Great Divide Lasso

Popped the top on a Great Divide Lasso last night. It is a 5% ABV India Pale Ale with quite a bit going on. The beer uses a blend of C hops including Columbus, Centennial, and Cascade and they are the star of the show. The bitterness is spot on and the malt backbone is light and allows the hops to have the spotlight. At first I was not impressed, but after a few more sips I realized I had not given this beer a fair shake. It’s on the low-end of the alcohol scale to be an IPA, but Lasso proves itself worthy. If you see it, buy it. There’s always time for an IPA!

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Run To The Hills

I recently found a bottle of the Iron Maiden inspired beer from Robinsons Brewery named Trooper so last night I decided to pop the top. Eddie is front and center on the label of this 4.7% ABV bitter and unlike most bitters, this puppy is actually bitter. When it was first poured and I was snapping the photo the banana ester was so strong I was worried this may be monkey juice. As it turned out that was just a passing fancy. The beer finished bone, bone, bone dry and with that lasting bitterness Eddie tells you he’s not sweet at all. Don’t let that worry your pretty little head any since the beer is low alcohol so dry just means it started at a somewhat low gravity. The aroma esters and hops was fairly nice and not overpowering. Don’t get me wrong, this is not the best beer on the planet, but if you are an Iron Maiden fan then I am confident Eddie would tell you to get some. 😉

 

Cruising The Bars

I don’t know why I am continually amazed at the lack of intelligence exhibited by those who work in the media, but every time I think I’ve seen the depths dullness can reach someone dives to new levels. I recently read an editorial from South Carolina entitled Armed, untrained and cruising the bars. In it the author puts forth a scenario where it is late night and you are in a bar and the person across from you reaches into their pocket and you shoot at them missing them and hitting someone else. What planet does this person live on? They are writing about the good folks of South Carolina, but they must actually reside in bizzaro world. Let’s talk about what is wrong with this picture. What the heck is someone doing hanging out in a bar in “the early morning hours?” I supposed they could be the designated driver for someone or there to grab a late night bite, but the author of the editorial makes it seem as if they are intoxicated at a bar carrying a firearm. The focus of her editorial is S.308 which is a SC bill to allow the carry of a firearm concealed in businesses which serve alcohol.

So let’s review all the reported incidents of foul play by concealed permit holders which have occurred in North Carolina since the law was changed in October 2013 to allow the carry of firearms into establishments which serve alcohol.

<Crickets Chirping>

So what the author sees as the coming apocalypse and wild west will ultimately be nothing. She thinks there will be blood in the streets, but chooses to overlook the portion of the law which, similar to the NC law, does not allow the person with a concealed permit to consume alcohol while concealing. So that person will be stone cold sober and while they may choose to be in an establishment they will be the most sober person in the room. In the end the truth will prevail, the law will pass, and law-abiding citizens will continue to be law-abiding citizens just as they were before the change in the law. I wonder if the author will admit she was wrong, somehow I doubt it, chicken little always thought the sky was falling and tried to convince others it was falling. In the end the sky didn’t fall, but chicken little and those who had been convinced the end was near by chicken little ended up falling prey to a fox. Maybe the author should stop “cruising the bars,” or better yet imbibe a bit less before writing editorials.

There’s got to be a better way

As you may already be aware, PayPal is not gun friendly. They do not allow transactions involving firearms and magazines. So what’s a boy to do? Typically the funds have to be some form of cash in today’s society. Unfortunately it has come to the point a personal check is rarely acceptable. Most of the time credit cards require additional fees and individuals rarely have the means to accept a card. The choices are then cash which is always king, a money order where the only way you can get it is by going to the USPS since other money orders may not be valid, or a bank check (certified or cashier’s). The second piece of that puzzle is the check or money order has to travel to the destination which generally requires an envelope and a stamp. Most of the time the USPS is good about delivering the mail, but occasionally the funds just don’t reach the destination in a timely fashion.

Recently I purchased a small item from a gentleman a few hours away. Rather than making the drive we arranged for the payment via check and I mailed the check to him that day. I could have mailed cash, but that is a bad idea. I also could have went to the USPS and purchased a money order. What I should have done is mailed a check through my bank instead of a letter. At any rate we are heading into the second week and the check has still not reached a destination.

So somebody please come up with a gun friendly PayPal equivalent. The ones I have seen thus far have overpriced fees and just don’t scratch the itch. PayPal needs some competition and it needs to be gun friendly. Get on it already!

G2R Radically Invasive Projectile

The buzz as of late has been surrounding a new bullet from G2R called RIP (Radically Invasive Projectile). There are several YouTube videos of it being tested and fired and you can look them up. The bullet is machined to have channels so the tip can fragment into eight pieces and spread upon impact. Forgive me for not being excited.

I just don’t see the purpose in this ammo. The company touts the penetration and personally I think defensive ammo penetration should be able to penetrate heavy clothing, but do I really need shards to spread once it does? The data indicates no matter what the caliber by the time two shots hit the assailant they are either incapacitated or they give up.  That’s all I really want is to stop the threat. Luckily most handgun bullets do not kill, only about 1 in 7 (we’ve been over this before). I’m thinking a center of mass shot with these might change those numbers dramatically as the fragments would stand a better chance of hitting something vital which would end life.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t see any reason to outlaw or regulate the cartridge, I just don’t see the need. If you want some I believe the price will come in about $5 per cartridge. On GunBroker they started at $2.20 per cartridge, but the prices are running over $12 per cartridge ($255+ship per box of 20). While I’m not excited about the cartridge itself, someone is to be willing to pay that price. Maybe I should pick up a box and put it on GunBroker and retire early.

Just A Taste

Often the high-end Bourbons can be quite an investment for an entire pint or fifth. I think my new strategy for those is going to be try it before you buy it. Often restaurants will have various Bourbons available and if the bottle price at the store is a cause for hesitation, then a shot at the bar is probably within the budget. The bar may also have some brand or bottle I’ve not been able to procure. So when the price of admission is more than I can stomach I think I’ll go for a sample instead. It may not be cheap, but it could save you from making a bad investment.

2014 Instructor Discounts

The 2014 NRA Instructor discounts are starting to arrive and I noticed a price increase for this year and for those of us in NC sales tax will also be added. One of the firearms I purchased last year and will pick up from the FFL today was a rifle. With the FFL fees the total came to $700. If I had waited until the list arrived this year and paid the increase, the sales tax, and the FFL fees the same rifle would now be $830. A shop I have purchased from in the past is out of stock, but has priced the rifle for $750 and shipping to my FFL would be $17 and FFL fees $20 for a grand total of $787. I applaud Ruger for the program and support of instructors, but if the price turns out to be higher than I can get elsewhere I’ll have to purchase from the source which affects my wallet the least. On the bright side in either case Ruger is paid for their firearm. Luckily I didn’t notice anything else on the list this year which speaks to me so I won’t feel like I missed out.

In The Dark

I had this discussion the other day, why are indoor ranges always so darn dark? I’ve noticed I always shoot better at outdoor ranges than I do at indoor facilities. I’ve also noticed the front sight is difficult to see at indoor ranges. The only reason I can come up with for the difference is the lack of adequate lighting at most indoor ranges in my area. I remember once going to a range and asking if they could put more light on the line area and they turned on the lamps directed at the lane. I know that bulbs burn out due to the concussion of the shots, but why can’t there be more light on the target and especially in the lane? C’mon guys shed some light on the lane. They make shock resistant bulbs and fixtures, install the darn things. I guess they are trying to prepare us for low light situations. 😉

Big Beer, Big Mug?

This week I was at a watering hole where they have a superlative program and I have reached the level at which you are served a mug instead of a pint. The pint is 16 ounces and IIRC the mug is 20 ounces. The beer I ordered was not a small beer, it was an 8% ABV Maibock. I’m just not convinced a 20 ounce serving is a great idea for a beer above 6% ABV. I don’t want to ruin a party, but for some reason it just seems a bit reckless. I’d rather see them switch to a smaller size and charge less or even drop back to a pint glass instead of the mug. So what should it be, a big beer in a big mug, or a big beer in a smaller size at a lesser price?

Ommegang Wild At Heart

What can I say but wow! Ommegang seems to be able to do no wrong as of late. I was perusing the aisles of a bottle shop in Charlotte and came across Ommegang Wild At Heart and knew I had to bring this baby home.

WILD AT HEART

Wild at Heart is an audacious new ale in our Brewermaster’s Obession Series. In a rarely-employed technique we use only wild brettanomyces yeast in primary fermentation – the very heart of the beer. The brettanomyces yeast imparts robust fruit flavors and aromas, and combines with Motueka and Topaz hops to create uncommon tastes and aromas.

Wild at Heart pours a rich amber hue, slightly hazy with a full white head. Tropical aromas include mango, passion fruit, pineapple, and a touch of slight lemon and lime. Complex flavors present a restrained fruity sweetness, green apples and a touch of tartness. Carefully balanced with gentle malt sweetness and moderate lemon and lime hop flavor. Faint hop bitterness is followed by a crisp, effervescent finish.

Available in limited quantities in 750ml bottles beginning November 2013.

I don’t know what the rest of the beer community thinks of this beer, but I think it is delicious. It’s rare for me to run across an 8% ABV brew fermented with Brett, and even more rare for the beer to stand out in the crowd. I’m sure this will not be everyone’s cup of tea, but I would mainline this if given the chance. If you see a bottle get one, better yet, get two! 🙂