tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91608097496644303252024-02-07T03:48:20.120-08:00Stalking the Big Beerssobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.comBlogger145125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-42238253259911793372022-03-01T23:30:00.000-08:002022-03-01T23:30:30.369-08:00And now it’s today<p> Well fuck me … or not.</p><p>But what a great evening it’s been … Golden Earring and Cream videos that tickled me. It’s sucks when I have something to say and then I’m tongue tied … oh yeah … wait … it was indeed that Golden Earring thang I mentioned… I was stationed in Germany in the early 70’s and I could have, with some effort, caught their act live. But no … I fucked that up and didn’t … catch that show or any of their shows … all I’ve really learned since I'm old is that Joe Roachfort and I should have just shut the fuck up sometimes. </p><p><br /></p>sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-39039864818844087972021-04-09T21:24:00.000-07:002021-04-09T21:24:05.157-07:00<p> So yeah ... now it’s tomorrow and I have even less shame ... so I’ll write things. </p><p>Bond ... that’s a word ... and an interesting one from the perspective of early 60’s English blues history ... The Graham Bond Organization ... and he was much more than a cracker ... he helped those Limey fucks take over music appreciation there for a decade or so ... mid 60’s to mid 70’s roughly ... more or less ... give or take ... sorta maybe. Close enough for the Crickets Buddy. </p><p>Of course Graham wasn’t around all that time nor was Alexis Korner, Cyril Davies, Long John Baldry, The Shadows or Screaming Lord Sutch although their influence certainly was. Another ‘of course’ is that John Mayall out lasted them all ... by a margin. </p><p>So what WAS the greatest group to come out of the early 60’s mishmash jazz/blues scene? Or person? Hmmm ... certainly an interesting ponder and I wish I actually knew someone that had a reasonably intelligent answer ... anyone? You there next to the ugly thick chick next to the stale donuts ... anything? No? ... OK well ... sorry ... you are correct ... she isn’t that ugly ... </p><p>Dick Huckstall Smith? Jack Bruce? ... Ginger Baker? ... ha ... now you are getting ... yes yes yes it’s CREAM ... I’m such a one trick pony ... </p><p>We’ll chat again ... until such time </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-10052713891048046952021-04-08T22:06:00.002-07:002021-04-08T22:06:42.908-07:00<p> Today is the day alright. The day I ignore all the semi interesting shit I wrote in emails and other everyday correspondence during the past three months and instead flood my wayward horribly foreshortened Hunter blog with lame half witted blather and second rate word farts.</p><p>Oddly I only remember to write on this thing after a minimum of four boilermakers. Check ... got that done because ... well ... why not ... it is a Thursday in April after all ... nothing like a bottle with precious little content to make one want to create room in the cupboard for some new and interesting replacement.</p><p>So I did that ... I dusted Bobke’s Four Roses bourbon ... making room for who knows what from my next Total Wines and More visit. I am finding a soft spot for Jamison variations lately ... that and any other Green Isle beverages ... for me a great defining year in my musical appreciation.</p><p>On the radio today some older “made for radio face” talking head threw out some weird 1971 ... 50 years ago best album releases comment ... and it really hit me ... I wonder what fucking albums will these folks come up with ... I had my own quick knee jerk entry that I feel kinda defines their list ... at least for me ... if they fail to list ‘Future Games’ by Fleetwood Mac then I shun them ... well not really but I can’t ‘imagine’ that list without that.</p><p>And of course yes ‘Imagine’ is also on that list ... one of Johnny Winstons finest post Beatles efforts. Or at least to some folks. David Crosby, Humble Pie, Joni Mitchell and the Doors also owned that year ... OK ... I have to go now ... hopefully I can follow up on this ... both of the folks that might maybe read this blog kinda sorta insist upon edit and I feel their pain.</p><p><br /></p>sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-69732937574457000332020-12-31T22:24:00.000-08:002020-12-31T22:24:23.017-08:00Hopefully the end ... of 2020 ... <p>Well of course it is the end of 2020 ... no matter what lies are told or what tendencies are wrangled ... it’s just math ... or calendars ... or maybe colanders if we got pasta ... I like spaghetti.</p><p>In any event one year is dying and a new is commencing. That just is and no amount of optimism changes the fact that it’s still merely just tomorrow. Oh I know, I know ... I need to be more positive and optimistic and really I am ... but ... the math is still the math.</p><p>What’s my point? What? ... I have to have a point? OK ... let’s see if I can perform under pressure ... nope ... still just writing whatever whenever however.</p><p>I’m not even writing proper Gonzo journalism ... just drunk stream of thought ... but then perhaps it’s like having no style ... is actually a style. </p><p>So at 2121hrs on the eve of the new I can’t help but wonder ... </p><p><br /></p>sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-42012348681517192632020-09-20T00:14:00.001-07:002020-09-20T00:29:03.607-07:002020 ... <p> ... a year that will live in infamy. </p><p>Although the original impressive infamy usage described merely one single day, a tragic date to say the least, December 7th 1941. Which all good and educated Americans will say ... well ... everyone knows that Dude.</p><p>The problem is a vast number of our young replacement citizens do not. And that is a great problem about now. </p><p>The sad villainy of ignorance of history cannot be overstated. Not sure that makes perfect sense but I liked it and couldn’t delete it so I’m moving on ... just like the scary New Dumbs attempts at rewriting history or simply eliminating it from any school curriculum.</p><p>I read a headline once about ‘How did we let the idiot Libs become in charge of educating our children’ ... or something of the sort ... although I may have added the idiot part for my own amusement.</p><p>That is a great question ... and to give those wannabe Communist cretins their due credit ... it is a brilliant and surprisingly long developing plan. I usually loosely associate those old hippy, LSD Stalinists with the instant gratification tendencies of today’s electronic robot youth.</p><p>In the end the dilemma remains ... how can this tidal wave of misinformation be slowed ... arrested and finally turned around? Before our great country is overwhelmed by the New Dumb and their misguided, misplaced and irrational desire to destroy America and follow morons like Bernie on an irreversible path into the River Styx?</p><p>They have had it too easy, take it all for granted and are determined to bring it all down. </p><p>The amazing level of this ignorance is beyond my comprehension. Obviously.</p><p>The sad part of all this for me is I haven’t had a drink today ... merely relying on insomnia for motivation in throwing these words down. Wrote about this crap in August as well ... Sorry for repeating the obvious ... just my Alzheimer’s working its magic.</p><p>I should have wrote about Ava Gardner instead ... maybe next time.</p>sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-77633665285367656582020-09-05T11:27:00.000-07:002020-09-05T11:27:06.944-07:00Cooking shows ...<p> ... or eating shows ... or food game shows ... the food channels has got them all ... and I find I’m missing the straight ahead food preparation shows and tuning out the gimmicky BS. Guy’s Grocery Games? Seriously?</p><p>Another weird observation I have from watching these so called chefs is their habit of dumping a pile of spices, herbs or other small volume items directly into the center of the bowl contents instead of beginning the even distribution process by sprinkling these ingredients throughout the container ... effectively reducing the blending portion ... which in many instances does little to enhance the dish.</p><p>But then what do I know ... perhaps I’m missing something ... after all I’m the guy that’s about to create brunch using ingredients that are nearly 100% yellow or orange.</p><p>I need a good spicy hot dish to help sustain me on my days journey ... buying bullets, beer and BBQ takes several Habanero and Manzanita peppers to pull off. And certainly at least half a grapefruit .... as I’m certain Karen and the mask police are out there ready to give me grief as well ... maybe I better throw in some Serrano’s too.</p>sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-34081339417804634462020-08-18T23:20:00.004-07:002020-08-18T23:32:25.109-07:00The Pressure is on<p>Tuesday is seemingly the new deadline of many weeks.</p><p>The unknown weekend is looming ... yet there is still time to do something about it. Tuesday.</p><p>Shall I ... or ... we ... do anything about it? ... maybe? ... maybe not ... depends upon the drinking. Planned or otherwise.</p><p>Tuesday drinking is a natural given ... you probably drank Sunday ... yet perhaps cinema and/or gluttony ate through your moments instead ... and so somehow... inexplicably ... no alcohol was consumed ... and no abuse occurred. Hey!! It could happen Alex!!</p><p>So anyway ... Tuesday was lucky for the High Desert ... because we determined we must go there. Ha ... assuming our presence isn’t too disruptive ... we hope to visit Mom ... Lola May ... my one and only Mother. The greatest Mom of all time ... Ha ... you assume I’m biased .. and yes ... I am ... yet the fact remains. ... she is a better a mom than I ever deserved ... or you ... yah ... you don’t deserve her either.</p>sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-71108851201422228282020-08-17T00:09:00.000-07:002020-08-17T00:09:36.939-07:00Sunday on my mind<p> Did someone say it’s hot? I believe it would have to cool down a few degrees to only be considered hot.</p><p>And I’m all for it ... Today topped out at 111 ... which may look like cool numerology on the weather channel ... but I’ll take the small irony of 86 anytime.</p><p>And now I see here that in dragging my feet I have let the day slip from Sunday to Monday ... easily my least favorite day of the week. Although in another year or so when I actually just stop going to work they may just send me a questioner wondering if I really retired or I just got tired of showing up late and then leaving early to make up for it. After that weird and chilling departure from the toil I have seemingly always know ... I will become a true fan of Monday ... for obvious reasons ... it’ll be just like Saturday ... except without the bath.</p><p><br /></p>sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-42775929975486520232020-08-15T12:09:00.004-07:002020-08-15T12:09:44.923-07:002020 - A very bad year ... <p> ... at least so far ... and we are 2/3 into it with no common sense in sight. The New Dumb have laid their claim to it and using their lame lies, Black Lies Matter and otherwise to promote their ill informed quest for socialism ... and eventually communism. We haven’t seen this level of dumb ... well that’s another lie ... its always been here in our lifetimes ... growing stronger with the school brainwashing and biased media that have become little more than the propaganda arm of the dimocraps and new dumb zealots.</p><p>Why is history so easily ignored?</p><p>Antifa? The folks that are Fascists claiming to be fighting Fascism ... the irony of the new dumb never ceases to entertain.</p><p>The saddest casualty this year, at least entertainment wise is professional sports ... dumb ass brutes and speedsters who happen to have skills with balls, sticks, hoops and pigskins now also think they should be some sort of spokesmen for the morals and behavior of our nation. The sad irony for me is in the very year my favorite professional sports team wins the big prize is the same year my sense of right and wrong may prevent me from watching them the very next season. Football is sports entertainment ... not a forum for spoiled hypocritical athletes to school us regular folks on their bias and misplaced outrage. Fuck them. </p><p>Whatever right? The same old endless whining of whichever side we’re on at the moment.</p><p>Sick of politics would be closer to ‘my truth’ (a hilariously bogus idea) but nowadays its all we talk about ... that and the yearly flu ... a great political tool for the twisted and hopefully doomed New Dumb and their policies.</p><p>One day some kid that doesn’t fall for the easy brainwashing road to sheep dip Socialism will wonder .... “Hey Dads ... whatever became of America” ... and silence will be the only answer.</p>sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-87292181359496422382019-09-26T22:33:00.000-07:002019-09-26T22:33:13.840-07:00The useless top 10Lately I’ve notice a lot of friends and acquaintances joining in some challenge to list their top tens ... in categories on Facebook.<br />
It seems fun and of course interesting when opinions agree.<br />
So of course I’m going to do my own weird list of the first top 10 albums that significantly influenced me. In perhaps some loose chronological order ... best as I can figure or remember.<br />
I’ve given it little thought overall so yeah ... should be fun. Off the cuff ... sorta ... I might have lied ... been thinking about it my whole life.<br />
1. - The Beatles - A Hard Days Night ... their best album in my opinion.<br />
2. - Donovan - Mellow Yellow ... The hit song isn’t even the best on the album.<br />
3. - Blue Cheer.- Vincebus Erupton ...<br />
4. - Canned Heat - Boogie with Canned Heat<br />
5. - Cream - Disraeli Gears<br />
6. - The Mother’s of Invention - Freak Out<br />
7. - Steppenwolf - Monster<br />
8. - Joni Mitchell - Ladies of the Canyon<br />
9. - Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced?<br />
10. - The Doors -sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-2919153326878491792019-06-02T21:52:00.002-07:002019-06-02T21:52:36.415-07:00Warrior hatredMost of the world, and apparently 48 of 50 US States (yes that’s correct Obama) are rooting for Canada in the 2019 NBA playoffs. And I get that. Totally understandable... the Warriors play in California ... the pukiest state in the Union.<br />
I unfortunately also live in California... but I love my home in Northern California... just not the pathetic nature of its politics. But I still root for the Warriors despite Moonbeam, Clueless Gavin, Feinstein and the Hilarious Nancy whatever ... I can hardly believe she has really been elected multiple times??<br />
The Warriors are just a fun and cool team ... despite where they play their home games.<br />
And no ... you can’t win too many Championships in a row ... unless you are the Patriots of course ... and then just fuck off.sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-40903721160355172772019-04-02T23:04:00.000-07:002019-04-02T23:04:22.525-07:00Fucking Tuesday Well crap ... it’s merely Tuesday and already I have a weeks worth of gripes ... not that I would/could remember any of them about now ... damn this Loomis Basin 3IPA in my kegerator ... but I want to try and hoping that as I write I will recall the points of this entry ... no guarantees ... hmmm ... guess I better go fill my glass ...sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-49668393687260074992019-03-13T22:42:00.003-07:002019-03-13T22:42:55.703-07:002019 at the OwlThe pathetic level of my posts can not be over stated ... or more precisely understated ... they merely, simply, virtually don’t exist. What could be more useless than that? Yep ... well that’s me of late ... useless and lagging. BUT ... there is light at the end of the wondering tunnel ... or at least a flicker ... I have so much to say ... and so little skill to say it. Fortunately for ya’ll I’m listening to Sade and drinking an IPA that was decorated by Ralph Steadman. Yep ... figure that shit out Pilgrims.<br />
So get on with it you are thinking ... and I share that notion ... so I will borrow from a recent email to my best buds ...<br />
As most of you know the Men’s Restroom in the Owl Club contains a urinal and a traditional toilet. To my thinking this makes the thing a 2-howler and so I don’t lock the door when I use it to urinate. I have noticed that a lot of tender and sensitive girly boys always lock the door behind them though ... to apparently protect their sensitive nature ... or whatever ... anyway there I was at the urinal easing my peanut sized bladder when I hear the door open behind me ... it’s one of those timid fellas who scolds me that I forgot to lock the door ... when I exit I point out to him there are indeed two receptacles and hence no waiting and that it was indeed he who as responsible for misunderstanding the situation and not my lack of door locking. He had nothing to say to that.<br />
Naturally after another pint of Drakes Aroma Coma my bladder calls again so I have to make another trip to the head ... of course it’s locked and I have to wait a couple of minutes ... and then who comes out? Yep ... girly boy ... who I just shake my head at as he quickly slithers away ... back to his Crabapple Cider I assume.<br />
I go in and assume the age ole position at the urinal and soon hear the door lock behind me ... and then the scents of a female. I of course just keep on peeing and then she asks me why I didn’t lock the door ... I told her “Well it’s a 2-holer Ma’am and people need to pee”. To that she replies “Well that’s right so I guess you won’t mind if I do just that” and proceeded to ensconce herself on the facilities.<br />
I suppose I should have been more of a gentleman and just stayed at the urinal until she was done but she apparently wanted to talk so I just finished up ... washed my hands and stood and talked to her until she finished. She informed me that she knew I was a famous local beer guy and that her girlfriend was scared to talk to me ... I told her to go get her and maybe we could have a pee together sometime.<br />
We laughed and then I unlocked the door and we exited ... and there waiting was two guys with startled looks on their faces. She tells them “Hey ... it’s a two holes you can both go in” ... but of course only one of them went in and so she looks back at them and says “Pussies!!”<br />
We went back to our respective bar stools at opposite ends of The Owl Club and a couple minutes later a pint gets delivered to me ... she bought me a round and we cheered each other from afar. And so the night went on ... the world is definitely a-changin.sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-87140332407618614312018-12-22T22:42:00.001-08:002018-12-22T22:42:26.625-08:00Damn ... almost failed to add a single entry in 2018 ... yet here it uselessly is. A year of strangeness to be sure. Pathetic physical presence and a brain of mush. In-between there were several worthy bears in the mix. I wish I’d remember what the hell they are ... something from El Segundo Brewing was good and Altamont remains a favorite yet the huge new Russian River facility in Windsor deserves the spotlight ... well done Vinnie ... and Natalie too since I’ve been very aware of her real power for years now.<br />
Too many freakin Hazies damn it ... And don’t get me started ... oh no ... not right now bitches ...<br />
OK ... what else? ... yep ... Go Chiefs!!!sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-39202057223647261332017-04-28T11:07:00.001-07:002017-04-28T11:07:05.378-07:00Does this thing work anymore?It was a bit difficult to find my old Hop Hunter blog among all the new hop hunters out there and of course the Sierra Nevada beer of that name.<br />
Perhaps if I wrote on it more often it wouldn't get buried so far under the beer rubble.<br />
Lets see what this does and go from there.<br />
Go Chiefs.sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-71968439266536465902015-01-28T22:08:00.000-08:002015-01-29T12:59:09.409-08:00Hop Hunter Eye Pee Eh?You all probably thought I was dead, moved to Torrance.... or maybe turned into a heroin addict or a daiquiri drinker .... but none of that would be true.... Over the years I've been diagnosed with extreme apathy and severe laziness. One beer at a time... or maybe sometimes six.<br />
So what reason do I have for rearing my head up now?<br />
Well of course it's Sierra Nevada's new beer called ... ta da! "Hop Hunter IPA".<br />
I have to admit I chuckled a bit when I first became aware of them copying my blog name for their new special wunderkind secret groundbreaking hop oil process offering.<br />
And yeah ... I know I have no real legal hold on that name that I've been using for a decade or so ... but none the less I've kind of grown fond of that handle and it's a little disturbing to see it just scooped up and added to the impressive stable of SNB beers.<br />
And hey... don't get me wrong ... I love Sierra Nevada Brews ... always have... I think there are virtually no better beer values in the beer market place today...<br />
I'm naturally curious about, but will probably never know, if someone associated with the company knew about my little blog (that perhaps as many as seven or eight people have actually ever read) or somewhere heard the name used and passed it along up the chain of command to the position it currently occupies as the greatest and latest SNB IPA release.<br />
I always considered it a somewhat clever and very apropos name for me considering my beer wanderings and growler collecting ... but I also know that others would certainly be capable of coming up with that title on their own as well.<br />
So yeah... they have it now... we have to share... and I can't be bitter ... a little annoyed maybe ... but not so annoyed that a few cases of that fine IPA sent to my home in Roseville wouldn't cure.sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-71235252257764593552012-04-04T06:33:00.003-07:002012-04-04T22:24:00.519-07:00Spring Ball<div><div>We just got back from a weekend in the greater Phoenix area where my bride and I attended three Major League baseball Spring Training sites.</div><div>We actually started our first day with a nice drive up to Sedona and lunch at Oak Creek Brewing. Their brews were solid but not spectacular....and at $6 a pint I thought them a bit too proud of their pedestrian offerings.</div><div>Our first tickets were to a night game at Peoria Sports Complex home of the San Diego Padres and Seattle Mariners. We had tickets right behind home plate to see the Padres hosting the San Francisco Giants. We got to the park early and so naturally took a stroll around the entire field chatting up vendors and watching starting Giants pitcher Barry Zito go through his bizarre pre-game stretching exercises. They didn't help as he struggled with the home plate umpires bizarre strike zone gave up five runs in three innings. We ended up sampling a couple of the local breweries Pale Ale...including a nice one from SanTan brewing in Chandler. The Giants came back with a 7 run sixth inning that included a Pablo Sandoval mammoth home run to the left center field grass seats. The Padres ended up winning by scoring 3 runs in the 8th.</div><div>On Saturday we had tickets to the Angels vs Cubs at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa. The mid day temperature reached 90 degrees so we continually cooled ourselves with Old Style beer from Chicago. Albert Pujols put his new Angel team up 2-0 with a huge first pitch home run in the first inning. Later (in the third inning I believe) he made a total bone head play and started to trot off the field after making a putout. Trouble was it was only the 2nd out of the inning. Yeah we thought....over a 100 million dollar contract and can't remember how many outs there are. My uber friendly and professionally obnoxious brother-in-law let the Angel fans have it over that gaff...even though he was rooting for the Angels in the game. He's an equal opportunity jokester and no one is safe from his barbs.</div><div>The worst part of the event was the final score of 3-3 after 10 innings. Seems that some spring training game rule that we had no clue to....and were not happy about. So naturally we stopped at the local beer market... gathered some supplies and then headed back to the casa for a dip in the chilly pool. Beer and ribs for dinner. Not a bad day.</div><div>It sounds like it ended innocently enough...which really wasn't the case at all. Jimbo and I stayed up till after midnight drinking bullshitting and taking refreshing dips in the pool. The loud music was apparently tolerated by all the neighbors who ignored us aside from shutting the garage door for us. We forgot to close it because I think we were carrying too much beer...yeah...that's it.</div><div>The next day started a little foggier but by the time we had breakfast and a few beers at SanTan Brewing we were ready for some more baseball.</div><div>We drove out to Glendale...West of Phoenix to the White Sox/Dodger facility. I don't think I've ever seen so many full sized ball fields in all my life. I counted 9 but wasn't sure I even seen them all. The game was won by the hometown Arizona Diamondbacks who were actually the visiting team in that Dodger compound. There was a few wind aided home runs including one that bounced off the Dodger left fielders mitt and over the fence. We never did catch his name and assumed he'd be on his way to AA ball after that hilarious play anyway. The beer of the day there was 24oz bottles of Sierra Nevada Torpedo....a rare and wondrous find. On the trip home we made a quick stop at Four Peaks Brewing for growlers of their nice Hop Knot IPA.</div><div>The evening was spent with more BBQing and the draining of all the beer in the fridge. Only an Amstel light remained...and no one was interested in that after the last bottle of Fire Stone Walker Double Jack.</div><div>Monday was for flying home and ended with a stop at Rubicon Brewing in Sacramento.</div><div>May have to make this Spring Training Baseball a yearly plan...they have another half dozen stadiums to see plus more breweries to visit. Hard to go wrong with that double play combo.</div><div> </div></div>sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-34166005322458468402012-03-09T21:06:00.002-08:002012-03-09T21:26:01.349-08:00Peyton PlaceI've made that little dumb joke several time since the Colts released Manning and I realize that unless the person I'm talking to is pretty old they just don't get it. I guess that show was on TV a really long time ago. Not that I ever watched the stupid lame thing.<br />Speaking of stupid lame things....I busted out laughing today when I heard that three Broncos players were suspended for the first 4 or 6 games this coming season for positive drug tests. The very day that Manning is flown into town by the teams private jet for a tour of the facilities and whatever else Elway can do to convince Pay-a Ton to come play for his crappy squad. Maybe Tebow will be the running back.<br />I swear no one could make this shit up.<br />BUT....that is not even the stupidest thing I read..... that would be the report that the Washington Redskins are going to trade their first (6th pick overall) and second round picks this year with St Louis to move up to the second spot to pick Baylor QB Robert Griffin III. They also have to give St Louis their first round picks in 2013 and 2014. Are you fucking kidding me? Really?<br />Wow....If it's true ... then that St Louis GM should already be awarded GM of the year.<br />Hard to believe Washington would do that..... must be a typo or something. No one's that stupid are they? Not even shadyham.<br />But it will be interesting to see where Manning chooses to play...and hopefully it won't be some where that he has to worry about the Saints putting a bounty on his neck.sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-16285067654619015552012-02-25T07:57:00.007-08:002012-02-25T08:40:14.558-08:00ZZHop<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWjdZoARiB_HMqw-GXkg_4mNXtfbIYuo284uXsW65EF2U3uyMHE2X1RI3AZphrJqePNu-wmSVfdjGLAn3Kn0yyuVPROZ6iqKCMs4FRle6TSSKFXftSSLCehqsi2CWauW8iqaU4ArUiaxP/s1600/zzhop-254x300.png"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 254px; height: 300px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713105727143935074" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDWjdZoARiB_HMqw-GXkg_4mNXtfbIYuo284uXsW65EF2U3uyMHE2X1RI3AZphrJqePNu-wmSVfdjGLAn3Kn0yyuVPROZ6iqKCMs4FRle6TSSKFXftSSLCehqsi2CWauW8iqaU4ArUiaxP/s400/zzhop-254x300.png" /></a><br /><div>It's a rare and humbling phenomenon ... this Auburn Ale House Triple IPA that somehow ended up with my mug on it along with the hilarious catch phrase "Drink to be Sober".</div><div>It is an interesting tale, an idea born at the end of one epic that may have created another. As the dying embers of an enchanted hop evening was about to ride off into the sunset of drunkin oblivion Brian Ford and I found ourselves surrounded by the remains of 50+ growlers from around the Western lands wondering "Now what do we do?"</div><div>Naturally we did what we often do....sitting with yet another pint creating stupid, and sometimes useful, beer names and slogans. </div><div>As best I can recall from that haze of washout memories it was a chance observation of my beard almost falling into the hoppy concoction in front of me or Brian thinking that somehow my scruffy facial hair might make a good cartoon character....In any event after a few free word associations later we both blurted out what came to be the obvious destination of our foolery ....."ZZ Hop!"</div><div>For me it was all just good fun and an idea that would have died....but Brian....being the clever, industrious and forward thinking lad that he is had the foresight to scribble it down on the brew board to be found later by a more rational clear thinking version of himself. </div><div>Unbeknownst to myself Brian started formulating his Triple IPA recipe during the ensuing months and hatching his diabolical plan to introduce his latest Frankenstein brew creation to the public at the next running of The Bistro's Double/Triple IPA fest that occurs every February as part of San Francisco Beer Week.</div><div>For me it is a great tribute that I have trouble wrapping my head around most of the time. Oh how is the beer you say? Good question ... I was fortunate to sample it several times in the brewing process and it put a smile on my face right from the start with it's yellow/Gold pale appearance and smooth reeking Hops flavors.</div><div>Today I will actually be sampling the ZZ again at the Sam Horne's Tavern "Folsom Hop Rodeo" along with a dozen or so other extreme IPA's. After that it's off to Sacramento Beer Week's big brew fest at Cal Expo....I'm thinking by the time I ride my bike to Folsom....check out the hoppy brews that Dylan has gathered and then make it out to the fest with The Beer Geek there will be few beers that will still be standing up to my wrecked palate.... Can't wait. As my good buddy Rick likes to say....'Life is good'</div><div> </div>sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-64454452922327650782012-02-05T12:55:00.000-08:002012-02-05T13:18:42.476-08:00The Stupid BowlOf course I can say that because my team is once again not playing in 'the big game'. Naturally if my team was participating it would be the <em>greatest game in the past decade</em>....especially if the Chiefs prevailed. Such is the nature of today's sports appreciation I suppose.<br />I would have preferred the match-up of Conference Championship game losers Baltimore and San Francisco... a result that could easily have happened except for a couple of botched plays at the end of the game by special teams players. Individual players failing in a game predicated on the notion of it's own doctrine of unselfish unity and teamwork. Ironic... and for the fans of the 49ers and Ravens...heartbreaking.<br />The one unfortunate downside to the 9ers being in the playoffs would be the time I'd have to spend picking unsightly mothballs off all the SF jerseys and team memorabilia that inevitably comes out once the team qualified for the playoffs. I suppose that's typical of many fans of all different teams all over the country but since I live in an area in proximity of the Niners ..... I notice that other 70% of fans that show up only in good times. The fair weather fans.<br />So good luck to those real Patriot and New Jersey Giants fans out there that have been forced to suffer through three or so years of no Superbowl.... for the rest of you bandwagon jumpers...just eat your guacamole and shut up.sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-87217928522811094972012-02-01T21:48:00.000-08:002012-02-01T22:18:56.785-08:00Zappa<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDs7M4a_ecd8HWJ-dktHsqG8AKRbAT5bxRujlyPvvFpxGomX_fC58m0qbE0vj5oIGFv8IHHuyhsWP2tFxH-KlaIcKGbasbBk2WlyrpcRw-sptfRypGGaf-5pkdczP6N3BdxIfk201_bu1M/s1600/zappa.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; width: 227px; height: 222px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704415130675333106" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDs7M4a_ecd8HWJ-dktHsqG8AKRbAT5bxRujlyPvvFpxGomX_fC58m0qbE0vj5oIGFv8IHHuyhsWP2tFxH-KlaIcKGbasbBk2WlyrpcRw-sptfRypGGaf-5pkdczP6N3BdxIfk201_bu1M/s400/zappa.jpg" /></a>Anyone that knows me for very long eventually get the clue that I'm a huge Frank Zappa fan...well....I guess you could take that a couple different ways...but suffice to say I really dig the cat.<div>Not that I liked everything he ever did...which is sort of the beauty of Frank....he had something for everybody and pissed off almost everyone at some other time.</div><div>I suppose the typical response and stereotype of FZ is that he just does this weird sorta comedy music that can be annoying and tedious.</div><div>Sure...he did that...and a lot of it was fucking clever and funny as hell. At one time or another he makes fun of everyone, including himself, and is loath to leave anyone out. He pissed off the Catholics with his classic <em>Catholic Girls </em>and when the complaints came pouring in he offset it by </div><div>recording a a song called <em>Jewish Princess</em>. Although it was never a s simple as all that.</div><div>Frank was actual a very precise, calculating and disciplined composer and musician. All of his work was scored and if you couldn't read music you couldn't be in his band.</div><div>He recorded in the neighborhood of 100 albums to date and still has music in his vaults that will be released for years to come through the Zappa Family trust.</div><div>His music runs the gauntlet of styles...in Europe there are statues of him because his classical and jazz compositions as so revered and appreciated. He arguably may well be the greatest and most prolific composer of the 20th century.</div><div>I started listening to The Mothers of Invention somewhere back in the late 60's and absolutely fell in love with his Hot Rats/Chunga's Revenge/200 Motels period at the end of the decade. I can listen to those albums anytime.....in fact I have the Gumbo Variations playing as I type this. Gotta love Ian Underwood.</div><div>I have only about half of the music he's ever released in my archives....which is still far more than</div><div>I own of any other group or musician.... I mean...who the hell puts out 100 fricken albums?</div><div>Got no idea what I'm talking about?...Well join the club...most of the time I don't either.....so just go out and get a copy of Hot Rats....put it in your music creating devise and get ready to go "What the Fuck is this?" And then listen to it again...because I said so Pilgrim. Your life will change.</div><div> </div>sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-56528323286835657652012-01-31T21:24:00.000-08:002012-01-31T21:53:39.188-08:00Tris SpeakerI've been reading a book about Tris Speaker lately. Almost done with it. I love the history of baseball and especially that period of time after the turn of the century when the World Series was just getting started, Cy Young was at the end of his career, Babe Ruth was still a pitcher and the dead ball era was coming to a close.<br />There was still a lot of gambling on the games back then...much more than the so called <em>Black Sox scandal</em> of 1919 would ever reveal.<br />Some of the greatest players that ever walked on a ball field played in those early years including Honus Wagner, Walter Johnson, Ty Cobb and of course the <em>Grey Eagle</em>...Tris Speaker. Cobb gets more press than 'Spoke' gets in this day and age but in those times Speaker was every bit as famous as Cobb and ever more popular. Oddly enough both hitters finished their careers with 117 lifetime homeruns. A seemingly small amount but they played half of their careers in the dead-ball era and were more interested in producing wins by hitting for a high average, getting on base, steeling bases and scoring runs. It was a far different game than the slugfests played today.<br />In addition Speaker is still the all time leader in lifetime doubles (793), outfield assists and double plays by an outfielder. There may have never been a better defensive outfielder in the history of the game. He is also 5th in lifetime batting average and fifth in hits. Cobb, of course is first in lifetime average at .367 and second in hits.<br />Both Cobb and Speaker spent the last few years as player/managers on their repective teams...the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Indians...although Speaker began his career playing for Boston. Can you imagine a player/manager in this day and age?<br />Tris became a pilot during training for WWI and continued flying for years afterwards, although he never flew in the war. He was also a personal friend of Will Rogers and would perform rope and riding tricks for wild west shows during baseballs off season. There was seemingly nothing he didn't do well.<br />Despite his racist upbringing in Texas he broke free of that attitude later in life and eventually became the personal outfield tutor for Larry Doby...the first black player to play in the American League. Jackie Robinson broke in with the National League Dodgers one year earlier.<br />There are plenty of great center fielders that have played over the years and just as many opinions about who was the best...or best of their era or whatever...but overall for my money there is perhaps only one center fielder that I would put in front of Tris Speaker and that would be <em>The Say Hey Kid</em>.sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-48271668635735143612012-01-30T22:30:00.000-08:002012-01-30T22:50:01.330-08:00Resurfaced?Where the fuck have I been? Have I been in jail...or the hospital or shipwrecked on some remote Specific Ocean atoll?<br />Well....yeah...sorta...maybe.....or perhaps I've just been stuck in New York in the 1950's. During my visit there I learned one really important piece of would-be fact that I had previously been only partially aware of ... but mostly in denial of... which is of course <em>just write some shit</em>... don't worry about what it says, what it's about, who it impresses or outrages.... just do the work...put in the time and otherwise shut the fuck up. And then say it again some other way. Take the other side of the argument... or screw spelling, grammar, sentence structure (Yep...I got that one wired) and merely let er rip... so that's what I'm going to do. Will I do it here on this blog or will I do it elsewhere?<br />Well sure, yeah...whatever...we'll see. Or not.<br />It doesn't mean shit to a tree.sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-56686800504475660142011-06-13T22:32:00.000-07:002011-06-21T14:41:27.770-07:00Hanger 24 takes the crown at the EPIC 4<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUiF7ckhiDWo8J-I-7TSEL4SBnaFmKfUMQq25KZAhQP8ZS16ZutBS9XzFpWUGzAtAc2icDh14E33WwDac0iJLxBxLtsDGIHNNrjvYAPDKdKAIVZdy1NdN9iqrh26tn3L1zVFsuMmQfHN6/s1600/Hanger+24.JPG"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 299px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5620071006056726018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUiF7ckhiDWo8J-I-7TSEL4SBnaFmKfUMQq25KZAhQP8ZS16ZutBS9XzFpWUGzAtAc2icDh14E33WwDac0iJLxBxLtsDGIHNNrjvYAPDKdKAIVZdy1NdN9iqrh26tn3L1zVFsuMmQfHN6/s400/Hanger+24.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><div>The latest S.O.B.E.R. Group Epic had a little bit of a surprise winner when Hanger 24 Double IPA of Redlands California bested no less than 37 other brews from five different Western States to take the top Gold medal spot.</div><br /><div>It was the second consecutive appearance for the three year old brewery (their 3rd Anniversary was June 11th) in an Epic competition but the first time it scored in the medal round of an Epic.</div><br /><div>The Silver medal went to Truckee California's 50/50 Brewing's 'Rockslide' IPA and the Bronze to none other than the host of the event Auburn Ale House and their stellar flagship IPA 'Gold Digger'.</div><br /><div>There were four judging panels with nine beers each. The top two qualifiers out of each panel would travel to the Best of Show round. Hanger 24 actually finished second in panel three behind Bear Republic Apex IPA but was a unanimous winner with the BOS Panel. Rockslide IPA and Gold Digger IPA both won their initial panels. Both beers from the fourth panel that transferred to the BOS were from Montana. FlatHead Lake IPA from Woods Bay and Carters Brewing IIIPA from Billings. The other two beers to make the final round of eight were Odell IPA and New Belgium Ranger IPA....both from Fort Collins Colorado. Ironically Hanger 24 was the only entry from Southern California in this years Epic.....thanks Mom! </div><br /><div></div></div>sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9160809749664430325.post-20596160614741302622011-03-26T12:22:00.000-07:002011-03-31T10:28:30.118-07:00Loomis Basin Brewing Company<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdY_y1e5LEs0NQogBJCjfyp78pbiyo5UBgmxlD6e0z2jWduxfQEntSok_vUhuU5dDRxg4O93RCNdgyM0zeVOdFZrMKOpXUnTfAz8wFphfHfxEncDbSLV1vv2AM14fm7PQk_afeJ-DBA5G/s1600/LBBCHeaderGraphic%255B1%255D.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 400px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 131px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588475250746008018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxdY_y1e5LEs0NQogBJCjfyp78pbiyo5UBgmxlD6e0z2jWduxfQEntSok_vUhuU5dDRxg4O93RCNdgyM0zeVOdFZrMKOpXUnTfAz8wFphfHfxEncDbSLV1vv2AM14fm7PQk_afeJ-DBA5G/s400/LBBCHeaderGraphic%255B1%255D.jpg" /></a> <br /><div><br /><div>On Thursday March 24th 2011 Loomis Basin Brewing Company (<a href="http://loomisbasinbrewing.com/">LBB</a>) opened it's tasting room to the Public. On Friday March 25th the misses and I, along with our good friends Bob and Michelle Silva, made our first visit.</div><br /><div>Located at 3277 Swetzer Road in Loomis California 95650 the new brewery is the latest venture of seasoned brewer Jim Gowan who has built and worked in several other breweries in the region including most recently the popular Western Pacific Brewing in Oroville.</div><br /><div>This time around Jim and his brewery is more of a family affair and includes his son Kenny, and vivacious wife and daughter in law Jodee and Linda whom happily poured our pints and gave us a run-down on their exciting new venture.</div><br /><div>The beer board includes no less than seven beers but due to the constraints of time and fermentor space Jim only had two of his beers pouring. The Vindicator IPA and the Swetzer Pale Ale. After our usual three pint sampling session we concluded that the IPA was indeed growler worthy and bought one to take home. The IPA had a slight copper hue to it and was solid in everyway an IPA should be. Floral nose, more hops than malt and a very refreshing drinkability.</div><br /><div>I only sampled the Swetzer Pale Ale but found it was crisp and clean and it also seemed to be the most popular beer in the place. I must be slipping because I failed to remember to ask Jim about the ABV and the IBU's of either beer.</div><br /><div>Jim told me he had just brewed a batch of his Red Robin Ale that morning and next up was planning to brew a Bitter. His Beer Board also listed Golden Eagle Mandarin Wheat, BuXom Blond Pils and Old Route 40 Stout as future year round offerings.</div><br /><div>The tasting room looks like it hold about 30 people or so and is very comfortable and clean with 6 tap handles and a bar that seats 6 or 7.</div><br /><div>The tasting room hours are listed as Tuesday thru Saturday from 3:00pm to ?</div><br /><div>The beer prices are the best that I know of in out region...$3.50 for a pint! </div><br /><div>The growler refills are $12 and a new growler filled with beer is $15.00.</div><br /><div>Regulars can also purchase a beer card which can render the price of a pint as low as $3.</div><br /><div>Check out their web site to view photo's of construction.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div>What I really love is that the Hwy 80 corridor in my region now contains three great beer stops. Loomis Basin Brewing, Auburn Ale House and the New Owl Club in Roseville. Despite the economy our local beer scene is looking up and offering some great beers. All highly recommended by this hop traveler.</div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div></div>sobermenthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09921117425288809976noreply@blogger.com8