I'll play the Blues for you

On occasion, I get to guest host a blues radio program,  Johnny Mack's Friday Night Blues Attack, which airs every Friday from 9:00 pm - 3:00 am on WDVX-FM in Clinton/Knoxville, TN and online live through webcast.   It is a passion and hobby for me and great fun.   On Friday night, April 5, was one of these occasions.   Johnny Mack brings me some newer blues releases and ole Blue Lou supplies the rest of the nights tunes from my personal collection.

A couple of highlights of this past show was my daughter Ashlyn dropping by the WDVX downtown studio to check out the show and a phone call request from Billy Bob in New South Wales, Australia - great to hear that Aussie accent.  He requested to hear some Sonny Terry and (Knoxville's own) Brownie McGhee.

Blue Lou in the WDVX studio (courtesy Ashlyn Kittrell)

I heard from lots of friends and listeners through emails, texts and phone calls.  Since the show, several folks have requested a playlist of the songs that aired during the broadcast.  I'm always glad to oblige.  It's a long list; I was on for six hours!

Play list from Friday Night Blues Attack, April 5, 2013:

(artist)

(song)

(album/CD)

Muddy Waters

I Can't Be Satisfied

The Chess Box

Blind Lemon Jefferson

Match Box Blues

The Story of the Blues

Jimmy Reed

Bright Lights, Big City

Live at Carnegie Hall

Slim Harpo

I'm a King Bee

The Best of Slim Harpo

Taj Mahal

Fishin' Blues

Big Blues: Blues Music For Kids

Muddy Waters

Good Morning School Girl

Folk Singer

Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee

Bring It On Home To Me

Sonny & Brownie

Albert King

I'll Play The Blues For You, Pts. I & II

I'll Play The Blues For You

Guy Davis

Shaky Pudding

Skunkmello

John Lee Hooker

Boom Boom

Essential Blues 2

Louis Jordan

Saturday Night Fish Fry

Barbecue Blues

B. B. King

Three O'Clock Blues

King of the Blues Box Set

Son House

Preachin' Blues

The Original Delta Blues

Albert Collins & His Rhythm Rockers

The Freeze

Texas Blues

Buddy Guy

When My Left Eye Jumps

The Very Best of Buddy Guy

Tab Benoit

Sunrise

Medicine

Magic Slim & The Teardrops

Bad Boy

Bad Boy

Jimmie Vaughan

Dengue Woman Blues

From Dusk Till Dawn Soundtrack

Michael "Iron Man" Burks

Show of Strength

Take A Chance On Me, Baby

Susan Tedeschi

It Hurt So Bad

Live From Austin, TX

B. B. King

To Know You Is To Love You

Greatest Hits

Moreland & Arbuckle

Legend of John Henry

Flood

Tedeschi Trucks Band

Bound For Glory

Revelator

Smokin' Joe Kubek and Bnois King

Out of Body, Out of Mind

Have Blues, Will Travel

Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee

Sonny's Thing

Sonny & Brownie

Joe Bonamassa

Stones In My Passway

An Acoustic Evening at the Vienna Opera House

Deanna Bogart

Blues at 11

Pianoland

Pinetop Perkins/Hubert Sumlin

Hoochie Coochie Man

Legends

Larry McCray

Same Old Blues

Born To Play The Blues

Paul Oscher

32-20 Blues

Down In The Delta

Garry Moore with Albert Collins

Too Tired

Still Got The Blues

Big Walter Horton with Carey Bell

Can't Hold Out Much Longer

Big Walter Horton with Carey Bell

Big Bill Morganfield

That Same Thing

Rising Son

Tab Benoit

Standing On The Bank

Best of the Bayou Blues

Tinsley Ellis

Freddy's Midnight Dream

Get It!

Albert Collins

I Ain't Drunk

Deluxe Edition

The Fabulous Thunderbirds

She's Tough

Different Tacos!

Jimmy Thackery

Rocks Off

Exile On Blues St.

Bo Diddley

Hey Bo Diddley

His Best

Duane Allman/The Allman Joys

Spoonful

Skydog: The Duane Allman Retrospective

The Allman Brothers

Statesboro Blues

At Fillmore East

R. L. Burnside

Rollin' & Tumblin'

Burnside on Burnside

Big Jack Johnson

Breakdown Blues

We Got To Stop This Killin'

Willie King

Jukin' At Bettie's

Jukin' at Bettie's

Walter Trout/Jeff Healey

Workin' Overtime

Full Circle

Tab Benoit

Medicine

Medicine

Bonnie Raitt

Angel From Montgomery

Streetlights

Otis Taylor (with Mato Nanji)

My World Is Gone

My World Is Gone

Albert King

Born Under A Bad Sign

Born Under A Bad Sign

John Lee Hooker

I'm In The Mood

The Healer

Robert Cray

I Shiver

Shame + A Sin

Clarence Gatemouth Brown

Caledonia

Gate Swings

Muddy Waters

Mannish Boy

Muddy "Mississippi" Waters Live - Legacy Edition

Albert Collins

Lights Are On (But Nobody's Home)

Live at Montreaux 1992

B. B. King

How Blue Can You Get

Live at the Regal

Otis Rush

I Can't Quit You Baby

Essential Blues 2

Bobby Blue Bland

Turn On Your Love Light

Essential Blues 2

Jimmy Thackery and Tab Benoit

These Arms of Mine

Whiskey Store Live

Big Joe Turner

Shake, Rattle, And Roll

Jump Blues Classics

Sean Costello

Have You No Shame

We Can Get Together

Sean Costello

Rub A Dub

Cuttin' In

Big Jack Johnson

Too Many Rats

Roots Stew

Johnny WInter

Mojo Boogie

Third Degree

R. L. Burnside

Let My Baby Ride

Come On In

North Mississippi AllStars

Shake 'Em On Down

Shake Hands With Shorty

Lil' Ed and the Blues Imperials

Check My Baby's Oil

Full Tilt

Ronnie Baker Brooks

Bald-headed Woman

Golddigger

Tab Benoit

I Smell A Rat

Live at New Orleans Jazzfest 2005

Steve Earle

My Old Friend The Blues

Ain't Ever Satisfied

Carlos Del Junco

Amazing Grace

Steady Movin'

Joe Louis Walker

Where Jesus Leads

In The Morning

It's always a blast to guest host the show.  Hope to do it again as soon as Johnny Mack calls or emails.  When I do host again, I'll play the blues for you.

Beer Love, PDX style

My buddy Travis, a great friend and beer brother, recently moved to Portland, OR.

"Lou," he says, "you have to come out and visit me!  I'm working at The Commons Brewery in Portland and could provide a place to stay and weekend beer tour..." 
No brainer.  So I plan, with our mutual friend, Wisconsin beer guru John, to meet in Portland Feb. 1-4 for suds and fellowship. Travis promises many brewery visits, great food, a cool vibe and a generally fun beer and food centric long weekend.

Arrived @ PDX around 3:30 pm PST Friday, Feb.1 to sunshine and mid 50s, and Travis ready to go to The Commons for his work shift that Friday evening with me in tow.  I'm game.  Friday afternoon/evening at a brewery? Yes, please.

Met lots of very nice locals while Travis poured pints, lots of good conversations.  That and GABF Award winning beer: The Commons Flemish Kiss.  Another Win for me.  I sampled ALL of The Commons fine brews Friday evening without over-indulging.  We waited for John to arrive, then off to some breweries and dinner.

l-r: The Commons owner/brewer Mike Wright, brewer Sean Burke, and my host Travis Sandoval

The Commons Board of Selections

These little medals don't just fall out of the sky!

More local guests outside the tasting room, waiting on the pretzel truck

First dinner at Lardo; Pork Heaven.  I had the Cubano sandwich, Dirty Fries (with fried pork belly bits!) and a Heater Allen Schwartz bier.  Boom!  The Dirty Fries were a huge hit with all of us.  Too much.  I'm full.  More places to visit.

Lardo Dirty Fries with fried pork belly bits

Next up, Base Camp Brewing, a very cool newer brewery with great branding.  Owner Justin Fay gave a late night impromptu tour of the entire facility.  Big, clean, vision.  I love their direction and branding.  They even have a S'more Stout with which they top with a roasted marshmallow to create ultimate S'more experience!  After Base Camp, we headed back to Travis' place to try just a couple of more bottles: Russian River's Redemption and Pliny The Elder.  Now to rest up for the full Saturday ahead.

Base Camp owner/brewmaster fashioned this one-of-a-kind "Growler" - quite awesome

Saturday we were up decently early to depart first to Deschutes Brewery & Public House in Downtown Portland.  Great place.  Sampled most everything on tap, ate a good lunch, then got a private tour of the brewing facility from Jason Barbee, which included a couple of experimental batches not available in the brewpub.

l-r: Travis, Wisconsin Beer Guru and good friend John "PfoxyJohn" Pfister, Deschutes brewer Jason Barbee

Another GABF medal, this one just hanging around in the Deschutes brew house.

Feeling great after Deschutes tour and many samples, off to Occidental Brewing for some decidedly German selections.  Straight up styling with seasonal offerings: a nice change of pace from all of the in-your-face, West Coast styles of many of Portland's breweries.  Scenic drive to arrive, which was an added bonus.  We sampled ALL of their beers then headed over to Upright Brewing, in the basement, down the elevator, on the corner.  Really.  Would have never found it if Travis wasn't driving.  John and I tried the BushWhacker Blend: a pear cider/saison blend aged in gin barrels.  Exquisite to say the least.  Loved their offerings and their styling.  Vinyl LPs spinning in the taproom; I spied Stevie Ray Vaughan's album "Couldn't Stand The Weather" and it gets played loud and proud so I got my Blues fix during my visit.  More samples here then off to Cascade Brewing Barrel House, renown for their sour ales.  Very impressive lineup here.  Many more samples tasted.   Wow, just wow.  Great place with fantastic beers. 

Some of the taps at Cascade.

Dinner time means another brewpub; this time we headed over to Burnside Brewing for dinner and just a few more samples.  More GABF award winning brews here too.  Ate dinner, tried some samples and picked up a bottle of Sweet Heat "a wheat ale with an addition of 200 pounds of Apricot puree, then dry hopped with imported Jamaican Scotch Bonnet peppers. Reminiscent of a Caribbean chutney, Sweet Heat has a subtle tartness from the fruit with a slight spiciness from the peppers which also adds a fruitiness to the aroma,"  also a 2012 GABF  Gold Medal winner in the Herb and Spice Beer category.  Booyah!

Time for re-hydration and sleep. Back to Travis and Brittany's for some shut eye then up Sunday for a much anticipated visit to Hair of the Dog Brewing and their selection of big beers, and met up with Brian Bailey, founder of BeerPal.com.   BeerPal is how Travis, John and I all met so we owe a debt of gratitude to Brian for that happening.  Hair of the Dog:  we got there as the doors opened for business on Super Bowl Sunday.  Nice and spacious tasting room with plenty of tap and bottle offerings.  These were big beers, as in high alcohol content so caution was needed.  I tried several vintages of Cherry Adam From The Wood (2009 and 2011) and dang near everything else they had to offer, but only shared samples as not to overwhelm my palette (nor pass out).  Bottles and swag purchased.   Good to go to next place.

Tasting glasses at Hair of the Dog

After Hair of the Dog, we traveled to Gigantic Brewing.  In an industrial district, Gigantic had plenty to offer, including a taco truck parked outside to serve hungry patrons.  I got the Kiss The Goat Black Bock first; very nice.  Then Ume Umai Black Rice and Plum Beer, a different but tasty treat.  Now we were ready for late lunch, we piled into Travis' little car and head back out for more adventures.

Gigantic Kiss The Goat Black Bock

Quick trip to Belmont Station, one of Portland's finer bottle and tap shops, where I had an AleSmith Speedway Stout on tap and purchased a couple of bottles.  Then we walked down the block to the famous Horse Brass Pub for our lunch and some Super Bowl viewing.  Fish and Chips along with a Russian River Pliny The Elder draught for me.  Yes, Pliny The Elder on tap; a first for me as I've only had it from the bottle before.  Super Bowl and the Beyonce halftime show and we headed back to the Casa de Locos Revolucion Fuego for rest and recovery. 


Last call and I'm spent.  Great trip.  Travis and Brittany are the most gracious of hosts.  Meeting up with John is always a pleasure.  Any craft beer lover should take a trip to Portland.   It is beautiful, quirky, and full of excellent breweries and restaurants.  Everyone I met was extremely friendly and accommodating.  Travis has the best job in the world: he pours pints and helps out at a top notch nano brewery for great owners, and he's an even better friend and Beer Pal.  I will return to Portland sometime but for now I leave great memories and tired taste buds behind.

Until the next beer trip...

Interested to see all the of different beers that I tried in Portland?  Check out bluesandbarbq's Untappd list.  

A Baker's Dozen For 2012

Reflection.  It is what we do at the end of each year/beginning of a new year.  2012 was another great year for trying new beers, meeting new friends, discovering new music, tasting new foods.  Of the nearly 400 new beers tried in 2012, these were the best.  Some had been on my Wish List for quite some time.  Others were total surprises or newly released brews.  Each left a lasting impression. 

1. Russian River Supplication
2. Southern Tier Imperial Choklat Stout
3. New Glarus Serendipity
4. Foothills Barrel Aged Sexual Chocolate Imperial Stout
5. Fat Heads Head Hunter IPA
6. Duchesse De Bourgogne
7. Firestone Walker Parabola
8. Sixpoint Resin
9. Hardywood Gingerbread Stout
   
10. Southern Tier Imperial Crème Brûlée Stout
11. Deschutes The Dissident
12. Thomas Creek Banana Split Chocolate Stout
13. Van Twee

Quite a few different styles are on the list.  These beers came from different sources: friends that shared them at tastings, beer festivals, beer trades, out of state beer runs, gifts.  I have discovered that I am a Sour Head too.  I love those good sour beers; they are not for everyone but once you try the better ones you are hooked.  If you are hesitant to try a new style, find one of the more highly rated beers of the category that you want to try then give it a shot.  

Cheers!... And remember - good friends, good music and good food all make the beers taste better!

No rotten tomatoes here!

During October, 99 Pours wants to know about some of the weirdest beers out there.  Lord knows I've tried a lot of funky beers.  Tons of fruit beers, beers with bacon, beers made with smoked cherry woods, beers with wild yeasts, even a beer made with the ever-popular Acai berry.  Yet the most unique brew to cross my lips so far has been Epic Brewing's Portamarillo, a Tamarillo and Pohutukawa wood Smoked Porter collaboration with Dogfish Head and the world's first tree tomato beer using New Zealand grown Tamarillos, which were smoked using wood chips from the Pohutukawa tree, the New Zealand Christmas tree.

First of all, I consider myself tomato-neutral; can live with or without them, but I'm a sucker for these weird beers. The Portamarillo poured a dark leather brown/near-black with a nice beige head and big drapes of lacing throughout my session.  Sweet and light smoked roasted malt aroma, some chocolate as well, and a near-citrus and slight Port nose, nicely inviting.  Porter flavor at first, but wait... what is that?  Lightly smoked, yes.  Pleasant light flavors of dark chocolate, yes. Something else... The Tamarillos! Like a hint of a sweet, rich Bloody Mary teasingly lingering in the taste, just a pinch, but it's there, smoky, sweet, rich and very tasty. This beer was a treat.  I didn't know what to expect with this one but it all worked very well together.

Acknowledgements to my beer-trading buddy in Reno, NV,  Chris (slowrunner77), for sending this treat.  If it weren't for numerous trades there would be no way to try some of these weird and strange elixirs from all over the world.  So a shout out to all of my trading friends.  Do yourself a favor if you want to try something different - Beer Trade!  You might get a Epic Brewing Portamarillo... or a New Glarus Belgian Red 

... or something totally unexpected, the weirder the better.   Sometimes different can be good.

Fall FWD: Top 10 Reasons to Love Autumn

There is a hint of cooler weather in the air. Tolerable nights, bluer skies, leaves hinting at turning colors, can mean one thing: autumn is near.  It is the most desirable season in East Tennessee; I always look forward to fall.  Post-Labor Day means that many loved things will begin in earnest.

The Top Ten great things to love about autumn (from a Southerner's perspective):

  

10.  The World Series, The Fall Classic.  Baseball in cool crisp fall weather is near-perfect.  The Braves need to win another one.

 9.  The annual craft beer releases of Oktoberfest Märzen and Pumpkin beers mean that Oktoberfests are near - think German food, beers and Oompah music.

 8.  Apples.  Our annual seasonal pilgrimage to Rowell's Orchard in Crossville, TN means apple pies, apple cider, apple cakes, apple fritters, apple butter... apple anything is good with me.

7.  The annual Blues, Brews and BBQ Hootenanny: great food, beers, and music.

6.  Cooler weather, which leads to the fall colors, more fire pit usage and even more cookouts and BBQs.  Autumn turns East Tennessee into the most beautiful peaceful place on earth.

5.  Pumpkins. They're usually orange, tasty, big and just plain fun.  Pick your own at the pumpkin patches (which, locally, is right next to the corn maze.)  Like apples, you get pumpkin pies, pumpkin butter, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin spice lattes, even pumpkin beers.  Also used for Jack-o-lanterns during...

4.  Halloween.  Many children's favorite day; candy and sugar overdose day.  What other day do kids AND adults get to go out in costume?  All Hallows' Eve.

3.  Fewer mosquitoes.  Mosquitoes love me.  Late summer means I must slather myself in DEET fortified insect repellent just to walk the dog.  Fewer bugs in general is a good thing.  Don't underestimate my hatred of mosquitoes; they are the bane of my summer existence. 

2.  The annual feast of epic proportion that is Thanksgiving.  There is not one negative thing that can be said about this Holiday.  We all learned how it started.  We all need to give thanks.  We all need a nap after eating.  Then we watch...

1. FOOTBALL.  It is said that in the South there are three seasons:  football season, recruiting season and spring practice.  High school, college, NFL - football is king.  In the South, SEC football absolutely rules.  Tailgating.  Massive stadiums.  Rivalries.  Tradition. Championships. Football brings families together, or tears them apart.  Please do not schedule a wedding on a football Saturday in the South.  Football is 24/7/365 around here.  And that's the way we like it.

Did I miss any?  What are your Top Ten things about autumn?  

Enjoy the fall weather, get out to a local festival or two, get some apples and pumpkins, but most of all, enjoy your favorite football team - tailgate, cheer for your favorite team and Just Win, Baby!

Words in a pint glass...

I like to talk.  Because of that gift of gab I tend to also embellish what I write.  For the past few years, since really discovering craft beers, I have sampled lots of different brews and posted my beer reviews on BeerPal.com as user bluesandbarbq.  These elixirs moved me enough to respond with these words.  These are my favorites.




Buckeye Hippie IPA  
8/13/2010

Groovy, man. This dude pours a wicked amber with a pillowy cream head that maintains its cool self like a long slow stoner bender leaving some wicked lacing. Man, it smells like a dank pot of grapefruit hemp then some cool dude added some pine and a little peach then a little bit of sweetness. Wow man, the flavor is most outstanding, right on, with a bit of that grapefruity hempness bittering this spliff to a wicked stage of grooviness. Most righteous and heavy, man, heavy, but in the cool far out kinda way.

Epic Portamarillo
3/29/2012 

I'm a sucker for these weird beers: this one pours a dark leather brown/near-black with a nice beige head and big drapes of lacing throughout. Sweetly and light smoked roasted malt aroma, some chocolate, a near-citrus almost-port nose, nicely inviting. Porter flavor at first, but wait... what is that? Lightly smoked, yes. Pleasant light flavors of dark chocolate, yes. Something else... The Tamarillos! Like a hint of a sweet, rich Bloody Mary teasingly lingering in the taste, just a pinch, but it's there, smoky, sweet, rich and very tasty. This was a treat. I didn't know what to expect with this one but it works very well. Glad I got to try one.

Smoky Mountain Kilt-Tilter Scottish Ale  
6/27/2011

Very surprised to this this rarely-brewed local on tap @ Knoxville BrewFest! Nice deep brown amber pour with a tight creamy head that reduces to a constant ring, leaving copious amounts of lacing. Big malty aroma, sweet, doughy, nice presence of smoke and peat, with a big dose of caramel, hint of orange, cut by very earthy hops. Taste is malt-forward, caramelly, big and earthy, almost heavy, light smoke and peat, cut only slightly by earthy hops and alcohol. Pretty big Scottish ale, not sure of the ABV - should've asked. Nice effort. Very happy to finally try it as I thought it was a Sasquatch beer - seldom seen, only to be a legend, non-existent.




Highland Jack Daniel Barrel Aged Gaelic Ale
7/9/2012

On tap @ Knoxville BrewFest 2012. Holy Shit this is good - amber pour, white head with lacing. Nice and fairly strong Jack Daniel aroma, whiskey and malty and hint of smoke and charcoal and.. then hops, more malts. Taste is a beautiful blend of Highland's Gaelic Ale and Angel's share of Jack Daniel shining through, creating drool, whiskey, malts, whiskey, malts, hops, whiskey and malts and hops and caramel and... Holy Shit this is good. Wow. Just WOW. Wish y'all coulda tried it too! (I'm gonna steal a keg of it for the Hootenanny!)


Foothills Sexual Chocolate Imperial Stout  
2/22/2012

My White Whale. The Holy Grail. Atlantis in a Bottle. It is rare that I will pay this much for ANY beer. But I did. It has been on my wishlist since I created a wishlist. Finally. 2011 version. Near thick mahogany black pour with a very tight tall tan head and massive lacing. Rich chocolatey and roasted malts aroma, all kinds of chocolates: Dark Cocoa Nibs, Hersheys Chocolate Syrup, Lindt Milk Chocolte Truffles... Bam - a lot of chocolate in the nose, then a touch of anise or licorce, slight but it's there, and a hint of brine - can't place it but it's like sea salt air, and a hint of smoke. Flavor is hugely Chocolate forward too, which one would expect from a beer with this name, all of the same flavors which the nose eminates, Rich, creamy, some semi-sweet, slight bitter, silky sweet - really a chocolate explosion that is most welcome, then again a very slight anise and brine which deminishes the taste only slightly in my opinion. Overall, a great beer, maybe the best brewed in the South. It is definitely one of the most hyped and for what it's worth, it lives up to the hype, not surpassing, not falling short, just right. It is Sexual Chocolate and now it is off of my wish list and I have sipped it from the Chalice of the Nectar of the Gods.

Three Floyds Dark Lord Imperial Stout
12/21/2011

Upon the Winter Solstice I summon the Dark Lord (2011)... handed over to me in secrecy, cloak and dagger stuff indeed, by Code Name: kinger. From my Wish List too: I couldn't resist the pagan-ness of drinking this one on this day. Rich thick mahogany black pour, very tight tan head, spotty little devilish lacing. Scents of very ripe rich fruits - plums, molasses, dark decedent chocolates, inviting hint of black coffee and some leather, a touch of smoke and evil black licorice, a little mystical vanilla. Taste is equally evil and hedonistic: BIG rich roasted malts, dark chocolate, ripe plums and other sweet ripe fruits, sweet cherries, black licorice, a hint of smoke, vanilla and molasses; big sweet heavy stuff this one is. Super Worthy. Oh Cory the King, I give my thanks unto thee for this spiritual elixir. I submit.

Dogfish Head Miles Davis' Bitches Brew
12/19/2011

Cool Daddio Big PfoxyJohn brought this Wish List groovy load of goodness to my bad self. Way dark-as-an-African night pour with a smooth tall head, man, and some tight lacing. Most excellent and righteous aromas of the sweetness of Tupelo Honey, like far out, and some back bass of toasted malt goodness, all serving the better good of pleasing my nose; makes me want to do a Pharaoh's Dance. Then this bad ass brew hit my tongue: yeah man, it is right on! good dose of honey sweet like a sweet Gibson guitar jazz lick, then those beautiful roasted malts and molasses with a bitter Miles himself would be proud of. This is one righteous ass brew. Smooth as early Miles Davis' albums, different as the ground the man broke in jazz, all of this whilst fully enjoying Miles Davis Bitches Brew (Legacy Edition) - Miles Runs The Voodoo Down.. and it is in this bottle and now my glass. Yes. I dig this; it is Sanctuary.

Southern Tier Imperial Choklat Stout
3/3/2012  

Bottle brought to me by local beer buddy Sam.I.Am. - WISH LIST item! Heavy black pour with an extremely tight near perfect tan head, massive lacing. Chocolate aroma. Chocolate aroma. Chocolate aroma. Taste and aroma are of Dark chocolates, Hershey's Chocolate Syrup, Belgian chocolate, Godiva chocolate liqueur, milk chocolate, cocoa nibs, semi-sweet chocolate, Lindt chocolate, Mayan chocolate. Maybe a little java, but definitely chocolate... and roasted malts. Then there is a bit of chocolate in the end. Imperial Choklat. Yes it is. Willie Wonka had something to do with this beer I'm certain. I never thought I'd hear my wife say, "That's almost too much chocolate!"
But it's not.

Dogfish Head Hellhound On My Ale  
6/23/2011

This Hellhound Blues Ale is courtesy of kinger, who sent me this knowing I coveted it. Not the first Blues inspired beer ever brewed but certainly the most ballyhooed. When I first read about DFH and Sony honoring Robert Johnson, I knew that this beer was a "must have" item for me. The Beer: Clear bright amber pour with a very tight white head and lazy lacing throughout. Decent carbonation present. Citrus hops and light lemon zest aroma with a clean almost floral scent, offset by some earthy malts and a near heavy mouthfeel. The lemon zest becomes more prevalent as it warms but still not overwhelming and nicely refreshing. Taste is citrus and lemon hops upfront, hugely so, great bitter linger only cut a bit by the malts. Hellhound did not disappoint. It was as I expected; nothing more, nothing less. Fairly simple like the earthy Delta Blues that Robert Johnson purveys. Music hauntingly playing in my background: Cross Road Blues and Hellhound On My Trail - Robert Johnson - hell, I'm listening to the entire box set of King of the Delta Blues right now! Letting this beer take me to another place and time... a dusty highway crossroads in the middle of the Mississippi Delta, just outside Clarksdale. It's near midnight and a lonely figure in the distance is walking the road carrying a guitar case, silhouetted by what little moon is present. Lighting crashes in the distance. The smell of rain and the heavy humidity is all around me lingering in the Southern night air. Dogs barking near me, chasing the soul carrying that guitar case...

Good People Snake Handler Double IPA  
7/24/2011

East Tennessee and northeastern Alabama have a history of fundamentalist Christian churches with a penchant for practicing Snake Handling. This venomous Southern Bastard comes directly from the fargingbastige himself, hand-delivered like Mason jars of Moonshine, in Dixie Growlers - Two 1/2 gallon plastic milk jugs. Curtis, I am proud of you for keeping this Southern Tradition of Clandestine yet gentlemanly observation of an age-old Tradition. This sinful elixir pours a gentle almost clear light brown from said jugs, with an ample and frothy almost white head and copious amounts of delicate lacing. Decadent aromas of ample pine and grapefruit hops - big - with a good malt presence to calm the serpent. Taste is wickedly beautiful with a huge hops presence upfront like Fire and Brimstone - cuttingly bitter at first - grapefruit, pine and Damnation, offset nicely by the calming Angel of malt sweetness. This slithering serpent is only to be handled by the most experienced Deacons and Purveyors of The Good Word. Yay and verily I say unto you, go forth and turn the water into Imperial IPAs. And it was so. Amen.

_____

Most craft beer drinkers are great folks.  Many of these beers were gifts or ones received in trades; from PfoxyJohn, kinger, slowrunner77, fargingbastige, Sam.I.Am. - all of them beer buddies from across the country.  It is always good to share with your friends.  Enjoy and next time... write it down if so moved.

Staycation Justification

I'm a Homer - I love my home state, The Great State of Tennessee.  I love the lakes and rivers.  I love the all of the great music and great BBQ and foods.  I really love Memphis.  I love Music City and Moccasin Bend.  And I especially love the Smoky Mountains and beautiful East Tennessee with its rich history and heritage.  This is a great state if you are going to do a Staycation.  Our family did just that this year.

It started with a weekend away for just the wife and me. Gatlinburg.  Even with its tourist traps and cheesy souvenirs, Gatlinburg's beauty and quaintness still draws me in like a moth to a flame.  There are lots of hidden gems and great little restaurants.  The surrounding scenery is unsurpassed.  Our mini-tour through the Foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains started Saturday evening in Sevierville at Apple Barn Winery for a nice little wine tasting.  Most of the wines are apple infused from their on-site orchard and most were outstanding.  Our favorites were the Orchard White and Apple-Raspberry.

Apple Barn Winery

After checking in to our lodging, we were off to dinner but first a stop at Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine Distillery for another sampling.  Tiny samples, one once each, but there are now twelve different flavors of their elixirs.  Twelve samples.  One dozen.  Blueberry, Grape, Hunch Punch, Lemon Drop, Pink Lemonade, Strawberry, Blackberry, Peach, Apple Pie, Moonshine Cherries, White Lightning and Original Moonshine all available for sampling.  Yep, I tried them all, saving the strongest, the straight up Ole Smoky Original Moonshine for last.

Ole Smoky Tennessee Moonshine Distillery

Now we have to walk to dinner. Feeling it a bit.  On to the Park Grill Steakhouse for some fine grub.  Always a good meal here and great view of the Smoky Mountains.  After dinner, I talk my wife into getting a beer at the original Smoky Mountain Brewery which is located about a block down from the restaurant. We both tried their Raspberry Wheat, which is lightly tart and sweet, very refreshing.  It is crowded.  Too crowded for us.  We retreat to safer ground and began our meandering descent from upper Gatlinburg down the sidewalks and byways toward our getaway lodging.  In just a few hours, we have visited a winery, a distillery and a brewery; no meaderies or we'd have hit the Spirits Grand Slam.  Still a fun day with my beautiful better half.

Park Grill Steakhouse

Smoky Mountain Brewery

Next day is Father's Day and the official start of our family Tennessee Staycation.  That means a fairly early breakfast.  The Pancake Pantry beckons.  Been going there since childhood.  Fond memories of this place.  My Father's Day breakfast of champions is the special: Strawberry-Banana Delight.  And a delight it was!  I'm now calorie loaded for the day.  Now back home to gather up the kids, load up the vehicles and make our way to the lake house which will be our headquarters and departure point for all of our Staycation day trips.

Lake house view from the dock

Lake house view just outside the front door

My wife's sister, her husband and son are staying with us the first half of the week.  Now it's really a family fun Staycation!  And they bring us these great Ohio craft beer and wine selections from Great Lakes, Rockmill, Hoppin' Frog and Elevator breweries and Valley Vineyards:

Craft beers and wine from the Buckeye State - Thanks Chris and Gina!

It's going to be a really fun week!  Sunday evening - rest... and sample more adult beverages.  Then Monday it's sun and fun on the dock and in Watts Bar Lake.   Late afternoon, off to Sweetwater Valley Farm to buy some local cheeses and cheese curds! We all bought some of their gourmet cheeses, some of them to be used in my Cheese-stuffed Mojo Burgers that were grilled that evening.

Colby-stuffed Mojo Cheeseburger

Tuesday morning, it's off to Chattanooga.  Fun city.  Lots to do there since the downtown revitalization.  Our first stop is the Incline Railway.  Since childhood, I've always wanted to ride the Incline to the top of Lookout Mountain.  Until now, I have not done that.  Cross it off the list of things to do.  Breathtaking scenic views from the top; that claim is not exaggerated... and it's 10 degrees cooler up on top. Bonus.

Looking up the Incline Railway

A view from the top of Lookout Mountain

Incline Railway looking down at Chattanooga

The Clan at Lookout Mountain

From the Incline Railway to the Terminal Brewhouse for lunch and beers.  One of my  favorite Chattanooga spots, this brewpub is located next door to the Chattanooga Choo Choo.  Terminal Brewhouse offers above average pub grub and excellent micro brews.  Tried the Dead Sexy Scottish Ale and the Brain Candy Belgian IPA, both excellent representations of those styles.  Then off to see the Choo Choo and take some more pics.

Beautiful window inside Chattanooga Choo Choo

All aboard!

The Chattanooga Choo Choo has left the station.

Now it's almost 90 degrees out and time to cool off.  What to do...  My youngest suggests the Tennessee Aquarium.  But of course.  Excellent choice.  We start our aquarium experience later in the afternoon so we almost have the cavernous building to ourselves.  Leisurely strolls through the aqua world elicit lots of eewws and aahhs.  Great place to beat the heat and get an aquatic education.

Fun with penguins

Hold your breath and grab a giant crab

"I'm out here but it still scares me a little..."

 

Queue the JAWS music...

Load back up in the in-laws van (very nice way to travel by the way) and head back north one hour to Ten Mile, TN and to dinner at Uncle Gus' Mountain Pit Bar-B-Q.  Really good ribs, brisket, pulled pork and wings all smoked over pecan wood and a wide variety of sides and appetizers including fried green beans, fantastic onion rings, potato poppers, sweet potato fries and fried dill pickle spears.  Being only a few miles from the lake house it has become one of our favorite dine out spots.

Hidden Gem - Uncle Gus' Mountain Pit Bar-B-Q

Wednesday morning our guests from Ohio left for their own Gatlinburg Smoky Mountain adventure.  With them goes some fine Sweetwater Valley Farm cheeses, Tennessee Chow-Chow Relish, Tennessee's Best Bread and Butter Pickles, great pictures, a few sunburns and some fine Tennessee craft beers including Blackstone Brewing's Picnic English-style Summer Ale and Yazoo Brewing - Yazoo Hefeweizen, Yazoo Dos Perros and Gerst Amber, which was their favorite.  As a Tennessee Ambassador I felt it was my duty to make certain their Volunteer State bounty was plentiful. Blackstone Picnic Summer Ale Gerst Amber Ale Wednesday afternoon it's off to Athens, TN to Mayfield Dairy Farms Visitors Center with the youngest daughter for some of their fantastic ice cream.  Again it's blistering hot outside but the promise of their creamy sweet frozen treats have us ready to cool down.  My daughter gets a cone of Peanut Butter Fudge while I settle for a cup of Blackberry Cheesecake.  So fresh, so good.  They also have ten or so flavors that are not sold in stores so make it down to Mayfield if you want the best and the freshest. Peanut Butter Fudge Maggie, Mayfield's giant mascot We stop for bait, worms, on the way back to the lake house for an evening of fishing with the kids.  Always fun when they catch the bluegills and little pan fish.  Usually I cast for bass while they fish for the little ones.  This time was no exception.  But, this time the results were different.  While semi-seriously casting for bass, a massive hit on my line engulfed my bait, an 8" Junebug plastic lizard.  "Huge fish!", was my first thought, then, "must be a catfish", then no, "dang it, I've caught a freaking tree or branch", and it's big.  Then, my line starts heading down water, South, and I know it's a huge fish, probably a catfish since it hasn't jumped out of the water and tried to the spit the bait out.  After about ten minutes the monster appears - a Flathead Catfish.  And it's huge - biggest fish I've ever caught.  Netted, we get the behemoth onto the dock.   Approximately 40 inches long and nearly 50 pounds.  This thing would eat our pets.  Pictures taken, bragging commenced, jitters shaken out, I release the Ole Fella to fight on and live to be a bit older.  What a catch; so much fun. Big Tennessee River/Watts Bar Lake Flathead catfish on the dock A happy fisherman The last couple of days at the Watts Bar lake house are spent swimming, fishing, hanging out in the hammock, then cleaning up our week's mess.  What a great week for family and psyche.  The last afternoon of our Staycation are spent at our friends' pool, relaxing and staying cool.  Overall it was a great week.  We might could have stuffed more little trips into our days but then again, why?  It was nearly perfect for all of us.  As the sun sets on our Staycation, I again realize how much I love Tennessee. Relaxing in the hammock Cool pool fun Sunset at Watts Bar Lake
Used during the Staycation: Instagram, Untappd, Twitter, Foursquare, Facebook - all from my Motorola RAZR.  Cell phone reception is very tricky in rural Tennessee by the way.