Hoppy Beer

Happy Easter!

Bothersome

As much as I hate inaccurate reporting, I also despise inaccurate investigative work. I watched the Reuters feed in December as the events unfolded in Connecticut and thought to myself on that day what a professional job the police are doing. As it turns out I’m not so sure anymore.

This week the search warrants related to the event were released. Now I’m not a conspiracy theory kinda guy, but when one plus one does not equal two I start to wonder what is going on. I was glancing through the warrant for the car and noticed something interesting. #4 on p15 says, “A shotgun was noted in plain view in the interior of the vehicle.” What I find interesting is none of the other four warrants have that verbiage. To make it even more disturbing, I remember this news footage of the gun being retrieved from the trunk.

So you tell me what to believe. Was the gun in plain sight which was not mentioned in four of the five warrants or was it in the trunk? The time on the warrant was 8:36 pm and by that time it was dark. NBC has live footage of the trunk and a gun as well.

In this case it really won’t make a difference where the gun was actually located, but in some cases it could. I just find it to be bothersome a warrant could be issued indicating a shotgun was in plain sight when in reality it was retrieved from the trunk of the car on live television.

Larceny Bourbon

I needed another Bourbon like I needed another hole in my head. Larceny Bourbon was on sale at the NC liquor stores for $25 and I passed not knowing anything about the spirit. This past week I found myself in VA and decided to check out their liquor stores. Low and behold Larceny was still $25, but had a rebate for $10. I don’t know about you, but for 15 beans I’m more than willing to give an unknown fifth a whirl.

Turns out this Bourbon is from Heaven Hill and is a mix of 100 barrels or less from the 4th, 5th and 6th floor of the aging warehouse. The website says the barrels are 4 to 20 years in age and I saw elsewhere someone said 6 to 12 years. At any rate to my nose the Bourbon comes off a little boozy at first, but is smooth and easy drinking over ice. I like to try Bourbon over ice and then mix with ginger for the ultimate litmus test. I know people roll their eyes at that abomination, but my theory is the ginger is exactly the same each and every time and the difference between is the Bourbon. This one is perfect for a cocktail or over ice. I don’t think neat it would be my preference, probably a little too boozy, but with the ice and water which melts off it was pretty nice by itself.

Glad to see my luck with unknown quantities improve after the monkey juice called Lexington Bourbon and the boring Jefferson’s Bourbon. At $25 this is good Bourbon, at $15 after rebate this stuff is fantastic. 😉

Game On!

Yesterday I finally found myself in the right place at the right time and secured a bottle of Ommegang Iron Throne. I will be waiting until I have time to watch the premier Game Of Thrones episode of the season to take off the wire bail, remove the cork, and taste this beverage. As I was in the store where I found it, the clerk received a call and went to get a bottle to save for the caller. Bottle shops have limited sales because it has been such a popular release. Thus far it has little to do with the beer inside, and everything to do with the beginning of the season for Game Of Thrones. If the beer stands up to the usual Ommegang standards it will be quite tasty!

If you haven’t grabbed a bottle yet for Sunday’s premier, keep looking, they are out there, but many have already been snagged.  This is a series of beers so I’ll bet there are many more goodies to come!

WRAL the clock is ticking

It looks like time will run out on the WRAL database on December 1 unless something odd happens in the meantime. House Bill 17 passed the NC House and now is being sent to the NC Senate. It requires records of CHP and PPP to not be released to anyone other than law enforcement, and declares the records confidential. I’m sure WRAL will cry foul and posture they put up their database before the law was enacted using data obtained before this bill became law. There will be some lame First Amendment argument and negative news stories about how this bill impacts the freedom of information and the freedom of speech. In the end they won’t take down their database until someone takes them to court. That will be a long, drawn out battle with Jim Goodmon reaching deep into his pockets to be sure his agenda is moved forward.

Of course I don’t have a crystal ball to tell if my prediction will be true and WRAL will continue to act like a bunch of douchebags or if they will do the right thing after the legislation passes and take down their antiquated database.

 

Don’t be stupid

I’ve been hearing a news story lately about a couple involved in a road rage incident who are caught on a cell phone camera beating on the driver of the other car for his actions. Then the driver and a passenger get out of the vehicle and commence to open a can of whoop arse on the instigator. Actually the person who started the altercation opened the can of whoop arse the problem was they just spilled it all over their self. After the instigator took a beatdown from the two younger men his wife produced a handgun and gave it to him. There is a video on the web which shows him brandishing the firearm and then lowering toward the ground as he heads back to his vehicle. Some news reports say shots were fired. If so they must have happened after the video ends.

Let’s discuss what went wrong here, and it is more than one thing. First off the instigator should have never gotten involved in the road rage incident. I’m not sure why people feel like they are Richard Petty when they get behind the wheel, but you actually have a two ton death machine when you are whizzing down the highway in an SUV and to drive erratically can kill you. Let’s assume he was cut off, the guy slammed on brakes, turned in front of him, ran him into a ditch, whatever, that is no reason to escalate the incident. I know it is tempting at times, but let it go with a horn blast and a sit and spin salute. Neither of those hurts anyone and might get the adrenaline back under control. So no road rage to start with and this could have been avoided.

The second problem was the instigator got out of his vehicle and struck the driver. He no longer has the right to deadly force no matter what happens per NC law. You strike someone, they shoot or knife you and they will walk. Get the picture. Never instigate any altercation, it will not end well. Now I am not saying you should not defend yourself, but if you instigate through verbal or physical means you have restricted your right to self-defense.

The third problem was with the wife producing a firearm. She had no right to defend her husband because he was the instigator and because he had no right to use deadly force. Force must be equal, now he did get a bloody lip and a shiner one of those 72 ounce steaks you must eat in an hour in order to be free would not stop the swelling on, but his life was not in danger, only his pride at being beaten in a fight he started. So the wife should have simply dialed 911.

Finally bruiser put the firearm in his hand and held it in a threatening manner. If he shot it that is yet another lapse in judgement. Just because you have a firearm does not mean you can brandish it and it certainly does not allow you to discharge the firearm. Luckily no one was hurt other than bruiser and he has now been charged with a laundry list of charges which will ultimately ruin his life, all because he couldn’t control his temper.

So no road rage! Got it? Good!

Brew It Forward 2013

I was part of the judging team for the Lonerider Brew It Forward event this year held at Tir Na Nog in Raleigh and then at Moore’s Square. The event raised money for Nourish International and reportedly brought in $17,200 for the charity. The homebrew competition winners were announced and the winning beer will be brewed at Lonerider and the profits split between the winner and charity. The competition is “best beer” and then a panel of the brewery owners and brewers decides what makes the final cut and selects the winner.

The winners this year were:

Best Of Show

1st place – Adam Reinke – Black Eye German Schwarzbier

2nd place – Adam Reinke – Scalpin’ American IPA

3rd place – Aaron Strickland – Barnstormer Saison

 

1st place awards

Whit Baker – The Peace Pipe

Greg Cain – Bounty Ryder

Tom Fenton – Foxy LaBeau

Courtney Mauzy – Hop ‘Em High

Aaron Strickland – Barnstormer Saison

Dave Crum – Skinny Cow Milk Stout

Tyler Thomas – Bandolero

David Buning – Amberlicious

Adam Reinke – Scalpin’

Adam Reinke – Black Eye

 

2nd place awards

James Lafferty – American Frontier Imperial IPA

Whit Baker – Old Outlaw

Matthew Bounous – Short Drop Stout

Loren Standley – Saddleback Barleywine

Loren Standley – Double 00 Buckshot DIPA

Tom Fenton – Claim Jumping Kate

Marc Leyrer – Black Magic

Greg Baker – Porter Express

Hampton Peterman – Pale Rider

Matt Mathias – Dingo

 

3rd place awards

Whit Baker – Old 49er

William Goodwyn – Shootout Stout

Loren Standley – Kilt Dropper

Benjamin White – Suzy Showgirl Blonde Ale

Matthew Bounous – Peep Show

Sean Callihan – Train Robber Rye

Jason Austin – Hip Shot Pecan Pie Porter

Ben Stone – Tombstone: the R.esurrected I.mperial P.orter

Dd Pondelik – Pickaxe Pete

Adam Reinke – Falling Down Stairs

The entries were down slightly with only 103 entries, but it was a great competition and I look forward to finding that Schwartzbier on tap.

Blue Moon Impulse

I had seen Blue Moon Impulse in the bottle shop at a price point I was unwilling to pay late last year. I don’t remember what they wanted exactly, but I seem to recall it being in excess of 10 beans. So imagine my surprise when I walked into a shop and saw cases of Impulse for only 4 beans per bottle. I knew at least one bottle was going to be following me home. The beer had a beautiful red color and a nice head. The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes provided a definite complexity which gave a great nose and a tasty flavor. The alcohol level was 8.5% ABV and the Cabernet additions masked it completely which could be a recipe for disaster since the beer was flavorful and refreshing. At ten bucks I’d probably say pass, but at four bucks this is definitely a beer with a strong buy recommendation!

Flying Squirrels

I never knew we had flying squirrels until I popped one eating from my bird feeder with a BB from the Daisy Red Ryder. For $30 Amazon delivered the BB gun and the BB’s to my door and a few minutes later I was in business. I setup a box as a target and worked on the sights for a few minutes until I had them dialed in. My distance for getting the little rodents off the bird feeder is only 10 to 20′ so I wanted to be sure I was not shooting too low or high. Too low would potentially damage something on the deck, too high might travel elsewhere in the yard. My goal with this is to train them there are consequences for eating from the bird feeder.

The first squirrel took it in the rear and the BB bounced off landing on the deck. That one ran like the wind and I never saw exactly where he went. The second arrived the next day and truthfully could have been the same one, but we have many in the yard so I’m assuming it is a different beast. He was off the feeder and hitting the top rail as I approached and he took the BB in the side causing him to jump upward and outward and it was then I realized we have flying squirrels. Once he hit the ground he ran to hide faster than I’ve ever seen a squirrel move.

I do have a confession. One of the first times I tried to get the BB gun rolling I got the door open, aimed and squeezed the trigger and nothing happened. I had left the safety on. I don’t remember BB guns having a safety when I was a lad. Perhaps they did, but I doubt I ever used it. Anyway, I’m digging the Red Ryder. At times like this when ammunition is out the roof or made of unobtanium, BBs are never in short supply and there always seems to be an abundance of squirrels wanting to try their luck. Do you feel lucky punk? 😉

I’m not in the mood!

Last night I decided a beer was in order, but the day had been a little exhausting and I had eaten a huge amount so I really wasn’t in the mood for too much. I grabbed a bomber of a beer I knew was delicious and poured it into a massive mug which held exactly 22 ounces. I should have realized I really wasn’t in the mood for a flavor experience and went for something more pedestrian, but it was too tempting sitting there in the fridge. Anyway, I drank it, but the enjoyment derived was minimal. I think from now on I’ll keep in mind when I’m so tired to skip the more interesting libations and go for something mindless. The beer didn’t go to waste, but the experience was not enhanced and that’s why I like to drink interesting beers in the first place!