Friday, December 11, 2009

The season of giving

One of the funniest things you can listen this holiday season is Lewis Black's rants on Chanukah and Christmas (it's on his disc Anticipation).

It's his take on how "Santa's ass" is "tied to the economy" and how the jolly fat man could be a disarming politician, as well as observations on the overly practical gifts Lewis says he received as a youngster during Chanukah (like a pen and pencil set ... "how lucky for me that I have two eyes").

It's even funnier after a few pints of Ramstein Winter Wheat, Flying Fish Grand Cru or River Horse Double Wit. But you can judge for yourself ...

Meantime, if you're looking for ways to keep Santa's ass part of the economy or not be too practical, then take a look at some ideas that friend of the blog John Holl assembled for newjerseynewsroom.com.

Cheers.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

The next front in Homebrewer War

It's on to the finals at the Office Beer Bar & Grill.

More than a dozen homebrewers made the cut Tuesday night in the opening round of the Office-sponsored homebrewer contest, and they'll now vie in the showdown Saturday afternoon/evening at The Office's Montclair location. The judging begins at 5:15 p.m.

Guest judges for the finals will be Greg Zaccardi, owner of High Point Brewing, where the winning recipe will be scaled up and brewed under contract for The Office; Ale Street News editor Tony Foder; Lon Lauterio of Nash Distributors; and Greg Stanton of Stew Leonard's Wines of Clifton. The Office staff judges will be Craig Godfrey, Ed Schwartz, Phil Butler and Dan Shea.

Friend of the blog Tom Eagan, who tracks his homebrewing and other malt adventures at Destination Beer, is among the finalists with his oatmeal stout. Good luck to all brewers.

Speaking of High Point Brewing, Saturday is also the Butler brewery's last open house until March 2010. The makers of the Ramstein beer brand debuted their winter wheat doppelbock last month. But we're still squarely in the season for that brew, which Gourmet magazine gave some props to as a fine winter beer, so expect to find it featured at the open house.