A Light Beer from Iron City

Yes, my blog has been a bit quiet lately. As I have mentioned before, it is the holiday drinking season. Only a few days until it is completed. It feels like it was more of an endurance challenge than the Winking Lizard World Tour of Beer.

As I am rounding the bend to the finish line, I am taking time to go back and appreciate the beers I have enjoyed over the years. Last time, I reminisced about the Sierra Nevada Christmas Ale. Today, I am thinking about an old stand by IC Light from the good folks at Pittsburgh Brewing Company (also known as Iron City Brewing).

They do have a few other good selections such as Augustiner - it reminds me of Yuengling Lager.

Not only is IC Light one of my favorite light beers, it is amazing how innovative a company they are. Here is a list of a few I really like:

• inventors of aluminum beer bottles
• First Snap Top can, produced in conjunction with Alcoa, revolutionized the beer and soft drink industries 1962.
• First Twist Off Resealable cap, 1963.
• First brewery to print scenes honoring local sports teams and individuals.
• First draught beer available in a can, Iron City.
• First light beer, Mark V, made in 1976

Of course, I am from Pittsburgh, so there is a lot of hometown pride in there for me as well. That is amplified because I know the stories of close calls when the brewery almost shut down. If they need to sell more beer to keep brewing after 142 years, I think I can have a couple bottles to keep the production going.

Cheers!

World Tour . . Japanese Style

On the World Tour of Beer, participants drink beverages from all over the globe. I have talked about some of the fine brews we have had from the Czech Republic, from Trappist Monks in Belgium and from spots as exotic as Sri Lanka.

One of the countries that was not represented in this year's tour was Japan. When I was working at the Swage, we often hosted associates from Japan. Although there was a language barrier, we often found common ground in the fact that they love beer and we love beer.

I have to admit, the Japanese are not the only people in Asia who like to drink. Our friends in China and South Korea like to participate in their fair share of a good time. If you ever want to inquire, Hollow Leg and the Cruise Director have very incriminating photographs to back up my claims.

Partaking of some great Japanese beers like Ashi, Sapporo or Kirin can get you into a party mood and a little hung over. It made me wonder about the cultural experience of the Japanese. As we know, Americans like to drink. When we drink too much, most of us get hungover . . . with the exception of Hollow Leg.

I went exploring this topic on the Internet. I found a great blog entry about How the Japanese cure a hangover. Even better was the detailed explanation about the Japanese culture of the two-day and three-day drinking session.

I think they have the Americans beat here. There are actual words for two-day drunk and three-day drunk in their language. We just call it a lost weekend.

With a series of hangover remedies listed in the posting, the author rightly poses the question - what do YOU do to prevent a hangover?

My answer - have a Bailey's and coffee or just start praying for lunch hour to go sleep it off. Not that I EVER had to do that.

Talking Big, Talking Trash - Delivering Results

There has been a lot of trash talking on the team lately. I think my recent spike to the 70/80s in count has made the male team members a little nervous. (I wanted to say male members there, but I thought it wouldn't be appropriate.)

They came in strong with declarations of "I am going to crush you" and other similar statements. They thought their previous beer drinking experience would be enough to get them through.

Dude, you are not LeBron James. Maybe you have skills, but this is the Big League. I might not be the fastest drinker. I might not have the biggest tolerance. However, I am hungry (well thirsty), and I am willing to work at it instead of resting on my laurels.

Granted, I have thrown some verbal barbs over the wall, but I have slowly and steadily backing up my smack talk with the numbers. It is nice to hit 3 pointers, but when you can't make the layups or foul shots, you're not wearing the t-shirt with 23! You're not even wearing the Winking Lizard fleece first.

To make it even more interesting, I am the only member to complete the Belgian Beer mini tour - kind of like the All Star game for the WLTOB.

I got a wonderful glass that I am going to use as a prize for our corn hole tournament. I know I don't have the skills to win the corn hole tournament, but I also remember, it is just a game.

It Is Hard To Be Away

This week is going to be quiet. I will be out of town for work, so there will be no World Tour for me.

My teammates might use this opportunity to seize upon my enormous lead. I think I have created enough of a barrier, so that I can relax during my week out of town.

We are waiting for the weather to clear so we can begin some of our planned outdoor team activities.

I will keep you posted!

The Goat, The Cork and The Gecko

As with any journey, travelers tend to collect memorabilia. Sometimes it can be postcards, but often it trinkets. Things of interest you find along the way.

For the WLWTOB, our team has started to collect the trinkets. Of course, as the first to the halfway point, I have collected the first three designated trinkets.

I have a small white goat from my Celebrator Dopplebock, a cork from the Lindeman's Pomme and a ceramic stopper from the Le Meule with a gecko on the top. All three were received on different occasions and bring back great memories of sitting around, enjoying good beer and having a laugh.

However, of all three trinkets, I dig the gecko the best. I have to say the Celebrator Dopplebock was by far the best beer of the three. The Lindeman's pomme is apple infused and bit more on the cidery side for me. The Le Meule had some spice in it - maybe clove - that gives it an odd flavor.

It is kind of interesting how beers have so much personality - just like people - just like my teammates. Maybe I will have to mull that over. Is someone the celebrator? Is someone the pomme?

The Beer is Colder in the Other Fridge

I thought when I reached the halfway point, there would be a sense of liberation. It would be better to be drinking the second half instead of the first haf.

At first, there was glory. There was the halfway prize - a Winking Lizard blanket. It was very cool and had carrying handles.

Now, I am feeling the pressure. I went to have a few beers with Annie Lyn, and I started to get worried. I have two big drinking males on my heels. I was planning on relaxing. I was thinking that once I got past the halfway point, it would get easier.

It is getting harder. I made some rookie mistakes. There are a lot of wheat and flavored beers left - not really my favorite style. There are a lot of big beers (high abv) left. I need to regroup. I need to adjust the setting on the fridge and cool things off.

I need a beer!!

Holy Buckeye, Batman!

Do you remember watching Batman and Robin when you were a kid? Batman, Robin or one of their associates would get themselves into a completely ridiculous situation. You would be sitting in front of the TV thinking, they will never get themselves out!

Magically, in the last 5 to 10 minutes of the show, all the right maneuvers would magically fall into place, and - Kapow - they would win the day.

I think Ohio State's basketball must have taken a page from the Batman and Robin playbook last night. Like the past few games, Ohio State lets a huge gap open between their opponents, and then they manage to come back in the final minutes to edge out a point to win.

So maybe you are asking, what do the Buckeyes have to do with the WLWTOB? First, we had our team meeting during the game last night. Beside the Buckeyes unreal victory, I received my halfway blanket. The first member of the team to get there - with a gap of about 10 beers.

It's half time, I am 10 points ahead. I am WORRIED.

Not only are my teammates Buckeye fans, they drink like the Buckeyes. They won't have a beer for a week, then - kapow - 8 in one night or 4 in one sitting. I can't rest on my laurels, they are gunning for me.

Just like OSU, I managed to be victorious and get to the halfway point of the tour(ney), but just like the NCAA tournament, the real action is coming.

Bring it on, baby! I am running out of the locker room after half time, sprinting to the middle of the court, bringing my fists to my sides and screaming "Yeah" til my face is more red the OSU uniforms. Bring it on!

Then there were 2, and then 4

Two quick house keeping news items. I am down to my last two beers before the midway point. The team meeting is tonight at the Winking Lizard and I am going to drink the weakest and the strongest beer (probably a Belgian - yikes) left on my list. After that, I might need to drink some alternative light beers so there will not be a repeat of the Friday incident.

In some really great news, I went to WL last night with my brother. His co-workers were having a goodbye happy hour for him. The boy team member was there with another work associate who was signing up for the tour as I walked in. I immediately initiated him into the team and now there are four members. (Although our new member claims he is going to finish first - we shall see.)

We are not quite sure of his role on the team, but we are leaning toward events procurement. We don't want to rush to judgement or pigeon-hole his capabilities, so we will be watching to see over the next few weeks to see how things will brew.

Maintaining the Team Spirit

While at a team meeting - with only girl members - we started chatting about how close I was coming to my halfway point. As the logistics person, it was on my mind that I might potentially get to 50 during a meeting when everyone on the immediate team was not in attendance.

We made an executive decision, which we later ran by our boy team member, that the two major milestones of halfway and final beer can ONLY be done with all team members present.

This decision was to help maintain the team spirit as we are venturing to participate with different groups of friends. The Tour is not meant to be restrictive, but encourage the consumption and enjoyment of our favorite malt beverage.

The team will be getting together on Thursday to celebrate my 50. When will the next midway celebration be?

Where Beer, the Team and Art Meet

As I was looking through some online drawings, I came across two very interesting comics.

The first one reminded me of Anie Lyn - our team analyatics representative. She was appointed to this position because her social style is Analytical, Analytical.

What does that mean in real world terms?

Here is the scenario - you ask Anie Lyn a questions. She says, 'Let me ask you a question about that question.

Here is the analytical comic that eloquently demonstrates Anie Lyn's team participation.

The second comic reminded me more of the other team mate - The Quality Expert. This cartoon might be a little overboard, but I could see him bartering for his work to get done and beer being the coinage of choice.

Maybe it is because he is our overall quality ranking expert, but we seem to have to taste every beer to help him out.

The next official team outing with all members will be next week, by which time I should be reaching the half way marker (50 beers) by the time we meet.

St. Patrick's Deployment Meeting

Well, the holiday drinking season (starting on Halloween and running through St. Patricks) has O'fficially concluded. It felt a little weird that our third team member was not even in the country.

We managed to coral some other WLWTOB supporters for a meeting on Friday. It was quite mellow, and I have a few theories about why.

1. No one from the team was saying he was going to 'crush' us
2. We skillfully avoided the Belgian beers
3. I was embarrassed that I am a mere 7 beers away from the halfway point
4. The session ran a brief 2.5 hours

I have an odd feeling about the team. I think I will be the first to make it to the halfway point, but then I am going to watch the other team members start getting fierce.

The biggest danger is that I am clipping through the ales - leaving the big Beligian beers and the fruity wheats. I think I need to re-evaluate the ales only tactic. I don't want to be choking down fruity beers and watch my team mates motor past me . . . or do I?

The St. Paddy's Team Event

The WLWTOB Team has been on a bit of a hiatus this week. We had a meeting on Monday, although we were down a member, and there hasn't been much activity this week.

Today, we are brigging out the green and getting the community involved. Our boy is still not in town, but I think we will manage to struggle on without him.

Since I am half Irish, today's world tour meeting has me in a bit of a quandry. I want to keep working toward my goal of 100, but there is only one Irish beer our world tour list.

Maybe it doesn't seem odd to you, but No Guinness, No Smithwicks, No Harp. The Winking Lizard sells the dark stuff - why isn't it on the tour?

I guess we will have to soldier on an enjoy some other beers today. Luckily it is only the eve of St. Paddy's!

Drunk as a Monk

In Belgium, Trappist Monks have a long tradition of brewing beer. Not just any beer - some of the best beers in the world.

As part of our World Tour, there is a mini tour of the Belgian Beers. Specifically, Achel, Chimay, Koningshoeven, Orval, Rochefort and Westmalle. What do you get for finising the mini tour (that only costs $1)? You get a lovely glass.

Well, the real answer to that question - drunk. The amount of alcohol is these beers is dangerous. (psst, abv = alcohol by volume)

• Achel - 8 abv
• Chimay - 9 abv
• Koningshoeven Quadrupel - 10 abv (the strongest on the tour)
• Orval - 6.2 abv
• Rochefort - 9.2 abv
• Westmalle Tripel - 9.2 abv

Big deal you say, consider that Miller Lite about 4.2 abv and you generally drink it in 12 oz bottles.

In my valiant attempt to make my way around this mini tour, I managed to have two beers at the end of the evening. Well, I didn't have a prayer against these heavy hitters.

Yes, I said prayer. No wonder the monks don't speak at the monastary or speak in tougues. I was able to replicate that experience. Have no fear, I didn't drive home.

Me, I have never seen a skunk drunk, but I have a sneaking suspicion, there have been a couple of monks in Belgium in that condition.