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.