5 Best Beers of 2010

2011 is upon us, and I'm jobless and a bit bored in our new apartment in San Francisco - so...I thought I might share my top 5 beers I had the opportunity to try for the first time in 2010, and my subsequent reviews of them.

Here they are, in order of greatness:

#1 Russian River Supplication (American Wild Ale)

Grade: A+ (4.75/5.0)

On Tap @ RR brewery, was too cheap to pay $12/bottle for this at city beer or toronado - huge glass for $5 at Russian River! so good this beer is so worth $12/bottle though!
This is an almost perfect brown sour - aged in pinot noir barrels, and simply incredible...the best sour from russian river IMO, and probably the best American wild ale i've ever had.

Smell is incredible, super complex, woody, earthy, mineral wine notes, corky, and full of ripe fruit - this thing just exudes complexity.

Taste is a bit like a lighter, less winey version of consecration, less woody, which allows the sour and creamy notes to come out more. its full of bad ass ripe incredible sour fruit, berries, winey, woody, leathery for sure.

mouthfeel in rich, smooth and creamy - awesome.

This is truly one of the best sours on earth, let alone in the USA - Russian River just proves over and over that they are the best brewery in the US!

#2 Brewdog Prototype 27 (Fruit Beer/IPA)

Grade: A+ (4.6/5.0)

Article about the beer: http://www.brewdog.com/blog-article.php?id=310
White label with Sharpie markered 'Prototype 27' on the bottle. only one barrel of this one was ever made.


Nose is nothing short of incredible, like nothing i've ever smelled. peaty, smokey, woody malt whiskey up front with caramel and a bit fusel alcohol, along with fresh berries, and yeah, more peat.

Taste is very geared: starts out with oaky smokey peat and vanilla at first, then moves onto an unmistakable tart raspberry character, then finishes with juicy hop bitterness finishing warm and clean with a lingering smoke after the sip is done...so unique.

Mouthfeel is light and smooth, a bit viscous at the end...very nice.
Drinkability is quite high, the sourness of the raspberries balances the sweetness of beer as well as complimenting the bitter hop character - extremely intense but surprisingly drinkable.

This is simply an incredible beer, like nothing i've ever had, it cuts the line between belgian IPA wild yeasty tasting beers, fruit beers and the good 'ol Brewdog Hardcore IPA it was made from.

A real treat, big ups to Ned at the Portcullis Clifton Village for saving me this bottle!

#3 De Dolle Oerbier (Belgian Strong Dark Ale)

Grade: A+ (4.55/5.0)

Bought at Healthy Spirits in SF (owner said it was one of his top 5 beers he'd ever had)

Pours red-brown opaque with a large head and a bit of lacing that dissipates quickly.

Nose is really interesting, huge pear, pineapple, ripe pungent cherries, and earthy, woody yeasty notes...very much like a california Viognier white wine - amazing and very complex, geared nose.

Taste is like nothing i've ever had in a beer...a bit tart, very ripe fruit driven, pears, more of the cherries, a very nice caramel, brown sugar malt backbone that opens up wonderfully, moves to earthy, corky notes, then finishes dry and bitter with lingering dried fruit and tobacco...gets better as it warms.

mouthfeel is smooth and thick.
An excellent beer like nothing i've ever had, this is the base beer for flemish sours, but i like this better than any flemish sour i've had - way more subtle and complex...very wine-like. This is a very excellent brew...one of the nicest beers i've had in a while.

Lost Abbey Gift of The Magi 2010 (Bier De Garde)

Grade: A (4.45/5.0)

Pours redish brown opaque in a tulip glass with a one finger head that sticks around a while and lacing throughout the glass even after 20 minutes.

Smell is almost like a sour ale - lots of tart cherries/indistinct ripe fruit on the nose, very yeasty and fresh smelling...spices in there too...an bit of unsweetened chocolate as well.

Taste is a delicious mix of peppery syrah-like spiceness....followed by fig newtons, caramel malts and an incredible depth...the finish lasts forever, the mouthfeel is smooth and creamy.

In terms of drinkability, this is one of the nicest 10+ beers i've ever had.

what an incredible beer, damn!

#5 Houblon Chouffe Doublen IPA Tripel (Belgian IPA)

Grade: A (4.45/5.0)

Pours yellow opaque with a huge head and tons of amazing lacing so beautiful

smell is just really intense ripe fruit, rich pears, light complex yeast and citrus, very nice

taste is immediately intensely bitter and fruity/yeasty/ even a little sour, overwhelmingly so but so good ...but still very good, interesting buixcuit notes as well and some light mango

very interesting, almost hard to compare on the flavour wheel...a very good and unique beer

Serving type: on-tap

Some thoughts about religion and American politics

According to a recent article, 1/4 of America still believes Barack Obama is a Muslim (which certainly could not be the case), though if he was a Muslim, Atheist or any other interpretation other than church-going, active Christian would have undoubtedly restricted him from serving our country as President.

The fact is, every US president has been a Christian, and its doubtful any president who was not a church-goer could even make it to the party primaries. This is mind-boggling to most Europeans I've met and many Americans. The fact that religion ties into American politics so heavily is both an interesting and unnerving fact. At times, nothing has frustrated me more. Though recently, I've begun thinking of the religion-politics nexus in the US a bit differently, as I examine it from different angles.
The fact is, this nexus would be a very difficult standard of judgment to break; many view the president as a pseudo-spiritual leader since so much... of American idealism, exceptionalism and nationalism has a spiritual and religious basis.

From 'the land of the free' to 'the city on a hill' to GW's insane reinterpretation of biblical prophetic passages of 'slaying thine enemies' and spreading truth and freedom to the world, American domestic and foreign policy is currently and probably always has been linked with some sort of strong philosophical and religious orientation - this has undoubtedly characterized America's unique rise to Hegemonic status.

We are fairly unique among Western powers that way, for better or for worse - certainly some of both. It is a two-way street, the Christianization of Americanism and the Americanization of Christianity. It also seems to be a two-way street (or a double edged sword) in another sense. In addition to playing a positive and negative role domestically, much of the positive global development and work towards human rights promotion is coming from religious (largely Christian) civil society based in the United States and acting transnationally.
One thing is clear though, I dont think religious concerns will leave the US political process anytime soon - this will continue to be both a sponsor of awareness and profoundly disturbing ignorance.

There is nothing that frustrates me more than politicians garnering support for wicked policy aspirations by proclaiming some BS issues that appeals to the Christian Right, and maybe it's going to take people seeing politicians with religious orientations like Obama (as opposed to the Bush/Carter model) who are church-going but don't seem to use it as a major leverage tool to slowly change this trend. At least that is my hope - my hope is not that religion will leave the US political process or even people's voting habits (even though this is what I once believed), but that the good will be increasingly refined, the gospel will moreover be used to further the good of humanity both inside and outside our borders and the tendency of religious people to ignorantly follow the party line will decrease - but this is only my hope, and as Richard Rohr says 'hope is not logical but a participation in the very life of God.'

Back in Tahoe...life moves.

Alright, I haven't blogged for 3 months...I really should be writing my dissertation but instead I just got back from a bike ride to the beach and I'm sitting outside of my house, drinking a North Coast Old Stock (which isn't nearly as good as I remembered - but its still ale), and watching the sun go down over the pine trees and alpine peaks...such a wonderful place to be for a while, not too long, but a while.

I've been in California for one month today, and have been pretty darn busy since i've gotten here - looking for a bar job, working with my folks for the business, making progress on a difficult but rewarding dissertation, riding a fun new fixed gear, trying to climb a bit, oh yeah, and planning a wedding.

The big events of the past few months have probably been:

- Flying to California to surprise Krista in one perfect, well-planned moment with all of my best friends in town to support me, to ask her to marry me in October.

- Dislocating my shoulder while trying to onsight a rad sport climb in Mallorca (The day after my last post).

-Moving back to the States from Bristol and sinking back into life here.

-Starting my dissertation which discusses Religion, Civil Society and the future of Sino-US relations.

In terms of the wedding, things are going smoothly, we're taking it pretty chill and making it our style...today, we got a ton of stuff for the big day, at a thrift store of course for the cost of about $10, oh and i found a bad ass '70s Schwinn 10 speed for Krista at the same store for $15! what a deal. But yeah, for everyone who will be there with us, its going to be one heck of a great party! We can't wait to drink, dance and laugh with all of you!

My shoulder has been a less happy scenario. After dislocation on a crimp/gaston move, and re-location via one-handed drive across the island of Mallorca to a doctor (picture below was taken 5 minutes after the dislocaiton drinking a whiskey waiting for nick to arrive in the car)

I sought the advice of 2 physiotherapists in England who were very optimistic and said I was lucky and gave me the go-ahead to start exercising/climbing after 6 weeks.

I eased back into it in the gym and crags around bristol and tahoe...was easily climbing 5.11 sport and V6 bouldering, and then thursday...was climbing a hard(ish) climb i'd done numerous times before, and BOOM - shoulder out, shoulder back in, from the same move i did in mallorca in april - SHIT ROCKETS! what a bummer...anyway, basically just means i have to return to physiotherapy/exercise and take it easy with my climbing for the un-forseen future...all this after knocking on the door of 5.13, negative.

I'm not exactly sure where to move onto from here, just riding my bike and trying to stay positive, and be joyful for the health I have...I know Ethan Pringle and lots of other climbers much stronger than me have come back from rough shoulder stuff, It's just hard to deal with a part of your body failing you.

I'm trying to stay hopeful, and mainly just acceptant of whatever God has in store...if it means I'll never climb hard again, or acheive the goals I hoped to someday acheive, thats ok, I will find new ways to enjoy the outdoors and enjoy rocks - maybe long, easy trad climbing is going to turn out to be my forte! I know hope is always the only attitude to have.

Benjamin over and out.

Life.

My life is amazing - i am so blessed.

i'm sitting here in mallorca at 11pm, in a hostel room with two good friends laughing and reminicing about the past couple days, yesterday i onsighted one of the most classic, climbs in the world 'Buf' a rarely onsighted 30 metre 7a+ (5.12a) tufa route which took my breath away before i even hopped on it - a piece of rock that is literally a gift from God.

Today, our rest day, we got a super cheap deal on scuba diving, something i've always wanted to try, and did that enjoyed it so much, playing in the underwater world, then sat on the beach and drank sangria in the warm sun all evening...

i have had so many of these amazing experiences and they keep adding up - great people, friends, the outdoors, culture, travel, life ever anew, constant surprises, constant joys, constant trials and challenges, and its all part of this beautiful journey.

Last week, I was in California, asking the love of my life to become my wife, the girl who has been my life partner in so much of this beautiful journey - now this week, i'm back in europe, charging forward into wonderful interactions with some of the most beautiful parts of God's good earth,

i've travelled more in the last month than most people get to do in a lifetime, i just sometimes can't believe this life is mine and its so great - some people never leave their home town and i have done this much in the first 25 years of my life...and I strive for more, to charge hard in the things i love in...travel, language, climbing, skiing, political influence, teaching, writing, and teaching others to love learning and life as much as i do - times like these pull me through the moments when i feel lost, like my life talent is adrift and wasted they offer me perspective and gratefulness at how wonderful this life is, and what we have all been given by our maker.

Today people, take a breath of air and realize, this journey is only yours, no one else will live your life - this is your path, your breath, your view and your surroundings, every decision you have made and not made has led you to this point...Embrace it!

yay brewdog

had some incredible beers on at work the past few weeks - its such a hard job to have to taste all of them...and then even harder to decide which one i want to indulge in at the end of my shift...we've had some great beers lately, notably some good ones from local brewer Arbor Ales who made an amazing espresso/cocoa driven intense stout just for our rare ales night at the Portcullis
http://www.arborales.co.uk/joomla/

and the 7.3 % smooth going cakelike brew Old Freddy Walker from Moor Beers http://moorbeer.co.uk/our-beer/old-freddy-walker



Though the most outstanding have been the two we've had on from our scottish friends up at Brewdog

The First was 5am saint - the smell of this cascade hop driven beer brought me back to california right here in bristol - an amazing, almost perfect 5% Red ale


Here's the tasting notes

'Had on cask @ work at the Portcullis Clifton Village - Bristol.

pours a beautiful redish brown with a nice one finger head and plenty of lacing

smell just reminds me of california...i had a half pint and kept savouring the aroma - just pure perfect hop goodness that almost all english beers lack...normal piney citrus character, though this one had a unique strawberry fruityiness that was really nice.

taste is just wonderful for a red, just enough hops to drive this amazing brew, enough malts to carry the profile and compliment the fruit...the alcohol is very nice @ 5%...enough to create a lovely mouthfeel and the right amount of warmth (strong by brit standards! haha) but low enough to be a session ale. It isn't as over the top as american reds often are, still maintains the british balance, and is awesome on cask.

freaking solid, one of my all time favourite British beers...one of brewdogs best.'

OVERALL SCORE: A




And in addition had their 10% paradox isle of arran imperial stout aged in scotch whisky barrels.

Solid, here are the tasting notes from last night (bored during slow sunday shift)

'On cask at the portcullis Clifton village

Pours black and viscous with a bit of lacing and a small head

nose is slightly peaty whiskey smokey chocalte liqueur - can you have all that?

Taste starts out sweet and liqueur like and moves into a bitter oaky peaty finish - very nice but not nearly as smokey as some of the other batches

overall a deliciously drinkable, smooth balanced cask brew - rad

Note - some Brits can't handle 10% beer A local literally tripped out of the pub and almost passssed out after a few of these...leaving half of his half pint behind...funny.'


OVERALL SCORE: A-

Climbing update - Brean Down - first 5.12 c/d (7b+)!

Wow, its been ages since i published anything on my blog - i keep thinking i'll be more into it, then i just get busy/lazy etc...in reality, i guess i'm not the best at my online life.

Anyway, to give a recap of the past 6-7 weeks of climbing in england, i have to bring you to brean down.

Brean down is a small but picturesque sea cliff about 45 minutes drive from bristol that offers shelter from the wind, a seemingly permasunny (almost) microclimate and some concentrated classics in the 7a - 8b range.

the climbing is slightly overhanging, and sustained with amazingly cool (if sometimes small) holds - a welcome break from the sometimes strange, beta-intesive holds of the Cheddar gorge.

my first session or two there, i worked through the easy climbs on the left...climbing the 6cs, onsighting a 6c+, and doing a fun 7a...

then a couple weeks in archie and i went over to a 7b (or 7a+ depending on who you ask) called The Roof of Inequity - which Archie managed to quickly flash as its a bit morpho (new word for height dependent) - it took me a few goes, but finally worked out the tricky powerful roof sequence and it felt easy. Here is a shot of another guy on the crux moves of the Roof.

After getting the Roof, i knew it was time to move on to the hard classics of the crag - everyone kept talking about this route called Chulilla, saying it was the best at the crag, and one of the best 7b+ routes in the area (some say quite hard for the grade).

So that day, i got on and surprisingly did all the moves (with great difficulty) - knew it would go but knew it would take some time...i've decided how much I've always sucked at having the patience to redpoint routes over mulitple sessions, and have had many climbers tell me how much harder i should be climbing - figured this was a good route to give some redpoint attempts on.

I spent two more brief sessions working out the moves on chulilla, trying, failing, coming up with new beta. The climb is basically really hard insecure moves off the ground on polished, bad holds, then some powerful throws over a bulge to an akward but good no hands rest...de pump then carry on into a V5 ish boulder problem that involves huge moves on two finger pockets up a blank wall...then a shake out and to on to a 6b slab section top out.

The 3rd day of trying to redpoint the route, i showed up to brean on a beautiful warm sunny day, warmed up and got on the route, and quickly found myself at the rest after desperate moves, milked it for 4 or 5 minutes, then cruised through the crux...i felt like i finally clicked back into reality when i clipped the chains - this was a new level for me in my climbing, and felt like i clicked into another mental game on the send....syyyyyyyked! First 5.12c/d - really nothing in the scheme of things, but a big deal for me. here's a couple pics of me on the route.


I now have plenty of other projects at the crag, including the latest one - El Chocco 7c that involves one of the most interesting moves i've done on a route.

Overall, i'm really glad to have found a great place to go to climb hard in bristol and lots of friends that are psyched as well.

free beer...

Here in Bristol...went downstairs today on my way to the library and saw that they were holding a package for me at the post. I walked over there and a huge box was waiting for me inside which i had no idea what lay.

I was excited to see the sender as BrewDog Beers!

I sent the brewer and email a couple weeks ago saying how much i enjoyed their beers and how they were one of the only Breweries in the UK brewing good, big beers.

Apparently, he was pretty happy with this as the package was full of different beers!!!!

a couple IPAs an expirimental ale, a Stone/Brewdog compilation and another stout.

I'm especially excited about the Stone/Brewdog compilation one pictured here.


A very pleasant surprise!