New Used Stick, the Rogue's notes.

Racked 'n ready.
3/2/2024

      Renewed commitment. Big cash outlays have a way of doin' that. My chiropractor (who surfs) told me about a used longboard for sale at the Viking Tree (a local adventure emporium). The manager - a former surf shop owner (who, by the way, has fixed my boards, and surfs) knocked off $100 to further sweeten the deal. My wife, who said I better put it to good use. How could I not? 9ft, 6in, Hawaiian Style Longboard. New used stick. My man who made the deal, cleaned it up, added the fins, and a leash. Now able to take advantage of our sometimes minimal surf. Especially in the heat of Summer. Stoked reason to look forward as the Atlantic warms, and a new surf season (at least my new season) begins.

"The art of longboarding is timeless. You could easily say that longboard surfing is a state of mind. An idealized state of mindfulness. It's the beginning and the end of wave riding."

- Surfer Today

     Tinley Park. Another fine Chicago suburb... with a brewery. Hailstorm. Crash Test Dummy. Like ridin' a longboard for the first time. Life on the water for a rogue kook. At 9.7%, this Belgian Tripel felt like it could quickly numb the pain of any learning curve. Poured a clear amber-gold with a finger and a half  white head. Aromas of Belgian yeast, grassy spice, and white toast.  Like a good Belgian. Smooth taste. Touch of honey, malt, and residual sugar. Little boozy. Hopped to 24 IBUs. The lightly bitter finish was a nice close. Only one in a mix six. Too bad. Rated an A-/B+.

OSV Surf Check, the Rogue's notes.

Folding close to shore; rippled greenie read to pop. North Beach, AI. 2/4/2024

      This time of year I get to the beach maybe once a month. Maybe. Air's cold... high 30s/low 40s. Ocean's cold... low 40s. Don't matter what the swell looks like, it ain't happenin'. But. Wildlife au naturale- always worth a gander. And if I can get a surf check in? Win, win. Weekend afternoon trek to the MD side of Assateague Island. Surf was sloppy. Maybe waist plus, but it was sectioned chop with few hard sought opportunities. All the way up to the OSV border. Plenty else to see. Ponies were out. Wild turkeys stoppin' traffic. Sun. Sand. Dunes. Time to get wet is a bit far off. Still love the beach.

On the watch.

     Thinkin' these post posts need to be more water centric, you know? Off season hits, and I tend to focus on the beer. Not that I'm swearin' off beer. No no. But, like drinking 'em, more than two a post becomes a tad bloated. Just sayin'. A New Year's resolution, stick to two per. Onward- Goin' through the cold weather beers. I mean, it's still winter, right? Alaskan Brewing is easier to find in the Mid-west. Closer to Alaska. 2013 Vintage Smoked Porter. Man! Where's the bar-b-que when you need it! Perfect pairing. 6.5% ABV gave a warming touch to the evening. Pitch black pouring with about a finger thick, beige head. Notes of smokey molasses, leather, and mocha in the nose. Flavors of coffee, semi-sweet dark chocolate, more smoke in the malts, and a hint of cherry. Bitterness from the cocoa/coffee, and 45 IBUs worth of hops to close. Liked the finish. Smokiness was fairly strong. Like I said, needed that BBQ to offset. Yet, a solid bomber. Rated a B.

    Schell Brothers... a sorta East Coastal construction company with my kind of PR initiatives. Tipsy Blokes Beer Company collabs with local brewers to come up with a set of brews that not only reels in potential home buyers, but also beer enthusiasts (add 'em to the call list) as well. Frank and the Brit. An English style IPA brewed in partnership with Rehoboth's Revelation Craft Brewing. Strong hop notes up front as advertised by the 60 IBIs. Piney. Resinous. Dry. Light sweetness from the malts that were present as well. Aromas of melon. Light citrus. Caramel malts. Poured an amber-gold with a 2-finger, off-white head. Not a stand-out, but relaxing. Decent IPA. Rated a B-.

"Beer: the silent therapist."
-Anonymous