Hopslammed
A really dark iPhone pic of said beer.
A little over a year ago, I wrote my first post for this blog (January 14th, to be exact). It was about waiting for Tuesday, the day Hopslam[1] was unleashed in Middle Missouri. I compared it to the wait for Tuesdays when all the new albums are released[2].
Anyway, Hopslam has arrived once again and I feel I need to address it’s return to our shelves and, more importantly, our bellies.
First, after several delays, the beer we all covet was supposed to arrive in stores yesterday. It didn’t come due to yet another snafu. Meanwhile, my sister who happens to work in a Cincinnati-area Whole Foods said she witnessed 20 cases being delivered to the store last week. Our little college town is only (re)scheduled to get 30. So, jealousy is setting in[3].
In order to interrupt our Hopslam envy, the favorite local watering hole of the local beer nerd circuit[4] tapped a keg Tuesday night for a Bell’s dinner they were hosting and made it public to the average beer enthusiast. Of course, I and every other beer geek within 50 miles was there for this year’s offering, even if we didn’t have tickets for the dinner.
How was it? It was like the year before last. Last year’s was full of grapefruit courtesy of loads of Simcoe hops. This year’s version toned down the cattiness brought a ton of heat. It’s super-balanced and not annoyingly sweet or syrupy. It’s a near-perfect DIPA and doesn’t disappoint.
Sure, the beer is good, but why do we want need it so badly?
Well, it’s actually one of the few highly-sought-after beer releases we get here in Middle Missouri. It’s like going to a show for a band you’re kinda into mainly just because their only stopping in a few cities and towns[5]. A lot of breweries who do special seasonals on par with Hopslam either don’t distribute here[6] or don’t send us their special releases[7]. So, this is a pretty big beer holiday in Columbia, Missouri.
Also, a seasonal that depends on so many hops really varies from year to year. The debates will begin instantly whether this year’s version measures up or not, especially since there are no more bottles of last year’s batch still lying around[8].
Hopslam Day is like Xmas in these parts. We talk about it all year long and chase this white rabbit as long as it holds down shelf space and bar menus. I remember a few years ago three mystery cases showed up about a month after our initial shipment. Last year, one bar discovered a rogue[9] six-pack in the back of the cooler. In both cases, the beer was consumed quickly.
Music doesn’t have this same effect on me anymore, but I’m beginning to wonder if beer is close behind in my waning interest. The last couple of years, I’ve probably purchased a case or so of Hopslam for each release, but this year is looking like a one-and-done kind of year. Sure, the beer is as good as ever, but I have more diverse interests and don’t have the funds nor time for just one.
What I’m getting back to is actually enjoying beer again[10]. I plan to pick up some new releases by Epic and Stillwater to supplement the hole in my cellar left by unpurchased sixers of Hopslam. It’s time to diversify and get back to rediscovering other kinds of beer.
Besides, cutting back on the Hopslam might actually help me to enjoy and appreciate this seasonal even more. Just as I am stepping back a bit from tired practices in music listening, I’ll get back to some discovery and a smorgasbord mentality when it comes to my beer consumption. Still, Hopslam will be relished for the fine beer that it is. And when it’s gone, it’s gone. It will be time to move on to the next great beer.
Notes:
1Huge imperial IPA from Michigan brewing company Bell’s. It’s a yearly release that features tons of hops, particularly those of the Simcoe maybe Amarillo varieties, and lots and lots of booze. Plus, it has the malt backbone to hold up to even the most distinguishing tastes.
2Does anyone do this anymore? I try to pre-order records from Insound so that they arrive on Tuesdays, but they always come anywhere between the Friday prior to the following Wednesday. We need release days like Tuesday to keep the middle of the week interesting.
3I was so close to having her grab one for me, but I knew that we’d get our share eventually. It’s cool. I can wait.
4This is the swanky Sycamore. They feature just a few rotating taps, but every beer is high-end. Then you see their bottle list and know that you’re home. It is rare to find fine dining with such an extensive beer selection and excellent comfort food these days. And when you find it, I give them as much of your money as you can afford.
5However, I’m not really doing that anymore. I’ve made a point in the past to see bands I’m so-so about simply because they’re coming through town or doing an outdoor gig in the fall or spring, but that’s almost not enough these days. (See this post.)
6This list is very long, but instead of naming the breweries who refuse us their delicious beers, I’ll list a few who are on their way this year: Stone, Firestone Walker, Stillwater, and Epic.
7Looking your way Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, Avery, etc.
8Generally, it’s a bad idea to hang onto an IPA/DIPA for a long time. What makes them great (citrusy, piny, bitter aroma and flavor) fades over time. However, Hopslam is one of the few DIPA’s that’s boozy enough to be cellared. What comes out are the notes of honey and caramel. I honestly have one more I purposely held onto for a mini-vertical. I won’t do this again, but at least I can say I did it once.
9That’s a “rogue” with a little “r,” not to be confused with Rogue out of Oregon. No one’s going ape-shit for their beers.
10That and homebrewing, bug I think I’ve caught again. I’m thinking up an IPA, Saison, and Wit for the coming spring.
Building Coalitions Through Homebrewing
This mess should result in a good beer. The blog post probably will not result in anything good.
Disclaimer: From time to time, I have a great idea for a post on this blog. However, my execution fails to deliver. This post had promise, but it lacks focus. I start out by making a case for homebrewing being an integral part of coalition building only to suddenly delve into homebrew geekery. For this, I apologize. Read this if you like or wait for Wednesday’s post which should be better.
I am a homebrewer. I’m not this guy, but I brew my own concoctions from time to time[1]. I typically do extract brews. That’s all I’m committed to at the moment. Still, I can make a pretty tasty beer brewing with extract malt instead of using an all-grain system[2].
Homebrewing was added to my long list of hobbies partly as a way to demystify the brewing process and partly to be able to hold my own in beer discourse. I’ve never done it for financial reasons. Lord knows I blow the budget with extra malt and hops, but that’s fine. I want to like the beer I brew and it’s worked out fine so far.
What people don’t realize about homebrewing is that it can be a rather social practice. A friend taught me how to brew in his kitchen. In the process, we polished off several beers – homebrewed and professionally brewed – as various folk stopped by to check and see what was happening. I’ve had people over for brewing and bottling sessions and have attended such get-togethers when other dudes brew. And at every brew day, there’s beer consumed.
For this latest batch, I wanted to try a style that’s taken the brewing community by storm: the Cascadian black ale. Some refer to this it as a “black IPA” which makes no sense. How can you be “black” and “pale?” By naming it “Cascadian black ale,” the Northwest (in particular Oregon) are laying claim to the style. This doesn’t sit well with me either. There’s nothing I hate in my beer more than marketing. Others call it an “Indian black ale.” I prefer to call the style a “black bitter.” Of course, if you want anyone to know what you’re talking about, you call it a “black IPA.”
A black bitter is basically an IPA with a darker malt profile, typically picking up the roasted and sweet flavors of the malt to balance out the bitter fruitiness of the hops. At worst, the style is a little bit of everything we like in our dark and hoppy beers, pairing deliciously with hamburgers and pizzas, to name a few. It’s a versatile style that fits nearly any mood. At best, it’s an amazing conglomeration of bitter, citrus, pine, roastiness, and even chocolate. The best of the style somehow balance the sweet and bitter while blasting your senses with hops.
My black bitter is called “Big Black Bitter,” in honor of math-rock originators Big Black[3]. I haven’t done this in a while, but I created the label on the left for the 22 0z. bottles I plan to fill in a couple of months. The recipe is here, and you can probably tell that it should be a hop-bomb. My hope is that the malt profile matches, even compliments the intensity of the hops.
So, Saturday was brew day. The specialty grains steeped for 20 or 30 minutes, filling the house with a hot cocoa aroma[4]. I moved on to the boil and added the first portion of extract along with 2 ounces of Chinook in order to put the bitter in this beer[5]. At this point, the kitchen smelled like a chocolate pine forest. I knew something was right… Simcoe… Centennial… Citra… Amarillo…
As I moved through my process, buddies came by to watch, give advice, and even help a little. We sipped on a homebrewed dubbel that was all bananas[6], a couple of Ska’s Modus Hoperandi[7], and a New Belgium/Allagash Vrienden[8]. Hop schedules were debated and assistance was given when dealing with the sludgy hop flowers at the bottom of my brew pot (see above).
It was decided that to balance out the bitterness of the Chinook and roasted malt, I needed to hold onto an extra two ounces of hops for dry-hopping[9]. I’ll dry-hop with a Cascade/Citra mix in the secondary and Simcoe/Amarillo in the thridary[10]…
Wait, have I lost you yet?
The point was that this hop schedule was determined as I went along and the three of us were able to discuss options and that would benefit the beer most. The nose is both the most important aspect and first feature to fade in a homebrew. The excessive dry-hopping should overcome this unfortunate side-effect of the homebrew. Lots of hops at the end will insure a piny/fruity aroma to balance out the roastiness of the malt.
Eventually, my beer found its way into a carboy with some yeast. Now, the waiting begins as the yeast does its job by eating the sugars in the beer and spitting out alcohol. Eventually, this should be a great example of a black IPA and possibly even a fine tribute to Big Black.
Homebrewing encourages creativity, community, and patience. The end result is a beer one can be proud of. I’ll let you know how it turns out. Stay tuned…
Notes:
1Not often lately, but I feel a resurgence. I’ll finish this batch, collaborate on a couple more before doing another of my own in the coming months.
2Simply put, brewers typically make beer by processing grains, hops, water, and yeast. The work they do with the grains to make it fermentable is done for you when you use extract. It cuts some significant time and equipment from the process.
3I actually not much of a fan of Big Black nor math-rock. However, founder Steve Albini has recorded just about every meaningful record of the past 20 or so years. He’s had an incredible amount of influence on music and is under-appreciated. The least I can do is make a beer in his honor.
4These are for flavor and color. Right away, the water took on a black look, making the appearance of the beer match expectations.
5Chinook smells like it should be an incredibly bitter hop. I look for this beer to be heavy on the bitter side, which suits me well.
6Beer geeks will describe a beer as tasting like raisins or bananas. It’s cliched and imprecise, but it works.
7This beer’s quickly replacing Bell’s Two-Hearted Ale as the go-to beer in Middle Missouri. Pine forest in a can.
8Oddly enough, this beer has not been available in this part of Missouri. I grabbed a couple of bottles in Kansas City several weeks back and tried it on tap. It’s a fantastic Belgian-style sour; balanced with just enough sweetness. It has been one of my favorite beers of the last few months. Too bad it didn’t reach town. I still have one bottle left. Now, with whom will I share it?
9“Dry-hopping” always sounds like “dry-humping” to me. God. I miss dry-humping. I guess I miss college.
10I know that it’s tertiary, but I couldn’t resist calling the third occurrence “thirdary.”
What does it mean to build international coalitions through beer and Pavement?
I am fully prepared to concede that this post does not make much sense, but in keeping with my goal of writing a Monday/Wednesday/Friday post, this is what you get. Also, I’m not sure I hyperlinked the right sites with the right words and phrases. For this, I apologize. As always, leave a comment, pour a beer, put on a record. We’ll talk. No big whoop.
I don’t know that this is my manifesto[1], but I’ve experienced some tense moments lately. These moments were discussions or debates that grew heated, usually on Facebook discussion threads, sometimes on cable news networks[2]. Some I participated in; most I watched from afar. All could have used some beer and Pavement to lighten the mood.
Take last weekend’s terrible tragedy in Arizona. Many of the mentioned conflicts took place over this event. In an environment of borderline hate-speech and violent rhetoric, one dude who was already off his rocker, Jared Loughner, couldn’t tune it all out and had to take action. What he took were lives and judging by his mug shot, he was pretty cool with that. This guy was plenty deranged, but the political rhetoric of the times helped fuel his crazy to the tune of six dead and another twelve injured[3]. You probably know what happened, so I’ll stop with the details.
And swirling all around this terrible moment is a debate over the role violent rhetoric plays. Some, mostly those on the right, think the vitriol spewed from politicians and pundits mouths has little to do with a kook pulling a gun on a crowd. Others, mostly on the left, are calling for an end to the violence – verbal and actual. Folks are taking sides, drawing lines. The partisanship is about to get worse, not better.
Of course, what we have is a failure to communicate. I won’t mince words. The right is wrong. The left is histrionic, spineless, and just not as good at violent rhetoric as the right. The facts are that the political right is fully to blame for the nastiness in politics reaching violent heights never thought possible. It’s their supporters (mostly Tea Baggers) who eat this shit up and spread it like wildfire. Sorry, but that’s what’s going down. And those on the left will make this same argument for a moment, realize no one’s listening or that being critical may cost them votes, and let it slide[4].
So, the debate ends with a lot of angry folk. Conservatives somehow feel victimized and liberals feel powerless while independents hate both sides even more. We’ll be worse off than we were before. We can’t talk to each other. We can’t be civil toward one another. We no longer relate.
Conversely, there are moments when we find some commonality and seriously talk without pretense or bias. Take Wednesday here at Building Coalitions. The coalition exploded. I’m talking over 2000 page views, nearly ten times my highest total for an entire week happened in one day! I wrote about the struggles of growing older and losing touch with the music scene. A pretty simple concept, really. The post somehow made it onto WordPress’s Freshly Pressed feature and things rolled from there[5].
Many, many people joined the coalition that day. People gave advice, shared their own experiences, and simply participated. No one was nasty. No one was condescending. It was one of those moments where it actually felt cool to be human, nice to be connected to so many intelligent people.
What I do here is talk. It’s not out loud, but it’s published and here for your viewing pleasure. I’m open to comments and, like I said, we keep it civil[6]. Of course, we mostly talk about beer and music, but what do we all talk about on a daily basis? Jared Loughner? Sarah Palin and her crosshairs? Nope. We talk about the things that interest us, the things that make life enjoyable.
This blog is about commonality. Sure, not everyone is into craft beer or indie rock, but this blog isn’t for everyone. I once blogged about things that appealed to a wider audience and sometimes it blew up in my face[7]. So, I started this blog to focus on things I like to talk about (beer and Pavement). I even tend to take a little more time, put a little more thought with each post.
What does this have to do with the Arizona tragedy?
The point is that we need to fix how we talk to each other. Maybe instead of talking at each other with hurtful rhetoric, we can begin to listen to each other and find those commonalities. I prefer to center all of the conversations in this blog around beer and music. We all enjoy a good beer now and again and everybody loves music. This practice in talking civilly to each other is just a start to an improved world view.
As far as the rhetoric of the times, none of us likes violence. Some politicians love to use its imagery in order to win votes, but none of them (at least I hope) really wants harm to come to their opponents. That’s a commonality from which to begin. I don’t want you nor I nor any of our loved ones to be hurt. So, let’s talk about that.
That’s what Building International Coalitions Through Beer and Pavement is all about. We’re building a coalition around the things that make us alike, not taking aim at the things that make us different. And even if we have different takes on those commonalities, there’s space for debate and comparison. Understanding different perspectives on commonalities helps us develop our own ideals.
Maybe this is a stretch[8]. Maybe I’m a dreamer[9]. Maybe a stupid blog has no influence. I don’t know. I just want folks to stop by, read what I have to say, leave a comment, and know that we can talk to one another differently than our leaders do.
As always, tell me what you think below and dissect my footnotes[10].
Notes:
1Although, the category for this post would suggest otherwise.
2Which I don’t watch. Thankfully, Jon Sterwart, NPR, New York Times, and Facebook give me all the “cable news” I need. What I mean is that half the stories are about what’s being said on cable news. Who needs to watch cable news when they make all the new for other outlets to report?
3I get the argument that this guy was crazy and no matter what politicians said, that had no bearing on the outcome. Still, the violent rhetoric has been building to a fever pitch. Use such images and words to describe what you and your supporters are going to do to opponents has consequences. Sure, free speech protects one’s right to say whatever, but shouldn’t our political leaders be held to a higher standard and not stoop to violent rhetoric? Why not win elections based on ideas? Where has that political system gone? Did it ever exist?
4If you can’t tell, I don’t like either party.
5At some point, I had to give up responding to the comments. I was barely even reading them before approving new comments. It got a little crazy, but I’m thankful for all the nice things people said, the “likes” I received, and members of the coalition who subscribed to my feed. Now, hopefully this post doesn’t scare them away.
6This is precisely why I moderate comments. Of course, someone could leave a nice comment once and then slip through a rude one, but I’m willing to take that risk. I feel like if you join the coalition, it’s hard to be an asshole. You want to participate not denigrate.
7Never write a blog that criticizes a beloved college town. It’s no fun. People get all heated about legitimate critiques and miss the point.
8No maybe about it, but after about a year of posts, I figured this blog needed a purpose and direction. Honestly, I didn’t know how to articulate it in the beginning and now it seems clearer.
9But I’m not the only one.
10Yes, the footnotes are a package deal. Sometimes, I don’t have time for them, but here they are.
Too Old for Music
I’m 35, married, and a parent, but I somehow do alright when it comes to keeping up with music. I receive about a record a week. My pace of seeing bands live over the years has hardly slowed despite my move to a sleepy college town. My RSS reader is loaded with music sites and blogs. I keep up.
Still, I somehow feel music is passing me by. Many of the bands I follow are either from the nineties or sound like they’re from the nineties[1]. There are a load of shows set to fill the coming months, but I’m just not that enthused about any of them. Is this where I slow down with my music obsession? Is this where I grow out of it?
Granted, slowing down doesn’t equate giving up music forever. No one’s actually too old for music. However, it certainly becomes less important as one grows older. Plus, a downward trend has to start somewhere. Is this where I lose interest?
I was recently shopping in my favorite record store[2], Insound.com, for pre-orders coming out in early 2011. To my chagrin, few excited me. The records were either by bands I’ve purchased in the past who underwhelmed or bands I have never heard of. The first issue is an effect of buying so many records over the course of my fanaticism[3]. That, I can live with, but it does limit my options. The second issue is mostly a case of me no longer reading half the music blog posts that hit my Google Reader everyday. Sure, I’m paying way more attention to beer these days than I used to, but I’m just not that interested in buying new music.
Even the bands I did order, aren’t really that exciting. I ordered records by Danielson[4], Iron & Wine[5], Destroyer[6], and Bright Eyes[7]. All these bands have been around for a while. Danielson and Destroyer are difficult listens. Sure, they both can be brilliant at times, but I have to be in the right place to really connect with their music. Iron & Wine and Bright Eyes have been around forever and haven’t released anything that interesting for a long time. We’ll see, but I’m not expecting much.
Then, there’s the lineup of bands coming to town to play, not to mention bands stopping in nearby St Louis and Kansas City. Liz Phair[8], Tokyo Police Club, Cold War Kids, Tapes ‘n Tapes, Menomena, etc. are all playing town in the coming weeks and months. Meh. Most of these bands haven’t recorded anything worth listening to in years and the others are just plain uninspiring. Although I’m sure something worthwhile will come through town, I’ll at least save some money this winter.
So, what do I do? How do I regain some of that passion or at least my interest in music?
Well, the first step in this recovery is to return to what got me here: underground, often local, music. Someone was telling me about this motley group of musicians who get together and write songs in 48 hours just to turn around and have a shotgun battle of the bands. That sounded great, exhilarating. I had forgotten how many creative types and musicians just hang around college towns. Right after that, the same guy Facebook-invited me to a free show of locals at a club I frequent. Then, another friend invited me to a gig featuring his band. So, there are things to see and hear.
The hope is that I’ll regain my indie rock legs by going out to watch bands with a little more urgency and something new to say. That’s how I got into independent music. I went to crappy clubs and watched a lot of shitty local bands. Some of those bands were good or would have one good song. Still, the passion they put into playing for a sixer of PBR and a hangover the next morning was incredibly good for my soul.
Hopefully, I’ll have something to report in the coming weeks as I make myself go to clubs and watch some local bands for a change. It still kills me how out of touch I am with this scene. It’s time for that to change and for me to remember that I’m actually not too old for music[9].
Notes:
1Even when they’re from the past decade, I’ve been listening for 8-10 years. That’s hardly new music.
2OK. So, a website doesn’t really constitute as a record store. However, when you live in a town without a good, physical facsimile of a record store, you do what you can. I’ve found that I can get any record I want from one website. I’m cool with that as I know there is a small group of kids trying to make this thing work. I can support that. I want Insound to be around for a while, maybe long enough to build real stores across the country…
3I am way more efficient a music buyer than I used to be. Now, I can get a sample of pretty much any band I want via the internet. That and the numerous blogs and music sites keep me pretty informed. It was never this easy in the nineties when you had to read zines and go to shows or watch MTV. (MTV used to show videos with music.)
4Hipster Christian you’re the only one.
5The beard is back with songs that sound more like the Eagles with every passing release.
6Always weird and easily the best New Pornographer, but this video and song aren’t doing it for me yet.
7Don’t give me a hard time over this one. I have a history with this band and I’m not ashamed to admit it.
8This one has already been postponed. I predict it won’t happen. I’m convinced I was never intended to see Liz Phair as every opportunity has passed me by in one manner or another. Nowadays, I’m not sure I would even want to see her live just to hear her crappy new material.
9But maybe Liz Phair is. JK, Lizzie! BFF’s 4eva! ❤ U!
Does Size Matter?
Boy, I can’t wait to see the spam this post attracts…
A hot topic in beer circles is that the Brewers’ Association has redefined “small” in order to keep one of their charter members, the Boston Beer Company (Sam Adams), under the label “craft beer brewer.” Sam Adams is huge, but they don’t produce nearly as much beer as the big industrial producers of rice adjunct swill do. Sam Adams founder Jim Koch once joked about how Budweiser or some beer producer like that spills more beer in a year than his brewery sells all together.
So, the move to redefine “small” makes sense. Sam Koch’s baby is all growns up, but she ain’t anything like the rice kings of beer. Still, Sam Adams doesn’t taste like it used to and this is probably related to the growth in Koch’s company. By Boston Beer growing bigger, it has giving up on some of its quality, not like the big brewers, but the change is palpable. Still, the BA needs a major player on its roster. It needs a company with the capital to pay for lobbyists and keep the craft brewing portion of the market vocal in DC. As long as the rest of the craft beer community stays small, Boston Beer Company will need to stay within the parameters of craft brewing.
For the BA’s purposes, size matters. They need a major player in Washington, in the industry. They need some muscle to take on the non-craft beer sector. Despite changing what it means to be labeled as “craft beer,” cheapening what it means to be craft, AB did what they had to do.
For Sam Adams/Boston Beer, size also matters. Growth is important for the company’s stability. The more beer they sell, the more profits they make. More profits fuel that growth. That growth dilutes the product. Still, they’re technically a craft brewing company.
Both BA and Boston Beer have paid a price to retain their status in the industry. The cost they pay is a hefty one. For the BA, the cost is the watering down, diluting what it means to be a craft brewer. By keeping Boston Beer in the club, the meaning of what is craft versus what is a mass-produced product is blurred. The BA begins to look more like AB. And Boston Beer grows to the point where their beer doesn’t taste like it once did. Somewhere, quality is giving way to to quantity. The relationship between BA and Boston Beer is both beneficial and detrimental.
Similar is the effect of bands moving on to major labels and/or reaching new heights in their sales figures. The music isn’t as immediate as it once was, not as clever. The material becomes drab and mundane in order to appease a new audience or label. Size and quantity kill quality.
It’s late and I won’t get to hyperlinking or footnotes. Leave some comments so that this conversation may continue. What do you think about BA redefining what makes a brewer “craft?” What about music? Does success or sales numbers have a detrimental effect?
Talking to Girls About Pavement
I’m currently reading Talking to Girls About Duran Duran by Rob Sheffield[1]. The premise is basically that the author has a million and one stories about trying to explain his love for music to various girls and women. He’s confused about how to talk to girls and music is all he can talk about. It’s a relaxing read before I go to bed every night. I like reading about others’ obsession with rock music. It makes me feel as though this coalition is bigger than I once thought.
The book got me thinking about my relationships with girls and women and the music over which I obsess. I haven’t normally had to explain a lot to the women in my life, but there have been times when I felt it was necessary. There is my sister who used to stay home from school and secretly dub all of my CD’s while I was at school or practice. Now, she influences my tastes as much as anyone. There are the infinite female friends who show me up indie-geek-style on a regular basis. Still, I’ve generally dated or pined over women who don’t share my obsession, at least not to the extent I do[2].
How does one talk to girls[3] about Pavement?
I mean, in the beginning, they were barely a band. Hell, throughout their history, Pavement was barely a real band. Only through years of familiarity and SM’s drive did they begin to resemble a seasoned and cohesive unit. Who needs rehearsal, right? Overdubs? What’s that?
How do you make sense of that? How do you get your girlfriend excited over a band that probably will tune their guitars for most of the set? How do you explain that you actually like Stephen Malkmus’ voice? Why does every song have an inside joke?
Eventually, I quit explaining. Maybe I’d make a mix tape or take a girl to a show, but I lost the need to explain myself. Simply presenting the band as is became sufficient. You can like them or not. I don’t care. I do.
Still, there’s this compulsive need to talk to girls and women about the things we love, particularly bands[4]. I don’t know what it is, but I do it. I’ll tell my partner about this new band or record. If she doesn’t care for the music, she’ll change the subject. If she likes the music, she’ll humor me. Even then, I can only talk for so long before she grows bored.
And it’s not just my wife. At some point, Pavement or some review I wrote on this or past blogs comes up in conversations with other women[5]. The conversation turns south either at the moment I hit over-saturation or I inadvertently insult someone’s favorite band. Still, I go on. I can’t stop.
Now, there’s a new girl in my life. She’s only two, but she’s incredibly responsive to music. Lucia[6] goes through phases with songs. Right now – and for quite a while now – she’s obsessed over Sufjan Stevens’ “Chicago” and she’ll periodically pick up on new instruments or sounds she didn’t notice before. Lu’s incredibly attuned to music.
Just the other night, she asked me to sing. She hasn’t wanted me to sing to her in bed for a while. So, I pulled out a song I’ve sung to her since she was a newborn: “Cut Your Hair.” She listened. Then, Lucia asked me to sing it again. I sang that Pavement song three or four times before I told her she had to sleep, but she was into it. My kid was into Pavement.
I’ll talk to Lucia about Pavement and other bands, but she doesn’t care. She knows that one Yo Gabba Gabba song gets her to move. She knows that she loves the chorus to Deerhoof’s “Milkman.” And she knows that she loves the “Ooh Ooh Song” daddy sings to her at night. It’s not important why. It just feels right. It makes her happy.
So, I start to wonder if I really do have to talk to girls about Pavement. Of course, like any kind of art, we should discuss it, but do we have to tear it apart and dissect every note and lyric? Probably not. Does it have a good beat that makes you want to dance? Can you sing with it? I think girls and women can get Pavement as much as I do. I don’t have to figure Pavement out for them[7].
It all makes me think of this Eef Barzelay[8] song, “Girls Don’t Care.” It can come off as condescending or slightly sexist, superficial and stereotypical at best. However, that’s not the point[9]. Listen.
Maybe so much talking isn’t necessary. Maybe we can just enjoy music or beer or whatever. Sure, part of the enjoyment is some nice conversation, but obsessing begins to dilute that enjoyment. The conversation and what consumes us should be the people with which we’re sharing the experience. The girl or woman (or whomever) you’re talking to is what’s important.
This explains a lot about my history with women. Now I know why so many girls lost interest in me when I talked about The Graduate[10] or played another Guided By Voices seven inch. That stuff is fine, but they were interested in me and possibly wanted me to be more interested in them. I guess I figured this out[11]. Hopefully, I’ll keep it in mind as my daughter grows up.
I haven’t finished Talking to Girls About Duran Duran [12],but I suspect Rob Sheffield comes to a similar conclusion.
Notes:
1This is significant for a couple of reasons. First, I honestly don’t read many books. I read plenty, but I have never had much patience for books. However, anything about indie rock, I tend to devour it. That and Sheffield’s last book about mixed tapes was really good.
2This isn’t completely fair as they’ve all had pretty specific tastes in music. Some good, some not so good. Currently, my partner likes stuff like Sea & Cake, Broken Social Scene, Arcade Fire, Rachels, Beirut, etc. So, that works.
3It should be understood by now that this doesn’t have to be about girls or women. It could easily apply to boys and men or anything in between. I’m just using girls/women because that’s how I related to Sheffield’s book. We’re boringly awkward straight dudes who could never talk to girls. That’s all.
4Although, I think this topic easily could apply to craft beer or homebrewing. When someone writes Talking to Girls About Beer, I’ll rewrite this post. Until then, I’m writing about bands.
5And by “other women” I don’t mean “other women I am fooling around with” just to be clear. It’s just conversation.
6Pronounced “Loo-sha,” not “Loo-see-ya.” I really wish the nurse at the doctor’s office would read this so that I wouldn’t have to correct her every time.
7I do realize the obviousness of this observation. Still, if it were so obvious, why do we boys feel the need to explain why this album’s great or that movie is brilliant. Don’t we prefer companions who figure this shit out for themselves? My point is that it must not be that obvious. It’s easier to make this assertion than it is to simply quit telling girls how to like music.
8An artist I obviously love as this is the second post in this blog’s history that purposely features his work. Interesting that I don’t have that many of his albums. Maybe that needs to be rectified.
9I’ll get to what it has to do with this post, but the song is more about idiot boys obsessing over things, aesthetics, and media. For me anyway, it’s not about simplifying things for girls. It’s about, well, I’ll get to it. Keep on reading.
10My favorite movie ever, but I’ll save that for a later post.
11Still, even after five years of marriage, I slip back into that mode of talking at my partner about this band or that beer. I’ll learn my lesson for real someday.
12I love how this sentence makes it seem as though I still talk about Duran Duran. Because I don’t. Really.
2010 in review
WordPress basically wrote the post below. I’ll supplement and interject with my thoughts throughout…
The stats helper monkeys[1] at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:
The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow. Apparently, slightly more than a post a week is considered “wow” by WordPress standards. I don’t know that I’d say the health is wow, but it is promising. I actually feel better about this blog’s potential than the last even though it had probably three times the traffic. Of course, I published three times as often and often criticized the town in which I live which didn’t jive with the locals.
Crunchy numbers
A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 7,600 times in 2010. That’s about 18 full 747s. This actually doesn’t seem that impressive to me, especially when one considers that most of those view are by the same ten people.
In 2010, there were 64 new posts, not bad for the first year! There were 96 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 48mb. That’s about 2 pictures per week. Is it me or does that first sentence come off as condescending? Also, the pictures stat is irrelevant as my pictures are either stolen or are shitty iPhone pics.
The busiest day of the year was December 3rd with 153 views. The most popular post that day was The Ten Best Albums of 2010. This just encourages me to post more top-whatever lists of music. I guess you crave my opinion quantified in a top-10 list.
Where did they come from?
The top referring sites in 2010 were facebook.com, in-misery.blogspot.com, grou.ps, hungryhorde.blogspot.com, and twitter.com. This is interesting as my second-greatest referrer is my old blog. It sort of explains my fond memories of that blog and its readership[2].
Some visitors came searching, mostly for emo is dead, screaming girls, diy bed, lebron james beard, and vampire weekend contra. According to these search terms, I should be writing more about emo or dead genres, screaming girls, LeBron’s “beard,” and either an album that came out a year ago or the most blogable of the buzz bands.
Attractions in 2010
These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.
The Ten Best Albums of 2010 December 2010
17 comments
Emo is dead. January 2010
7 comments
Men and Beer November 2010
6 comments
Pavement and Girls July 2010
2 comments
Why? January 2010
1 comment
This aligns with the stats above. My readers love or I get the most traffic from top-10 lists, emo, beer, and Pavement. The “Why?” piece is simply my page explaining the purpose of the blog. It’s in terrible need of revision.
In the comments, tell me what you get from these stats. Should I write more about how dead emo is 5-10 years after it had already been declared dead the first time? Is this bog really wow or is there a better word to describe its health? What post from the past year stirred you to join my coalition?
Also in the comments, feel free to write a new description for my Why?/About page.
Notes:
1Not actual monkeys.
2Facebook and Twitter are just tools I use to garner some traffic. I use FB more, so it ranks higher. The Ravenous Horde link is interesting as Tina never updates her blog anymore. The other reference point is just my beer club. No doubt those guys are disappointed every time I post something on music.
Tis the Season for Beers
I’m not gonna lie. I drank some beer this holiday season. That’s what you’re supposed to do, right?
The following are not all the beers consumed this holiday season. They are either beers I liked, felt were interesting enough to mention, had pictures of, or some combination of the three[1]. Also, it’s worth mentioning that I’m using the term “holiday season” loosely to describe several weeks of beer-geek debauchery. Mostly, I just wanted to write about some beers I had over the last month.
Mikkeller Black Tie
Honeyed ash tray. That’s all I can say about this one. It’s not terrible, but good luck finishing an entire 500 mL on your own. I shared this with some dudes in a little pre-holiday fatherly drinkfest[2].
Stone Double Bastard
Well, it’s double the Bastard. So, how can it not be good? This one was purchased for me by family mistakenly thinking they had found the Lucky Bastard I so wanted this holiday season. Alas, Lucky never made its way to Missouri[3], but this held me over for a bit. That is, until my siblings proceeded to send me this picture on Xmas Eve:
Not cool. Not cool at all. Of course, for those of you who know the Bastard, you’ll adeptly point out that the beer in their glasses is not Lucky Bastard. I think it was Southern Tier’s Krumpus. So, there’s still hope, I guess.
He’Brew Jewbilations 13 and 14
How are these beers 1) only $5 and 2) still available? I’m talking about two beers that measure in at 13 and 14% ABV respectively. I had both several times this winter and still hold onto one bottle of each. Hopefully, I can hold on for 15.
He’Brew Rejewvinator Year of the Date
I am not a big fan of this particular lineup of He’Brew beers, but the annual Hanukkah party gives me an excuse to show up with a few bombers of the ‘Brew. This one surprised as it festered with festiveness and raisins…or might those be the dates?
He’Brew Origin Pomegranate Ale
This beer accompanied me to said Hanukkah party last year and I was pleasantly taken aback as the pomegranate pairs well with and feeds the dry, fruity, hoppy bitterness. I like a dry fruity finish with my beers and somehow pomegranate does the trick. This one will become a Hanukkah tradition around this gentile’s house[4].
Mikkeller Rauch Geek Breakfast
I had this several times this fall and winter. Normally, I am not a smoked beer fan, but this one is different as it is smoky Beer Geek Breakfast Stout. This beer does for smoke what Beer Geek Brunch Weasel does for poop. Perfect smoky beer for a Polish feast.
Mikkeller Ris a la Male
I’m not sure this one fits with the holiday theme, but I found one and had to try it. I’m still not sure what I thought of it. Almonds, cherries, but not too much of either. The packaging and appearance are beautiful, but the beer lacks anything to make it memorable or even interesting[5].
O’Dell Deconstruction Golden Ale
Held onto this beer for a while until breaking it out for movie night and Indian takeout. Phenomenal. Slight tartness and pungent but golden sweetness to make it one of the more balanced and diverse beers I’ve had this year. This beer defies style and that may hurt it hype-wise, but I enjoyed it both times I was able to sample it, especially that night I killed the entire 750 on my own. See below for the other time I sampled Deconstruction.
Yankee Swap – Allagash Odyssey
This is the only beer I have yet to try. I “won” it in a Yankee Swap after some persistence. It was that or a Russian River beer I’ve since forgotten. I’ll let you know when I do cork it. This was one of the few acquisitions over the holidays that will still hold a spot in my cellar[6].
Alesmith Horny Devil
My brother (seen pictured taunting me with Lucky Bastard) brought this one on a whim. I asked for several breweries available in Ohio and he shows up with this one. I took it to a officer meeting for my beer club and so glad I did. Freaking awesome! As you can see in the picture below, we enjoyed some nice beers at our meeting. The three Hopslams were from last year and not one tasted like the others. It sorta made the case for never cellaring Hopslam again. Still, the Horny Devil was a nice discovery.
Anchor Steam Christmas Ale
This was my first foray into season craft brews so many years ago. Anchor Steam changes their recipe from year to year. I always hope one year will blow me away, but they rarely do. I enjoyed the one three years ago, but my taste buds have undergone a lobotomy since then. Still, it’s a nice, flavorful beer. The spices actually accent the slight hop presence as opposed to overwhelming. It’s not bad and plenty sessionable. Of course, it’s taken the entire season to get through the sixer[7].
Afternoon at Hellbender
I have these friends who are trying to get a nano brewery off the ground. It’s called “Hellbender” and it mostly runs out of their garage at the moment. I hope they make this thing happen as their beers are consistently solid and unique. I got a chance at Thanksgiving to try their Rosemary, Baby, a beer they plan to enter in The Bruery’s Batch 300 Contest, and I have to say it’s the best beer The Bruery hasn’t brewed. I’m predicting it wins, but I’m also prepared for the West Coast bias. The homebrew in the pic is that very beer. We also had a beer geek’s delight in the rest of the lineup: Deschutes’ The Dissident, another Deconstruction, Odell Mountain Standard Double Black IPA[8], Cantillon Kriek, and The Lost Abbey’s Devotion. All beers were good. Drink them if you get your hands on them, but you could probably live without the Lost Abbey.
I have to interject here. This is maybe the best part of being in a beer geek community. I had to drop something off at my buddy Jarrett’s place. With beer in-hand, I entered his garage. By the end of the 2-2.5 hour visit, these were the beers shared. Beer geeks are a giving bunch and my liver belly tongue thanks them.
Mikkeller Santa’s Little Helper 2010
I had the 2009 version of this beer among many other seasonals last Xmas. This one I broke out and consumed on my own for our traditional Polish feast Xmas Eve. I enjoyed this beer so much as I was able to spend time with it, getting to know it’s subtle intricacies, rubbing its thigh, whispering sweet nothings into its ear…Let’s just say 750 mL of a good Belgian-style ale with your favorite meal of the year is a nice way to ring in the holidays.
New Holland Spirits
I know this isn’t beer. I also know that New Holland brews maybe one beer I like. That said, my wife mixed things up this Xmas and purchased me some holiday spirit(s). The Brewer’s Whiskey is good, not great, but it’s a nice sipper and warmed the cockles of my heart Xmas day. The gin is pretty excellent. Me thinks my retired, gin-loving daddy will like some of his own come Father’s Day. More craft brewers should get in on this small batch spirits game. It’s the next big thing since, well, craft beer.
Rogue Yellow Snow IPA
I bought a growler of this last year just so I had something interesting to bring to a party. It was not our favorite IPA. Still, something made me buy it again this year, only in a smaller container. It was really quite nice. None of the super-sweet maltiness so many IPA’s are going with these days. The Simcoe and whatever give you that piney, catty sensation…It’s not for everyone, but this was the perfect hair on the dog Xmas afternoon[9].
Southern Tier Iniquity
I’ve had this beer many times, but the trend of the black IPA has to be addressed. Maybe the biggest trend of 2010, the black IPA is all anyone wants to brew these days. The name is terrible. How can something be black or dark and pale? Even worse is the Oregon-centric push for the style to be called “Cascadian Dark Ale.” I call it a “black bitter,” but I think “black ale” is appropriate for those brews on the sweeter/less bitter side. Regardless, this is easily my favorite of the style, closely followed by the Odell double black IPA.
Sam Adams Infinium
I haven’t had the best of luck with hyped beers, but this one pulled through. Sure, it’s getting blasted in reviews. However, Infinium is a fine beer. I don’t know that it’s a fine $15 beer, but I liked it. The only problem was that I didn’t spend New Year’s Eve with any beer geeks. No one was interested in trying this beer. I had to polish off the entire 750 mL myself[10]. That was a little much. Still, Infinium is a good brew, sharp, clean, fruity. It washed down the take-out Indian brilliantly. It did, however, make me feel a little dirty for drinking it alone.
This was my first attempt at writing some more beer-centric posts here at Building Coalitions. I want to do the same for music and for posts that intersect the two and stay away from things like college athletics, politics, and beards. It’s sort of a blogging New Year’s Resolution, which, as someone pointed out, usually run out by mid-February. Still, the hope is to get three of these bad boys out every week. I’m hoping to do one beer post, one music post, and one that intersects the two each week. I want more readers and regular content is the only way that will happen. Now, I just have to think of some topics.
As usual, read the footnotes and comment at will.
Notes:
1Or it could be just the beers I remember. You know how that goes.
2It was father craft (beer) night, I believe as several mothers attended a craft (craft) night.
3Although, word on the street is that Stone will be in the Show-Me State next year. Yay.
4Although, I believe some people from my high school still think I’m Jewish.
5Which is strange, because if a Mikkeller beer is not good, it’s at the very least interesting. See the previously mentioned poop stout and Black Tie.
6And by “cellar” I’m just talking about a particularly cold closet in my basement.
7Actually, I had three or four of them. The last two were left at a New Year’s Day party. I’m good on holiday beers for another year.
8More on the black IPA later. Odell has always made dependable beers, but anything they do in a 750 mL bottle with a cork is liquid gold. This black IPA being black gold, Texas tea.
9There is no better hair on the dog than beer hair on the dog. Sugar and vitamin B. That’s all you need.
10Me alone with 750 mL of beer is an alarming trend, something that will need to be addressed in resolutions of moderation for the year to come.
Dudes with Beards
I’ve been giving this a lot of thought[1]. What connects dudes with beards? Why grow hair on your face?
One interesting insight from the comments under my original beard post was this:
We were out at a beer event the other night and a non-beer friend remarked on the correlation of beards on beer people. It’s pretty strange, but I’ve noticed it before as well.
[the beard] brings all the girls to the yard.
While I’m not sure the beard actually “brings all the girls to the yard” in the same manner as my milkshake[2], it is interesting that so many bearded faces are those of beer folk. I mean, the examples are endless, just look below…
And, since I focus this blog on indie rock as well, the beards in that scene are just as prevalent…
And there are guys who are just funny/bad-ass who sport beards…
So, what connects all these men? Is it sheer animal magnetism? Is it a shortage of razors? Are they putting extra testosterone in our Wheeties?
Honestly, I think we just like how it looks, makes us feel. Imperfections are easily covered. Our faces never grow cold while out wassailing. WE DON’T HAVE TO SHAVE.
In the end, does it really matter[5]?
Apparently, it does. This is now my second post on the subject[6]. Nearly everyone I run into comments on the beard. They either like it or they don’t. And for whatever reason, they feel the need to share their opinions on my facial hair. It’s as if I’m pregnant and everyone’s commenting on how large I’ve grown while they rub my belly and eyeball that bottle of whiskey and carton of cigarettes in my shopping cart.
The funny thing is that I’ll probably shave the thing off at some point mostly out of boredom. Every time I’ve shaved a beard in the past, it’s primarily to do with boredom. I’ll be done with it eventually.
But for now, it seems to be a hot-button topic here at Building Coalitions. What are your thoughts on beards? What’s the connection between beards? Why does a “beard” also refer to a partner of the opposite sex whose only purpose is to make you seem straight?
As always, comment below and provide me content.
Notes:
1Not really, but I couldn’t sleep and wanted to blog about something.
2My partner does not like it, but she’s tolerating it. For now. My kid loves it, but I may grow tired of her ever-improving grip.
3Yes, the Dude appears to be humping a Sam Adams’ Infinium. I plan to drink and review my own bottle sans fornication.
4Whiskey-drinking bro.
5No.
6And most likely last. At two posts, this is already overkill.
Happy Xmas
Why is it orange? There's an app for that.
Happy Christmas, y’all. It’s nearly been a year on this “new” blog and it’s been fun. Many of my faithful readers from misery past have stayed with me as I attempt to build coalitions through beer and Pavement. And along the way, I’ve gained several new converts[1]. Overall, it’s been a good year.
There are no big announcements this year. I’ll attempt to post once a week as usual[2]. The posts will continue to be long and meandering with many self-gratifying footnotes[3], but I do that you for you, my faithful readers.
So, sit back with some “Gold Soundz” and yet another beer. This coalition is only getting started. We have a world to change, people.
Cheers!
Notes:
1I apologize if I did not link to your blog. I sort of got lost in coming up with links and forgot who’s been linked and who hasn’t. The oversight is just that and not a slight in the least. Of course, if you commented more and linked back to my blog more, I might not have made such an error.
2I fully recognize that I go weeks without posting, but I do have somewhere around 60 posts. That’s more than the 52 required to be a weekly thing.
3Did you really think I’d dump the footnotes?
Beer and Pavement 
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