Friday, August 29, 2008

A Trip to the Beer Store

So i scored a new job at a cool place and decided to celebrate by indulging in one of those ten dollar beers that we all love to drink so much. That is, ten dollars for one big bottle of beer. In short: dropping that hard earned cash on that damn fine beer.
Knowing that the Unibraue selection at my local beer grabbing shop in Rogers Park is pretty good, i thought i'd try the trois pistoles.
However, i was easily dissuaded by the 17th anniversary ale and a beer tasting going on in the corner of the shop. The Samuel Adams people had a lady in the shop offering us with a taste test: what is better?, sample A, the blackberry witbeer, or B, the coffee stout. The overall winner will be mass produced this January, the loser never to be brewed again. Hmm.
I never really like Sam Adams Beers. I don't really know why. I have tried more then ten of their brews and never really think its all that impressive. (Well, at Dark Lord Day at Three Floyds someone had a growler labelled "batch three" or something that was supposedly this rare Sam Adams brew and it was actually great, but that is thee exception.)
Anyway. the witbeer was drinkable in every way, but not mind blowing, not even pleasing. I thought it would be fruity and light, but it was bitter and bland.
The coffee stout was really tastey. Not heavy, it was smooth and delicious. It lacked that bitter, dry coffee finish that taint so many coffee stouts. And i am a severe coffee fiend and a total beer drunk, so i know what its like to blend the two, even if its not during the brewing process. know what i mean? speed ballin'.
anyway, the lady handing out the samples was super cute, bright blue eyes that pierce. She uses the proper beer geek lingo. she knows her shit. She tells me that out at bars the "girls" all "like" the blackberry, but at the craft-type-people locations its always, almost ALWAYS the coffee stout that is preferred. i agree. mark my vote on the ballot, buy my anniversary ale, and bike home with it in my left hand. Also, POP QUIZ: She told me that she was born the same year as Samual Adams was founded. How old is this cute beer lady?
The Anniversary Ale? Its so good, ya'll. Dark and 10%, smooth and drinkable as all hell. I'm completely warm and excedingly verbose. Thanks Unibraue. i just cheersed my computer screen.

peace

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