HOPping on into winter

12/2 - I had a bottle of Yazoo Hefeweizen today as a reward for some tiring yard work (I hate leaves).  Somebody brought a six-pack of these a while back to a pool party we had, and I thought I had already had one, but maybe just forgot to check it in to UNTAPPD.  Anyway, it was just as tasty in the fall as it would have been in the summer.

12/3 - Ashlee and I attended the WellRED Comedy Tour "From Dixie with Love" at Zanie's Comedy Club tonight which was a ton of fun.  Beforehand, we stopped at Craft Brewed nearby and had a couple pints.  I had the terrific Tipsy Fulkin Scotch ale from Half Batch Brewing up in Hendersonville, TN.  Ashlee chose the heavily-hopped Shoegaze saison from Stillwater Artisanal (Baltimore) which I traded with her since she's not a heavy-hops fan.  That's the second extremely-hoppy saison we've run into in the last month.  I am all for hoppy beer, but you sure don't expect that when you order Belgian-style farmhouse ale...there outta be a law!

Thanks to my girl for the cool new Christmas beer socks.  Reinbeers for everyone!

12/4 - I got Another small online tournament win today.  It was a $2 Turbo with 35 other people for a $26.64 first prize.

12/7 - Tonight was a much bigger online poker tournament score of $180.86 for a $3 Turbo Rebuy with 129 other people in it.

12.8 - Ashlee released me from Christmas party-prep duty tonight and let me go see the Preds play a historic first-ever game against the new expansion Vegas Golden Knights, captained by our own beloved James Neal, who they snatched up in their draft.  Also in goal for the Knights was Karl Subban, the little brother of our own P.K. Subban.   Before the game I first stopped at New Heights Brewing and had a couple pints including "THE" Double imperial IPA and the Damguday II IPA.  Both of which were outstanding.    I moved on to my beloved Czann's Brewing  and met my pal, Wayne, for another pint and the all-important free parking for the game.  As usual, I am very thankful to these folks for the valuable parking spot in exchange for a little patronage.  I had their Toasted Pecan Porter that was delicious.

The game was a frustrating night of ups and downs as the Preds fell into a 0-2 hole, battled back to a 3-2 lead only to lose that with less than 40 seconds left in regulation.  We then lost the game and a valuable point in the standings in an overtime shoot-out  that only had one goal (never seen that before).   At the game I had a pint can of the pretty good Autocrat Coffee Milk Stout from Narragansett Brewing (RI).  

12/8 - I had the 2017 Beer Tree up today and ready for our Christmas Party tomorrow night.  Some newcomers to the tree include AlphaAcid Brewing (CA), 18th Street Brewing (IN), New Heights Brewing (Nashville), Aardwolf Brewing (FL), John Harvard's Pub and Brewhouse (MA) and Catawba Brewing (NC).

12/9 - Our 2017 Christmas party was a blast with over 20 people in attendance rocking the "Trailer Park Partay" theme to the limits of good taste!  I found an interesting variety pack at Wal-mart (believe it or not) of craft beers from Trouble Brewing  (CA).  I had one of each during the party and I have to say they weren't too bad.  They included the Cat's Away IPA, the After Party pale ale, the 'Round Midnight Belgian white and the Red Flag amber ale.  

12/11 -  It was Lebanon Poker Night again and it was a quick one for me as I got rivered on more than one occasion to be the first to get knocked out.  I did have two of my three variety-pack beers from Lebanon Wine and Spirits before exiting.  Both were fantastic at least!  First up was the fruitfully sweet Blueberry Cobbler from Atwater Brewing (Detroit, MI) and then the savory follow-up brown ale called Last Leaf from Starr Hill Brewing (VA).

The night wasn't a complete loss at least.  I got home from the live poker game in time to jump into this online tourney and wound up winning the whole thing.  $5 buy-in vs. 61 players for a $108.50.  

12/14 - The "fan event" was very lame, the movie wasn't my favorite of the newer ones, but the Kold Schauer kolsch from Sixpoint Brewery (one of my favs) in Brooklyn that I had on the way to the movie was excellent!  

Amen, Mr. Dylan.