Sparkle and Crash, the Rogue's notes.

Peeling point break. 47th Street in the OC. 12/8/2021 -J.Sands Pic.

    Our beach town has been turned on. "At least a hundred thousand, maybe even a million"  lights strung up all over the OC. From downtown to uptown. And everywhere in between. Full of the sparkle of the season. Only the spray from the rolling crash of an Atlantic autumn swell can produce more of a glint. For now, a brew and some views...

3rd Street Ballpark

Baltimore Ave. of Trees

Latest iteration of the Winterfest of Lights. Northside Park, 12/11/2021.

Evil Genius Beer. Festive Saison.

A farmhouse ale. More or less.

Santa! I Know Him. Festive name.

Belgian. More. Clear amber pour.

Big, off-white head. Pepper, lemon

zest, and strong clove in the nose.

Nutmeg, more clove, and distinct

Belgian yeast in the taste. Crisp,

spicy finish, even at 18 IBUs.

Fancy at 7.2% alcohol. Joyous

with all them spices. Enjoyable.

Santa! I rated a B+.

                                                                                

She's gets it. The swing of the

Season through the eyes of

our Granddaughter.

"Christmas is just about my favorite time. Ever since I was a little kid,
I always felt like it was my own personal holiday." -Ernest Saves Christmas
The Inlet's newest- OC Chamber of Commerce logo...nice!

Beholden, the Rogue's notes.

"...yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."
 -Edward Winslow, the Mayflower.
And the celebration of plenty begins. Clubhouse Canal, the Pines- November, 2021.  

     They've hit. The throng of the "Holidays." Thanksgiving. Black Fridays. Cyber Mondays. Countdown to Christmas. What the F*#k! Stress if you let it. Don't. Appreciate it. Be grateful for it.  Decor. Lights. Specials. All help. Crew. Family. Bloodline. O'hana. Whatever. This time of year- they relieve what ails ya. Wife and I have been together nearly 14 years. Tied it five years ago. Nuthin' to do but celebrate more. Thankful. Grateful. Beholden to all that we have.

Only a couple Thanksgiving pics. This was
a favorite. "Cousins"

Only other Thanksgiving pic.

Can't beat a good holiday beer.

Idiom Brewing. Maple Bacon

Porter. Near black pour. Foamy,

tan, 1-finger head. Maple syrup,

seared bacon, some cocoa in

the aromas. Roasted malts,

and more sweet maple in the

flavor profile. Lost the pork.

Crisp finish. 6.5% ABV. Maybe

30 IBUs. Nice. Rated a B+/A-.

Wades Point, McDaniel, MD. 11/26/2021

The Five Year (anniversary)... whistling winds off the Chesapeake will always be a reminder. 11/26/2021

Brewdog Brewery. Outta the UK.

Liked the beer. Loved the Esquire

 TV show. Elvis Juice Grapefruit

 IPA. Clear, orange-amber pour.

 Finger-plus, off white head. 

Pronounced smell of pine, grape-

fruit peels, and light orange. Tasted

 of resinous pine. Unsweetened

 grapefruit juice. Nice malt back-

bone. 6.5% ABV, 40 IBUs.

Finished off with a fresh hop

 bite. Rated an A-.

Eastern Shore Brewing, St. Michaels, MD.

Lemoncellos: Salmone alla Mugniana/Risotto con
Gamberi &Asparagi.

Sunrise on the Bay...Wades Point, 11/27/2021.

Claiborne Landing- Claiborne, MD, 11/27/2021.

Christ Church
St. Michaels, MD

Blue Heron Coffee

Bistro St. Michaels: Roasted Oysters.

Awaiting the fire & beer...all we need for the next gathering. Wades Point, 11/26/2021.

Wrap Up Before The Wrap Up, the Rogue's notes.

"It is easier for us to go down to the sea in a small ship, than to remain on dry land..." - Jack London
Jefferson's Creek/Assawoman Canal; the Intercoastal connect between MD and DE inlets. 11/21/2021

     Brought our boatin' and fishin' season to a close. The annual last "Cruise of the Snark." Has become a real seasonal tradition for my wife and I. Jetted north towards Fenwick and Lighthouse Cove on a a relatively calm, but chilled November weekend. Cruised through Little Assawoman Bay. Into Little Bay. Glided about mile up Jefferson's Creek towards the entrance of Assawoman Canal. In an out of some of the canals of  South Bethany's bayside before turning back towards the Ditch. 

Ready...let's go!

Into the St. Martin (river).

North OC Bayview.

The "Canal."

Back creek

   Fuel stop...Catch 54, Fenwick. Oysters, beer, Fried Chicken, beer, 54 Burger, beer. Darted south across the Big Assawoman. Fished the Route 90 Bridge- threw a line in for the last few times of the year (no catch). Headed back to the Pines. Sun peaked in and out, otherwise an overcast day. But, stoked to get out on the bay one more time before sending the Jet in to be winterized and wrapped. Chill day trip....in more ways than one. Be glad when the warm weather returns, and our water-time begins again.

Fried Chicken 'n 'sparagus. Good stuff!

Oysters and Bier...can't beat it! Biers de Chimay

Cinq Cents. Belgian Tripel. Golden pour. Thick,

2 finger plus, fluffy white head. Signature

aromas of Belgian yeast and grains. Balanced 

flavors of citrus, banana, coriander and clove.

Well hopped at 38 IBU, in the closing finish. Not

for the weak minded. 8% ABV Son! Rated an A.

Horses in for the season.

Alas...still lookin' for that Rock!

Fin City Brewing's collab with Pitboss

Waterfowl. American Brown Ale. Dark

ruby-brown pour with scents of roasted

coffee. Light tan 2-finger head. Good

lacing and carbonation. Tasted of roasted

malts and mocha. Smooth drinker at 7.2%

ABV and an estimated 40 IBUs. Rated an A-.

"Thinking of you, we are!" - Jeff Coats

That's a wrap! Back home on the St. Martin, 11/21/2021.

Coming Up Empty, from the Rogue's notebook.

Feeling the chill and taking stock of the broken conditions. Holidays break, 11/4/2021.

If I bide my time I'll come up empty

If I get in line I'm on my knees

If you take what's mine I'll still have plenty

So I guess I'm fine with this disease

-Seether, Time to Heal

     Last DST sesh. Evening temps were in the upper 60s, but the water had dropped into the lower 60s. Sharp fifteen knot nor'east wind blowin' off the Atlantic felt so much colder. Already had the feeling my season was closing until 2022. Too much coming up with winterizing the boat, and getting ready for the holidays. Could've skipped the surf. Conditions pretty much sucked. But, I just couldn't help myself. Last chance for "just one more ride," or two to finish the year. Don't usually admit this, but should've worn more than a rubber top. First wave I was able to get to my feet but the wave died. After that, between taking too much time and missing any position on any wave with any kind of power in the small knee-high chop, the clouded November sky darkening, and feelin' the chill to the point of thinking, "what the f#*k am I doing out here?," I called it for the night. No ride. Came up empty. Like the lineup. Like the beach. A quiet end to what I felt inside was a middling year of surf. Next year. Resolved to spend more time in the lineup, and making each time getting wet count. Walking away it was not yet pitch, and I could see a right breaking curl vaporize into a seductive shower of haze. Could hear it..."a hui hou." 'Til we meet again.

     Worth warming up with the next two brews. Peak Organic's Autumn IPA. Very sessionable at 4.8% ABV. Cloudy, dark honey-gold pour with a thin finger, fizzy white head. Light lace. Notes of grapefruit and orange in the smell. Light resin, citrus, and some malt sweetness in the taste. Finish had a nice, juicy, hopped up bite that made this one crushable. Rated a B.

A throwback brew on this post was Running Man Milk Stout. Flesk Brewing outta Barrington, IL. Poured an opaque brownish-black, with a thick, brown finger-plus head. Roasted malts, herbal hops, and cocoa in the aromas. Tasted of dark chocolate with a hint of raspberries. Creamy, smooth finish with a bitterness that gave it a nice balance. Not super impressive, but very good. Rated a B+.

Hoptimist: A person who believes
the world is a better place with beer.

Twisted Descent, from the Rogue's notebook

"Is it just me, or is it getting crazier out there?"  - Joker
Sloppy mess with nowhere to go. Malibu Beach and Surf Avenue, 10/28/2021.

     Descent to the end of surf. Love to believe I'll be able to squeeze in some weekend surf, but the weather is startin' to cool as well. Over the past week the water had dropped into the upper 60's. A soaking 'noreaster...Tropical Storm Wanda snaked her way across our coast. Gusting winds that twisted the surf into a disorganized $hitshow. Mashed, pretty much. Not worth risking the sticks. So, decided to do the BZ Boogie. By the time I'd clawed into the lineup, I ended up enduring the sucking and yawing of the passing troughs, trying to hold position and catch a breath. Just wearing the rubber top, but the struggle kept me plenty warm. Battling closeouts to avoid being caught inside. Finally just made the commit and dropped in on a lefty. Pretty much just that. Dropped from top to bottom. Think the slick barely skimmed the face as I was practically slammed to the bottom. Did manage to pull into the turn and ride it all the way to the beach. Done. Too dark. and thinkin' too rough for another paddle out. To live to surf another day is always good.

Into the mayhem. Short term sesh- 66th and Holidays, 10/28/2021.

  

                                   Three days later. Wanda behind. Halloween descending. Neighborhoods of Berlin twisted into a monstrous mash once again. Pretty much. CVD-19 had quieted down, although I think we are far from done. This has not so much been a pandemic full of fear, more like a pandemic used to control through fear. Halloween...a soiree used to control our own fear, if only temporarily.

One of my favorite Fall brews.

Allagash's Haunted House is a

Dark Ale hoppy enough to be

included in the best of Black IPAs.

Pitch black pour, 2 finger brown-

ish, fluffy head. Nose of herbal

hops, coffee, and roasted malt. Tastes

of more roasted coffee, and

chocolate. Yin sweet, yang bitter.

6.33% ABV. 65 IBUs. Rated an A.

Gotta start somewhere- started in West O...

A night to wind, cut, carve, and otherwise glide down the local streets collecting a trove of candy from local ghouls, most of which gets tossed by Thanksgiving. Wife and Daughter took advantage of the periodic audits of our Granddaughter's stash. Couldn't feel sorry...she was doing her own sample inspections. I'd have my own brew treat or two waiting at home. The townsfolk did a dynamite job. Spooky stoke. Good times.

Return of The Crowd!

Really startin' to like Belgians.

Devil's Reach poured a hazy, straw

yellow. Finger of fizzy white head. 

Aromas of  berries and citrus. Dist-

inct Belgian yeast with and pear

in the flavors. Refreshing bitter finish

at 25 IBUs. Too many at 8.6% ABV

will lead you into the depths. Court-

esy Cape May Brewing. Rated an A-. 

Heavy Seas. The locals' popular pick.

Dark Anchor Porter tossed down the

signature porter smoke mixed with

dark chocolate in the scent. Tasted of

chocolate covered roasted malt. Inky

black abyss pour. 2-finger brown head.

6.8% ABV. 25 IBUs. Smooth. Rated a B.

                                            

Tall-side Mermaid.

Philly's Evil Genius Beer Company.

I am a pumpkin beer fan...got me a

 Chocolate Pumpkin Porter. Pumpkin

pie spices, nutmeg, cinnamon, and

chocolate flavors and aromas rounded

 out the treat. Overindulge and the 7.8%

ABV will be the trick to a painful AM.

 Solid twisted take on a pumpkin brew. 

Rated a B+. 

Local ghost ship.

End of the dark, touched by the light; 'cross the way sunrise view. St. Martin River, post 'Ween. 11/1/2021