Well, I'm back from a week in Arizona, I'll give a quick round up and then move on to beer. Sedona is cool. The Reds always lose when I go to games; even in Spring Training. Arizona is hot, even in March. I got to meet George Foster. And red eye flights suck.
Sadly, no picture of or with George, but I did get to shake his hand. 1977 NL MVP!!!
Another good part about the trip was that Arizona is in the distribution footprint of Deschutes. I was able to enjoy a 6-pack of Mirror Pond Pale Ale at the hotel over a few nights.
On to the beer. Today I cracked open a random find I had from a couple of weeks ago, New Belgium Tart Lychee. This is a golden sour beer, part aged in oak, and part brewed with lychee fruit and cinnamon. It poured a very hazy golden color with a medium sized head. The scent was reminiscent of a weaker sour beer.
The taste was interesting. Fruity sour flavors up front with grain flavors moving in later. The dull grain flavors are not traditional in a sour, and kind of detract from the beer. The end of the drink brought back a little bit of the original sour flavors, but in a more subdued way. Overall, it's an interesting beer. The spices promised on the label are only slightly present, and the grain-like flavor doesn't help it, but it's not a bad beer at all, just out of my style. Here's the whole review.
You may have noticed the severe improvement in the quality of my pictures lately. Big thanks to my girlfriend and her new photography hobby. She bought a new camera and anytime I have a beer with her, she takes the pictures. That being said, in the future, I'm hoping to let the pictures tell a little more of the story when she is able to take them. You guys should also check out her blog, and maybe be on the look out for some of her design skills to make an appearance here.
In the end, it was a successful trip. I'll miss the warm to hot weather, but with any luck it will be here in God's country any day now. Opening Day is fast approaching and the Reds will be in fine form for the season. Life is good, beer is good, and tomorrow is my favorite holiday of the year. Not St. Patrick's Day; it's Selection Sunday! Get the brackets ready people. Until next time, it's March Madness baby, and cheers!
-Chris
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