Red Rover Irish Red

- Contributed by Ms Duck

I realize it seems like forever since I’ve gotten around to posting.  Life as a single Duck has been rather overwhelming and sadly didn’t involve as many beers as one might think.

In less than two weeks the Duck clan will be reunited in our new home in Kansas City.  Although I am very excited to return to my home state and to family and old friends, the overall experience is bittersweet.  Tonight as I enjoyed my Sleepy Dog Red Rover I was celebrating my final concert with the local choir I have been performing with for almost two years.  This was the first of many goodbyes to come.  The performance was wonderful and it was so much fun to relax with the group after...but as I drove home (the crazy long drive home from North Scottsdale to my home in the SE Valley) I had lots of time to contemplate.

First I was thinking of the lovely flavor and smooth drinkability of the Red Rover that I had enjoyed.  I am known in the group for my knowledge of brews and my rich Mezzo Soprano voice. It was my responsibility at our table to help with the beer selections.

The second thought that hit me hard was the sacrifices we make throughout our lives.  If I had never left Missouri, it is highly unlikely I’d have ever met Duck.  If we’d never left New Mexico, we might have never (or much later) began enjoying craft beers such as Red Oak out of Greensboro, NC.  If we’d never left New Mexico the second time, Duck might have never met his Canadian beer drinking buddies and started duckslovebeer.com.  And if he’d never met the Canadian’s I’d probably never have started singing with the Carolyn Eynon Singers.

But with these rich rewards of friendships and experiences come the sacrifice of saying ‘until next time’.  Without taking the chance, the prize can never be realized.  And I guess long story short, the heartache of goodbye is so worth the relationships we have gathered.  So as I sit and ponder I’d like to raise my glass to all of you who have touched our lives during these last 9 ½ years in the Valley of the Sun.  We may be leaving the Valley but you will never leave our hearts and minds.

http://sleepydogbrewing.com/

http://carolyneynonsingers.com/

http://www.redoakbrewery.com/home.php

Breckenridge Brewery Vanilla Porter

-Contributed by Ms Duck

After watching an episode of Torchwood, a BBC Sci-Fi series, I needed a beer to help get me through the next episode.  Have you ever watched that series?  Duck got me all sucked in after a couple episodes but then they went all creepy, scary, hide my eyes kinda Sci-Fi so I thought I'd have a beer to calm my nerves.

Ironically I picked Breckenridge Brewing Vanilla Porter.  After the first couple sips Duck and I look at each other and we both agree it's kinda plain...or vanilla if you will (hardy, har, har).  It really is an agreeable, mellow porter.  I'd call this a 'Trent' beer.  Trent is a good friend of ours that we've been trying to wean of his wussy, fizzy, yellow beers and into the world of craft brews.  So when I find a mellow craft beer that I'd suggest to a starter like Trent, I call it a 'Trent' beer.  Sometimes this backfires and we get rude texts late at night about our beer recommendations, but a girl’s gotta try right?

This vanilla porter has a subtle vanilla flavor that doesn’t overpower.  It helps even out the dryness of the porter and gives it a nice finish.  It’s very drinkable and goes down easily without weighing you down.  If you are looking for an easy drinking dark beer, I’d say give the Breckenridge Brewing Vanilla Porter a try.  And if you are a ‘Trent’ you might give it a whirl as well.

Here’s to Monday being over...CHEERS!!

http://www.breckbrew.com/brews/vanilla-porter

Boulder Bend Dunkelweizen

-Contributed by Ms Duck

You know, I used to think I had a decent vocabulary.  I use words like monotonous instead of boring and aggravated instead of mad.  For quite some time I’ve tried to find just the right word to describe how I feel or what I am experiencing.  After reviewing what seems like a minimal number of beers I feel as if I am out of words.  Maybe I need to go to a vocabulary class.  I honestly wish I’d paid more attention to my Wordly Wise lessons in 6th grade.  Sorry Mrs. Miller...I was spending to much time listening to Justin and Thad instead of studying my words.  Then again, she was the one that moved me from next to Tiffany, the eventual salutatorian of our class, to between two ornery boys.  Now that I’ve shifted the blame of my academic shortcomings I will try this beer.

Tonight it is the Leavenworth Biers - Boulder Bend Dunkelweizen.  This one is brewed and bottled by Fish Brewing Co. in Olympia, WA.  It is described as an Alpine Style Dark Wheat Ale.  The color is gorgeous.  It makes me think of the IKEA black/brown furniture.  Not quite black, not quite brown but rich and absorbing.  After the minimal head dissipates the lacing on the glass is light.  The nose is mild.  Nothing comes through to overpower the experience.  The taste is...well...see now is when that Wordly Wise would come in handy.  Actually, the thought that comes to my head is ‘trouble’.  As in, this beer good get me into trouble.  It is rich, slightly sweet so not overly drying on your tongue.  And when I say trouble, I mean I could drink several of these easily.  It doesn’t weigh you down, which is maybe why the label has pictures of people white water rafting.  I could totally picture myself drinking this beer while camping after a day of hiking or rafting.  It’s 4.7% which might end up biting me in the ass, but I’m up for finding out.  Unfortunately this was one of our Twas the Beers before Christmas exchanges so I only have one to enjoy today.

If you are a lover of ambers, porters or even stouts I would give this one a try.  It has that richness like a heavier porter or stout without the weight.  I’m going to go enjoy the rest of my Dunkelweizen...that’s kinda fun to say...Dunkelweizen.  Maybe I’ll find some vocabulary site to explore.

http://www.fishbrewing.com/leavenworth-biers/

Here’s to the next one...CHEERS!

75th St. Brewery Red

75th st is a great brewery,we made it there last summer. It had a great German beer garden feel. This red is nice and drinkable, not too dry. The red is a very good session beer, malty an a bit carmelly.

Shiner Ruby Redbird - Makes me wanna go fishin' in the dark

As the days begin to warm and the late sunsets bring out a longing for bar-be-que grills, watermelon and homemade ice cream Spoetzl Brewery has brought us yet another wonderful summer seasonal...Shiner Ruby Redbird. 

This seasonal is brewed with Texas Ruby Red grapefruit, noted as the signature citrus of the Rio Grande Valley.  Redbird is a wonderfully crisp summer brew with subtle ginger flavors adding a complexity to the grapefruit notes resulting in a delightful beer made for sipping on a summer's eve.  This beer was enjoyed straight from the bottle at about 40-45 degrees.

Many people like to give Shiner seasonals a bad rap, but I am a huge fan.  I find this summer brew drinkable and easy to enjoy with your summer activities.  So while you are sitting on the porch swing watching the last few rays of evening light turn to dusk, crack open a Shiner Ruby Redbird and get ready to catch some lightening bugs.

Contributed by Ms Duck