Being that today is my Sunday, I met up with the uberawesome ultramundanecom and we hit The Monk's Kettle for lunch.



Starting the meal off with a glass of Chambly Noir from Unibroue, I chose the pulled pork sandwich and fries to go with it. Both were quite tasty, and it's always a treat to find a Unibroue beer I've not had before.



We followed lunch up with a half pint of Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale.



Which I proceeded to turn into a float with ice cream from my pear cobbler.



Holy crap, I need a nap.

me
Om nom nom nom nom nom

I just opened a bottle of the very first homebrew I ever made. Bottled on May 16, 1998.

It has aged REMARKABLY well.

me
I RULE!!!

So for the Fall and Winter, we'll be serving an old favorite of mine at the Restaurant.

Quelque Chose by Unibroue

"Quelque Chose" is a popular French-Canadian expression that is used like "that's something!"  This versatile beer was specifically developed as a winter beer because, when warmed to 160ºF, it can be enjoyed as a hot drink. On the other hand, on the rocks, it is a wonderful aperitif. The cherries are soaked for months in slightly bitter ale before being blended into the beer. Quelque Chose is made with dark roasted malts, and the end result is something commonly known as an authentic nectar. The most original of the Unibroue line, it is highly appreciated by winter-sports enthusiasts.  8% alcohol by volume.

Come in some time and have some with our apple/fig tart, or the gingerbread cake smothered in carmel and sauteed pears.

Awwwwwwww yeah.

me
Sommelier di birra

So I won a bottle of Harp Lager on eBay that was brewed in 1963 to commemorate the opening of their brewery in Alton.

It arrived a couple days ago and I did the woot woot dance.

Today, I get this email from the seller (who was in England).

Hi Klae

Something embarrassing has happened with the harp bottle. I had to go away unexpectedly last week for family reasons and asked someone to post it for me. They did, but when I looked at the receipt I find they have sent it surface mail! This means you might not get it for 6 to 8 weeks!

I'm very embarrassed about this and will return what you have paid to you.

When it turns up you have a bargain

**** ARRRRRRRRRRRGH INTERRUPT SEE BELOW ****

So of course I told him that I'd already got it and he was wicked confused.

I totally could have gotten my money back, but I didn't.  And that makes me feel good.

INTERRUPT: Got an email from my casting agent in SF looking for extras for a Rolling Rock commercial.  $75/hr for 6 hours or so.  Thursday.  The day I promised Justin and Missy I'd babysit for them because they were having babysitter emergency.  So now I'm not smiling so much.

me
One good deed undoes another

Because I've not done this since I moved to California, and because I had a little play money from the holidays, I've decided it's time to do a Beer Brewing/Tasting day.

When: February 26, 2006 (start time TBA)
Where: Entropy House (directions available upon request)
Why: Why the hell not? (Quit asking so many questions!)

Currently on the tasting list:

• 2005 Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale (3QT bottle courtesy of Beer Summit Josh)


• Unibroue Edition 2005 & 2004


• Magic Hat Chaotic Chemistry 2004 & Thumbsucker


• Dogfish Head Fort & Olde School Barley Wine 


• DeDolle Oerbier & Special Extra Export Stout


• JW Lees 2003 Harvest Ale (plus the Whisky, Port, Cherry and Calvados cask aged versions)*


• JW Lees 2000 Harvest Ale (the one that smells like sex)


• Samiclaus 1996 (the good stuff)


• Sam Adams Millennium & Utopias (who loves ya, baby?)

And that's without sticking my head into the Beer Cellar to see what else I have.

So please RSVP here or via email.  If we get enough people, I'll try to talk merlinofchaos into firing up the Bar-be-que!

me
BEERGUY!  Now with New Beer Icon!

* hey komos, if I send you $ can you hit Charles Street Liquors and pick me up another set of those (or two)?

So last night, when I got to the restaurant, my Manager was talking to one of the wine Distributors and they were tasting and blah blah blah we didn't get any blah. Well, at one point I walked by their table, and Manager pointed to me and said "That's the Beer Guy."

And so Distributor and I struck up a conversation. Apparently Manager wants to get better beers into the restaurant, and he's starting with Unibroue's Fin du Monde, Fullers Vintage Ale and Young's Chocolate Stout, apparently with appropriate glassware.

I was given a copy of their beer catalog and said I'd go through it and recommend other stuff to Manager. YAY BEER!

me
Did I mention YAY BEER!!?