Great Christmas Ale

It has been a long time since I have posted. I haven't been very adventurous on the beer front. However, Christmas Ale from Great Lakes has arrived. It is some super yummy stuff.

This year, it seems like they have minimized the fruit and rounded out the flavors of the beer. It is some wickely good stuff. This year's batch is going to sell out super fast. I need to get a couple of six packs to tide me over!

Great Lakes Celebrates 20 Years!

Just a few miles away, The Great Lakes Brewing Company has been serving lovely beers to Cleveland for 20 years.

Rumor has it they are going to have an all day happy hour this Thursday - Yipee!

Coast Brewing IPA

While I was sampling the culinary scene in Charleston, I managed to have a few of the local brews. One of the best ones was the Coast IPA.

It has a nice hoppy finish. What made it even better is that I enjoyed it with my friends at a great beach bar called Poe's Tavern on Sullivan's Island - a short hop from Charleston and very close to the ocean.

The burgers were amazing - making the beer that much enjoyable.

Palmetto Amber

While I was in Charleston, I decided to sample the local ales. I think it is one of my favorite parts of going to a new town.

There is a local brewing company named Palmetto. They have several types of beers. While I was there I tried the Palmetto Amber. It was a good beer. However, I noticed a few places had stopped serving it on draft.

I really liked it, but I wonder if the surge of Magic Hat is driving the local brew off the tap.

Updates to WLWTOB

My old co-workers have been giving me crap because I have not been very good on the world tour this year. Now that it is summer time, I am setting a vow to devote more time to drinking my world tour beers.

Just wanted to have a post to let everyone know I am serious. The Winking Lizard is going to see business picking up. I will also be making more of an effort to have regular blog posts as I go along.

West Side Market

One of the best features of the area where I live is the West Side Market. It is an old market building that houses Cleveland's oldest public market. In 1902 the city purchased a site for a new market that stands today.

The market house cost $680,000 to build. It was designed by the firm of HUBBELL & BENES was dedicated in 1912--a massive yellow-brick building with an interior concourse providing room for 100 stalls, an outdoor arcade with 85 stands, and a large clock tower.

The photography was taken on Saturday during the busiest time of the week for the market.

Betraying the Team

I have been unmotivated to finish the tour this year. I have been going to the Lincoln Park Pub and the Tremont Tap House. I think it is because I don't see the other members of the team on a regular basis. I also think the completely ridiculous winter has stopped me from driving any distance over 3 miles.

I think it is time to step up the effort sand start going to the Winking Lizard downtown and ticking off a few beers from my list.

Visiting the Guinness Factory

Did I mention that I was recently in Ireland. Dublin to be specific. I had a great time and drank as much Guinness as I could. Even better, I made a trip to the Guinness factory for the sixth time. I took a couple of photos from my trip that are posted on my photo blog.

Here are a few of my favorites:

• Vat House sign at Guinness factory
• Reading with a Guinness
• Watching the musicians at the Cobblestone - who are drinking Guinness as well

Jealous. Well, you should be because the Guinness isn't quite as good in the United States. However, St. Patrick's Day is approaching the Guinness gets better and better as March 17th approaches. Go on - go out and have pint, you'll feel better. Remember, Guinness for Strength!

WLWTOB Finishers Party

So it all drew to a close. It finished much the same way that it started, Anelyn and I doing the world tour of beer. We both finished the tour and made it to the finishers party. Anelyn was deathly ill, but she managed to make it to the party.

Hollow leg and the Cruise Director were not able to make it . . . I guess they just couldn't tough it out in the long run.

So is it coming to an end . . no, it is just beginning. We have re-enlisted for another round. However, this year, the sophmore tour participants are allowed to have teammates. I am teaming up with Hollow Leg. Anelyn is pairing up with her boyfriend. The good news, there are going to be three more team members including Loose Lips and a new comer - St. Louis.

The kickoff beer was Smithwicks, but I have a suspicion that hollow leg is going to put down most of the tally.

I am not a blithering idiot

Most of these posts are about the beers I have had to drink. Tonight, this blog is about the beer I did not drink. I was at a new local establishment call the Tremont Tap House. They have great beer and a good beer selection. I decided to have a Brooklyn Brown Ale with my dinner.

Although I was being encouraged to have another beer after dinner, I decided to pass. There was a lot of pressure applied upon me. (Actually, I deserved it because I was trying to encourage my friend to come to my apartment to drink IC Lights). At any rate, I managed to weave my way around the Weyerback Blithering Idiot.

I think that might be a first or last beer of the night kind of drink.

Bells Two Hearted

On Friday night, I checked out a new restaurant/pub in the the neighborhood. Not only did they have great food, they had great beer selection. There were some beers that I had never heard. It was pretty exciting and I will definitely return to explore.

Last night I had the Bell's Two Hearted Ale. Maybe it is was the name of the beer. It was quite yummy, by the way. However, it game me the courage to send out a message to my friends from the world tour. (see photo)

Yes, the bar had a section that was covered with chalkboard paint, and the proprietors leave chalk out for the patrons (another reason to return). I got some immediate responses from my WLWTOB friends. Can't wait for the next tourney. The local bar has mini kegs of Bell's Two Hearted. Definitely think it will help my game - at least the trash talking part.

Ringing in the New Year

Well, 2008 is upon us. It seem like 2007 has gone by so quickly. I just wanted to take a few minutes to recap some great beer events from the past year.

March 13th - The day I started the blog. When we actually started to grow the World Tour Team.

March 22nd - Hitting the midway point in the tour.

May 13th - Finishing the Century of beers at Winking Lizard.

July 2nd - The First Annual Corn Hole Extravaganza

August 15th - Discovering Shipyard and Smutty Nose brewing on my trip to Down East

September 11th - Having my first try of Magic Hat #9 - which has become one of my favorite beers

November 11th - Learning how to pour a half and half from the Guinness experts

December 31st - Pouring my last half and half of the year before drinking a bottle of champagne with my sister-in-law at midnight.