Comeback, the Rogue's notes.

Sinepuxent freed. 1/20/2018

   It appears a comeback is in the midst. Snow's all but gone. Still a few mounds left over from the plows. River's defrosted. Bay's been set free. Crews are out getting their Sportfishers ready. Ocean's still frigid. Upper 30's. That's f#*king cold. Not that hardcore. On the watch for warming salted. Becoming more regular at the local Powerhouse though. That and a few throw-backs to get me through this uphill winter. 

Comeback trail. Making ready the hunters, OC Fishing Center. 

   The current "throwbacks" up front...Virginia's Commonwealth Brewing. Known as much for their can designs as they are for their brews. Ojo Del Tigre. A Mexican style brewed with flaked corn and malts. Complete with noble hops on the a$$ end and fermented as a lager. Poured a deep reddish maroon with a finger off white head. Toffee and biscuit in the nose and taste. 5.3%ABV and 23 IBUs for a very "dos Equis-like" finish. Not the most sophisticated. But, I did like the inverted colored shorebreak waves on the can. Can drink several of these very easily. Rated a C+.

However, one of the best big IPAs I've had in a long while was Big Papi. My ode to Adriana. A DIPA worth every penny for every drop! Descriptives... Juicy. Murky. Turbid. Poured an orangish-yellow. Two-finger white puff-pumped head. Extremely cloudy. Lots of what I would perceive as sediment. Kind of a thick appearance. Aromas of pineapple and orange. Extreme citrus and resinous pine as I drank. Very smooth. Very bruising...without the pain. Initially. Can feel the 8% alcohol content in the taste. A booziness that compliments the vicious 61 IBUs of tropical hop-fruit sting. Rated an A.

"I make beer disappear, what's

your superpower?"
-Xander

Three Dog Nights, the Rogue's notes.

Seems I've got to have a change in scene. -Feelin' Alright, TDN
Still there, with icy mini-knees rollin' in. Chilled Atlantic, 1/7/2018.

   They came and stuck around.  Froze everything up. In the low teens during the day. Single digits at night. The Aborigines call 'em "three dog nights." For real! Probably need more dingos than that. Followed up with Winter Storm Grayson, a bomb cyclone; dumped a good 13-14 inches on us. Yep...when it comes up from the south we get hammered. Throw in 40mph winds and the drifting snow locks down everyone 'n everything.

River and bay completely frozen over. Diggin' out. No snow blower. I mean really, a snow blower at the beach? Finally did a surf check for the first time in a couple months. Post storm days. The Atlantic dropped into the mid 30's. I wouldn't even do a polar swim in that cold-ass water. All about the wind chills and the nighttime temperatures. Nuthin' escaping this chill. Gimme another couple months and I'll be startin' the watch. Seein' how fast the water can warm up. 'Til then...will find other warmers.

Closed for winter. Ice blockaded Big Assawoman.

   A Belgian Witbier. Perfect when surrounded by snow. Blended right in. Brewery Ommegang out of midstate New York. Home to the US Hop. A couple centuries ago anyway. Witte Wheat Ale poured a cloudy yellow-gold with a two finger puffy white head. Thin lacing. Notes of orange and coriander in both the aroma and taste. Sweet with a balanced, light, 11 IBU hop finish. Kinda rich pilsnerish...if that passes as a descriptive. Very crisp...nice. At 5.6% not a warmer...unless you have a few. With this beer you can. Then the cold lets up. Rated a B.

"When I heated my home with oil,

I used an average of 800 gallons a
year. I have found that I can keep 
comfortably warm for an entire 
winter with slightly over half that 
quantity of beer."

-Dave Barry

Widespread, notes from the Rogue

"Anything that is worth pursuing is going to require us to suffer, just a little bit."
                                                                               -Chris Burkard, Surfer/Photographer
Angry Lake Michigan surf pounds Chicago's North Avenue Beach as temps plummet. 12/26/2017

There's a magic in the air
Snow is falling everywhere
It's the season to be jolly
So they say...
-Wayne Newton, Christmas Journey
   Traveling 'cross country. Family's widespread. East Coast to Midwest. Maryland, Delaware, Michigan, Illinois, Missouri. Come together. Find a way. We always do. All roads, no matter how gnarly, lead to an open door when family is involved. Did our road trip to Chicago's western suburbs. Carol Stream, Oswego, Aurora, Naperville. Side trip in Michigan to visit Lisa's daughter. Ann Arbor area. Favorite kind of pit stop. Local brewery tour. In an old church no less. Saline's Salt Springs Brewery.

Salt Springs Imperial Chocolate

Stout. 11.3% ABV/30IBUs. Dark,
 almost black with a thin brown head. 
Tons of chocolate and coffee. Light,
 bitter finish. Rated an A-.

Got to the 'Burbs.  Fire was stoked, food laid out, and plenty of drink enjoyed. Need it with our family. And it snowed (after all, it was Christmas Eve).

Baderbrau's Christmas Bliss. A Baltic

Porter that was the hit of the evening. Dark

Brown with a thick tan head. Sweet fruit

with hints of Vanilla. 6.7 ABV. Rated a B+.

Then it got cold. Like fridged. Single digits. Mid-week...below zero wind chills. Was time to head back east.  

Stoked Cousins

Nice warmer put in for the

season from 3 Floyds. Alpha
Klaus Christmas Porter checked
in at 6% ABV. Hazy brown with 
aromas of chocolate and tastes 
of sweet malt. 38 IBUs add a 
fair hop ending. Rated a B.

   Return trip smooth, save a snow detour in Indiana. Still, made the trek in fifteen and a half hours. Not bad. In addition to choice Midwest brews, we brought the ear burning temperatures. Single digit winchills roaring off the Bay back at The Pointe. A second Christmas celebration. Daughter and Granddaughter.

Christmas as it should be...

through a child's eyes.

New Year's Eve dinner at Sunset Grille on the commercial docks. Ahi tuna, crab cakes, and key lime pie. Return home, Another brew. Watch the Granddaughter dance and the Ball drop. Happy New Year!

A gift. Enjoyed on both
Christmas Day with close
friends, and New
Years Eve with family. A 
great IPA. Unfiltered with
tons...90 IBUs worth...
of five hop varieties. 
Stone Brewing's Enjoy By 
12.25.17. Juicy peach 
and resious pine. Poured
an amber- orange with a
thick white head. Rated
an A.

Sunset grillin'. 12/312017.

 

New Year Moon...full of promise. Frozen reflections over the St. Martin River, the Pointe. 1/2/2018