"Better in the Summer" - a new song by The Dirty Guv's - "the beer goes down a little bit smoother..."

7/6 - It was back to work today, then back to the pool after work, and then back to the beer in the pool.  A big shout-out to my friend, Bethany, for bringing a sweet Brew Dog (Scotland and Ohio) 12-pack to our Christmas in July Party.  It was kind of a mistake since she doesn't like IPA's and this one has eight in in it (seven of which I haven't had before!).  But I figure she can have the other four fruity seltzers (yuck!).  This was the first of the new seven, the nice Hazy Jane NEIPA.  

7/7 - I ran to downtown Nashville today to drop off some posters to get framed and afterwards went just around the corner to Tennessee Brew Works for lunch. #BeerOnTheClock.  I had some great fish tacos and their new collaboration NEIPA called the Hazy Trails IPA.  They got together with 5 Wits Brewing out of Chattanooga to make this one, and it was very good. 

7/8 - I attended the NSC game tonight with my beer pal,  Nate.  It was against my former love, Atlanta United.  We did some tailgating before the game and I took a few more from the Brewdog (Scotland and OH) variety pack that Bethany brought me.  I started with their nice Light Speed session IPA.  I noticed all these were brewed in the newer Ohio location.    Next was the very good Juice Shake milkshake IPA.  The game turned out to be a frustrating 2-2 tie.  We had two goals called back for offsides and ATL UTD was playing a man down the last 10 minutes or so when one of their players was issued a red card.  We should have won easily, and didn't.  

My last tailgating beer was the excellent and iconic Brewdog Punk IPA which I am sure I have had before but never checked it in on UNTAPPD, and definitely never had it from the newer Ohio location.  I caught the blue skies and gold sun reflection off the new high-rise being built in downtown Nashville to make for a nice NSC color pattern shot above.

Before the game, I also took a nice dip in the pool (on company time - hey, I was all caught up) and enjoyed a can of the delicious Brewdog Clockwork tangerine session IPA.

7/9 - Lots of people trade baseball cards or Pokemon cards and the like, but my beer pal, Nate, and I trade craft beers.  Last night while tailgating before the soccer game, we did a little swapping and tonight I opened one of my acquirements, the Denogginizer. an excellent double IPA from Drake Brewing (CA) while playing poker in the pool.  Cheers and thanks, Nate!

Finally, some positive online poker news!  Tonight I won the nightly crazy pineapple bounty poker tournament with 11 bounties collected giving me $73 of profit above my $300 that I had to put back in over the last couple months of tough bad beats and coolers.  I forgot to note how many players were in this one but it was about the average of 40 to 50 players.  
The following night I got second in the exact same tourney, this pushed my current profit up over $100.

7/10 - I went to see the new/postponed-due-to-Covid Marvel flick, Black Widow at Opry Mills today.  I am having to forego IMAX this month since Regal changed the rules with their unlimited program and give no discounts now for the giant screens.  No IMAX discount means time to cancel!  The movie was really good.  I have a weird affinity for the bad guys in movies sometimes and Taskmaster was no exception.  SHE was very cool.  Hence the poster selection in the photo above.  
After the show I stopped by TennFold Brewing and had a couple new-to-me brews from them and some awesome cheese curds as a snack.  I started with their brand new and very good Lake Day Session IPA.  I finished with decent Italian-style pilsner called Paparoni.   

7/14 - We were in Chattanooga today working on the AirBnB house and also working remote at our jobs, so I was able to slip on down to Naked River Brewing for lunch and a couple of brews.  I started with their great new NEIPA called Sticky Parts (photo above).  My second beer was even better.  Their very rye beer called Great Outdoors was outstanding I thought.  #beerontheclock

Well, my first art commission wasn't very high brow, but I sure do love it.  My former supervisor at Aptive, Josh, is a great artist I learned recently, and so I had him create this original idea of mine into artwork for stickers that we can take on our G.A.M.E. trips each year.  I thought it turned out great!  #otterstyle 

7/15 - Now we are cookin' again!  I got another win in the night Crazy Pineapple Bounty Tournament tonight on Global Poker.  I had 6 bounties and outlasted 49 other players.  With the $130+ in profit, I was able to withdraw another $100 and get me back where I was before that terrible month of June, and keep over $200 in my online bankroll.  That's more like it!! 
I started playing poker in the pool after work and also enjoyed a can of Pulp Patriot Blueberry, a double milkshake IPA from Brew Dog Brewing (Scotland and OH).  It was quite tasty. 

7/16 - We headed to Nashville  tonight to catch Jimmy Buffet in a make-up show from last year at the always-nice Ascend Amphitheater.  They have a pretty good local craft beer stand, and I even found one I hadn't had before.  The Tennessee Sipper golden ale from East Nashville Beer Works.  I am glad it was delicious, because it was expensive!  But it probably was a double pour, so at $16 a pop, I guess it's your regular concert gouging.  
Before the show, we were able to get a little pool time in before the weather changed.  I floated and enjoyed another gift/trade from my beer pal, Nate.  It was a can of the very good Hopocalypse Hazy Double IPA (White Label) from Drake's Brewing (CA). 

7/17 - We headed over to the historic  Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway today with our friend, Bethany, who is more into racing than we are, but it was a pretty cool event called SRX (Superstar Racing Experience) pitting big name retired drivers against some well-known current drivers.  We had a good time at the sold-out event, and most startling was that I found craft beer there.  Racing-themed craft beer, of course.  Evidently, Nascar driver, Michael Waltrip has a craft brewery in his name, so I tried two of his 3 products available.  The Two-Time Blonde Ale was decent.  I really liked the Two-Time Checkered Past Coconut IPA.  Ashlee said their Mexican lager was good as well, but I didn't get a chance to try it.   Michael was also driving tonight, but his beer was better than his results! 
We were also able to take another dip in the pool today before heading out to Nashville, and I did another float with the last of my Brew Dog variety pack that the aforementioned Bethany brought me/us.  It was another classic that I am sure I've had, but never checked in on UNTAPPD: the awesome Double Punk imperial IPA.

7/19 - I am back to even on my 10% of poker wins donations with a $25 gift to the American Cancer Society today.  I give this in memory of my mom...miss you very much. 

7/20 - I won a couple tickets to see The Black Crowes at Ascend Amphitheater in downtown Nashville tonight.  This is a make-up show from last year's pandemic mess.  I couldn't find one damn person who could go with me, so I just went my damn self!   It was worth it. What a great show!  The Robinson brothers sound as good as ever and "Shake Your Money Maker" is such a classic debut album.  The weather was great as well.  Before the show I took advantage of the free parking at the M.L. Rose Capitol View and had dinner and a few new-to-me brews.  I started with the excellent NEIPA from Jackalope Brewing here in town called Foghorn.  I busted the keg on my next order and got a free couple of sips of the Open Table: Hibiscus Belgian blonde from Harding House Brewing also here in town.  Glad it wasn't a full pour because it was bit more tart than I was wanting or expecting.  I finished instead with the solid IPA from the Maine Beer Company called Lunch.  

7/21 - I played some poker from the pool today and had a couple of brews from a variety 4-pack from Lebanon Wine and Spirits that I picked up earlier.  No luck with poker, but the beers were good. I started with the excellent Tennessee IPA from The Black Abbey Brewing Company here in Nashville.  Love that can design!!  I followed that up with a pint can of Crooning Crane fruit beer from Jackalope Brewing also over in Nashville.  I have had several beers calling themselves "key lime pie" in a can, but these folks actually went out and did it!  Amazingly good taste! 

7/22 - I had planned another afternoon in the pool with poker and brews today, but I then proceeded to make a final table in an afternoon tournament on Global Poker (while on the clock) and finished it outside the pool.  I wound up getting 3rd vs. 105 other players.  This got my bankroll back where it started plus $50.  To celebrate afterwards, I cracked open a bottle of Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Strawberry Ale from the folks up at Lexington Brewing and Distilling.  Not my favorite of theirs, but still an interesting combination.  This brew from my recent variety four-pack was also a toast to finally selling our two old mountain bikes today after months of annoying inquiries with no one actually forking out the dough for them.  Glad that's over! 

7/23 - I headed down to Chattanooga this afternoon, but also made a couple stops on the way including at The Burlap Room in Smithville where I had a full pint of Ye Olde Calfkiller Quazi from nearby Calfkiller Brewing in Sparta.  I've only had a taste of this yummy pale wheat beer before.  I moved on to the aforementioned Sparta and stopped at Happy Trails Brewing where I had their great NEIPA called Hazy Beautiful.  They have wifi there and I was actually able to do some work and enjoy a beer (photo above).  That's right!  My first time working at a craft brewery!!  I see this happening more and more if possible!  
When I got to Chattanooga I cracked open an excellent pint can of the double IPA from Sierra Nevada Brewing (CA) called Big Little Thing.  This is one I picked up down the hill at Harry's Shell Station.  Best gas station beer selection ever!! 

7/24 - Man, our new deck paint has got me in a Key West state of mind!  Despite the rain, she's looking pretty good!  Just in time for our first AirBnb guests this weekend.  I toasted a long day of work with a very tasty Samuel Adams Wicked Hazy NEIPA.  It's good to see the Independent Brewery logo on this pint can from the Boston Beer Company which I am surprised they still are considered given how big they've gotten.  I got this one at Harry's Shell Station just down the hill.  Awesome craft beer selection for a gas station! 

7/25 - After another long day of work down at the AirBnb, I got home in time to rent a pretty good new sci-fi flick called Settlers.  The ending was a little convoluted, but worth the watch.   To toast another day of hard work, I had another craft beer pint can from Harry's Shell Station down at the bottom of the hill.  This was the light and tasty Dreamland American Lager from Rogue Ales (OR)

7/26 - I went and saw the new Snake Eyes movie at the Hollywood 27 Theaters in Nashville late this afternoon.  It was pretty good.  Could be the start of a decent franchise.  We shall see.  Before the show, I stopped by Craft Brewed and had a couple new-to-me brews while the rain poured down.  I started with the tasty double IPA called The Light from Living Waters Brewing here in Nashville.  I concluded with a very good pale wheat beer from OEC Brewing (CT) called Evermore. 

7/27 - This month's Beer Drop order arrived today and it looks like a good one! I got an interesting lemon basil west coast IPA, a New Zealand pilsner, a coconut and chocolate stout, a French double
Biere de Garde, and a hazy pale ale with Colorado honey.  Let's get these babies cold!! 

I also finished off my last of my variety 4-pack from Lebanon Wine and Spirits in the pool this afternoon while playing poker on Global.  It was the fresh and tasty Utility Vacation, a blueberry-infused fruit beer from The Black Abbey Brewing over in Nashville.  I also made the final table of one of those tournaments I started in the pool.  I wound up winning the whole thing for a profit of $425+! I outlasted 213 other players.  

7/28 - I unexpectedly knocked out four of my five new beers from my Beer Drop order tonight as we had some last-minute guests over for some pool time and some grilling out.  I started with a nice pale ale called Anaphylaxis from Mockery Brewing (Denver).  Next was my favorite of the night, a decadent milk stout called Samoa Delite from Four Fathers Brewing (IN).  Next up was an interesting Lemon Basil West Coast IPA from Spice Trade Brewing (CO).  I finished up with a decent farmhouse ale called Biere de Garde from Diebolt Brewing (Denver).  

7/29 - I went to see the new film, The Green Knight tonight on its opening night over at the Providence Theaters in Mt. Juliet.  I really had high hopes for this one, and it really let me down.  I almost walked out on it, and I haven't thought about doing that in a movie in a long time.  Man, it was just so boring and so strange.  Some pretty cool visuals at times, but that's about it.  I have cancelled my Unlimited Movies deal from Regal after this month, so I guess I am glad I got this one in under it.   On a brighter note, I had some awesome grilled salmon street tacos and a couple of good craft beers before the show at Catch 22 in Mt. Juliet.  I was able to finish my "racing trifecta of craft beer" from earlier this month from Michael Waltrip Brewing (VA) called the Two-Time Vamanos Mexican Lager.  I thought it was really good.  I finished with an even better tropical IPA from MadTree Brewing (Cincinnati) called Midwest Luau. 

7/31 - I finished off the month and my Beer Drop order today in the pool with a very good New Zealand Pilsner from Lumpy Ridge Brewing (CO).  It's a Czech-style pilsner, but the hops are from Kiwi-land, hence the name.   I also had a pretty decent fruited sour called Super Squishy from Oliphant Brewing (WI).  They blended coconut in with the tart blackberries and raspberries and that really balanced the finish on it.  Thanks to my friend, Greg, for giving me one of his six-pack that he picked up recently on a cross-country trip with his family.

8/1 - Ashlee and I had a little Sunday Fun Day today and I got a pic of this great Mountain Dew mural over in East Nashville.  It's one of the only beverages I hold almost up there with good craft beer.  Hell, Sun Drop is even closer!  Where's that mural at?  

Another fun stop today was at the new Virgin Hotel over by Music Row.  They have an old camera collection in their lobby that kinda puts mine to shame.  

8/2 - I used my next to last Regal Unlimited tickets to see Stillwater tonight over at Providence Theaters in Mt. Juliet.  It's a new film that's getting Matt Damon some Oscar buzz already.   I thought he was great, and the movie was solid with a good twist at the end.  I stopped by Providence Wine and Spirits before the show and picked up a variety 3-pack, one of which I snuck into the theater.  It was the very tasty Rocket 88 oatmeal stout from Ghost River Brewing over in Memphis. 

8/3 - Signature-hand alert!!  Even won a nice pot with them today when the aggressive fella to the right must have caught a ten or a jack on the river.  

I found another interesting charity to give my recent 10% of poker winnings to today.  It's boilingriver.org, a non-profit organization striving to preserve an amazing geothermal river in the Peruvian Amazon.  I gave $50 to them, a rounded up amount of my current winnings.  It would be so cool to visit here one day.  Thanks to the great Atlas Obscura Podcast for the idea.  Photo courtesy of the charity's  website.  

8/4 - It was an afternoon of pool (it was a little cool actually); soccer (NSC draws 0-0 with league-leading New England); chasing cats (Dudley's very good at hiding), online poker (nothing good to report other than knocking out some name-calling a-hole which was pretty satisfying); and beer ( a solid pint can of Pharmacy Pils from Bearded Iris Brewing here in Nashville, and a tasty pint can of Saison Des Reves from Perennial Artisan Ales [St. Louis] in collaboration with a Belgian brewery, Brasserie de la Sennes).  These both finished off my variety 3-pack from Providence Wine and Spirits. 

8/5 - I stopped by Homegrown Taproom tonight before Ashlee picked me so we go see the Sean McConnell album release show at the City Winery.   I met up with my beer pal, Nate, and we enjoyed a few good new-to-us craft beers.  I started with light and crisp lager called Taco Tuesday from Monday Night Brewing (Atlanta).  I went half-pints from there with a nice IPA from Terrapin Beer (GA) called Cryosphere; a good NEIPA from Tennessee Brew Works here in town called Tangerine Waltz; and finally a very good blonde ale from right up the road at New Heights Brewing called BrewShine.   

How is this not a national holiday??

The Music City Grand Prix was awesome....except for the beer.  Putrid sheeple choices for sale within the event with Elysium Space Dust (one of the WORST West Coast IPAs I have ever had) as the only "craft" beer available.  You let local food trucks in, so what not local beer?  
8/7 - I did enjoy a bomber bottle of Barrel-Aged Belgian Tripel from New Heights Brewing here in Nashville while floating in the pool before heading out into the heat of downtown for the second day of the racing weekend. 

8/9 - I grabbed a variety four-pack from Lebanon Wine and Spirits today to have for the pool this afternoon and beyond.  And in the pool this afternoon, I cracked open the excellent Mountain Lager from Blackberry Farms Brewing over in Maryville, TN.  I just love their logo (photo above).  I also had a nice pint can of the Nashville-based Bearded Iris Brewing double IPA known as Roadmap.  

8/10 - I finally got to see the new DC Comics James Gunn reboot flick, The Suicide Squad, in IMAX tonight at the Streets of Indian Lake Theaters in Hendersonville.  My old work pal, Casey, and his nephew, Colin, went with me so no beer stops before or after.  I thought the movie was pretty good.  Kinda trippy and very violent.

8/11 - I had a fun evening playing poker in the pool after work today.  No big success  at poker,but my     quad sevens did show on a Global streamer's feed (see below).  I did get to add a couple more craft beer can labels to my impromptu collection on our pool-side hammock frame that I started this summer.  I had two pint cans from Bearded Irish Brewing here in Nashville that finished off my variety four-pack from Lebanon Wine and Spirits.  Both were very good.  I had their double IPA called Fiasco and their imperial stout called Deep Cover.

Look who's got quads!  Not this streamer on Global Poker, but it is cool he went to UTC.