Snowdays, the Rogue's notes.

Clean-up. Post Kenan chest-plus A-Frames. Low tide, 47th Street break, 1/30/2022. M. Powell pic.

     Four years ago. Early January, 2018. Our slice of the Right Coast got itself in a white-out of a snowstorm. We started 2022 about the same. Late January. Winter Storm Kenan. A winter Nor'easter. Extratropical cyclone, ie another bomb cyclone. Picked up atmospheric moisture as it traveled from the south just when the temps were hittin' the low lows of season creating blizzard conditions all along the East Coast.

Needless ta say, over the course of a day and a half, the Pines, and neighboring OC got pounded with 12-14 inches of the white stuff. The next day the sun shone, the wind calmed, and the both the surf and the bays cleaned up. 38 degree waters. Just not a cold water dude. Would've loved to be ripping the surf, but definitely under warmer conditions. Few guys were out there taking advantage...an a$$-hair more core than moi. Instead, spent the next couple snowdays diggin' out and cleanin' up. And, hoping this was the apex of our our winter weather.

Dumped, 1/29/2022.

Clean-up. Pines, 1/30/2022.

    Snow around here always starts the same... light flurries. Then heavy flurries. Then just non-stop snow. Decided to start the brews off heavy, then lighten up. Sort of a paradoxical order. Olde Mother Brewing in historic Frederick, MD. Dire Wolf, a Citra hopped Imperial IPA. Last of a 4-pack. A shot in the noggin with a heavy 7.9% ABV. Dangerous. Very hop forward. Aromas of grapefruit, cantaloupe and papaya. The juiciness continued in the flavors. More grapefruit (of course). Mango and papaya. Light honey sweetness. Slight grains. The estimated 60 IBUs of hoppiness was well balanced by the dry finish. Burnt gold haze in the pour with a whipped ivory-white head. Just a tad over the top in alcohol (although needed to weather the weather). Rated a B+/A-.

Snow ended, the ice did not. Etched river St. Martin, Shell Gut Point, 1/31/2022.

   The follow-up? A Leinie. Toasted Bock. Leinenkugel Brewing's lighter, more refreshing take on the German style beer at 5.1% alcohol. Mahogany brown pour, with just under a finger, light tan head. Thin lacing. Smelled of sweet toffee and caramel. Little toasted malt. Tasted of more caramel, grainy malts. Maybe some raisins. Light bitter-hop finish at 21 IBUs. Nice after shoveling a while. B-/B rating.

"Please stay off the roads

unless it is a necessity. I don't

want anybody crashing into

me on my way to get beer." - Anon.