Do It Again, cuts from the Rogue's notes.

Well I've been thinking 'bout all the places we've surfed and danced and

All the faces we've missed, so let's get back together and do it again. -Beach Boys

Ice, ice, baby... overnight sub-zero temps and an insta-freeze morning. No wake zone.
Delevan Lake, Wisconsin. 12/19/2022

     Yuletide. Time to do it again. Holiday travel. Friends. Family. It's sorta kinda a journey. More like an adventure. Cruisin' west in the brand spankin' new Explorer.

Allegheny duck dive. Tunnel to the West.

Fifteen hour trip to Geneva Grand. Gotta be smooth. Right? Running ahead of schedule. Not so much. Picked a up a sharpie along Chicago 94. Snow flurries, and high speed traffic. Not good conditions to hang out on the shoulder in... add a flat... even less so. Tis the season for Good Samaritans. IDOT plow and service drivers stopped by, whipped out a jack, and within an hour we were back on the road. Lake Geneva, an hour late, and in need of a new tire, our number one hostess and compatriot in all things festive- CB, had the company, spread, and libations to put the distractions of the odyssey behind us and get to it! Arrived on a Saturday night. Did a tire search the next day.

 Nothin' like a new SUV with special "All-terrain's" to extend our stay through the weekend. No worries. Our hostess had us covered. Always does. Gave us more time to enjoy the LG.

Yards Brewing. Long

Jawns Winter Lager. 

6% ABV. 16 IBU. One

of this year's favorites.

Smooth with a hint of

 spice. Rated an A.

Egg Nog cortado at the Avant Cycle Cafe. Drink(several) and greet with Mr. C. at the Geneva Tap House. Lake front dinner at the Getaway. Like I said... all things festive. Christmas on the LG.

Avant...hellooo Cortado!

 

Stayin' in the good graces.

Abbey Dubbel. Belgian

style Trappist from

Flying Fish. Dark fruit,

malt, little sweet. Light

Belgium taste, but solid.

7.2 ABV - not a session 

brew. 9.1 IBU. Rated a B.

Pour your own... a REAL celebration of beer!

Lakeside Christmas stoke.

    Headed to Chi-Town's western suburbia to close out the holidays. Winter storm Elliott swept through with enough wind and snow swirling to create near blizzard conditions and bring temps below zero for a few days before and through Christmas. Seems like we get it like this every other year. No worries. Chicago's Chriskindlmarket. Had an Aurora, IL version! Caught the action just as the colder front moved in.

Chriskindle treasures.

Solemn Oath's Hidden Hand
 Brewing. Certified Foeder Boy.
Oak (Foeder) aged Dunkel.
Chestnut pour. Bready.
Nutty. Malty. Light cocoa.
Fresh. Dry finish. 5.2% ABV.
Decent. Rated a B/B-.

Then hunkered down in 'Oz (Oswego, IL). No wizard. Home of the Irish-Italian In-Laws. Just as hard to keep up with. Regardless. Plenty stoke, food, and alcohol to warm our crowd. Family. Ain't nuthin' like 'em. Ample distance to create a wistful separation, but that is probably a good thing. All just annoying enough to need the space. Can't stand to live without 'em though. Good thing we have the Yule. 

Bartender exceeding...step on up!

Golden haze. White fizzy

head. Piney, grapefruit aroma.

Heavy citrus and pineapple

flavors. Light sweetness with

hints of coconut. Shorts

Brewing Snow Globe.

Not for the faint of heart.

8.1% alcohol.73 IBUs.

A- rating.

Lemont, IL's Pollyanna
Brewing. Keep It Easy. A 
Midwest tropical. Coconut 
Cream Ale. Aromas of grain
and coconut. Carries over into
the taste. Sessionable at 5.1%.
Lightly hopped at 18 IBUs to
provide a smooth finish.
Gave a B rating.
 

                                                                                       

Critics weren't big on this

bold Stout brought in by

War Pigs USA. Thick black

pour with a dense brown

head. Plenty of burnt coffee

and roasted malt. Warming at

 7.2% ABV. Loved the strong 

hop bite (61 IBUs) in the

 finish. Rated a B+/A-.

Dig it!

            

Michigan's Frankenmuth Brewery.

First timer rated from this place.

Christmas Town Ale. Hazy reddish-

brown. Allspice. Cinnamon. Cloves.

6% ABV, but tasted light (danger

Will Robinson!). Some brown sugar.

Caramel malts. Warming. yet crisp.

Dry. Not overly bold finish. Hopped

at 24 IBUs. Nice Christmas brew. 

B Rating.

                                        

After. More stoke. More food and brew. More time. More Family. More Yuletide. Yeah, I know.... too cold for the Atlantic's swell. Gotta get back to the gym. Time to get to it again. 

  

Berlin holiday stoke.

Rippin' 'n Twistin'

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

                     

Sly Fox Brewing's annual
Christmas Ale. Another warmer
at 6.5%. Clear, deep amber pour.
Aromas of spice and nutmeg.
Detected some ginger in the taste.
Toffee and caramel malts. 30 IBUs,
but did not get the the hops so
 much. Little on the watery side.
 But, an okay holiday ale. Felt the
spirit with a C+/B- rating.

"I steer a little, but the reindeer do most of the work." -Santa, Violent Night
Tracks in the December sand. Malibu Beach, 12/28/2022.

Hang 'Em High, cuts from the Rogue's notes.

Greenish-brown, disorganized, but with a tempting tube here and there- Lady Atlantic thrashing about.
Talbot Street break, 12/11/2022.

Santa spends his summers "on the OC beach"         

Workin' late 'cause he spends all day

With his feet in the sand, 

Cold beer in his hand,
Playin' rock 'n' roll drums in a '90s cover band
His license plate read SANTA 1
Just killin' time 'til December comes
I couldn't make this up if I tried
But Santa Claus was my Uber driver last night

-Lee Brice(sorta)

     'Tis the season. Cliché, I know. But the lights are hangin' everywhere. Been a few weeks now. The OC turned into a bright coast of Christmas flash. Get the whole holiday anxiety thing. Forget the dropping ocean temps... time available has been at a premium. The list of friends and family to get presents for. Mounting stress at home and work- decorating and deadlines and all. Still one of my favorite times of year. And getting the occasion gym time in to provide some relief. Past evening did a downtown drive-by to check out the "high" lights. Quite the spread. We do a good job on the 'Sho. Few brew reviews to add to the flavor of the feast.

Coast Guard watch tower.

Crimson Cru. Dogfish Head's

collab with Belgium's Rodenbach. 

A Flanders Red Ale. Aged in oak

barrels. Tart with aromas and

flavors of cherries, wine grapes,

citrus, and herbal hops. Holiday

spiced finish. Copper-brown

pour. Thin, off-white head. Care-

ful with this one at 7.1% ABV.

15 IBUs. Rated a B/B-.

K-Coast Ready...

Always Endless...

 

Real Ale Revival's (RAR) ChopDank.

Stoked sipper. An Imperial IPA. Not readily

 thought of as holiday beer 'cept for the 

"Hop ornament" can graphics. Clear amber-

gold pour. Less than a finger, puffy, white 

head. Smelled of clementines, pine, and 

honey-dew melon. Tastes of caramel malts,

 pine resin, sweet orange, hoppy grapefruit. 

Slight booziness. 10.2 ABV. 60 IBUs. 

Liked it. Graded a Christmas A.

Outta Here, cuts from the Rogue's notes.

Naples City Dock... post Ian. Our balcony view- bait to help get "outta here." 12/03/2022.

Let's leave town on a permanent vacation

Lock up the house, pack up the station wagon

Make paradise our final destination

As long as we're outta here.

-Kenny Chesney

     Early December. Weather on the decline from summer/fall conditions. Yup- getting colder. Brother's destination birthday celeb. Four day weekend to the Gulf Coast. Outta here. These short trips come with their own stress, but the ends justify the means. Wife and I both finishing work projects that extended from travel to the airport, takeoff, into landing. I was the worst, I'm sure. On approach to Ft. Myers airport, evidence of Hurricane Ian. Smashed foliage. Some building damage. Yet driving onto the highway, cruising by swaying palm trees like so many tropical sentries, into the Florida sun... felt the stress begin to dissipate. 

Kick start - EJ's Smoked Salmon Benedict with a marina view.

Four day weekend of Gulf Shore waters, stone crab, fish, and beer (include a few tropical cocktails for good measure). Throw in evidence of the oncoming Christmas season. Family, and friends. My brother's birthday, without sayin'. Side trip to Marco (Island). Very stoked weekend.

Iconic Old Naples Surf Shop.

Taste of Hawaii on 3rd. Bad Ass Coffee.

Post Ian Naples Bay.

Home away...Cove Inn.

Man of the hour...my Bro!

Balcony with a holiday view.

    

    Gulf Coast's Coppertail Brewing Co. Tampa, FL. An herbal-citrus IPA. Picked up a sixer at a Naples Publix. Poured a clear golden yellow. Not much more than a finger-thick white, fizzy head. Very thin lacing. Floral hops, citrus and malt in the aromas. The taste had pine, although not super resinous. Some bready malts. Light carbonation with hints of lemon, ginger, and melon. Refreshing, 65 IBU hop bite in the finish. Easy drinkin' at 5.9% ABV. Nice beer to be sipping while hangin' out on the balcony. Rated a solid B.

Marco Island. Talcum powder beaches, Piles of shells. Definitely an SUP day. 12/04/2022

Better tap house and sports bar than brewery.

Goin' deep. Island oysters, crab, and fish.

Can't do South Florida without Stone Crab.

Evenin' Menu.

Perfect endings. Sunset over Smokehouse Bay. Deep Lagoon Restaurant,
Marco Island. 12/04/2022