Back in the Saddle Again

It's been a long time since I last blogged.  Life got in the way (had another kid and became the co-chair to the 2016 National Homebrewers Conference).  I just couldn't find the time to get on here and jot down what was going on in my head.  Luckily for me, even though I have a lot going on, I am finally returning to a good place where I think I can come back and start writing again.

My goal for originally starting this blog was to work on becoming a better writer.  I've always been great with stuff like math and science, but reading and writing were definitely things I needed to work at in order to do well.  So I'm trying and hopefully if I make it here enough, my writing will become much better. 

Right now, my life is pretty much all being a Dad, planning the 2016 National Homebrewers Conference (which will be in Baltimore), and taking in as much baseball as I possibly can before the long, cold, baseball-less winter sets in here in the USA.

So far the baseball playoffs have been pretty amusing.  There was a bunch of teams in there who haven't won a World Series in a long time.  That's pretty cool as teams like the Mets and Royals haven't won a World Series since the mid-80's...my favorite years of baseball, when I was a kid and before I realized that baseball is a big business.  

I have a lot of friends who are fans of the Royals.  I also have a lot of friends who are fans of the Mets.  It's probably pretty much a 50/50 split.  Although I don't have a dog in this fight, I think I'm rooting for the Mets (although I reserve the right to flip flop back and forth several times before a champion is named).  I enjoyed watching the powerhouse Mets teams of the mid-80's and one of my favorite all time favorite players is Ron Darling, former pitcher for the Mets.  Plus, I wasn't enthused with the way the Royals pitchers were throwing at people earlier in the year.  No matter what the outcome, I think most people agree, we just want to see a great World Series.

Well that's enough for now.  I'll try and check in several times a week with what is going on and what I'd like to chat about.  Until then, cheers!

Best of Baltimore Beer Week: Brent's Picks

Here we are at that magical time of year once again.  Homeowners scramble to stock up on candy to distribute to the masses of goblins and princesses soon to be knocking on their front door.  Legendary baseball games are being played nightly and having a major impact on workplace productivity the next day.  And the humidity that blankets the Mid-Atlantic region is quickly getting pushed away as our old friend, cold air, slowly creeps further south on a weekly basis.  These are signs that the fall season is here and what better way to bring in fall than by "celebrating all things beer in the Land of Pleasant Living."  Bring on Baltimore Beer Week!!!

I'll be honest, even as a local homebrewer and member of the beer community here in Baltimore, on the surface Baltimore Beer Week can be quite intimidating.  By quickly browsing the Baltimore Beer Week, you will soon find that there are an astounding 396 (as of this blog being written) events to choose from over a 10-day period.  Even for the seasoned beer geek, the number of events can be somewhat overwhelming.  I can't even imagine what it would be like for someone who is new to craft beer or homebrewing trying to choose which events to attend.  That is where I come in.  Having participated in many of the events at past Baltimore Beer Weeks, I figured I'd try my best at breaking down the best of the best in an effort to try and assist you through this marathon week of beer drinking.  Before I get down to my picks, I want to make sure you understand a few things.  

1)  This list is strictly based on events I have attended in the past and had an exceptional time at.  That does not mean events not listed here aren't worth attending.  In fact, you are very likely to have just a good a time at any of the other events that aren't listed here but that are part of Baltimore Beer Week. 

2)  I encourage even those who are not beer geeks or homebrewers to attend these events, ask questions of the people running the events or those sitting next to you.  Baltimore's beer scene is chock full of some of the nicest people I have ever met.  They love their beer, but also love to talk about beer.  So strike up a conversation with people attending these events.  You might just learn something, or better yet, find people who have a lot of the same interests that you do.  

3)  Most importantly, there are a lot of great beers, some of which contain a high amount of alcohol.  Please, please, PLEASE make sure you have a safe, sober ride home from any of these events.  This is a celebration of beer, the breweries, drinking establishments and other business that support our wonderful beer scene here in Baltimore.  One alcohol related accident, injury, or fatality could ruin something great for a lot of people.  Please be mindful in making sure you have a safe way home when attending these events.  

Okay and here you go....my list of the top events to go to (in chronological order):

The Chesapeake Real Ale Festival - Saturday, October 20th

Why you should go:  This event is always nothing short of epic and I'm glad to see they are having the best beer fest event of Baltimore Beer Week right up front.  Long story short, the number of cask conditioned beers available at this event is unseen here in the United States.  We are fortunate to have it right here in Baltimore at the Pratt Street Alehouse.  Couple the amazing, super rare beers with excellent music and people, and you have a recipe for a great afternoon.  

Price:  $40 in Advance/$50 at the Door/$60 VIP

For more information:  http://www.baltimorebeerweek.com/events/show/the_chesapeake_real_ale_festival1

Stillwater Day - Sunday, October 21st

Why you should go:  Stillwater Artisanal Ales brewmaster, Brian Strumke is one of the best new brewers on the international craft beer scene.  Max's will have pretty much every beer that Brian has crafted available to consume, plus a special bottle release of the "Now and Then Project - Cellar Door" will be available to purchase at 10am.  This dry hopped ale aged in french oak barrels and conditioned with brett is a very rare beer limited to 100 sets (so if you want one, get in line early).  One bottle is meant to be consumed now and the other is meant to be consumed in 6 months to 1 year later to observe the transformation from up-front hop aroma to the added complexity developed by the wild yeast.

Price:  Free to enter, pay as you go.

For more information:  http://www.baltimorebeerweek.com/events/show/stillwater_day

Women of Homebrew Unite! - Sunday, October 21st

Why you should go:  This was a surprise hit last year.  It was foolish of me, but I didn't realize how many women brewers we had here in the Baltimore area.  Not only were there 20 or so women brewers serving up their beer, but there were some damn fine beers here.  At the cost of a $5 donation to the Maryland Women's Law Center, you get entry to the event and a cup to sample all the great homebrewed beers on hand.  I'll definitely be on hand for this event.  Judging starts at noon and to ensure you get some of the yumminess, I'd highly recommend getting there early because at $5, this event is a steal!!!

Price:  $5 donation

For more information:  http://www.baltimorebeerweek.com/events/show/women_of_homebrew_unite

Pumpkinfest - Monday, October 22nd

Why you should go:  24 pumpkin beers on draft from breweries like Heavy Seas, Flying Dog, Dogfish, Weyerbacher, Southern Tier, Uinta, RJ Rockers, and my personal favorite from this list Elysian?  Um please save me a seat!!!

Price:  Pay as you go

For more information:  http://www.baltimorebeerweek.com/events/show/pumpkinfest1

Maryland Homebrew Beer Dinner - Tuesday, October 23rd

Why you should go:  T-Bonz Grille and Pub, Maryland Homebrew, and the Cross Street Irregulars Homebrew Club have gotten together for their 2nd annual homebrew dinner.  Several courses of food will be paired with 5 beers brewed by the top homebrewers in the CSI Homebrew Club.  I went last year and loved it (not just because I am the president of CSI, but because the beers and food were amazing!!).  I think you would love it too.  Compared to the price of some of the other beer dinners associated with Baltimore Beer Week, this one is more reasonably priced.  

Price:  $50 for general public or $45 for members of T-Bonz beer club.  Note:  If you want to go, purchase tickets now as seating is limited.

For more information:  http://www.baltimorebeerweek.com/events/show/maryland_homebrew_beer_dinner

Homebrew Extravaganza Benefiting BARCS - Wednesday, October 24th

Why you should go:  This event is in its third year and it remains one of the most epic events of Baltimore Beer Week.  There is going to be tons of amazing homebrew here.  The entry fees paid go to a great organization, BARCS.  And the event is just a lot of fun.  Since it has been so popular, it has grown from taking over one corner in Little Havana to pretty much taking up the whole restaurant.  This year will be the greatest year yet and I can't wait to try all the awesome homebrews being served at this event.  At $10 to enter, this event is a steal!!!

Price:  $10 donation to BARCS

For more information:  http://www.baltimorebeerweek.com/events/show/3rd_annual_homebrew_extravaganza

Baltimore Beer: A Satisfying History of Charm City Brewing - Thursday, October 25th

Why you should go:  Baltimore has a real legend in Rob Kasper.  A long time writer for the Baltimore Sun, Rob has recently authored a book called Baltimore Beer: A Satisfying History of Charm City Brewing refreshing account of the history of brewing in Baltimore, from ancient craft brewers in the 18th century,through the beer wars of the Victorian era, to mass production in the 20th century, then back to craft brewers in the 21st.  He attended a CSI meeting and gave a great talk on his book and shared some really interesting stories about brewing in Baltimore.  I highly recommend going to this event and hearing him speak.  Even pick up a book and have him sign it.  I have a copy and it is great reading!!!

Price:  Free

For more information:  http://www.baltimorebeerweek.com/events/show/baltimore_beer_a_satisfying_history_of_charm_city_brewing


Charitably Charmin’ ChiliBrew VI - Friday, October 26th

Why you should go:  My friends in BaltiBrew put on an excellent chili and homebrew competition every spring and fall.  The homebrewed beer is amazing and the chili serves as a perfect pairing item.  $15 gets in you as a tasting judge.  That will get you a ballot to vote on any or all of the competitions (chili con carne, veggie chili, and homebrew, though you must be 21 or older for homebrew of course).  It's a fun time with some great people.  Previous installments have each drawn about 30+ entries and 200+ enthusiastic judges, so it's a great time!  The $15 donation goes to benefit the Baltimore Rock Opera Society, the Indypendent Reader, and Whitelock Community Farm.  It always feels good to drink beer and eat chili for a great cause!

Price:  $15 donation

For more information:  http://www.baltimorebeerweek.com/events/show/chilibrew_vi


Beer Taps and Homebrew:  Made in Baltimore - Saturday, October 27th

Why you should go: Come meet me!!!  I'll be conducting a homebrew demonstration at this event on behalf of the Cross Street Irregulars Homebrew Club and serving up some awesome homebrew in the process.  All while the master beer tap handle makers at Mark Supik and Company do their thing, hand crafting some amazing beer tap handles.  While you are there, be sure to stop by the Beer Tap Handle Museum and check out all the awesome beer tap handles that were created by Mark and his staff over the years.

Price:  Free

For more information:  http://www.baltimorebeerweek.com/events/show/beer_taps_and_homebrew_made_in_baltimore


A Bar on Every Corner II - Historical Walking Pub Tour

Me chillin with a beer on top of the Natty Boh building

Why you should go:  How else could you ever enjoy a frosty cold one while standing on the roof of the Natty Boh building?  Yup that is what we got to do last year on this tour.  It was awesome!!  We stumbled around Brewers Hill and Canton for several hours, going bar to bar, drinking beer and having a blast.  This year's format is a little different in that it will be more laid back and hitting less bars, but it should be just as much fun.  The highlight is definitely the view of Baltimore from the top of the Natty Boh building.  We have a beautiful city here and I've never seen it more beautiful than last year as I stood on top of the Natty Boh building with a beer in hand.  How else would you ever get this opportunity?  This is a must attend event!!!

Price:  $40 and is limited to the first 50 people.

For more information:  http://www.baltimorebeerweek.com/events/show/a_bar_on_every_corner_ii


The bottom line, a lot of hard work goes into making Baltimore Beer Week 10 of the greatest days of the year here in Baltimore.  Get out there.  Support this event and the businesses and people that make Baltimore one of the greatest beer drinking cities in the world.  Cheers!!!

hocofood@@@

Cargo Shorts: A Dad's Best Friend

Look, I'll be the first to admit I am not a fashionable man.  I absolutely hate clothes shopping.  I don't like paying a premium for having embroidered images of a guy riding a horse or a little alligator on my clothes.  That is absolute foolishness.  I also don't like having a big advertisement across my chest for some brand of clothes, although I will be glad to advertise for my favorite sports team or band.  I also think it is absolutely ridiculous to spend more than $20 on a shirt or $30 on a pair of jeans or shorts.  And these values are on the high end of what I like to pay for my clothing.  So you catch my drift about fashion?  I'm a Kohls and JC Penneys kinda guy.

One of the articles of clothing that always seems to be on sale or clearance are cargo shorts or cargo pants.  For those who are not familiar with the term "cargo shorts", they are the shorts that you see some men wearing that have huge pockets on either side of the leg.  They are typically very baggy and from what I hear, are not very fashionable.  But boy, oh boy those bad boys sure are practical, especially for dads.

Ever since I've been old enough to purchase my own clothes, I've always favored the cargo short.  Why?  Mainly because they were the only style of shorts being produced that were very baggy and long in length.  As my Dad used to say to me, "No one likes their shorts like a cheap hotel....no ball room."  Really, who of you really enjoys wearing tight short shorts?  Well now that I'm a dad, these cargo shorts have a whole new purpose in my life.  They are great for carrying just about anything that I'll need for taking my daughter Avery out in public.  The hell with carrying a diaper bag when you can just shove everything the little girl needs in the pockets of your shorts.

I enjoy taking Avery to the baseball game from time to time, but when traveling solo with a child in tow, there's a lot of things you need to pack.  This typically ends up in a diaper bag.  But do you really want to carry a big old diaper bag into the baseball game?  Not really.  This is where my cargo shorts come into play.

In the pocket on the left leg, I typically pack all sorts of foods and snacks.  This could get interesting if you have food or milk that needs to be chilled.  But if not and your baby is on formula, shove a water bottle, baby bottle (cap on of course), and a packet or two of formula so you can whip up a bottle in a hurry for a hungry baby.  Also throw some snacks like Cheerios or Baby Mum-Mums in there and you are good to go for a few hours with a well fed baby.  Think that sounds like a lot?  You'd be surprised what you could stuff into the pockets on a pair of cargo shorts.  The best part is, because the shorts are designed to be baggy, people probably wouldn't notice you have a full diaper bag's worth of food in your shorts.

In the pocket on the right leg, I typically pack all sorts of cleanliness items and toys.  I'm talking stuff like a couple diapers, a small pouch of disposable wipes, a thin folding changing pad (make sure it's not too thick), a spit up cloth, and even a small toy or two to keep the kiddo occupied while you are changing her diaper in the men's room at ballpark.

The point is, if you are like me, you are already ridiculed for your choice of comfort over fashion in your wardrobe.  Why not take it the extra mile and make it practical by ridding yourself of the dreaded diaper bag.  Trust me, in the long run you will be much a much happier person for doing it this way.  Plus when you see old preppy boy in his Dockers slacks and IZOD shirt with the popped collar, struggling to juggle his kid while fishing things out of the bottomless pit that most diaper bags are, you can just snicker at him like he does at you for your lack of fashion.

Baseball with the Babe (the Avery variety, not Ruth)

Although I'm old, this is not
a picture of my Dad teaching
me about baseball.

In the United States, one of the greatest traditions handed down from fathers to their children is the love and understanding of baseball.  You can see it first hand on Little League fields and in parks around the country.  The crack of the bat.  The ball smacking a leather glove.  A father down on one knee giving his child a pep talk.  It's a portrait of life in America that has withstood the test of time.  It's almost like a modern day Norman Rockwell painting.  

Now you can call me a sap, but to me there is something absolutely special about a father taking his son or daughter to the backyard to teach the how to catch a baseball or on their first trip to see a Major or Minor League team plan.  Although teaching about baseball takes some patience from both participants, the memories will last both father and child a lifetime.  I can tell you first hand that playing catch with my Dad and brother are memories that have and will last me a lifetime.  I'd be willing to bet that most of you reading this post have those same memories.  

So when the wife told me that I was going to be a Dad, one of the first things that went through my mind was Orioles Opening Day.  Those who know me well know I love baseball more than just about everything.  Believe it or not, if given a choice between free tickets to a baseball game or a free case of beer, I'd go with the baseball tickets every single time.  I LOVE BASEBALL!!!  Anyways, back to the day I learned I was going to be a Dad....I absolutely couldn't wait to to introduce my little boy or little girl (we didn't know the gender of the baby until Avery was born) to the game of baseball, and why not do it in grand fashion, by taking him/her to Opening Day.  

Opening Day in baseball is a magical day.  All teams, no matter what their payroll or how many superstars are in the lineup, have an even record.  Fans are jazzed and they come out in swarms for the all day event that is more like a party than a baseball game.  Anyone who has attended Opening Day will understand what I mean when I say there is a certain buzz in and around the stadium that you are unlikely to hear at any other point in the season.  It is just a big celebration of America's favorite pastime.  It's an unofficial holiday that leaves a lot of workplaces virtual ghost towns.  I needed my child to be part of this and understand what Opening Day is all about from Day 1.  That is why I needed to make Avery's first baseball game Orioles Opening Day.  

Very few sights are more grand than Camden Yards on Opening Day.

Well this past week was the opening of the 2012 baseball season.  Unlike every opening week I've ever experienced, this year was different for me.  I had an extra spring in my step.  This year I am a new Dad and I now had the opportunity to introduce my little girl to the game that my Dad introduced to me and has stuck with me for the last 30+ years.  And I got to do this not just once, but twice in one week as we made it to the Bowie Baysox (AA team for the Orioles) and Baltimore Orioles games.

Me and Avery with the new Baysox mascot

The Bowie Baysox Opening Night was kinda a warm up for the big day at Camden Yards.  I figured out how I'd maneuver through the stadium with Avery in her carrier.  I figured how to purchase a beer without spilling it on her head.  I figured out how to change a diaper in the bathroom (or at least my wife did).  I figured out how to go through a game, distracted by the needs of my child, when I'm typically glued to the action on the field in front of me and usually growl at those who do try to distract me.  It all went smooth and we were ready for the big time....Orioles Opening Day.  

I don't think anyone noticed but a tear trickled down my cheek as I entered Camden Yards with Avery on my chest in her Baby Bjorn.  It was a combination of that special moment of walking into that baseball shrine, my daughter with me, the smell of Esskay hot dogs in the air, and the buzz of the crowd as the 2012 roster was being announced.  It all ended up being a little overwhelming for me.  I was in all my glory.  

We made it to Camden Yards!!!

The game went really well and I had a blast with my little girl.  One thing that amazed me was how half of Baltimore tried to stop me so they could to touch Avery's little hands while telling me how beautiful and well behaved she is.  Good thing Avery loves the bath because she needed a good scrub down right after the game.

We had great seats in the upper deck between homeplate and 3rd base overlooking the action.  Avery really was a gem to have with me at the park  She had her times of fussiness when her diaper was full or she needed to be fed, but for the most part, she was alert, looking around the stadium, and enjoying the sights and sounds that her Daddy has been telling her about since the day she was born.  Although she's too young to understand anything that was going on, we could tell she was enjoying it.

As we walked out of the stadium, I reached down, hugged my little Boo-Boo, and whispered into her ear telling her how much I loved her and how much I appreciated her being a good sport by enjoying the day with her Daddy at his favorite sporting event.  This was the day that solidified the meaning of life for me.  This whole fatherhood thing is the greatest feeling that a guy can ever have.  I'm just so thankful that I have a little girl to introduce me to that feeling.  Thank you so much Avery!!!!

Two Weeks Down...The Lessons Learned

So as I sit here on my computer this morning, I'm listening to music, catching up on email, and reflecting back on the last 2 weeks of my life.  It was exactly 2 weeks and 7 hours ago that my beautiful daughter Avery was born.  As you could tell by my previous post, I wasn't really sure how I'd do at the daunting task of being a father.

Although not outlined in that posting, some of my fear had to do with the fact that I'm pretty set in my ways and I wasn't sure how having a child throw into the mix would jive with the whole routine and flow I had going on in my life.  I mean we aren't talking about the responsibility of taking care of a cat (which to this point I thought was the ultimate in responsibility).  We are talking about taking care of a human being.  Making sure that this child has everything that it needs...food, water, shelter, and probably most importantly love and happiness.  That's a big friggin deal!

Proudly I haven't had a
draught beer in 3 weeks!

So as I sit here two weeks into this whole thing and still learning how this all works out, I can tell the fathers-to-be out there that it really isn't that bad.  Sure you have to put some of the things you love to do on the back burner for a little bit.  My brewing, beer drinking, and disc golf are now taking a back seat to helping my wife with feedings, changing diapers, and calming down the baby when she's fussy.  But in the grand scheme of things, that is okay.  In fact, it's kinda fun to help out with these new challenges.

Beyond having a little buddy to spend my days chumming around with, I think my favorite part of fatherhood so far is getting to calm the baby down when she's crying.

I've come to realize that there are five main reasons a baby will begin to cry.  They are:

1. If the baby is hungry
2. If the baby has a wet or messy diaper
3. If the baby is gassy and needs some help burping
4. If the baby wants to be held
5. If the baby is sick or hurt (I assume as thankfully Avery has not been sick yet)

Beyond that, there may be other reasons for a baby to cry, but I've yet to experience them.  Sometimes the crying from one of these needs listed above will last beyond the fixing of the situation.  That's where your Daddy skills come in.  I'm proud to say, in the very short time I've been a Dad, I've mastered the art of how to calm my baby down pretty quickly.  

For some reason unknown to vocal talent judges around the world, Avery loves when I sing to her.  I'll scoop her up, hold her in my arms so that she is facing me, and begin to sing to her.  Within a minute or so she's super calm, looking right into my eyes, and sometimes even has a smirk on her face.  If I stop singing (usually as a result of me racking my brain for the next song to sing), she'll start fussing until I sing again.  Eventually she'll fall asleep peacefully in my arms.  The feeling it leaves me with is amazing!

So far, the songs that Avery likes me singing to her are:

• Guns 'n Roses "Sweet Child of Mine"
• Guns 'n Roses "Patience"
• Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Tuesday's Gone"
• Lynyrd Skynyrd's "All I  Can Do Is Write About It"
• Supertramp's "Take the Long Way Home"
• Ozzy's "Goodbye to Romance"

I don't have this CD, but I think I should
get it.   It looks pretty cool!

Those are a few of the songs that I can sing completely out of memory and know all the lyrics to.  Pretty soon I'll be making a list and practicing new songs so that Avery doesn't get bored of hearing the same show every time she wants some Daddy time.  

Other lessons I've learned so far that may be of use to other fathers-to-be:

• The Target brand of diapers are the crappiest diapers on the market.  Do what you can at all costs to avoid buying these leaky pieces of crap.  That is unless you like mustard colored crap all over your baby's clothes and doing laundry all the time.  Pampers and Huggies seem to do the job a million times better.  Plus they have strips on them that turn blue every time the baby pees (Target brand does not).  Friggin genius!  
• Do not listen to people when they say that infant diapers do not smell bad because the baby isn't eating real food yet.  These people are bold faced liars and Avery has had a few diapers already that could turn the strongest stomach in the world.
• Don't buy into the "Oh get you sleep now cause you will never sleep once the baby comes" lies that people will fill your head with prior to having the baby.  Amounts of sleep have been normal in this house, just not consecutive.  Look, you have good days and bad days (or nights).  You are going to go stretches where you are up every 2 to 3 hours before getting more sleep, but in the grand scheme of things that is okay and you will get used to it.  It's not the miserable hell that people tell you about.  Don't let their lies scare you.  
• The Diaper Genie is not useless and not a flimsy piece of crap.  Even the smallest baby can produce a diaper that packs quite the stinky punch.  You don't want that nastiness in the kitchen or bathroom trash can.  That is where the Diaper Genie comes in.  It contains the smell and does a pretty good job at it.  It's also pretty easy to use.  So people who tell you their Diaper Genie broke after a short period of time are a bunch of wild animals who go through life breaking everything they touch.  The concept of how it works is pretty easy and there's not too many moving parts.  If you try to force the moving parts into doing something that they aren't meant to do, then you will have problems.  It's friggin plastic people!

Embrace the Genie!

Okay well I think it's time to go play with my little girl as it sounds like she's just waking up.  I'll be sure to share whatever other words of wisdom that I learn in this journey of a lifetime.  

Cheers!

Brent

Advice for a Soon to Be New Dad?

For those of you who didn't know, I'm going to be a new dad pretty soon.  Yup, sometime between now and Tuesday the "Spawn of the Brewer" will be arriving.  Please feel free to have a moment to yourself and think about what that means...................Okay now that you've had a moment to process that, lets move on to the point of this blog posting.

First, let me start off by saying that I'm pretty excited about this.  I love kids.  In fact, I see myself as a big giant 12 year old.  I love playing with toys and running around in parks or the neighborhood with no purpose, sense of time or care in the world.  Who wouldn't?  Life is too short to take everything so serious and to spend even a minute of your precious time worrying about what is going on in the real world.  With that said, I tend to think I'm a good example of how you can be a semi-responsible adult, while still living like a big kid.

The reality of all this is that, until now, I've really had no real responsibility though.  I go to work, I make it there on time every day and I seem to think I do a pretty good job at what I do.  I pay the bills on time and take care of this great house that we have here in Howard County.  I make sure my wife is a happy person and has everything she needs, including having a husband to laugh at every day.  But is this all really a responsibility or is it just doing what you need to do in order get by in life?  Honestly, I don't really know.

I believe the real responsibility in life begins this week with B-III (what I call the baby since I'm hoping it is a boy and will be named Brenton III) arriving.  Holy crap that is scary.  I know it's just a baby and that people with lesser resources, support, and means than myself raise kids and they do a great job at it, but somehow I just have real doubts about facing a lifetime of real responsibility.

My Dad and I our our
"Man Trip" to Alaska

I tend to have an idea of why this is the case.  It's because of my Dad.  This isn't going to be one of those blogs where someone rants about how crappy their father was and how they feel they are permanently broken as a result of it.  In fact, this is just the opposite.  My Dad is THE MAN and without a doubt the greatest Dad ever.

Without boring you with all these sappy stories about how awesome my Dad is, all you need to know is that he set the parenting bar very high.  All he ever wanted was for my brother and I to be happy people and for us to enjoy whatever path we decided to take in life.  He's the type of Dad where no matter where in the world his job took him, he always seemed to be there cheering us on at every hockey or Little League game.  It was like the man traveled in a time machine!

Life wasn't a cake walk growing up in his house.  He was tough on my brother and I.  Even though we thought he was cruel at the time, this was his way of teaching us some amazing life lessons.  We learned that if you are going achieve your dreams, it is going to take some hard work, fearlessness, and some persistence when you hit a roadblock.  We learned that you must really think hard about people's reactions to you before speaking or acting.  We also learned that "sometimes life isn't fair" and you just have to deal with that fact.  I think the most important thing we learned was that living this way can be fun.  He saw a lot of places and did a lot of things because of the way he worked and for much of that my brother, mother and I were in tow.  We loved it.  The bottom line is that I am who I am because of the way I was raised in his house.

Learning from the Old Man about constructing a bar.

This is the part that scares me.  How am I ever going to be as great a father as my Dad is?  The dude set the bar so friggin high and I have such a great relationship with him that I'm kinda scared to come up short and have anything short of the relationship I have with him.  I know I shouldn't worry, but I do.

I'm going to go into this like the taught me.  I'm going to be fearless, work hard at it, be persistent when I hit roadblocks, think about B-III's reaction before I act or speak, and try my best to make sure B-III, the wife, and I have a hell of a time while doing all of this.  With that said though, I'm open to any ideas or tips that you may have on how to get there.  It should be an interesting ride for the rest of my life, but I am really looking forward to it.

Cheers!
Brent

My Quest for New Music (or music new to me)

WOLF-FRIGGIN-MOTHER!!!

So lately I've been jonesing for some new tuneage.  I do this from time to time.  I the past I usually would go on Rhaposdy, type in a band that I liked, and it would come up with related bands.  This is pretty much how Wolfmother got on my radar like 6 years ago.  Well I no longer wish to pay for Rhapsody, so I needed to find an alternative way of finding new music.

A few weeks back I got the idea of going to Wikipedia, typing in the name of a band, or more importantly a musician that I really liked, and clicking the search button.  With the exception of some really obscure musicians I like, most of the time this produces some sort of write up on the history or discography of the musician.  From there I look at side projects, collaboration efforts, and musical influences that I might not recognize the name of.

Marc Ford

Well tonight I did a search on former Black Crowes lead guitarist Marc Ford and started a journey that ended up with some pretty damn good tunes coming out of my computer speakers.

The first thing that caught my eye was a write up on a band called Blue Floyd that Marc was briefly part of.  This band was described around the web as a blues take on Pink Floyd done by members of Gov't Mule, The Allman Brothers, and the Black Crowes..  Say what?!?!?  That's pretty friggin cool.  So I went over to their Myspace page (who knew this even existed anymore?!??!) and played some tunes.

Blue Floyd's album

On their Myspace page, they do covers of Shine on You Crazy Diamond, Wish You Were Here, Interstellar Overdrive and Set the Controls For the Heart of the Sun.  In summary, they were pretty cool covers, not deviating too much from the originals with Shine and Wish, but definitely putting a much more bluesy or rocky spin in Overdrive and Controls.  I see on Amazon they have a few live albums that I'm going to have to check out at some time.

Marc Ford's Fuzz Machine

The next band I was introduced to was Fuzz Machine.  This is Marc Ford's latest effort and available only through download on Bandcamp.com.  Luckily they give you a full listen prior to you making the decision to buy it.  The first few songs on the album were pretty raw.  I was reminded of some Izzy Stradlin meets Soul Asylum type material with a lot less production.  It might just be me, but the album got a lot better after track 2 and I really enjoyed the rest of the tunes on there, especially songs like Future Too and The Way It Goes.  There are even a couple jammy songs thrown in there for good measure.  Pretty cool stuff.

Jason Lomheim

The last one I was taken to was this somewhat unknown (to me only?) blues artist named Jason Lomheim who has Marc Ford featured on one of his songs, Steady Rollin Man.  He categorizes himself as "Blues / Soul / Rock with a bit more Roll".  I think the dude is friggin awesome!  His Facebook page says he has an EP coming out late in 2011 and features 4 songs on there.  I'm blown away by the song Hard Time Killin Flo' featuring Jay Buchanan.  It's gritty, bluesy, soulful, and dark....the way blues was meant to be played.  I'll definitely have to be on the lookout for this one.  It's just some good old fashioned rock n roll with some blues guitar thrown in there for good measure.

Anyways, I think I'm going to try to do this a little bit more and write about it here on this blog.  I found some really good tunes tonight and I'm interested in digging a little deeper into what some of these artists/bands have to offer, especially this Jason Lomheim guy.  This is some remarkable stuff that gave me a great night of jamming out in the MacAloney Man Room.

Cheers!
-Brent

Disc Golf...One of My New Favorite Activies

My Dad always tells me, "You know, you are always busy doing something."  He knows this because he follows me on Facebook and also has access to my Google Calendar.  Between my work, brewing, tailgating, preparing to be a new dad, working around the house, going to concerts or sporting events, and all the other activities I like doing, I've recently taken on another hobby....disc golf.

What I looked like when I
lived in Vermont

I've been aware of disc golf for years, maybe as far back as my years of living in Vermont (94-99).  I mean seriously, there's so many hippies with hacky sacks and frisbees up there, it's not event funny!  The issue here is that I've always been a contact sport guy and disc golf looked slow and never really interested me, especially when compared to my love of street hockey.  Well shot up knees and a few concussions later, I needed to stop playing hockey and find a new sport as a hobby.  I tried kickball and it lead to me drinking too much.  I tried softball, but couldn't find a reliable league for softball players who just weren't that good at it.  I even tried curling, but my free time usually comes in the summer and curling is only a winter sport around Maryland.

Then last year, a good friend from my homebrew club named Chris mentioned he was going to play disc golf and I should come along.  He and his friends were going on the morning of my birthday and I figured that would be a great way to kick off the day with some fun in the sun.  I met him and his crew over at Rockburn Branch Park in Elkridge and I completely sucked.  In fact, my first throw (along with many other throws that day) went whizzing into the woods.  Chris and his friends were patient with me and helped spot me all morning long.  They offered nothing but encouragement and it meant a lot to me.  Now here's the thing.  I've never really been good at accepting I'm not very good at something.  This is especially the case when dealing with sports.  So as the winter went on, I kept thinking to myself that I really needed to give the whole disc golf thing another try.

Well my opportunity to take on disc golf again came this past April when my wife and I ventured out to San Francisco for her Spring Break.  We drove north of San Fran so that we could go to the Anderson Valley Brewing Company (AVBC).  As one would expect, AVBC is a brewery located in the heart of the Anderson Valley region of California.  They make absolutely excellent beers and it has always been a dream of mine to visit the brewery.  As luck would have it, AVBC has an 18-hole disc golf course on site.  So my wife and I took to the course after taking the brewery tour and sampling all the beers on draft.

The yummiest beer made in the USA!

Somewhere around the 5th hole, I realized that I was having a great time.  The weather was absolutely beautiful (sunny, no humidity, around 70 degrees), the beer that I was drinking while playing tasted so amazing (mmmmm...Summer Solstice cream ale), and the land surrounding the valley was beautiful and scenic.  It was quiet and I ended up having some sort of happy zen moment out there as I enjoyed some of the best of what Mother Nature had to offer.  This was what it took to get me hooked!  I had found my new hobby.

Throwing the disc from the tee at Anderson Valley Brewing Company

So luckily I live here in central Maryland and there are some great free courses in the area where I can play.  I also have some friends in the area who enjoy playing so that makes it fun.  Here's my take on the 2 course in Maryland I've played so far.

Rockburn Branch Park (Elkridge, MD)

This is a great park that I tend to go to a lot because it is 5-minutes from my house.  I feel this park is somewhat challenging because of all the trees in the area (for some reason my discs are attracted to tree trunks).  There are also a few water hazards out there.  There's a full 18-holes at this course spread out over some fairly hilly territory.  I love it because I get a good workout walking around the course.  I think the only downside is that there are some shaded areas and it gets dark pretty early there.  Still I love this course.

Druid Hill Park (Baltimore, MD)

I recently played this park at the recommendation of my friend Fred.  Don't get put off by the neighborhood that you have to drive to in order to get here.  Druid Hill Park is beautiful and I think a great place for beginners to start out at.  There are far less trees and hills than what you'd encounter at Rockburn.  It's a neat park though and in addition to the regular 18-holes, it has 9 extra holes out in the woods.  I had a lot of fun playing this course as well.

Can you tell I'm a happy guy
when I'm out disc golfing?

Well like I said I'm pretty new to this so I haven't been to a lot of courses yet.  If you have any courses you'd recommend me play in Maryland, please let me know in the comments area of this blog.  I'd love to try some new courses before winter hits.

That's all I got!  It's 11:30pm now and I need to get up at 6:30am to hit the course at Rockburn with my friends.  Maybe I'll see some of you out there someday.  Say hi if you run across me.

Cheers!
-Brent

Coming Back to Blogging and What's to Come?

Photo of me after a
long night at the NHC

I'm probably the worst blogger in the world.  I have these grand ideas about things I want to write about, then by the time I get to writing it a few weeks, if not months, have passed.  This was the case with a review I wanted to do on the National Homebrewers Conference (NHC) that I attended in June, as well as a piece I wanted to write about craft beer in the ballparks.  While it is still baseball season, I could still write a piece of craft beer in ballparks and have it still be pretty timely (something I should still do), but a review of the NHC most certainly has been overcome by events.  Plus how much do I really remember after drinking all that awesome homebrew?

I really do like writing/typing things that are on my mind.  I'm not sure why.  Maybe it's cause I think that everything that I like is the most interesting stuff in the world and I feel the need to share it with everyone.  This is apparent in any face to face conversations that people might have with me when I go off obsessing about weather, beer, sports, music, travel and grilling/smoking meat.  I could go on for hours and hours!   But what can I say?  I'm a passionate guy!

So right now I have a few things that I want to write about, but they'll have to wait til I have some time.  Right now though, I'll create a checklist of things that I think I'll be writing about in the near future (i.e., Goal of next 2 weeks).

1. What I was thinking back in March when I picked the Orioles to finish 2nd in the AL East this season? Trust me, my baseball forecasting abilities are not representative of how I forecast the weather!!!!
2. What will be on my menu for tailgating at Maryland Terps football games this season?  With the 2011 season beginning in 3 weeks, I really need to get my act together and figure out what I'll be making for my menu this season.
3. What do I think are the best live classic rock albums of all time?  Those who know me know how much I love live albums.  Recently I've found 2 albums that have completely floored me.  Mountain's "Twin Peaks" and Gov't Mule's "Mulennium."
4. What did I learned about making my first mead?  When I was on vacation in Massachusetts a few weeks ago I bought a bunch of honey at the farmer's market with the intent of making some mead.  I sure hope to make some within the next week or so.  I'll let you know how it goes.
5. What is up with the craft beer scene in baseball stadiums now a days?  I've been to games in 6 different baseball stadiums this season and want to share some notes on what I found.

Anyways, if any of these topics tickle your fancy, please leave me a comment so I know which one to start with.  Otherwise I'll probably just go in a random order.

Cheers friends!

-Brent

Visit to BGR and Updated HoCo Burger Standings

Anyone who knows me knows that I crave a good hamburger all the time.  I'm like Wimpy from the Popeye cartoon.  I could eat one every day and if I were an el cheapo, "I'd gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today." 

Well to my excitement, there has been some buzz in HoCo blogosphere about a new burger joint coming to Howard County (see HowChow, Sarah Says and Kitchen Scribble).  The name of this place is BGR The Burger Joint.  Reviews on other BGRs locations on Yelp.com weren't too bad, but weren't too great.  I had to try it out myself though before passing judgment.  

With new restaurants, my rule of thumb is to not visit them on their first week of being open.  The reason being the staff rarely has a clue as to what they are doing, the food is usually under/over cooked, and the restaurants are usually really crowded.  So I give it a week or so before going.  In this case, I think BGR opened officially on May 17th and I had my chance to visit it on the first time on May 27th.  

We (a crowd of 6 of us) arrived at 6:00pm and found plenty of open seats in there.  We all went up to place our order and the girl working the register was really well trained and had no problem taking the complex orders.  I ordered a Southwestern Burger (description from website:  A 9oz burger infused with southwestern influences, like chipotles, poblanos, onion and chilis. Topped with pepper jack and served atop our black bean salsa. Served on a fresh, buttery-toasted brioche bun with our mojo sauce.), done medium, with a side of Rosemary Parmesan Yukon gold fries.  My wife ordered the Veggie Burger (description from website:  Our fresh house-made recipe including brown rice, black beans, oats and molasses. Served on a fresh, buttery-toasted brioche bun.) and shared my fries.  Being that she's a chowing lightweight, I got to sample both of them.

Service time was just ok.  It was a little slow for a burger joint and the crowd wasn't large, but the burgers are fresh and cooked to order, so waiting 12 or so minutes wasn't too bad.  

The Southwest burger was a little more well done than I typically think of a burger that is done medium.  It was not dry though and tasted pretty good.  It was an absolute mess to eat though with pieces of the toppings and hamburger falling all over my plate.  

The Veggie Burger that I had was pretty damn good when it comes to veggie burgers.  It was thick, moist, and filling.  I am not a veggie burger fan, but I really enjoyed this.  My wife was happy too.

The fries were about average.  I thought a rosemary Parmesan fry would be something special.  It was just a pile of fries with rosemary and parmesan sprinkled on top.  Had the fries been fresh out of the fryer, they might have been moist enough for the rosemary and parmesan to stick to, but it wasn't.  Total bummer.  

A friend got the onion rings and they were enormous.  I was able to snag one of these bad boys and thought it was pretty good.  It was super greasy, but still really good.  

Another friend got the parmesan asparagus spears.  Although I didn't taste them, they were a total rip off.  Almost $4 and she only got like 6 spears.  What about a decent serving size folks?!?!?

New Coke Machines

The soda machine there is a total trip.  You can get one of like 15-20 different types of Coca-Cola products.  To each soda you can add a syrup.  My first time through I got a Grape Fanta (yeah I'm a dork) and the second time through I got a Cherry Lemonade.  The combinations are endless.  The only problem is that it is slow for people to navigate around the touch screen menu to find what they want. 

Interface on new Coke machine.

As were were leaving there was almost a brawl over the table we were sitting at.  I said we had no problem getting a seat when we arrived and that was true, but as time went on, the place began to fill up.  Tables along the right hand wall of BGR are 6 seaters and packed in pretty tight.  So seating is at a premium there.  As we were leaving two female vultures both jumped at our table claiming it was rightfully theirs.  I wasn't in to the drama so we just left as they started yelling at each other.

So bottom line, this place is pretty good, but it still doesn't beat my favorite burger joints in HoCo.  

1. King Burger at Fat Burger with Skinny Fries
2. Black Angus Burger at Victoria Gastro Pub with Poutine Duck Fat Fries
3. Burnin Love Burger at Red Robin with Onion Ring Tower
4. Southwestern Burger with onion rings at BGR
5. 1/2 lb burger at Fuddruckers with a basket of fries (thick ones)
6. Serious burger at Cheeburger Cheeburger with a Frings basket

Before everyone jumps up saying "Where's Five Guys?" let me explain.  I think the fries there are nasty and the presentation of the burger just makes the burgers look unappetizing and cheap.  

Oh and by the way, nothing beats my homemade "Madison Burger."  What's a Madison burger you ask?  ‎"The Madison" consists of a 3/4 lb burger, served on a bagel, with a slice of onion, a fried egg doused with Franks Hot Sauce, a heaping slab of macaroni salad, and topped with ketchup and mayo.

Eating the inaugural Madison Burger

So what do you think?  What are your favorite burger joints in Howard County?  I'd love to know.  Am I missing something?  Any local joints I have to try?

Cheers!

-Brent    

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