Tag: craft beer

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Found a new beer to brag about!

Love Shadow BBA Imperial Stout by Brewery Vivant
It’s rare that we venture out on a weeknight to hang at a bar, but we changed things up this past Monday and visited a local brew pub called The Brown Iron Brewhouse.  
The Brown Iron offers a wide range of delicious foods and 64 beer taps to choose from.  We were intrigued by the beer they had on Rare Beer Monday– a Brewery Vivant Belgian inspired Imperial Stout.  At a whopping 11.7% ABV, Love Shadow Imperial Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout was a-mazing! 

I ordered a sample of the beer at first, then settled on a full pour.  Dave ordered the same and we both were overwhelmed by the smooth and sweet taste.  Each sip of the chocolate- bourbon stout tantalized our taste buds!  This beer was so good we wondered if it was being bottled and where it was being sold. We checked our beer app on our phone.
The Brewhouse also offers burgers for $6.00 on Monday’s so we each ordered a dinner of turkey burger and fries.  The dinner was especially good because of the beer we were enjoying!  
We did find the beer at a local store to purchase by using the app Untapped.  This app can locate any beer within whatever radius you decide.  It also rates the beer and gives names and addresses of local stores and bars that are selling it or tapping it. Love Shadow was not cheap!  Four bottles for grand sum of $29.00.  Dave elected not to buy it, but did ask the manager if that was the most expensive beer he had for sale. His reply was shocking.  He had a Sam Adams beer going for $1000.00 a bottle.  He even said he has sold a few of them.  I can’t even imagine spending that kind of money on beer- And we love beer!  

I found these pictures on my phone from last summer at the Brown Iron.  The Brown Iron sponsors our biking group so during the summer we are there once a week.  

 

 Lots of indoor and outdoor seating.

By the way, we did break our fast on Monday only to pick it back up on Tuesday and will follow it till Friday when we venture out again to another bar in search of good food and good craft beer.  🙂

Cheers!

Karen

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Founders CBS

If you are a craft beer drinker then you probably know about Founders special release of Canadian Breakfast Stout!!  Since it was last brewed in 2011, the news of a release this year has created hysteria for those in search of the finely crafted beer. You can read about the special brew here.  It truly is a special beer and one that will not disappoint.


While most stores sold out in the first few days of delivery, the only sure way of getting a bottle was to be placed on a waiting list at a place of business that sells beer.  We placed our names on many waiting lists throughout the area, and still we only got three bottles.

Dave’s two cents worth on CBS 🙂

Ever since its release date of December 1st, it has been DAK’s mission to score some Founder’s Canadian Breakfast Stout (CBS). This rare imperial stout (cousin to Founder’s Kentucky Breakfast Stout) has been rated as the #1 stout in the world at Rate Beer. However, the last time it was available in stores was 2011. This year it is retailing for $25 per 750 ml bottle. Prices widely vary when you can find it on draft.


Well, after many near misses (“just sold our last bottle 20 minutes ago”) we finally got our hands on some CBS at a local Hollywood Market grocery store. The following day we split a bottle of this “liquid gold”.  It was such a treat – a rich, thick, dark, chocolate, coffee, and maple flavored stout that genuinely filled you up at 11.7% A.B.V. We savored and thoroughly enjoyed the CBS, but questioned whether the $25 price was justified. Our opinion is that it is, but just for special occasions. 


So if you happen to be lucky enough to cross paths with a CBS, by all means try it (at least once)!


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Monday Mash-Up!

Hurray for April!  Finally, the days are getting longer.  On Saturday, it was light out by 6:00 am!  We love the longer days because you can get more done, or least that’s how it seems. We ran early on Saturday just so we could enjoy the beautiful sun light on our faces.  We upped the run to a 4 mile loop and it felt good.  We also ran on Sunday another 3 miles and biked to the grocery store.  We have bags that hook on our bikes and fit everything we need for the week.  We got them last year at the bike store we favor, on sale of course.  Bontrager Town Large Shopper Bag
We have two of these bags and they hook right on the back bike rack.  They easily unhook and can be taken into the store to shop.  Super convenient!  They are called Bontrager Town Large Shopper.

On Saturday afternoon we ended up at an outdoor mall to get a price adjustment on a coat I picked up from Nordstrom.  We ended up having lunch at the Black Finn where Dave enjoyed a baby kale quinoa salad and I got the turkey burger, no bun, served with green beans and broccoli.  Yummy!  I have already lost 4lbs since I started my cleanse. 🙂  Dave enjoyed a Griffin Claw Imperial Coffee at 12%ABV with his lunch. Me- I had water with lemon; beer doesn’t fit into a cleanse. 
Speaking of cleanse, this is what I have been enjoying for breakfast as of late.  Scrambled egg whites with spinach and a dash of pepper with a fruit salad.  Not that bad but I do miss my toast with peanut butter.  I’ll do a full post on the cleanse soon.

Sunday, after grocery shopping, found us relaxing while listening to music.  Dave has a large collection of LP’s and every so often feels the need to play them.  He has them alphabetized; he stated with America and ended with Kathy Mattea.  The music was just beautiful.  

This cabinet is perfect for his album collection and stereo equipment.



Today we have construction crews here finishing up the master bath.  Pics later in the week. Also, I will finish the March book review in a day or two.  

How was your weekend?  Did you get out and play in the warmer weather?

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Holland, mi

Discovering Triathlons!

A week ago, Dave and I traveled to Holland, Michigan to compete in our first Tri 🙂 We arrived on Saturday to pick up our race packets and listened in on the informational lecture about the race.  The speaker was the race organizer and he was giving us information about the water temperature and what the water temperature would have to be for them to cancel that leg of the race.  Last year the waves were so big in Lake Michigan they ended up have the racers compete by running, biking then running again and skipping the water altogether.  We were really hoping that would not happen for our race.  Friday night we hardly slept because we were so anxious for the race.  Both of us had jitters.  Saturday wakeup call came very early and we were finding ourselves so sleepy and wishing we could roll over and go back to sleep.  Of course, we didn’t–this race was expensive, and we were committed to competing in it.  When we got to the course the race organizer said that the water temperature was fine for the race and the waves were pretty much nonexistent.  So, we got our bikes ready and headed to the start of the race.  I should be honest here.  Dave got cold feet, literally.  He knew the water temp was a low 60 degrees and he decided at the last minute to compete in the duathlon instead.  I can’t blame him- he feels he’s not a strong swimmer and swimming in very cold water that is 12 feet deep can be daunting!  Well anyway, I proceeded to the water while Dave proceeded to the running line.  He was running a 5K, then biking 20K, then running another 5K.

The swimming was difficult- must admit.  I didn’t have a wet suit, so I was extremely cold.  As I started to walk into the water I started to hyperventilate.  I thought there is no way I can do this. This water is way too cold.  I stood there, very still, as I watched the other swimmers getting ahead of me. I started to back out of the water and thought I guess I just wasn’t meant to do this race. As I was backing out of the water, I was thinking what the hell am I going to do now.   I don’t know what came over me, but I suddenly realized that if I turned around and walked completely out of the water, I would be letting down so many people including myself.  I also didn’t want to admit to the 200 spectators on the beach that I was not able to compete due to water temperature.  So…I started walking forward, each step a little colder, each step a little deeper, until I finally submerged into the water.  I can’t tell you where the strength came from; maybe my mom in heaven was helping me – warming me.  I started to swim and swim and swim.  I passed a few women and thought to myself- “OK, I got this!”  At one point I was doing the backstroke and looked up into the blue sky, while being surrounded by Lake Michigan, and thought this is quite beautiful. As I came to the finish line and began walking out of the water the feeling of accomplishment was overwhelming. I was so proud of myself!

Anyway, I still had to bike 20K and run a 5K before I could call it quits.  I did my best and I came in 2nd place!!  Dave came in 3rd place for his age group!  We were very proud of each other and continued to enjoy Lake Michigan, but only on the beach, for the rest of the day 🙂

Home stretch!
looks dazzling with his medal!

We stayed at the new Holland Marriott hotel right in downtown Holland.



Absolutely beautiful and once again the hotel staff was so accommodating.  We loved our time spent in Holland- great shopping and tasty restaurants and amazing craft beer!  We especially like Hops 84- with so many beer selections and a farm to table menu.