Desolate Lineup, the Rogue's notes.

Sandblasting winds do little to help out Lady Atlantic. Desolation along the 60th St. lineup, 1/11/2020. 

And the riot squad, they're restless
They need somewhere to go
As Lady and I lookout tonight
From Desolation Row
-Bob Dylan

   Has not been a harsh start to winter. Fairly mild actually. 40s-50s in the light. Upper 30s to lower 40s in the dark. Gym'in it...sometimes. Can still run outside...sometimes. Watching the surf report, the Atlantic has been holding steady in the upper 40s. Resolved to the end of surf back in December. Maybe an early start in the new year? March? April at the earliest? Wishful thinking. Old Man Winter is a ways from leaving. Was on the beach recently. Southwest winds howling. In the summer, outta the south you can feel the warm winds across your face. This time of year, storms rollin' up from the south bring the snow. Was chilly on the beach. And, like I said, windy. And desolate. As was the lineup. Knee to waist high mush. Yeah, I'd do it if it were another season. Endurance is what this time of year is all about. Endure the next couple, three or four months. Watch the water temps. Will it into the 50s. The surf will come.

  Couple of beers whilst waiting. Papi Chulo, Commonwealth Brewing's hazy, juicy, unfiltered IPA. Poured a golden orange with a finger-plus, foamy, off-white head. Clingy lacing that snakes around the glass.Strong tropical aromas of mango, pineapple, and citrus with herbal hoppiness mixed in. Upon first swig, tastes of mango, melon, and the signature hop grapefruit. Light bitterness in the finish, despite the 56 IBUs, that faded quickly leaving the tropical notes to dominate. Was not heavy at all, and very refreshing making for a dangerous 2nd helping at 6.5% ABV. Papi Chulo translates to "ladies man." A few of these and one might get the feeling, regardless of the truth. Got this in a mixed grouping from Virginia. Rated an A-.
   An unopened Christmas bottle from my buddy Mike that I finally got to was Goose Island's Bourbon County Stout...circa 2019. This'll warm ya on a cold, windblown beach. 14.7% ABV! No misprint. One of them beers you're supposed to let age to it's full potential. Yeah, okay. I let it age about 3 weeks from gettin' it. Potential not tasted is potential wasted. Poured a desolate space-black. Nothing to be seen but a reflection. Thick, brown, finger-plus head that receded quickly. Some plum, some toasted malt, lots of bourbon in the nose. The tasting was worth taking it slow. Chewy. Savored flavors of coffee, chocolate fudge, raisins and plums, sweet malt, and the heavy influence of the bourbon barrels. Got that boozy burn that is oft the stamp of such stouts. This time of year, it is welcome. 60 IBUs helped influence the bitter balance of the finish. Rated an A. Thanks Mike!

"I ran twice today. First I ran outta
beer, and then I ran to get some

more."  -Will Ferrell

Yuletide Conditions, the Rogue's notes.

"I need some peace and quiet...or whatever it is people go away for."  -The Holiday
Sunrise on the new year. 62nd Street flatties, 1/2020.

   This time of year, tracking the weather becomes as critical as in the summer. Usually unstable. The atmospheric behavior of the winter. Been fortunate. Unseasonably warm. Has made the ocean flat. Water temps remained in the upper 40s, though I did not take advantage. With small surf, I could've kept my head above water and avoided the ice cream headaches. Alas, the month of December was busy. Work. Home decor. Didn't even get to the gym enough. Yet, the mild Yuletide conditions did make for easy travel. Some time with family, both abroad...in Chicago, and locally. A year-end pictoral with beer thrown in for good measure.

   Ya get into December with all the decoratin' (lights and such) and shoppin' and travelin...need a robust beer. Good start was Founders Robust Porter. Dark. Rich. Sexy. Read the label. Creamy black pour. Finger-plus, tan head. Sticky lacing. Baker's chocolate, and malt notes in the aroma. Could taste one of them flavored lattes in there. Roasted mocha coffee and caramel. Nice warmer at 6.5% alcohol. The espresso-like, 45 IBUs of hop bitterness rounded out the smooth body. One of the best porters I've had. Rated an A.

   Didn't get to all the lights in the OC like usual. Missed the south end altogether. Seemed much busier around the Pines. With Thanksgiving fallin' so late, everything flashed by. Got the tree up, lit up the house, then to slow it a little, popped a Two Roads Holiday Ale. French farmhouse style Biere de Noel. Scents of toasted malt, clove, and honey in a clear, ruby-amber pour. Fast dissipating, thin, off-white head. Taste did not reflect the 7.3% ABV. A bit mild. Tastes of maple, raisins, and more clove. Some graininess too. Light sweetness offset by slight hop spice. Rated this winter brew a B-.

Can say, our development does a nice job of splashing about in Christmas cheer. They ain't called "the Pines" for nuthin'. Each mornin' see greenery on each stop sign and subdivision entrance along the main drag on the way to work. Homes and park lit up on the way home. Businesses in West OC in the mood as well.  

Whitehorse Park's festival of lights.

If ya can't float 'em, deck 'em. West OC, Mid-December, 2019.

   Drive to Chicago was smooth goin'. In the city and surrounding byways- lotta traffic...not missed. Western suburbia- friends and family...missed a lot. Reconnected. With family in the city. Friends in Naperville. More family on Oswego. And Carol Spring. It's what Christmas is about. Brother-in-law brought a nice sixer to the party. Abita Brewing's Christmas Ale. Not big on Brown Ales but this one had that festive touch of celebration to it. Poured a clear, dark copper with a bubbly, 2-finger, beige head. One of the lighter, 5.8% ABV, of the winter ales this year so drinking a couple or three didn't cause you miss Santa Claus. Some orange and citrus in the smell, with toffee and malt. Flavors of figs, more citrus and malt. Sensed some coffee somewhere in the distance. Sharp, bitter, dry hop finish. Usually  a turn-off. However, this time, balanced. Gave this brew festival a solid B.

Chicago's Christkindlmarket.

A little Gluhwein between Family...Cheers!

Some of the best Chi-style
pizza around!

Millennium Park

   On the way home, a side trip to Michigan to visit our Daughter and boyfriend's abode. Just hung with 'em in Chicagoland. But always have fun with 'em. So why not the next up? Michign's Bell's Brewery provided I would say, one of the best Christmas beers out there. Christmas Ale (original name, huh?), a Scottish Wee Heavy. Rich and malty in the nose. Comes packin' at 7.5% ABV. Poured a deep cherry-brown with maybe a finger or so tan head. Thin lacing. Tasted of toffee and burnt oak. Some booziness, but in a good way. Brown sugar, and molasses. Just a touch of holiday spice and hop bite that played well off each other. Nice warmer. Rated an A-.

"One thing I learned from drinking is

that if you ever go Christmas caroling

you should go with a group of people.

And also go in mid-December."

-Louis C.K.

Keep 'em comin'. The next was an export, brought in from the UK through Oswego, IL. Samuel Smith's 30th Anniversary Winter Welcome Ale. Has history. That was my attraction. And from Yorkshire, England's oldest brewery no less. Poured a light copper with a finger or so, white head. Aromas of nuts and plums. Some malt and grain. Flavors of spice and unripened fruit. Malts and bitter English hops. Not much in sweetness category. Very dry, biscuity finish. Not as thrilled as I thought I'd be with this one. Gave it a C+/B- rating.

   Year end, and more presents to open. Daughter and Granddaughter over to experience the results of St. Nick's visit to the Point. Sunset grill and Berlin's Ball Drop to end it all. A beer to close the year: Burley Oak's Coogi Sweater. 
A Double IPA at 8.8% guaranteed to warm in the cold of 

Winter. Dank, juicy, hazy, bruised lemon-orange pour. Nearly 2-finger, off-white head. Signature grapefruity-hop aromas with  a hint of melon.

Berlin's ball gettin' ready to drop...

Lots of thick lacing left behind as this one went down. Tasted tropical fruit, more melon, and sweet berries. 34 IBUs of resinous pine melded with citrus peel. Light malt in the background. I've had Coogi Sweater in the taproom, and this was a bit more dank. Got the crowler for free, as I was buying a couple 4-packs of some other IPAs as Christmas gifts. So, freshness was in question. Regardless, it wasn't stale. Sweet. Creamy. Not overly bitter in the finish. Rated a B/B+. Nice conclusion to 2019. Yuletide conditions on a high for New Year stoke.

The Stoke of Christmas. The
promise of a New Year.