Summer Close-Out, session notes from the Rogue.

"Every wave's different on the same day. Minute changes in swell direction, wind, and interval-the number of
seconds that passes between two waves-add up to endless variations. It's never the same mountain." -Laird Hamilton
Zippin' ahead of a backside slammer; summer close-outs on 66th. Holidays, 9/19/2018.

   Chopped up conditions returned this week. Summer now in conclusion. Have been surfing only once a week (and that being during the week) for the last month. Seems our weekends have been busy. Throws off the weekly gym time as well. So, grabbin' a surf when you've worked out the day before makes for a reminder of my chronic disease...A-G-E. No matter. I'm still getting wet. Atlantic was still around 74F. Low tide, but going out. Nor'east winds about 10 knots. Forced the dreaded backside. Lotta thigh to waist high close-outs. Took what I could get. 
   Tampa Bay. At one time a haven for the game of Jai Alai. Originating in Spain and known as the "merry game," it's kinda a racket game...with an odd lookin' curved mitt vs. a racket and a ball that zoomed at near 200 mph. For whatever reason, it faded. Cigar City Brewing. Don't think I've had one of theirs before. Jai Alai IPA, a tribute to the game, had been calling out my name for some time. Felt like I'd seen it everywhere, so I finally got one in a mixed six. Poured a hazy orange-amber with a two finger head, sticky lacing, and aromas of orange and pine. Delicious blend of citrus and pineapple with a backbone of caramel malts with each swig. 70 IBUs of spicy hops and 7.5% ABV made for a robust shoulder season brew. I was not disappointed. Definitely see a sixer in my future with this one. Rated an A-.

   Allagash Brewing does a very consistent job from brew to brew. Outta Maine, Allagash White is most popular on my side of town. This being a newbie for me, Sixteen Counties is a Belgian Pale. In honor of the farmers that support the area and brewery. Poured a clear gold with 'bout a finger-plus, fizzy white head. Thin lacing. Had Belgian yeast in the smell with light breadiness and apple. Tasted of wheat, honey, and malt with more of the Belgian yeast. Hops lended a dry finish. While no IBUs were called out on this one, I'd say around 40-50. ABV was set at 7.3% providing some warmth to the cooling nights 'round here. Excellent transition beer. Tasty too. Rated a B+/A-.

"Why limit happy to an hour?"

-bar sign

Flo' Rider, session notes from the Rogue.

Ridin' the whip; outer bands of Hurricane Flo'. Feelin' the groove of the 47th Street break, 9/12/2018.

Ride baby, ride
Hold on tight
'Cause you finally get your chance
To ride the whip tonight
-Trixter
   No more rakin' the knees. Time to rip into it. Tuesday was the day. Waited until Wednesday. Never know until you go. Still had three to five foot swells. About chest high consistently. Could argue whether the waves were semi-clean or not. Some were. In between the chop. Hurricane Florence, the sixth named tropical storm of this year, on a course towards the Carolinas. About two to three days out. A dozen or so in the lineup. Between a waning low tide, and a rip...easy trip out. No localism, no real fight. Plenty to go 'round. Water still in the mid-70's. Air in the 80's. Very comfortable night. Swell was more of a point break. Equidistance shoulders both left and right. Found myself going after the faster rights. Still not the most comfortable on the backside. That was my regret for the sesh...no backside grab. Yeah, big fail. Hurricane season seems to have awakened. There'll be another chance.

Until the next chance.

   A prayer to those in the Carolinas that must face the fury of Florence. A drink to the heroism of the peeps who make the go voluntarily to provide safe haven and rescue to those in need. Founders Brewing released Barrel Runner. Mid- July. A tribute to life in the Tropics. Sometimes relaxing. Sometimes raucous. This time of year, unruly. An Imperial IPA hop bomb, exploding at 55 IBUs. Dense, finger plus, tan head. Heavy lacing. Hazy, almost opaque, dark orange pour. Aromas of oakey rum, orange, and mango. Could taste the rum. Boozy, but not too. Sweet, warm vanilla with citrus and more mango. Strong at 11.1% ABV. Definitely not a pre-surf toast. I really liked this one. Rated an A.

   To settle things down, Kona Brewing poured their brand of "liquid Aloha." Memories of Kauai's north shore. An area we spent limited time in, and I did not get to ride. Hanalei Island IPA. A definitive session brew at 4.5%. Golden blonde pour with a fast dissipating finger and half, white head. Smelled of the advertised passionfruit and orange, but in taste, very bitter. The 40 IBUs really showed...like an English IPA. More grassy pine than citrus. Like my experience in the surf hamlet of Hanalei itself, I felt like I missed out. Needed to smooth out, like one of the rides H-Bay's waves were givin' up. Rated this a C+/B-. 

"I like a good beer. Of course, I'll

drink a bad one too."  -Tom Petty

Zen Sesh, session notes from the Rogue.

Already looking for an escape route. Short-lived rides off 65th street beach, just south of Holidays. 9/6/2018 

All you really need this time of year
Is a pair of shades and ice cold beer
And a place to sit somewhere near
Water
-Brad Paisley

   Warm, humid, late afternoon. That combo...heat and humidity... just seems to flatten you. Flattens everything. Especially the ocean. Which is ironic, considering there are several tropical storms brewing in the southeast Atlantic. Nice thing about this session...tide coming in, water in the upper 70's, and the slack swell left a strong briny scent in the air. Can't help but get off on that. Very relaxing session. Even with a fast setting sun, I never felt rushed to grab that next ride. Did feel rushed to punch out of each ride. When the wave is folding within five yards of the beachhead, time to punch out. Every damn one of 'em. I mean, you feel the momentum and the board starts to plane, and there's the sand. Little unnerving. Even on munchkinland rollers. Regardless, a nice zen-like evening, nice zen-like sunset, nice zen sesh.
   Zen. Voodoo. It's all ritual. Like drinking a spiritualizing New Orleans brew after a mellow surf. Purple Haze, one of Abita Brewing Company's mainlines, is a very easy drinking raspberry field lager. Poured rose-ish amber in color with roughly 'bout a two-finger, puffy, plum tinted head. Aromas of berries, hops, light malt and grass. Taste was crisp, light pepper and hops, tang of the malt, with enough hint of raspberries to "get it." The whole Purple Haze thing. Tart berries and wheat malts balance out. Like New Orleans itself, this brew goes well with any grilled grub. Little weak on the finish though. 4.2% ABV. A big 13 IBUs. Rated this one a B-.

Purple Haze all in my brain

Lately things don't seem the same
Actin' funny, but I don't know why
'Scuse me while I kiss the sky
-Jimi Hendrix

Shore Bound, session notes from the Rogue.

Not a lot to hitch on to. Knee-high maybe's, Holidays and 66th. 8/27/2018

   Quiet week. Closed the month at work. Closed the month in the water. Surfed earlier in the week. Not much difference. Appears that this humidity (about 95%) even sucks the life outta Lady Atlantic. More of the same conditions. Knee-plus and close to shore. Tide goin' out helped little. Caught a few front and back. Always with an eye on the sand. Slicing shore bound, the nose of the T&C bore down on the beach fast! Forced hard turns and quick exits. Always waiting to feel the skegs tear into the sand. They never did. Wife and I brought the pooch out with us.

Eye on the swell.

Finished the evening giving the dog a swim. More like making him swim. Got 'im used to the beachbreak. Like the waves ridden, kept him close to shore. Probably sliced a line to the sand faster than I did. But...think I saw him looking back as we headed across the duneline. Longing. Maybe.

   Trip out to Chicago over the Labor Day weekend. Flying this round. Family and friends get together. Hang with the In-Laws. Midwest. Meant brats. Steaks. Yes...steaks! And. Of course. Beer. First two in the lineup were part of a feast. Beer, brats, and a bonfire with friends, M&J. Hadn't seen 'em in a while. This couple- always a blast. Lit up a bad ass bonfire as well. Toasted with New Belgium's Voodoo Ranger series' Juicy Haze IPA. Brewed in the New England style. Poured a hazy yellow-gold with a finger thick, white head. Smelled of tell-tale grapefruit, pear, and mango. More of the same in the taste with some oats and pine resin as well. Nice bitter finish, but at 42 IBUs, not over the top. 7.5% alcohol kept my limit at dos. Rated a solid B+.

Cheers to good friends!

 The next up was a Trader Joe's brand. Boatswain Twin Screw Steamer. A Double IPA that seemed to emphasize the malts more than the hops. The 75 IBUs were missing somewhere. And a tad sweet as well. Copper pour with a two finger, off-white head. Heavy malt aromas, light citrus. Some coriander. Even the taste was more malt than the tang of grapefruit. And again...too sweet. For me, that's sayin' somethin'. Hops were definitely limited here. 8.4% ABV and the sugar stopped me at one. Rated a C/C-. Didn't matter, in this company, the beer just flowed!

 Family is always good. At the In-Laws steak and shake the next day, more IPA. Game of bags. Multiple games actually. Like the beer. Three Floyds and WarPigs Brewing out of Verona, Wisconsin gave us Foggy Geezer. Hazy, golden amber in color. Two finger, white, fizzy head. Bready, earthy aromas with added grapefruit and pineapple. Taste and biscuit. Cherries, orange, and of course, more grapefruit in the taste with 70 IBUs of piney hoppiness thrown in. ABV of 6.8% was not too bad. Enjoyed and shared the entire sixer. Rated an A.

"I'm not drunk. I'm just exhausted from a
long night of drinking."  -Peter Griffin