The 50 States of Beer - Missouri

Missouri

O'Fallon Brewery - O'Fallon, MO
Best Beer:

Hemp Hop Rye

I don't like Boulevard. I don't. I think it is a poser. Boulevard wants to be Sam Adams or New Belgium. Sadly, it's not. It's fucking Boulevard.

So, that is why my favorite Missouri brewery is O'Fallon's. The 5 Day IPA impressed me a lot during my IPA phase (RIP IPA phase, March 2010-June 2010). Then I tried the Wheach (a peach flavored Wheat beer, which was pretty good.) And I finally found the Hemp Hop Rye at our new Hyvee down here in Des Moines.

The Hemp Hop Rye intrigued me. How would those flavors mix? Well, it was good. the hoppy rye beer sounds either great or terrible, but this is very good. Plus, the hemp seeds used in the mix gives it an almost nutty taste. Like a light brown.

This is apparently a seasonal beer, so I am going to try to get a case before the Hemp Hop Rye season is over.

Visit the official O'Fallon Brewery website, here.

Up Next: Missour-E

(just kidding)

Up Next: Michigan

The 50 States of Beer - Washington

Washington

Red Hook Ale Brewery - Seattle Washington
Best Beer:

Red Hook ESB

Red Hook ESB was one of the first "good" beers I ever really loved. It was my first ESB (extra special bitter) and still my favorite ESB.

I haven't had any other beers from the Red Hook brewery, but I do want to visit the facility in Seattle. I have heard the brewery is great.

Red Hook is easy to find round these parts, and I suggest picking some up if you like a good bitter beer.

For more reading on Red Hook Ale Brewery, go here.
Visit the official the Red Hook Ale Brewery website, here.

Up Next: Missouri

Read/Listen/Watch/Rent

READ: Love and Marriage by Bill Cosby

I bought this book a year ago at the Boone Goodwill. Now that I am married, I decieded to read it. Now I love Bill Cosby asmuch as the next guy. The Cosby Show was a pivotal part of my childhood, and I think his "Himself" standup is hilarious. Also, this. So, I thought his book would give me some great life lessons. So far, it has let me down. It's funny, cute and makes me feel good. However, Bill really hates the youth. Especially the youth of 1988 (the year the book came out) which is weird.

LISTEN: Titus Andronicus

So, I just heard about these guys and fuck, do they rock. Let's do some rock math:

Conor Oberst's Voice
+

Craig Finn's lyrics
+

The indie-arena power of The Gaslight Anthem
x

This guy
=

Enjoy!

WATCH: Community

So I was a little late to the table when it came to Community, but let me tell ya, I am loving it. Joel McHale, Donald Glover and Danny Pudi are hilarious. Gillian Jacobs and Alison Brie are gorgeous and funny, which is hard to get (oh Sarah Chalk, how I miss you). Then throw in newcomer Yvette Brown and oldcomer Chevy Chase, and shit, we got us a show. The first few episodes were spotty, but through out the first season, Community become more important for me "not to miss" than 30 Rock. I can't wait for season 2, and hope it gets more. I've learned to be ok with television shows being canceled, because tv is getting better. Finally.

RENT: Mystery Team

Don't let the title fool you, this is no sequel to Mystery Men. No, this is funny. Donald Glover (hey, I talked about him above) and his crew in Derrick Comedy, makers of Bro-Rape, bring you this tale of a junior detective agency who accidentally grew up. Now, as 18 year olds, they have to start dealing with real shit, all while still solving crimes. With Aubrey Plaza (from Parks and Rec.) and Ellie Kemper (from The Office, hey a lotta NBC folks round this movie) in the cast, you can imagine the hi-jinks. Rent it. Also, go see Inception.

The 50 States of Beer

10 down, 40 to go.

This has been fun.

The 50 States of Beer - Texas

Texas

Padre Island Brewing Company - South Padre Island, TX
Best Beer:

Speckled Trout Stout

So, the first time I had calamari I was eating in Texas with JJ and some of his friends at this little restaurant. Turns out, this restaurant was a microbrewery, and I got a sampler to go along with my calamari, which I loved.

Everyone else hated the calamari, said it was terrible.

The Speckled Trout was really good. Dark, heavy but still crisp. At the time I didn't know much about beer, but it stood out compared to the rest, and went well with the fish I ate.

A couple years later, I was on the island again and stopped in again for a pint. This was after I was a much better beer drinker and had been to the Guinness brewery once. The thing was, the Trout Stout held up. Can't wait for my next trip to Texas to have some more.

Visit the official the Padre Island Brewing Company website, here.

Up Next: Washington

The 50 States of Beer - Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company - Chippewa Falls, WI
Best Beer:

Summer Shandy

So, I can see this being a controversial pick. A lot of people don't like Leinenkugel's. I get it, since Miller owns it is hard to look at it objectively. However, they have a few beers that really do it for me.

If I had written this post back in April, I would have called Sunset Wheat my favorite beer. [ed. note, also my favorite beer that tastes like hot dogs] But, now I have tried Summer Shandy, and I totally love it.

"A wheat beer with Lemonade mixed in" is the idea. And that, personally, sounds fucking terrible to me. But, I love it. At my wedding, I spent the entire night going between my own homebrew Tastie Hastie Hefeweizen and Summer Shandy. It's smooth, it's tasty, it puts a smile on my face.

Damn good beer, especially on a hot summer day. I am drinking one right now, and every sip is better then the last. If you have issues with the brewery or the idea of it, put that shit aside and try it. And if you think you have a better Wisconsin beer, let me have one. I'll gladly try it.

For more reading on the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company , go here
And visit the official the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company website, here.

Up Next: Texas

BACK! (or almost back)

So, back in May my computer crashed, and since I have not updated this blog.

But fear not, soon I will be back and I can't wait to continue my "50 States of Beer" series, as well as bringing back my "Read/Listen/Watch/Rent" posts.

So stay tuned, and expect a thrilling story of scary and woe all about the making of my wedding's homebrew!

(I pretend people read this, but I know no one really does.)