Happy Birthday month to me. (Although this shows Pacific time for some reason, where I am it is February).
 I came up with a theory a few years ago. let me know by the comments section if this makes sense to you. OK, here goes.

When you are young you have a birthday. After all, according to the actuary tables, the younger you are the longer you are likely to live (I know.No guarantees.This is just probability)After you have lived into your twenties you should probably celebrate your birthday for the equivalent of a weekend. If, as the saying goes, God's willing and the creek don't rise, you make it to your forties, celebrate for a week. (Why not? You earned it). Well, I made it to fifty last year, so a month of celebration is a more appropriate reward. After all, who knows how many birthdays lie ahead? 

With the cheery part in mind,ie celebrating my birthday month,let the party begin.

Tonight we start with an item that my oldest daughter recommended whilst we were on a three hour saunter around the grocery store.

Skinny sticks, (multi grain sweet onion). She described them as hipster onion rings.

First observation is they are nice and crisp.The flavour is good, but sadly more subtle than I would like. The sticks are square but hollow in the middle, meaning they fool me into thinking I am eating more than I am, so maybe I won't feel the need to eat as many. I keep dipping in for more so they can't be too bad. Would I buy them again?Yes, if the price is right, They remind me of some kind of corn stick snack I had in England when I was younger. Can't recall the name. Below are the official details. They did make me thirsty, so below is a quick review of  O'Fallon cherry chocolate beer.

  Multi-Grain
Sweet Onion

(Case of 12)

Hi, I’m a Skinny! I am a multi-grain based stick that’s perfect for guilt free snacking.
I’m loaded with all kinds of grains (whole ground corn, rice, oat flour, and barley). With just the right amount of sweet onion taste, I’m fat on flavor, but I won’t make the scales or your skinny jeans a scary thought.

• All natural
• 40% less fat than potato chips
• 15g of Whole grains per serving
• Non-GMO ingredients 

O’Fallon Cherry Chocolate Beer

 A lot lighter in colour than some chocolate beers. It has a bubbly head. The chocolate and the cherry are definetly present, though I would like both, especially the cherry, to be slightly more pronounced.Still, tasty and a nice change. Wet my whistle after those skinny sticks. Official word on beer below.

Well if time permits I will review a lot of taste sensations this month since tasting is what I like to do to celebrate.

A dark wheat beer that tastes like a chocolate covered cherry…only better! Available December1.
Style: Dark Wheat Alcohol: 5.7% ABV Bitterness: 10 IBUs Color: 13.3 SRM Grain: Pale, White Wheat, Caramel 40L, Chocolate Hops:Cluster

Mendocino Brewery Eye of the Hawk Ale

  Mendocino Brewery brings us the Eye of the Hawk,a fairly full flavoured beer Other reviews on this beer will tell you about its lacing, its head, its body, but to me flavour is king. This I would say was a lady in waiting in the royal court, but not royalty. Still, well worth drinking. Not, as one review described it, something that they poured the rest of away. What a waste. Well, here is the official word, so until I taste again I bid you peace.

  Eye of the Hawk is an excellent, rich bodied ale that is brewed to perfection. "Eye" is coppery reddish-amber in color and its unique taste is the result of a judicious mix of caramel and pale malted barley, balanced with Cluster, Cascade and Saaz hops. This gives the Eye its luxurious flavor, substantial mouth-feel and that slightly dry finish. Eye of the Hawk has garnered a cult following that is enviable.
Category American-style strong AleType handcrafted ABV 8.%

Fox Barrel Pear Cider

  English Pride, English Perry. I am proud to say I am English American. The question with this review is, am I proud Fox Barrel is English?
Today I am trying a tin, or can to Americans, of Fox Barrel imported pear cider.It's ok but it is not special. I prefer a sweet apple cider. This is ok, but slightly dry. I was a fan of Woodpecker and Bulmers cider.So try this, but, if like me, you like sweet cider, try Woodpeckers and Bulmers. Now the official specs, So until I taste again I bid you peace.


100% Made In England. 100% pressed and naturally fermented in England. Made with only premium pears, smoothed with pure pear juice. No added flavors, colorants, malt, spirit or apple alcohols. No sorbate or benzoate preservatives.
100% Pearfection. A truly sessionable, classic English medium-dry natural Perry. Juicy, fresh, medium-bodied, with a subtle citrus zing and a long natural pear finish.

100% English Supeariorty. 5.3% ABV.
Slightly cloudy and alive with natural pear flavors and complexity. Lightly sparkling, fresh straw in appearance with a natural semi-brilliance. In 4-pack cans with our unique middle “pick-and-go” band. With an easy pick handle it also means,
no splaying or damage associated with traditional top plastic ring holder.

Goose Island Sixth Day Ale

  On the sixth day my Goose Island brought to me...
...Sixth Day, a festive brown ale, Goose Island proclaim. They are correct. A brown ale with a tasty, festive twist. If you are like me, not eager to let go of the festive season, grab a bottle, look at the snow, and turn the Christmas lights back on. After all, it can't be Christmas everyday, but a taste of Christmas could do no harm.
I enjoyed it. See if you do.Below official specs, and until I taste again I bid you peace.

Brewer's Notes:

Every year to celebrate the holiday season, we brew up our Sixth Day, and with each year we change the recipe slightly so that you have something special to look forward to.

Recipe Information:

Style: Brown Ale
Alcohol by Volume: 8.3
International Bitterness Units: 55
Color: Auburn
Hops: Pilgrim, English Golding, Celeia
Malt: Special Pale, 2-Row, Bonlander Munich

Serving Suggestions:

Preferred Glass: Nonic
Food Pairings: Ham, Turkey, Lamb
Cheese Pairings: Aged Gouda, Dry Jack
Cellaring Notes: 180 days

Availability:

Seasonal (October - December)
Bottles: 6pks
Draft: 1/2bbl (IL & OH only)

Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA

  Other reviews suggest both good and bad opinions exist for this. I lean on the side of good. It is, I believe, one of the better beers in Sam's hopology collection. No, it's not complex, but a decent IPA flavour that should  be enjoyable if we are not trying to be beer snobs and just want, as I just said, a decent IPA flavour. Sure the existence of better IPA's is a fact, but many worse exist. Several brewed by Sam Adams. Please remember what I say now and carry it with you in life, like a torch lighting the way to truth: "All opinions given by others (including me) are just that: opinions. They are theirs and not your own.Form an opinion based on your own preferences, not that of others!"
  With that said, please come back soon, and see what taste sensations I have had. My wish is to inspire you to try new things, not to avoid everything I, or others, say is bad. We may prove to be right, but the only way to know for sure is to have that sensation for yourself. Below are the official specs.
So until I taste again I bid you peace.


Samuel Adams

Latitude 48 IPA

Latitude 48 IPA is brewed with a unique blend of hops from top growing regions in Germany, the UK, and the US, all close to the 48th Latitude.  In 2013 we added Mosaic™ hops from Washington state for a bright citrus note and to complement the distinct character of the other four hop varieties included

HOP VARIETIES

Hallertau Mittelfrueh, East Kent Golding, Zeus, Simcoe, Ahtanum, Mosaic

MALT VARIETIES

Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Caramel 60, and Gambrinus Honey Malt

YEAST STRAIN

Top-fermenting Ale

COLOR

Deep copper, SRM: 20

SPECIAL INGREDIENTS

ALC. BY VOL/WT

6.0% ABV - 4.7% ABW

IBUs

60

CAL PER SERVING

206

AVAILABILITY

Year Round

Samuel Adams Whitewater IPA

  A new night a new taste: Sam Adams Whitewater IPA. The name contains the word water, which worries me, but I will proceed with an open mind and an open mouth. Here goes...
  Ok, most people claim an apricot taste to this beer. I say it is somewhat there, but it does not help make this an experience I wish to repeat that eagerly. So, try if you wish, but better awaits you elsewhere.So until we meet again I bid you taste.

                                 HOP VARIETIES

Topaz, Chinook, Cascade, Simcoe, and Citra

MALT VARIETIES

Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend and white wheat

YEAST STRAIN

Top-fermenting Ale

COLOR

Hazy amber, SRM: 7.5

SPECIAL INGREDIENTS

Apricots, coriander, orange peel

ALC. BY VOL/WT

5.8% ABV - 4.6% ABW

IBUs

61

CAL PER SERVING

197

AVAILABILITY

Year Round

Widmer Brothers BRRR and Samuel Adams Double Agent IPL

  Two to taste. First one I did before, but I am doing from notes, since I did not have access to the keyboard. A computer in our house is as rare as a tv was in a house when there was only one, and three people all wanting different channels. Most of you are not old enough to remember. Anyway.....
Widmer Brothers BRRR
  The beer holds a head and has a nice colour. The flavour has some caramel and malt. It puts me in mind of a brown ale, but with a twist. A nice change, but not as festive as some of i'ts competitors.So I would say its ok, but not my first choice for winter refreshment.
Now the official word on it.

BRRR Seasonal Ale

Bold Hop Flavor, Malty Sweet Finish

Warm Up with a Cold One. Or Two. Our winter red ale is the perfect treat, naughty or nice. The deep red body fills your glass and a citrusy hop aroma fills your nose. Then caramel and chocolate malts reward you with a perfectly balanced, malty sweet flavor and velvety finish.

Availability	Bitterness	Alcohol by Volume
October - December	50 IBU	7.2%

Original Gravity	Malts	Hops
17 Plato	Pale, Caramel 10L & 80L, Carapils, Dark Chocolate

Next is Samuel Adams Hopology series Double Agent IPL. A light colour, so I was surprised by it's initial hoppiness. However there was a slight almost metal taste to it. Better than some Sam Adams items, but hoping the Hopology collection has more to offer.
Official description below, so until we meet again, I bid you taste.

                                 HOP VARIETIES

Zeus, Simcoe, Citra, Ahtanum, Cascade, Centennial, and Nelson Sauvin hops

MALT VARIETIES

Samuel Adams® two-row pale malt blend and Munich malt

YEAST STRAIN

Botton-fermenting Lager

COLOR

Bright amber / 10 SRM

SPECIAL INGREDIENTS

ALC. BY VOL/WT

5.0%ABV - 3.9%ABW

IBUs

43

CAL PER SERVING

AVAILABILITY

Year Round

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

  Let's celebrate January with a very quick review of a Christmas present from my wife: Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. First note is that it has, and holds, a head, something to be proud of in a quality beer. (Sorry about your luck Bud Light) . Second note is a strong hop flavour, suggesting tasty use of ingredients. (Sorry again BL!) This is apparently an IPA that can hold its own.  A great bitter grapefruit taste.Makes me want to celebrate some more. This is not a beer for people that like watery, flavour lacking beers. It is also not for someone who has not yet developed a taste forIPA's. If you want to ease into the world of IPAs I recommend Sam's Rebel IPA. I will cover that later, hopefully. Meanwhile all that is left is a photo and the official description.
So until we meet again, I bid you taste!

Celebration^® Ale

Festive fresh hop holiday fun.

The start of Celebration season is a festive event. We can’t start brewing until the first fresh hops have arrived, but once they have the season is officially under way! First brewed in 1981, Celebration Ale is one of the earliest examples of an American-style IPA and one of the few hop-forward holiday beers. Famous for its intense citrus and pine aromas, Celebration is bold and intense, featuring Cascade, Centennial and Chinook hops—honoring everything we have at Sierra Nevada.

Overview

• Alcohol Content 6.8% by volume
• Beginning gravity 16.0° plato
• Ending Gravity 4.0° plato
• Bitterness Units 65

Ingredients

• Yeast Ale yeast
• Bittering Hops Chinook, Centennial
• Finishing Hops Cascade, Centennial
• Malts Two-row Pale, Caramel

Food Pairing

• Cuisine Fish and Chips, Roasted Turkey and Dressing, Polenta and Grilled Vegetables
• Cheese Parmagiano Reggiano, Manchego