Oskar Blues Gordon

For the first time since my inaugural post back in December 2009, I take a crack at a craft brew in a can. Oskar Blues Gordon (which interestingly enough is no longer called Gordon, but rather G'Knight) is my second attempt at analyzing a canned beer for this experiment and there were some similarities, but definitely more differences from the last time I drank out of a can.

The Beer:

There were a lot of things about Gordon that I had trouble with. To begin, this beer has been a part of my collection of beers longer than any other at the time I decided to try it out. I bought it nearly 7 months ago when I heard that Oskar Blues could no longer sell it under the name "Gordon". Some lawsuit (which I believe came from Gordon Biersch, but I could have totally just made that up) forced them to rebrand the beer as "G'Knight". Realizing that the can would become something of a collectors item, I snatched up a 4-pack and stashed it away. But after some time it dawned on me that I'm not really one to collect things like beer cans or bottles. I don't really collect anything at all. Comic books and pop art prints are about all that I have collections of. So I chose to take out this well-respected beer and use it as one of my test subjects. I also chose to bring it with me to my buddy Mark's 31st birthday. Because if you can't share a 7 month old beer with good friends, then who can you share it with?

As far as how the beer tasted, it was a hop driven IPA with strong notes of caramel and fruit. The bitterness from the hops were carefully balanced with a sweet aftertaste. It wasn't the greatest IPA I've ever had but it wasn't the worst. It wasn't the hoppiest or heaviest. But that may just be my own taste and preference. Someone else might tell you that this beer is numero uno and that I'm just a dumbass.

The Buzz:

Regardless of where it stands on my all-time greatest beer list, one thing it certainly excelled at was getting me nicely buzzed. At 8.7% abv, it was deceptively smooth and easy to knock back the entire 4-pack throughout the party. With that level of alcoholic content, Gordon actually qualifies as an Imperial IPA (or double IPA in some circles...some disrespectful circles if you ask me). Whatever you call it though, there's no doubt that I probably shouldn't have driven home. No, I didn't drive drunk...I had several glasses of water and waited a couple hours after my last beer to get behind the wheel. But regardless, it would've been an uncomfortable conversation with a cop had I gotten pulled over. Unless it was one of the cops from "SuperTroopers". Then, it would've been AWESOME!!!

The Hangover:

Apparently there are karmic retributions for making questionable decisions within this experiment. Because after safely navigating my way home from Mark's birthday I had a small bite to eat, another glass of water to drink, and passed out to some Colbert Report on the couch. When I awoke hours later to two hungry dogs, the minions of hell had risen up inside my body and were trying to escape out of my eyeballs. The headache at 6am was like no other. Naturally I took my morning after cocktail for killing whatever demon was festering inside my body and went back to bed. A few hours later and I awoke not feeling all that much better. Fortunately, the hangover was strictly internal. The wife assured me that I did not smell like booze, look like I was hungover, or otherwise display any outwardly symptoms of the impending death I was sure awaited me in the coming hours. But as the day progressed, the hangover regressed. It certainly took its time to go away and it wasn't the worst hangover I've ever had. But it was bad enough to add Gordon to the list of beer I'll be avoiding in the future.

The Verdict:

Oskar Blues Gordon, now Oskar Blues G'Knight, was good. Not great though, just something respectable. I don't know what to say really about this beer because it wasn't the like Lagunitas beers that immediately taste amazing but leave me feeling the next day like every cell inside me has exploded. It also wasn't like Anchor Steam Small Beer, where I hated every aspect of it. I'd have one again. But only one at a time. There was nothing seperating this beer from the ever-growing craft beer collection of IPAs stocking the shelves that warranted the hangover that came with it. That said, I absolutely want to try Oskar Bluess' other offerings, if for no other reason than the company has some killer names for their beers!

Lagunitas SF Fusion: Hop High

It's mystery-month here at Beer Hates Me! I'm tackling an extremely unique brew that, to my best knowledge, is no longer available to the general public. It was brewed for San Fransisco Beer Week 2011 this past February and acquired directly from the brewery from a friend. He was told that it was Lagunitas' SF Fusion: Hop High, and being the die-hard Lagunitas fan that I am, I had to try it out and analyze it for purposes of this blog.

The Beer:
Much like my other experiences with Lagunitas beers, this one tasted amazing. It is considered an Imperial IPA and had the hop quality & quantity to justify that classification. But unlike other IPAs I've explored in recent months, this one lacked the strong pine & herbal qualities that are often associated with double & triple IPA beers. Instead, Hop High brought forth a more fruity and floral sense to it. Even being packaged into a large Mason Jar with hand tightening on the lid, the beer retained the aroma, appearance, and taste of being poured straight from a tap. Whoever was tending the bar where this was poured, obviously has Popeye-level forearms. It took me nearly 15minutes to get that damn lid off!
As for the taste, it wasn't much of a surprise that Lagunitas knocked this one out the park. Every beer of theirs that I've tried has been a favorite of mine and this was no exception. Hop High, despite its name, only hit you with the hops on the initial taste. A few moments in my mouth and the hops stepped back and the malts stepped forward. Perhaps this is where they justified the moniker of "Fusion" for this brew; while at first presenting itself as an IPA, the beer soon transitions in taste to something closer to that of a Barely Wine. The dark amber color of the beer is mirrored by a strong taste or caramel and honey that lasts until the next sip resets your palate with sharp pine & grapefruit. Bitter, sweet, fizzy, & fresh - oh Lagunitas, is there anything you can't do?

The Buzz:
As with the flavor qualities of this beer, the alcoholic qualities were also layered. According to online sources, Hop High was listed with a 9.3% abv. That's quite high for many IPAs, but not unreasonably so for one considered an Imperial IPA bordering on Barely Wine levels of sweetness. For purposes of this blog, I choose to only consume 36-48oz of any beer. Hop High, however, was delivered to me in a 64oz jar. So I figured that if I drank around 2/3 of the jar, I'd hit my mark right in the middle of that required amount. Knowing that there would be no way to preserve the beer though, I decided to share the rest with friends at a party. While I sipped away on glass after glass, a few home-brewing friends took their turns at sampling this once (possibly) in a lifetime beer. They all thought it was great - layered and complex - worthy of the Fusion branding.
It was a good idea to share that remaining 1/3 though, since what I did consume certainly put me in a heavily buzzed state. It came on slow and steady however. Not enough to send me to bed immediately, but enough to know that there was a certain punch to this beer. The bitter sweetness that came with it probably didn't help in slowing down the consumption either. Because the flavors would switch, my palate never got overwhelmed and my brain never said to stop. Thankfully, my dedication to science and to this blog, programmed my brain into quitting once that jar was empty. And thankfully, I was surrounded by other drunks who helped empty it.

The Hangover:
The Lagunitas hangover - my arch-nemesis. It's destroyed me before with Censored Rich Copper Ale & Brown Shugga, utterly ruining both of those beers for me. In fact, Lagunitas has provided me with the worst hangovers of any of the beers I've tried on this blog. But those two varieties were both 6-packs, brewed & bottled in Petaluma, CA then shipped here to southern California and stocked on a grocery shelf. Hop High, though, was brewed and "jarred" up in Petaluma and then personally delivered to me. This beer came straight from a tap at the brewery and was only available for one week in the Bay area. The length of time between creation and consumption could not have been much shorter. Perhaps my hangover issues were a result of some odd bottling process. Or maybe they were so rough because of a weird morphing of ingredients from the time they were added until the time they were consumed. Whatever the reasons were, I was anxiously awaiting the results for this month's test. Thankfully, I did not have to wait long.
As with most morning-afters, I awoke early to dogs looking to eat and pee. And in that time, the headache and dizziness were in full mother-fuckin' effect! So while the pups ate and peed, I popped Advil & drank a glass of water, hoping that this was just a common hangover that would dissipate quickly and quietly while I returned to sleep for a few hours. Alas, that was not to be the case. Waking a couple hours later, the headache and dizziness only intensified. Worse, it was a rare Sunday that I actually had to work. So I struggled through a shower, groggily grabbed a coffee, and prayed for an easy day in the office. Fortunately, it was just me and my work and my hangover in the building and I was allowed to wallow in misery and discomfort all alone. Unfortunately, Lagunitas once again kicked my ass!

The Verdict:
It was a real treat getting to experience this unique and limited beer. SF Fusion: Hop High is exactly what I expected a Lagunitas Fusion beer to be - layered, complex, and incredibly tasty! It really amazes me the depth with which some craft breweries can and will go to simply in the name of creation. They certainly could not have turned a profit on this beer. It was created for one week only in one part of the country. There was no distribution behind it, and yet it managed to be flavorful and complicated in ways other beers never achieve. Although it wasn't the best beer I've ever had, it was certainly one of the better ones, and up there in terms of the most interesting.
Yet, once again, Lagunitas has proven to be my physiological downfall. I simply cannot process their beers in a normal manner. Clearly, after three attempts at three different beers, there is something that Lagunitas does or includes with their selection that my body doesn't agree with. Aside from a chemical breakdown and deeper controlled ingredient test, all I can conclude at this point is that Lagunitas beers will no longer be consumed in greater quantities than the occasional glass (or at most two), unless I am sadistically seeking pain and punishment the following day.

New Belgium Ranger IPA

This month I take a stab at one of the larger craft breweries and their hoppy hoptastic hoppiness - Ranger IPA, a beer I've had before but only here and there, never in a concentrated effort to understand and analyze the tastes, scents, and effects that this beer may have on me.  Due to the fact that this beer was part of New Belgium's "Spring Folly Pack", I was only able to consume the minimum 36oz since there were only 3 bottles of Ranger in the multipack itself. Would 3 be enough? Or would I crave more? Read on astute...uhh...readers.

The Beer:
Ranger IPA is something that I've been familiar with for a little over a year. I first tasted it up in Big Sur at an outdoor wedding under the mighty and majestic Redwoods. There couldn't have been a more perfect setting to notice and acknowledge the superior hops added to this beer. It was bitter but pleasant. It had bite yet was smooth. I got drunk but didn't care. Fast forward to almost a year later and I once again found myself face-to-face with this beer that I had fond memories of. This time however, there wouldn't be shots of whiskey, flutes of champagne, or massive amounts of wedding cake to cloud my thoughts about this brew. Similar to last month's Port Brewing Wipeout IPA, the focus of this beer was the hops. Unlike that beer however, New Belgium limited the variety to three different kinds -  Cascade (citrus), Chinook (floral/citrus), and Simcoe (fruity). Personally, I felt the balance was better than the Wipeout IPA. The bitterness was there for sure, but it wasn't cloyingly so. It defined the beer without overwhelming it. It is exactly the heavy-hop blend that I would give to someone to display the American IPA style without worrying about scaring them off. I suppose that's a huge compliment for New Belgium. That said, however, this isn't the beer that'd I'd choose time and time when I'm in the mood for something hop-heavy. It was good, bordering on great. But not phenomenal.

The Buzz:
There isn't too much to delve into here regarding my buzz. Drinking only three 12oz beers that had an abv of 6.5%, I wasn't expecting to be floored the way Barely Wines or Imperial Stouts might do to me at similar quantities. But I did feel that nice low-level buzz during and after the third beer. It's that perfect buzz that I relate to summertime Sunday's on vacation. The type of buzz that is perfectly acceptable for the middle of the afternoon while starting the grill or smoker and hanging out with your dogs enjoying the warm sun and crisp breeze. It's the buzz that extends for hours on end culminating in an early evening power nap to the sounds of live recordings of Pearl Jam or Springsteen. It's that buzz that perfectly sets up an epic night of partying and/or good times with good friends. How ironic then, that I had this buzz mid-February in 40 degree California rain on the couch alone while I watched a UFC event that featured a man knocking out another man by kicking him square in the face and then thanking Steven Segal for showing him that move (the previous sentence is all entirely true...go research it). So while Ranger IPA provided a good buzz, this was one of those instances where I wish I had had a fourth beer to extend that good-time feeling just a little longer.

The Hangover:
After a few days and even weeks passed, I can say for certainty that I had no hangover whatsoever from Ranger IPA. However, at the time - the immediate day after - it was not as easy to assess. You see, during the day of the test, I had a two-hour Muay Thai Kickboxing class that completely destroyed me. My coach for some reason or another decided to turn it up to 11 and beat us into the ground. Imagine one of those Bootcamp Fitness classes but with boxing gloves and full contact combat. Now imagine that for 120 minutes non-stop, culminating in a one-on-one with the coach himself (a seasoned professional fighter). Well, needless to say, my body was bruised and battered inside and out. And while a night of nursing 3 beers helped soothe those pains, the following morning only highlighted all those ailments the beer was covering the night before. Walking, talking, and interacting with anything outside of a couch were all too taxing for my body. My wife even questioned if I was hungover or not, but the pains were strictly external and certainly equated to the intensity of my exercise and not the severity of my consumption.


The Verdict:
So New Belgium's Ranger IPA seems to harbor all the qualities and complexities of a stereotypical Mendoza brew. Its perfectly acceptable for any time you need a quality hop-heavy beer and would even do well in the summer when you want something heavier than session beer to drink throughout the day. And furthermore, it's a perfect beer for New Belgium to pack inside their new Folly Pack. Alongside their other offerings, it's easy to see why New Belgium is now behind only Sierra Nevada & Sam Adams in terms of craft brewery size. I'd be interested in revisiting Ranger IPA in the future for many different occasions, but I don't know how often I'd choose it over another brew when walking the aisles or picking from tap lists.

Port Brewing Wipeout IPA

It's a brand new year with a brand new look on the blog. To start of 2011, I take a stab at a brew that was given to me as a gift from one of my oldest (and most intense) drinking buddies, the infamous Mark Burton Grez! Between a holiday visit in the pouring rain and a look at my new place with his parents, Mark managed to gift me with two bottles of Port Brewing Wipeout IPA - his number one favorite beer of late.

The Beer:
Holy hop Batman, this beer's got bite! So apparently Mark is a fan of hops. That's no surprise to me though, as the man has started growing his own at his house. It also makes sense considering the well-known fact that the hop plant and the cannabis plant are close cousins (seriously, not only is the hop plant a legal relative of cannabis, but it will get users reasonably stoned. If smoked in the form of a joint, the sweet-sour, flaky fruiting parts of the plant will produce a mild, grass like high accompanied by a feeling of peace and serenity), and Mark has long been a fan of nature's smokes. But enough about drugs, we're here for the beer! Wipeout IPA was a great beer with a thick head and smooth taste. The hoppiness of it definitely provided some intense bitterness, but it was balanced so well with the level of malt and carbonation that I didn't mind it so much as I have in other hoppy beers. According to Port Brewing, this beer mixed in "no less than five hop varieties including Amarillo, Centennial, Cascade, Simcoe and Summit." That's a lot of plant in a beer. But it worked. I wouldn't place this as high as other IPA's I've tried, but it certainly was quite tasty and I can understand why it's Mark's favorite.

The Buzz:
I decided to drink both bottles for this test, reserving a little from the second bottle to ensure that I not exceed my 48oz limit (although the bottles claimed to be 22oz, they were by far the largest 22oz bombers I've ever seen. I swear they were identical in size to Sierra Nevada's Estate bombers which come in at 30oz). After the first beer was finished, I felt completely fine. Measuring in at 7% abv, that didn't really surprise me too much. It's a respectable amount of alcoholic content but definitely not the heaviest or highest I've had in an IPA or even in an IPA for the purposes of this blog. However, by the time I was done with the second bottle - or atleast the amount I chose to drink out of the second bottle - I was rocked. Something hit me hard. And I liked it! The buzz was one of those "good time" feelings where you acknowledge that you're drunk but don't feel sleepy or full or angry or any of the other associated effects of a good buzz. Perhaps this goes back to the level and complexities of the hops and they're relation to weed. The feelings were similar in base, yet different enough in detail.  And again, it occurred to me that this all makes sense in respect to Wipeout IPA being Mark's favorite beer. If there was ever one person on the entire planet who embodied good times and legendary drunkenness, it'd be Mark. I could start a separate blog that'd take me years upon years to fill with accounts of his epic nights of intoxication. Without giving away too much or compromising any good standings, I'll just say that he ALWAYS fell asleep with either a beer in his hand or next to his bed...ALWAYS!

The Hangover:
Hangovers...always finding a way to fuck up a good thing! After finishing off my set amount of Wipeout, I opted for a small bite to eat. Some Whole Foods Kettle Corn in fact, along with a glass of water to wash it down. I put on some Howard Stern and promptly passed out popcorn in hand slumped over on the couch. After a few hours and a sore back, I awoke to realize that I never quite made it to the bedroom. So I finished my water, put the food away, brushed my teeth and popped some Advil before I went down for round 2. Cue the dogs a few hours later and I again woke up to let them out. Apparently at this point, the Advil had no effect on me as I had a headache that felt like I had drank some heavy IPA's and passed out awkwardly listening to some Stern. Once the dogs were done with their stuff, we all headed back to bed where I passed out for round 3 of sleep. One might think that all this up & down would only help my chances of shaking any possible hangover. Well, one would be retarded then. When I finally woke up for the day a few hours later, the headache was still there. It was coupled by the usual hangover nastiness: mild dizziness, fatigue, a little stomach pains, and total annoyance at the sunlight. Although I was feeling like a hideous monster being prodded with pitchforks, apparently my body was not producing any of the other symptoms that typically come with my suspected allergy to certain beers. My wife didn't notice any foul odors emitting from my pores, I was able to successfully drive (and shop) at Home Depot, and I didn't feel like I needed to be within sprinting length of a bathroom at all times. No, I may have been hungover, but I don't think I was allergic!

The Verdict:
And so, my first beer experiment of the new decade has come to a close. And with it, some interesting results. I discovered a hop explosion in a quality beer. I detected similarities and nuances between the iconic ingredient of beers around the world and its infamously controversial horticultural cousin. And just as infamous, is the provider of this months brew, who although hasn't exactly taught me anything about beer, he has taught me much in how one enjoys beer. And for that, I'm eternally grateful!

Anchor Steam Small Beer

This month I bring to you the final Beer Hates Me test of 2010. I've come a long way while growing, learning, and experimenting with different types of ales & lagers, porters & stouts, barleywines & dubels. So how do I cap off such a landmark year of alcoholic consumption? Why with the worst beer I've tasted all year! Cause I'm gangsta like that....bitches....

The Beer:

How could I have chosen so poorly? Sure, I knew that this beer was considered a “light” beer. Sure, I knew that it wasn't a special seasonal or limited edition batch. But it came from a very respectable brewery with a long line of quality beers and brewing methods from one of the great American cities - San Francisco. Anchor Steam Small Beer was very simply, horrible. It claims to have been brewed using a (practically ancient) technique that essentially uses the leftovers from a stronger batch to make a secondary, lighter batch. The English would refer to it as a Small Beer, and thus, that's exactly what Anchor Steam has done here. They take their Old Foghorn Barleywine Style Ale and try to duplicate that using the runoff mash and wort and wang and plonk. It's all really technical mumjo jumbo for brewers and guys at home who buy Mr. Beer and think they know their shit. Well, I wouldn't doubt it if Anchor Steam was really just claiming to know what they are doing and instead buying some Mr. Beer kits and letting their retarded, blind children have a go at it. Because despite the fact their website claims that they “believe you will find Anchor Small Beer delicious – similar to what modern brewers call a 'bitter'”, I believe that this tasted like crap and found myself cursing my inner soul for purchasing such ass beer for my last post of the year. Thanks Anchor Steam. You fucked me. You really fucked me you assbag.

The Buzz:

The buzz? Seriously? Hey, remember that first paragraph you just read about “The Beer”? Remember reading that? You may have sensed a bit of frustration, a tad bit of disappointment, a touch of anger in that paragraph up there. Well, you might as well re-read it because there is nothing to speak of in terms of a buzz for this beer. At only 3.3% abv and tasting like brewed asshole, it was basically like drinking really shitty water over the course of 2 hours. And not just like shitty water at a restaurant, but like shitty water at a Mexican restaurant in Mexico! And not the good, resorty parts of Mexico either. I'm talking the drug cartel border towns of Mexico with shit on the bathroom walls and beer that they piss in. And ironically, that is where this beer may have come from. Beer from a small Mexican town on the border run by gang cartels who own Mr. Beer kits that their blind, retarded daughters pee into. Thanks again Anchor Steam, you dick.

The Hangover:

Well, surely a beer that tasted shitty and gave me no buzz whatsoever could never give me a hangover of any sort, right? I mean, 3.3% abv. That's like cough medicine. Think again! It was like cough medicine made in that shitty Mexican bar I guess because I felt awful the next morning. Not the typical hangover per se. I didn't have the stomach pains/headache that normally come with a rough night of drinking. But rather, I was dehydrated and shaky most of the day. Running errands and driving around weren't the easiest things to do and the 80+ degree weather made outdoor chores and fresh air less than satisfying (not that outdoor chores or fresh air are ever satisfying when it's in the 80's mid-December). Regardless, any hangover from Anchor Small Beer should have come with a coupon for one of Anchor Steams better brews. And that coupon should have been delivered in an ice cream truck handing out beer floats from those tiny, blind, retarded, homeless Mexican girls. They fuckin' owed it to me. Them and Anchor Steam, you bastards.

The Verdict:

So what do I deliver as a verdict for this debacle of a test? Obviously it was a total failure as a beer to enjoy. It was a failure as a beer that'd get one nicely buzzed. And it went 3 for 3 in being a failure by providing a hangover the next morning. So, the bottom line is that I fucked up. Royally. Rather than seeking out a seasonal or varietal batch for this holiday post, I tried mixing it up a bit in experimenting with a light beer from a world-renown brewery thinking that at the very least I'd get some better insight into "light" beers. Little did I know that the results I'd get would be tragic and depressing. Anchor Steam, you really know how to rape a guys dreams of excellent beer, don't you? I suppose I should take some of the blame for this month's test, but seriously Anchor Steam, your all fuck-holes.

However, as a bonus for this commemorative post, I present to you a look at my holiday take of beers this year. There are some real select varieties in this group. And I have no clue when or where they'll be consumed. I do know, however, that they will be freely enjoyed without a thought of documenting them for this blog! Happy New Years alcoholics!

Lagunitas Brown Shugga

This month I'm going back. Way back. Back into time... Join me as I tackle the very first beer I requested and recognized as a craft brew. Curiously enough, this is a beer from the same brewer that I also recognized as being a stalwart of the hate that certains beers have on me. Lagunitas...you bitch! You lure me in with sideways glances and touches of greatness, only to leave me grasping for breath after a swift kick to the junk. Whatever did I do to you???

The Beer:

The year was 2004. It was New Year's Eve and everyone was heading to Catalina Island for a weekend of partying, eating, and drinking. A dozen or so friends rented a cottage on the island where we'd welcome in 2005 with a bang. Being a tiny island with limited resources, we opted to stock up on food & drink on the mainland prior to departure. My job was to secure a portion of the beer for the weekend. Rather than go the easy route and hit up the local 7-11 for 30packs of Bud & Coors Light; I ventured out to a newly found beer distributor to peruse their selection. After spending what likely appeared to be an eternity just staring at the wide variety of imported and domestic craft brews, a helpful clerk asked me what I was looking for. I told him my preferences and he went to the back to grab me a six-pack of Lagunitas Brown Shugga. He gracefully went on to tell me how this was the newest seasonal from the brewery and one of the hottest items on their shelves. Thinking that I struck rare-beer gold, I promptly asked him if they had another 6-pack to purchase. He told me there probably was and that he'd bring it up to the register. After stocking my cart full of other select beers both known and unknown, I checked out and headed for the island eagerly anticipating my newfound treasure. What I discovered was a beer unlike any I had ever tasted up until then. Technically considered a Barley Wine, I had no clue what or how these flavors could exist in a beer.

The Buzz:

Not only was my palate shocked by what it was experiencing, but apparently my body was equally surprised by how such a smooth drink could pack such an alcoholic punch. Prior to Brown Shugga, I had only thought of wines and liquors as something that could be high in alocoholic content. And due to my personal distaste for either of those drinks, I automatically equated high abv with harsh tastes. Lagunitas Brown Shugga was my first foray into a smooth, drinkable beer that could easily floor you before the 6-pack was done. But I was naïve and eager to impress those amongst me with my unique beer and sophisticated taste. Little did I know that this beer would also destroy me physically and...yes...even emotinally.

Fast forward to 2010 and my sensebilities and knowledge of beer has grown exponentially. I know good beers from bad. I recognize yearly from seasonal batches. And I appreciate flavor over intoxication. This time around, I knew what I was getting into with Brown Shugga. I knew the complex layers of dried fruit and bitter hops would coat my mouth with a thick slightly spicey finish. The dark copper color and light tan head poured perfectly into my glass. And being a Barley Wine, what better serving method than a stemmed wine glass. At 9.84% abv, I didn't expect to have the desire to drink more than the 48oz limit my test dictates. What I did't realize though was that my body would only need 36oz to feel as though it had had enough.

The Hangover:

For those of you who have yet to buy into the masichistic notion of this experiment, please allow me to present you with item #1 – my second foray into Lagunitas Brewery in less than a year. Why Lagunitas? Why? What did I ever do but sing your praises and accomplishments? What do you do that poisons me so? Although not quite as bad as the hangover from Lagunitas Censored Rich Copper Ale, I once again awoke early to a pounding headache and a burning stomach pain. Following suit, I fed the dogs, took some pills, drank some water and went back to bed. After a few hours I woke again to find that those symptopms from the early morning hours still lingered. And worse, my body felt as if it was exhausiting fumes of alcohol out of every pore in my body. A shower and coffee did help some, but not to the extent that I was comfortable to operate heavy machinery. So, after hopping in my truck and heading into work, I was sure some fresh air and a breakfast would do the trick. But alas, no aid was coming for me or my symptoms. Only time would heal these inner wounds. Only time...

The Verdict:

The best way that I can sum up this month's beer is nostalgia. Not only was Brown Shugga as good as I remembered, but sadly the hangover was just as bad as I recalled. Lagunitas is a brewery that I so badly want to be MY brewery. While others tout Stone, Pyramid, Sierra Nevada, or one of the other California microbreweries as their local favorite, Lagunitas was supposed to be mine. I found it back in 2004 and introduced it to my Michelob-swilling friends. I was ahead of the curve before I knew there was even a curve to be ahead of. But after two failed experiements this year alone --- coupled with the harsh memory of how Brown Shugga wrecked New Year's Eve so long ago, perhaps I'll have to move north and settle for Anchor Steam. Hmmm, maybe next month we'll find out if I do.