Beer me, Monday. @LongTrail1989: Double Bag

I enjoyed 12 fl oz of Long Trail Double Bag in a standard pint glass. This was a random pick from a Christmas present craft pack from Wegmans. It's one that I probably wouldn't have tried otherwise, because the label is so cartoony. But I'm glad I got my hands on it!

• Appearance: Light reddish brown, which is almost opaque. It has a small, quickly disappearing head, with very fine foam bubbles.
• Aroma: In the nose, I get butterscotch and toffee. There is a small spice note like clove, but it's predominantly sweet and malty.
• Taste: Has some coffee and chocolate notes to it, but it really doesn't stick around. The mouthfeel is actually much lighter than I was expecting, with hardly any carbonation or astringency. 
• Aftertaste: There is a gingersnap tweak at the end, but it fades quickly. 

Overall, it reminds me of a porter, but there is hardly the lingering chocolate malt of a porter to go with it. There is a lot of caramel and spice. It makes a really nice winter beer, and I would classify it in the same company as a winter warmer or an English old ale.

The label says, "Double Bag Ale: This full-bodied double alt is also known as "Stickebier" - German slang for 'secret brew.' This brew was originally only offered at our brewery as a special treat to visitors. The secret is out! ENJOY!"

And how

Handy Windows keyboard shortcuts, thanks to @CMITSolutions.

Just got these in a newsletter from a friend's business. I had no idea there were so many keyboard shortcuts attached to the Windows button! The "Show Desktop" and "Open My Computer" have been by far the most handy, but they can all be useful. Any favorites on the list that you knew of, or are finding out for the first time to try?

* Windows Logo (Display or hide the Start menu)
* Windows Logo+BREAK (Display the System Properties dialog box)
* Windows Logo+D (Display the desktop)
* Windows Logo+M (Minimize all of the windows)
* Windows Logo+SHIFT+M (Restore the minimized windows)
* Windows Logo+E (Open My Computer)
* Windows Logo+F (Search for a file or a folder)
* CTRL+Windows Logo+F (Search for computers)
* Windows Logo+F1 (Display Windows Help)
* Windows Logo+L (Lock the keyboard)
* Windows Logo+R (Open the Run dialog box)
* Windows Logo+U (Open Utility Manager)

Beer me, Monday. Sam Adams: Coastal Wheat

By far one of my favorite Sams. Has a friendly, cloudy straw color to its look. Nice foamy head, which lingers, but with very little lacing. Swirl and sniff is almost all lemon with a little maltiness. A nice fruity, citrus nose, but low overall intensity. Sips like a glass lemonade. There is a little bit of hop at the end, but its a nice balanced citrus wheat with just a little alcohol taste. Mouthfeel is only lightly carbonated with a full body, like a wheat should. Aftertaste is sweet and crisp, with a quick hop note at the end.

The label says, "Hazy and golden in color, this brew is a fresh twist on the popular Hefeweizen style. Eureka and Lisbon lemons from three growing regions in California balance out the wheat malt character resulting in a crisp and refreshing wheat ale with subtle lemon flavor. Cheers!"

The lost art of conversation.

One of my favorite parts of visiting with my brother is the fact that we have opinions on opposite ends of many spectrums. Politics, business, marketing tactics - I think sometimes if we find too much to agree on on any one topic, we'll make something up, just for the sake of a good debate. There's something special about a relationship like that, especially when it's a brother. There's mutual respect and sibling rivalry, but there's something else about having a brother to go round and round with. It's a level of trust and respect, and the fact that we've already parried so violently growing up that we know how far we can go without risking it being the time we go "too far".

Having a conversation-partner like that is rare, and I count it a blessing to be able to spar with such openness. It's something that strikes me so profoundly because the conversations that I have seem to stay so safe - even when talking about sensitive subject matter. I can be having a conversation with someone about the imminent death of a parent, and it's in such clinical terms we might as well be discussing the weather.

I've been thinking about it so much, because I just got back from a visit. Our conversation started around the topic of business models. It really doesn't matter which type of business or who was arguing what. It was just interesting how approaches to the problem exposed underlying suppositions, led to ethical dilemmas, turned over thoughts that challenged everything about the way each of us perceived the world.

Anyway - we started talking at around 9:00pm. We finally staggered off to bed close to 4:00am, and neither of us could sleep because we got ourselves so wound up in thought. There's something that activates the most primitive part of the brain - getting that wound up in conversation.

There wasn't anything terribly profound about the subject matter. It was really just the level of trust. The intellectual high. The addictive spiral of swirling further and further flung from the where we started.

I recommend everyone find a cup of coffee and don't hold back. After all there's no school tomorrow.

Beer me, Monday. @greatdividebrew: Titan IPA

I really enjoyed this one, but I'd called it a one-and-done, finish the day beer. As opposed to an all afternoon backyard project beer. Regardless, time well spent!

Looks like a cloudy amber. Creamy, small head. Syrupy texture and mouthfeel with a nice cling but only a little lacing. Swirl and sniff brings a grassy, toasted oats aroma with a hoppy overall character. Sip is earthy and spicy. Medium intensity which is lightly carbonated. Aftertaste is a bitter citrus.

The label says, "Titan IPA is a big, aggressively hopped India Pale Ale brewed for hop disciples. It starts out with piney hop aromas and citrus hop flavors, and finishes with a nice rich, malty sweetness that is balanced with crisp hop bitterness." I enjoyed 12 fl oz of 7.1% ABV goodness.

Beer me, Monday. @dogfishbeer: 60 Minute IPA

Couldn't think of a better way to start off the year than the Delaware benchmark! 

Looks just like an IPA should. I don't know what the experts even call this, but it's a cloudy, golden straw. Clarity is a dull (but sexy). Foam dissipates quickly, but has small bubbles and a smooth texture that remains. Very little lacing. Swirl and sniff is all citrus. I'd had to lump it in with anything resembling an artificial lime frat-beer, but there is definitely some lime in the nose. The aroma isn't intense, but it's really pleasant. The fruit notes really make it special. Taste is a little bitter and nicely hoppy, but only medium levels of intensity. Mouthfeel has little carbonation, medium body and astringency. The Aftertaste is a short bitter punkt.

The only notes from the brewer are, "The continually hopped India Pale Ale."

[Special Edition] Beer me, Monday. Nickel City Brewing: Pick Six Porter.

This is a special edition of #beermemonday, because it's New Year's Eve, and I have a six pack of home brews from my brother for Christmas to get through! He's meticulously labeled, canned, and tasted each before hand, providing some really extensive notes on the process he went through to get these offerings. The least I can do is dignify each with a special post.

One thing that makes notetaking interesting when he's already referenced his own take on each is the individual difference in my palette from his (his being much more developed). There are notes in the aroma and taste that he recorded that I couldn't find, but also aspects that I found that he didn't bring up. That's what makes beer a team sport.

A.	Deep, dark porter red. Big frothy head, but no lacing or cling. Looks friendly enough.
S.	Coffee and cloves. There's a deep spice note, almost like chutney spice or mulling spice. The range opens way up when swirled.
T.	The "cocoa and black pepper porter" lives up to it's name. There is a sweet-tart balance that finishes clean. In the beginning there is a little banana, but it finishes almost all coffee. It's a really fun range from start to finish.
M.	There is no alcohol or astringecny, and the body stays quite light, despite the deep range of flavor. Mouthfeel is dry, but smooth.
D.	This is your all-day barbecue beer, or your all-night poker night beer. It's a quick beer, but the 4.6% ABV makes it pretty safe at the same time.

His label says, "What could be more thrilling and unexpected than rushing the passer and suddenly finding the ball in your hands with nothing but an open field ahead of you? Nothing but realizing that chocolate and cracked pepper go hand in hand.

This robust porter starts with an intricate blend of caramelt, chocolate and lager malts and is dry glacier-hopped for a subtle hint of herbs. This deep brown beer is full bodied and rich in flavor. Hints of toffee and cocoa notes are accented by the slight tickle of black pepper."

Love