A good day to get out and take care of a few chores outside.
Today’s beer glass comes to us from Big Block Brewery & Taproom.
Looking good guys.
Archives for category: Beer Photo Fetish
Photo above:
Working to support local recycling efforts.
This was me 15 years ago. Maybe more quantity, less quality.
Today, my two favorite styles are NW or West Coast IPA and German Pilsner.
German beer is hard to find at the grocery store where I live.
Two lessons that we at Oak Bay Starfish cling to:
Maybe the best beers require the least advertising.
The best beer is the one you enjoy most.
It’s Thanksgiving today.
Over here, we are going with:
I’d have this guy over any time, to help me get it right:
Along for the afternoon: Classic Deep Cuts
On these clear and chilly PNW nights, save holiday refrigerator space by simply stacking product outside.
When you rise tomorrow, no matter what time zone you feel like being on, you’ll have cold beer ready at any time.
And don’t be the poor family that fails to purchase the right retail products this holiday season:
Party of Two
There is a nice spot in Leavenworth to stop in for a beer and something to eat. I went to visit this location last week. It was the first time during COVID that I entered and sat down in an eating/drinking establishment.
Old Way
Walk in and select a seat from the large outdoor seating area. Server takes your beer order on a mobile device. Before server has a chance to leave the table, electronic order is received by bar staff. Your beer is tapped and out to your table like magic. We sit and eat and drink for an hour. During this happy hour, we never get up to leave the table. When it’s time to go, we pay and leave.
Would not change a thing. Really enjoy this place.
COVID Way
Everyone wears a mask.
You enter and are offered a table outside or inside. We selected an outside table. We are told that our order for beers and food must be placed with the cashier inside the restaurant by the bar.
Partner goes in to place order while I wait. Establishment now requires a credit card to start order. My turn to pay, so I say I’ll get it all on my card when I go in to order a second round.
Beer and food is still delivered to table, same as old way.
I go in to order a second round. I am unfamiliar with this part of the restaurant. Staff prompts me toward waiting to order/pay holding/staging area. Ordered another round and requested entire tab to be placed on my card. This is an extra step that would not be at all necessary pre-COVID.
If we wanted still another round, one of us would have to get up and return to waiting line to order/pay holding/staging area. We did not want another round after we had two beers and some food. Went back in to waiting to order/pay holding/staging area and used card to pay.
Any Medical Advantage?
How does requiring customers to migrate back and forth into a possibly unfamiliar part of the restaurant each time they want to order a beer or cash out serve any medical purpose Re: COVID?
It seems like the plan is to cause meaningless inconvenience.
If you notice the inconvenience, maybe you will think that the establishment is somehow going out of their way because they care about protecting you.
Still will plan to return to this location in the future.
Don’t miss our companion blog-found here: Old Man Blog
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Photo-
Completely unrelated to location described above.
(Monica says last annual.)
The gray, damp, cool, marine layerish part of the summer seems to be over now.
Went to high school in Kitsap County in the late 70s.
We started drinking when we were about 15.
Fake IDs (completely fake-not made to look like anything real) worked about 50% of the time to buy beer.
We never went without since about age 15.
I notice that beer websites have an honor system these days. You must make up an over 21 birth date in order to study brewery offerings. Underage people who desire to view a brewery web site will be stopped by all this?
We drank underage for years with no help whatsoever from the internet.
Making mention of these memories is not to defend operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, legal or illegal drugs or marijuana.
There was a special mystique about Coors beer at the time. For some reason, it was not shipped to WA.
“For decades, Coors Banquet was only available in 11 states, none of which were in the East. Despite its limited distribution, presidents, celebrities, and everyday folk alike wanted a taste of the West. In 1991, Coors Banquet finally showed up in all 50 states.”
People would make beer runs and bring back Coors from Idaho.
Back in those days, each state could set their own minimum drinking age. Idaho had a lower drinking age.
We have been enjoying the Yellowstone series. I noticed they are drinking Coors while at the rodeo, out camping with the Governor, etc.
Went looking for some Coors today. The old school beers now have only a small part of the cooler shelf space. It took a little looking to find the right spot. Selection of cans/bottles/16/12 OZ/6 pack/12 pack is extremely limited.
Only original Coors offering was an 18 pack in 12 OZ cans. Brought it home.
The freedom talk is just for federal holidays and overseas military operations.
Maybe of interest:
Growing Up In The Cold War Era
Don’t miss our companion blog-found here: Old Man Blog
About time to get back out there.
Rainy and cooler here today.
Went out in the rain earlier and collected some beach wood for a 4th of July fire.
A better day for a darker beer with more flavor and alcohol content.
Related:
Along for the afternoon: Classic Deep Cuts
About time to get back out there.
Today’s beer glass comes to us from Big Block Brewery & Taproom.
Looking good guys.
Some controversy related to this one, because the brewery was bought out by the big guys.
This one is pretty common to find on tap at bars and restaurants.
I order it, because I know I like it, & these days, I’d like to do less experimenting.
Related:
Along for the afternoon: Classic Deep Cuts
Just in time for warmer weather, an old favorite is back. We have enjoyed this one sveral times in the past.
Today’s beer glass comes to us from Big Block Brewery & Taproom.
Looking good guys.
La Gran D Wenatchee along to ensure spirits remain high.
Unable to visit the cantina for now.
Bringing the mood home today:
A more aggressive pour & larger head:
Having a little fun.
These guys are making the effort with what is inside the can and offering an easy to read and understand date too.
Sold.
Related:
A little more time working outside. Reaching more often for a cold brew.
Advantages:
Much lower priced than premium beers.
Lower alcohol content too.
Maybe start off with sharp taste buds and a couple of good craft beers. Wanting to have a couple more? Coors Light could be the answer.
Here’s a review that won’t be featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America, etc.
The best beers require the least advertising:
More from independent media:
Along for the afternoon: Classic Deep Cuts
A 6 pack of IPA can be costly.
It is expensive to experiment. It can be very tricky when there is not a date to work with on the can or bottle you may want to purchase.
With a dozen possible IPA choices, why go for one without a date?
The Crafty Beer Girls
“Regardless of where the beer is coming from, I urge everyone to either enforce or demand legible date codes on beer. If you see a smudgy date code on your can (or no code at all), bring it to the brewery’s attention. If you can’t decipher a stamped date code, email the brewery and ask for an explanation (I plan to email Merchant du Vin). As consumers, we should demand transparency from the companies we’re supporting with our dollars. Being duped into purchasing old beer is a terrible thing, and I would think it’s in the brewery and retailer’s best interest to provide accurate and legible freshness information on packaging.”
Thank you Crafty Beer Girls.
I recently purchased a six pack of IPA and did not check the date carefully at the store. When I got home I found a confusing and possibly old date on the can. I sent a polite email to this brewery asking about the freshness of their product and providing info about where (Haggen 98277) and when I made the purchase.
They never got back to me. I will make note of that. I will attempt to support the breweries that offer fresh product and an easy way for customers to verify dates.
Today, I passed over a six pack of this product, because there was only an ink smudge where the date would go on the bottom of the cans.
These guys are making the effort with what is inside the can and offering an easy to read and understand date too.
Sold.
Along for the afternoon: Classic Deep Cuts
Mini Spring Break update:
The beer photo fetish page features a true grab bag of different beer styles and brands. We’ve been at it since 2012.
No specific emphasis on any particular brand this afternoon.
Mexican beer has always been one of our favorite styles.
Before cracking a beer today, we made sure that all schools had been shut down for the coming weeks.
We verified that all bars and restaurants in Illinois and Ohio were headed for complete shut down prior to drinking at home today.
As a public service, we hired a sign language interpreter to stand on our porch and deliver ongoing public safety updates to the neighborhood while the sun shines this afternoon.
More than $10.00 for a 6 pack of IPA update:
I have no specific brand in mind here. It is expensive to experiment. It can be very tricky when there is not a date to work with on the can or bottle you may want to purchase.
With a dozen possible IPA choices, why go for one without a date?
The Crafty Beer Girls
“Regardless of where the beer is coming from, I urge everyone to either enforce or demand legible date codes on beer. If you see a smudgy date code on your can (or no code at all), bring it to the brewery’s attention. If you can’t decipher a stamped date code, email the brewery and ask for an explanation (I plan to email Merchant du Vin). As consumers, we should demand transparency from the companies we’re supporting with our dollars. Being duped into purchasing old beer is a terrible thing, and I would think it’s in the brewery and retailer’s best interest to provide accurate and legible freshness information on packaging.”
Thank you Crafty Beer Girls.
I may send a polite email to a brewery asking about the freshness of their product and providing info about where and when I made a purchase.
If the brewery ignores me, I will make note of that. I will attempt to support the breweries that offer fresh product and an easy way for customers to verify dates.
A few small projects taken care of, then time to see if the barbecue still works.
Mexican beer update:
West Coast/NW IPA
German Pilsner
Beers from Mexico
These are my favorite styles.
Several of the Mexican beers I’ve tried, I would call routine.
Low on flavor and low on alcohol content. This would make sense if you were reaching for a beer in a location where 100° temps are the norm.
My favorite Mexican beer:
I also enjoy Carta Blanca, Modelo, and Corona Extra.
The Bohemia beer can be hard to find in the grocery store and in restaurants.
I would rate the Corona Familiar pictured at the top of the page as a routine Mexican beer.
What others have to say:
Related:
Green/Clear Beer Bottle Myths?
Neil Young at 9:07
German Pilsner
One of my favorite styles, and one that can be hard to find in the local grocery store.
An enthusiastic review:
Along for the afternoon: Classic Deep Cuts
Sun came out.
There’s a rush hour out there somewhere.
A really nice beer. Always enjoy this one.
Looking like a good date:
Along for the afternoon: Classic Deep Cuts
After a month of storms, ferry links shut down, Hood Canal bridge closed, etc., the sun made a showing today.
Happy Sunday.
Really enjoy the IPA style, but the alcohol content can be a little high.
Pairing a Mexican beer with a decent tequila probably brings the alcohol impact right back up, but we are celebrating a calm & sunny winter day.
This one has more of a Brown Ale feel.
I prefer a NW IPA style.
Why is the can in the photo sealed?
Because sometimes, it’s windy here and an empty can will get tossed around during the photo op.
Along for the afternoon: Classic Deep Cuts