Nice Ride...Finally, notes from the Rogue

Primetime, 4/25

   Watching the reports since the weekend, and Wednesday shaped up as the best bet of the week.  Decent weather, a warm 70F evening, 56F water (damn rubber), low tide, little current, and some thigh to waist rights and lefts to choose.  Grabbed the 7'4" ShellShape.  Finally able to snag a couple of rights...no lefts.

 







   I suck going backside...I mean once I'm set and tear assin' down that wall I'm good, but getting there- getting to that point- I suck.  Gotta work on that.  But, the nice frontsides I ripped off last night made up for any missed lefts.  Clean waves...by the end of the night the setting sun actually made approaching swell shimmer.  Very stoked on the night.  The hook's been set.  Now to get reeling 'em in!

Serenity.  Sundown on the Big Assawoman.

   As hooks go, the next up for review is Stone Brewing Company's Arrogant Bastard Ale. An American Strong Ale that will seriously kick your ass if you decide to throw down.  7.8% ABV, yeah...that's right.  Not for the light beer drinker here!  One of the best one's I've had yet.  Pours a deep red amber with 2+ finger off white head and nice lacing left behind.  Bready, malt taste up front with a bold pine citrus hop finish only a true hophead can appreciate.  But, the malt lingers as a sweet caramel aftertaste.  That's what really got me. At an estimated 117 IBUs (classified per Stone), this a definitive rare A+!

"If my mother was tied up and held

 for ransom, I might think about 

making a light beer."

             -Greg Koch CEO Stone Brewing

                                                                 

Dinner At Home, notes from the Rogue

Onshore winds at 15-20kts., mid 50's water, low 60's air, overcast, mid-tide. Waist plus ridables, 4/19

   Skipped a surf to meet my Mother and Brother for dinner last night at the Shark on the commercial harbor in West OC.  Though we all now live out of town (I'm the closest at 30mi), we all came home for dinner.  Lobster and beer with a view of Assateague.  Now there's a great Eastern Sho' meal!

View from a Shark

Family

   Tonight's offering, on draft no less, Burley Oak's Pale Ryeder IPA, loaded with farm fresh local rye from Snow Hill, MD. this is smoo...ooo...oooth.  Pouring a cloudy amber with a white 1 and 1/2 finger head and sportin' 8% ABV  this one comes a packin'!  The rye does a nice job of balancing the 70 IBUs of hops.  Flavors of bread and malt rounded it out for a strong- gotta say it again- smooth finish.  My brother even liked it, and he's not a hop fan. I rated this winner an A.

"Smithers, this beer isn't working,
I don't feel any younger or funkier."
          -Mr. Burns, The Simpsons

First Taste, notes from the Rogue

 
 








Finally got wet for the first time in 2012.  Feeling the stoke of a day's end session...perfect for the year's first taste of the Atlantic's salt.  Very nice.  Not much in wave action.  Pretty mushy as a matter of fact.  But the air was warm despite the strong (20 kt.) on-shore winds, and the water- a very tolerable mid-50's.  Boots and gloves of course.  Got me a couple of short rights ending in backwash.  Left me wanting.  I look forward to the surf cleaning up and building.  Maybe later this week.

Knee high mush, 5/15

   As first tastes go, this post's featured beer is Dogfish Head Immort Ale, an English Strong Ale that boasts a big 11% alcohol volume with the promise of an immortal buzz after a couple of 'em... the 50 IBUs attracted me.  Really.  This one poured a burnt orange color with a one finger head.  Brewed with maple syrup from Sam of Dogfishs' family farm, and aged in oak barrels. I could smell the smokiness of oak but tasted more boozy honey than maple.  Some may feel overly sweet, but not me (course I like coffee with my sugar). Slight bitterness but crisp from the hops...more smoke than citrus though. While I'm not big on the smokey beers, this one would go well with BBQ.  I rated it a C+/B-.

                                                


                                                     "I have respect for beer."
                                                      -Russell Crowe