In Honor of Happy Hour

Thanks Charlie for introducing me to the Shit Album Covers FB Page, it now has me prepped for the rest of my day – Cheers

 

Andre the Giant and 156 Beers

In my youth, I watched my fair share of “Rasslin’” on TV.

As I have said before, Dick the Bruiser was an idol and now I want to talk about another – Andre the Giant.

Most know him from The Princess Bride, and some recognize him as the 8th Wonder of the World – but few really know his drinking prowess.

I could write pages about it – but I am lazy.

Instead, I suggest you head over to Modern Drunkard Magazine and read a great article.

Better yet – you can listen to his peers talk about it below.

 

Finally – with hands like this, how could he not drink beer?

This Day in History–June 29 1969

It all began -

Two years later – well, as they say….the rest is History.

For more on this pic, you can go HERE

Quote of the Day–from Mark Twain

Fun at the Grocery Store

Another late night has lead to some interesting pictures – so today Boys and Girls, we are going on a Field Trip to the STORE

I guess the old saying is true – Candy is Dandy, but Liquor is quicker (as quoted from the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory)

Another old saying is “Drink’m Pretty”

Finishing up with our “Sayings” – This one plays to something I say all the time – A Steak in Every Glass

Living in CoMO, here is a sign I am shocked doesn’t appear at least once a year -

 

I bet you wonder where I get my Super Human Abilities – Wonder no more.

It is true, I once played Santa Claus for a bunch of little kids in Germany, but even I had the decorum not to do so in the Liquor Section.

And, in the spirit of Christmas -

I know I have run this one several times, but I took it myself and I just cant stop laughing that their new beer went instantly On Sale – even in podunk Ashland Mo

Finally – Another one that I have run before, but at least this one has a message.  With the 4th of July and the Olympics coming up – Please visit RaiseOurFlag.Org and buy a stitch.  I get it, times are tough – but our Olympians are busting their asses to help represent the USA.  Our country needs a Miracle – much like it did during the Winter Olympics back in 1980, maybe (with our help) we can get another one.

Building a better Mouse Trap

Retro Beer Cartoon–Buddy’s Beer Garden

I love old cartoons, I love beer – so when you combine the two….its a win/win.

Over at Neatorama – they did an interesting article on 6 Obscure Classic Cartoon Characters that I particularly enjoyed. 

To be fair, I actually had known about Bosco, Buddy, Inki and Private SNAFU – but it was still fun to take a trip down Memory Lane.

Here is an example from Buddy – call Buddy’s Beer Garden. 

Cheers -

Monday Quick Hits on Wednesday

Sorry everyone, still catching up from my past two trips that were back to back – but I didn’t these stories to be lost in time.

Lets start out with some news of an ever expanding distiller, as Beam Completes Acquisition of Pinnacle Vodka.  This is pretty big news, and Beam Distilleries continues to expand.  While not at Inbev levels – I do wonder what the impact on craft distilleries will be as this becomes the norm in the industry.

From the “Religion of Peace” we learn why is sucks to live in the Middle East - Two Iranians Sentenced to Death for…Alcohol Consumption

Meanwhile, in the US – we coin the phrase Breast-raunt

How about a few stories on Wine? 

First off we learn that Two glasses of wine a day improves quality of life for middle-aged.  Now if we can just get a study that says two shots of bourbon is good for you….life would be excellent.

Secondly –we have 11 Reasons Beer Is Better Than Wine.  I would like to add one more – Beer JOUSTS better:

 

Finally, when you fall of a railroad bridge - Alcohol is believed to be a factor in the accident.

Now that I am getting back into swing – look for more consistent Monday Quick Hits in the future.

Cheers

Bourbon Missouri

Its one of those mornings where weird stuff is just happening.

For example, I sent my friend Swells a joke picture about Indiana.  I am from there and that is where he currently lives.  It made us both chuckle.

A few minutes later, he sends me this -

SWELLS

Interesting... this is what I found searching for Missouri Funny Sign

It's starting to make sense!

When I followed the link, I laughed at first – then I wanted to know more. 

Could there really be a town called Bourbon in Missouri? 

How did the town get its name?

What is in the water tower?

A little research told the very interesting history….and now, like Paul Harvey says – you know the rest of the story.

History – From Virtually Bourbon

Bourbon, Missouri had its beginnings in the early 1800's. Bourbon is believed to be the only town in the United States named for Bourbon whiskey. The beginnings of the city coincide with the construction of the railroad (first called the Pacific and later the Frisco).
The southern branch of the railroad was completed to Rolla in 1860. The construction of the railroad brought settlers to the area, encouraged by the availability of inexpensive land from the railroad, which was granted every other section along the right of way. Settlers also came into the country to homestead land and to settle on land granted to veterans of the War of 1812.
A road from St. Louis to Springfield was already in use, roughly following the divide between the Missouri River and the Meramec. The new railroad closely followed the route of the Old Springfield or "Wire" Road.

At that time there were several farmers living in the Bourbon area. A town was proposed one and one-half miles east of the present town. Streets were laid out and lots marked off, at least on paper, and the village was to be named St. Cloud. Richard Turner set up a general store on his property just west of the proposed village to serve the needs of both settlers and railroad workers who moved along with the building of the line. Camps were set up along the right of way and the workers stayed in some places several months, as was the case here where a 50 ft. fill was constructed at Boone Creek. Most of the workers were Irish Immigrants who built the railroad with picks and shovels and their own strong backs.
The Irishmen (and some of the settlers, too) were used to drinking whiskey, so Turner soon imported barrels of the new brand, Bourbon, which was becoming popular all over the New West. A large barrel labeled "Bourbon" sat on the porch of his store.
The barrel of whiskey was hauled to the construction project, and the Irishmen could go to "Bourbon" whenever they wanted a drink. Turner's store came to be called the "Bourbon" store, and the railroad workers soon called the entire area Bourbon.

When a post office was established in September 1853, the name was given as "Bourbon in the village of St. Cloud ". The town was never located at the proposed village, but was built further west where the steam engines could stop and start where there was no grade. The town of Bourbon sprang up along the railroad tracks and the Old Springfield Road, where it is located today.
Bourbon has never aspired to be a big city, with a cold, business-like attitude. Instead, Bourbon's businessmen and civic leaders strive to keep the friendly, neighborly manner that has long been an Ozark tradition. Bourbon people are just plain folks, who like to make friends and make you feel at home.

Better Late than Never - Happy Birthday Bourbon

Ok, I dont know how I missed this one – well, actually I do…..I was in London and my blogging was put on hold, but anyway -

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOURBON and Thank You Reverend Craig-

Happy Birthday, Bourbon!

The Reverend Elijah Craig, a pioneering Baptist preacher, is generally recognized as the inventor of corn-based bourbon. In roughly 1789, Craig founded a distillery in Kentucky. On June 14 of that same year, it is said, he became the first person to age distilled, corn-based whiskey in charred oak casks in this distillery. This is the very process that gives bourbon it's reddish color and distinctive taste.

Craig's distillery was based in the territory known as Bourbon County, from which bourbon whiskey takes its name, as American whiskey authority Charles Kendrick Cowdery noted in The Bourbon County Reader in 1996:

"By the time Bourbon County was formed in 1785, there were dozens if not hundreds of small farmer-distillers making whiskey throughout the region… Ultimately, most of the corn-based whiskey made west of the Alleghenies was called 'bourbon', to distinguish it from the rye-based whiskies that predominated in the East."

Go Irish

I got a great Father’s Day gift a couple of days ago -

It’s almost like my son reads the blog – because you might recall my post Where Did the Pipe Go.

I’m really happy to see the University of Notre Dame go back to some classic roots – and offer this as a licensed product in the bookstore (although I haven’t seen it online yet).

And why were we at Notre Dame on Father’s Day?  It’s becoming a tradition that we attend the Youth Camp – which is a great experience and I highly recommend it. 

Check out James going through drills -

This Day in History–June 26 1876

 

The Battle of the Little Bighorn, also known as Custer's Last Stand and, by the Indians involved, as the Battle of the Greasy Grass, was an armed engagement between combined forces of Lakota, Northern Cheyenne and Arapaho people against the 7th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army.

The battle, which occurred on June 25 and 26, 1876 near the Little Bighorn River in eastern Montana Territory, was the most famous action of the Great Sioux War of 1876. It was an overwhelming victory for the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho, led by several major war leaders, including Crazy Horse and Gall, inspired by the visions of Sitting Bull.

The U.S. Seventh Cavalry, including the Custer Battalion, a force of 700 men led by George Armstrong Custer, suffered a severe defeat. Five of the Seventh's companies were annihilated; Custer was killed, as were two of his brothers, a nephew, and a brother-in-law. The total U.S. casualty count, including scouts, was 268 dead and 55 injured.

Later, the battle was immortalized by the Anheuser Busch sponsored painting – Custer’s Last Fight

Picture Pages

How odd is it that I still sing this song to myself?

Anyway, this inspired me to put up some old pictures from my phone that I’ve taken lately but either didn't justify an entire post or that I have been lazy about -

Lets start off with my recent trip to New Orleans

 

 

 

 

Meanwhile, JP took me to a place called THE SHED – talk about in the middle of nowhere and an unusual place.  Some of you will get the PBR joke.

Lets talk advertisement for a minute. 

The first three show different types of Advertisement that is in our face every day – yet there is no restriction.  Yet, we still have Age Verification on websites and twitter.  Hypocrisy at its best.  The 4th picture is just funny (to me).

How about a couple of wine pics?  The first is a stopper someone sent my wife.  If you knew Debi, you would understand that she is addicted to shoes.  Secondly is the wine setup when we volunteered for the CoMO Wine and Food Sip and Shop.  It was a lot of fun, and if you have never been – I would highly recommend.

The last two – I was torn which to post, so I did both.  In the first, we have James hitting his first Bullseye while we played (steel tip) darts at 44 Stone.  He was so proud.

The second – well, that will be one he is less proud of later in life – so why not put it out there now

Perennial Violet Plout Tripel

So, twice in one series of reviews – I had to look something up, as I had no idea what a Plout was.

Plouts are a later-generation hybrid of apricot and plum that show more plum characteristics; the fruit's exterior has smooth skin closely resembling that of a plum.

Using a pound of plout fruit per gallon of beer, Perennial has done something different with this completely new beer.

• Appearance – a cloudy yellow, reminiscent of an unfiltered wheat.
• Nose- No big surprise with a fruity nose
• Taste – Actually a pleasant wheat taste – derived solely from the fruit.  A slight anise taste lingers on the palette, and Phil said this may be due to yeast strain.
• Food Pairing – Warm Ginger Pear Cake with Butterscotch Semifreddo.

Does it work?  Very much so.  The Pear cake was rich and delightful, and was exceptionally paired with the sweetness of the beer.  Again, this should become a menu staple – although I can see people reluctant to try, as Pear Cake sounds so unusual.

The Plout Triple was a fine beer for this course, although not something I would drink a lot of.  I was actually feeling stuffed at the end, and it was a little heavy – but a quality dessert beer.

I feel a 3 out of 5 is pretty fair. 

Perennial Mint Chocolate Stout

Have you ever watched a perfect game pitched in Baseball? I have seen the ending of several, but only watched one from start to finish.  To see the amount of work and effort that goes into it – everyone firing on all cylinders and everything having to be just right.  When it happens, its a thing of beauty.

When paired with 44 Stone’s Mint Chocolate Lamb, Brewmaster and Chef become a pitcher and catcher pitching that perfect game.

• Appearance – A hearty glass of darkness
• Nose- A dry chocolate and mint combination that took me back to eating Andes as a kid.
• Taste –  Not as up front minty as I expected, the flavor instead blends seamlessly with a smooth and creamy coco flavour.
• Food Pairing – Fennel, Coriander and Stout braised Leg of Lamb, Goat Cheese Gnocchi, Crisp Fried Carrots

Does it work?  After calling it a perfect game – what do you think?  This was probably the most delicious course I have had since the 5 Star restaurant in Belgium…..and when paired with the stout, it verged upon sublime.  I think Mark really took a chance with such a challenging dish (when he could have gone the easy  route and served with dessert) and the payoff was perfect. 

Meanwhile, to take a beer to the next level by combining two flavors on top of a stout is another testament to Phil’s growing ability.  Even at 9.3% Alcohol, I didn’t notice and impact and this is a highly drinkable beer.  

Sadly, this a seasonal  and not widely available, as I would buy this beer and have it around all the time if I could find it.

This pairing alone was worth price of admission – and I tip my hat to both parties.

A Rock Solid 5 out 5 …..well done.