Beer of the Week: Leinenkugel's Original Beer

Beer score: 5.9

Company: Leinenkugel's
ABV: 4.7
IBU: 17

In the past I've seen this beer marketed as "Leinenkugel's Original Lager," but it's the same beer.

Over the years (okay, okay ... decades ... yeah, I'm old), I've found Leinenkugel's to have some of the better mass-marketed beers in the U.S.

This one is a good drinking brew for snobs and non-snobs alike.

Pours a nice golden color with hints of orange in the coloring. Gives off faint scents of honey and caramel.

Not sweet, but the bitterness isn't overpowering. Just a tad too much carbonation for my liking, but not enough to hurt the overall quality. There's maybe a little corn or honey in the flavoring.

Beer of the Week Blast From the Past: Coopers Black Crow

Beer score: 7.7

The Coopers Brewery from South Australia is still around, but they stopped making this beer a couple of decades ago. Too bad, because I remember liking it, as my few notes remind me.

Anyway, this one was very wet and drinkable, but it left a little of a soapy texture on my lips but not a soapy flavor (if that makes sense). It did have too much carbonation for me, but was a pretty decent beer.

Not awful. They should bring this one back. Or maybe they have but under a different name ... I shall have to investigate with my taste buds.

Books read in 2024: No. 40 -- The Revelation of Saint John the Divine

published by Zondervan

Started: August 25
Finished: August 29

Notes: I was traveling recently and didn't have with me the novel I had been reading, but I did have access to a Holy Bible. So, at a point where I was seeking something to read, I decided it was time I got to this last book of the Bible, one of the most interesting books but also one that is probably often misunderstood (not that I'm claiming to understand it myself).

Mini review: As interesting as I've always found this book, and I do enjoy studying it, I have to admit I feel the words here are so cryptic and steeped in imagery that there's little to truth to be found for most individuals. Oh, of course there are those who will say they know the truth, and I suppose it's not impossible some few do, but I'll admit to being a skeptic towards anyone who proclaims they understand the word of God while the rest of us are simply left out in the cold. For instance, while I realize there are people today who will say we are living in the last days, the truth is people have been saying that for thousands of years. What is the truth? I don't have an answer, not a good one. Yes, I have my own thoughts, but they change from time to time. Anyway, I'm glad to have read this book again, and I'm glad to finally have read every word of the Bible and not just portions I've studied over the years.

Books read in 2024: No. 39 -- The City & The City

by China Mieville

Started: August 20

Finished: August 27

Notes: I've heard good things about this speculative author for some years now and I've been meaning to check out his work. I've also had this novel recommended to me, so I thought I'd give it a try.

Mini review: This was an interesting one. In another version of our world, two cities exist in the exact same place and time, separated by a sort of invisible dimensional wall. Unfortunately for the citizens of each city, to look into or hear into the other city is something of a crime punishable by a sort-of overpolice known as the Breach. Yet each city also has its local cops to deal with more mundane crimes. In this novel, a detective in one of the cities finds himself pulled into a conspiracy that involves both cities, Breach, and ... well, to tell the truth, it gets complicated. It's complicated further by no small part of the words used here (especially for locales) are quite fantastic and foreign. That doesn't mean this is a difficult read, but that most readers will have to pause every so often to get their bearings. Is this a good book? Yes. Is it a great book? Not quite, but it's also not far from being one. Readers who enjoy detective fiction with a speculative twist will find much here to enjoy.

Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Brewery Hill Caramel Porter

Beer score: 8.1

I've not had much of a chance this summer to drink many good beers, but at least I have my memories and some old notes.

Such as for this beer from Pennsylvania. No longer with us, but it was a fine drink.

For those who wanted to taste the classic flavor of a burnt, caramel porter, you couldn't have done much better. This porter was strong without crossing over into a stout.

Books read in 2024: No. 38 -- Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children

by Ransom Riggs

Started: August 9

Finished: August 20

Notes: As weird as it might sound, certain books seem to call out to me. I run into them time and time again in unusual places. I'm not talking about bestsellers I see on shelves in bookstores, not at all. I'm talking about books that seem to appear before me time and time again in someone's home or in thrift stores. This is one of those books. I didn't seek it out. It sought me out. I know this sounds odd, but it's how I feel. So, after running across this book time and time again, I finally snagged a copy and decided to read it. I know very little about this book, just that it's some kind of modern fantasy, that it's told in part with old photographs, and that there was a movie a few years back (and no, I've not seen the movie). Hopefully I'll enjoy this, or at the least maybe I'll learn a thing or two.

Mini review: A teen boy discovers his grandfather has a secret past, which leads the lad to an orphanage of sorts for children with special powers. One reviewer mentioned the Harry Potter series, and I could see how fans of those books might also enjoy this one. The vintage photos that were used throughout the book were interesting visually, but I didn't really feel they added anything to the story. However, the prose here is decent enough and the story moved at a decent pace, though there were a few places where my interest began to wane. The ending isn't a cliffhanger, but it definitely sets things up for further tales.

Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Celis Pale Ale

Beer score: 7.0

Over the years there has been more than one Celis Brewery, and more than one Celis Pale Ale, but the beer I write about here was originally brewed in Austin, Texas, but later bought out by the Michigan Brewing Company, which is also now out of business.

So, this particular Celis Pale Ale was supposed to be a Belgian-style pale ale. It tasted a bit like a regular pale ale and an IP mixed because it had just a touch of the fruity sourness common to many an IPA. Too much carbonation, in my opinion, but just barely.

Light enough so those with good taste in beer could enjoy regularly, but probably too strong for non-beer snobs.

It is a shame this beer and its brewery are no longer in business, because this was a fine beer and the Celis Brewery of Austin turned out more quality drinks

Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Dixie Jazz Amber Light

Beer score: 6.1

Originally brewed by the Dixie Brewing Company of New Orleans, it's possible this beer is still being produced but under a different name since that brewing company was bought out by a different group. Still, I've not been able to find any evidence of this beer still being made, so most likely it is long gone.

But I have some of my old notes from the last time I had this beer more than a decade ago.

It had a slightly fruity and tangy taste. Wet and refreshing with less carbonation that most light beers.

If you had to drink a light beer, this would have been a good choice. Too bad it no longer seems to be with us, especially as there aren't a lot of great light beers out there.

A new Kron Darkbow Trilogy

It's been a while since I've published anything, and it's been 10 years (man, that's hard to believe) since I've published anything involving my epic fantasy Kron Darkbow character (and his crew of friends and foes), but the time has finally come.

Allow me to introduce ...

The Unwilling God Trilogy

Book I: The Broken Swordsman
Kron Darkbow is a warrior shattered by grief. With the love of his life trapped in an eternal sleep, Kron teeters on the brink of despair. As he struggles to find a reason to continue, dark forces converge on the city of Bond, threatening everything and everyone he holds dear. Can Kron rise above his sorrow to defend his home, or will he be consumed by it?

Book II: The Reluctant Witch
Althurna, a witch with immense power, embarks on a perilous journey to save the man she loves, with Kron steadfastly by her side. Together, they venture into treacherous mountains where an ancient enemy lies in wait. This malevolent force thrives on inflicting pain, and Althurna must summon every ounce of her courage and strength to confront it. Will love and determination be enough to triumph over such evil?

Book III: The Unwilling God
Randall Tendbones harbors a profound secret—he is the living god Ashal, concealed among mortals for years. Now, Randall and Kron find themselves in the heart of a despotic nation that worships Ashal without knowing his true identity. As conspiracies unfold and danger looms, Randall's divine secret threatens to unravel. When the truth comes to light, the repercussions will be earth-shattering. Can Randall and Kron survive the chaos that ensues?

Books read in 2024: No. 37 -- The Epistle of Jude

published by Zondervan

Started: August 8
Finished: August 8

Notes: One of the shortest books in the Bible, I thought I'd read it since I just finished reading several other of the shorter books.

Mini review: In this letter, Jude warns against members of the Christian church who are Christian only in name, but not true Christians.

Books read in 2024: No. 36 -- The Third Epistle of John

published by Zondervan

Started: August 8
Finished: August 8

Notes: Having just finished the first two of John's letters, I thought I'd read this last one.

Mini review: This letter I find to be one of most unusual of the New Testament. For one thing, it really doesn't talk about any Christian doctrine, but is a personal letter to a fellow named Gaius, praising him for his Christian charity. Also, this book warns against someone named Diotrephes, that he is not doing right by the church. To me, this is an interesting change of pace, and honestly, I wish the Bible had more personal letters such as this so we could better study the writers.

Books read in 2024: No. 35 -- The Second Epistle of John

published by Zondervan

Started: August 8
Finished: August 8

Notes: I just read the first of John's letters, so I thought I'd go ahead and read his others.

Mini review: This short letter seems to be sent to an individual, a woman, instead of a church as a whole, which is uncommon for biblical letters. Here John commends the unnamed woman for her faith while also warning against false teachers.

Books read in 2024: No. 34 -- The First Epistle of John

published by Zondervan

Started: August 7
Finished: August 8

Notes: I'm nearing the end of the Bible now, but I'm looking forward to reading these last few letters, some of the shortest books in the Bible, because I've studied them so little over the years.

Mini review: Mainly a testament to Christians on basic attitudes to have and some beliefs, especially concerning love and faith in Jesus. Interestingly, though the word "Trinity" is never used, this book is the one that comes closest to espousing the notion of a holy trinity.

Books read in 2024: No. 33 -- Cloud Atlas

by David Mitchell

Started: July 19

Finished: August 7

Notes: I was drawn to this novel because I had heard good things about it and because my understanding is it a mix of speculative genres, from science fiction to pseudo-historical fiction, apocalyptic fiction, and more. So, I'm interested in seeing how the author handles this mixture. I have not seen the movie which was released more than a decade ago, but I do recall their being some grumblings from the Christian right about the movie and the book, though I don't remember the details and this does not deter me. Maybe I'll find joy with a new book and an author who is new to me.

Mini review: The prose here is strong and the overall structure of this book is interesting, but in the end I was left feeling this was a book that is supposed to be intellectually deep while I actually found it rather facile. This is not so much a novel as it is a collection of vaguely-connected vignettes. Part of the point is that some of the characters (or at least one of the characters) in these vignettes are actually the same individual reincarnated over time, the vignettes covering a period from the 19th Century to some future time periods. Again, the prose is strong enough, plus the characters are interesting as are the plots of each vignette, but just when I would become interested in one character or plot, then that section of the book would end and make the jump to the next tale. Rather infuriating for me, actually. Also, I'm not really sure why a group of Christians would find offense here. Yes, this book does not promote a Christian point of view, and it does question somewhat the use of religion in the growth of imperialism during the 19th Century, but after all, this is a work of fiction. Besides, this book also paints some Christians in a good light, in my opinion.

Beer of the Week: Milwaukee's Best

Beer score: 3.1

Company: Molson Coors
ABV: 4.8
IBU: 16

I have to say, I was surprised this beer didn't taste as bad as I had thought it would. Still, there's not much here except a slightly sweet and mass-marketed flavor.

Probably makes a decent working-man's beer for winding down at the end of the day, but not much else.

On rare occasions, I've seen this beer packaged as "Milwaukee's Best Premium" or "Milwaukee's Best Lager."

Beer of the Week Blast from the Past: Pyramid Audacious Apricot Ale

Beer score: 5.7

The Pyramid Brewery gave it a good run, but apparently they were bought out and most of their beers discontinued. This is one such beer, but I've still some old notes about it.

Anyway, this one was light and fruity with a touch of frothiness. The apricot flavor added a little zing that was unique and worth trying.

Too bad. This wasn't a favorite beer of mine, but it was definitely different and worth a taste or two.

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.