12/17/09

TOP 5 XMAS FLICKS


1. A Christmas Story (1983): Drink your Ovaltine.
2. Die Hard (1988): When gas was .74 cents a gallon.
3. Gremlins (1984): Never let them eat after midnight.
4. Black Christmas (1974): Billy?!?!
5. Christmas Evil (1980): Negative body hygiene.

12/15/09

Leo Kottke - Greenhouse (1972) - 99¢ Record #5

Fifth album from American guitarist Leo Kottke.

I had never heard any song by him before and what sold me on this record was the cover art and the quote on the back: "In the sense that my guitars were once plants, this record's a greenhouse."

Picking across the fretboard with a haunting balance between bittersweet pessimism and heartfelt inspiration.  Techincally rich and twistingly complex guitar playing.

Seven tracks are instrumentals and the others drenched in vocals from the savanna.

Tracks:
1. Bean Time
2. Tiny Island
3. Song of the Swamp
4. In Christ There Is No East or West
5. Last Steam Engine Train
6. From the Cradle to the Grave
7. Louise
8. Spanish Entomologist
9. Owls
10. You Don't Have to Need Me
11. Lost John

Everyday is all the same, going from the cradle to the grave.

12/14/09

Firestone 13 - Firestone Walker Brewing Co. (American Strong Ale 2009)

Dark caramel brown body with burgundy highlights. Head crimson spiked beige. Lacing melts around the glass.

Warming bourbon with wood smoked Belgian chocolate, banana, and black licorice.  Berries and vanilla soaked oak.

Coffee, raisins, caramelized toffee. Roasted figs and brandy. Bourbon is present and intertwines with ashy maple, molasses drenched coconut, and oat soaked port wine. 12%.

“Barley wines, imperial stouts, and an imperial brown are just a few of the beers making up the final blend. Many of the component beers have spent over 2 years aging in a combination of retired bourbon, rye, and wine barrels.”

Expensive beers are not metal.

12/8/09

Diamond Darrell (08/20/66 – 12/08/04)

R.I.P. to the four victims. Terribly sad.

"Vulgar display of f'n liquor."

Pantera were awesome.  Their home video releases are classic hilarity and pure badassery. I like the story about how the NHL won't permit teams to take the Stanley Cup home after Pantera and the '99 Dallas Stars dented it up in a post championship shindig.

People who don't like Pantera, lose at life.

12/5/09

Bigwood 2009 - Brouwer's Cafe (Seattle, WA)

Over 50 wood aged beers from sours to stouts served in 12oz snifters.

12/03/2009:
Elliot Bay Brandy Barrel Imperial Brown (4/5)
Hair of the Dog Bottleworks 10 Matt (5/5): Delicious and complex. Dark brown color with cherry candy, pine, vanilla, apple, and figs. Aged in 33 year old Bourbon barrels and Apple Eau de Vie barrels for about one year.
Flyers Bottleworks 8 140 Schilling Scotch Ale Laphroaig (5/5)
Cantillon Lou Pepe Kriek '04 : 6oz (4.5/5)
Port Brewing Brouwers Imagination #2 Strong Sour (4.5/5): Great balance with delicate bourbon and sour cherry undertones.
Stone Brewing 12th Anniversary Bourbon (4/5): Massive!
Allagash Interlude Merlot/Syrah Barrel Belgian (4/5)

12/05/2009:
Schooner Exact Hoppy the Woodsman (4/5): Nicely shaded. Woody vanilla rounds out the hops. This one came in second at this years Washington Winter Beer Festival for People's Choice.
Double Mountain Terrible Two Bourbon Brown Ale (5/5): Nose smells exactly like bourbon. Well balanced with vanilla and caramel. My favorite of the festival.
Elysian Jack Frost Jack Daniels Winter Ale (3.5/5)
Firestone Walker Velvet Merkin Wood Oatmeal Stout (4/5)
Fremont Bourbon Barrel Abominable Winter Ale (3.75/5)
Cantillon Framboise 2006 : 6oz (5/5): Fruit Lambic. A tad darker than the Lou Pepe Kriek. Fluffy cotton candy pink head. Raspberries, red wine, vinegar.

Check your liver at the door.