Go Go Speed Racer

So, early this morning, I had a certain medical procedure performed. Thus, the delay in today's review. Yes, all is well, yes, I am healthy, yes, I am still the same sex.

Today's review is another fantastic brew traded to me by ATK regular George. Today we'll discuss Bear Republic's Racer 5 IPA. As far as IPAs go, this was about as good as I've had in terms of its balance, aggressive hop presence and integrity of the style.

Delivered in a big 22oz brown bomber with a checkered-flag logo and a big red 5 right smack on the front, it's a whole pint and a half of explosive hop-bomb for my fellow hop-heads.

It pured into my glass a mildly hazy amber and straw color with a fluffy pure-white head that lft rivulets of thick lacing down the glass as I drank it.

The beer has a clean, fresh and refreshing citrus aroma laid over an earthy pungency. There is a huge diversity of hops use in this beer, an the tantalizing aroma shows it. Underneath the load of hops, I got a nice light fruity-esters and a strong toasted malt worked hard to maintain its integrity against the hoppiness.

Hops race along my mouth and leaves a vapor-trail of earthy and floral bitterness that lasts for the rest of each sip and tjrough the whole pint. I believe it's bottle conditioned, and the remarkable smoothness of the beer shows it. There again is this solid maltiness, but true to British-style ales, it tends towards a biscuity and toasty range of flavors that serves to comopliment the earthy hops very well. The beer's 7% abv shows in a nice, warming alcohol presence without tasting like jet fuel or like you did a bolilermaker; it's there, and it has a warming effect, but that's all it is (though instead of spice, I wonder if it contributes to the estery flavors).

Smooth, medium-high carbonation, great medium body and a slight, slick oiliness are hallmarks of Racer 5. Another great beer from The Golden State, and thanks again, George!

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Name that... car?

Okay, so enough politics for now... my wife and I were driving the other day when some song mentioned a Chevy in it and it got me to thinking, which soon became a contest between her and I as to how many songs mention cars in them. We came up with a few and, for the most part concluded that Chevy's and Chevrolet's are the most mentioned cars in popular music. I've been pondering this ever since and thought I would put it to you, the ATK community, to list any other song you can think of that mentions a car of some type. Obviously, we'll get plenty from the Beach Boys and Jan & Dean, stuff like that, and that's fine, but I was hoping for some more obscure stuff as well. Thought this would be a fun exercise.

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The choice is clear

In 2008, vote beer. Vote Obama.

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The Enemy in our Midst

Beware...

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The Impact of “Obamacons”

I have personally heard from a half-dozen strong Republican voters who are planning on voting for Obama in November. They include my in-laws, a couple Lansing area Republican lobbyists and others. There is even a name for it now: “Obamacons”, or conservative Obama supporters.

Who are these people? Why are they supporting a lefty, like Obama? Are they a large enough group to impact the election?

Last week, in an article by E.J Dionne Jr. of the Washington Post discussed this issue in relation to Douglas Kmiec, a pro-life activist and former employee of the Justice Department under the Reagan administration, who is an Obama supporter. The article, which was written in response to Kmiec being denied communion because of his Obama support, said that Kmiec was supporting Obama: “…despite the candidate's position on abortion, not because of it, partly in the hope that Obama's emphasis on personal responsibility in sexual matters might change the nature of the nation's argument on life issues.” In the article, Kmiec also stated that conservatives find Obama's call for a new approach to politics appealing.

Is this a trend or just merely a few disenfranchised conservatives? Has Bush’s failures pushed conservatives to Obama, or are there things about Obama that draw conservatives to him?

What do you think?

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Blackbird Fly!

So I didn't know that a Merle is a blackbird. I should have guessed by the label, but I'm not really very smart. But what I do know is that this lovely 750mL, corked-and-capped bottle of North Coast's Le Merle, compliments of Around The Keg regular George, is one Hell of a saison. Thanks, George. This blackbird was a rare treat!

A side note: I love me some saisons. I like the spicy sourness of the armoatics and the taste. I love its relative lightness of body. I am hell-bent right now to brew a good saison and not ruin it by drinking it way too early. Brewers note: I am in the market for a good saison recipe.

So where was I? Ah, right. Le Merle.

The corked-and-caged aspect of the beer bottle added a hint of authenticity to it, like this has been lovingly stored in a Belgian or French farm house cellar somewhere, waiting to be imbibed after a long days' work. "Pop" goes the cork, and I was off to the races.

It poured a beautiful apricot-gold color, nice and hazy, with a big 3-inch fluffy head like a meringue. As the head receded, it left thick lacing down the sides of my glass (which seemed, inaudibly, to thank me for the bubble bath!). I poured it on one of those nice warm, upper-70-degree days as we ate dinner on our back deck. Idillic.


This beer is a beautiful mix of summertime fruits: lemons, oranges and sweet peaches. Underneath is some coriander and peppery spice, which when taken with the fruit aromas makes this beer a gourmet fruit salad, garnished with a hint of flowers from the hops. There is also a touch of alcohol; just a hint and not overwhelming, as well as some bready and malted notes to round it all out.

I dove right in. Fruit salad indeed! All that lovely citrus ran all over my tongue, filling it with sweet-but-tangy tangerines and oranges, lemons and pepper, flowers and coriander spices. What an amazing mix, and yet it was light and subtle and mixed so well with sweet malt, white bread and crackers and a hint of alcohol; not so muc to make it a burn, but just enough to add some spice so you know it's there. Perfect. It had a slight bitterness to it; more than many other saisons I have tried, but the Guidelines allow for a "moderate to high" bitterness without dominating, which this beer pulls-off really well.

The medium-high carbonation and the lighter body gives this beer a wonderful, refreshing effervescent feel to it, and it finishes with a pleasant tangy dryness. This is, conceptually, an absolutely beautiful summertime-on-your-deck beer. Well done, North Coast, and I can't thank you enough for sending me this beer, George!

Lansing-dwellers, I am working with Oades Big 10 to see if I can get a case delivered.

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Could the Primary Really Be Over?

When the country started the primary races, I began as an Edwards supporter, who could have supported either Obama or Clinton had either won the nomination. As time went on, and Edwards left the race, it was clear to me that the race for the nomination was also a race for the Democratic Party’s soul. Would we turn back to the Republican-lite policies of the first Clinton administration or roll the dice on a fresh new face who promised reform?

I definitely turned away from Hillary Clinton because of how she ran her race; as she essentially became the desperate-for-power caricature that her detractors had always drawn. Fortunately, it looks like we will have a candidate soon, and despite being an inexperienced campaigner and young, he is a candidate that ran an overall respectful primary battle, is a person we can respect, and is a person inspiring millions of people.

As the super delegates start to fall toward Obama, what are your thoughts about the general election race? Will Clinton cave in tonight or just “suspend” her campaign Romney style?


BTW – For the 1.6 Million ATK readers in the Lansing area who want to go to a little pro-Obama party, some supporters and Obama staff will be meeting at the Nuthouse in Lansing on Michigan Avenue at 8 pm.

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