixers in my hometown.
But enough about the past, let's talk about Odd Notion. A limited edition seasonal brew available in the Feast of Fools variety case.

• The Beer Advocates say: "Odd Notion (Winter '07) is a dark wheat ale that's tagged as an "English Ale," but brewed with 50% malted wheat, pale malts, dark-candy sugar, chocolate and Munich malts, and lightly hopped with Hersbrucker... Pours a dark brown brew with ruby hues and a thick, creamy, tight off-white lace with good stick and retention. Soft fruity and floral aromas with pear and chocolate, a nutty edge and a subtle drop of toffee. Quite smooth; creamy and medium-bodied with a rolling even feel on the palate. Up-front there's a slightly tangy raisin flavor that introduces a flash of hop bitterness, leafy tannins, a grassy bite and floral back. Malt pulls through for some balance with roasted nuts and caramel, with raw cookie dough action and lingering chocolate-cake characters. Alcohol becomes noticeable as things warm up; it first hides among a complexity of spices, but slightly sugary candy notes soon give its presence away. Astringent, husky and tannic towards the finish, leaving behind a bone-dry and wanting palate... Odd Notion is definitely one of the more interesting, complex and drinkable experimental brews to come out of Magic Hat. It runs from smooth to coarse, from sweet to dry, from light to heavy, with changing flavors in each sip. It's a great ride that leaves food-pairing possibilities wide open. For instance, goat cheese with chocolate drizzle and dried date accompaniment sounds good right about now—wrap it in bacon and bake it, even better."
  

The thing about this beer is that the 7.5% ABV is misleading in two ways:

1. You can't taste the alcohol, so it goes down smooth and easy.
2. It packs one hell of a punch, so by the time you realize you had too many, it may be too late! Odd Notion feels stronger than 7.5% to me. (Kind of in the same way that Jagermeister feels stronger than it is.)

Odd Notion is not necessarily the best beer I've ever had, but one of the most interesting nonetheless. Don't miss your chance to experience this cold weather treat - get your Feast of Fools today!

Finally, Some Exciting News!

When I read the news of the Band of Horses recently announced U.S. tour dates, I actually jumped up from my desk and ran around the house clapping and yelling. The dog went crazy and jumped all over the furniture with a tennis ball in his mouth. It's been a long time since a band I was so into came to visit me in my small central PA town. The last time may have been a stop by Medeski, Martin, and Wood a few years ago at the Crowbar (may it and its jagoff staff R.I.P.).
Band of Horses' Cease to Begin may be the best album of 2007 (not to ruin any suspense for the highly anticipated RatBat Bear Top 20 of 2007 List). Check out this video from the record release party at Easy Street Records, Queen Anne, Seattle, WA, October 08, 2007.
Anyone able to join me on January 24? Tickets go on sale December 7, so don't dilly-dally!