The Trials and Tribulations of A Beer Nerd.

Recently, I've come upon a downside to being a beer nerd: bars & pubs don't always have the craftiest of beer menus (although the bars & pubs may think otherwise). And it's kind of a bummer. 

The life of a beer nerd basically revolves around only wanting beers you haven't yet had. Sure, there are moods when you have something again, or have a hankering for one specific beverage, but more often than not, beer nerds want something new to log into Untapp'd. 

Lately, Spouse & I have been going to places that only have beers we've had. Actually, honestly, the last beer FESTIVAL we attended only had maybe 5 or 6 (out of 40-ish) that we hadn't tried. #FirstWorldProblem to be sure, but one nonetheless. 

In defense of the drinking establishments we've been to of late, they have had decently sized beer offerings, generally between 12 and 24 between taps & bottles. But <insert whine here>, we've already tried those. </whine>

hi·a·tus: (noun) a pause or gap in a sequence, series, or process.

Well. Didn't mean to take a hiatus of *quite* that length, but well, you know. Life. 

Been a weird few weeks, I'll be honest, but here we are. You and me. What's been going on? 

Dublin Irish Fest hanging out with We Banjo 3, and friends (one was very much new!) 

Gearing up for hockey season at some fan events. Go Columbus Blue Jackets!! #WeAreThe5thLine

 

 Gallivanting about this summer.....
such a wonderful summer we had here in Central Ohio. 

Adventure: Brewery Ommegang Game of Thrones Release

I'm really behind in adventures, and in looking at what needed blogging realized a huge oversight. Talk about a serious oversight, seeing as it was in MARCH. Egads. 

Have a dear friend, Adam, who I've known since college which was.....a while ago, let's say. He & his wife are beer nerds like us (actually, bigger beer nerds - which is a compliment). They hang out with a legitimately-knighted-in-Belgium-beer-nerd, with whom Brewery Ommegang trusted to hold a celebration dinner for the second Game of Thrones inspired beer, Fire and Blood. 

Adventure: Zauber Brewing Co.'s Maifest

This past weekend was a study in duality: busy about town one day, and nothing but home projects on the other. Needed though, especially that second day!

Adventure: A (Quick) Trip to North Carolina

This past weekend was our oldest nephew's First Communion. While Spouse and I aren't on the Catholic wagon anymore, we recognize and appreciate that his brother and his wife are raising the three monkeys with some sort of catechism. Plus we hadn't seen them since the holidays! Way too long. 

My in-laws with nephew, O.
Youngest nephew, A, is the blond back of head in bottom left corner.

The trip down was just groovy, and we even managed to find the only brew pub in Charleston, WV, which we highly recommend to anyone. The former Charleston Brewing Company, now the Black Sheep Burrito and Brews, is in downtown Charleston, and just a mile or so off of I-77 - so easy to get to and back on the road + has parking on the street at a meter, or there is a parking garage attached. 

They had 9 beers on tap - only serve Charleston Brewing Co brews - and since we were driving, decided to do two flights and our swell bartender threw in the 9th beer free. My favorite was the Citra Ob-Session, a delicious American Pale Ale with citrus. Nicely balanced, with a clean finish - it would be an awesome middle of summer, hotter than blazes, way to chill out. 

Ohio Adventures: Akron Blues and Brews Festival

Spouse and I enjoy micro-brewed beer and we are so lucky to live in a city and state that really celebrates the culture around micro-brewing. Just in Columbus, we have:

• Barley's Brewing Company
• Barley's Smokehouse and Brewpub
• Columbus Brewing Company
• Elevator Brewery and Draught Haus
• Four String Brewing Company
• Hoster Brewing Company
• North High Brewing Company
• Seventh Son Brewing Company
• Zauber Brewing Company

When you widen your view to include the whole state, there are some really good, solid breweries around here. Go even farther, regionally, to Mid West breweries and WOW. Really amazing diversity of brews to fit any taste palate. 

We are also very lucky in that our state celebrates many occasions on which to drink these tasty adult beverages, in the form of beer fests. Nothing on the scale of the Great American Beer Festival, which we were lucky enough to attend in 2007, but decent fests commensurate with the size of our cities.