Shift Pale Lager

- Contributed by Ms Duck

First off, I want to apologize for slacking in my contributions lately.  Wow I didn’t realize it had been almost a month.  I have had a few beers since late April but just not time to sit and reflect.

Recently, someone close to me has been having some employment frustrations which have inspired this evening’s beer drinking mood.  As I clock out (figuratively) and head to the beer fridge (I work from home) I started singing to myself.  This part really isn’t that unusual.  I tend to sing around the house all the time; my house has great acoustics.  From the recesses of my childhood memories I start with ‘Tumble outta bed and stumble to the kitchen, pour myself a cup of ambition, yawnin’ stretchin’ tryin’ to come to life.’  Have you figured it out yet?  That’s right, 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton.

Now, I’m sitting here with my laptop, typing away, drinking my beer and watching Dolly Parton videos on Vevo.  It’s actually kinda hard to concentrate...she’s a bit of a cougar with lots of cowboys in her videos.  Luckily they are from the early 90’s and the mullet was still popular in the country music world.  ‘Jump in the shower and the blood starts pumpin’, out on the street the traffic starts jumpin’ with folks like me on the job from 9 to 5.’

Here comes the chorus - ‘Workin’ 9 to 5 what a way to make a livin’, barely gettin’ by it's all takin’ and no givin’.  They just use your mind and they never give you credit!  It’s enough to make you drink...oh, wait that’s what we are supposed to be talking about.  So the beer I picked to go along with my Dolly Parton videos was New Belgium’s Shift Pale Lager.  Although you may not think of Dolly Parton when you think New Belgium, this Shift Pale Lager goes well with lots of stuff.

Shift is a light lager that is great for those summer evenings after work.  Although the lightness brings back memories of certain domestics brewed in St. Louis that I enjoyed in my youth, it is 5% ABV and still has that subtle complexity you’d look for in a craft beer.  Mr Duck got to learn about Shift while touring New Belgium back in April.  He said they called it Shift because it was the beer they gave to their employees at the end of their shift.  Yea, that’s right, at New Belgium you get a free beer when you are done with work.  I think this is a practice employers should adopt everywhere.  I would also like to note that I would consider this a ‘Trent’ beer.  Reference previous posts below.

So to kick off this Memorial Weekend, the official start of summer, the weekend dedicated to the celebration of our military heroes past and present I feel like I’ve started it off the best way I can.  I want to wish you all a wonderful Memorial Day and I hope you get a chance to enjoy some wonderful craft brews while enjoying friends and family.

To wrap this up, I will end the best way I know how...in song. ‘9 to 5, for service and devotion.  You would think that I would deserve a fair promotion, want to move ahead but the boss won’t seem to let me, I swear sometimes that man is out to get me.’

Cheers!

http://www.newbelgium.com/beer/detail.aspx?id=fc35795d-8d9d-4f04-9e35-c1c55c2a0018

Beer Advocate rated it a 83:

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/192/79373

'Trent' Beers

Reference Breckenridge Vanilla Porter and Bell's Oberon Ale

Finished My First 5K

-Contributed by Ms Duck

Being that I'm a bit worn out, I'll be brief.  I made it through my first 5K tonight and I enjoyed a Left Hand Brewing Milk Stout for my recovery beer.  Now the training begins for the 1/2 Marathon.  We may try the Zombie Buffet 5K before that...stay tuned.

Cheers!

http://www.zombiebuffet5k.com/

http://www.lefthandbrewing.com/verify-age

Oberon Ale - Bell's

-Contributed by Ms Duck

Tonight I finally got around to watching the latest episode of Fringe.  Have I ever mentioned how much I love that show?  Every once in awhile I wonder if Duck has been taken over by a ‘Shape Shifter’ but then we get him a couple beers and all is better.

After making it through the first gross scene I realize I should be drinking a beer.  When looking in the beer fridge...some day we should share pictures of the beer fridges...I found a bottle with one of the most colorful labels I’d seen in a long time.  What might that be, do you ask?  It was Bell’s Oberon Ale.  (Also recommended by my beer friend Cheri)  It is a combination of the most beautiful coral, turquoise, Bondi Blue and radiant yellow.  The picture of the sun is wonderful.  The label alone has me daydreaming of family reunions, softball games, swinging under a tree in the backyard, lightening bugs, playing ‘kick the can’, avoiding June bugs while riding your bike after dark, hauling hay, and riding my bike to the swimming pool on a hot day.  Granted, most of these things I did long before I was anywhere near old enough to drink.  However, a good summer brew is sure to bring back all those amazing memories.

Enough about Ms Duck’s childhood, what does this beer taste like?  The color out of the bottle is very light with a small amount of head and lacing.  Actually I was a little taken back by how light.  It was surfacing some memories of Bud Light, a full moon, a pond out in the country and minimal clothing...but we don’t need to discuss that here.  The nose is very fruity and aromatic.  It lets you know right away that this ain’t no Bud Light.  And the flavor...it is so very light and refreshing.  It has hints of fruit and a bit of wheat.  I would classify this as a ‘Trent Beer’ (refer back to previous post on Breckenridge Brewery Vanilla Porter).  It is very drinkable, goes down easily, fitting for a summer afternoon and at 5.8% you can still have a few without gettin’ too silly.

I highly recommend you give this one a try as you rotate into your summer lineup.  It is not nearly as strong of a fruit flavor as Shiner’s Summer Ale, so if you weren’t a fan of that you might enjoy the Oberon Ale.

Time to go catch some lightening bugs...oh, wait, I live in Arizona where there are no lightening bugs so I guess I’ll just have to play Kick The Can.

CHEERS!

Link to Oberon Ale:
http://www.bellsbeer.com/

Beer Advocate gave it an 87:
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/287/1094

Cognac Stout - Coppersmiths

 

Big big big, and a strong bourbon smell.  Chocolatey, sweet, thick.

http://coopersmithspub.com/

Upslope Brown Ale

Starting out a Sunday morning with an upslope brown ale. It's been a weekend full of good beers. We are at the Mayor of old town, listening to some relaxing folk music, mandolin ,upright bass and guitar. They are playing the wedding song now. My brown ale is full of flavor, sweet crisp and refreshing, Not thick like some browns.

http://www.themayorofoldtown.com/

http://upslopebrewing.wordpress.com/about/