L'il Rock; HSNP; @KC; GO2TAMPA, and other DESTINations

awful bro-country tune, but a pretty funny song title! 

11/3 - I flew to Little Rock, Arkansas tonight with my friend, Danny, as a hybrid start to this year's G.A.M.E. weekend.  I wanted to detour to Hot Springs National Park on my way to Kansas City for the game this year and Danny decided to tag along.   While waiting on my flight, I found a couple of new brews at the Tailgate Brewing bar in the airport.  First up was the nice and light Instant Rice Lager.  I finished up with their solid Chattanooga Wit which I assume was made in celebration of their new location opening there in the old Terminal Brewhouse. 

I had a pretty long layover at the St. Louis Airport so I finished up some work and then found a few brews as well while I waited on Danny for our late flight into Little Rock.   First up was the excellent American Brown Ale from The Civil Life Brewing Company heWere in Saint Lou.  I finished up with a tasty and toasty Oktoberfest marzen from Schlafly Brewing also here in the STL.  

We headed south in our rental car and got to the Hot Springs National Park within an hour.  It's an odd little town surrounded by the national park.  Kind of lost in time.  The row of historic bathhouses is impressive and quite the story of restoration.   We grabbed a late breakfast at the Argentinian Coffee and Wine Bar on the main drag that was pretty good.  We took a nice free ranger-led walk that included the amazing Hot Springs Cascade.  It's amazing that 140-degree water is just running out of the ground here with no protection from kids and the "dumb public."  But, again, it's a weird place. 

11/4 - The main place I wanted to visit here in Hot Springs is the only craft brewery situated within a national park.  One of the historic restored bathhouses is now Superior Bathhouse Brewing.  We grabbed a four-taster flight each along with lunch.  Despite the great story and atmosphere, I have to admit I wasn't blown away by the beer or the food unfortunately.  It wasn't bad, but it wasn't very memorable either.  Here's the run-down of my flight:  Spicy Ride - a nice jalapeno-infused pale ale and probably the best of the bunch; Space Force hazy NEIPA; Wookie Shake milkshake IPA; Desoto's Folly Golden Stout.  

 

I really enjoyed my geothermal soak in New Mexico a while back, so I figured a stint in one of the historic bathhouses like Buckstaff Baths here in Hot Springs would be about the same.  I even talked Danny into it.  Well...it wasn't!  It was far from private as you had to walk around butt-naked to each "station" during the process with your "handler" for the session.  Our handler was Stanley and he was a character not to be forgotten!  First up was a 15-minute tub soak that was private once you got in.  Next was a 10-minute "sitz bath" where you basically sit in a sink and soak your ass and lower back.  There's a good look!  Next was a 10-minute steam cabinet sit that seemed like something out of a torture movie!  "Hey, you're sitting [naked] where Bill Clinton and Al Capone sat!"  OK, ewww.  The final stop was a steam table where you were wrapped like a mummy in a sheet by good ol' Stanley.  Hey, it was a lot for $40, but maybe a little too much!  I would recommend it as a one-time experience, because it will be hard to forget!! 

We finished off our day in Hot Springs with a visit to the Gangster Museum which I didn't have high expectations for, but it turned out to be pretty darn good.  Hot Springs has a very interesting history with gangsters, gambling, prohibition and even spring training baseball.   The museum several had great exhibits, an excellent in-character guide, and some very rare items you probably wouldn't see anywhere else including this beautiful vintage slot machine from the days when Hot Springs was the illegal Vegas before there even was a Vegas.  

Back in Little Rock tonight before turning in early for a very early flight in the morning, we stopped by Lost Forty Brewing Company for a different kind of flight and some tasty dinner (excellent gumbo!).   These guys know how to do beer!  It's hard to say which of one from my flight was my favorite, but here they are: the sweet and subtle Love Honey Bock was terrific; the Oktobernator Imperial Oktoberfest was fantastic; the Rockhound IPA was solid; and the Snake Party Double IPA was epic.  Well done, LFBC! 

11/5 - Well, the plan was simply to get up early and take a short flight to Kansas City to meet up with Chris and Houston (Bill) to round out this year's foursome.  So much for simple!  Due to "weather" (seemed suspect) our early and only flight back thru St. Louis was completely cancelled and Danny and I were thrown on two different flights with much longer connections to get to KC much later than planned.  Mine was especially bad back thru Atlanta and was already delayed twice and got me into KC very late in the day.  SCREW THAT!  I cancelled the flight and rented a car and made the 5 1/2 hour drive with ease and getting to KC before Danny did with his rerouted flight through Dallas.   Thanks a lot, Southwest Airlines.  You guys used to not suck. 
I checked into our Best Western Premier Sports Hotel in KC which only had appeal because it was across the road from Arrowhead Stadium which is a surprisingly long way from downtown.  Otherwise, it wasn't much to get excited about.  I met the guys at the Brass Rail Sports Bar to watch the UT/UGA matchup which did not go well for the Vols (yuck).  But at least they had a decent craft beer selection.  I started with the light and tasty Zelda's Vanilla Cream from The Big Rip Brewing Company here in KC.  I finished with the solid Dunkel from the KC Bier Company.

We headed to downtown Kansas City for dinner, and it was evident we were in enemy territory.  Their beautiful Union Station was bathed in Chiefs colors and logo on both ends.  We had dinner inside at the swanky Pierpont's Restaurant where I had an excellent (and reasonably priced) KC strip steak along with a draft of the very nice NEIPA called Space Dragon from City Barrel Brewing also here in KC.   We even had our first-ever bottle of fancy wine on a G.A.M.E. trip:  a 2014 Reserve Contino Rioja red that was dry and delicious.  

We left the swanky and got back to where we felt more at home at nearby Johnny's Tavern, a cool downtown sports bar that was supposed to be a Titans fans hangout, but we didn't see very many in the busy joint.  We were lucky enough to get a table and order some beers while we watched the Astros win the World Series (boo!!).  I didn't have anything new to me here, just a few solid choices from Boulevard Brewing, the big mother of craft breweries here in KC.  The photo above is evidently a "Johnny's Lager", but I never could find that on UNTAPPD.  

OK, look, I gave our hotel some crap above and while it definitely isn't the newest structure on the planet, it actually did have some good qualities:  a very nice staff, a decent complimentary breakfast, free parking and a great little sports bar that is called the Boulevard Grill, and per the name, has several of BBC libations on tap at reasonable prices.  I mean, come on, Tank 7 is an awesome farmhouse ale!  

11/6 - Game Day!  Well, make that Game Night!  We had all day to kill with the Titans at Kansas City on Sunday Night Football.  So, we headed back downtown to check out the National World War I Museum and Memorial.  Our first stop was atop the WW1 Memorial Tower with an excellent view of downtown KC including Union Station in the foreground where we were last night for dinner.   I tweaked the photo above a little to give us a very Titan-blue sky. 

The WW I Museum is extremely well-done and informative.  I could have stayed there another hour or two looking at all the displays and reading the history, but the rest of our group found it "depressing" (duh, no shit, but it's still important), so we left before I really wanted to, but, hey, majority rules. 

After taking another look at the awesome WW1 Memorial (and KC Monopoly Game Mural), we found a BBQ lunch spot called the Char Bar.  It was very good, but my burnt ends were better at Joe's (closed on Sundays sadly).  They did have a great craft beer menu and with my lunch I had the quaffable Pilzz pilsner from 3 Trail Brewing over in Independence, MO, and the crisp and sweet Monk and Honey pale ale from Torn Label Brewing here in KC. 

The KC Foursome. Thanks to (L to R) Houston (Bill), Danny and Chris D. for making the trip this year.  A lot has changed in the group with some additions and some sad removals, but we have to go on and continue to enjoy ourselves with these annual trips while we can.  Salute!! 
We had a fun time before going into Arrowhead Stadium checking out the pre-game festivities and even found some free Jim Beam Whiskey shots and cocktails!  

I was really disappointed in the craft beer selection inside Arrowhead Stadium.  I couldn't find any local craft beer, so I had to settle for this decent NEIPA from corporate sell-outs, Goose Island Brewing in Chicago, called Hazy Beer Hug.   Our seats were high but with a great sightline and a row of four seats all to our own with no one behind us!  

The G.A.M.E. was here.  And what a game it was.  The Titans were 13 1/2 point road dogs and were forced to start their rookie backup QB, Malik Willis, due to our starter, Tannehill, still nursing a bad ankle injury.  And WE LED ALMOST THE ENTIRE GAME!!  Our defense was awesome!  Derrick Henry was a beast!  And then to only to see our eight-point lead slip away in the fourth quarter thanks to the legs of KC QB phenom, Patrick Mahomes, and some real home-cooking ref calls that saw us end up losing in OT by a field goal.  Good game, Chiefs.  Up yours, Vegas!!
It was a fun time and overall, the Chiefs fans were pretty nice to us, and it is a great atmosphere there,
We drowned our sorrows back at the Boulevard Grill with more Tank 7 drafts! 

11/7 - I couldn't find a one-way car rental out of Little Rock, so I had to change my flight home from KC to one from Little Rock which meant another fairly easy, but dull, 5 1/2 hour drive back today to catch a plane.  Thanks to some fun podcasts and the great audio book, "Hold The Line" for getting me through it with ease.   

I did have time before my flight to stop back by Lost Forty Brewing in Little Rock again for some more tasty beer and their outstanding gumbo!  That dark concoction in the photo above was the excellent Puffy Jacket Baltic Porter.  
My two short flights home were smooth and without incident.  Happy to be home and put another notch in the G.A.M.E. belt! 

11/9 - It was warmer here (79) today than it was in Tampa (72) where we will be this weekend, so a lunchtime walk was in order.  I stopped by Cedar City Brewing and had their new 1977 IPA which I thought was solid.  It was also so new that I was also able to add to UNTAPPD myself! 

11/10 - I attended opening night of Wakanda Forever in IMAX at Opry Mills with my pal, Toney, tonight.  The sequel to Black Panther was pretty good, but I sure miss Chadwick Boseman (RIP).  Beforehand, we had a quick bite to eat for dinner at mall's food court where I had a pretty tasty Philly cheesesteak sandwich at Charley's.  

10/11 - We went to see one of our favorite performers, Augustana, at the Franklin Theater tonight.  It was nice to see some quality craft beer on tap there including a local one (which I have had before and loved) called Kilt the Cat, a Scottish ale from nearby Curio Brewing.  

11/12 - We flew to Tampa today to for the wedding of my beer pal, Curtis and his NOW wife, Kate!   While only knowing these guys a little while, we have become good friends and were honored when they asked us to attend.  At a gas station across the street from our hotel in the Treasure Island area, I grabbed a pint can of the nice Florida Orange IPA from 3 Daughters Brewing in nearby St. Pete.  Here's to you, Curtis! Good luck and God bless!!  

Curtis and Kate had an open bar (thank you very much) at their reception and even a little craft beer on tap, I had a couple pints of the classic Jai Lai IPA from Cigar City Brewing over in Tampa.  Cheers to the happy couple! 

11/13 - Even though we were flying back from Tampa today for a pretty quick turnaround trip, we didn't have to at the airport until late which gave us most of the day to hang out in the pretty St. Pete area.   We found a great tiki bar at the snazzy new St. Pete Pier called what else, Pier Teaki, where I had a draft pint of The Other West Coast IPA from Escape Brewing over in Trinity, Florida.  This beautiful pelican we saw on the pier might have been eyeing my tasty beer! 

We also had time to zip over to nearby Gulfport to visit another pal, Houston (aka Bill), from the G.A.M.E. weekend trip last weekend who owns The North End Taphouse there.  He's got a great craft beer selection and while we hung out chatting, eating some early dinner and listening to a pretty good Grateful Dead cover band, I had half-pints of the following:

the nice Zero Viz NEIPA from Hop Life Brewing in Port St. Lucie, FL. 
the excellent Duke's Cold Nose Brown Ale from Bold City Brewing over in Jacksonville
the spiced and delicious yam beer called The Great'er Pumpkin from Heavy Seas Brewing (Baltimore)

11/15 - It must be old and new pal week because my childhood friend, Mick, was staying in town for work tonight so I was proud to take him to the new Cedar City Brewing for a great dinner and a craft beer or two made right here!  So nice to say that!  I had their new Sweet Tater Ale that I thought was yet another winner from these guys who have jumped right in with some really great beers! 

11/16 - My November Beer Box arrived today, and this is the first time I've had beers left over from last month when this month's box arrived.  Slowed down a little, I guess.  This batch looks good with only one repeat and it's a good one from Stone Brewing so that's OK.  Otherwise, it looks like a good variety with an IPA and a double IPA, a couple stouts, a pint pilsner, a lager, and a Berliner weisse sour that I wish wasn't in a pint can.  But, hey, who knows, it might be OK. 

11/17 - I tuned in to watch the Titans at Green Bay in prime time on Thursday Night Football tonight.  The boys in two-tone blue took care of business with a solid 27-17 win at Lambeau Field!  I toasted the success with a Beer Box brew, the excellent Ohio City Oatmeal Stout from Great Lakes Brewing (Cleveland).  Titan Up!! 

11/19 - We headed down to Destin, Florida, today for our almost annual Thanksgiving week at the beach.  It's become a pretty consistent tradition for us, as has stopping at Interstellar Ginger Beer and Exploration Company in tiny Alabaster, Alabama, just south of Birmingham.  It was so great to see that this specialty nano-brewery survived through Covid.  Ashlee and I each had a pint of their seasonal hard ginger beer called The Pumpkin that was really good.  I grabbed a couple of variety four-packs as well for the week ahead.  One of which I cracked open as soon as we got back on the road.  Their flagship hard ginger beer called First Contact was excellent, and even though it was in a bottle, it was just freshly poured from the tap.

11/20 - We spent our first full day in Destin without much beach time since it was cloudy and a bit cool.  So we moseyed around town doing some shopping and some good eating.  We had lunch at Lulu's Destin where I had their "house beer" - the decent Crazy Sista Honey Ale made for them by Back Forty Brewing up in Gadsden, AL.  
Back at our sweet rental house, I had a couple more out of my Interstellar Ginger Beer variety pack including the bright blue and great tasting Smurphalicious fruity hard ginger beer.  I followed that with the subtle, but still refreshing, Peach Me I Am Dreaming - I actually got a four-pack of this one to share with the family and they all enjoyed them.  
At dinner at Pompano Joe's on the beach, I had another "house beer" that also helps the local sea turtle conservation group with some proceeds - the Pompano Joe's Beach Turtle Brew Orange Ale.  Not sure who makes it for them, but the beer wasn't that great to be honest, but the cause was, and the food was amazing (photo above). 

11/21 - We got some sun today and made it out to the beach, but I didn't have any canned craft beer to take with me, so I finished off the Interstellar Beer variety pack before and after.  The Don't Drink the Cool-Aid bright red hard ginger beer was pretty good out on the back patio.  After the beach jaunt, I downed the not as sweet as it sounds, Randy Candy, hard ginger beer. Another winner! 
We went to dinner at a new place near our rental house called Jackacuda's where the food was awesome, but their "house beer" was just OK.  It was the Fat Samurai light lager.  Unsure who makes it for them.  Not that it matters since I probably won't be having another one. 

11/22 - It was an even better beach day today because not only was it warmer, but I had made it to good ol' Beach Liquors here in Destin who have an excellent craft beer selection where I made up two variety six-packs of cans to take with us.  Today's dead soldiers were as follows:  the outstanding Nut House Coffee Porter from Hop Life Brewing over in Port St. Lucie, FL.  A few sips of Ashlee's yummy Deliria (2022) Belgian strong golden ale from Delirium Brewing (Belgium) - this one's brewed by ladies and supports breast cancer research - this check-in also got me the cool badge above since I have now had an American and a Belgian beer during the World Cup that's going on right now.   The USMNT took a draw yesterday with Wales in their first match of the tournament.  Next up was the decadent and rich Sweet Baby Hazel porter from DuClaw Brewing (Baltimore). I doubled down on the nut flavor with this one by enjoying some fresh shelled pecans with it that I picked up at Durbin Farms Market in Clanton, AL, on the way down here.  I finished the afternoon with the decent wit bier called Tokyo from St. Bernardus Brewing (Belgium). 

11/23 - More sun! More beach!  More beer!!  I started this afternoon off with the solid wit bier called Man O' Wit from my favorite brewery in this area, Idyll Hounds Brewing, over in Santa Rosa Beach.  I am glad I had this one since I didn't make it out to IHBC this trip.  The excellent Voodoo Ranger Hop Raider IPA from New Belgium Brewing (CO) was next.  The Tropical Vibes Mango Guava wheat beer from Swamp Head Brewing over in Gainesville, FL, was a bit tarter than I was expecting, but a decent beach beer, nonetheless.  I finished the day with the solid Low Key wheat beer from DuClaw Brewing which I discovered I had already checked in before on UNTAPPD, but not in a can.  

We also enjoyed the best sunset of the week today!  

My brother-in-law, Andy, and I went to see the new Korean War film, Devotion, tonight over at Destin Commons Theaters.  We both really enjoyed it, especially since it was based on true events.  

11/24 - Happy Thanksgiving from the beach!  Since we are going to be out of the country over the rest of the holidays, I also got to get an early start on my German craft beer Christmas advent calendar that I picked up at Costco a month or so ago.  Advent Calendar beer # 1 was the very nice Vienna Lager from Egerer Brewing in Bayern, Germany. 
Also, from my Beach Liquors variety packs, I had the solid 28th Anniversary Imperial IPA from Stone Brewing (CA). 

11/25 - I started the afternoon today with Advent Calendar beer # 2, the decent Helle Aufregung lager from Landgang Brewery in Hamburg, Germany.
Despite the photo above, there was very little sun today, so the beach was out.  While the gals went shopping and Andy did whatever Andy does, I headed over to the brewpub for Beach Camp Brewing Company here in Destin.  This place is new-to-me so I wanted to check it out, plus they were touting showing the USMNT World Cup game and everyone in my house couldn't care less about it.

Now this is living!  Flight of quality craft beer, UMNT World Cup game on, and then Duke basketball on after that!  Cheers!  My flight at Beach Camp Brewing went as follows from L to R:
the weirdly green, but great, Ecto Cooler, double IPA 
the very nice Bold Brew Coffee Porter
the solid Uncle Dunkel (that went well with my app order of potato wedges and hot house-made pimento cheese
and finally, the decent Long Strange Tripel   
I finished up here with a pint of their very nice Marzen the Martian.  
Pretty good beer for a new place.  The USMNT held off a dominant English team to a 0-0 tie and Duke beat Xavier in a semi-final tournament game out in Portland, Oregon.   Pretty good day! 
Back at the rental house, I capped the evening off with another can from my Beach Liquors variety pack, the tasty Makena Cloud NEIPA from Maui (HI) Brewing. 

11/26 - I started our last full day in Destin with my Advent Calendar # 3 beer - a nice festbier called Husarentrunk from Schlosbrauerei Rheder (Germany). 
Andy and I opted to bow out of some more shopping with the girls since it remained too cloudy for the beach.  Instead, we checked out the kinda cool, kinda quirky Destin History and Fishing Museum which had a lot of interesting displays throughout the converted old 70's ranch-style house.  Outside on display is one of the oldest surviving wooden boats in the area, The Primrose (circa 1925).  Thanks again AtlasObscura.com for another great suggestion to visit.  
Back at the rental house tonight I finished off the last can in my Destin Liquors variety pack, the delicious Bell Cow porter from JDub's Brewing over in Sarasota, FL.  

11/27 - The ride home today was sunny (of course, we were leaving the beach) with a lot of great vistas out the car window including the Tennessee River under a blanket of puffy clouds.  I cracked open Advent Calendar beer # 4 but was disappointed in the cheapness of the taste of the Hallertauer Hopfen Cuvee pilsner from Schlossbrauerei Herrngiersdorf (Germany).