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PappyVanWise

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  1. PappyVanWise
    Thanks everyone, the cribs and car seats are getting recycled since they're past their usefulness and safety windows. But I'll look into your suggestions for the strollers and newish toys.
  2. PappyVanWise
    In preparing for our move, we have a bunch of strollers, baby toys both large and small, and high chairs that we don't want to take with us. Does anyone know of a place that takes donations of these items? Preferably something in the Arlington area where I can drop everything off. Thanks
  3. PappyVanWise
    Sorry Guys, had to call an audible on the beer for MLB Opening Day. I usually mark the beginning of my Reds season with Bells Oberon, but much to my chagrin, Bells does not have Maryland Distribution. Instead we'll be diving into New Belgium's spring offering Dig. I know there are some hop heads out there, so instead of listing the hop blend, I'll see how people do with a blind tasting to see how many you can identify. The hops are listed on the bottle, so no reading either. Dig is 5.6 ABV, which makes it nice enough to have a few during a nine inning game. Beer Advocate gives it a good, not great rating http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/192/77480. I found it interesting that as of 2010, New Belgium was the third largest craft brewer in America, behind only Sam Adams and Sierra Nevada. Since NB expanded into the area in 2011, I've pretty much ignored them. Though I did enjoy Fat Tire on my trips to the West Coast before then. And thanks to Wiki, here are some facts about the brewery. New Belgium Brewing Company is a regional brewery located in Fort Collins, Colorado. It opened in 1991 after Jeff Lebesch, the brewery's founder, took his home brewing passion commercial. In 2009, it produced over 582,000 barrels of its various labels. The last beer had no other tasting comments, so hopefully everyone finds this one a little more interesting. Happy Drinking! -Eric
  4. PappyVanWise
    Arrowine has Kentucky Breakfast Stout in now, limit 2 bottles per person and they only have two cases. $5.99 a bottle. Can't imagine it'll last longer than an hour or two.
  5. PappyVanWise
    Break open a bottle and let us know what you think.
  6. PappyVanWise
    It's their second time dipping into this well, there is also the Swarvoski Crystals commercial.
  7. PappyVanWise
    When your beer tasting host uses the nom de plume VikingJew, you can expect Passover to be a difficult week to hold a tasting. So rather than debating the kashrut laws of Pear Cider, let's take this week to try the beers we've already tasted that you might have missed. Or if someone else would like to nominate something, please post a topic and let us know. For those of you that like to work ahead, the next beer I'd like everyone to pick up rhymes with Schmell's SchmOberon. I highly recommend picking up a six pack or finding it on tap to enjoy during Opening Day (or during a night game on April 2nd for those observing Passover).
  8. PappyVanWise
    To Chinua Achebe, the author of one of the finest books this English major was ever assigned Things Fall Apart, buy it and read it if you haven't yet.
  9. PappyVanWise
    Turkey sammich from Red Apron? And I think I have my post Passover lunch plans ready.
  10. PappyVanWise
    Any news on home wine storage success? I'm moving from a house with what I like to call my passive wine cellar (cardboard boxes in the basement) into a home with no basement and a garage that I probably can't trust to maintain a good average temperature. Based on previous advice, I'm probably looking for something in the 400-800 bottle capacity range, 95% red wine, with a handful of large formats. Thanks
  11. PappyVanWise
    I had this on Monday night, and I'd classify it as refreshing if unremarkable. They definitely succeeded hitting apple notes in both the smell and finish, which is probably the most noteworthy thing about this brew. It didn't go too far on the apple to make it taste like cider for me, but I could see someone thinking that way. The low alcohol and mellow flavor make this a pretty easy drinker. While I prefer a little stronger taste in my beers overall, this would be a good one to enjoy out in the sun. Since it is only available in 22oz bottles, make sure if you have a way to keep it cold while you're drinking. As it warmed up, it did lose some of its crispness.
  12. PappyVanWise
    I picked up a bottle, but haven't cracked it yet. Just wanted to let everyone know that the word Kells has been replaced by Rogue on the bottles, so it might just be called Rogue Irish Style Lager now.
  13. PappyVanWise
    "Yummy, yummy! In my tummy!...there's a party in my tummy!" From Yo Gabba Gabba? Do I get bumped up the leader board to 2 wins?
  14. PappyVanWise
    In honor of Washington State wine month, I opened a 2008 Vox Populi from Rasa. After my first glass, I went online and placed a futures order for their 2011 releases. Thanks again Joe for spreading the Washington gospel. (also wanted to bump up a year old thread, since it is a Washington State focused one)
  15. PappyVanWise
    To one final defeat of Duke in the ACC. We'll see y'all in the Big Ten next year.
  16. PappyVanWise
    In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I thought I'd find an American style Irish beer, and my search led me to the old reliable Rogue Brewery out of Oregon. I don't personally have this beer yet, but since it is in stock at the McLean Total Wine, I imagine it is still available in stores. Seekabrew does say that Rogue distributes to all 3 DMV areas, so hopefully everyone can find it. It is sold in 22 oz bombers, probably in the 6 or 7 dollar range. For a history of Rogue brewing, check out their website. They have officially been in business since 1989, well before craft beer hysteria gripped the nation. Rogue is all over the board when it comes to their brews, but I was first introduced to them through their variety of stouts. Their first "light" beer of theirs that I had was a John John Juniper Ale, which I recall being very fond of. Hopefully this one follows suit. Rogue describes this beer as a project from their brewmaster "n 1998 Rogue Brewmaster John Maier created an Irish style lager that would float Guinness. It took four batches to get it just right. John used acidulated malts imported from Europe that resulted in a crisp, apple flavor profile. The bottle label displays a famous Irish Flutist." The alcohol level is 5%. Enjoy
  17. PappyVanWise
    There's a member of this board who has a business that might be what you're looking for. Check out the Grape Crate. I haven't used the service myself, but the conversation reminded me of it. (Jinx on Dave, I believe he owes me a Coke now)
  18. PappyVanWise
    Not that it's that bad, it's just not my taste. I like my stouts and porters more refined, and a 10% ABV that you don't enjoy isn't worth drinking. But with snow in the forecast, wine will be the house beverage tonight. I can keep my pace up until Tax day or so, then I'll need some help from the Rockwellian crew to keep things going. Come Memorial Day, I'll be back up to schedule, but sticking to beer with Richmond area distribution.
  19. PappyVanWise
    I'm tempted to leave my two remaining cans by the curb with a "Free Beer" sign taped to them, but I think VABC would have some problems with my methods. I think both Total Wine and Westover Market sell this individually.
  20. PappyVanWise
    If anyone claimed that East Coast American craft brews are all hop and no balance, then I think I'd give them a bottle of the Troegenator. It is a very good example of how a little malty sweetness can go a long way, in a good way. There's nothing exaggerated about this brew, but it is definitely a counterbalance to the Hopslams, Nugget Nectars, and DFH 60/90/120 Minutes of the world. I only had one bottle, poured into a pint glass, but it was nice and smooth like caramel. There was also a bit of that clove/nutmeg/cinnamon flavor that you get from Autumn ales, but I could just be associating the sweet maltiness with pumpkin ales. I see other tasting notes mention fruit, but I didn't really detect anything significant. Curious to hear if anyone else got the plum, fig, or date flavors. Definitely one I'd want to try fresh from the keg to see if the bottle mellowed it out some.
  21. PappyVanWise
    I thought I'd put this out here, just in case someone has an extra bread slicer and doesn't know what to do with it. My Mom runs the preschool affiliated with the Jewish Community Center of Richmond. She asked if I could search around for an electric bread slicer to help in their kitchen with their weekly challah delivery. It looks like they really only make professional quality ones, starting around $1500. So if anyone is thinking about replacing theirs, or would like to make a tax deductible donation, please send me a message. I think that space is at a premium in their kitchen, so the the smaller ones would be ideal. Alternately, if anyone knows of a manual one that isn't just a holder with slots for your knife I'd appreciate knowing about that. Something more like a hard-boiled egg slicer, where you push down a handle and have your bread sliced. Thanks, Eric
  22. PappyVanWise
    This week's beer is from the Tröegs Brewing Company, and is the Troegenator Double Bock. As the name implies, this beer is an American interpretation of the German Doppelbock. I chose this beer for a number of reasons, but something that really struck me was the high score from the Beer Advocate guys compared to the medium score from the field. Even with grade inflation, 94 vs 88 seems to be a big spread these days From the Tröegs website, here's a little background on the brewery. Tröegs Brewery was founded in 1996 by brothers John and Chris Trogner. The first keg was sold to a local restaurant in Harrisburg on July 18, 1997. The brothers are still an integral part of the day-to-day business of the brewery. John oversees the brewing side of the brewery, while Chris handles the business end. Both of them enjoy a shift beer in the Tasting Room more often than not. As of October 2011, they have moved their entire operation to Hershey and all current production takes place at the Hershey facility. FAQ And some puffery for the beer: "Troegenator Double Bock is a dark, strong lager. It pours into a glass with a bronze to brown color, fluffy white head and bready malt aroma. The Troegenator leaves a rich, warming feeling and subtle spicy flavors. The style, Double Bock, dates back a century or so ago. During periods of fasting without solid foods, the Monastic brewers relied on the Double Bock; a stronger, richer beer to fulfill their basic nutritional needs. Known to them as "liquid bread," a Double Bock has a strong malt aroma and rich chewy body. In the spirited tradition of naming a Double Bock using the suffix "-ator," we give you Troegenator to provide warmth and nourishment all throughout the year." Tröegs Info Page And for those curious about any relations to Trogdor, there appears to be none... Sold in six packs for about $10 and even available in Montgomery County.
  23. PappyVanWise
    I tried this again last night, and what really turned me off from it this time was the bitter coffee taste. In comparing it to other coffee stouts, I can only guess that the oatmeal that is missing from this recipe counterbalances the coffee in the ones I've enjoyed. In the past year or two, I've only had the Founders Breakfast Stout lineup (Original, Kentucky, and Canadian) and this isn't even in the same ballpark. We'll go with some lighter, and less expensive, for the next tasting.
  24. PappyVanWise
    Only managed to have one can of the four pack (13.99 at Arrowine) and hate to say it, but I had a hard time even finishing the one. This beer delivered a good aroma but not much in the flavor department. My guess is they got a little cute with the Romano beans, to the detriment of the coffee and chocolate. When it was cold out of the fridge, it was easier to drink. By the time I got to the bottom of the glass, there was a grittiness to it that the temperature might have been masking. For the second try, I'm going to drink it right from the red bull-type can and see if it changes the profile at all.
  25. PappyVanWise
    Central Park is a good location for people coming down from northern states, you basically can't miss it from 95. The Central Park sign rivals only Potomac Mills and the Kings Dominion Eiffel Tower in terms of visibility from DC to Richmond.
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