Beer Review - Taylor's Grog

Unfortunately, I had this in a local pub this week and forgot to take a picture.  The beer is called Taylor's Grog and its from Greenville, DE.  This is a small, small brewery.  I don't know that I've even ever seen a bottle or a website.  If you're in the DE area, McGlynn's pub in Elkton, MD has it.

Taylors puts out a regular grog and a seasonal one.  I had the opportunity to try both the regular Grog and the Octoberfest Grog.  Both are lagerish beers.  Personally I liked the regular grog a bit better than the octoberfest - this is odd because I am usually all over Octoberfest beers.  I found the Octoberfest to be exceptionally bitey and hard to drink.  It had a good taste - slightly pumpkin but a good deal of spice.  It was just hard to drink - the end really stuck you.

The traditional Grog was delicious.  It reminded me of a really super smooth Yeungling (for those of you unfortunate enough to have never had a Yeungling its a very very good Philly Lager).  It would be super easy to have a few too many of the regular Taylors Grog - it was that good.  Good smooth flavor without being overly hoppy, just enough yeast taste to not be over powering.  Just a really really good lager.  I would recommend this to anyone.

Update: It turns out that this is a specialty beer brewed by Twin Lakes Brewery exclusively for Mclynn's Pub and the Deer Park Tavern.  Guess you'll have to go to try it. :-D

-Later

I love my skis!

Took my skis out today to see if they needed any preseason tuning (they don't - I dinged em real bad at A-Basin end of last season and the repair shop there did a super awsome job so they just need some new wax).  Anyway, made me remember two things. A. I love theses skis. and B. I am so itching to get out there.

Beginning of last season I picked up a new pair of skis - Volkl Kenja's.  I had been skiing on a pair of Volkl AC50's when I was in college.  At the time I was racing and just looking for a good front side ski.  Last year I felt the time was right to get a more bouncy ski.  I always demo before I buy a ski - except for my Kenja's.  I had done a ton of research and got a deal so good on them I couldn't pass it up to wait to demo them.  What a good decision.  I love these skis.  They pack a punch but they are so fun and bouncy and forgiving.  Not to mention they are fully traditional camber.  I know some people love the rocker but it just doesn't feel right to me.  Anyway just a quick post to say I'm totally itching to ski.

-Later

On Sledding

I may have mentioned that I'm a little nuts about snow.  Well personally sledding is one helluva good time on snow.  For the last couple of years a group of my friends and I have rented a ski cabin in the Poconos.  The first year - the cabin was crazy small but decently close to a small sledding hill (read re-purposed ski home trail).  We would go out at night and sled til like 11pm.  Of course - the people in the cabin at the bottom of the sledding hill would come out and yell for us to stop.  But boy was it a blast.

Last year, the cabin, while bigger, was a bit of a hike to the sledding hill.  Not to mention the fact that the dismal east coast snow year prevented most sledding.  So we (mostly me) had the brilliant idea to go sledding down the ski slope after it closed.  I'm not talking one of those nice sleds with runners or even a toboggan.   The concept was to slide down on a thin piece of plastic.  First mistake.  Second mistake - I honestly have no clue how we planned to stop since the green trail we were on ran directly into a blue...  Third mistake - this was March... the east coast snow which had been nice and slushy during the day was a frozen solid crystalline mess by 9 pm.  Clearly this did not end well.  We made it about 100 ft before the sled flipped and we decided to use my face to stop.  Not my best idea but - hey I really like to sled.

Enter this year.  Well damnit sledding we got the ultimate revenge.  Upon lots of discussions on the cost of renting cabins for the season, etc. my boyfriend bought a ski cabin.  And wouldn't you know it - its the cabin at the bottom of that sledding hill.  Now thats what I call sledding karma!

-Later

Beer Review - Beer Milkshake!

Beer Review - Sam Adams Octoberfest Milkshake

Okay so I'm not entirely sure this counts as a beer review.  For one its Sam Octoberfest which is a pretty common beer.  For another thing, it comes from a major chain restaurant.  But I mean come one... its a beer milkshake... how can you not?

Admittedly, I wasn't sure on this thing.  Its a beer milkshake - which is awsome - but its also a beer milkshake which is.... well... weird.  Now I like Sam Adams Octoberfest - in general I like most octoberfest type beers.  And I like vanilla ice cream and I like caramel and whipped cream.  But together? I wasn't so sure.  And the verdict? It's okay.  Worth a try because it's so out there but not worth getting a second time.  You can in fact taste the beer - but really from the beer you get the alcohol taste and a really strong yeast/bread taste.  It tastes faintly of Octoberfest but mostly of yeast with a strong after taste of "oh shit that is alcohol".  Vanilla? Not really in the flavor at all.  The consistency is also a little.... off.  Maybe it's because it does taste a bit like beer and you never want your beer to be thick or maybe there's some sort of wierd chemical reaction but for me at least, the consistency made it a touch hard to stomach.  The best part is the caramel and whipped cream - that at least tastes like you'd expect.  Overall - not horrible but really not anywhere near my favorite.

-later

Out with the old...

Heading up to Ian's cabin today (the ski cabin in the Poconos).  The cabin came furnished and well some of the furnishings were ummmm iffy...  Getting rid of the couch - its supper uncomfortable and kind of sketchy.

New couches should be here tomorrow.  And I gotta say... my butt can't wait.

-Later

When's It Gonna Snow?????

I'm into snow.  Like really into it.  I can't get enough of it.  I'm an avid skier and snowboarder.  Will never pass up an opportunity to sled or throw a snowball or even just jump in a pile of snow.  Seriously... around snow if you didn't know I was 25 you'd think I was 5.

Two weeks ago there was a hurricane.  West Virginia got feet of snow. Me? I got nothing. Nada. Zilch.  Not even a flake.  Last week a Nor'Easter hit NJ.  My parents got a foot of snow.  Me? Struck out again.  And I'm feeling it - I got that snow itch.  Can't wait to break the boards out and get back on the snow.  It needs to snow! Anticipation sucks.

-Later

Kickstarter - JS Joust

So there's this game... Have you heard of it?  It's called Johann Sebastian Joust and it's freakin awsome.  Its a game that's been played at game cons all over - including PAX.  Basically you use a playstation move controller and try to get your opponents to move their controller too fast (thus getting "out) while protecting your own - all while set to music.  Want to know more? Check out their website : http://www.jsjoust.com/

So this game hasn't been for public release yet.  This is a shame cuz it's wicked cool.  Now JS Joust is partnering with 3 other awsome games in a Kickstarter project called Sportsfriends in an attempt to release versions to the public for PC, Mac, PS3, etc.  You should totally check it out and support them!

-Later