Brew...errr...Burger Review?

The Red Devils of Manchester United came into town and I wasn't about to miss the show. No, I wasn't one of the 48,000 fans wearing red and calling it "futbol" (Hey. Guy in the Christiano Ronaldo jersey, spray tan and faux hawk. You live in America. Talk like it.)... I was one of the 4200 wearing blue and cheering the Wizards to victory; something that hasn't happened very often this year. Either way, the Wizards are best in the world, at least for a short while. Ah, but these great things were second on the day's bucket list. Blanc Burger + Bottle has opened an Arrowhead spot to serve a few of their burger/fry options to willing fans. 


By some sort of divine intervention, my tickets happened to be in the same section as their new burger spot. It was meant to be. I had heard they were opening a spot and immediately assumed Arrowhead had expanded their contracted brew options. What was I thinking? Strict stadium rules severly limit the brew options to Miller Lite only. Really? Not even Boulevard products? Well, I guess brew will have to go by the wayside for this posting...although a Blanc burger does considerably raise the grade of any watered down BS the macro conglomerate wants to pass of as brew. 

The lines were crazy and I think I noticed a little smoke coming from manager Brian Wilson's shoes. My wife and I ordered a classic with sweet potato fries, a soda and a beer for around $20. A Blanc burger raises the grade of any watered down beverage, so I won't rant any more about the only option. While not the same "made to order" flavor as the regular Blanc Burger + Bottle experience ((or cute mini shopping carts to hold your fries), the meal definitely superior to any stadium fare I've enjoyed to date. All in all, I was more than happy. My only regret was not smuggling in a Tank 7 to match the meal. I definitely think with a few more games under their belt, people are going to be skimping on their tailgate grilling in favor of a burger on the inside.


Location: The Burger Spot, section 122
Surroundings: 10 lines, 10 people deep, all hungry.
Music: The Heavy - How You Like Me Now?

Chicago's Alleys Beckon....and I Hear Their Call

The day has come for someone to return to Chicago (for his day job) and continue the noble job of finding, rating, raving about, and awkwardly throwing down pop culture references about beer. Yum, Beer! has officially moved into the relatively beer-friendly (and artsy/misunderstood) Bucktown neighborhood and is already planning his own, sad pub crawl for one. Where are the next steps?

1. Map Room (300 beers + beer school +/- futbol = Yes Please)


2. Quenchers (dive bar + ridiculous beer selection + steps from my door - pretentiousness) = Dive Bar 2.0!)


3. Floyd's (my wife likes this place = I'm not in trouble!)

There will soon be reviews of these places, food (if I need it to soak up the 8 %'ers), and reviews on the copious amount of beers that are tried. Stay tuned and we'll head out on this Chicago beer journey together!

Prost!

Brew Review – Pliny the Elder

It has been over a month since my last submission. Sounds a bit like confession, but, hey, I went to Catholic school for 13 years and that guilt thing seemed to have seeped in a bit. Anyway, vacations were taken, friends were married, kickball championships were siezed, and time was managed poorly in between... oh, but the sweet beverage was flowing all the while, thanks to Yum! Beer for stocking Tank 7 at his wedding reception. Props to you, sir!

Speaking of good brew and festivities, I'd like to shed light on a beverage that quickly hopped into my top 10 list of brews during my brief blogging sabbatical. It celebrates the Roman scholar responsible for creating the botanical name for hops: "Lupus salictarius", meaning wolf among scrubs. Pliny the Elder is a double IPA, tasting of fresh pine, with an extremely clean and crisp finish. It's brewed by Russian River in Santa Rosa, CA, making it impossible to find in KC. Unless you know a guy out west who's willing to transport booze across multiple state lines (thanks again John K), I recommend a quick 8 hour trip to Argonaut Liqours in Denver. Your tastebuds will thank you for it.

Serving Type: 500 mL bottle

Glassware: Tulip

Color (hue and head): Deep, golden copper. Minimal head, dissipates quickly.

Clarity: Translucent cloudiness

Aroma: The northwest in the fall. Piney trees, pine cones, fallen pine needles in the snow...and hops.

Taste: Identical to the aroma. Wanted to immediately grab a flannel shirt, a map, and a backpack and head into the wild.

Grade: 97/100 (A+)

Musical pairing: Frightened Rabbit - The Lonliness and the Scream

Surroundings: Barbequing ribs with Yum! Beer and enjoying a Saturday of freedom (from the wives)