Labor Day Beer Fights

Now that school is in, I have decided to revive the beer fights in earnest. After a summer in which the St. Louis temperature was over 100 seemingly every day (and too hot to sit outside and drink), I made a Friday trip to Friar Tuck's and loaded up on new beer to enjoy and blog about. I figured a perfect way to honor the workforce on Labor Day would be to sit in my dining room/ front porch, try a new beer, and tell everyone about it.

So, without further fluff to start this off, here we go.



All the way from England, we have a heavy hitter in the beverage business:

Samuel Smith's India Ale. Sam is facing off against a beer from a brewer I haven't heard of: Joker IPA.

First the Samuel Smith. I believe, as hard as it is to imagine, this is the first time I have drank Samuel Smith beer of any kind. Unless I have forgotten in a drunken haze, I'm pretty sure this is the maiden voyage for me. What a nice trip it is!

Brewer: Samuel Smith, England
Beer: India Ale
Beer Style: India Pale Ale
Price: $3.99 for a 20 oz bottle.

Appearance: Looks like a pale ale. Medium brown in color, clear, nice lacing, good head on it but that disappeared quickly.

Mouthfeel: Traditional ale; slightly watery but definitely beer in your mouth.

Smeel: Sweet, hoppy goodness. It makes me want to drink it. Very appealing. Not overpowering.

Taste: Outstanding. Simply, the best IPA I've tried yet. It is not as hoppy as some but the hops are the defining feature with a the malt coming in as the secondary taste. This is a very drinkable beer by anyone as it is not nearly as overpowering as the majority of IPA's out there. This is a full flavored beer that I could drink all evening with no problem at all. I'm 3/4 through the 20 oz and it's better then when I began. An outstanding beer. You need to try this if you want to try IPA's at all.

Overall rating. 5.0. I am going to load the fridge the next time I go to Friar Tuck's. Perfect in my book. What a way to start the new drinking season off. My first perfect rating.



Brewer: Williams Bros. Brewing, Scotland
Beer: Scottish Joker India Pale Ale
Beer Style: India Pale Ale
Price: $3.99/ 20 oz bottle.

Appearance: Slightly darker then the Samuel Smith- looks like a dark pale ale.

Mouthfeel: Similar to a pale ale- beer but not very thick; slightly watery.

Smell: Not overpowering but definitely more hoppy then the Sam Smith.

Taste: Up until the point where I tasted it, I thought I was going to have issues as it seemed pretty similar to the Sam Smith. Once I tried it, I realized this fight ended with a TKO. It is much more hoppy which isn't necessarily bad by any means; these hops don't enhance the flavor- they overpower it. It is a harsh hoppy taste with no malt flavoring at all. It is a very unbalanced flavor which didn't impress on the first drink or the last. Skip this one for sure.

Overall rating: 2.0. Not missing anything here unless you like hops for the sake of hops.

God Save the Queen and the Samuel Smith beer and have a Scottish tea party when they bring a boatload of the Joker in. Next up will be a battle of Rouge Brewery flavored beers for the summer/ fall. Looking forward to this one. Tune in in a few days for the final results.

Back for more!!!

After a long delay, I'm ready to get back to it. With the World Cup ending and the summer heat being unbearable, what better time to try new beer? I picked up some new IPAs at Friar Tucks and since golf was rained out tonight, no better time that I can think of.

Here it is:
Beer Name: Southern Tier IPA
Brewer: Southern Tier
Beer Style: India Pale Ale
Price $7.99/ six pack

Appearance: Medium Amber, good head and lacing in the glass. A very nice looking beer.

Smell: As most IPA's, the hops are the prevailing taste and smell. If you don't like bitter tastes, then IPA's probably aren't for you. This is a beer with character and a very crisp aroma.

Mouthfeel: Very similar to an ale, slightly watery but overall not bad. Could be slightly heavier in my opinion but this is a fairly light IPA.

Taste: Outstanding. A fine, hoppy, crisp, slightly bitter man's beer. this isn't for Bud Light drinkers. You have beer taste ion your mouth for a good 30 seconds after a drink. I don't think I could drink this during the heat of the day but as a drink with BBQ or a steak, this would be perfect. I would recommend everyone try something similar to this just for the exposure. It is an eye-opening experience.

Overall rating: 4.5. I like the beer but it is slightly mellow for an IPA and I want super-bold, in your face hops when I drink an IPA. This would be an excellent beer to broaden your horizons with but I doubt that many seasoned IPA drinkers have this with dinner every night. Still a very good beer that I would recommend to anyone.

Next up Kevin Porter has requested a full review on Old English 800. As soon as he brings me some, I'll review it. Nothing like a little charcoal filtering to grow the chest hair (and back hair and between-the-toes hair, etc). So, for those of you who have never experienced that wonderful flavor, the review should be entertaining.

Goose's Birthday Present

Goose got me 2 very nice bottles of beer for my birthday this year. Here are the details, a nice picture, and the complete ratings. Thanks again Goose.



BEER #1

Brewer: Unibroue, Quebec, Canada
Beer Name: Chambley Noire Ale:
Beer Style: Black Ale
Price: ?

Appearance: Well, I'll start with the obvious. This beer is dark; almost black. There is no way to see through the glass as the beer is so dark although it looks to be a fairly clear beer to look at. It looks very intimidating as your glass fills up.

Smell: There is definitely something citrusy although I'm getting a small coffee odor as well. Smells good.

Mouthfeel: Not too heavy, not too light. Feels like a good beer. I expected it to feel like liquid lead but it is smooth with a little zip to it.

Taste: I have had this beer before but I never remembered it being this good. Not at all what you expect. This beer has an almost light, fruity taste to it that is not indicative of the dark, black color. It is quite smooth with very little aftertaste at all. I thoroughly enjoyed this beer.

Overall Score: 4.5 with a chance to move higher when I get over the difference in appearance and taste. It doesn't go together but it's surprisingly good and smooth.

BEER #2:
Brewer: Bavik Brewery, Belgium
Beer: Petrus Winter Ale
Beer Style: Dark Ale
Price: ?

Appearance: Dark, full brown color with a very foamy head that didn't hold it's lacing in the glasses I had.

Smell: A nice wintry ale with hints of nutmeg, cinnamon, and coffee. Smells good.

Mouthfeel: A little lighter then I was thinking but still feels like beer. 6.2% alcohol so not too much but enough to let you know it's not Bud Select.

Taste: Ummmmmmmm, good. I like beer. Especially Christmas beer. This one is outstanding; an ale with plenty of holiday spices in there to liven it up but it's not too heavy. This is worth whatever Leigh paid for it. If you are looking to try a quality XMas ale, don't pass this one up.

Overall Score: 4.75. Solid from start to finish with no real faults at all. If I have it next year and it remains this good, we might be looking to bump it up into the 5.0 category.

Goose, outstanding choices that I thoroughly enjoyed. I can't wait to turn. No scotch for me though. It won't get drank.

Saturday Night Beer Fights!!!

Last night, my neighbor Kerry (and previous guest taster) brought over a couple of bottles of beer to sample. Thanks for the unexpected gift Kerry. Always a pleasure watching a Cards game (heartbreaking loss for Wainwright by the way- two blown calls in one inning on two consecutive plays- way to go Umps!). After that we took in the first hour of Saturday Night Live which had some funny stuff but we were both disappointed that there were no more Women's Sports on ESPN skits. If you haven't seen any of them, here are the links:

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/espn-classic-womens-curling/1205311/

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/espn-classic-ladies-darts/1194032/

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/espn-classic-womens-weightlifting/1219732/

Anyways, on to the beer:

BEER #1

Brewer: North Coast Brewing Co. Fort Bragg, CA
Beer Name: Brothers Thelonius Belgian Style Abbey Ale
Beer Style: Belgian Style Abbey
Price: ?

Appearance: Dark, Very Clear Red. Looks like a cabernet wine.

Smell: Not overpowering but you can definitely smell the dark fruit that the beer tastes like.

Mouthfeel: A full bodied beer with plenty of substance. A good feel. Nice foam on the glass and lacing that remained.

Taste: A very typical Abbey Ale; almost a wine flavor to it. Tastes like a beer that has been mixed with a shot of Cabernet. I did notice a caramel hint as I got closer to the bottom. Overall, fairly smooth, easy to drink, after the first few drinks, I settled in and enjoyed the rest of the glass. And I did enjoy it at 9.4% alcohol. Kerry said that he enjoyed it as well after the first few drinks.

Overall score: 3.5. Not bad at all but you definitely have to be in the mood for this type of beer. Probably a fall or winter beer for most people.

BEER #2
Brewer: Schlafly's Brewery St. Louis, MO
Beer Name: Quadrupel Ale
Beer Style: Belgiun Ale (4th in a series of four that Schlafly's has made)
Price: $7.99

Appearance: Medium Brown, semi cloudy; looks much more like beer then the Abbey Ale which looked like wine with foam.

Smell: Definitely the traditional fruity aroma of a Belgiun ale. Not nearly as overpowering as the Tripel that Kerry and I sampled earlier in the winter. (see this post:

http://thebigwallabowski.blogspot.com/2010/02/friday-night-beer-fights-episode-two.html

for the ratings on the Tripel.

Mouthfeel: Good also; this is a heavyweight and there is no doubt about it. It has more alcohol in one 12 ounce drink then 3 Bud Lights. 12% overall and it packs a punch. Heavy and thick.

Taste: Not as fruity as the Tripel by any means but it is much heavier. Definitely a noticeable difference between the two. This leaves a much more nor=ticeable skunkyish taste in your mouth at the end that seems to have about three phases; none of which are extremely enjoyable. Overall, the taste is not as overpowering during the drink but it makes up for that in the aftertaste.

Overall Score: I think I like the Tripel better overall. I'm saying 3.0 on this but only as a one glass drink at dinner. As a stand-alone beer on the patio, it's probably not going to happen at all with me.

And the winner is: The Thelonius Monks from Califoria!!! Who said Church was bad? If they served this, I might actually go.

THANKS TO KERRY FOR THE BEER!!!!

Footnote: After we finished these, we each wanted one more beer before bed so I went to the fridge and grabbed the only thing in there: two Natural Lights. They tasted like watered-down rain water after the other two beers. It was like drinking purified air.

Friday Night's Escapades

On Friday, Tim M. came up to watch the draft. Several of the fellas decided to get together and head to Culpepper's to watch the NFL draft and drink drafts... After the draft was over, they all headed to Rob Porter's favorite bar; the Hook and Ladder on Highway M (North of 70 Highway K). While they don't have a website, here is the Metromix review:

http://stlouis.metromix.com/restaurants/american/hook-and-ladder-pub-ofallon/419680/content

To start the evening off, we order several buckets of assorted AB products at $12 apiece during the Cardinal game (normally $15). The evening as usual, got hopping as the karaoke DJ opened things up to everyone about 10:30. To start the evening off, Kevin did a Smashing Pumpkins song, "Disarm." It went downhill from there. I soon sang "The Bad Touch" by the Bloodhound Gang. (This is the "You and me baby ain't nothing but mammals so let's do it like they do on the discovery channel" song. Classy. Everyone say "getting horny now."

The majority of the Karaoke songlist is in the player so if you have little ones nearby, you may want to avoid the Bloodhound Gang song and definitely the Sandler song that Owens nailed: "A Medium Pace." He hit every note and rocked the house with that one. The best was when the bartender (a nice 50 or so year old named Patty) stared at him with her mouth open after he sang the "pull the shampoo bottle out of my ass" line. It was truly hilarious and probably the best karaoke song I've heard.

Here was the complete lineup:

Kevin: Smashing Pumpkins "Disarm"
Black Crowes "Remedy"
Simon and Garfunkel "Homeward Bound"

Owens: Adam Sandler "At a Medium Pace"

Slim: Lit "My Own Worst Enemy"
Sinatra "New York, New York"
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy "You and Me and the Bottle Makes Three"

Rob: Ram Jam "Black Betty"
Rick Springfield "Jessie's Girl"

Me The Bloodhound Gang "The Bad Touch"
Tom T Hall "I Like Beer"

Slim and Me (Duet) Toto "Rosanna" in honor of the Vegas lounge act at the Excalibur a few years back. We heard Rosanna at least 20 times in one weekend by the same band in the same lounge in Vegas. I have nightmares about that song.

Everyone should see the fellas karaoke at some time in their life. It is a spectacle.

IMPORTANT PROGRAMMING NOTE: It was decided that on the day of the USA/ England game, we are going to head to a St. Charles bar at about 6 AM to pre-party. Can't remember the name of it. I'll add that in a little bit. June 12th. Everyone block out that day on your calender and plan on meeting us for the game.

Here's how we grow rocks in Wentzville

Recently, I decided to fix a spot of grass on the side of my yard that would not grow. I knew there was a rock left underneath the ground that had to be taken out. So, I got the shovel out and decided to dig. And dig, and dig. Eventually, I had to get the pry bar out to start getting this thing out of the ground. About two and a half hours later, I fin ally removed the last piece from the ground. Here's a picture of the final damage:




As you can see, the five gallon bucket is full of rock pieces less then 2 or three inches across. The shovel lying on the hole is a full size garden shovel so you get some perspective on the size of this rock. All those pieces lying on the ground were broken off by me using a sledge hammer.

The moral of the story is that if you move to Wentzville, you get rocks; big ones.

Return of Friday Night Beer Fights!!!!!!

As the weather warms and I get more in the mood to drink outside on these semi-warm (OK- basically freezing) nights, I start to think of ales, IPA's, and other lighter beers to spend the evening with. Tonight, I planned on watching my beloved Duke Blue Devils advance to the Elite Eight in my garage. As the temperature is supposed to get down to 38, I'm going to instead enjoy the game from the comfort of my living room.

During that time, I am going to be settling the new Friday Night Beer Fights Main Event:

Beer #1
Brewer Name: Bear Republic
Web Site: www.bearrepublic.com
Beer Name: Ricardo's Red Rocket Ale
Beer Style: "A Bastardized Scottish style red..." (Their description; not mine)

Appearance: Dark Reddish brown depending on the light. Brown when not in direct light- red when you hold it up to the light. Clear but hard to see through unless you have a light behind it due to the dark color. Nice, consistent lacing on the glass as well.

Smell: Smells carameley like a scotch ale- yet has a hint of hops to it as well.

Taste: Halfway through the second glass, I'm happy with it although this seems to fall into more of a cold-weather ale then a light summer beer. You can definitely taste the Scotch background although it is almost a "scotch light" as it definitely doesn't compare with some of the stronger Scotch ales I've tried this winter. Alcohol content is 6.8% so not as high in alcohol either. Overall, pretty smooth and I will definitely buy this again. Kelly tried some and said "uh, uh, too like something..." I wonder why she hasn't started a blog of her own. OOOOOhhhhhh- I just got called an A-h**e. Not very nice treatment for the blogging royalty... I thought I was an A-lister by now. I'm going to call my agent.

Mouthfeel: Nice, medium feel to the beer; slightly watery but close enough to not disturb me.

Overall rating: I'm pretty happy with this and am almost disappointed that I have to end this bottle. I have that nice, warm feeling in my stomach that signals that the beer is doing it's job. Good stuff. 4.0 overall.

Beer #2

Brewer: Charleville Vineyard Winery and Microbrewery (St. Genevieve, MO) Hometown drinking- always a plus.
Web Site: www.charlevillevineyard.com
Beer Name: Tornado Alley Amber Ale
Beer Style: Amber Ale

Appearance: Medium Brown, Light Red; very clear.

Smell: Very fruity. I am not surprised that this comes from a vineyard. I can't put my finger on the actual fruit. Kelly says orange; I say more of a cranberry/ raspberry odor to it.

Taste: I'm saying pretty good. It has a very fruity during and aftertaste that probably will be either like it or not proposition for most drinkers. Kelly does not like it at all but I appreciate that they are trying to make a very light, summerish type of ale that can be enjoyed while you mow the yard, run a marathon, play some jarts, etc.

Mouthfeel: Not surprisingly, not much here. A fairly light beer with little to no lacing on the glass. As previously mentioned, a nice spring, summer beer to drink during a leisurely round of golf or playing on the beach (at Creve Couer park- wait- that's Busch Light, sorry.).

Overall: I'm going 4.0 on this as well. A very, nice, light beer with a fruity during and aftertaste. I can see myself sitting on the front porch with a 6 pack of this as I watch the kids kill each other (I mean play) in the court. No DFS calls please.

And, for the first time ever, we have a tie!!! The only thing to do is to purchase another beer by each brewer and double-down like Mikey in Swingers!!! This fight isn't over. We'll be back after another trip to Friar Tuck's!!!

To be continued...

GO DUKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010 World Cup Primer

Here is everything you need to know for the 2010 World Cup.

Here is the FIFA 2010 World Cup homepage:

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/index.html

First, and most importantly, the USA's group schedule and local times:

6/12 1:30 PM ENGLAND
6/18 9 AM Slovenia
6/23 9 AM Algeria

That England game is on a Saturday and I say we all head to a bar or find a house with hi-def big screen and start about 10 AM so we are rowdy when the game starts. If the US can draw that game, we should make it out of the group with no problem. The USA is currently ranked 18th in the world and Slovenia and Algeria are 27th and 32nd, respectively. The big thing the US has going for them is experience. Neither Slovenia or Algeria played in the 06 World Cup. Hopefully, the US won't be nervous and will come out and own those two teams.

As for the other games, here are the ones in the group stage that look to me like can't miss games:

June 17th 1:30 PM France/ Mexico Battle of two heavyweights although France is going to be easier to beat this year in my opinion.

June 22nd 1:30 PM Greece/ Argentina The Greek squad will be hard to beat. The Argentinians may have the group locked up by the thrid match. If not, this one will be a can't miss.

Any match in Group G. This has got to be the Group of Death. Brazil, to me, looks to be down a little unless some of their young guns step up. I don't think the Ronaldihno crew can get it done. Ditto with Portugal as they are collectively a little older (unless either manager chooses younger sides for these nations). If either one of those two slip up, this group looks wide open to me.

Any game Spain plays provided:

A) David Villa is healthy. If he is, the two pronged attack of Fernando Torres and Villa will be fed constantly by Xavi and Andres Ineista. Add in the best goalkeeper in the world and you have a recipe for the trophy. Spain will be the team to beat if they are healthy. They are ranked #1 in the world right now and the only team that will be able to outgun them (in my mind at least) are The Netherlands who may be my pick to win it if Villa is hurt. If you like attacking soccer, you can't go wrong watching either Spain or the Netherlands.

Players to watch: No surprises here. Christiano Ronaldo (Portugal) and Lionel Messi (Argentina) are the two most dynamic and exciting players to watch in the world. The next tier of players includes Wayne Rooney (England), Fernando Torres (Spain), and also Wesley Schneider (the best during game, long-range passer in the world- Netherlands) will be exciting to watch.

Predictions:

Really have a chance: Spain, Argentina, Netherlands. I'm leaving Brazil out as I think they are overrated and it will show here. The Italians can't be counted out either; especially if the ref allows them to swan dive all over the park (see 2006).

Middle of the pack: Germany has an outside shot at winning if they get a few lucky breaks. I don't think their defense is good enough to stop the top-tier teams like Spain or Argentina. England fall here as perennial international no-shows Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard need to step up and control the midfield for a change in order for England to have a chance. Rooney needs to continue his out of this world form as well. If the US gets knocked out, I'll root for England but I don't think their chemistry has ever been level due to the enormous rivalries and hatred between English clubs.

Dark Horses: Usa has a slight chance (and I mean very slight; if a lot of really good oiffensive teams get knocked out and they can grind it out in the final, they could win. I like the Ivory Coast as well.

Either way, let's get together and watch as many games as possible. It's always a great summer when the World Cup is on.

New Beer Rating!!!

Friday night, the Goosefather and I took the wives out for a night on the town. We were supposed to head down to The Tap Room (home of Schlafly's) for oysters and stout. That was absolutely packed so we headed to Lafayette square and sampled the fare of three different spots. The first place we tried was The Lafayette Fire Company #1 bar and grill. There we had a new beer which goose and I decided to rate. Here are the details:

Brewer: Abita Brewing Company
Beer Name: Turbodog
Beer Style: Dark Ale
Price: ? $4 each for a 16 oz glass at the bar- about the norm.
Website:

http://www.abita.com/

Appearance- (Lighting was low so I could be lightly off but it looked dark brown; slightly cloudy. May have had a reddish tint to it but that could be the lighting as well.)

Smell: The smell to this was sweet. It had a definite berry odor and didn't smell at all like an ale to me.

Taste: The taste started out smoothly with a noticable black licorice tinge that quickly faded into a slightly hoppy aftertaste. Definitely not your average ale.
Overall, it was just a little too weird although Goose has had it in bottles and says it was better. I'm going to compare/ contrast when I can. Leigh said that the taste was fruity with a slight hint of "cherry toe-jam" at the end.

Drinkability: I am intrigued enough to try it again for sure. I think if the different tastes weren't so prominent, I may be inclined to drink it a little more. Maybe the bottle takes the sting out of it.

Overall Score: 3.5 from the tap. Hopefully a little better out of the bottle. Goose gives it a- oops he didn't give me a final score. Goose, feel free to comment and I'll add it in.

If you are looking for something off the beaten path, this would be a good place to start. Both of the wives enjoyed theirs and neither complained of it being too dark or beery so give it a shot.

Movie Reviews; Hurt Locker, Precious, Angels and Demons, Inglorius Basterds

It's been a while. The wife has me slaving around here so I can't even drink beer. I did sneak in some movie watching though. I saw these films and figured I would let everyone know what I thought of them:

THE HURT LOCKER

This film is about the addiction to war and danger that soldiers can develop as the remain in combat. Jeremy Renner stars as a bomb defuser in the Iraq War. He had defused something like 875 bombs since arriving and as the film progresses, we see that he is reckless, crazy, and more then a little bit of a hotshot; although he does still maintain some connection with other human beings at times. This split personality causes problems for everyone but him as we see through the film.

The cinematography was outstanding. It was truly a beautiful movie and the scenes and set locations perfectly complemented the ever-growing mood of dread at what will happen as the film progresses. Kathryn Bigelow deserved the Oscar as this film was close to perfect. Easily in my top 10 of the 00's (I have to go back and amend my list- bye bye Bond flicks). As I am one of the 12 people on Earth who didn't see Avatar yet, I'll have to wait until seeing that to really judge which was better although I'm going to lean toward someone who's film is really filmed; not generated on computers.

Overall, I would give this a five out of five with no reservations at all. For anyone who is familar with Stanley Kubrick's work (The Shining and Full Metal Jacket in particular), I would love to hear if you thought that Bigelow models her sets and shots after him. I certainly thought so as it kept popping in my head as the film went on.

PRECIOUS

Possibly the most depressing film ever made, it is still very good and clearly makes it's point. We meet Precious who has everything (and I mean everything) go against her in life. She is kicked out of High School and heads to an Alternative School where her life is changed. Without giving anything away that isn't in the trailer, the acting is phenomenal, the screenplay is razor sharp, and the film's low budget doesn't hold it back too noticeably. I would have preferred some more elaborate sets and some more thought into the setting, but I'm sure the low budget was to blame.

Overall, I'm saying 4.5 out of 5. The actors (particularily Monique) were fantastic. The screenplay was outstanding as well. Go rent it as long as you don't mind feeling like you have been kicked in the nuts for two hours straight. (Really, go rent it- it's good.)

Angels and Demons

Ron Howard's second installment in the Dan Brown book adaptions was a tremendous improvement over the first. The pacing and plot development were more structured and cohesive and the film did not have the ten or twenty minute dry spells that DaVinci Code had. The rest of the movie was up to par; nothing great although Tom Hanks did get rid of his 70's porn haircut. (No pun- but thank God!) The rest of the acting was acceptable but nothing memorable. If you like the books, rent this on a night when you really don't want much substance; just a plot twist or two that follows the book.

Overall, a 3 out of 5.

INGLORIUS BASTERDS

Quentin Tarantino takes some fairly large liberties with history to accomodate his latest cast of memorable, off the chart lunatics in Inglorius Basterds. The Inglorius Basterds are a group of Nazi hunters during WWII who will stop at nothing to intimidate the Nazis by their violent actions toward them. Brad Pitt is perfect as the leader; Christolph Baltz is better as the German Jew hunter they are pursuing. The film is set up as a play with each change in venue and plot becoming it's own "scene." Don't let this fool you as it is a much more linear story than Pulp Fiction or Kill Bill which were nothing more than plays for the big screen. Tarantino's fantastic storytelling and direction elevate this would-be middle of the pack film to respectability but it falls well short of the other films nominated for the Best Picture in 2010. If you are a Tarantino film, rent it ASAP as it reminds the viewers of his other films. If you didn't care for Kill Bill I or II or Pulp Fiction, I would probably stick with something a little more realistic. (The Hurt Locker for instance).

Overall a 4 out of 5 but I enjoy Tarantino's quirky way o0f filmmaking that tends to not be the road most taken.

Please reply with your opinions of these films. I would love to hear what others thought.

Bigwallabowski

Friday Night Beer Fights Epidode Four (posted on Saturday)`

OK. I was too tired to stay up and drink all my beer last night but I did have one. And, I'm drinking the other right now. So, without further ado, here we go:

Brewery: Avery Brewing Company, Boulder, CO
Beer Name: Salvation Belgian Style Golden Ale
Style: Belgian Ale
Price: 4.99.

Appearance: Um, pretty much Gold colored, clearish ale. Nice foam, a very pleasant look overall.

Smell: Slight fruit (mostly peaches) with an even slighter smell of skunkiness.

Tatse: Typical Belgian taste- on overpowering fruit taste at the beginning followed by a skunky taste at the end. This beer was definitely toned down though as the extremes seen in previous rankings (see week 2) were not nearly as harsh as the true Belgian ranked then. It still had the same general bloodline although not as fruity and nowhere near as skunky at the end. A much pleasanter, mellower version of a Belgian ale. Probablyu good for someone to start on and it does not carry the heavy price tag of a Duvel or other premium Belgian.

Drinakbility: Overall, fairly high if you like Belgian beer. I have tasted enought to know that as a whole, I'm not a fan. That being said, if I were to pick one, this would be up there; especially adding in the lower price.

Overall rating: 4.0. As far a sBelgians go, this one is more accessible for the vast majority of us Yanks across the pond. When you want a good Belgian beer, go to Colorado...

AND BEER #2:

Brewer: Moylan's, Novata, CA
Beer Name: Kilt Lifter Scotch Ale
Beer Style: Scotch Ale
Price: 5.99

Appearance: Cloudy; burgandyish brown; not as dark as a lot of scotch ales.

Smell: This beer has very little smell to it. Sort of weird as scotch ales usually have a fairly strong odor. the little bit reminds me of grapes but I've been drinking for 3 hours now so I may be slightly tainted.

Taste: I rated two other scotch ales in FNBF1 and they were polar opposites. This falls somewhere in the middle. At a kilt (or hopefully skirt) lifting 8%, this beer is nothing to mess with. That being said, it has no overpowering rubbing alcohol taste like the Dirty Bastard did. But, it is definitely stronger then the Schlafly's. The end product is a very solid, strong, full, smooth beer with good flavor and aftertaste. If you want to drink a 6 pack, go with Schlafly's. If you want a glass or two before bed, this is a better choice. Especially during the winter when a little stronger brew is preferred.

Drinkability: High, as long as you are not drinking a lot. Not a social beer as it will have you kareokeing Lady GaGa (along with your version of the choreographed dance routines) after about the third one. If you look anything like me, that is probably not a good thing.

Overall rank: 4.5- a very strong yet drinkable beer that does wjhat it sets out to do- taste good but get you enough alcohol to lift your kilt.

BY THE WAY: I tried the Moylan's Tipperary Pale Ale as well and it was outstanding. I rated it at 4.75 but that may go up after the next time I drink it. I am going to link my beer ratings on my web page to this blog next. Bookmark it if you go to the liquor store. It's going to be a no frills; ratings only for easy viewing on your phone. If anyone wants my comments about beers that have not made the blog, I have them in a word document. Email me at bigwallastyle@yahoo.com

Word.

And the winner in this national imitating international beer battle is:

Scotland!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! from Moylan's although I think everyone should try the Avery; especially if you haven't tried Belian ales before. It's a good starting place.

Top 10 Movies of 2000's

Every decade, I compile my own Top 10 lists of movies and CD's. I'm still pondering the CD's. Here are the movies in reverse order.

10. Quantum of Solace: Not the tenth best movie (by far) but the best two Bonds ever (along with Casino Royale) make it a must in my list.

9. Tie: Wedding Crashers/ Old School: Both are comedic best-in shows. They are close enough to be listed as a tie. Vince Vaughn is the man and the Wedding Crashers scene on the stairwell is the funniest scene in any movie- ever.

8. Babel: Four intertwined stories that all come together at the end. Not a new concept but the best of the bunch in my opinion. Brad Pitt (yes, that one) gives a great performance in a movie with few other stars. Truly, a thought provoking movie that applies to everyone, everywhere.

7. 21 Grams: Great actors, fantastic story, the first movie which makes no sense until 2/3 of the way through that really worked for me. Very underrated but worth every second; especially if you like Naomi Watts..

6. The Royal Tannenbaums: If you even remotely appreciate dry humor, Wes Anderson is the master and this is his best.

5. The Dark Knight: The best comic book movie ever. Nothing is even close.

4. Lost in Translation: I love this movie. I have watched it about 30 times and I marvel at the simplicity of the story with the powerful message that it has. A fantastic film that would have won the Best Picture if LOTR had been any other year.

3. Lord of the Rings Trilogy: Nerdiness at it's cinematic best. The best fantasy book adaption ever. Beautiful scenery, locales, masterful acting from actors that were not very well known up to that point.

2. No Country for Old Men: The Coen Brothers dramatic masterpiece. Twists, turns, memorable characters, a usual Coen Brothers barebones setting that becomes it's own character. (By the way, if you haven't seen Miller's Crossing, you MUST see it as well. Contrasted with No Country, it's easy to see their brilliance 17 years ago.

1. The Departed: Scorcese at his best. Fantastic characters, action, dialouge, and camerawork make this the best movie of the decade.

Invitations

There are two things coming up that I want to invite everyone to:

Friday, March 19th.
Schlafly's Oyster and Stout Festival.

Goose, Lori. the wife and I are heading down to the Tap Room (see sidebar for links). Goose for the oysters, all of us for the beer. Hours are 5-9 and I'm betting we get there at about 6 or so. Check the Schlafly's link for more info.

Saturday, April 3. 6:45 AM
At my house, on FSC or Sentanta, Manchester United plays Chelsea (#1 and #2 in the Premiership) square off at Old Trafford to decide (or at least greatly influence) who will win the Premiership this year. They meet twice a year, this is the second. If you need a comparison, think middle September Yankees/ Sox when they are about a game apart. Or Cubs/ Cardinals in May before the Cardinals pull away and lock up the race by mid-August. (Sorry Scrubs fans- wait, no I'm not sorry at all.) Cubs suck.

If you are interested in heading over to the house at 6:45 AM Saturday morning, let me know ahead of time. If weather permits, I'm game for watching the game in the garage, BBQ, firepit, whatever festive ideas we can come up with. Oh, and pre-breakfast drinking... By the way, if you show in a Chelsea jersey, I would not plan on passing out because I may defile it with urine as you sleep. Actually, count on it. And add mustard, and tar, and feathers, and glue.

Both should be fun. Spring break is the last full week of March so let's get it going.

Tom

Two New Beer Reviews!!!!

OK. I had two new beers on Saturday at Dewey's Pizza in Chesterfield. Which, by the way, was excellent. We had a 1/2 Bronx Bomber and 1/2 Southwest BBQ Chicken. Both were excellent and the BBQ chicken was pleasantly spicy.

www.deweyspizza.com

In my life, there are two pizza joints that you have to eat at:

Shakespeare's in Columbia:

www.shakespeares.com

and, being born and raised in St. Louis; Imo's. The trip to Dewey's made me think that a 3rd may be added to the list but I need much more extensive testing.

Anyways, back to the beers:

I actually had a bottle of this earlier in the week but I tried this from the tap:

Brewer: Magic Hat Brewing Company, South Burlington, Vermont
Beer Name: #9 Not Quite Pale Ale
Beer Style: Ale
Price:

Appearance: Clear, light amber in color.

Smell: Hoppy, hint of apricot and perhaps peach as well.

Taste: The bottled version was much more bitter than the draft. The draft had a pleasant, smooth ale taste that led straight to an unmistakable apricot finish. The bottle's aftertaste was not nearly as fruity. Out of the tap, I would drink this until I took my skirt off and danced on the table. As for the bottle, my rating would be much lower as the bitter aftertaste was not nearly as good.

Drinkability: Bottle, somewhat low- not bad and at 4.6 alcohol, you could drink this by the pool and not worry about which direction was up after you dove in. Tap: Much better although I may have questioned my masculinity with repeated drinking...

Overall rating: Bottle 2.5, tap 3.0. Probably won't pick up a bottle anytime soon but would have another draft anytime...

Since I was worried about looking like Johnny Wier's "skating partner" while drinking the #9, I decided to give the Rogue Dead Guy Ale a try. Now, let me preface this. I have heard so much good about Rogue brewery and the Dead Guy Ale that I was almost scared to try it. I have read review after review, heard people talk about it, etc. But it was that or the IPA so I went Dead Guy. Luckily I was not disappointed...

Since I couldn't take a picture of the keg, here is their website:

http://www.rogue.com/

I'm adding it to the links on the right.

Brewer: Rogue
Beer Name: Dead Guy Ale
Style: Pale Ale
Price: ?

Appearance: Medium to clear amber ale. A rich, clear brown; looks like beer.

Smell: In the words of Homer Simpson, "UMMMMMMMMMMMMM." This is what beer should smell like.

Taste: Damn near perfect. Buttery, smooth flavor with very crisp ale aftertaste that doesn't last any longer then it should. Very impressive. Not too hoppy but enough there to know this isn't a beer that should be taken lightly. From my notes on the cocktail napkin, "Good full body, very little aftertaste, perfect bitter/ sweet balance. Awesome beer...

Drinkability: High anytime. This is a must have in my fridge and I will do my best to make sure they stay in business.

Overall Rating: It's hard not to give it a 5. I have always considered Schlafly's Pale Ale as the Benchmark and I'm going to pick up both next time I buy beer. Only after tasting both side by side will I be able to make sure it stands up against the 5. So, for now, I'm going 4.75 (although this may go up as I drink more). A can't miss, fantastic beer that should be in everyone's fridge.

Friday Night Beer Fights Episode Three (Part Two)

Part Two!!!!!!!!! We have two new guests for this round. My brother-in-law Eric and his friend Greer from Cincinnati. Greer is a true beer connoisseur. He is a true professional so pay attention. He will have a TV show on the beer network some day. You watch. As for the beer, in honor of Eric's red hair, I figured it would appropriate to do two Irish red's (and Eric is a Nebraska fan so the red goes with his gay football team fetish. Whatever.)

The first beer: Samuel Adams Irish Red
Brewer: Duh...
Name: Sam Adams Irish Red
Style: Irish Red Beer Again, for anyone that missed it, we're drinking Irish Red beer.

Appearance: Dark Red (wow- deep...), clear.

Smell: Somewhat sweet, very light. Eric says: Makes him feel like a real Irishman. Eric adds it reminds him of his college abode after a party when he picked up the beer cans and was overwhelmed by the old beer smell.

Taste: Slightly sweet. Eric says it tastes like a dark beer; bittersweet symphony of life in his mouth.

Drinkability: Eric says not buying soon. I would buy this again. As with all Sam Adams, it is the easy, safe road of beers. Not many twists and turns but no chance of a 12 car pileup either.

Score: Eric says 2.7. Not the best beer ever. I say a 3.5. Greer says 2. Not bad; Greer prefers the Boston Lager. Eric says vaJJ beer.

The Second Beer: Schlafly's Extra Stout Irish Red.
Brewer: Schlafly's
Name: Extra Stout Irish Red:
Style: Stout/ Irish Red

Appearance: Greer says blacker then a struck match. I concur without the racial undertones. Karla says "superdark".

Smell: Greer says slight coffee, maybe some caramel. I smell smoke. Definitely, some smoke somewhere. Eric says "smells like stout." Eric is not exactly sober at the moment.

Taste: Greer says roasted hops, caramel, coffee, a little soapy. I say buttery, smoky, stoutish but with a slight Irish feel to it. Not quite as harsh as most stouts but you are drinking a heavyweight. Eric says "really, really stout."

Mouthfeel: Greer says smooth, Belgian feel to it. I say definitely a beer here. Nice, full feel.

Drinkability: Greer says not much; dessert beer; only with a light dessert; perhaps creme' brulee' or French Vanilla ice cream. I'm going not much; if ever.

Score: Greer says 3. I'm going 2.5. Too smoky for me but not undrinkable. Eric says 3; good but not as good as Guinness.

And in a photofinish, the Schlafly's wins again!!! They are 3-0 and I better score some scwag pretty soon or this Schlafly's love fest is coming to an end.

Friday Night Beer Fights Episode Three!!!!

It looks like we are going to have a double header tonight. First off, we will be trying two beers that I bought for the label only as they are both awesomely titled, appealing to my sense of studpidity more then my tastebuds. (Maybe- We'll have to see.) And later, I'm taking this show on the road to my brother in law's for a battle of Irish beers so keep checking back!!

But before we begin, I have to introduce my guest taster; Clark (John) Dooley. He is a financial wizard so if anyone needs financial advice, contact Waddell and Reed in Wentzville. John is the last true family man; thereby earning the nickname Clark from Vacation infamy. (Real tomato ketchup Eddie? Nothin' but the best for you Clark.)

But off to the fight!!!!!

In the Red corner, we have:

He'brew (The Chosen Beer) Pomegranate Ale

Brewer: Schmaltz Brewing Company Sarasota Springs, NY
Beer Name: Pomegranate Ale
Style: Ale
Price: 4.99 pint

Appearance: Light brownish-orange, almost looks like sun tea. Cloudy; can't see through the glass.

Smell: Clark says doesn't smell bad; got a weird smell. I say fruity, since I have no idea what a pomegranate smells like, I'm guessing smells like such. Michelle (Clark's wife- beer taster #3) adds "very smelly."

Taste: Clark says pomegranaty. Since I don't know what a pomegranate even is, I'll go with good. Smooth, good through the drink with a little bite (maybe said pomegranate) at the end. I was expecting it to be a horrible girl beverage (no offense ladies) but this is good. Seems like a summer taste but has 8% alcohol so I'm not sure a day in the sun with a cooler full of the He'brew would be a good idea. Clark agrees that it is light enough for springtime but heavy enough to carry you through a cold winter's night. Michelle says it has a kick or a punch to the toilet paper holder.

Mouthfeel: Pretty good, not too watery, feels like beer.

Drinkability: Clark says novelty only. I say I'm down with the He'Brew. Decent for a spring or summer evening and at 8%, you don't need more then two pints for the entire evening. (Unless you're Slim or Bill Crews.)

Overall Score: Clark says 3.5. I say a flat 4. Not perfect by any means but definitely worth a try and second try...

We are going to eat. The second beer comes after dinner...

And we're back!!!

The second beer:

Brewer: New Belgium
Beer Name: "Le Fluer, Misseur" Lips of Faith Ale (I have no idea what it means but it sounds cool)
Style: Ale
Price: 7.69 per pint

Appearance: Light beer in color; looks very light yellow. Semi-cloudy. Can see a muddled image through the glass.

Smell: I say it smells like baby-poop. Seriously. I asked my wife, a pediatric nurse, and she said roto-virus. I'm not making this up. Clark says "hmmmmm." Clark says light and something- just not sure what.

Taste: Miller light mixed with oranges and baby poop (or maybe I just can't get the smell out of my mind while I taste- not sure). It gets better if you drink with your nose pinched shut. Maybe this beer should come with a clothespin or noseplugs. Clark says, "I don't like the aftertaste. It tastes like something but I can't figure it out. The original taste is OK but the aftertaste ruins it."

Mouthfeel: very light; not much too it at all.

Drinkability: Unless you have a diaper fetish, I'm going never again unless I get to a bar with this or Keystone Ice as the only two choices. And the Keystone Light is boiling hot. Clark says he would not recommend it unless you like babypoop.

Score: Clark gives it a 2. I'm going 1.5 only because it has alcohol. And it beats Zima; barely. (Clark says pop a Jolly Rancher in your Zima- makes it a memorable event.)

And the moral of the story is: Go with the Jews!!!!! In the most lopsided fight yet, The Chosen Beer takes out the New Belgium diaper ale! Stay tuned for Irish beers later at Eric's!!!!

2010 Cardinals Preview

Ah, the smell of ballpark hotdogs, freshly cut grass, the sound of the vendors: COOOOOOOLLLLDDDDDD BEEEEEEEEEER HEEEEEEEEEERRRRE!!, the sight of Holliday dropping a ball in left field to lose the NLDS last season. Anyone else have a hangover? I sure do. Combine that with Mizzou's loss to Nebraska and you have two reasons I'm avoiding Harpo's in Chesterfield like Tiger Woods avoids text messages.

So, where does that leave the Redbirds for 2010? Assuming we stay relatively healthy; right back into the playoffs as far as I can tell. Hopefully, Holliday will take a little outfield before the playoff games and avoid ruining my 2010 perfect sports night out.

Obviously, the two key free agent signings are Holliday and Brad Penny. Both of these acquisitions really shore up the lineup and staff respectively. Here is your potential lineup:

2B Schumaker
CF Rasmus
1B Pujols
LF Holliday
RF Ludwick
3B Freese
C Molina
SS Lugo
P

Backed up with a rotation of Carpenter, Wainwright, Penny, Lohse and either Rich Hill, Kyle McLellan, or Jaime Garcia (my personal favorite unless Hill benefits from Dave Duncan's magic) and the same bullpen we had last year (Provided McLellan doesn't get the fifth starter spot) and we are looking very solid.

With several nice players being groomed in the minors, the Cardinals have enough to plug some holes as they arise. Here are my predictions for the 2010 season:

Division Winners:
NL East Phillies
NL Central CARDINALS
NL West Dodgers
WC Braves

AL East Boston
AL Central Twins
AL West Angels
WC Yankmes

Series: Cardinals beat the Angels in 6. Take it Vegas baby...

FRIDAY NIGHT BEER FIGHTS EPISODE TWO

In the spirit of the Olympics, I figured it would only make sense to have a little international competition. And since all the cool sports (ice skating, synchronized swimming, etc.) involve a panel of judges, I figured only one opinion wouldn't be very Olympicish. So, for the second episode, I am bringing in the big gun; my next door neighbor and fellow beer lover, Kerry...

Without further ado, here are the two competitors:

In the Red Corner, hailing from The United States by way of St. Louis, MO, standing in at 11.5 inches tall and weighing in at one pint, The Beer Without Fear, Schlafley's Tripel Ale!!!!!!!!! USA!USA!USA!USA!

In the Blue corner, hailing from the beer capital of Europe, Belgium, by way of Buggenhout, standing in at the exact 11.7 inches tall and also weighing in at an even pint, the European that gets you peein', Karmeliet Tripel Ale!!!!!!!! BOOOOOOOOO!BOO!

USA!USA!USA!USA!

So the stage has been set for an epic brawl between these two middleweights. The Belgiun sure has the pedigree but the young, upstart American has the heart. We'll see what happens as they battle it out!

Brewer: Schlafly's
Beer Name: Tripel Ale
Style: Tripel Ale
Price: $8.99

Appearance: light amber, clear,

Smell: fruity characteristics,

Taste: very fruity, sweet, and not a very traditional beer taste. There is a very strong underbite of alcohol. The 10% is not overpowering but it's presence is felt. Kerry says there is a rubbing alcohol tinge on the palate after the fruityness is done.

Mouthfeel: Coats the mouth with foam. A fairly powerful beer feeling. Very pleasant.

Drinkability: Kerry says not a beer you could drink all night; good change of pace. I agree although it could grow on me; especially during the summer by the pool. Assuming I didn't have kids and drowning was not such a downer. By the way, Google Tanith Belbin if you hate ice dancing in the Olympics. I'm betting this will change your mind. (Honey, Kerry made me do it.) My suggestion is that you start here:

http://www.myavidgolfer.com/resources/tanith%20belbin09.jpg

Overall: 1-5 (5 being highest) Kerry says: Definitely better then the Heineken. Going with a 4. The Russian judge said 2.5 but I'm going 3.75.

Brewer: Karmeliet
Beer Name: Tripel
Style: Tripel Ale
Price: $9.99

Appearance: Lighter in color but very cloudy. You can't see through the bottle. As a sidenote, this beer is so foamy, you could use it as shaving cream. Or Johnny Weir's skating costume. (with feathers of course).

Smell: Smells like Heineken. Hopefully, it tastes better.

Taste: Tastes like Heineken. Hopefully the mouthfeels better.

Mouthfeel: Feels like Heineken. Pretty sure it's not going to win...

Drinkability: If you like Heineken, this beer is about 3 times as expensive, and not much better. The bottle says it's fruity; I'm guessing they mean sexually. I think this is the Lindsey Vonn of Downhill beer drinking. USA!USA!USA!USA!

NEW CATEGORY: BELCHABILITY: Kerry says: Belches like Heineken too. Surprise, surprise.

Overall: 1-5 (5 being highest) Kerry says it's drinkable; not crap. Maybe a 3. I say 2 at the highest. It's crap. Not drinkable.

We Have a Winner. For the second week in a row, Schlafly's wins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stay tuned for next week's edition of Friday Night Beer Fights!

New Beer Rating!!! Black Eye Ale

Chili and beer for dinner tonight. It doesn't get much better then this. Here is the beer my wife pulled out of my well stocked fridge to try.

Brewer: Mendocino Brewing Company
Beer Name: Black Eye Ale

Style: Blended Ale

Appearance: Dark, almost blackish in color, a hint of darkish red at the edge.

Smell: Nutty, slightly hoppy aroma.

Taste: Surprisingly smooth with a good aftertaste. There is a lot of ale taste left in your mouth after a drink but it is not bitter or overly harsh. It's one of the better dark ales I have tried.

Mouthfeel: Good for an ale. Not too watery; pretty good actually. Not as thick as a stout or really heavy beer but enough to know it's a serious ale you are drinking.

Drinkability: A very good winter beer when you are curled up by the fire. This may be a bit much for summer days but depending on the mood, a summer evening could be spent with this one.

Overall Score (1-5; five being perfect) 4.5 Definitely a repeat buy. (probably the next trip to Friar Tucks or Lukas Liquors) Good flavor, appearance, and overall impression. If memory serves correctly, this was one of the cheaper beers on the shelf at $3.99 a pint if I remember right. Worth every penny.

Friday Night Beer Fights Episode One!!!!

Starting a new tradition on the Big Wallabowski!!! Remember Friday Night Video Fights on MTV? No? Check out this commercial to refresh your memory:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRSHAP0HNrM

I'm not JJ Jackson or Alan Hunter, but I'm here to host the new Friday night tradition.

Without furthur ado............................................

It's time for the Friday Night Beer Fights! I'm going to pit two beers against each other and see who comes out on top!!! Here is the inaugural edition!

In the Red Corner, Standing at 6 inches tall and weighing in at 12 ounces, we have Founders Brewery Fat Bastard Scotch Ale!!!! This beer really packs a punch. It has an alcohol content of 8.5% and packs a very powerful punch.

In the Blue corner, standing in at 7.5 inches and weighing in at 12 ounces also, we have Schlafly's Scotch Ale! While not capable of the same knock-out punch as the Dirty Bastard, it's smooth moves will knock you out for sure.



Now, on to the Scorecards!

Brewer: Founder’s
Beer Name: Birty Bastard

Style: Scotch Ale

Appearance: Dark red, with a dark brown head after the pour.

Smell: Not as strong as the taste by far. Lacking the caramel aroma I like in my Scotch ale.

Taste: STRONG!!!! This is a one or two bottle maximum beer. I had two of these on New Years and couldn’t drink any more. Most of the scotch ale caramel taste is lost in the high slcohol backlash found in each drink. I imagine someone who likes scotch would enjoy this beer as it has a very distinctive, almost harsh aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Full, A very good mouthfeel. This is how beer should feel in your mouth. You are definitely not drinking water.

Drinkability: Low. Unless you mix it with soda. Too high in alcohol to drink more then 2 in an evening.

Overall Score (1-5; five being perfect) 3; much too harsh and alcoholy-ey for me. I'm getting old but not that old yet.

Brewer: Schlafly’s
Beer Name: Scotch Ale

Style: Scotch Ale

Appearance: dark reddish, brown, a nice head; lace left on the glass as you drink.

Smell: Caramelly, beery, lovely, heavenly.

Taste: It’s almost perfection. Perfectly carmeley, spicy, a tad bit of smokiness. Just a perfect mix straight from beer utopia.

Mouthfeel: My only very slight, very picky complaint. I would like just a little more weight to my scotch ale. But, the tradeoff between not feeling like I’m drinking a 12 ounce shot is worth it.

Drinkability: Highly repeatable. This is poured from the beergarden of the Gods. (That’s not Woodsen Terrace Days Corey). I love this stuff.

Overall Score (1-5; five being perfect) 4.95 I could drink this every day of the year. Hot cold, breakfast, lunch, or dinner, with or without cheerios, etc.

And the winner is..................

Schlafly's Scotch Ale in a 2nd round TKO. Not even close. The Schlafly's dominated. Now that I'm off blog work, I have some beer to drink.

Top 10 Inventions Ever

OK. So this list is debatable but after much thought and a few beers, here goes in reverse order:

10: Cheese Sauce- think about it; Nachos at the Ball Game, QuickTrip hot dog dripping with cheese, Nachos anywhere besides the ball game, the gringo dip at 54th Street grill- all brought to you by cheese sauce. And you can buy it by the 6.5 pound can at Costco. We made an entire crockpot full at Halloween and Clark Dooley and I must have eaten 3/4 by ourselves. Needless to say, I had no need to use the bathroom for about 9 days but the ensuing anal hurricane was worth every second of cheese sauce heaven.

Here's my favorite recipe:

Ingredients:
1 6.5 pound Giant can of Que Bueno cheese sauce from Costco (about $10)
1 Bag of your favorite tortilla chips. (About $4)

Directions:
First warm cheese. Then dip chips in cheese and enjoy!

9. Icemaker- Do you remember filling the ice cube trays as a kid? Half you freezer was full of ice cube trays and the worst was when you ran out during the summer. Warm water when it's 95 degrees out? Not a pleasurable taste. Luckily, ice cube trays are a thing of the past. They still sell trays at Wal-Mart by the way. Can you imagine buying ice cube trays in 2009 for anything other than making jello shots? You know you're old school when you still have more blue plastic then ice cream in your freezer.

8. Fox Soccer Channel/ Sentanta Sports/ ESPN Saturday AM Premier League/ Gol TV. For the first 35 years of my life, I wished for one thing more than any other. Quality international soccer covering both clubs and country. Then, after I ordered Dishnet, I discovered these fantastic channels and my weekends no longer consist of Saturday baseball, Sunday football, or any other sport besides football starting at 7 AM Saturday morning (depending on whose playing). Since being able to watch every weekend (and midweek matches as well), I have become a huge supporter of Manchester United. (Wayne Rooney for FIFA player of the year in 2010!) If you love soccer, send me a comment. By the way, Chelsea are wankers. USA 2010!

What other sport do the fans chant during the entire game in unison? Not anything here in the US- hell half the fans don't even know what's going on, when to cheer or what color "their" team is wearing. But I digress. A couple of my favorites:

Take me home, United Road,
To the place, I belong;
To Old Trafford, to see United;
Take me home, United Road.

And the anti-Chelsea chant I love the most:

Stamford Bridge is falling down!
Falling down! Falling down!
Stamford Bridge is falling down,
Poor old Chelsea! (Generally, they substitute old with a word that rhymes with mucking)

7. Remote Control- Remember when you had to get up out of the Lazy-Boy to change the channel? Neither do I. And that's a very good thing. They waited to invent cable and satellite TV until after the remote was invented so we all didn't get carpal tunnel from manually changing the 600 different channels while half crouched by the TV as our spouses/ moms/ dads/ siblings yelled at us to get out of the way.



6. Golf. What other sport can you smoke stogies and drink beer while playing? And when else do you get to wear plaid shorts, a glove on your left hand only, and a visor without looking like a backup dancer for TPain?

5. Mobster movies. The Godfather Trilogy, Goodfellas, Casino, Heat, The Departed just to name a few. Is there a better movie genre than this?

4. Fire. Not really an invention as much as a discovery but hey, whatever. Consider: heat, cooking over an open flame, Evil Knievel's awesome fiery ring motorcycle rides, and most importantly drinking beer next to the firepit all spring/ summer/ fall long. It's a guarantee that if you make a fire, people will be there.

3. Kegerators. A fridge that holds just a keg allowing draft beer to be served from any location in your house! We had one in our living room at the pad in Creve Couer. That was the happiest time of my life. There's something about a leftover bowl of chili and a 20 ounce Budweiser for breakfast that just can't be appreciated enough. BONUS: A kegerator can prevent you from breaking your mom's refrigerator and bathtub trying to keep the keg cold. Not that we ever saw John Cabbage break his parents fridge and tub in the span of about 15 minutes...

2. The internet. Ebay, live sports scores, fantasy sports, and this blog. Need I continue?

1. Beer- seriously, what else could be #1?

First Beer Review- Great Divide Pale Ale

Before we get into this review, I'm going to follow the same format for every beer I review; hopefully a picture of the bottle, and the same tasting criteria for each beer. If you have tried this beer and agree or disagree, please post. If you know of any comparable beers that might be slightly less expensive, please feel free to post those as well. Let's get as much info out there as possible.

I'm going to start a post titled Beer Scores to keep track of all the different beers I have rated and their scores so they can be quickly reviewed and compared.

Here's the review and the format I'm going to use each time. Comment if something isn't clear. Thanks for reading.

Brewer: Great Divide Brewing Company
Beer Name: Fresh Hop Pale Ale
Style: Pale Ale

Appearance: Pale, almost wheatish color.

Smell: Not much of an aroma; what is there smells like a typical ale.

Taste: About middle of the road; solid pale ale taste with nothing extra to set it apart. A good, safe beer to order when out for dinner or drinks.

Mouthfeel: Not too watery. Not too heavy.

Drinkability: Definitely a repeat purchase. Not at the top of my pale ale list but definitely not at the bottom either.

Cost: $4.99/ pint.

Overall Score (1-5; five being perfect) 4. Good solid beer but not anything more than that.

Welcome to the Bigwallabowski's Beer Blog

As the name suggests, I am a big fan of The Big Lebowski and the spirit exhibited by the main character, the Dude. The only thing we don't agree on is our choice of drink. He stuck with White Russians; I'm a definite beer man. This blog will be dedicated to just that: beer- along with sports, movies, maybe a slight hint of politics, and anything else that interests me at the moment. So hit the fridge, grab a cold one, and read along. Hopefully there will be something for every one here at some point or another. Cheers...

Tom