Off the web...

From FlyingDogJT's twitter stream comes a DCBeer.com 2009 beer list.  I couldn't agree with this list more.  Even more surprising for me is that I have had many of the beers.

Also, a news story on how to not bring up your children.

The Sacramento Kings hosted a dollar beer night.  Amazingly enough, it wasn't a sellout; but very close. (The Kings are one of the lowest in attendance this year.)

And apparently LaBatt Blue wanted people to set out beer for Santa instead of milk.  This didn't go over well with some.  Even though it was for their non-alcoholic beer.

No beer at a St. Patrick's Day parade?  That sounds sacrilegious.

And that is all I got.

A beer in hand, another in the fridge

I didn't get over to Max's yesterday, so I popped open a few from the fridge that I got on a beer run the other day.  The Bear Republic Red Rocket is a delicious, smooth brew.

My second beer was a pilsner from Brewer's Alley out of Frederick.  It was a very good pilsner.  Clean and crisp.  I will look for this beer during the warm summer and spring months.

Good Commercial, Change the Beer

I just wish it wasn't Miller Lite.  Good Commercial

Great lakes, Great Video

I cannot say that I have had their Christmas Ale, but now I want some after watching this video.

Best Baltimore Bars....

Here are 2 Best Bars in Baltimore lists that were brought to my attention by Midnight Sun's Sam Sessa and BeerInBaltimore.com's Brad.

Baltimore Magazine's Top 25 Bars
and
BaltiManual.com's Bar Guide

I like the category break down on BaltiManual. 

Can it be fresher?

Tonight's brew is HopMouth from Arcadia Brewing out of Battle Creek, Michigan.  I was given this bottle from my brother, guaranteed fresh.  Why was it guarenteed fresh?  Because he helped bottle and package it.  On Monday, November 23, my brother and his home-brewing buddies traveled to Arcadia.  Arcadia apparently only bottles on Mondays.  If you show up in the morning, sign in, and stay, you become their free labor.  Your reward- pizza at lunch and a case to take home.  Working in the brewery was a neat experience, and the take home was just icing on top (it was also one of his buddy's birthday).

A little about Arcadia Brewing.  They brew their beers in small batches.  As noted above, they bottle on Mondays, proving that their output is not as large as other breweries.  I have seen their beers in our region, I have seen Max's have HopMouth and their other big IPA (Hop Rocket) on tap every once in a while.  Probably my favorite name of any beer they brew is Cereal Killer, a absolutely delicious Barleywine.  The reason it is called Cereal Killer, is because Battle Creek is also home to Kellogg's cereals.  I think the name is genious.

Anywho, that is my beer for the night, and tomorrow looks like Max's (to see if they have any left over Jolly Pumpkin) and then home to drink some more of my wedding beer- Post on that beer will be coming soon.

The Session- Stumbling Home

My first dive into The Session.  This weeks Session deals with the local watering hole.  It was brought to you by Two Parts Rye.

I have been fortunate enough to have a few "local" watering holes.  I have my way-home-from-work bars and pubs, the right around the corner pubs and I have my go back to the hometown pubs.  Each have their own mystique, and I treat them as such.

When I moved 150 miles to a city where I knew few people, one of the last things on my list was to find my local bar.  The one where I can go in, know some people and have a good drink.  I was lucky enough to find one.  Mike McGovern's Pub is a small irish pub, with tons of character.  Not the crazy people character, but the family character.

The beer selection is okay.  In our neighborhood, there are many more places that give you better beer.  The 6 taps have common irish pub beers (Guinness, Smithwicks, Harp, Boddingtons and 2 rotating taps).  The bottle list is ok, with american macros (Bud, Miller), import macros (LaBatt Blue, Molson, Murphys, Magners) and a few micros (Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Leinekugels).  I go with Duvel while there, and love that an Irish bar has a tulip glass to go with it.  If I am there for a while, Yuengling it is; there on a hot day, Warsteiner.  Always a beer that I enjoy and drink.

What makes up for it is the friendship.  Many of the people who go to McGovern's live within a few blocks.  The owner will be there with a friendly smile, and offer you a seat.  After a few trips, half the people in the bar know your name.  There is the real estate agent/beer guy at the stadiums guy, the couple who always offer Saturday boat rides, the first guy I met you lived 10 miles from me at home, the crazy guy who is always up for a game of Jenga, the italian couple who can always keep the conversation going, an Enginerd (her term for geeky engineer), an 80+ year old man in a suit (because he just likes to get out), and so many more personalities that blend together.

The bar treats itself like family, and what is better than that?  Need a dog watcher, got one.  Need somewhere to go on a holiday if it is too far to go home, McGoverns will be open with people there for you (or they invite you over).  The people make the bar turn, and enjoyable.  I can't imagine having a better watering hole, two blocks from my house.