Dear Father Christmas,
Here is my wish list for this year. I hope that you can help me with some of these, I would love to find them under my tree.
Your friend, Ding.
I wish……..
10. That frozen glassware could be banished forever.
9. That the archaic, asinine tipping ‘system’ in US bars would disappear overnight (it’s not a ‘system’ at all and not even people that have lived here all their lives know what to do with it).
8. That the few, missing place reviews from my old beeradvocate.com account, would mysteriously turn up in my email inbox.
7. That hipsters would stop talking to me about beer (in fact, if hipsters stopped talking about anything then that would do the job nicely).
6. That I could walk to (or even take public transport from my house to) a great drinking establishment.
5. That somebody would offer me a job in the beer industry (that’s one with a close to six figure salary plus benefits and not one at $2.13 per hour).
4. That I could find a bar that PERMANENTLY has at least one cask of well kept, low-hopped, sub 4% beer pouring.
3. That the misuse of the term ‘session beer’ in the USA would terminate.
2. That there is a complete culture change in US beer geekdom, where the emphasis is shifted from the extreme and sensational EVERYTHING, to a subtle, ubiquitous weaving of beer into everyday life in a matter-of-fact way. (I think that means that I want America become the UK in terms of beer!).
1. That I could find my inner ‘beer peace’ in the USA. Still looking.
Humbug. :-(
It seems #1 encapsulates them all. I’m in total agreement on #10. #9 can only happen when servers are paid a living wage. I’ll avoid comment on some of the others as it is Xmas.
Happy holiday, Ding.
Let’s hear it!
Servers make at least minimum wage. If their tips plus base hourly pay doesn’t average out to the federal minimum the employer is required, by law, to make up the difference. All this nonsense about the poor waiters in this country not making any money and needing our tips is BS. If they want to make more money they should do what the rest of us do and get a better job.
Though it was no doubt implicit that 10 refers to glasses for beer, I’d just like to be clear. I have some fond memories of family vacations where we would stop in this town that had an old A&W Root Beer stand. Served in frosted mugs, it was a wonderful break on a long drive.
As for “session beer”, I’m afraid we’ll all just have to live with the fact that there are two different terms which use those same words. One is English and one is American. I wish that weren’t so, but too many people have adopted an incorrect meaning for it out of ignorance and then get obstinant when challenged. So nowadays in US parlance it means a beer an individual likes to “session” with. This problem though contains its own solution (though it doesn’t help anyone who immerses themselves in US beer culture). In actual point of fact almost no Americans talk about “sessioning”, nor have they ever heard, much less used the term session beer. So, improper use of the term is very limited, we just hear it because of where we frequent.
I hope Santa grants your wish number 1, but given how long you’ve lived here, I have my doubts.
>I hope Santa grants your wish number 1, but given how long you’ve lived here, I have my doubts.
Unfortunately, I think you’re probably right.
“8. That the few, missing place reviews from my old beeradvocate.com account, would mysteriously turn up in my email inbox.”
How many remain missing in the Void of the Internet?
Click on the link in #8. It takes you to an old post that lists the missing reviews.
Hey Ding – not sure where to post but thought you would enjoy – another session thread got locked on BA. Favorite “session” beers were discussed including Celebration and Flower Power! UK members tried to interject common sense but didn’t work.
And before Jason locked the thread he also deleted half the comments, including mine. I have been thinking of suggesting to them that they just remove the definition of session beer from their Beer 101 section, then try to let the entire subject die a slow death until people stop using the term entirely. Just a fantasy though. If I did that it would have no effect on them and the only result would probably be getting my account put in time out.
Get the BAN gun out! BAN BAN BAN BAN BAN!
Ha, ha, maybe session beers in the USA now means anything in a 6 pack?
I know you mentioned that you have all of your reviews thanks to Beer Manager but I couldn’t find it so I’ll just mention it here. So do I. Just in case.
I hope you had a great holiday season!
Hey careful, I’ll BAN you!
Lol! I use Arrid Extra Dry.
Have you tried the Schell Burton Ale yet?
Ding it! I forgot to ask if the new Courage Imperial Russian Stout has shown up near you..
It has, but I’m afraid to try it on the grounds that I’ll find it a terrible disappointment compared to years gone by.
I think it is DAMN good.
Here’s a review I put up:
275ml bottle, brewed in May 2011.
It pours very nicely. Pitch black with a 1 finger head of tannish foam with outstanding lacing.
The aroma of the beer permeates my every fiber with roasted malts, and a kind of milk stout sweetness. Dark chocolate is there as well. Fresh Courage IRS, who’d have thunk?
The flavours of the beer are amazing. Some folks reckoned that a fresh one would be too harsh for most as vintages of the brew are clearly on the more subtle side. Not me! This is great out of the gate. Big roasted malt and chocolate, both sweet and dark(adding some bitterness), a slight hint of anise, a bit of milk stout sweetness, the flavours mesh *so * well. Expert brewing on the part of Wells and Young’s.
Smooth mouthfeel thanks to a bold near full body and lightish carbonation and the hefty abv is manageable.
This is outstanding fresh; I hope it can be cellared for years to come, like its predecessors, so future generations of beer drinkers can enjoy it either way.
Haven’t had the SBA.