Thanks Susan!

After a long day of after-party cleaning in 90 degrees, nothing could have been better than our gift of that rare of gems, Cantillon Fou'Foune. It went particularly well with mango salsa and our apricot cheese torte.

The first guest has already arrived!!

.....and Uncle Dave's party  isn't until Saturday!

(Mr Cicerone has been working around the clock getting the 11 beers we'll be pouring ready, and I've been double-timing it in the kitchen making, um, let's see....cheese tortes, fig/garlic jam brie in filo, smoky baconey beans, mac & cheese, couscous, cheesecake, fancy mayo for the fish and ham, salad dressings, jerk rub for the lamb, and there's still the chicken and ribs....)

Should be a fine time!

Breathing fumes.....

See the label? It's Brewdog's Tactical Nuclear Penguin. Our friend Richard was given a bottle for Fathers Day from his wife and daughters (thanks Barb, Meg & Mariah!), and we were invited over to his house, along with our friend Pete, to share. Ouch!
It's stout. Well it was once. It's now 32% ABV stout and packs a punch, with strong alcohol fumes (and a wee bit of stoutness) on the nose, with a rummy boozy taste that was like drinking rum. Straight. Cask strength even. The surprise was that there was a decent amount of carbonation that did help its "drinkability", a little. As it warmed, there were definite chocolate and roast notes, and more fuitiness typical of a strong stout.

EDIT: Mr. C's tasting notes- Ethanol fumes aside, there was a pronounced port-like aroma. The flavor held lots of roast and hop bitterness, with some chocolate and raisin. Very interesting. I would recommend a serving size no bigger than 1 oz., though....

Richard, *before* the Penguin.....

Check out the "Best By" date!

Awww, Yeah!

Mudbugs, andouille, and some rye peppercorn pale ale. Laissez les bons temps rouler!

More About The NHC Banquet

In addition to the prairie dogs, there was a fine feast prepared by the "Homebrew Chef," Mr. Sean Paxton. If you are interested in food, beer, and their intersection (you're here, aren't you?) his website is an amazing resource.

A Boy and His Mole - photo courtesy AHA/BA

The menu:



...Full post

A Swing, And A Miss

I had hopes of 'liveblogging' a bit from the recent AHA conference, but some of the promise of 21st century technology has been a bit oversold, and I didn't much feel like fighting my Droid/Blogger bugs to find out where my g#!!&plft!! picture went this time. There were too many beers to investigate, and old friends to tell lies to while drinking them. Plus, the banquet was infested with prairie-dogging Michiganders....

Weirdos.

See you next year in Seattle!

What's Happening Downriver

Doug at Fort Street Brewery is celebrating Lincoln Park's 90th anniversary and the Downriver Cruise in the way he celebrates most things: new beers! Info here.