Up from Mediocrity

Mediocrity isn't what it used to be.  A simple fact is that as goods and service improve in various sectors, what once was considered excellence or of high quality becomes today's mediocrity.

Music is a field that demonstrates that point.  Once an industry that wasn't just difficult to break into, it really may have been next to impossible and the style of music was strictly regulated by the industry.  Industry executives dictated what would sell and wouldn't.  So, when The Beatles gave their first audition, they were told that "guitar bands were on the way out."  However, music that became known as "rock and roll" was just beginning, and The Beatles managed to break through the unwritten rules of the industry, more often the chokehold on excellence more than regulations, changing the face of music.

Today, I don't even need a studio, record label, and distribution system deal to get my music out.  I need a Mac, a place to record, and an Apple account or Amazon account to make my music available and some great social media contacts to distribute my music.  This has opened up the world of sound to artists otherwise caught in a log jam in earlier days and given rise to a new definition of excellence.

We see this truth applied to the world of ales as well.  Once regulated by major breweries and distributors, and aided by state and federal regulations on the creation of fermented and distilled products, we had beer.  Beer was beer.  Clear, gold in color, and available in areas where it was sold (post-Prohibition) in bottles, maybe cans, and draft.  You could have a Schlitz, a Budweiser, or a Miller.  Maybe a local brewery gave you a Hamms, Pearl, or Old Style, but your choice was pretty much mainstream.

Today?  The rules have changed completely.  Small craft brews that can now distribute thanks to de-regulation and a market that has changed in tastes and we have beers that have opened up the palates and given rise to a change in what we call excellence.  Major breweries and distributors are still trying to find their foot hold in the landscape.  In other words, we just hate it when people are given more options and allowed to make choices. 

Alaskan Winter Ale - recommended to me from a friend who enjoys fine craft ale after I reviewed winter ales, he was even kind enough to give me one and insisted I try it.  I was taken by the label immediately, the first beer with a bald eagle clearly on it in vivid colors (Bud uses the eagle too, but not as colorfully as this).  To my point earlier, not so long ago I would have had to go to Alaska to find this beer (Alaskan Brew Co. founded in 1986), but now with changes in tastes and times, it finds its way to West Texas.  This beer says it is brewed with "tips from spruce trees," so around Christmas time, this winter ale is using a Christmas tree in its brew.  This beer was an excellent beer to have at this time of year.  It had a refreshing taste, and the website says it is brewed in old English ale style.  Alcohol content of 6.5%, and a nice copper color.  I think you will like it.

A friend of mine kept raving about Jeremiah Red, an Irish Red Ale sold at BJ's Brew House.  BJ's is definitely corporate, so the beer is not necessarily brewed on site as it may be with a local brew house/restaurant.  Yet that doesn't make it evil to the craft brew lover either.  I have no background with an Irish Red, so I am not able to compare them to others.  Another friend of mine and I brewed his first batch which was an Irish Red, and he gave me a couple of bottles which were very enjoyable. That said, I enjoyed the Jeremiah Red at BJ's (both are registered trademarks).  It had a great flavor and was good with the chicken tacos I ordered.  The alcohol content was 7.3% which may explain why I was pulling for the Dallas Cowboys as they played the Washington R******ns (name withheld due to political correctness and cultural sensitivities).

To end this lengthier blog, I enjoyed having friends refer me to beers to try.  I really enjoyed being given one, but that did not influence my tastes.  I would have been honest.  Choice is a great thing, and the beer world is now exploding in that.  Mediocrity ain't what it used to be.  Enjoy!

Garage Jam Sessions: Session 1 - Pecan Pie Ale

Back in my day, high school students throughout the US sought status among their peers using a variety of methods.  Some were athletes, some were intelligent, some used their quirkiness to make themselves unique.  One group of youth at that time to note was the youth who comprised a segment of the population known as "musicians."  Some read music and some did not, yet all were involved in music for one reason or another.  There was, among the "musicians," a segment who sought a status of greatness at their one day promise to be a legendary rock star playing before hundreds of thousands in some distant arena.  This group gets its start in almost the same universal place across America - the garage.

Ah yes.  Garage bands.  Jam sessions in the garage featuring a really bad guitarist, a vocal, a bass, and a set of drums.  The leader of these groups was usually the one who had the garage available to jam in (or basement if your geography permits it), or he/she was probably the one with the more dominant personality (and maybe even the one with the coolest stuff).  Talent rarely had much to do with it, but at least in the garage, you were one really bad group.  Names were as random as the people who came and went in these groups, and no one ever really kept track of how many made it out of the garage to some level of performance notoriety.

I thought these had long sense gone until I was running through a neighborhood near Texas Tech about a month ago.  Lo and behold, I heard in the distance that familiar sound of a garage band, drums the most prominent "sound," so I changed my path and ran past the garage.  Sure enough, there they were.  The drummer, the guitarist, the bass, and a keyboard tossed in playing some song not in my repertoire.  And some kid on a Mac probably recording the session (computers clearly not part of our band in the day).

My jam sessions these days are part of a generational shift.  Gone are the dreams of being a big rock star, having been replaced by the dreams of one day becoming the next great craft brewer in a region where tourists will come because they have heard of, or tasted, your craft.

This past month, Baldner Reserves (as it is now called), produced a formula driven recipe in time for Christmas called, "Pecan Pie Ale."  Purchased from the brew store here in Lubbock, the formula took the time to copy that favored southern tradition at Thanksgiving and Christmas known as Pecan Pie, especially favored in Texas.  So, I got out the brewing equipment around Thanksgiving to have this potential delight ready for Christmas.  Kettle for brewing.  Large glass bottle (carboy) for fermentation.  Everything cleaned and sterile.  Ingredients all laid out in logical fashion ready for their turn in the soup (wort in beer language).  Heat sources, back ups, and a wide array of other stuff for the three hour process of preparation, heating, boiling, and storing.

Opened on Christmas Eve, the jam sessions from November had produced a fine ale.  The delight of the flavor and taste did not disappoint.  We didn't cross the line and make a sweet, "fruity" drink, but instead produced a beer that had an excellent taste and after taste.  If you find such a recipe and have jam sessions of your own, I recommend it. It turned out to be a great Christmas beer.

Next up:  Beers you have suggested.

Yes, By All Means

Mi blog es su blog.

In short, the People's Blog of Brew accepts requests or recommendations from its readers.  I have had two come in recently to try a brew and review it or to write a brief review and submit it for your enjoyment.

The Average Guy is just an average guy, and I hold no special degrees or certifications in the brewing and fermentation process.  We just like beer, and it is part of our creed to be something that you not only understand, but enjoy and are a part of.

So, please, recommend away.  Realize that I do retain final rights on what is published, and if I find a beer you enjoyed not as enjoyable on my end, I will say that clearly some like it but I did not (how is that for a run-on you English majors?).

Thanks for all the comments and recommendations.  Your Average Beer Guy in his quest to speak to you in terms the average guy and gal understands.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and enjoy with a fine ale with what you enjoy over this season of joy!

Walking in a Winter Ale Wonderland

Winter officially started yesterday on the day known as Winter Solstice, called such because it is officially the longest night of the winter (is that like starting football season with the Super Bowl?).  Even in the days of climate change, it is worth looking at the weather map and noting cold temperatures and snow across the globe.  So, ales appropriate for the cold are appropriate even though the cold, we are told, isn't as cold as it once was and that it is warming, thawing, and that these things may eventually impact all we know as good and enjoyable.

In Houston, we already had global warming noted in two seasons:  Summer and Dreary.  Summer was marked by sun and warm, humid temperatures.  Dreary was noted for its cloud cover, moisture hanging around, damp and cold (by Houston standards) temperature, and the trees losing their leaves to provide a barren look to the Dreary landscape. 

It was during such times that I learned to enjoy a fire and a specialty ale.  Winter (including Dreary) does not disappoint, but Winter finds its names on ales, not Dreary, partly because no one is going to buy an ale called "Dreary Ale" or "Dreary Weather Welcome Ale."  Winter, however, finds an introduction of some fine seasonal craft beers that are as good as they are different.

Today, we look at two from the large variety of winter beers available, partly because I couldn't afford, nor have the room for, or time to, try all the ales that are out there.  So, we look at two this year and have the full knowledge of more to review in upcoming years.

The two we look at are Sam Adams Winter Lager and then we jump across the pond to enjoy Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale from Britain.

Sam Adams Winter Lager was so enjoyable that I ran to the supply store to ask about making a lager, and I learned more that day than I needed to.  Important to note to the home brewer, in case you didn't know this, that lagers take twice the time and require colder temperatures than normal beers.  Adams doesn't disappoint with its patience though in brewing and distributing a quality lager for winter.  It has a fullness in taste and body that is enjoyable.  It is a darker beer and enjoys an alcohol content of slightly over 5% per bottle.  If you want to learn more about its ingredients and other facts, go to their website, to learn more. This was a great beer and I enjoyed it with a cigar on one occasion.  I'm holding two back because yes, I brewed some in early December knowing full well it will be February before I can enjoy them. 

The next beer is Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale that hails from the country of Britain.  As I enjoyed this one, I felt as though I was connecting with a different time and place, thinking at one point that I heard Arthur with his Knights of the Roundtable somewhere around the place.  It notes that it is brewed in the "Old Brewery" in Yorkshire, England and is fermented in stone vats.  The brewery, it is noted on the bottle, was built in 1758 in Tadcaster which must be a part of Yorkshire.  All that to say that it does have a distinct flavor and notes on the bottle to serve at 51 degrees F in a glass.  It has a 6% alcohol content, but you can read all about its color, alcohol, and other such factors by going to the website to learn more.  Yes, I recommend it, but it does have a distinctly European flavor to it.  So, be prepared.

Hoping you read this far and learned about two winter ales from the abundance out there, I hope you and your families have or had a great Christmas and enjoy the holidays.  Beers and ales are meant to enhance your holidays with those you love, not ruin them, so enjoy and be aware of your surroundings.  I have to go, King Arthur and the others are waiting.

Alamo Draft House and "Exodus"

I have to confess I've never been to an Alamo Draft House.  I will also confess there wasn't one close on the South Plains of Texas, unless you consider the Dallas/Ft. Worth area close (about five hours away).  The chain finally built one here in Lubbock, so my blog may be less revealing to those who have access to and consequently have attended an event or events there.  It will still have a beer person's perspective though.

Several of us from church (those Lutherans, you know how we like our beer) gathered last night under the guise of a "men's ministry event" to watch the movie "Exodus:  Gods and Generals."

The Draft House is a beer lover's paradise. Combining fine craft brews, good menu, and movies was so simple yet genius you wonder why it took this far in moving pictures' history to create this concept.  I enjoyed the entire experience, from sitting in the bar prior to being seated, to being seated in advance with seats being assigned by ticket purchased, to the wait staff and order process, as well as the selection of beers and food items on the menu.

To the beer enthusiast, the selection is better than adequate, and to the family members who believe that beer removes the family aspect of the movies, think again.  The environment is well-monitored and focuses mainly on the experience rather than drinking.  I enjoyed two different kinds of beers during the movies, an IPA to attempt to learn what people see in IPA's and a pilsner (brand doesn't matter at this point).  I also enjoyed a bacon cheeseburger with fries and some of my neighbor's bottomless popcorn - at his invite.

As for the movie, I had legitimate concerns from the start.  The name, Exodus: Gods and Generals, harkens back to the book, "Gods and Generals" by Jeff Shaara.  Unfortunately, that was a bood that was a historical fictional piece about the Civil War and the drama that unfolded during that time.  I would have considered the name Exodus: God and King since it was about the Almighty and Pharoah and the release of the nation of Israel held captive as slaves in Egypt.  Ridley Scott, who has directed some great movies, seemed bored with this project as he projected Moses to be a conflicted man.  To the believer, Moses will appear to not get his cues from God as in the book of Exodus or from Cecille B. DeMille's landmark "Ten Commandments," but rather Moses has visions seen only by him and the audience.  Others see him talking to rocks or to himself.  This conflicted man approach leads to less conflict between Moses and God, or Moses and Pharoah, and really doesn't get drawn out adequately between Moses and himself.

I would even go so far to say that the abilities now to create special effects was slightly disappointing and DeMille's efforts in the 1950s (or earlier in the 1920s silent film) may have been far more of an accomplishment and heralded the greatness of God much better than in this film.  Perhaps they were understated in this film because Scott seemed content to provide the "alternate explanation of what could have plausibly happened" scenario.  At the end, I left thinking that the North Koreans should have hacked and kept this movie on the shelf and not "The Interview," but that was about their god, Kim John Un.

So, the experience was a 10 and the movie was a 2.  To the beer enthusiast, the Draft House concept is an excellent one, and the variety is clearly appealing to the enthusiast.  To the movie goer, it is a great experience as well.  As for Exodus - wait for the DVD.

Next up:  Winter ales

Holidays = Bowl Games

So, here is the bowl schedule, which goes for about a month.  If the holidays weren't enough to drive you crazy with all the rat race schedules and family drama, one month of football, mediocre to good, is enough to put you over the edge.  It is then an assumption of the Average Guy Beer Review that you need beer to get you through all of it.  The question to the average beer guy and gal is this:  What kind of beer to enjoy during the viewing of bowl season during the holidays?  Average Guy Beer Reviews recommends the following:

Average Beer Guy Review Recommendations for Holiday Bowls
1.  Beer
2.  Cold Beer
3.  Cold Beer you like, maybe iced down in a cooler
4.  A comfortable chair
5.  A restroom close by
6.  Appropriate snacks that can rise to the task of accompanying the cold beer
7.  Cold Beer you like in a comfortable chair perhaps with a nice cigar if you so indulge
8.  Cold Beer you like in a comfortable chair with a nice cigar and a way to view the games outside if your wife or husband is like my wife and won't let you smoke a nice cigar with my cold beer in the house
9.  A place to have a fire outside if you are forced to go out and smoke your cigar and the climate isn't necessarily conducive to being outside but you also don't need a koozie because your beer will remain cold while you sit outside and enjoy a game and cigar in sub-zero weather.  That fire could be a grill going, killing two birds with one stone.
10. No need for a remote, almost all of the games, as you note by looking at the schedule, are on ESPN.

These conclusions were carefully researched by many scholars the world over.  The findings are data-driven with precise instruments and careful polling and formulas to make it meaningful.

We also usher in, this year, an official play-off system with four teams, ranked by a team of people each week until the final week. The rankings, aimed to end the subjective nature of the rankings of the past, were, of course, subjective, so the season starts December 20 and ends on January 14. 

Enjoy, Happy Holidays, and stay warm as you watch the bowl games of your choice with a cold beer of your choice.

Share if you so desire. 

Wringing in the Holidaze

Ah it is time for Christmas.  You know the season.  That time where families get together around the glow of a warm fire, the tree all lit, sharing stories, playing games, unwrapping gifts and enjoying a nice dinner of ham, perhaps turkey, and all the fixings and ending the day holding hands and singing "Silent Night."  Of course, that is a version I have never lived, but it is the one we all imagine.  I believe it is more a time of shopping, some or most last minute, setting a pace for disaster, arguing about where it will be spent and for how long, and remembering at this time of year that the holidays put the FUNK in the word dysFUNCtion for many people.

That latter version, probably more accurate for many, is why it is good that our microbrew friends brew ales especially for the Christmas season.  That beer that is good for getting us over the hump.  That word that helps remove the FUNK from function.  Sure, you can have a fire if your climate allows it (and city codes, and provided you have a fire place) to sit by while you enjoy your ale.  So, the good news is that there are ales designed just for Christmas that have Christmas in their name.

Beers for Review:  St. Arnolds Christmas Ale; Breckenridge Christmas Ale; Shiner Cheers

St. Arnolds has given us a Christmas ale for almost two decades now.  A brewery from Houston, the St. Arnolds team provides us with an ale that has a distinct flavor that they boast is perfect for the holiday time.  I really enjoy this one not only because it is made at the microbrewery in my hometown, but also because it is good.  The specifications on the beer are listed on their homepage, so I won't bore you with the details. You should consider this beer if you are looking for something past the mainstream of mass produced beers. 

Another ale I picked up this season is made in the Breckenridge Brewery and is called Breckenridge Christmas Ale.  It is an enjoyable beer that reflects the flavors of the St. Arnold's Christmas Ale, so I  have to admit I liked it as well.  Both beers have similar coloring, but I'd have to give Breckenridge the nod on the appearance of the bottle because the label is a classic Christmas look.  The specifications are listed on their homepage as well if you are into homebrewing or trivia, but I find they are far more open about their ingredients that the St. Arnold's team. 

Shiner, another brewery in Texas, gives us Cheer for the holidays, and upon one sip, I went to the label to see if what I tasted really was in the beer.  Their website says a "hint of peach" which is like saying the Gulf has a "hint" of salt.  What a shame, because I had purchased a 12-pack of the beer.  So, I looked for people who may like it.  Poured it in glasses when they weren't looking.  While I enjoy the Shiner brand, a beer with a hint of peach is not for me, so it doesn't make my Christmas list anymore.

Each of these beers packs a punch of 5.5 - 7.0 alcohol, so enjoy it at home with some nice snacks you enjoy with beer.  If you venture out on the road and want to take some for the family, remember these beers pack a punch.  The makers would probably want you to enjoy and remember that as well.

Have a great Christmas.  Enjoy the ones you love.  After a few of these, you will.

Next:  Bowl game mania
Following:  Winter ales in time for winter
Soon:  Beer at the movies?

All Beers Are Not Created Equal

My wife and I recently visited San Antonio. San Antonio is one of our favorite cities in Texas and in the US, and we know this because we took a survey in our family and discovered that it was the favorite. Now really, who does such things? 

I sometimes feel the same way in the beer world.  Beer has, over the past decade or so, developed what some may call "snobs."  After Prohibition, the beer world was dominated by the major breweries in the United States, namely Anheuser Busch, Miller, and Schlitz.  They were the ones who had the capital and distribution capabilities to resume making and getting beer out to the common man.

Since then, micro-breweries have been springing up and the popularity of home brewing, myself included, has increased exponentially (which means a lot).  Along with the blessing of bountiful brews from which to choose, however, is the curse of beer "snobbery."  You come along side a guy at the beer store, and he asks, in a friendly way, what you are looking for.  You respond by saying something like, "Oh, something I haven't tried before."  And that sets in motion responses that you need a companion piece of some kind to decipher the language the guy is speaking.

"Ah, you should try the ______ ale.  It is a classic British ale brewed in the oldest brewery in ____ and is great for the season, blending the grains that leaves a nutty taste upon entry and the coffees as they travel down the palate until the sugars become evident at the back of the throat.  The hops provide a level of bite that gently awakens the senses to enjoy this aromatic and tasteful blend of ...."  You get the idea.

Who talks like that? And why?

This site will be dedicated to the fact that all beers are not created equal.  It will also be dedicated to the fact that people, in general, don't need advanced degrees in brewing and distilling to enjoy a fine frothy beverage. It will also provide one man's opinion in simple and understanding phrases such as, "I liked it," or "Worth trying," or "Great to have with pizza during a football game," and even, for beers I don't like, trying to be polite about it.  Those may read like, "Wasn't for me," or "Try one and tell me I'm wrong."

As for me and my house, we shall not talk in terms and phrases on this site, ever, that lose meaning in translation for the average person because quite honestly, there are more of us average people than there are others.

First reviews coming soon:  Christmas Ales
Shortly after:  Winter lagers or ales
After that:  Bowl season - does it have to be bland?

Enjoy and remember, there is an entirely new world out there in the arena of craft brews, so take your time and enjoy.