Spring Break!!!

  First post in almost a year and a half!! Megan and I took a much needed, very relaxing and fun trip AZ!! We were able to visit some great new spots, and see family and friends. We arrived very early on Tuesday morning, had a 5:45 flight so the alarms were set for 3:00 am.
  We relaxed a bit then decided to take the bikes, both women's of course, and not the lightest of bikes! AZ Wilderness Brewery was about 5.5 miles away and we rode the canal the entire way, just about. It was Taco Tuesday at AZ Wilderness!! So we had tacos and great beer!! Then as we were leaving to head to a brewery in Tempe, maybe another 5-6 miles away, Megan gets a flat tire. Not even 50 yards from AZ Wilderness. It was frustrating but we got through the situation thanks to family!!
  Eventually we made it to another recent opening, Huss Brewery. We fairly tired at this time from the events of the day and they had just opened. We were driving here so just decided to share some tasters. The beer was good, nothing more. The owners and I had very much in common, close to the same age and from Springfield!! Small world! The bartender was cool and so it was a good time. They also had many guest beers on tap.
  Later that evening, Shawn Monk picked us up and we returned to AZ Wilderness!!

 

  Wednesday we had tickets for a Spring training baseball game between the Cubs and Rockies and the new stadium in Scottsdale. We took it easy in the morning, of course both going for our early morning runs! Great weather the whole week!! We took it easy in the morning and Shawn was kind enough to borrow us his truck. Which was a very kind gesture because we had to figure out how to get to the game in North Scottsdale from South Tempe.

  We started at O.H.S.O. nano brewery for happy hour. This place was really cool and was next to the canal and encouraged people walking, riding bikes, with dogs, etc. They even had bike locks and water bowls for dogs to borrow. They had some of their own beers, which are often brewed with locals and some other guest beers. I could hang out at this place!! But we had the game that night.

  Next we stopped at Fate Brewing in Scottsdale to meet some friends before the game. It was also happy hour, they had $5 flat bread pizzas and need to eat so got one. Didn't really think it was all that but needed food! Tried some tasters and they had a couple of good beers and some average beers.

  The game was awesome, the stadium they share with the DBacks was 'big time'! They had Four Peaks beer on tap and Megan spilled her $9 beer as soon as we sat in the grass, instead concentrating more on here $5 peanuts! We left the game and decided to stop by Papago Brewery since we would be passing it. Always a solid choice, but we didn't stay long because it was getting late, but they had a delicious Coconut Coffee Porter!! Well that is Tuesday/Wednesday. Possibly Thursday/Friday later if I get some motivation.

 



Been a long time....

Wow, 6 months since I've posted! Lot's of good times along the way, don't know where to begin. I'll include pics for now!

Almost Summer Hauls

 Trade with StPaulSuds: 4 pack of Furious and a 4 pack of Plead the 5th. Sent Bitches Brew and BBQ, nice simple trade for some of my favorite beers!!!

 In person trade with new friend and fellow BA Kevin (ftsgibson) who just moved back from Austin.

 Second trade with Shane (injuredreserve) from Covington, LA. I sent The Count plus Odell brew for '12 Dark Lord, 3x Southern Pecan Porter, Saint Arnold Endeavor, plus an extra Red Eye Coffee Porter from Two Brothers!

 Sent 2x Uncle Jacobs Stout for 2x BB Plead the 5th and 1x KBS. Then we agreed on $20 worth of extras. Nice mixed package of goodies. Trade with Jake (katje111) from Shrewsbury, PA.

Megan and I spent a nice weekend in 'The Valley' This was the haul we shipped back and a few made it in our luggage! Love me some Alesmith and Ballast and picked up some wants: Numbskull, Speedway Stout and Horny Devil, etc...

KBS Vertical and Tasting Party

 Impromptu tasting following the Avery Uncle Jacobs Stout release in Boulder, sometimes better to just get home!! Highlights include Uncle Jacobs Stout, Founders Better Half, Olde Hickory Imperial Stout, HOD Adam. We had some solid IPAs: FatHead, White Rajah, Hoptimum, Deviant Dales, Alpine Nelson, and Marble IPA.

 Dave, Megan and I decided to a KBS vertical, we blindly tasted a '10, '11, and '12. Solid beer no matter how you cut it!! Ages well and is awesome fresh too. Personally (although again great across the board and the ratings we're very close) #1- '11 #2- '12 #3- '10

Spring is here!!!

 Trade #1 with Tom (Duffmanohyeah02) of Lake St. Louis which was suppose to be a simple trade!! I sent a Bligh's (my last one) and The Count; in return I received 2x KBS and tasty Box Of Chocolate which is a very unique chocolate quad brewed at a small winery/brewery in of all places, SE Missouri! Well anyways had MY first damaged package sent in something like 80 boxes so the package never made it. Made up for it and sent The Count plus '10 and '11 Abyss :(

 Trade #2 with Shoo65 from Indy. Big trade I sent some Eclipse 50/50, Sucaba, can't remember the rest but did include some nice extras as well. He sent 3x KBS, Founders Better Half, Zhukov (which I don't see in the picture so I better check my cellar!!), Sun King beers- Isis x2 (leaked everywhere but drank it that night and it was okay), Wee Muckle x2 ***, 2x Founders Kalamazoo Stout, Expedition and FIS.

 Bottle for bottle with eyebereej from Danville, CA; sent a Bligh's for an Midnight Sun Arctic Devil Barleywine.

Trade #3 Alex (OSUBeerStudent) from Durham, NC. Traded Eclipse 50/50 plus locals and he killed it with 2x KBS, BB Plead the 5th (love this stuff!!!), Foothills Barrel Aged People's Porter, plus great extras: Double Trouble, Nugget Nectar, 2x Double Crooked Tree, Dortmunder Gold, Duck Rabbit Rabid Duck and Baltic Porter!!!! Great trader.

Trade #4 my second trade with ex CSU alum now living in San Diego, Kevin (rawfish). Sent him Shenanigans, La Folie and a mix of great Odell beers for Alpine Duet, Nelson and Pure Hoppiness (this tiny brewery kills it with fresh hopped Cali IPAs!), Karl Strauss 23rd Anniversary BB Aged Old Ale, Alesmith Decadence 2011 Maple Smoked Barleywine and Ballast Point Indra Kunindra a export stout brewed with cayenne spice, cocunut and curry among other things. Man, San Diego has some great beer!!!



Tasting #7

Great tasting with Dave, Sam, both Aaron's and Shawn (Jeff came late from what I remember. Great stuff: BA Yeti ***1/2, Box of Chocolate ***1/2, Event Horizon ***1/2, Iron Hill RIS***, 50/50 Eclipse Grand Cru, Imperial Stout Trooper, Teddy Bear Kisses, Boulevard BBQ, a disappointing Ivan 2010, Farmhouse Black Metal and plenty more!

Nice haul from Abe (Agold) in Chicago. Double Daisy Cutter!! Double Crooked Tree, Zombie Dust, Metropolitan Kolsch, FBS, Bigfoot Barleywine, C. Waters BBS and Tyranena Down and Dirty Chocolate Oatmeal Stout. I sent BBQ plus locals.

Southern Colorado Race and Brewery Visits

Haul #1 from InebriatedJoker (Mike) out of Columbus, OH. Sent out a couple bottle of Grimm The Count plus some local extras in return received 2x BA Plead the 5th, Great Lakes BA Blackout Stout and extras FIS x2, Sofie and 2x Columbus IPA. Haul #2 from derkfromwi (Deric) out of Appleton, WI I got a 4 pack of Central Waters BB Barleywine and of Peruvian Morning and he killed it with some of my favorite extras: Zombie Dust, Hopslam, Nugget Nectar and a Founders Imperial Stout!! 

This is the 4th year in a row Steve Cathcart and I traveled down to Pueblo to run the Chieftain Spring Runoff. I ran the 10 miler 3 years in a row (winning it twice) and this year focusing on speed decided to compete in the 10K and finished first! But also have to feed that other passion/hunger of microbrew. We usually end up here at the Shamrock for brunch and a few before hitting the road. Okay brewery with very good food(not suggested for healthy eaters) and lots of history.

They had a good Black IPA, and I got the last of it. Enjoyed the porter and red as well.

Next stop was Pikes Peak Brewery in Monument which has been opened since last summer. Conveniently located right off the I25 had absolutely amazing views and it was a beautiful 60 degree day. That alone made it hard to leave, but had to keep moving.

I probably enjoyed the Devil's Head Red the most. The stout was decent, mostly European type styles though, so okay to me but everyone else enjoyed it. (first year women were allowed on the trip, so Megan and Betsy came along as well)

Lone Tree brewery was our 3rd and final brewery of the day, had just opened 3 months ago!! I was impressed with this brewery and would like to go back again. Very roomy, clean, smells good (new), solid beer and great service.

My favorite beer was easily Hoptree DIPA! They were out of the Puddle Jumper Pale Ale which sounded good and is their most popular beer. But all their offerings were good even the styles I don't normally get into. Fun day, and somehow the four of us ended up at the Mayor of Old Town!!