Beer of the Week: Stone Imperial Stout

Beer score: 6.5

Company: Stone Brewing
ABV: 10.5
IBU: 45

Formerly known as "Stone Imperial Russian Stout," this is a really sweet stout. Has the strong, burnt caramel taste of a decent stout. Pours a really dark color, so much so you can't really see through it. Gives off a smokey scent when poured.

The recipe for this one probably changes every so often, perhaps even every year or so, but I'm not sure. I've had this beer a half dozen times over the last couple of decades and it's taste, smell, and texture are pretty similar each time I've had it, but there are subtle differences. Maybe the brewer makes a new limited batch each year.

A pretty high alcohol content for a beer means this one can get you loopy rather quickly, so I suggest sipping and not guzzling. I mean, unless your main goal is to get drunk. In that case, have at it!

Books read in 2024: No. 32 -- The Witcher: The Time of Contempt

by Andrzej Sapkowski

Started: July 7

Finished: July 19

Notes: I've not read enough fantasy this years, so now I turn to this. Also, yes, I've seen The Witcher television program and generally enjoyed it, so I'm interested and somewhat excited to enter these pages.

Mini review: This was an interesting read, an somewhat unusual, at least for an English reader. When this novel was good, it was really good, but there were also a few somewhat long stretches that seemed bogged down with long conversations that had little point. Also, in a few places it was obvious this work had been translated from another language, in this case Polish. The plot seemed to ramble about and jump time and space with little reason, but this wasn't all bad. There really wasn't a climax here, making this book seem more like the middle of a series, which I suppose it is being the second of The Witcher books. Compared to the television show, I felt the TV show cut back on many of the less adventurous parts but still kept with the overall story. Would I read more from this series and this author? Possibly. I can't say I'll be jumping at the chance, but I might consider it at some point.

I don't have a credit score

Yet one more thing screwed up about this country (the U.S.) ...

Looking into building a house, and found out today I don't have a credit score. My vehicles are paid for. I don't have a bankruptcy. Haven't had a credit card in 20 years. All my bills have been paid on time for years and years. I don't owe anyone money except the occasional medical bill which I almost always pay in full at the time.

So, without a credit score, I can't get a loan ... even though I have no debt and have regular income.

Oh, there are options. I can get some credit cards, drive up some debt, then pay into them. I can report my utility bills to the credit reporting agencies. I can get some small loans and then pay them monthly, but not pay them off because that would defeat the purpose.

Basically, as far as I'm concerned, I'm being told I have to be bonded to the master. Credit is basically another (not-so) micro transaction on life.

Frankly, in my opinion. this is bull. I'm tired of corporations trying to own us ... indefinitely.

And I don't want to hear about how the Republicans or the Democrats or whomever politically are to blame. We are to blame for allowing this to happen to us.

Beer of the Week: Celebrator

Beer score: 7.9

Company: Ayinger
ABV: 6.7
IBU: 24

Pours a really dark brown with hints of crimson around the edges while giving off scents of molasses and perhaps dark fruit.

Has a cute little white plastic ram hanging off a red string tied around the bottle's top, almost like a Christmas ornament.

This drink is strong, but not as thick as most stout. Too much carbonation, in my opinion. A little sweetness here mixed with some sour and bitter. Dark and heavy.

Only truly experienced beer tasters need apply. This one will be too dark, too heavy, and too darkly sweet for many a beer drinker.

Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Michael Shea's Black and Tan

Beer score: 6.0

I don't like it when I go a week without trying another beer, but the good thing is I at least have some old notes on beers I tried long ago that no longer are being produced.

Such as this beer.

This black and tan was a mix of a porter and lager.

The porter taste was nice and smooth but there was way too much fizz for my liking.

The Genessee Brewing Co. of Rochester, New York, made this beer, which was a surprise because I usually don't care much for that company's beer and this one wasn't bad.

Books read in 2024: No. 31 -- The Second Epistle of Peter

published by Zondervan

Started: July 7
Finished: July 7

Notes: I just finished the first of Peter's letters, so thought I'd go ahead and read the second.

Mini review: The main parts of this letter consist of Peter warning against false prophets and exhorting his fellow Christians to remain ready for the return of Jesus.

Books read in 2024: No. 30 -- The First Epistle of Peter

published by Zondervan

Started: July 6
Finished: July 7

Notes: Getting back to my Bible readings, I'm interested to study Peter's writings as compared to those of Paul

Mini review: Most of what is here are recommendations from Peter on how Christians should act and how they should treat one another.

Books read in 2024: No. 29 -- Allan Quatermain

by H. Rider Haggard

Started: June 23

Finished: July 6

Notes: I've not read a lot of Haggard, but what little I have read has been fun and adventurous. Also, though I'm familiar with the Allan Quatermain character, I've never read any of Haggard's novels about his fictional hero. So, here goes.

Mini review: So my first Quatermain novel turns out to be the last one in a series, but that's okay as I had no problem following along with the story. The writing here reminded me more than a little of Robert E. Howard's tales of Africa, though Howard tends to be darker and to have more action than this particular novel did. The plot? An older Quatermain, in his 60s, sets out from England with some friends to enter the depths of Africa in search of a race of people. Why are the adventurers doing this? For something to do. While they appreciate returning to England for rest between their adventures, they long to return to wilds. During their journey their is a fair amount of action, though personally I would have liked more. The only parts of the novel for which I did not care were the occasional lengthy descriptions of a discovered region, these descriptions lacking in descriptive details but full of emotional details, a trend not uncommon to many a 19th-Century novel. Will I read more of Quatermain? Perhaps. I won't be jumping out to find all the other books in the series, but if I ran across some in a used bookstore I would probably snag them.

Beer of the Week: New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA

Beer score: 6.2

Company: New Belgium
ABV: 7.0
IBU: 50

Pours a golden color but not too light, almost with a touch of shade of amber. Gives off a bit of a pine scent and has the expected bitterness of an IPA in the smell.

Has some carbonation but goes down fairly smooth.

Though they put out some decent beers, I'm not usually a big fan of New Belgium nor of IPAs, but I have to say this one has won me over.

The taste has a fair amount of that IPA bitter, but there are also hints of that pine and maybe a little citrus.

I'd drink this one again.

Beer of the Week: Dos Equis Amber Lager

Beer score: 4.2

Company: Dos Equis
ABV: 4.7
IBU: 23

Sometimes this one is referred to as "Dos Equis Amber Lager" and sometimes it's called "Dos Equis Ambar Especial," but either way, it's the same beer.

This one pours darker than most beers from Mexico, and it's a little more hardy and less fizzy.

An odd mix of Mexican beer texture with a little bit of European taste thrown in. The flavor is mostly bready but includes a little touch of spiciness, though I wouldn't call this a "hot" or "peppery" beer. There's also a little bit of lime and maybe caramel in the taste.

Not a great beer, but also not an awful one. I wouldn't turn one down if handed to me, unless maybe there were better beers available.

Books read in 2024: No. 28 -- The Black Tulip

by Alexandre Dumas

Started: June 16

Finished: June 23

Notes: It has been far too long, more than a decade, since I have read anything from Dumas, and he really is one of my favorite authors. So, it is more than time I dip back into material from him, especially when it is one of his novels which I have not read before.

Mini review: Considering the title and the fact Dumas was the author, I expected this novel to be about an adventurous character with the nom de guerre of "Black Tulip," somewhat like the Scarlet Pimpernel or Scaramouche or some such. But that was not the case. No, the black tulip here is a literal black tulip. The plot concerns a wealthy young man in Holland of the 17th Century. His only love in life is growing tulips, so he becomes excited when a horticulture society offers a huge award for a black tulip. This young man sets out to grow a black tulip, but he is soon thwarted by political events and an envious neighbor. To say more would be to give away too much, but I will say this is more of a novel of intrigue than of action, though it still makes a good read. Any Dumas fan should enjoy this one.

Beer of the Week: Labatt Canadian Ale

Beer score: 5.2

Company: Labatt Brewing Company
ABV: 5.0
IBU: NA

Like most premium beers, this one pours out a pale golden color and has a decent foamy head to it. It gives off faint bread scents but mostly just smells like a premium beer.

There is little strength here. Not real watery, but not real carbonated either. The taste is not bad, but mainly just a slight sweetness with hints of hopes. You could do worse.

A decent beer for beginning beer snobs to break their teeth on. Of all the Labatt brews, this is the best.

Books read in 2024: No. 27 -- The Epistle of James

published by Zondervan

Started: June 15
Finished: June 15

Notes: I'm finally getting to Biblical letters apparently written by others than Paul, and I'm glad to do so because I want to more compare them to the Pauline letter.

Mini review: This really is one of my favorite books of the Bible, and definitely my favorite of all the letters in the New Testament. It provides guidance to Christians on matters of faith, works, wisdom, wealth, treatment of others, and more. Works seems to be at least as important as faith here, and perhaps more important. This is a lesson I fear far too many so-called Christians have forgotten in this day and age.

Books read in 2024: No. 26 -- The Epistle to the Hebrews

published by Zondervan

Started: June 14
Finished: June 15

Notes: By tradition, the apostle Paul wrote this letter, though the book here doesn't actually say that. So, though I've read this before, I'll be doing so again with an interest in comparing it to the other letters allegedly written by Paul.

Mini review: It's difficult to believe the author of this letter is the same as that whom wrote the other Pauline letters. The other letters are somewhat more colloquial, often dealing not only with spiritual matters but some practical ones. Except for an extremely short few verses at the end of this letter, this one is entirely devoted to the spiritual, explaining to Hebrews various Christian beliefs and comparing Christ and Christianity to earlier Jewish thought.

Books read in 2024: No. 25 -- End of Watch

by Stephen King

Started: May 24

Finished: June 13

Notes: I just finished an  Ed McBain novel, and for some reason of recent years I've been reading one of his novels right around the time I read a King book. Strange. The two authors have different styles and write in different genres, but I suppose both have some similar themes. Anyway, I'm glad to be getting to this King novel because it is the final book in a trilogy of which I've read the first two novels, Mr. Mercedes and Finders Keepers.

Mini review: This was not one of my favorite King books. In fact, it's one of my least favorite. The plot was fine, the characters were great, the beginning is decent and the ending was just right, but the middle? Man, there were easily 300 pages that were just boring to me. It seemed every little move the good guys or bad guys made was covered in extreme detail, to the point of frustration for me as a reader. Once I get what's going on, I don't feel a need for a bunch of flackbacks to flesh out details, and I don't feel a need to follow every little step taken along what's basically an investigation. But it's the end of a trilogy, one which included characters I've come to enjoy, so there is a feeling of completion.

Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Miller Lite ice

Beer score: 2.6

They haven't made this one for a while now, and that makes sense considering how much it sucked, but I have a few old notes.

It had a harsh taste that was not unlike corn mixed with alcohol. The smell was about the same. Lots of carbonation here, more so than the usual light beer.

I don't have much good to say about this one. For once, I'm actually glad a beer is no longer being made.

Beer of the Week: Carta Blanca

Beer score: 3.2

Company: Heineken Mexico
ABV: 4.5
IBU: NA

Mexican beer at its most mediocre.

It pours the usual pale yellow color of a cheap beer, and it gives of the expected smells of straw and corn, maybe with a hint of citrus fruit.

It's light on the tongue and has a bit of skunky sourness to it. Tastes about like you'd expect, a little bit of malt, some corn, maybe some rice, with the barest hint of lemon or possibly orange.

Not a great beer.

At least it's wet.

Beer of the Week: Avery Brewing Ellie's Brown Ale

Beer score: 5.8

Company: Avery Brewing Company
ABV: 5.5
IBU: 28

I'm thinking Ellie is the name of a dog since there is a picture of a black dog on this beer bottle.

This one pours a darkish red color into the glass while giving off smells of chocolate brownies and maybe little fruit.

A little heavy in the mouth, somewhat like a stout with a little bit of the burnt maple taste common to many stouts but without being quite as heavy as a stout. There's also some more of that chocolate flavor and some coffee. Slightly sweet.

This would make a fine brew for folks working their way up to heavier beers such as porters and stouts.

Books read in 2024: No. 24 -- Poison

by Ed McBain

Started: May 19

Finished: May 24

Notes: So much of my reading so far this year has been rather heavy, and most of it non-fiction, so I felt the need for something just for fun. And yes, reading about poison and murder and cops is fun for me, at least when it comes from Ed McBain, one of my favorite authors.

Mini review: It was such a pleasure to simply read something for fun once more. In this one, a young woman's lovers are killed off one by one, usually by poison, and a detective becomes romantically involved with her, putting himself in the crosshairs of the killer. This one was mainly a straight-up mystery, one of the more straight forward of the 87th Precinct novels, but that was fine with me. It also featured as the main character one detective Hal Willis, who is usually a secondary or minor character within this series, so it was nice to see that.

Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Devil Mountain Beers

This defunct brewery was originally brewed in an old railroad station in Northern California, but when I tried them a couple of decades ago, they were being brewed in Cincinnati, Ohio. Anyway, some decent brews here, so I hated to see when they went out of business, but here are some of my notes from long ago.

Devil Mountain Black Honey Ale

Beer score: 8.0

Imagine a stout with plenty of honey stirred in and you've got this beer. It was worth tasting. The sweetness came from African black honey. Though this drink was very stout-like, it didn't quite have the bitter strength of a typical stout, though it did have the texture and coloring of a stout.

Devil Mountain Five Malt Ale

Beer score: 6.0

This beer was so sturdy it could almost pass for a stout ... okay, a weak stout. The sturdy bitterness grew sweeter the more you drank.

Devil Mountain Honey Wheat

Beer score: 3.0

Was smooth and frothy but way too sweet, so much so that the sweetness lowered my beer score considerably.

Devil Mountain Railroad Gold Ale

Beer score: 5.7

A cloudy, pale-ale type drink with a little sweetness. Went down smooth and wet.

Devil Mountain Summer Mountain Brew

Beer score: 5.3

This beer was watery and weak but probably still too strong for your average Budweiser drinker. A slight bitterness here along with some fizz. The light fruity smell was quite nice. Not great, but there were plenty of worse beers, and still are.

Devil Mountain Tasmanian Pale Ale

Beer score: 5.9

Was a little strong for a pale ale, but it went down smooth. Very bitter, to the point it would have scored higher for me if that bitterness had been tamed somewhat. Supposedly the hops were from Tasmania, thus this beer's name.

Books read in 2024: No. 23 -- The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Philemon

published by Zondervan

Started: May 19
Finished: May 19

Notes: A short Bible reading while between other readings.

Mini review: A very short letter in which Paul sends Onesimus to Philemon.

Books read in 2024: No. 22 -- The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Titus

published by Zondervan

Started: May 19
Finished: May 19

Notes: My last book read took longer than I had expected, so I got away from my Bible readings a bit. Here I jump back into things.

Mini review: In this one, mostly Paul is writing to Titus (the bishop of Crete) to outline briefly what consists of a good Christian, especially a good leader within a church.

Books read in 2024: No. 21 --12 Rules for Life

by Jordan B. Peterson

Started: April 10

Finished: May 19

Notes: I've been reading biographies of late and wanted to continue that, but I couldn't find a proper biography in print for Peterson, so I'll settle for reading one of his books. I realize Peterson has become somewhat controversial in some circles over the last decade or so, but like him or not, the man is interesting and appears to weigh his words carefully. I do find him interesting, and I agree with some he has to say, but I also believe he has some blind spots. Who knows? If I enjoy this book enough, I might seek out some of his other books.

Mini review: It took much longer to finish this book than I had anticipated, mainly because I found this one such a slog, proving for myself that Peterson is a better speaker than writer. It's not that his text is necessarily written badly nor difficult to read, but that he writes much like he speaks, with plenty of examples and long comments about the very points he is trying to make. For me, once I got what he was trying to say, which was usually within the first page or even paragraph of his chapters, then it seemed he dragged on forever saying the same things over and over again. In other words, this felt like the world's longest blog post, once that could've been written in a thousand words or less. That being said, there is a lot of solid, good, common-sense advice here for living in and surviving in the modern world. Not everyone will agree with what Peterson suggests, of course, but I don't believe that lessens his words. For me, Peterson's writing here was at its strongest when he strayed away from politics and pithy sayings and focused upon the mythologies behind religion and sometimes upon his clinical background. In the end, whether he wants to admit it or not, he definitely comes down on the side of Christianity, not necessarily in belief but in practice. The world could do worse.

Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Michael Shea's Irish Amber

Beer score: 5.8

The Highfalls Brewing Company of Rochester, New York, made this brew when I tasted it back in the 1990s, but then the beer was bought by the Genesee Brewery folks who then retired this beer.

Looking back on my notes, it seems this beer didn't know what it wanted to be. It had the barest touch of sweet one minute, then it'd have a little bit of bitter on the way down. Wet but had way too much fizz. Overall, not a bad beer, even a good beer, but not a great beer.

Beer of the Week: Orval Trappist Ale

Beer score: 7.4

Company: Orval
ABV: 6.9
IBU: 32

This Belgian brew has a lot of carbonation and a strong alcohol flavor, almost as if you're drinking a weaker Scotch whiskey instead of an ale. The smell is slightly spicey, just barely, and a touch of citrus with perhaps some hints of grass.

Some sweetness here and very unique flavoring. Leaves a bitter flavor in the back of the throat. Quite wet despite all the carbonation. The flavor is like the smell, with an addition of some dried fruit taste and a metallic hint that's there but not annoying.

Not something I'd want to drink often, but worth tasting from time to time.

Quite pricey. Hard liquor drinkers should like this. One of the most unique beers I've ever tasted.

Beer of the Week: Michelob Ultra

Beer score: 3.0

Company: Anheuser-Busch
ABV: 4.2
IBU: 10

This is a low-carbohydrate light beer for that market.

As with most light beers, there's lots of carbonation here.

It's a light golden color when poured into a clear glass while giving off scents of corn.

Going down it's vaguely sweet with more of that light sweet of corn.

Really, this is a fairly bland beer. "Boring" might be the right word to use. There are worse light beers available, but there are also better.

Beer of the Week: Samuel Smith Taddy Porter

Beer score: 9.0

Company: Samuel Smith Brewery
ABV: 5.0
IBU: 32

In a clear glass this one is a sort of reddish-brown with tan foam. It smells a bit like chocolate and coffee, though the scent isn't overly strong.

It does, however, have an extremely strong burnt maple flavor that lingers in the mouth long after you've swallowed. There are also more hints of that chocolate and coffee. It also goes back very smooth, almost as easy as water.

Has quite the creamy texture in the mouth.

This isn't everyone's favorite beer, but I think it's top quality, one of the better porters around. But then I tend to love all the beers from the folks at the Samuel Smith Brewery.

Beer of the Week: UFO Hefewizen

Beer score: 7.0

Company: Harpoon Brewery
ABV: 4.8
IBU: 18

Kind of a cloudy mustard color when poured. Definitely has some citrus and perhaps clove on the nose.

Has a great, smooth taste and texture, and light enough you could drink this regularly. The taste has more hints of that citrus, definitely some orange and maybe a little lemon, and there's a soft sweetness that's never overpowering. There's a bit of a bready taste, and there's a little creamy texture.

Goes well with lemon or lime, in my opinion.

A pretty solid beer, all around, especially if you prefer or are in the mood for something lighter.

Books read in 2024: No. 20 -- The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy

published by Zondervan

Started: April 10
Finished: April 10

Notes: Having just finished Paul's first letter to Timothy, I thought I should go ahead and read this second letter.

Mini review: Here Paul talks a little about what to expect at the end of times, but for the most part he advises Timothy to remain strong in the Christian faith. Unusual for most of Paul's letters, Paul here also provides a short list of people to whom he has had disagreements or whom have done him evil, in his opinion, yet he does not curse these folks.

Books read in 2024: No. 19 -- The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to Timothy

published by Zondervan

Started: April 10
Finished: April 10

Notes: Now we get to the first of Paul's letters written to an individual instead of to a church, so it'll be interesting to note if there are any differences.

Mini review: In this letter to Timothy, Paul outlines some basic leadership for the church and the type of men who should be such leaders. Paul also provides some notions of what Christians should try to be in this world while looking ahead to the next world.

Books read in 2024: No. 18 --The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians

published by Zondervan

Started: April 10
Finished: April 10

Notes: Since I just finished reading Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians, I thought I should read this second one.

Mini review: This book I found intriguing because Paul talks somewhat about the "man of sin" and how Jesus will deal with him in the end times, basically a warning about the individual commonly referred to today as the anti-Christ.

Books read in 2024: No. 17 -- The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Thessalonians

published by Zondervan

Started: April 9
Finished: April 10

Notes: It might seem silly for me to count each of these books from the Bible as a book read, especially these shorter letters toward the latter part of the New Testament, but it helps me in keeping track of my reading. Plus, not to sound snobby about it, but this little blog is for me, not so much for others. Not that I'm not glad when others read this blog, but that's not my main occupation here, at least not at this time.

Mini review: This one I found interesting because Paul goes into some detail about what Protestants refer to as the Rapture. Now whether or not Paul meant his words literally, I cannot be sure, but from the text he seemed to mean it quite literally that Jesus will return from the heavens and Christians will float up from the ground to meet him.

Books read in 2024: No. 16 -- The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Colossians

published by Zondervan

Started: April 9
Finished: April 9

Notes: I'm working my way through Paul's letters in the New Testament, and I'll be thankful when I'm done with them. Not that I don't appreciate Paul's importance and influence, but I'm looking forward to getting to the letters written by other than Paul, to see their writings, opinions, thoughts, etc. Over the years I've read nearly all this material before, but it's almost always been in piecemeal fashion with a verse here, a verse there, and so on. So I'm glad to be reading this books as a whole, and the whole Bible, for that matter.

Mini review: Here Paul is mainly laying out some basic doctrines for a church while mentioning names of other Christian leaders who might be visiting or writing.

Books read in 2024: No. 15 -- How to Talk Dirty and Influence People

by Lenny Bruce

Started: March 31

Finished: April 9

Notes: Between my Bible readings of late, I've been reading biographies, so I decided to grab another one from my to-be-read shelves. This one is an autobiography by the late, great comedian Lenny Bruce. I've long had an armchair interest in the artform of comedy, and I'm interested in Lenny Bruce, so hopefully I'll learn a few things here.

Mini review: I've oft heard something along these said by one person or another: Madness and genius go hand in hand, or are closely related. Something like that. And I believe it's the case for Lenny Bruce. He was obviously a man, a comedian, ahead of his time, though perhaps he was just right for his time. He was smart in many ways, but he allowed his own pain and inner demons to warp him, leading to his drug use and eventual early death. Of course, this book being an autobiography, it doesn't end with Bruce's death, but this book is made up of several lengthy articles published in Playboy magazine not long before Bruce died. There is humor to be found here, but there's also a fair amount of sadness knowing what is to come, not that Bruce's writing in this book is maudlin. No, Lenny Bruce writes like he speaks in his comedy routines, quick and snappy and to the point, usually with the point or three being made while also being funny. However, much of the writing and comedy here is quite dated, so a modern audience might not find it as appropriate or as funny. That being said, I think a lot of what Bruce said and wrote and joked about is still relevant to our world today.

Beer of the Week: Michelob Golden Draft

Beer score: 3.6

Company: Anheuser-Busch
ABV: 4.6
IBU: NA

You would think Anheuser-Busch wouldn't need to add one more watery, tasteless drink they call beer to their lineup, but here it is. Then again, Michelob sales have been dropping the last couple of decades, and this beer is one reason why.

As one could expect from the name, this one pours a light golden color. It gives off very little smell, and what there is basically consists of a cheap beer scent, corn, rice, etc.

The taste is slightly sweet, slightly bitter, but nothing special at all. This beer is so weak it makes Coronoa look strong. Still, it is smooth enough and wet enough that it makes a good thirst quencher for days when you're out working in the yard.

The smoothness and wetness raise this beer's score for me, because there sure isn't enough taste to do it.

Beer of the Week: Grolsch Premium Lager

Beer score: 3.8

Company: Grolsch
ABV: 5.0
IBU: 28

This one pours a light brown color, almost golden, while giving off smells of corn and a little sweetness.

On the tongue it's weak but wet, with a slight bitterness but less sweet than is in the smell.

Over all, this seems more like a pilsner than a lager for me, and I hate to say it, but this is basically a Heineken-wannabe beer, a mass produced product for mass produced tastes. Not that there's necessarily anything wrong with that, just that it's nothing special for the beer connoisseur.

It'll get you tipsy and it's probably quite refreshing on a hot day, and it's not the worst beer on the market, but there are better options available for the price.

Books read in 2024: No. 14 -- The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Philippians

published by Zondervan

Started: March 30
Finished: March 31

Notes: I just finished Ephesians, a rather short book of the Bible, so I thought I'd go ahead and read another.

Mini review: In this letter, Paul briefly goes into possible future plans concerning the church of the Philippians, but more than anything he expounds upon that church his own example of being faithful to God and he sets forth some notions of what it takes to be good Christian.

Books read in 2024: No. 13 -- The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Ephesians

published by Zondervan

Started: March 30
Finished: March 30

Notes: After a break, it's to get back to my Bible readings.

Mini review: I found this book to be somewhat strange for Paul. Usually in his letters he is quite clear about why he is writing to a specific church, but in this one he is rather vague. Mostly he lays out what he believes should be some tenants of the Christian faith, with quite a bit of focus upon grace. This letter was so different that I have to wonder if Paul even wrote it, and there have been questions over the centuries about whether or not Paul actually wrote some of the epistles that are allegedly from him.

Books read in 2024: No. 12 -- Caravaggio: A Life Sacred and Profane

by Andrew Graham-Dixon

Started: March 7

Finished: March 29

Notes: Being that Caravaggio is one of my favorite artists, I was quite thrilled a little more than a decade ago when I heard on the radio (probably NPR) an interview with the author of this biography talking about this very book. I decided I must have this book, but then time passed and I forgot about it. Fast forward a few years and I ran across this book in a bookstore. Of course I snagged it up. But that's been nearly a decade ago. Finally I'm getting around to it. I know some basics of the life of Caravaggio, but I'm looking forward to learning much more.

Mini review: Caravaggio's life is a perfect example of  Jesus' quote in Matthew 26:52, "for all they that take the sword shall perish by the sword." A gifted artist, a man who could have had it all, Caravaggio's ego (and more than likely more than a little alcohol) took ahold of his life far too often and led him into a world of debauchery and violence. I mean none of this as a spiritual judgement upon the man himself, because I do respect him and his work. In truth, Caravaggio is one o my favorite artists, his use of darkness and light to exemplify specific scenes, his use of common folk to represent historical and mythological figures, all of it I appreciate. But he died at 38 in mysterious circumstances, most likely due to a wound he had received to his face during a fracas. He could have done so much more if he had lived, and he could have done so much more if he had lived a life less full of conflict he too often brought upon himself. But then he wouldn't have been true to himself and wouldn't have been the artist he had been.

Beer of the Week: Famosa Lager Beer

Beer score: 3.0

Company: Cerveceria Centro Americana
ABV: 5.0
IBU: NA

Pours a very pale golden color, almost like one of the lighter champagnes. Really, this is one of the lightest in color beers I've ever seen.

Gives off a slightly sweet but skunky smell that's not overly appealing.

On the tongue, this one is sweet but not too sweet, though sweeter than the smell would indicate. It gave me a lot of corn taste, but a little bit of breadiness and bitterness that grows stronger in the aftertaste.

Not a great beer, pretty weak over all, but I've had worse. Is it worth trying? No, not really, not unless you want to be a completest and taste every beer you can. There are plenty of better beers available, but there are also some that are worse.

If this one is served cold, I suppose it could be a nice thirst quencher on a hot day.

Beer of the Week: Bud Light

Beer score: 3.0

Company: Anheuser-Busch
ABV: 4.2
IBU: 6

Lots of carbonation here, but that seems to be common among light beers.

Smells like premium beer, tastes like premium beer.

There isn't much taste here, but there is more fizz than in Budweiser.

If you're wanting a light beer because you are on a diet, you can't get much weaker or lighter than this one, though there are some with less carbonation.

Beer of the Week: 7 Clans Blonde Ale

Beer score: 4.2

Company: 7 Clans Brewing
ABV: 5.0
IBU: 31

Poured a light golden color with a little cloudiness while giving off smells of corn.

The taste is slightly bitter, though that bitterness grows the more one drinks of this. There's a little sweetness to be found here, along with suggestions of bread and maybe citrus or flowers.

To be honest, this was a disappointment to me, especially as blonde ales tend to be one of my favorite types of beer. It wasn't so much that this was an awful beer, but it didn't seem like a blond ale but more like a lager. Still, I'd be willing to try one again.

Books read in 2024: No. 11 -- The Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Galatians

published by Zondervan

Started: March 7
Finished: March 7

Notes: I thought I'd stick another short Bible reading in between longer biographies.

Mini review: There are some interesting points Paul makes in this letter to the Galatians. Of course he writes the usual upbraidings, telling the church to remain true, but he also lays out quite plainly the differing traits between the "works of the flesh" and the "works of the Spirit." Also, he does write a fair amount about the disagreement in the early church about whether or not circumcision is necessary, with Paul coming down on the side that it is not.

Books read in 2024: No. 10 -- John Gardner: Literary Outlaw

by Barry Silesky

Started: Feb. 26

Finished: March 7

Notes: I've been reading a fair amount of works by John Gardner of late, and I admit to a fascination about the man, but it dawned on me I know little about the man other than a bare outline of his life. So, looking around for a biography, I found this one.

Mini review: This was a solid biography. Gardner is shown to be a complex character, tormented by the death of a brother, and always seeking to find some balance in his writing and his life between chaos and traditional values. In Gardner's case, as so often happens with artists, chaos seemed to win much of the time, at least in his life if not his writing. And one might argue that element of chaos even led to his early death. It was also nice to see a character who not only changed in their habits and opinions over time, but who showed little fret about having done so, which is something I've always understood because I feel human beings are almost always more complicated than to stifle themselves with the same thoughts, ideas, even actions, etc., all their lives. In other words, it doesn't surprise me when people change their attitudes and sometimes even their personalities. Was Gardner a great man? Ultimately, I would say not, though he obviously aspired to be and even yearned for it. But I believe within him there had existed the possibility, one which might have bloomed had he lived longer. Was he a great writer? Hmm, maybe. At the least, I would say he was a good literary writer, but I also believe he too often overlooked the simpler elements of our existence, at least within his writing, making things more complex than they needed to be. In other words, sometimes we do something simply because we want to, not because of some tragic past or deep thoughts, though that can happen, too. I'd also like to add that this book took me back to my college days as Gardner had also been a professor, one highly respected for teaching creative writing, and this brought me back decades ago to my own creative writing classes as a student, though I don't recall any of my professors being as thorough in reading student manuscripts as Gardner had been.

Beer of the Week: Paycheck Pilsner

Beer score: 3.9

Company: Fullsteam Brewery
ABV: 4.5
IBU: 26

This one pours a hazy golden color that's light while giving off aromas of slight, sweet breadiness.

The taste and texture I found nothing special. It's relatively light in the mouth, but the carbonation grows the more you drink, the not to the point of being obnoxious.

The flavors I found rather mundane. Not an awful beer, but reminds me more of a regional beer that's been bought out by a big-name beer and then dumbed down for a mass audience.

Would I drink this again? Yeah, if I was at a party and someone handed me one, I wouldn't turn it down, but I also wouldn't go out of my way to purchase one of these.

Beer of the Week: Black Stilleto Stout

Beer score: 5.7

Company: Gizmo Brew Works
ABV: 6.1
IBU: 31

Pours a dark chocolate color with a brown, foamy head. Not the darkest looking stout I've ever seen, but still pretty dark.

Gives off smells of coffee and dark chocolate.

Kind of light in the mouth for a stout, but also has a smoothness to it that borders on creamy.

The taste is mostly of burnt coffee with a touch of chocolate and a fair amount of bitterness, but there's also a hint of sweetness that lingers on the tongue.

Not a bad stout. Not the best I've had, but I wouldn't turn my nose up at this one.

Books read in 2024: No. 9 - The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

published by Zondervan

Started: Feb. 25
Finished: Feb. 25

Notes: Since I just finished Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, I thought I should read this second letter.

Mini review: To my surprise, Paul is actually somewhat apologetic here for the harshness of his first letter to the Corinthians. However, he does go on to expound in Christian belief and to give warnings against false teachers while also presenting his own ministry.

Books read in 2024: No. 8 - The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians

published by Zondervan

Started: Feb. 22
Finished: Feb. 24

Notes: I've gotten behind somewhat in my Bible readings while I was into other books, so now I get back to it.

Mini review: In this letter, Paul is mostly lambasting the church in Corinth for reported wrongdoings. Paul also outlines somewhat his itinerary for travel.

Books read in 2024: No. 7 -- On Becoming a Novelist

by John Gardner

Started: Feb. 15

Finished: Feb. 22

Notes: I've been on something of a John Gardner kick of late, so I thought I'd read some of his non-fiction, which I usually prefer to his fiction.

Mini review: Though this is a short book, it is heavy in its text and in its ideas, not making it a fast read. I don't think Gardner ever wrote anything that wasn't overly "thick," so to speak, and I don't mean that as an insult, though at times reading him can become rather tiresome I must admit. Anyway, this book is mainly about the emotional and mental growth of becoming a fiction writer, mainly a novelist. There is some talk of craft and some advice about profession, but mostly Gardner focuses upon the inner life of a writer. Gardner has been accused of being somewhat pedantic and definitely snobbish, and he might not have even disagreed with such sentiments, but I find him to be more of a realist and more egalitarian than he might at first seem. While his own goals as a writer and his interests and advice are in the area of the literary writer, the "serious" writer, he has good things to say about genre writing and writing on less seemingly worthy matters. Gardner's viewpoint is almost always about art, not so much about the business of publishing, of making money through writing, etc. He's more interested in ideas and emotions, and not in telling about them but about showing them. He also has a penchant for allegory to some extent, though he might deny that claim; even if he would admit to such, he would likely say it was not intentional. So, why I won't claim Gardner as a favorite read, I will admit to having a certain fascination about the man.

Beer of the Week: Lagunitas IPA

Beer score: 4.5

Company: Lagunitas Brewing Company
ABV: 6.2
IBU: 51

In a glass, this beer appears a light golden color with hints of amber. It's not an overly carbonated beer, but it will form a decent head when poured.

Upon smelling, this beer gives off hints of bread and a little of sweet flowers.

I'm not a big fan of IPAs, mainly because too often when I've tried one there has been a sourness of which I'm not a fan. This one doesn't have much of that sourness, but there is a little of it the more you drink.

The smell and the taste mostly consist of "beer." That means it smells and tastes mainly like a mass-produced, premium beer common to the United States.

This isn't an awful beer, not by any means, but I can't call it a favorite. Is it worth drinking? Yeah, sure, if you're not on the prowl for anything unusual but just want a beer.