Heightened Senses
Lately I’ve noticed that some of my senses seem to be heightened. Not super-powers heightened (Not yet anyway, crossing my fingers there) but just picking up on things I normally don’t notice. Specifically my sense of smell has picked up. I’m now noticing the scents around me much clearer than I used to whether it’s a steeping cup of tea, or the aroma of my dinner.
I’m also seemingly noticing colors more sharply too. I especially noticed this during Christmas, when the Christmas lights just seemed to be brighter and crisper. I’m pretty sure my eyesight hasn’t actually gotten better, especially since over the past year I’ve noticed one or two of those random black floaters in my vision occasionally.
Hearing is another sense that I’m noticing has changed. Particularly that I’m picking up on more nuance within things. This can be as simple as a whirl of a print spool in the background, or background percussion on a music track.
Taste is the easy one. Most peoples taste buds change, and I heard somewhere every seven or so years is common. I’ve definitely gone from a very very picky eater as a kid to pretty much being able to find enjoyable food in just about any setting.
As I was not bitten by a radioactive spider or operated on by Dr. Strange, something else must be happening. My theory is that it’s the experience of age giving me a broader appreciation of the world around me. It’s not so much that I’ve gotten super powers, but that I appreciate the nuance and know to look for it. I know there’s nice background tracks in good songs, that the overall color scheme and constrast in Christmas lights makes an enjoyable display. I recognize and identify more scents as being specific to something else I enjoy, such as a cup of tea. I take note of that scent, and that information, and use it to further my enjoyment rather than letting it passively go in one nostril and out the other so to speak. Enough positive reinforcement in my brain associated with a smell, or a sound or image, makes me take a more active notice of that sense and think “Hey, I like this.”
Session Beers the new Craze? Brewing a Blonde
It seems session beers are becoming the newest craze in craft/home brewing. Beers low in alcohol and less intense than imperial oatmeal stouts aged in alcohol barrels provide the ability to sit and enjoy a couple of beers without them hitting you like a ton of bricks.
My last beer was the tasty, but still toasty and dark, MADhouse Coco-Nutz. So this time I’m going light, and making a Mexican Blonde. it’ll be a simple blonde ale with blue agave syrup and Mt. Hood hops. It should be ready just in time for baseball season.
Tags: baseball season, beer, craft beer, homebrew, MAD brewery, session beers
Longhorn Steakhouse Review and Beer List
Me and my wife went to Longhorn Steakhouse for our 15th mensiversary last night.
First impressions for me at most restaurants are formed by the drink list. Naturally I look for beer first, but a nice signature cocktail list is impressive as well. Longhorn did well in that regard, they had a couple of interesting looking drinks and some margaritas. The beer was less impressive, but they did have 10 or so taps and they weren’t horrible. Mostly the expanded standards, highlighted by Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada, Blue Moon and Leinenkugel.
As far as the menu, my biggest complaint would be that there didn’t seem to be any beers that cried out to be paired with steak. No porter, no malty ESB. Newcastle Brown Ale would probably be the closest. In essence the beer menu is a national one with very little thought put into it.
The food was pretty good. I actually enjoyed the appetizer, salad and sides more than the steak. I got some firecracker spicy chicken rolls, a Caesar salad, and a loaded baked potato. My steak was a bourbon-glazed bacon-wrapped filet that was cooked medium, although it looked a wee bit more than that. It seemed more a generic steak than a filet, and tasted like it. I guess you get what you pay for, but it does brand itself as a steakhouse so I was surprised that that was the only part I was disappointed in. It also needed more glaze and crispier bacon.
Ultimately stuffed, we passed on dessert even thought it looked delicious.
Tags: 15th mensiversary, beer, beer menus, beer pairing, longhorn steakhouse beer menu, longhorn steakhouse review, mensiversary, pairing beer with steak
Homebrew Update: MADhouse Coco-Nutz
MADhouse Coco-Nutz is MAD Breweries latest homebrew experiment. I loved the Toasted Coconut Brown Ale I had in Hawaii from Kona Brewing Company, and was lamenting that I couldn’t get it in New Jersey. So I spent some time formulating a recipe to try to clone it. What I got was my most delicious homebrew yet.
I didn’t quite nail Kona, but nothing is ever going to live up to the memory of drinking fantastic beer at a brewery with your new wife while honeymooning on the big island of Hawai’i, but I did get a tasty nut brown ale with a smooth coconut taste. My coconut was not as strong as I remember from Kona, mixing in with the roasted/coffee flavors of the malt instead of bolding standing out. Next time I’ll probably toast the coconut a little longer, add a little more, and leave it in the wort boil for a little bit longer. I’ll also probably cut back a little on the darker malts, as it may have become a darker brown ale than I was intending despite only being 4.5% ABV.
I enjoy MAD Wedtoberfest, but I think this is the first beer that’s truly crossed the line from homebrew curiosity to genuinely tasty beer.
I was also pleased to learn that Kona’s beers will start being distributed somewhat nearby in South Jersey. The Koko Brown is part of the Aloha seasonal series, and should hopefully be available to me soon to reminisce with.
Tags: beer, Hawaii, home brew, homebrew, Kona, kona brewing company, kona coconut brown ale, kona koko brown, MAD brewery, MADhouse coco-nuts
Initial Impressions of Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
The Zelda franchise has always been one of my favorites, so I was excited to receive Skyward Sword for christmas. I’m about 15 hours in now, and am entering the third dungeon. If there are the typical 9-10 dungeons I’ve certainly got a long way to go.
I’m enjoying the game. It’s got the right mix of puzzle and fighting so far and a good mix of new items and the old familiar ones. Although this item I just got that basically just blows a continuous stream of air seems a little silly. Swinging the sword with the Wii remote, as you had to do in Twilight Princess, isn’t so bad as it easily allows different types of sword strokes to be executed.
One thing that’s not thrilling is the collection of bugs and items. These are randomly found as you play the game, and the bugs need to be caught with the bug net. Since these are used to upgrade items and potions, it seems like it’s going to create a bit of a farming type feel as you’ll have to go out in search of a specific bug if you want a specific upgrade. As much fun as the game is, I’m not looking forward to aimlessly wandering around near the second dungeon looking for Volcano butterflies.
I’m having fun with this one, and looking forward to it providing much entertainment for me over the next couple of weeks.
The World Is Full of Idiots
It’s perfectly acceptable to notice that the world is full of idiots, and to doubt the words or suggestions of some of them even if they are considered an expert. This goes for doctors and lawyers as well as baristas and bartenders.
What’s _not_ acceptable is to identify these idiots but then presume to think that you know better than they do without any official training or education as to the subject matter.
Tags: idiots, life, the world is full of idiots
Good Gift Idea For A Homebrewer
Homebrewers like making beer. It’s what they do. Buying them a gift that plays to this hobby can be overwhelming, unless you’re working off a specific list, but where’s the fun in that? You’re probably not going to just buy them a bag of grain, although I’m sure many homebrewers would appreciate a random specialty grain or just some extra normal malted barley.
I suggest the complete supplies for a full 5-gallon batch of beer. There are many many recipe databases out there, and all it requires you to know is if the brewer is All-Grain, strictly extract, or extract with steeping. There is beerrecipes.org, the Beer Recipator, Beersmith, or the homebrewtalk.com recipe database. Pick a recipe that you think you’ll both like, order the hops, grain and/or malt, and yeast, and have a fun and different present for the holidays.
Really, how could you go wrong with a present that’s both beer, and a hobby? On top of that it’s an excuse to hang out together again in the near future, when the beer is ready for consumption.
Fyi to any friends/family that may be reading this: This is not a hint. I don’t get to brew (Extract with grains if you must know) often enough to really need my next beer picked out and waiting for me.
Tags: beer, beer gifts, gifts, gifts for homebrewers, holiday gift ideas, holiday gifts, homebrewers
The Last Modern Classic Movie
I watched the Back to the Future trilogy this weekend. Great movies, and modern classics. It got me thinking about those truly classic movies that people talk about, and quote and reference, forever. Another good example is the Princess Bride. In the latest Dresden Files novel by Jim Butcher, Harry references the classic quotes “Never start a land war in Asia, and never go against a Sicilian with death on the line”.
So what were the last classic movies? The Matrix in 1999, Gladiator in 2000 both probably qualify. If you’re willing to considered animated, which you probably should, I think Shrek in 2001 qualifies as a classic. Finding Nemo is another one to consider from 2003. I’d like to mention that Harry Dresden references The Matrix in the latest book as well.
I don’t count movies based on books. The Lord of the Rings movies were great, but they were part of the a greater set of lore than just a movie. Some of the comic book movies, like Spider Man, have been great but are part of something bigger.
Another movie, or movies, that I’m on the fence about is Kill Bill. Great movie in my mind but I don’t think it has quite the mainstream staying power that a true classic would have. Quentin Tarantino is a well known and famous director, but the violence and target audience make it more of a cult classic than a mainstream one.
I want to include Avatar, but even though it made so much money and everyone saw it it was more about special effects than it was about the story itself. Without an interesting and captivating story, I don’t think a movie can count as a classic.
So that’s that. I think you can make a very strong case that the ‘reigning modern classic’ is about a fish lost in the Pacific Ocean.
Tags: classic movies, cult classics, kill bill, last classic movie, modern classic movies, movies of the 2000s, movies of the aughts, quentin tarantino, the matrix
Smartest Parking Garage Ever
Ever turn into a parking garage only to be confused about the flow of traffic, and where all the empty spots are? Ever think you found a great spot, only to find a Mini Cooper tucked into the spot you thought was empty? Not if you’re in the Cosmopolitan Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
When you turn the corner, illuminated signs tell you how many empty spaces there are down each aisle. That’s pretty helpful. I hate turning down an aisle and finding nowhere to park at all.
Once you turn, lights on the ceiling above each space tell you whether or not a car is parked there. Eliminates all need to hunt for a space and guess if there is one a little closer or not. Simply pick the green light you like, drive there, and park. The lights are pretty fast too. I pulled out of the spot, turned into the aisle, and looked in my rear view mirror to see the previously red light had turned green again.
Tags: cosmopolitan las vegas, cosmopolitan parking garage, cosmopolitan parking garage lights, intelligent parking systems, las vegas, parking garage, smart parking garage
The Final Frontier Of Beer: Catering Halls
Beer has definitely arrived. Whether you call it micro, craft or something else, you can often find more than just Budweiser and Coors when you go out just about anywhere you’d expect to find alcohol. The one place where you almost never have any variety at all is in a catering hall.
I’ve been to a lot of weddings in the last couple of years, and excepting ones that weren’t in catering halls, the beer selection is non-existent. Most cases even the hard alcohol isn’t very extensive; I’ve been to places that don’t even have tequila. Beer is often just Budweiser, Bud Light, and/or Coors light. A catering hall’s idea of a broad selection is having bottles of Corona and Heineken. I consider it a coup when I find a place that has something as exotic as Sam Adams Boston Lager.
It’s like the halls give no thought at all to providing quality beverages for their guests. This isn’t exclusive to beer, as you often find catering halls serve generic uninteresting food as well. Perhaps because most of their customers are things like weddings and parties that aren’t often repeat business, they’re not as focused on providing an overall awesome experience. Maybe it’s because many times the customers are there to party, dance and celebrate, not to eat and drink. Or maybe we’ve been so trained to not expect a great meal or a good beer that we no longer demand it.
Tags: beer, beer selection, catering hall, craft beer, final frontier