General Superlatives: 2009

Arctic Club, Seattle

Yes, it’s that time of year again. Rather shamefully, I have no books on this list; while I read many, not a one was published in 2009 – my excuse is that I’m waiting for the new Nick Hornby novel to come out in paperback.  So, in fractured order, here are this [...]

I Am Everywhere, Like the Latest Meme

Luckily THATCamp Austin is done now (although I continue to manage the THATCamp Austin twitter account, to help promote the other regional THATCamps that are springing up), for I have added yet another new writing outlet to my ever-expanding stable.  I’ll be blogging for the NTRA leading up to the Breeders’ Cup, with a focus [...]

Because You Can Never Have Enough…

I have yet another new blog, this one in my capacities as a BJCP judge, Beerdrinker of the Year semi-finalist and Lady Beer Geek About Town. Granted, it’s not as pretty as one I would have designed myself, but I decided to go ahead and give the Examiner model a try. So far, [...]

30 Notable Beers of 2008

Allagash Fluxus 2008
This year’s Fluxus was a ginger-spiced witbier. It was rather tasty.

Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel Rosée d’Hibiscus
Another wit – but this one is flavored hibiscus. This is possibly the only ‘girly’ beer I’ve ever enjoyed.

Brooklyn Brewery Flemish Gold
A saison from Garrett Oliver’s arsenal – lots of flavor.

Brouwerij de Molen [...]

Award-Winning

Yes, it’s true; I’m officially an award-winning brewer. Here are some ways to celebrate this accomplishment:

Beer
Dieu du Ciel! Rosée d’Hibiscus
Gasthaus Gosebrauerei Bayerischer Bahnhof Gose
Reissdorf Kölsch
Victory St. Boisterous
Victory Braumeister Pils

Books
Home: A Memoir of My Early Years by Julie Andrews
A Good Horse Has No Color: Searching Iceland for the Perfect Horse by Nancy Marie Brown
1491: New Revelations [...]

Snow Day Lists

The icy weather affords an opportunity to broadcast a few recent favorites, many of which admittedly have not changed much since November:

Music
Sweden – The Mountain Goats
Laid – James
The Life Pursuit – Belle & Sebastian
Company – 2006 Broadway Revival Cast Recording
Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters – The Twilight Sad

February Derby Picks
Anak Nakal
Court Vision
Face the Cat
Tale of [...]

Year-End Beer Roundup, Take One

In no particular order, here’s my first crack at my top ten beers for 2007 — and yes, there are more than ten at this point:

Troubadour Obscura – Belgium
Bell’s Batch 8000 – USA
Berliner Kindl Weisse – Germany
Dogfish Head Fed-Extra Mild – USA
Dogfish Head Baltic Porter – USA
Russian River Pliny the Elder – USA
J.W. Lees Vintage [...]