More vacation drinking

Update:

First of all let me correct something from the previous update. Jeremiah's steam beer wasn't actually that bad. I don't know what in holy hell happened to the two pints that smelled like dead wharf rats, but the pint the next day seemed just fine. Maybe what was in the hose was scary bad and contaminated the beer coming out of the keg for a brief period. Not sure.

In other news, I had a Bear Republic Hot Rod Rye. Eh. No big deal. Kind of overly tangy malt character. I grabbed an Old Rasputin at the same place and it was predictably great.

Lagunitas Brown Shuggah is a huge (1100) beer of indeterminate style. I don't have any deep thoughts, but I desperately needed a strong beer and it hit the spot. Their semi-barley wine called "The Hairy Eye-Ball" was also pretty cool. Suprisingly dry but with a hugely gooey, rich-smelling nose.

Russian River's Temptation (Belgian Blonde aged for a year in Chardonnay barrels with Brett) was totally spectacular. It's sort of like a lambic, but without real sourness, and with a rich buttery character instead. Beautiful brett nose; big, oaky vanilla quality, very dry with just a little bit of sourness in the finish. A marvellous beer.

Drie Fonteinen Oude Kriek had a fabulous color--almost purple. It's very subtle: The nose is lightly sour with cherry notes and a kind of nutty, almondy quality; The body is lean, slender, and moderately sour, with an interesting shivery finish.