Long Stretch, from the Rogue's notebook.

Green Room ready for move-in. Mid-week framed rollers. Malibu beach, 7th street. 2/13/2019

Sail on, on a distant highway
I've gotta keep on chasin' a dream, yeah
I've gotta be on my way...
-Long Time, Boston

   The long stretch of time between New Years and Spring. Seems to last for-ev-ver. For-Ev-Ver. Long time.

Weather's been typical fort the shore. Borderline freeze zone at night. Upper thirties, mid forties during the day. Cloudy mostly...those partly sunny days more than sun. Rain more than wanted. Lady Atlantic straddles the 40F mark. Sometimes a degree or two below. Sometimes above. Depends on the jet stream and our position in relation. Even our surf conditions have been up and down lately. All of these conditions contribute to the perceived length of stretch.
   Beer. Will help any clock speed up. Time to pass quicker. Specially if it's a good 'un. Old Nation Brewing. Love 'dem Michiganders. Mentioned them in the New Year post. M-43 (tribute to the Michigan highway by which Old Nation is located) a New England style hazy IPA. Aromas of mango and pineapple. Flavors of citrusy grapefruit balanced by malted toffee. Followed up with a 65 IBU, post sip hoppiness that packs a bitter wallop. Poured a hazy golden-orange with a finger and a half, billowy head. Solid lacing. 6.8% ABV. Solid beer. Rated a B+.

Alewerks. Williamsburg's most confidently established brewery. BBP. Another off-season wiener. Bourbon barrels and beer. Nice compound; a Porter. Thick. Dark. Chewy. Near black pour with a finger thick brown head. Dark chocolate, oak, caramel, and of course bourbon in the smell. Tasted of Caribbean brown sugar, more bourbon, 9.0 ABV...of course, oak and vanilla, and rich, creamy chocolate malt. Great hop balance for this hop head, at 50 IBUs. A rating.

"Beer causes restlessness,

irritability, tremors, chills,
sweating, cramps, nausea,

 vomiting, and severe craving
for more." 
-Drugs-Close To Home 1991

Snow Day, from the Rogue's notebook.

Morning breakfast...order up: Sand covered in snow with Glacial salted. OCMD 2/2/2019           -Mickles photo

   Not much of nuttin' goin' on. Certainly no surfing. Water's in the upper 30s. Waves, of course. Always waves this time of year. Not always clean, but not the flatties of summer. Monotony of work. At the job, and at home. Winter maintenance always has an unfinished checklist. Gym included. Struggle to sustain a consistent workout program. Got our 2nd snow day last Friday. Really started comin' down at the close of work hours. Figures. Good reason to skip the gym and grab a beer.

Snow drop-in, 2/1/2019.

   Main street, Eastern Sho'. Cambridge, MD. Home of RAR Brewing. Made a trip up to the location while antiquin' in the area. Bare Knuckle Sour IPA, one of their newer winter seasonal offerings. A taproom purchase exclusive. Poured a golden amber with a less than finger white bubbly head. Very prevalent fruit aromas. Like a tropical fruit bowl. Lactose funked up passion fruit and grapefruit. Tastes of more grapefruity citrus, some of the advertised guava, and light malt. The hoppy bitterness blended well with the sour finish. 6.8% ABV. IBUs estimated in the 60 range. Rated an A-.

"There is a bright line between drinking

beer, which I gladly do, and which I
fully embrace, and sexually assaulting
someone, which is a violent crime. If 

every American who drinks beer or every

American who drank beer in high school

is suddenly presumed guilty of sexual

assault, it will be an ugly, new place in

this country."             -Brett Kavanaugh