Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Broadening Our Horizons XIX

I could mine this vein from now until the day I die and prolly WILL... for as the unnamed sage so wisely noted: "So many beers, so lil time."  Today it's a Leinenkugel Sunset Wheat...


This weissbier is sweeter than most and that's not an entirely bad thing.  The characteristic that leaps out at you as you bring the glass to your lips is its nose, most commonly described by the readers at Beer Advocate as reminiscent of Froot Loops or Fruity Pebbles.  That might be off-putting to some beer drinkers but it pleases me... today.  Tomorrow might be an entirely different story.

Today's cigar is a Drew Estate Tabac Especial Red Eye, which is rapidly becoming the cigar of choice here at El Casa Móvil De Pennington.  Well, one of the cigars of choice, anyhoo.  We're still quite partial to the Acid Deep Dish.  

Speaking of...  I bought myself a box of Deep Dishes for Christmas and that box remains largely untouched, as I'm engaged in a lil experiment.  I read somewhere that aging a cigar has much the same effect as aging fine wine... as in "the older, the better."  That presupposes you keep the cigars properly humidified, of course, which I'm doing.  So, we pulled one of the now three-month old Deep Dishes out of the humidor yesterday, fired it up, and I couldn't tell if it was any better or not.  There may be two things in play here: (1) I haven't given the cigars enough time to age properly or (2) I just don't have an educated palate.  As far as (1) goes... I'm not sure if I have the will power to let the cigars age for a year or more.  And there ain't no fixin' (2).  It is what it is.

―:☺:―

We're taking today's Happy Hour indoors as it's not a nice day outside.  What the hell happened to Spring, anyway?  I suppose I shouldn't bitch, as some of you Gentle Readers have had snow in the last day or three.  That said, the recent good weather (read as: temps in the 80s) left me somewhat spoiled and not very tolerant of our 51 degree temperature, as we speak.  We'll be back to normal in a day or two, though.

―:☺:―



From one of the reviews at Amazon:
Alligator Records celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2011 with the release of The Alligator Records 40th Anniversary Collection. The 2-CD set clearly lays out Iglauer's wide-ranging blues vision. From the ragged glory of Hound Dog Taylor to the raw Chicago blues of Koko Taylor, Son Seals, Lil' Ed & The Blues Imperials, Lonnie Brooks and Eddy Clearwater to the harmonica workouts of Charlie Musselwhite, William Clarke, James Cotton and Rick Estrin to the guitar pyrotechnics of Guitar Shorty, Albert Collins, Johnny Winter, Michael "Iron Man" Burks and Tinsley Ellis to the front porch roots-rock of JJ Grey & Mofro to the gospel soul of Mavis Staples, the one constant is Alligator's dedication to releasing what has been dubbed "Genuine Houserockin' Music."

From the early days of recording only Chicago blues artists to the addition of national and international artists to the label's commitment to younger roots acts who are creating new blues for a new millennium, Alligator continues to forge ahead. Even after 40 years, Alligator is committed to discovering great new talent, proving that the passion, soul and redemptive power of blues and roots music is alive, well and genuine, capable of rocking the house for many more years to come. 
Now is that right up our alley or WHAT?  You should peruse the track list at Amazon, Gentle Reader, to see why I'm so enthused.

13 comments:

  1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlagYOq8eIs

    it's good stuff, others are available there...

    I've always liked the wooden boxes with dovetails, they're cool.

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  2. It would have taken me ten minutes to spell that beer out correctly. Even then, my slightly dislexic fingers would have typed it wrong, and what spell check would know? I certainly can't see myself bellying up to the bar and saying, "Give me a Leinenkugel!"

    The weather was damp and cold here today. We could use a good rain, but all we got was mist.

    I have an Amazon gift certificate I need to spend. Maybe I'll go peruse the music.

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  3. Yeah, the crap that hit y'all made it's way to us. Sucks!

    Cold temps yesterday, then high winds, hail, and torrential downpours.

    Sucks!

    But, we did need the rain. Badly.

    I'm gonna take a look at that CD collection. Probably won't order it, because I'm broke right now. But, it will be great to know that my rich, retired buddy in NM is soon to be enjoying it.

    Sigh...

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  4. Well crap! It's just twelve bucks?

    Get outta my way! There's only 20 something of 'em...

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  5. Buck, I left some impt info for you back on the eye post, but blogger first posted, then it disappeared. Is it temp cached? If it doesn't appear e-mail me and let me know, as I need to run this info by you prior to your surgery--this from a guy whose already had both eyes done..

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  6. On the play list is Marcia Ball - my ex-brother-in-law used to play in her band - way back when. To make some extra money in our early marriage days, Toby and I helped build her parent's house down around San Marcos, TX.

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  7. Marcia Ball! She is one rollicking good pianist. Love her style.

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  8. I love Marcia Ball! May have to check out the music for Pepper.

    We got spanked last night with hail, 100 mph wind gusts, and heavy, heavy rain. The oak flowers seem to be gone this morning, or mostly so, and that's wonderful thing.

    Fruit Loops beer. Hmmm.

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  9. Froot Loops? Seriously? There's a beer that smells like Froot Loops, my all-time favorite cereal? Be still, my beating heart!

    OK, I'm all set for breakfast. If you find one that smells like hot pastrami, we'll do lunch.

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  10. Buck, you cost me $16.00 today. I had to get the Alligator collection and while I was there I purchased another Holmes Brothers CD -- one of my favorite groups, give then a listen if you have a chance.

    If it was not for Alligator and Fat Possum (home of the late and much lamented, at this address, R.L. Burnside and Junior Kimbraugh)my CD stack would be much shorter.

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  11. it's good stuff, others are available there...

    You can say THAT again, marc! Thanks for that link; you only reenforced my buy-decision.

    ...and what spell check would know?

    That IS a problem, Lou. Bein' the anal-retentive sort I am I double and triple-checked my spelling on that before posting, because FF's spell checker didn't like it.

    ...my rich, retired buddy in NM...

    Heh. Ya got two out o' three right, Andy. Twelve bucks is QUITE the steal, innit?

    Virgil: Blogger REALLY has it in for you... ALL the comments you left last night were in my spam folder. Noted on the blood-thinning thang, but I STILL fail to see how two beers 16 hours before surgery would make that much difference.

    Lou: Well, you rang a bell with Ball, dint ya? ;-)

    Kris: I'm with ya about MB.

    Moogie: I was impressed by the sheer quality and quantity of the artists on this collection. I know most of them but there are a few I haven't heard... Bless Amazon for the samples!

    Jim: True about the beer, believe it or don't.

    JR: Ah... R.L. Burnside. Lamented here, too. Thanks for the tip on the Holmes Bros. There's a lot of 'em on YouTube! You might have cost me some money, as well... ;-)

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  12. Do you think the OED will add WTF?

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  13. I kinda doubt that, Lou. But mebbe! Who knows?

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Just be polite... that's all I ask.