Recent trades and hauls..

Trade #1 was with (I can't even remember his name I've been so busy with trading and offers lately). taylor714914 (BA name), another trader from Pennsylvania!! I sent him Abyss, Boulevard Imperial Stout, and a OB Ten Fidy and in return received 4x Founders Breakfast Stout, Founders KBS, and a 21st Amendment Back In Black**1/2.

Haul #2 was from Dave who just moved back to Ft. Collins (originally from here) from Michigan. He really took the cake on this one, he brought back 2 cases of great midwest beer + some extras and trusted me to just pay him when he got here. We met up at ODell for the always fun Firkin Wednesday.  I hope to some tasting/drinking with Dave in the future as he is a real cool guy, we have very similar tastes in beer and he only lives about 2 miles from me. Really need to find some drinking partners, besides my lovely wife! It was a decent bill but well worth it, I threw in a bottle of Abyss as well, but not even close to matching what he did. Thanks Dave and welcome home!!! Package included: Bell's Brewery- 6x Two Hearted (quickly becoming one of my top session beers), 6x Oberon Ale ***(seasonal pale wheat ale), 6x Expedition Stout ***1/2(had it on draft a few weeks back in KC and loved it!!), and a Third Coast Old Ale; Founders Brewing- 6x Red's Rye PA**1/2 and a Centennial IPA**1/2; Kuhnhenn Brewing Co. out of Warren, Mi.- 4x Fourth D (an old ale weighing in at 13.5% ABV); Dark Horse Brewing out of Marshall, Mi.- great art work with some very intriguing beers; 2x Crooked Tree IPA**1/2, 4x Plead The 5th Imperial Stout***, 4x Double Crooked Tree IPA ***1/2(this was the first beer I consumed as recommended by Dave and it was amazing!), a Tres Blueberry Stout and Sapient Trip Ale; Short's Brewing out of Bellaire, Mi.- 6x Huma-Lupa-Licious IPA ****(second beer that was a big want and worth the wait), The Soft Parade (fruit/vegetable beer) and Uber Goober Oatmeal Stout **(this company makes some interesting beers, check their website to see what I mean).

Trade #3 was with Chris from Valencia, CA. I sent Abyss (yeah very popular!), 2x ODell Double Pilsner, and 90 Schilling and in return received a Alesmith Speedway Stout (now I have 2 bottles for my cellar!!), Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA and a 21st Amendment IPA (second package in a row from this SF brewery in a week from someone in Philly and Cali, go figure).

First road haul as a BA!

Well Mike E. and I took a road trip to Kansas City to run the Brew to Brew Relay. This relay was a 44 miles run from Boulevard Brewing in KC and finished at Freestate Brewing in Lawrence, KS. The run was miserable! The temp ranged from 70-90 degrees, 75% humidity, and headwinds (blowing out of the west) constantly between 20-40mph. On top of that the course wasn't that easy either.Other than that we had a blast. Night one we drove to Hays about 6 hours away. We went to Gella's Diner, a microbrew/eatery that has won some awards for their beer. It was just okay but nothing to return for. During the trip we also went to Freestate Brewery and 23rd St. Brewery in Lawrence. Freestate was good, with great food as well. But my favorite beer was the Bitter Professor IPA from 23rd St. The Sunday night special was a microbrew in a fishbowl for $7 (50oz.!!!). Needless to say it was a great beer but put an end to my night! I also did 2 person in person trades. One in Lawrence with James: 4x OB Imperial G'Knight, OB Dales Pale Ale and a Upslope IPA for 2x Boulevard Imperial Stout*** and 2x Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout and another trade with Kyle in KC: 2x Boulevard Rye on Rye (I know odd since its KC?) for $$ one Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout***1/2, a top #10 beer and seasonal that is very hard to get and that I'm really looking forward to and he was kind enough to throw in 2x Bell's Two Hearted Ale that Mike and I drank as soon as we got to the hotel!!! Then stopped by a popular KC liquor store (they have Bells and Founders!!) I picked up 2 six packs of Bells Two Hearted Ale ***1/2, a beer I could drink lots of this summer or anytime for that matter and not expect the 7%, 4 four packs of Founders Double Trouble, S.Tier Iniquity Black Ale***, and S.Tier Oak Aged Unearthly IPA**. So what a weekend!! Not to mention after the hard weekend of running the race, drinking a decent amount of great microbrews and traveling I'm a little under the weather this week!

Package #9

My final package before I have 7 weeks left til the Colorado Marathon, and I need to take a break!! Hell, I had a few strong beers the other night and awoke to several offers that I apparently set up the previous evening! This stuff gets addictive. This package was from a trade with Leon 'SamuelJackson45' from Bloomsburg, PA. Had to wait awhile on this one, but well worth it. I sent The Abyss, Avant Peche, 2x Fat Tire and a ODell IPA. In return I received a 4 pack of Terrapin Wake-n-Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout***1/2, wow what a mouthful!! This brewery is out of Atlanta and has some great beers! This is a Winter seasonal, they have some really cool labels and brew names as well. This should be a good one with lots of different tastes I enjoy going on. Beer and coffee, what more could I want? He also included a Surly Abrasive (just got a 4 pack in the basement and this will replace the 1 I drank a few night ago), Great Lakes Eliot Ness (which was a lager on my wants)***, Yards IPA**1/2, Central Waters Brewhouse Coffee Stout**, and a Troegs Scratch Beer: Batch #38 IPA. Thanks, Leon!

Let's Drink and/or Bring It!

If anyone wants to taste and sample some delicious  brews sometime, all you need to do is bring something over to pitch in. I will keep this up to date on what is available locally that I would be interested in and will make sure to always have stuff on hand either in my cellar or fridge that you may love to try as well!!  Hoppin Frog (DORIS or BORIS), Russian River, Ten Fidy, Old Rasputin, Lagunitas, the Abyss, Boulevard, Green Flash, Grand Teton, Stone, Sierra Nevada, ODell single releases, etc. some homebrew etc. Just ask, really anything we can drink or maybe I'll just add it to the cellar and we'll knock out some fresh stuff!! Always looking for a drinking partner every once in awhile, so let me know and we can set up a date!

Packages #5-8

Trade #5 was with Rob from Connecticut. It was a fairly simple trade (no picture). I sent a Dry Dock Seven Seas DIPA, 6 pack of Ska Modus Hoperandi, and a 6 pack of ODell IPA. In return received a very popular New England Imperial Stout Trooper, Mayflower IPA **, and a Berkshire Imperial Stout.
#6 was a epic trade with Russ from College Station, PA. He is a grad student at Penn St. and he really hooked it up!! I sent a New Belgium Transatlantique Kriek, ODell Friek, 2 1554's, and a 90 Shilling. I owe this guy and will hopefully trade with him again. He sent 4 pack of Founders Breakfast Stout and a 4 pack of Founders Imperial Stout ****!! (FBS is a top #10 brew) Founders is a brewery out of Grand Rapids, MI that is great across the board and has quite a following but obviously can't get out here. Then he also threw in a Troegs Flying Mouflan, Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA ***, and Otto's Double D IPA and Slab Cabin IPA**! This is going to be fun consuming these great brews, thanks Russ!
#7 was with a guy in New Haven, Conn. Very solid sender as well. I sent a ODell Friek and Russian River Damnation (shooting for a smaller trade. He sent a 4 pack New England Gandhi-Bot Double IPA***1/2 (think I'm really going to like this one!), 3 S. Tier 2XIPAs **(really enjoying this brewery alot), S. Tier Oat**1/2, and New England Sea Hag IPA**.
#8 was with Andreas in St. Paul, MN. I finally got me some Surly!!! Wasn't going away til I did. Pliny The Elder is a great beer to be able to use as a trading brew, its the #1 beer in the US and I have had a few, but would rather try some other stuff and honestly no big deal to me. I sent 2 PTEs, The Abyss, Russian River Damnation, Oskar Blues Ten Fidy and 'old school' Gordons. (nice package if I do say so myself) In return I got a 4 pack of Surly Abrasive ***1/2 and a 4 pack of Surly Furious **** (both in my top #10 wants!! and I got enough to enjoy and take some time at as well), a Surly Coffee Bender ***, Surly Bender***, and a Flat Earth Brewing NW Passage IPA. Thank you Minnesota and go Vikings!!!! I already had the Coffee Bender and a Furious (one of my new favorite beers!)

Package #3 and #4

Some drama I will update on later. Anyways received 2 great packages. From Adam in Indy I got 5 Hopslam bottles, Cigar City Jai Alai IPA (Florida beer!)(***1/2), Brooklyn Choklat and Osiris from a local brew. My biggest trade ever!! With Vince in Philly involved lots of great stuff. He wanted a hat and tulip from Odell, I wanted beer! He sent me 5 of my top 20 wants (Nugget Nectar ***1/2, Port Shark Attack Double Red Ale ***, S.Tier Pumking ***1/2-#1 ranked pumpkin beer and lived up to the hype, smelled like a pumpkin pie and I let Megan drink most of it, S.Tier Un-earthly***1/2 very hoppy, enjoying this New York brew )!! The Founders Breakfast Stout **** was an amazing top #10 brew, I want more!! Old Steve might have taken #6 (he sure did- Terrapin Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout)??? Still working on the Hopslam mini keg. We just returned from a fun, vacation in Winter Park with the crew. We took a few small kegs of 5 Barrel and Red from Odell.  I picked up some Great Divide, and the Hopslam!!

Super Bowl Sunday party

Good fun every year! Had maybe 20 good friends come or go. Green Bay won me a few bucks! I usually drink and eat to much every Super Bowl Sunday, nothing changed. Started off with the Founders Double Trouble. Good beer, very hoppy. Next I shared a Pizza Port Old Viscosity. Great beer, heavy American double/imperial stout. This tasted like chocolate, oak, coffee all mixed. Strong stout at 10% ABV. Also enjoyed a Avery Maharaja (thanks to Bruce), Pyramid Snow Cap (thanks to Shawn, really like this one), Tequila, and ODell Red!