The name of this blog is Hops, in reference to hopping through the ups and downs of life. We hop from one thing to the next. We hop up hills and down hills. And as you've heard, I don't like running...so I'll hop along (ha!)
Okay, to be honest, I did have something along this train of thought in mind when I named my blog. Something about the ups and downs of life. But I also wanted to be light-hearted and simple. The word popped in to my head and stuck.
I also had a vague notion of talking fairly regularly about beer. Or wine. Or cocktails. Whatever drink struck my fancy. This was also around the time I was contemplating becoming a homebrewer of beer. My coworkers and I brew beer, and I'd really enjoyed it. I wanted to develop a new hobby or two and thought homebrewing was an excellent choice - I could brew AND drink AND share my brew! Fun all around! Sadly, I never purchased the requisite equipment and I'm still looking for a place I'm allowed to brew and ferment. Maybe one day I'll find it.
So the name Hops came from a philosophical approach to life and a desire to talk about beer.
And you know what? I haven't talked about beer!
So here's a few fun facts about me and beer...
*When I first began drinking, beer was not all that tasty to me. I preferred the highly carbonated and highly sugared Smirnoff Ice Triple Black (absolutely disgusting to me now) or a mixed drink (coke and vodka or rum). Before long, though, I actually began to like beer. Now I love beer. And my appreciation for different flavors of beer is constantly improving - for example, I didn't like IPAs or other hoppy beers when I initially acquired a taste for beer (cite: the inability to drink a single bottle of Stone's Arrogant Bastard between Moe and I, despite much determination to do so!)....but now I do!
*I love trying new brands and new types of beer. Especially if it's made by one of my favorite breweries (My roommate Kayleigh realized she and I continually buy different types of beer from our favorite breweries much more than other breweries. She loves Brooklyn Brewery, I love Dogfish Head, Bells, and, more recently, Rivertown Brewing Co. from Cincinnati). Sometimes I discover an awesome flavor. Other times....well, it takes awhile to drink them. On a very rare occasion, I have given my beer to someone else to finish for me or - the horror! - have thrown it out (I recall a particularly bad batch of Brooklyn Brewery's Black Imperial Stout. It was flat and metallic and absolutely abhorrent).
*Brewing is a ton of fun. Similar to cooking and baking, I really enjoy making something I can enjoy and I can share with others. It's like my personal form of magic :) Except I don't think we've brewed any beer that is magically delicious....but we might! Don't give up hope yet!
*I am NOT a beer snob, despite what Eric says. I will drink and, more importantly, enjoy and crave an icy cold PBR. I will try different beers, though, and get excited about some of them. It's not my fault if some of them are microbrews and more expensive. :) Seriously, though, I do enjoy all types of beer - microbrew, homebrew, national brewery, international...
Now, to talk about beer I've been drinking...
Yuengling Lager: Oh, the sweet glory of Yuengling! Our recent trip to Tennessee afforded Eric and I the opportunity to purchase some Yuengling and smuggle it back into Ohio, where it isn't available. I savor each and every can (sorry, I bought cans because I could get more cans for the buck), holding a mini-debate in my head to decide if the day or meal is worthy of the Yuengling. It's so perfect for summer and fall....but I'd drink it anytime! Amber colored, light, crisp, but a distinct flavor, compared to traditional American lagers like Bud Light. Add in the fact that its not available in Ohio and you understand the obsession I share with hundreds, if not thousands, of Ohioans. Rumor is that Yuengling may be sold in Ohio by 2012!!!! Of course, variants of this rumor have existed for years, but apparently there are actual news stories supporting the credibility of this momentous occasion. I can't wait! Hopefully my love for Yuengling doesn't diminish with increased availability.
Rivertown Brewery, Wit Ale: Rivertown is a local Cincy brewery (apparently we have a rich tradition - Morlein, Hudepohl, now Rivertown) that I only began seeing in stores within the last year. I tried their Brown Ale last fall and enjoyed it. So I tried their Winter Ale and loved it (which did not seem to be the shared opinion. Most people did not like it because of the strong molasses and cinnamon flavor. I think it's perfect for a winter ale.). Then I bought the sampler pack and am working my way through it (Hefewizen was too sour for my taste, but the Hop Bomber was a marvelously balanced hop and ale flavor...mmm!) Anyway, the Wit Ale is a Belgian-style white ale with orange and coriander. It made me think of Sam Adams similar type (sorry, I can't be sure of the name, but I know they have one). It's got a little heft/body to it, but not too much. That in addition to the citrus flavor make it an excellent spring beer. I think it'd be a little heavy in my stomach during the hot summer months.
21st Amendment Brewery, Bitter American: Let me tell you, I am in love with 21st Amendment brewery! I thought they could do no wrong...until I had their Fireside Chat winter ale (not my favorite...it was donated to a fellow beer aficionado). Aside from that one beer, I have thoroughly enjoyed anything else they produced. I'm incredibly eager for their summer beer (Watermelon Wheat) to come out - it's PERFECT! The Bitter American is one of their short term offerings, available for only a few weeks. It's a twist on an American Pale Ale, so its hoppy. But it also has more spices and malt than typical APA, so it has a distinctively different taste. Not spicy, not sweet, not hoppy...but a refreshing blend of all three things. It's got a little more body/heft than the Rivertown Wit Ale and I'd say it's more body than the typical APA, but it remains lighter than a dark beer. It's another good spring beer.
When I've sampled some new beers, I'll let you know! Don't say I haven't written about beer!
Oh, and as a clever ending... Bottoms Up! ;)
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