more gustatory libation in 2010

As 2009 is about to end in less than 12 hours, it is only fitting to look ahead to some upcoming venues for acquiring tasty victuals and excellent libations in the coming year. In addition to the Heavy Seas Oyster Fest as previously noted, the following larger scale food and beveraging events have been announced by the Trigger Agency for 2010. Although many of the below events will be touring to several sites in Maryland, DC, Virginia, and North Carolina, I'm listing the stops local to Baltimore here. More details can be found at their respective sites (which have not been completely updated for the new year quite yet):

• The Beer, Bourbon, and BBQ Festival will be hitting the Timonium Fairgrounds in Timonium, MD on April 9 and 10.
  

• The Great Grapes! Wine, Art, and Food Festival will be taking place at Oregon Ridge Park in Cockeysville, MD on June 12 and 13.
  

• The Maryland Brewers' Oktoberfest will be happening at the Timonium Fairgrounds in Timonium, MD on October 9.
  

• The Chesapeake Oyster and Beer Festival will go down at the Timonium 4-H Building in Timonium, MD on November 20.

I look forward to stopping by at least some of these in the coming year (fingers crossed). To better keep track of these upcoming festivals, I've started an events calendar at the bottom of this site. Please feel free to let me know of any Baltimore-local events worthy of being added.

Clipper City washed under the Heavy Seas?

Thanks to Geistbear, I was turned on to the brewing (hah) story that Clipper City Brewery may be changing their name as part of a rebranding effort for the new year. This will lead them to officially become "Heavy Seas," which is currently the name of their line of higher-ABV beers. While there hasn't been an official press release from them at this point, their use of a new logo (above) and referring to themselves as "Heavy Seas brewers" in recent announcements seems to be consistent with this.

While not terribly newsworthy, the idea of a well-established and successful brewery completely changing it's name for a purely marketing reason is an interesting decision. I've long felt that Clipper City's overall brand has suffered somewhat for having several lines of beer that are graphically and nominally different than each other - namely, the Heavy Seas line, the Clipper City series (with includes the further branded outliers of the Balto MarzHon and McHenry), and the Oxford Ales line. Yes, brand uniqueness can be important, both for building name recognition for specific brews and maintaining historical tradition (the Oxford series exists as a distinct entity because Clipper City took over the Oxford Brewing Company in 1998, for example). That noted, it is not immediately obvious to the casual observer that beers from each of these lines are, in fact, made by the same brewery.

I take no particular issue with the Heavy Seas name, as it is awesome. However, the traditionalist in me wishes they would have stuck with Clipper City, and reorganizing the brands around that. Head brewer Hugh Sisson originally chose the name in 1995 due to Baltimore being the first US port to develop and build the clipper ship, as a nod to the history of the area. From their site:

The Clipper ship is the symbol for a strong nautical and maritime heritage with a commitment to craftsmanship of the highest caliber. It captures both the hardy nature of our working class history and the romance of what lies on the seas ahead. Why be normal when you can be EXTRAARGHdinary? We believe in bringing beer drinkers the quality and flavor of a handcrafted beer while supporting the local communities we serve.

In any case, this is a tiny gripe in what will hopefully be a successful marketing move for a local company that excels at the brewing craft. Hopefully, this will bring a larger audience to some their more niche beers in the Clipper City and Oxford lines. More details on how the rebranded beer series will look can be found at BeerInBaltimore.

Although they've remained officially silent on the naming issue, today Clipper City announced its beer line-up for the coming year:

Winter 2010

HOLY SHEET - Über Abbey Ale 9% ABV - A Belgian Abbey style that is both aromatic and full bodied. It will benefit with aging up to two years.
Mutiny Fleet – 22 oz and draft – limited release. January.

SIREN NOIRE - Chocolate Stout 8% ABV - English style imperial stout, fermented and flavored with imported Belgian chocolate nibs. Smooth and easy drinking. Named for the Sirens who lured seafarers off course and ultimately to their demise.
Mutiny Fleet – 22 oz and draft – limited release. February. NEW

Spring 2010

Big DIPA - Double IPA 10.6% ABV – Triple hopped during brewing, well balanced with an earthy hop aroma and flavor. Brewed with 5 pounds of hops per barrel!!!
Mutiny Fleet – 22 oz and draft – limited release. March.

LETTER OF MARQUE - Hop Rye Porter – Winners from our 2009 Letter of Marque Homebrew Competition will work along side our brewers to create this one time special release. Letter of Marque will feature a different beer every year selected from our national homebrew competition. Historically, a Letter of Marque was a document that made a Pyrate a legitimate professional. Hence, our Letter of Marque makes a home brewer a legitimate professional as well!
Mutiny Fleet – 22 oz and draft – limited release. April. NEW

RED SKY AT NIGHT - Belgian style Saison 7.5 % ABV - country farm house ale. A complex yet delicate ale, brewed with a unique Belgian yeast which develops a spicy, fruity flavor.
Pyrate Fleet – 12 oz and draft - available March thru May.

BELOW DECKS (BARREL AGED) – Barley Wine 10% ABV – Our award winning barley wine which has been aged two ways - in wooden bourbon barrels and cabernet barrels. It will benefit with aging. VINTAGE DATED
Mutiny Fleet – 22 oz and draft – VERY limited release. May. NEW

Summer 2010

SMOKE ON THE WATER – Smoked Imperial Porter - Details are Top Secret.
Mutiny Fleet – 22 oz. and draft – limited release. June. NEW

HANG TEN - Weizen Dopplebock 10% ABV – A classic German-style weizen bock, slightly cloudy and bursting with flavor. It will benefit with aging up to two years. VINTAGE DATED. Mutiny Fleet – 22 oz and draft – limited release. July.

SUMMER ALE - Details are Top Secret.
Clipper Fleet – 12 oz and draft -available June thru September. NEW

Fall 2010

PROSIT! - Imperial Oktoberfest Lager 8% ABV - Malt focused with five types of grain including Vienna and Munich malts - plus a secret extra malt that we use only in our Prosit! Balanced with 3 kinds of hops.
Mutiny Fleet – 22 oz and draft – limited release. August.

THE GREAT PUMPKIN - Imperial Pumpkin Ale 8.5% ABV - We add the pumpkin during the mash at precisely the right time to create just the perfect balance of malt, hops, pumpkin and spice.
Mutiny Fleet – 22 oz and draft – limited release. September.

THE GREATer PUMPKIN - Imperial Pumpkin Ale 9% ABV tbd - Our Great Pumpkin enhanced by aging in bourbon barrels.
Mutiny Fleet – 22 oz and draft – VERY limited release. September NEW

Early Winter 2010

WINTER STORM - Imperial ESB 7.5%ABV - Brewed with copious helpings of English malts plus US and English hops. Full malty flavors dancing with powerful hop aromas and a lingering, firm hop bitterness.
Pyrate Fleet – 12 oz and draft - available October thru December

BELOW DECKS - Barley Wine 10% ABV - Our English style barley wine - rich, malty, and opulent. Great at time of release but will benefit from bottle aging for many years to come. VINTAGE DATED.
Mutiny Fleet – 22 oz and draft – limited release. November

YULE TIDE - Belgian Tripel Ale 10% ABV - Slightly sweet with a complex malty flavor. The spicy flavor comes from our unique blend of Trappist yeast and Belgian candi sugar - making it both aromatic and flavorful. It will benefit with aging up to two years. VINTAGE DATED.
Mutiny Fleet – 22 oz and draft – limited release. November

They've also announced their next special event, the Heavy Seas Oyster Fest, taking place on Saturday, February 6, from 12 - 4pm at the brewery:

Thousands of Oysters - 12 Taps - Special Firkins
Live Music - Backstage Access to the Brewery

An All-You-Care-To-Taste fest of oysters and craft beer for the pyrate in all of us!
On tap will be Heavy Seas favorites and special cask ales. The fest also features 6 different kinds of oysters shipped in from around the world, plus several of the top local restaurants serving up their favorite oyster & seafood menu items. Live music and special behind scenes access to the brewery.

Tickets $49 and designated drivers are $35. Adult swim only (Must be 21+ to attend)

Tickets are now on sale here.

Clipper City may be setting sail for new and different waters, but I for one look forward to the treasure they will find there. (Oh, come on! How could I not?)

the Irish Christmas Pirate, and other nog creations

I am not, typically, a consumer of egg nog.

In terms of holiday beveraging, it has never been an important part of my family's Christmas culture, and so has never carried much celebratory merit with me. That noted, my fandom for The Office led me to acquire some nog last year in order to try the horrifying-sounding drink from A Benihana Christmas episode from that series - the Nog-a-sake:

• 1 part egg nog
• 3 parts sake

The surprise was that it was not "vile." However, it was also not "good," and as such, not something I will repeat in the future. The problem was that I still had nog remaining, and aside from the standard spiking with brandy or bourbon, I had a lack of creative ways to deal with the surplus. Then Jared became involved, and the result was the glorious Irish Christmas Pirate:

• 1 part egg nog
• 1 part rum
• 1 part Irish Cream liqueur

It's not just tasty - it's damn tasty. The Irish Cream brings out some subtle flavors from the rum-nog combination that aren't as apparent when you have the two alone, which would be the standard Christmas Pirate. For the second year in a row, I am happy to welcome egg nog into my holiday celebrations, which I suppose makes it a tradition that I heartily endorse.

Another nog creation that I have yet to try, but am clearly destined to, is combining egg nog with a stout or porter style beer:

• 1 part egg nog
• 1 part beer

I hear-tell that it can either be mixed, or possibly layered for an interesting visual effect. This will need to be examined in the name of SCIENCE.

Periodic Table of Beer Styles

Earlier today, Joe directed me to this poster of the Periodic Table of Beer Styles:



A bit of investigating led me to discover that the author of this image is Delirium Tremens on reddit Beer, who modified it from this more detailed but less visually appealing poster:



I really need to snag this for a wall somewhere... (which, I am aware, can be done here, among other places)

Harpoon Brewery chat today

Todd Charbonneau, head brewer at Harpoon, is hosting an all-day live chat today from the brewery floor until 19:00 EST. The details:

Have you ever wondered what a day on the job is like for the Head Brewer of your favorite craft brewery? Then today, my Friend, is your lucky day! Harpoon's Boston Head Brewer Todd Charbonneau will be hosting a marathon live chat all day today, straight from the brewery floor. Todd will lead you through a day in the life of a Harpoon brewer as the brewing magic unfolds. And, as it so happens, we will be brewing our flagship beer, Harpoon IPA.

Got a question? No problem! Todd will be answering your questions all day. Your beer and brewing-related questions, that is.

So drop in on the live chat any time between 7:00 AM and 7:00 PM today to be our special "shadow" brewer for the day!

I'll unfortunately miss out on this due to that whole "work" thing, but Harpoon is a brewery that is doing some cool things in terms of products and events, so I recommend checking it out.

Clipper City Gold Ale

Laura and I went out for ribs yesterday, which is as close to a mandate for beer as any meal can be. I was pleased to find that Clipper City Gold was on tap to compliment our repast.

Vitals:

• Name: Clipper City Gold Ale
  

• Brewery: Clipper City Brewery
  

• Style: Blonde Ale (Category 6B, BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines)

• Alcohol: 4.9%

• Serving: 23-ounce draft
  

Scoring (in solidarity with Charlie the Beer Guy):

• Appearance: 7 - A deep gold body, with a thick white head that fades to a clingy lace.

• Nose: 2 - Malty and barely present.
  

• Taste: 6 - Bready malt predominates up front, with grassy hop flavor asserting itself in the middle and end.
  

• Mouthfeel: 8 - Lighter in body with moderate and balanced carbonation. No aftertaste.
  

• Holistic: 8 - Incredibly drinkable, and very well-balanced. This struck me as great for sessioning, be it alone or with a meal.
  

Overall: 31 - The blonde ale is a tamer style than what I usually seek out to drink, but this impressed me quite a bit with it's balance of unexaggerated flavors and mouthfeel. This is an excellent choice not only as a session beer, but also as a great brew to introduce those used to the American light lager style to the broader realm of beer reality.

Clipper City Yule Tide

Clipper City is an excellent local brewery, and their limited edition Mutiny Fleet line of 22-ounce beers is something I haven't kept up with as much as I'd like. In any case, 'tis the season, so I was compelled to pick this up when I saw it.

Vitals:

• Name: Clipper City Heavy Seas Mutiny Fleet Yule Tide Belgian Tripel Ale
  

• Brewery: Clipper City Brewery
  

• Style: Belgian Tripel (Categories 18C, BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines)

• Alcohol: 10.0%

• Serving: 22-ounce bottle, chilled, served in a freezer-stored Guinness historic-style pint glass

Scoring (in solidarity with Charlie the Beer Guy):

• Appearance: 4 - Pours a cloudy amber, with a white head foamy head that fades quickly to minimal lace.

• Nose: 6 - Spices, cloves, and a bit of fruit. A bit tamer than expected.
  

• Taste: 6 - Hit of spices, estery-fruits, and sweetness upfront, with the aforementioned sweetness and a booziness asserting themselves more in the middle. Sour notes and alcohol in the finish.
  

• Mouthfeel: 5 - Light to moderate-bodied with minimal carbonation, but with a cloying, syrupy quality. Moderate spicy aftertaste.
  

• Holistic: 4 - Somewhat disappointing. This seemed a bit unfocused compared with other Belgian Tripels. The flavors involved weren't distinct, and the persistent sticky-sweetness with the sour notes was a bit of a turn-off.
  

Overall: 25 - Clipper City makes several quite enjoyable Belgian-style beers, and I went in with the assumption that this higher-ABV, limited edition would be more of the same... and it just didn't quite work for me. This isn't a bad beverage by any stretch, but clearly did not attain a level of complexity and balance I'd expect from a high end "flagship" holiday brew. Worth seeking out only if you are a Clipper City fan or a completest.

Troegs Mad Elf Ale

This is one of my favorite seasonal beers, and I picked some up as per my annual compulsion. I'll admit a special fondness for this beverage, as it plays an important role in the genesis of my online handle of "Cmaaarrr!!!" But that is a tale for another time...

Vitals:

• Name: Troegs Mad Elf Ale
  

• Brewery: Troegs Brewing Company
  

• Style: Fruit Beer, based on Belgian Strong Dark Ale (Categories 20 and 18E, BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines)

• Alcohol: 11.0%

• Serving: 12-ounce bottle, chilled, served in a freezer-stored Samuel Adams Boston Lager Pint Glass

Scoring (in solidarity with Charlie the Beer Guy):

• Appearance: 6 - Pours a deep reddish-brown, with a minimal white head that fades quickly to nothing.

• Nose: 7 - Dominant cherry aroma with a strong undercurrent of malt.
  

• Taste: 8 - Bready malts and cherries upfront, moving to a strong hit of sweet and spicy cherries in the middle, which fades to a slight alcoholic bitterness in the end. Honey and other spice flavors are subtle throughout.
  

• Mouthfeel: 5 - Moderate-bodied with minimal carbonation, and a mild spice aftertaste.
  

• Holistic: 7 - A well-crafted brew that manages to centerpiece the cherry and honey components, yet keeps them well-balanced in the overall style. I suspect that a bit more carbonation, as well as drinking this at a slightly warmer temperature, would inspire an even higher rating.
  

Overall: 33 - This is a great, strong holiday beer that carries a truly unique character, and doesn't fall into the "holiday brew trap" over over-spicing. While certainly one of the more balanced fruit beers I've had, the strength of the cherry flavor can be a bit much if consuming several in a short timespan. Recommended as a necessary, but occasional, winter beverage.

Oh, and a very Happy Thanksgiving to all whom it applies to. :)

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Dogfish Head Lawnmower

During a recent dinner at the Dogfish Head Alehouse in Gaithersburg, MD, I elected to try the Lawnmower, which is billed as their "starter" beer for people who are used to drinking the standard American lager. I figured that I needed to try it once, and that it couldn't be that bad...

Vitals:

• Name: Dogfish Head Lawnmower
  

• Brewery: Dogfish Head
  

• Style: American pale ale (Category 10A, BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines)

• Alcohol: 4.0%

• Serving: draft pint
  

Scoring (in solidarity with Charlie the Beer Guy):

• Appearance: 3 - Hazy straw yellow with a scant white head that faded to a faint lace.

• Nose: 1 - A hint of bready malt, but barely present.
  

• Taste: 4 - A gentle hit of grassy hop bitterness upfront, with grainy malts predominating through the middle to the finish.
  

• Mouthfeel: 4 - Light-bodied throughout, with a small amount of carbonation. No aftertaste.
  

• Holistic: 4 - Clearly better than any American lager, but not something I'd seek out in most circumstances, especially given that it's only served at Dogfish Head alehouses where every other beer available is far more interesting.
  

Overall: 16 - In the interest of full disclosure, both stronger beer and rich food were had before trying the Lawnmower, which very likely downplayed my appreciation. Other reviews I've seen have scored it significantly higher in the nose and taste departments, which may also have been a keg factor as well. In any case, not something I'll seek out again, but definitely recommended for those not used to the strength and richness of Dogfish Head's other brews.

Beer & Bacon Post Mortem

Beer and Bacon
Originally uploaded by DocOperon

The Heavy Seas Beer & Bacon Festival last weekend was quite the worthy experience, even if work obligations earlier in the day meant that Laura and I could only visit for a short (and late) lunch.

I was able to sample my favorite of Clipper City's offerings, Loose Cannon (an IPA I'd compare favorably to Stone Brewery's Ruination or Dogfish Head's 90 Minute), as well as their Pale Ale (a quite solid British style), Gold Ale (very solid American style), and Prosit (an "Imperial Lager" of the new Mutiny Fleet line). The list of various eateries offering bacon foodstuffs was impressive, although most of them didn't quite live up to the epic-level bacon tastiness I had envisioned. The clear best of these was the station serving up a rotating selection of different bacon, as pictured above.

All in all, a good time. Hopefully, the sold-out success of this event will spur Clipper City to host more like it in the future.

The Heavy Seas Beer & Bacon Festival

This coming Saturday is International Talk Like a Pirate Day, and to celebrate, Clipper City Brewery is holding an event, much like last year. This time around, they have billed it as The Heavy Seas Beer and Bacon Festival. Behold the glorious details from a recent email:

The Heavy Seas Beer & Bacon Festival
September 19th
Noon - 4pm
...at the Brewery

15+ Bacons, 10+ Beers, 10+ Restaurants, Live Music From Dirty Secret and More! Baltimore's Best Brewery and Over 10 of its Finest Restaurants have convened to salute nature's greatest food: Bacon!

Tickets are only $40 and include ALL-YOU-CARE-TO-TASTE beer and fabulous bacon.

Just a sampling of what you can expect…
Bottomless samples of Heavy Seas favorites and some special new brews made up for the occasion.
Special "Treasure" For Anyone Who Dresses as a Pirate - since it is National Talk Like A Pirate Day.
15+ Different Bacons From All Over The World.

RESTAURANTS AND FOOD STATIONS CONFIRMED WITH MANY MORE TO BE ADDED:

Abercrombie Restaurant and Lounge - Bacon Donuts
Alonzo’s – Bacon Explosion / Cocoa Crisps
Bacon Salt
Bad Decisions
Captain Thom’s – Cannon Fire Cornbread & Butt Blaster Baked Beans
Crazy Lil’s – Bacon Mac & Cheese
Ciao Bella
Vande Farms Meats
Squealin’ Sauce – Piggy Candy
Sweet Cascade’s – Bacon and Chocolate

...more coming soon!

Despite being trip booked with work and social activities this weekend, I will be making time to attend. Tickets are limited, and more information about the event and ticket availability can be found here. It's the best beer in Baltimore and tasty swineflesh... for all that is good and pirate-y, you must go.

Dogfish Head Theobroma

To say that I have been anticipating this beer for quite awhile now is understatement most pure. After giving up actively looking for it, due to scarcity of supply, I finally stumbled on a few bottles at the King's Contrivance Liquors and Smoke Shop last weekend. The hype of this brew's ingredients and origin were nigh-legendary - but did it live up to my expectations?

Vitals:

• Name: Dogfish Head Theobroma
  

• Brewery: Dogfish Head
  

• Style: Spice/herb/vegetable beer (Category 21A, BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines)

• Alcohol: 9.0%

• Serving: 25.4-ounce bottle, chilled, served in a freezer-stored Samuel Adams Boston Lager Pint Glass

Scoring (in solidarity with Charlie the Beer Guy):

• Appearance: 6 - Pours a peach-amber color, that resides clear in the glass, and is a deep gold towards the bottom. The head is foamy and white, fading slowly to a moderate lace.

• Nose: 5 - Subtle, with notes of citrus, honey, cocoa, and a spicy background.
  

• Taste: 7 - A solid mix of equal parts fruity base and honey, with a hint of cocoa in the background. The chili flavor builds up strong in the middle and through the end, where it leaves a pleasant burn in the aftertaste, mixed with a residual sweetness.
  

• Mouthfeel: 8 - The body and carbonation are medium and well-balanced, and consistant throughout each drink. Beyond the chili spice, there's little aftertaste to speak of.
  

• Holistic: 6 - The varying tastes and ingredients are so well balanced that beyond the chili flavor, none of them stand out. The cocoa in particular seems to be barely present, and lost in the shuffle.
  

Overall: 32 - A good beer, but not at all what I was expecting. From the initial descriptions of ingredients, I was looking for a cocoa/chocolate punch that never came, but was pleasantly surprised by the chili intensity. All in all, far more balanced than I anticipated, and quite quaffable. It strikes me as been good for an occasional glass, but not quite unique enough to seek out on a regular basis.

Fordham Doppelbock

Much to my pleasure, I discovered a solitary remaining bottle of this in my fridge from a purchase several months ago. I've had this on draft at the Ram's Head Tavern at Savage Mill, and is my favorite of their seasonal selections.

Vitals:

• Name: Fordham Doppelbock

• Brewery: Fordham Brewing Company

• Style: Doppelbock (Category 5C, BJCP 2008 Style Guidelines)

• Alcohol: 8.0%

• Serving: 12-ounce bottle, chilled, served in a freezer-stored Harpoon IPA pint glass

Scoring (in solidarity with Charlie the Beer Guy):

• Appearance: 8 - Pours a rich brown color, that resides as a deep brown-ruby in the glass. The head is a thick sudsy brown, that fades to no lace.

• Nose: 6 - More subtle in intensity than expected. A bready and sweet maltiness predominates, with fig notes in the backround.

• Taste: 7 - A sweet, dark fruitiness is strong up front, akin to fig or plum. The middle sees some smokey and spicy flavors come out, but they don't overwhelm the other flavors. There is an alcohol burn in the finish, along with a gentle bitterness.

• Mouthfeel: 6 - The body starts out full, but fades quickly to a surprising thinness, and no aftertaste.

• Holistic: 7 - This works well for me overall, although several aspects, such as the mouthfeel, don't fully jive with the strength of the style.

Overall: 34 - Despite having a lesser opinion of the lager style as a whole, doppelbocks are something I find quite appealing. This offering is a local seasonal favorite of mine, despite being somewhat uneven in terms of representing doppelbocks as a whole. It complements a hearty meal well, and it even lends itself to sessioning for those of stronger constitutions.

of birthdays and beverages, mid-July 2009

This past weekend, I had the good fortune of attending Jared's Bat-Party in glorious celebration of his birthday. In keeping with the theme, a menu of Bat-Related mixed beverages had been devised. I tried several, the most interesting of which being the Joker Shooter:

• The Joker Shooter: 2/3 shot Midori, 1/3 shot Irish Creme. The resultant effect was that the Irish Creme layered on top, if done correctly. Visually pleasing, and quite tasty.

Of course, being wholly unable to "leave well enough alone," I tried a couple of other speculative mixes of my own:

• The Black Joker: 2/3 shot Midori, 1/3 shot Kahlua. The resultant effect was that the Kahlua layered on the bottom. Visually interesting, but not so pleasing. Something about the mix brought a bitterness out of the Kahlua, and the "chocolate melon" taste that resulted is not something I'd recommend.
• The Asian Joker: 2/3 shot Midori, 1/3 shot lemonade. The resultant effect was that the lemonade mixed with the Midori, although a portion of the Midori did layer out on the bottom, on close inspection. Not visually interesting, but quite sweet and tasty.

Also this past weekend, I was sadly not able to attend Jason's dapper party in glorious celebration of his birthday. Jason did craft a beverage in the good southern tradition, and posted the enticing recipe that I must try at my earliest convenience:

• The Blueberry Martini: as rogued from his post...

Handful of fresh blueberries
1.5 oz vodka
0.5 oz blue curacao
2 tsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
---
muddle the berries in a cocktail shaker, add vodka, blue curacao, and lemon juice. Fill shaker with crushed ice. Shake it like you mean it. Strain into a martini glass. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday, gentlemen.

Schmidt's Sausage Haus

Despite hailing from the Cincinnati area and having a penchant for German foodstuffs, I had never made it up to Schmidt's before leaving Ohio. More recently, I heard tell of legends of Schmidt's from Origins attendees, specifically in terms of their legendary cream puff desserts that were reportedly each the size of a human head. At last year's Origins, there wasn't time to stop by, but this year I finally made my repast. And oh, what tasty goodness abounded...

• Food - The food at Schmidt's is rich German fare, the clear centerpiece of which are the many sausage dishes. All of their sausages are made in-house, the most marketable variety being the Bahama Mama - a fusion of German sausage and citrus-spice flavors that was my favorite of what they had on offer. While they have numerous entrees, sausage plates, and sandwiches available, the centerpiece of their menu is the all-you-can-eat German Autobahn Buffet.

• Beer - The beer selection is broad. As one might expect, there are a variety of German imports available, such as Warsteiner Dunkel. They also have a core selection of local microbrew offerings, including the Elevator Brewing Company's Three Frogs IPA. All draft beers are available in three glass sizes, the largest of which is a proper stein... as It Should Be.
• Desserts - I am led to understand that all of the desserts are wonderful, but to be honest, I came for the creme puffs. They did not disappoint, although it turns out that describing their size as being akin to that of a human head is somewhat misleading... unless one specifically meant "the size of the head of a rather plump child," which would be more like it. The puff-heads are made on-site, and come in numerous standard and special flavors, such as chocolate, peanut butter, and classic vanilla.
  

I am pleased to have finally sampled the delicious glory that is Schmidt's. It has my highest recommendation for German cuisine and atmosphere of any stateside restaurant I've visited since my trip to Munich (I should get around to documenting that at some point), and I expect to return there in the future as a rare treat. That said, I am even more pleased that I do not live close enough to be tempted to go back easily. It's selections are diametrically opposed to such important ideals as "weight and portion control," and it's an easy place to fall off the wagon from one's dietary commitment, as Mr. Miller notes.

For more information about the restaurant and it's history, check out their website and menu. And to give you a better taste of Schmidt's, here is a segment from the Travel Channel's Man v. Food program:

Balticon 2009 Bacon

I have not had the BLT sandwich at the Balticon hotel, but this past weekend, Mur did. And when it came out in it's crispy, piled-high glory, Evo was there to provide photographic witness.



He could only offer the following tweet comment on the matter: "All of the pigs were sacrificed for @mightymur's BLT."

Indeed, Evo. Indeed, they were.

Farpoint 2009 Libations

Balticon is this weekend, and in gearing up for the convention, I am reminded that I never posted the Farpoint libations list. At Farpoint in February, the hotel bartender got into the spirit of the con with some zeal, and devised a Star Trek-inspired beverage selection for the bar. For the curious, here are the drinks and recipes:

• Actuarian Fizz: lemon juice, grenadine, gin, & club soda

• Chech'tluth: bourbon, gin, club soda, peppermint schnapps, & Johnnie Walker

• Klingon Bloodwine: red wine infused with ginger, & fresh chilies

• Black Hole: Kahlua, Smirnoff "w"odka, & lemon juice

• Antimatter Shot: Sambuca, Blue Curacao

• Klingon Martini: gin, vermouth, & a dash of Bloodwine - as budding martini aficionado, I couldn't pass this up. It... wasn't as bad as I feared. With better gin, it could have been "good." Also, it didn't really look "Klingon":
  

• The Picard Cocktail: 8 oz. of Earl Grey tea hot, 1 oz. Grand Marnier - Jared had this one and was willing to share. It was surprisingly good.

• Vulcan Mind Meld: 1 part ouzo, 1 part rum (151 proof)

• Talos IV Coffee: 3 parts Grand Marnier, 1 part coffee

• Klingon Disrupter: Jim Bean, Patron Tequila, cinnamon schnapps
  

I'm not normally a "mixed drinks" fellow, but if there are similar options next year, I may need to explore them a bit more.