Laughing Dog Tripleheader

Whilst out searching for new brews, I came across this trio of pups.  I couldn't decide which of these I wanted take home so I took all three . . . which is exactly the reason I never go into a pet shop.  


The canine inspired labels are what drew me to the bottles, the hoppy contents are what put them in my basket . . . I felt a need to quench my IPA thirst.  And, these puppies did the trick.


The Laughing Dog Brewery is located in Ponderay, Idaho . . . the land of potatoes and beer.


Inspired by Ben the dog and a love for good beer, the brewers aim for simplicity in their beers . . . in nearly all the Laughing Dog brews water, barley, hops and yeast are the only ingredients.



Their motto: "Fetchingly Good Beer"!


As we sat down to enjoy this trio of India Pale Ales we decided to go in order from lightest to strongest.

We started with Rocket Dog Rye IPA.  I'd never had a rye IPA, so I didn't know what to expect.  It poured a light golden color that was fairly cloudy with a decent amount of head.    Reading other reviews of this same beer, I expected it to smell of rye bread and a hint of orange . . . it did not . . . not at all.   Frankly, it smelled awful and it was tough to get past that.  But, I held my nose and took a sip.  

Of the three this was my least favorite, but at least it tasted better than it smelled.  It was hoppy but not overly so, citrusy and a little bitter with another flavor I couldn't quite identify . . . perhaps the rye.  


Again, other reviews I've read rate this beer much higher and describe a much better flavor than I experienced.  I'm thinking that maybe I got a bum bottle.  I'll have to try it again sometime.    



Rocket Dog . . . 6.9% ABV





Next up was the Dogzilla Black IPA . . . this was one way better from the get go.


As its name would imply, it is pretty dark for a pale ale.  This beer poured a dark reddish brown color with a seriously big rootbeer-like head.  It smelled citrussy, piney . . . mouthwateringly hoppy.  It was an interesting mix of grapefruit, bitter chocolate and roasted malt . . . balanced and delicious. 





If you like a bitter, hoppy beer you won't be disappointed . . . I wasn't.


Dogzilla Black IPA . . . 6.9% ABV

Last but not least, my favorite of the group . . . Alpha Dog Imperial IPA.  Strong and hoppy  goodly amount of head.  I drool just thinking about it.


It pours a bright gold fluffy head that diminishes quickly leaving a nice amount of lacing behind.   Citrus, pineapple, and pine infuse the aroma.  The taste hops, hops and more hops . . . wow.   From the nose to the palate . . . lots of grapefruity goodness, lemon and a touch of sweetness to finish it off.

 I could definately taste the alcohol but it didn't detract from the overall flavor of this beer.  Nicely carbonated, lightly sweet and smooth.  


Yum.


Alpha Dog Imperial IPA . . . 8.7% ABV

Visit the Laughing Dog at their website or on Facebook.

Imperial Stout Trooper - New England Brewing Company

I admit it . . . I am a fan of the Star Wars movies.  So, too, must be the maker of Imperial Stout Trooper.


I've been drinking New England Brewing Company's owner/brewmaster Rob Leonards's beer for many years . . . way before he acquired NEB in 2001;  I first sampled his brews in the 1990's when he was making beer for John Harvards Brew House in Westport, Connecticut and the Brewhouse Restaurant in Norwalk, Connecticut.

I love and support local breweries and this one is no exception.   The New England Brewing Company  is located Woodbridge Connecticut . . . just a hop, skip and a jump from where I live.  

When Imperial Stout Trooper was first released in limited quantities in 2010 I quickly snatched up a few bottles . . . they were hard to come by and I paid a hefty $14.99 per bottle.   The label portrayed an image very similar to a Star Wars Imperial Storm Trooper.  George Lucas was none too flattered . . . he issued a cease and desist order to get his Star Wars imagery removed from the the Stout Trooper label.

Those first year bottles have become something of a collectors item.  My husband saw a bottle listed on Ebay that was going for over $100.


The following year Imperial Stout Trooper was once again issued in limited edition . . . this time with an amusing new label . . . Groucho Marx glasses and 'stache to disguise the trooper beneath.  


A few weeks ago I picked up a few bottles of the 2012 edition.  So limited is the distribution of this beer, my local booze store would only let me buy two.  Of course, I went back and got more . . . two is certainly not enough.

This a truly amazing hand crafted brew.  It pours dark as  night with a light tannish head that quickly dissipates but clings to the sides of the glass.  It has a caramelly, smoky, coffee aroma and the flavors to back up the nose tease.  

The taste is everything I've come to expect from an imperial stout . . . a complex combination of very slightly sweet dark chocolate, caramel and molasses perfectly balanced with coffee, smoke, licorice and malt.
  
Stout Trooper is not a heavy beer nor as heavy as is to be expected from a Russian imperial stout BUT very enjoyable.  It is medium bodied and medium carbonated which equates to a pleasant mouth feel. 

As good as this beer tastes, you kind of have to put the brakes on due to its high 8.5% ABV.   Share a bottle or two with friends . . . sip, relax, enjoy. And then wait another year to grab a couple bottles of this limited edition brew.

Drink it, it's good . . . indeed.

For more information check out NEB's website or visit them on Facebook.

Let the chips fly where they may - Lays Classic BLT Potato Chips

Potato Chips . . . I like 'em, don't love 'em, could definitely live without 'em.  Will I eat 'em if you put 'em in front of me?  Hells ya!









Crunchy salty nasty goodness . . . om nom nom nom

Recently a friend posted on Facebook that he found a new flavor of potato chips that he loved (excuse the spelling errors but he was overwhelmed with the yummy goodness and he momentarily lost his grip with the English language).

So, based on his ill spelled  review of these chips, I felt compelled to give them a try.



I went to the store and Lay(d) out $4.29.  It took a couple days to dive in but when I did I found your everyday typical run of the mill potato chips with little reddish brown flecks of something or other . . . presumably a smattering of BLT flavoring.

I knew that when I crunched into my first chip I wasn't expecting to it to taste like a bona fide BLT sandwich . . . that would be asking waaaay too much.

Try to imagine a chip that tastes like squishy white bread, crisp lettuce, succulent tomato, creamy mayo and salty, crunchy bacon . . . nope, not happening.





I did, however, expect it to have some semblance of BLT flavorocity.


Mmmm . . . not quite.  That’s not say it wasn’t a tasty chip . . . it was . . . it just didn’t live up to its BLTility.


As much as I really and truly wanted to, I couldn’t really detect any baconness . . . oh so disappointing.  Nor were there any of the other Classic BLT flavors present. 

I would go so far as to say they are kinda sorta like a mild sour cream and onion chip with a hint of tomato.  Maybe.

They were yummy but not the best potato chips ever.  I can honestly say that I did not plow through the whole bag in one sitting.  Although, it did get demolished over a period a 3 or 4 days and I wasn’t the only om nom nom nom-inator.


Would I recommend you run out and grab a bag?  Meh . . .

Marston's Oyster Stout

I recently ventured into a new realm of stouts . . . an oyster stout.  




Oyster stouts . . . are they actually made with oysters?  Yeah, some actually are . . . not all, but some.  Some brewers will chuck a handful of oysters in to the batch, some will used crushed oyster shells in the brewing process.   

There is a 300 year long history of pairing oysters with beer.  Why?  They taste good when you consume them together . . . much like red wine and dark chocolate.  Brewers didn't start adding oysters to beer until the 1920's; the added proteins add body to the finished product but most of the mollusky essence is cooked out. You don't see a lot of true oyster stouts these days.  Many oyster stouts are so-called because they pair well with the slimy buggers.    Read the label if the thought of oysters in your beer turns you off.







Marston's Oyster Stout . . . 


Marston's  Beer Company has several breweries across the pond in merry ol' England. And is considered Britain’s largest premium ale brewer.


Marston's is one of those not made with oysters oyster stouts.  But is touted as being a beer that goes well oysters.


This is a very dark stout . . . nearly black with a quickly dissipating tan head.  It has a creamy, smooth texture that should be expected with this style of beer.  It tastes of chocolate, coffee and hints of fruit and finishes with a mildly hoppy bitterness; overall, a nice balance of flavors.

This stout is rather light, due to it's low carbonation and low alcohol content, which makes it very drinkable (4.5% ABV).


I liked it . . . but didn't love it.  I can't say I'd run out and grab a few but I certainly wouldn't turn one down, either.  


Check out Marston's other offerings at their website or on Facebook.

Southern Tier 2X Stout

I recently ventured into a new realm of stouts . . . a milk stout.




Milk stout are not made with milk, per se.  They are called milk stouts (AKA sweet or cream stout) because they contain lactose, which is the sugar that is extracted from milk whey.  The yeast used to make beer is lactose intolerant . . . which is to say that the yeast cannot ferment this sugar . . . and because this sugar is left unmolested by the brewing process milk stouts are sweeter in tasted and creamier in texture.    

I enjoyed a Southern Tier 2X Stout at one of my favorite restaurants for beer, Plan B.  


Southern Tier Brewing Company is a smallish brewery in Lakewood, New York.  They make several varieties of craft beers that are sold in most of the United States and exported to several other countries, as well.





2X is a double milk stout.  It is dark and rich with a creamy mouth feel.   The  thick tannish head holds out for a little while and grabs the sides of the glass for some nice lacing effects.  It is sweeter than a typical stout but not sweet-sweet, if you know what I mean.  


2X has notes of dark chocolate, vanilla and malt with a mildly bitter finish.  A light boozy burn is evident due to the high alcohol content; 7.50% ABV.

This is a big . . . but not huge  . . . beer.  2X has lots of flavor and body with a smooth clean aftertaste but it's not gut-busting heavy.   Simply put . . . it's a good beer.

Check out Southern Tiers other offerings at their website or on Facebook.

Beretta Jetfire in .25 ACP

Every once in a while an opportunity presents itself that is undeniable . . . its like fate makes you an offer you can't refuse.  Who am I to turn a blind eye to fortuity?


So, when a chance came up to purchase a Beretta Jetfire in .25 ACP for a better than fair price I went for it. Why?  Because, I'm a fan of Beretta firearms.  Did I need the gun?  No.  Did I want the gun?  Well, I didn't know I did but apparently so.  And, damn it's a cute little thing!

The Beretta 950 Jetfire is a semi-automatic pistol that has been in production since 1952.  The best I've been able to determine, based on the serial number, this particular gun was manufactured pre-1988.  And, based on the fact that it was made in the United States, would mean that it was made after 1970.  I'll have to do some more digging to find the actually age of the gun.







The Beretta 950 Series of pistols was Beretta's foray into the ultra compact, small caliber pocket pistol.  It was designed to be reliable and simple to operate.


As you can see it is, indeed, a tiny gun.  It looks pretty small in my hubby's hand but fits pretty nicely in mine.  The overall length of the gun is 5" with a 2 1/2" barrel. It is 3 1/2" high and 1" wide and weighs in at just under 10 ounces unloaded.





As advertised, the Jetfire is very easy to use.  It is has a single action trigger (the hammer must be cocked before each shot)  and a tip-up barrel.  The 950 is a blowback pistol  . . . which is to say the expanding gases of the propellant force back the bolt, thus loading a cartridge from the magazine into the chamber for the next shot.  


It is light weight because the frame is made of an aluminium alloy.  The slide and barrel are carbon steel

The .25 ACP cartridge is not considered a particularly powerful round and the short barrel limits the accuracy of the projectile; however, I challenge any one to volunteer to take a hit from the Jetfire.   









I found that aiming at a target 25' away, the gun was extremely accurate and the bullet impacted with a satisfactory amount of force to the steel plate I was shooting at.  

I would feel confident carrying the Jetfire as primary defense weapon if concealment requires a small gun or as a back-up tucked away.  


For a woman it would go well in a bra or thigh holster and it fits quite nicely into a hand bag.


Overall, a nice little firearm and I'm quite pleased with my purchase.


Carry on!

A woman who demands further gun control legislation is like a chicken who roots for Colonel Sanders
Larry Elder 

US Revolver Co. - .32 Caliber Top Break Revolver

I recently acquired a US Revolver Co. (made by Iver Johnson) top break revolver.  The caliber is .32 Smith and Wesson which was originally a black powder cartridge.  This means that modern smokeless powder .32 caliber round will not work in this gun.  They will fit but it is a more powerful load and most likely destroy the gun if fired.  The loads are extremely difficult to come by, we will hand load them.  


Iver Johnson was a U.S. firearms, bicycle, and motorcycle manufacturer from 1871 to 1993.  The U.S. Revolver Co. was an offspring and set up as a mail order only company to rid themselves of the Second Model frames when the Third Model (designed for smokeless powder) frames came out. They were of the same quality and had the same pricing as the Iver Johnson models.








Iver Johnson's have been known to be of lesser quality than their Smith and Wesson cousins but the values on the S&W's are well out of my price range.


This gun particular gun was manufactured between 1910 and 1923 but we have not ascertained the actual age because the serial number is under the grips.  The grips are mother-of-pearl, which are very fragile.  We could easily break them if we tried to remove them so we have not attempted to do so.

I have wanted a break top revolver for quite a while.  Many years, in fact.  Why?  Because its neat!  Most revolvers you see the cylinder will either be fixed or swing out. In a top-break revolver, the frame is hinged at the bottom front of the cylinder. Releasing the lock and pushing the barrel down exposes the rear face of the cylinder, which also extracts the cartridges.  

The condition of the gun is remarkable considering it's age and its difficult to find them at reasonable price in such good condition. A pretty cool little gun, but I don't know how much I'll be shooting it.

”A free people ought to be armed.”
~George Washington