Isaac's Touch, notes from the Rogue

 

Isaac's touch, 8/28

 




 The ninth named storm for the year cruised in from the southeast, through the Florida Keys, and up into the Gulf.  Cat 1 Hurricane Isaac is expected to make landfall near New Orleans.  That's the bad news.  The good stuff is the swell it has given us over the last 24 hours.  I was able to hit the 47th street marker this evenin' to squeeze a few thigh to waists at high tide.  Don't know what it is with me, but I seem to be at my "kookiest" during the first 15- 20 minutes.  But, once that first ride is snagged, the night is good. Even towards dusk when the winds picked up and the waves gained some bump, plowing the rough roads of a few hard rights left a smile on my face when the night was done. Nice.
  The featured brew...Maui Brewing's Mana Wheat.  This is classified as a Pale Wheat Ale with light orange in the nose, and the taste encompasses bananas And pineapples.  Yeah, pineapples...thought it might be a hop influence, but only weighs in at 18 IBUs.  Must be the Hawaiian side of the family.  The alcohol volume of 5.5% does not make this a heavy one.  Very drinkable.  Rated it a B.  Another nice summer beer.

"Drinking a cold beer after a great

 surf  session is one of those summer 

 salt classics."                      -Anon.

  

Dew's and Don'ts, notes from the Rogue

 
 

Carnival time

   Good and bad to venture down to MD's Right Coast this week.  The Dew Tour was in town featuring BMX Vert and Skate Vert.  The set-up was incredible taking up almost 5 full blocks on the beach with plenty for freebies to partake of.  Now at some point they were having a surf competition as well.  Don't lthink it was happenin.' Our wave action in town was pretty lame the entire week.  Ankle to knee beach break...very poor conditions.  I went down Thursday evening.  High tide, warm (still in mid-70s). Couldn't buy a ride. Sometimes Mother N. just don't wanna put out.  From what I hear and read however, the nationally televised Tour was very successful, both for the town and Mountain Dew.

Don't dew it, 8/16

   The evening's offering was Rogue Brewing's Juniper Pale Ale.  A tribute to my recently fallen (though not a Juniper) tree in the front yard.  Made with real Juniper berries, though I wasn't tasting any huge difference... maybe a slight spice.  At 34 IBUs, not a real hop bite but a piney enough nose (may be the berries).  Poured a hazy light amber with slightly more than a finger head and decent lacing.  A 5.3% ABV makes this a very refreshing, drinkable Pale.  If it came in a six I'd get a six.  As it was, 22oz. made do.  I rated it a B.

July storm damage

"In wine there is wisdom.  In beer there is

strength.  In water there is bacteria."

                                                          -Anon.

Cubbies and Old Style, notes from the Rogue

 
   No surf last weekend.  But, my Girl being of the sporting mind and a huge Chicago Cubs fan, took me to historic Wrigley Field to catch the unfortunately woeful (but lovable) Cubs play and lead most of the day only to lose to the Reds in the last two innings.  We had a great time though, and to be in the same home (since 1916) as Ron Santo, Ferguson Williams and Ernie Banks was true reverence.  Wrigleyville was a blast, Clark Street just lined with bar after bar after bar...some historic themselves. Awesome birthday. Totally stoked!

Historic Cubby Bear

 





   No Chicago baseball game would be complete without a stadium hot dog and an ice cold Old Style.  Originally brewed by G. Heilemann Brewing (now owned by Pabst), Old Style is brewed using a double fermentation process known as Kraeusening. Pouring a clear straw yellow color with a thick 2 finger head.  A bland taste, cheap beer smell, but very crisp finish... perfect for the occasion, but not an everyday choice to be sure.  4.7% ABV, approximate 10 IBUs.  I rate this classic a B for a baseball game, and a C- as a stand-alone.

"What I like about beer is that you basically

just drink it and order more."

                                                     -Dave Barry

Low Knees - Sweet Night, notes from the Rogue

Clean start, 8/7

Still managed to snap a leash...lame.

   Was cloudy all day.  Even a little rain.  When evening came and I was off work heading to the beach the sun came out.  It is going to be a sweet night.  And it was. Sweet.  Not much to brag about in terms of swell, but with low tide settled in and some semi clean left and right knee highs (light bump) I was able to bang 'em out like a mini assembly line...at first.  Eventually it became a bit mushy,  a little bit harder to judge, and last night's gym time was wearin' down on me.  Those are my excuses, and I'm stickin' to 'em.  Sweet night, like I said.

Tons 'o gawkers

6x catch 'n release

 



























    Stopped by the White Marlin Open on my way outta town.  243 of 253 boats fished today.  You'd think it'd be a banner day.  Not so.  Not much.  But the place was crowded that's for damn sure!

Tournament namesake

Tuuuuuuner steak tonight!

 

Shimmers when caught - Mahi Mahi

   A lot of whites released, a couple brought in, a few Mahi's, a couple of BIG tuna's (love them steaks!), and a Wahoooo. Some bitch, that place was crowded.  Stayed long enough to catch an incredible OC sunset, then busted ass outta there.

   Tonight's swig is Star Hill Brewery's The Love, a wheat beer/hef  that was actually very good.  I've gotten away from Wheats as many began tasting similar to Blue Moon Belgian White, but this one had  notes of sweet banana and orange with a hint of pepper that charged through to balance out the citrus and sweet.  Poured a hazy gold with an almost two-finger head.  Light lacing that dissipated quickly. ABV of 4.6% with only 9 IBUs, but regardless of the lack of bite still very smooth. B+ for this one.

"It's always nice to share The Love."
                                                - Starr Hill

No Surf? Get Me A Football!, notes from the Rogue

8/2- Blown up.

 













 
   It's been tough lately.  This heat wave really puts a flattening effect on the surf. I get what I can get when I can get it.  Went out on Thursday.  Water's still mid 70's...niiiice. High tide. Light SE winds.  Breakin' about 10 yards from shore.  Beach break, pretty much.  Snagged a few fronts with quick exits before they were exploding onto the beach.  Can't deny the stoke.

 









    
   Saturday was Fan Appreciation Day at the Washington Redskins training camp. My son and I, huge fans, hit the road to Ashburn, VA. We've been feelin' the pain for some years, but this year we've drafted Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III, i.e. RGIII, and number 4 pick Kirk Cousins out of Michigan State.   Tied to a maturing defense, this team will represent some worries to the NFC East and the rest of the NFL.  Lots of depth.  Lots of work.  Lots to build on.

Griffin to Evan Royster - "Do what light does."

Cousins set to let fly

Capital Punishment, the defensive frontmen.

RGIII hands off to Roy Helu, Jr.

Needless to say there are a lot of high hopes in D.C.  The atmosphere was electric I can tell ya.  As the final pic illustrates, we were amped.  Awesome time. Get me my f#^king football!

RGIII made his day, Derek got his autographed ball.  Smiles! Big Smiles!

      To stoke the fire we have Flying Dog Brewery's Raging Bitch Belgian IPA.  They like to say, "once you let the bitch outta the cage, there's no controlling it."  This applies -to the surf, -to the battlefield. 8.3% ABV, 60 IBU's. This one's got plenty of bite.  Pours a rich copper color with a creamy white 2 finger head.  Plenty of lace.  The Belgian yeast combined with the hop hitter lends to the banana smell and citrus finish without being overly bitter (no rhyme intended).  Nice stoke to amplify the fiery sunset of a warm summer evening.  Another winner for Flying Dog.  I gave it an A.

"The best beer in the world is the open 

bottle in your hand."

                                   -Anonymous