Sour - The Beer Thrillers

These Summer Beers Are Slapping… Again

AmyMWolfe — Sat, 29 Jun 2024 02:54:23 +0000

These summer time beers are slapping again. Is “slapping” still trendy to say?

Martin House Brewing Company Pickle Beer – Best Maid Sour Pickle Beer

Summertime – Will Smith

This is the time of year when I don’t have the urge to drink all of the heavy stouts and porters. I reach for the IPAs, Kolsch, Lager, and sometimes a Saison.

I’ve already annoyed my boyfriend by playing Will Smith’s Summertime in anticipation of warm weather and cold beers enjoyed outside. Last year I wrote about summer beers (What is Your Summer Time Go to Beer?) …Which reminds me I need to make a trip to Ever Grain Brewing (…even though we were just there a few weeks ago for an Alzheimer’s Association Social).

I meant to review this beer two years ago. Best Maid Tropical Punch Pickle Beer by Martin House Brewing Company. A surprise pregnancy delayed this review because I wanted to fully enjoy the brew myself. I mean I’d give the baby daddy a few sips if he wasn’t repulsed by pickles. (Editor note: There is just no way in good faith I could take a sip or two of this and comment favorably, so I figure its best altogether to just abstain from the drinking process. Drew and I did have a few sips of the Spicy Pickle Beer by Martin House Brewing Company about four years ago during COVID.)

Untappd Review of the Pickle Beer by Martin House Brewing Company

Pickle Rick

“Ages well” gave me hope I could still give it a successful tasting and review. It comes in with a 4.7% ABV according to Untapped. It has an overall rating of 3.54, which is obviously biased against pickles. I mean if you haven’t dreamed of becoming a pickle you really shouldn’t try this beer. (Editor note: Its almost impossible, by law in several countries completely impossible, to even mention pickles and not mention Pickle Rick. Therefore I have included the relevant GIF to satisfy the requisite “Pickle Rick” requirements as per the laws of Turkmenistan, Albania, Uruguay, and the sovereign planet wide governments of the planets Tralfamadore, Bespin, and Uranus.)

I was just trying to find the best segway to Pickle Rick.

Tropical Punch Pickle Beer (TPPB) is simply described as Fruit Punch and Pickle Beer. Maybe when I let it age two years some of the fruit punch dissolved? I didn’t get much of the tropical fruit taste but mostly pickle. This is definitely a beer that has pickled flavor to it. If you aren’t a pickle fan beware! This reminds me of the joyous feeling that pickles give you when you are replenishing your sodium level under this hot summer weather. Happy Summer Beer Drinking!

Untappd Stats:

Beer: Best Maid Tropical Punch Pickle Beer
Brewery: Martin House Brewing Company
Style: Sour – Tomato / Vegetable Gose
ABV: 4.7%
IBU: 8

Global Average Rating: 3.54 (as of 6.28.24) out of 1,163 Ratings

Martin House Brewing Company Pickle Beer – Best Maid Sour Pickle Beer

Drink More Beer!
- Amy

Busy Last Few Weeks

Editor Jumping in: It has certainly been a busy last few weeks! On the 15th, we had my father’s surprise 70th birthday party. I would like to thank Amy tremendously for helping my mom and sister set it up and ti went off perfectly. We had a Social or a Mixer up in State College at Champ’s Bar, one in Camp Hill at Ever Grain Brewing Company, and we have had a whole lot more. Just this past week, on Tuesday we were at Troegs Brewing when the Calder Cup was there (see our Instagram for a picture of myself – Ben – drinking from the Calder Cup), and then on Wednesday we were hanging out with Drew at Boneshire Brew Works (and then later afterwards, Drew and I did our video review of the newest Acolyte episode), and then yesterday (Thursday) we stopped in at YAH Brew to drop off a Raffle Basket made by Grandma SueAnn for their event on Sunday for CJ. If you are able to come out on Sunday to YAH Brew, please do! They are hosting an event for CJ to help pay for medical bills after he was hit by a woman running a red light, he has lost part of his leg, and as we all know, medical bills aren’t cheap. So please come out to YAH Brew in Hershey PA from 3 PM to 8 PM on Sunday – June 30th.

There’s even more events and things that have been keeping us busy that I’m forgetting, but suffice to say, there’s been a lot going on. Which is why I am always so appreciative when Amy gets time to write (I try and take Scarlet on long walks to help give Amy the time to write these articles), so its so great to see her get to write and to see what she comes up with and to see what she wants to write about, and to keep her column series going. Its not quite weekly like it used to be, but she is still writing, and being very active behind the scenes with helping to keep this blog humming. So gigantic kudos to her. For all she does for the Alzheimer’s Association, as well as being a mom, a bonus mom, and everything else that she does.

Please make sure to check out her other articles below.

Cheers!

-Ben.

Amy’s Column Series

Since getting back to writing for the blog after a short hiatus, Amy has started up a weekly column style writing for the blog. You can find these articles here:

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

Thanks again for reading everyone. Take some time to check out the site, we greatly appreciate it. We have affiliates and sponsors with Pretzels.com and Beer Drop.com, which can save you money on their products if you are interested. Check out our articles on them. Make sure to check out our beer reviews, brewery reviews, Amy’s weekly column, book reviews, hike reviews, and so much more.

As always, thank you everyone for reading! Leave your likes, comments, suggestions, questions, etc, in the comments section. Or use the Feedback – Contact Us – page, and we’ll get right back to you! You can also reach out to us at our direct e-mail address: thebeerthrillers@gmail.com

Thank you for visiting our blog. Please make sure to follow, bookmark, subscribe, and make sure to comment and leave feedback and like the blog posts you read. It will help us to better tailor the blog to you, the readers, likes and make this a better blog for everyone.

We are working on a massive project here at The Beer Thrillers. We are creating a map of all of the breweries across the United States. State by state we are adding maps of all of the different states with every brewery in each state. (We will eventually get to the US Territories, as well as the Canadian Provinces, and possibly more countries; as well as doing some fun maps like a map of all the breweries we’ve been to, and other fun maps.) You can find the brewery maps here:

MAPS OF BREWERIES

We are also working on a project of creating printable and downloadable PDFs and resources to be able to check and keep track of all of the breweries you’ve been to. So stay tuned for that project once we are finished with the Brewery Maps of the US States.

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. As well as our brand new Tumblr page. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

You can now find us on our Discord Server here: The Beer Thrillers (Discord Server). We’ve also joined LinkTree to keep track of all of our social media pages, as well as hot new articles we’ve written.

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

We have partnered with an affiliateship with Beer Drop.com. You can check out that partnership and receive great discounts, coupons, and more here: Beer Drop. Going here and logging in and ordering will help you receive your discounts and coupons as well as help support our page. Thank you for helping to support The Beer Thrillers and to help us maintain the site and blog and to keep it running.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

You can also check out our partnership and affiliation with Pretzels.com, where ordering pretzels and using our affiliate code – AFFILIATE CODE IS THEBEERTHRILLERS20 – will help you get wonderful pretzels and help us maintain and keep this blog running. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

(Thank you for reading. The opinions, thoughts, and expressions of each article posted on The Beer Thrillers represents the author of the content and only themselves. It does not express the opinions, beliefs, or ideas held by The Beer Thrillers or any company in which the author themselves work for. Each piece of written content is written by the creator(s) listed in the authorial section on each article unless otherwise noted. Their opinions, comments, and words on screen do not represent any company in which they work for and / or are affiliated with or any non – profits that they contribute to. Thank you.)

Pairing Christmas Cookies with Beer

AmyMWolfe — Mon, 18 Dec 2023 02:30:00 +0000

Christmas Cookies….

Right away, I blame Scarlet, I hear Cookie Monster yelling “Coooookie” This is where the visualization changes from Cookie Monster chowing down on some cookies to me destroying some Christmas Cookies. You might have guessed it by this point, I also have a beer in hand. So let’s figure out the best way to enjoy the holidays with cookies and Beer!

Christmas Cookies and Beer Styles

But let’s be honest you are either making the Christmas cookies or you are baking the Christmas cookies. Let’s kick it off with The Classic Chocolate Chip Cookie. I’d grab a stout to wash down some Classics. I don’t just mean that because it is stout season! The sweetness from the chocolate chips will pair nicely with a full-bodied stout with incredibly rich and creamy flavor.

Wookies and Cream by Tall Tales Brewing Company

(See our beer review: Wookies and Cream by Tall Tales Brewing Company)

B-52 by Cox Brewing Company

I’ll just go down the list of the classic Christmas cookies I remember over the years. The next cookie I think of is any sort of sugar cookie! My Grandma used to make a recipe of her own that was a very soft sugar cookie. I think she actually called them sugar biscuits. These need to be paired with a Belgium blonde. My mouth is watering thinking about this combination again. Honestly a sugar cookie could pair decent with a wide selection of brews but this will bring some flavors out that you didn’t notice before.

(We didn’t do any reviews of Belgian Blondes, but Josh did do a review of a Belgian Dubbel – so we present: B-52 Belgian Dubbel (Bottle-Conditioned, 2017) – Cox Brewing Company (CBC)).

Scarlet Sunrise – Blackberry and Blueberry (Mellow Mink Brewing)

The next cookie I think of is the peanut butter blossom. My Aunt used to make these every year. She knew these were my favorite too. There are a couple different ways we could go with this one. We can get a little crazy and pair with any sort of fruited sour and it feels like a grown up PB&J.

(Some beer reviews we suggest: Scarlet Sunrise – Blackberry and Blueberry (Mellow Mink Brewing), Kettle Sour Series (Raspberry) (Natchez Brewing Company), and Sour Blueberry (Edmund’s Oast Brewing Company))

Chocolate Covered Pretzel (Blown Gasket) (Braxton Brewing Company)

I am the person that believes the best invention, besides beer, was the combination of peanut butter and chocolate. Obviously why this cookie is my favorite but also try it with a chocolatey stout or porter and it brings out more of the chocolate flavors.

(Some chocolatey beer reviews we recommend: Grand Cacao (Troegs Independent Brewing), German Chocolate Cake (Wicked Weed Brewing), Chocolate Covered Pretzel (Blown Gasket) (Braxton Brewing Company), Chocolate Confidential (Sudwerk Brewing Co.), and of course – Hershey’s Chocolate Porter (Yuengling Brewery).

They Burn Them All Away (Broken Goblet Brewing)

I kind of feel bad for even writing about this one but, the red-headed stepchild of cookies, the oatmeal raisin. I meant to grab a container of chocolate chip cookies at the bakery in the local grocery store but I accidently grabbed oatmeal raisin in my haste to get to Ben’s parent’s house for a picnic. I’ll never forget the pure look of heart break on his brother in law’s face at the picnic when he cracked open the container and realized they indeed oatmeal raisin and not chocolate chip like I announced. Ever since then it’s been a joke to make sure I get the right cookie.

An oatmeal raisin cookie needs the help of a Belgian quad. The golden almost molasses like flavor of most Belgian quads will bring out the natural raisin flavor. And it will pair nicely with the oatmeal flavor especially if it is an oatmeal raisin cookie has a bit more cinnamon flavor to it.

(A beer review to check out: They Burn Them All Away (Broken Goblet Brewing))
(Or for a Belgian Heavy / Belgian Dark: Mad Elf (Troegs Independent Brewing))

I am summing this up by making sure you know which beer to leave out for Santa with his cookies this year. Ditch the milk. Santa wants beer!

Drink more Beer
Amy

Amy’s Column Series

Since getting back to writing for the blog after a short hiatus, Amy has started up a weekly column style writing for the blog. You can find these articles here:

(And please take a moment to fill out Amy’s survey on her ‘Holiday Weekend and Bomber Bottles‘ column.)

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

MAPS OF BREWERIES

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

Beer Review: Ned Flanders Red (AleCraft Brewery)

B. Kline — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 17:59:00 +0000

Ned Flanders Red by AleCraft Brewery

AleCraft Brewery

Just a few days ago, on July 5th we drove down to Bel Air Maryland, an old hang out of mine when I was in high school. Back then, I was even nerdier than I am now (or… what I was into was just considered nerdier back then).

Myself, along with my friends Drew Scott and Rory Dibeler would travel down to Bel Air to play SW:CCG in tournaments ran by another of our friends – Tim Simon. For those interested – SW:CCG stands for “Star Wars Customizable Card Game”.

Yes. Like. I Said. NEEEEEEERRRRRRRRDSSS!

Ironically, this time I went down to do some drinking with Amy. (And yes, when we went down in the past, my buddies and I did some drinking. I recall one tournament where we took a tequila bottle and drank it while playing… needless to say I don’t think I won the tournament, nor do I remember how I even did in the tournament.)

This trip, which you can read here: “Bound for Bel Air – AleCraft Brewery and Independent Craft Brewing”.

So anyway, long story short – we came down to Bel Air Maryland to check out AleCraft Brewery and Independent Craft Brewing.

Grabbed a four pack of this – Ned Flanders Red – to take home. (How could I turn up the chance to grab a Simpsons themed beer to go?).

I made sure to take it with me to Ffej of July – 2022 – and share it with my buddies (Drew, Dave, Jason, Andy Parys, and several others). (You can check out our article about Ffej of July 2021 here.)

Beer Review

Beer: Ned Flanders Red
Brewery: AleCraft Brewery
Style: Sour – Flanders Red Ale
ABV: 4.8%
IBU: 8
Untappd Description: A tart and malty Flanders Red Ale brewed with Roeselare bacteria and Hallertau hops.

Ned Flanders Red by AleCraft Brewery is a fantastic Flanders-style red ale that will leave any beer enthusiast impressed. This beer is a work of art, showcasing the expertise and creativity of AleCraft Brewery in Bel Air, Maryland.

The beer’s appearance is captivating, with a deep ruby-red color that entices the senses. The aroma is equally alluring, with notes of caramel, dark fruit, and oak that make the mouth water.

This color is the result of the beer’s malted barley, which has been roasted to produce a deep color and rich flavor profile. The use of dark malts in the brewing process creates a beer that is visually striking and sets the stage for the complex flavors that follow. The hue of this beer is reminiscent of a fine red wine, inviting the drinker to savor the beer slowly and appreciate the craftsmanship that went into its creation. Overall, the deep ruby-red color of Ned Flanders Red by AleCraft Brewery is an indication of the depth and complexity of the beer’s flavor profile and is sure to impress even the most discerning beer enthusiasts.

The aroma is complex and alluring, inviting the drinker to indulge in its delicious flavors. The beer’s scent is dominated by notes of dark fruit, including cherries, plums, and raisins, which blend together to create a sweet and fruity aroma. This fruity sweetness is balanced out by notes of oak, which give the beer a subtle earthiness and hint at the aging process that the beer underwent during production. The aroma is further enhanced by notes of caramel and toffee, which add a rich and indulgent sweetness to the beer.

Upon taking a deep breath, the drinker is immediately transported to the world of Flanders-style ales, with the beer’s aroma evoking images of cozy pubs and warm fires. The aroma is the perfect prelude to the beer’s rich and complex flavor profile, offering a tantalizing hint of the flavors that are to come. Overall, the aroma of Ned Flanders Red by AleCraft Brewery is a work of art in itself, showcasing the brewery’s expertise and dedication to creating a beer that is as delightful to smell as it is to drink.

Upon taking the first sip, the drinker is immediately captivated by the complex flavor profile. The beer offers a perfect balance between sweetness and sourness, with notes of cherries, plums, and other dark fruits creating a unique and unforgettable experience.

The mouthfeel is equally impressive, with a medium body and carbonation that offers a smooth drinking experience. The finish is long and lingers on the tongue, with the flavors continuing to develop as the beer warms.

The taste of the beer is a true delight for the taste buds, offering a complex and balanced flavor profile that is sure to impress any beer enthusiast. The beer is both sweet and sour, with a perfect balance between the two that is reminiscent of a fine red wine. The flavors of dark fruit, including cherries and plums, are the most prominent, adding a fruity sweetness to the beer that is perfectly complemented by the beer’s subtle earthiness, hints of oak, and notes of caramel and toffee. The sourness of the beer is also noteworthy, with a tanginess that is well-balanced and never overpowering. The flavors of the beer continue to develop as it warms, with the sweetness becoming more pronounced and the sourness fading into the background.

Its a complex and balanced flavor profile that offers a perfect combination of sweet and sour notes. The dark fruit flavors of cherries and plums provide a fruity sweetness that is complemented by the beer’s subtle earthiness, hints of oak, and notes of caramel and toffee. The sourness of the beer is well-balanced and never overpowering, adding a tanginess that balances the sweetness perfectly. The flavors of the beer continue to evolve as it warms, with the sweetness becoming more pronounced and the sourness fading into the background. The result is a beer that is both delicious and memorable, showcasing the brewery’s expertise and dedication to creating a high-quality Flanders-style red ale.

Overall, Ned Flanders Red by AleCraft Brewery is a standout example of a Flanders-style red ale, brewed with care and attention to detail. Its rich, complex flavor profile, captivating aroma, and smooth mouthfeel make this beer a must-try for any beer connoisseur.

My Untappd Rating: ***.75
Global Average Untappd Rating: 3.80 (as of 7.11.22)

All of Our Nerd Content

Here’s all of our nerd content, served up best in one single place. Enjoy!

I know ya’ll here for the nerd reviews. So check out our other nerd reviews below:

Star Wars:

Lord of the Rings:

Rick and Morty:

Beer Review: Peace Among Worlds (Cushwa Brewing Company)

Space Balls:

Beer Review: Moon of Vega (Equilibrium Brewery)

Game of Thrones:

The Simpsons:

Beer Review: I Voted for Kodos (Second Sin Brewing Company)
Beer Review: I Voted for Kang (Second Sin Brewing Company)
Beer Review: Ned Flanders Red (AleCraft Brewery)

Back to the Future:

Beer Review: Back to Reality (Three 3s Brewing Co)

Scrooged:

Beer Review: Scrooge IPA (Iron Hill Brewing)

Groundhog Day:

A Christmas Story:

Pro Wrestling:

Soccer:

World Cup:

Phillies:

Drunk Phils Fans and Rotunda Brewing Company Collaborate Together on Jam the Batter sWheat Tart

Matrix:

Matrix Monday

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:

Beer Review: Terpenes in Time (BAREBottle Brewing Co)

HP Lovecraft / Cthulhu:

Beer Review: Azathoth (Edmund’s Oast Brewing Company)

Seinfeld:

Other:

Thank You For Reading

Cheers All!

-B. Kline

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

Beer Review: Green Milk (RAR Brewing)

B. Kline — Sat, 28 May 2022 01:07:00 +0000

Green Milk by RAR Brewing (Taco Thursday)

Taco Thursday

As you can see, last night was Taco Thursday at Bender Braus Brewing (or Casa De Kline). Deciding on which Star Wars themed beer (out of so many options currently in my fridge) to have along with the meal, I decided on Green Milk – namely because I know I’ll be picking up a second tomorrow at RAR’s Star Wars Day Drop. (Along with Blue Milk coming back, as well as new beers such as “As You Wish” and “Shooting Womp Rats”.) But here at the home of The Beer Thrillers we find any reason to have a taco night, and so last night – Thursday was as good as any. And not to humble brag too much, but we make some banging tacos too.

And of course, with making tacos, and eating tacos… comes drinking some beer. And since the next day (ie. today) was going to be the release of the Obi-Wan Kenobi show, and needing to do a Star Wars review; what better than one of the Star Wars beers from RAR Brewing?

RAR’s Upcoming Star Wars Can Drop

Well, tomorrow’s Star Wars can drop to be exact. I’ve covered it pretty extensively in this article: RAR’s Star Wars Can Drop. We will be there for it, not sure what time, but we’ll be there. Planning on leaving the Carlisle area (have an early morning obligation in Carlisle) around 9:30 – 10 AM, so hopefully getting there around noon to one’ish. We might be leaving Carlisle even earlier (I was hoping to leave at 8 AM but I don’t think that will happen.)

The article covers the beers they are releasing and the time of the drop (spoiler – its 11 AM when they open). They will likely have some on tap, but not all, and maybe not even any, I’m not sure.

So I figured Thursday night would be a great time to check out the Green Milk (Batch 1) before the new release, and review it for my Star Wars day.

RAR Brewing

We’ve got several RAR Brewing’s beers here on the blog. Notably their Out of Order series – specifically for my Star Wars days (as well as just covering Star Wars beers in general on here). You can find our list of RAR Beer Reviews here:

RAR Brewing is out of Cambridge Maryland. Cambridge Maryland is near the bottom of the state, bayside.

You can find out more about RAR Brewing and the drop at their Instagram page: RAR Brewing (Instagram) and their Facebook page: RAR Brewing (Facebook).

Their Out of Order series is one of the most popular series of beers on the East Coast (up there with Burley Oak’s JREAM series, Dewey Beer’s Thrills, and Fourscores Jahmbas and Swerves). According to Untappd, there is 268 Out of Order (unique) beers.

According to Untappd, RAR Brewing is a micro brewery from Cambridge, MD. They have 672 unique beers with an exact global rating of 4 (as of 5.27.22). Their Untappd bio reads: “Based in Cambridge, MD on the banks of the Chesapeake Bay.”

Beer Review

Green Milk by RAR Brewing

Beer: Out of Order: Green Milk (Batch 1)
Brewery: RAR Brewing
Style: Sour – Fruited
ABV: 6%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: Our lactose sour base conditioned on Thala-Sirens Milk.

Not often do I get to go into descriptors of “green” and “milky” for appearance. But here, today, I find myself doing just that. It looks like someone ate a bowl of Lucky Charms with only the green marshmallows, ate all the cereal, and left the milk. It poured very bubbly, very carbonated, even after having sat in my fridge for a year. I did roll it before pouring, and it poured smoothly, and left a few chunks in the can.

Aroma is sweet, has a cereal like smell to it, but also a sweet… candy, cloying, weird smell to it. Not bad weird, but just an odd smell for a beer certainly. It smells like a sweetness, like a cereal, lactose, sugary, frosty pop, kinda smell. Its a bit hard to describe, and maybe my ‘sniffer’ ain’t up to snuff on this type of stuff (its a young kid’s game anymore, there’s no country left for us old men), but its hard to quite pinpoint the aromas.

Oh boy, lets dive into this one. I grab this quote directly from my review of Blue Milk: “The texture, consistency, and overall look follows suit. It has the texture, a light grittyness, but still overall smooth of a drink still, of melted ice cream. Everything about this just has the appearance of melted ice cream, which I think is the overall attempt of it.” And think it completely applies here…. just green instead of blue. It is very sweet, it is very juicy, and no real sourness to it. This is very smooth, silky, and sweet, and drinks easily enough for how its appearance is. It can be a bit cloying, and it is possibly overly too sweet. I would highly recommend not chugging this beer, thats 100% for sure. Its a slow sipping beer, probably best for desert and a long night, rather than to have as part of a huge group of beers, or to hang out, or maybe even with tacos. It might not have been the greatest combination. All in all, its a fun beer to drink and enjoy, would make great for sharing and having people over with, a full can isn’t horrible, but starts bordering on the ‘too much’ area. Recommend at least giving it a try if nothing else but for the novelty’s sake of it.

My Untappd Rating: ****.25
Global Average Untappd Rating: 4.08 (as of 5.27.22)

Spoilers Time

Ok, we’re now up to the spoilers portion of the beer review. I’m going to discuss Episode 2 of Obi-Wan Kenobi show. So if you want to stay spoiler free, you can exit out here, or fly down to the bottom of the review.

Earlier today I covered in a beer review – Vader (Mispillion River Brewing Company) and covered Obi-Wan Kenobi Episode 1. Check out the beer review to see my thoughts on Episode 1 (or Part 1) of the Obi-Wan show.

Some quick links for discussion:

I will right out say I enjoyed both episodes. Imminently, miles ahead of The Book of Boba Fett. Which I pretty much downright panned on here. And I don’t think that was just my cynical Star Wars fan, typical nerd nit-picking either. I just didn’t care for the show much at all. (I’ve expressed my thoughts on that show enough here on the blog that I don’t think I need to go into it any further.)

I will say that episode two is a bit weaker than episode one. The stuff on the streets and everything was interesting, but I feel its a bit straining to think nobody recognizes Obi-Wan, but then again, thats a bit personal bias since we know him, don’t live in a galaxy full of trillions, and its also been 9 years in the show since the end of Episode III (the movie).

The stuff with Leia was a bit overplayed and over dramatic, and forceful just to make it a full episode I think. I’m also not a fan of parkour in shows and movies when it doesn’t really outright need to be used. The shoot out scenes and stuff were fun and interesting, I enjoyed the giant crock head alien. I am a bit disappointed though that there’s not a ton of “Star Warsy” aliens. Like I said previously.

I was not a huge fan of the ending. With Reva turning, and stabbing The Grand Inquisitor, as well as the “big reveal”. I still think it was a very good episode, maybe a 7 out of 10 whereas Part I was 8.5 or 9 out of 10. I have high hopes for next week’s episode. Sad to see its only a 6 part series, but I think that will benefit it in the end. A quick, easy run time, for a straight linear story. And now we’re 1/3rd the way through already. And after next week’s episode, we’ll be 1/2 the way through.

Nerd Reviews

I know ya’ll here for the nerd reviews. So check out our other nerd reviews below:

Star Wars:

Lord of the Rings:

Rick and Morty:

Beer Review: Peace Among Worlds (Cushwa Brewing Company)

Space Balls:

Beer Review: Moon of Vega (Equilibrium Brewery)

Game of Thrones:

The Simpsons:

Back to the Future:

Beer Review: Back to Reality (Three 3s Brewing Co)

Scrooged:

Beer Review: Scrooge IPA (Iron Hill Brewing)

Groundhog Day:

A Christmas Story:

Pro Wrestling:

Phillies:

Drunk Phils Fans and Rotunda Brewing Company Collaborate Together on Jam the Batter sWheat Tart

Matrix:

Matrix Monday

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:

Beer Review: Terpenes in Time (BAREBottle Brewing Co)

Seinfeld:

Other:

Thanks For Reading

As always everyone, thanks for reading. Hope you enjoyed this second edition of Star Wars friday! Check with us next friday for the next Obi-Wan Kenobi show episode and beer review!

Cheers!

-B. Kline

Beer Review: Out of Order: Droid Juice (RAR Brewing)

BKline — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 13:11:17 +0000

Out of Order: Droid Juice by RAR Brewing

Its the Final Count Down….

So, we’ve finally reached it – the final count down. I’ve started this article up, while sipping on Droid Juice, after getting home from work (9 hour day today… yay…) and eating at Fabio’s in Grantville, so it is now around 10PM and that means we are about 5 hours away from the season finale of The Book of Boba Fett.

By the time I wrap this up and finish it in the AM it will probably be around 6-7AM. Planning on waking up around 5AM to watch the episode (and depending on how long it is, I’m expecting nearly an hour like the last two episodes), I will then finish this up shortly thereafter. I will keep this article spoiler free. I am possibly, hopefully, looking to do a second article the night of (near the end of the night, look for it around 9-11PM) and in that one I might discuss the show a bit more.

I will give my predictions, and give some links to topic threads. And there will be no editing to this after I see the episode:

Predictions

Ok, quick predictions for this episode:

Fett, Din (The Mando), and co are holed up in Jabba’s Palace or Mos Espa and Cobb Vanth brings Freetown people in to save the day
Fett gets to ride his rancor into battle
Cad Bane and Fett square up and show off (probably some type of Western duel)
The Pykes are revealed not to be the big bad guys
Tusken Raiders come to help Fett
The people all rise up and join Fett’s group
The Hutts come back
Crimson Dawn end up being the real bad guys in the end
One more character reveal – maybe Qi’Ra or Jabba’s son Rotta

Thats about it for my predictions. We’ll find out in a little bit how many of them I got right. Not really rooting for anything in particular, but just wanting a very good episode.

Discussion forum pages to keep an eye on if you want to dig a bit deeper and read more on The Book of Boba Fett and Star Wars:

Go ahead… click the links, go over there, read the discussions, but make sure you come back here for the beer review!

Speaking of which….

Beer Review

Out of Order: Droid Juice by RAR Brewing

Beer: Out of Order: Droid Juice
Brewery: RAR Brewing
Style: Sour – Fruited
ABV: 6%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: Our lactose sour base conditioned on Strawberries, Guava, Cake Batter, and Hydro-glycolic fuel.

I have done several Out of Order series beer reviews here on the blog, mostly all Star Wars ones. You can find them here:

Beer Review: Out of Order: Blue Milk (RAR Brewing)
Beer Review: Out of Order: Tatooine Tart (RAR Brewing)
Beer Review: Out of Order: RAWRGWAWGGR (RAR Brewing)
Beer Review: Out of Order: Reindeer Games (RAR Brewing)

RAR Brewing is a microbrewery from Cambridge Maryland. They currently have 645 unique beers, and over 406,000 ratings on Untappd. They have a global average Untappd rating of exactly 4 (as of 2.9.22).

Ok, onto the actual review now.

Cracking the can open for this one, you are given a full fruity concoction of aromas. This is as bold smelling as it is bright and colorful. Its an overload of strawberry and guava that just hits the air sparkling as it pours into the glass. Not sure how much ‘cake batter’ I detect, but I get a strong berry and guava nose.

The appearance is a bright red, champagne like look. Full bubbly and effervescent, with a quick fast head with strong retention. This looks bright and sharp and beautiful. This looks like a pretty sour, it looks tart not like a sugar or puree bomb.

This is not the sour 450 North fans and Fourscore Swerve fans are looking for; thats for sure! This is not a sugary sweet freshee bomb. So this is definitely not the ‘droids’ you’re looking for – if thats the case. This is tart, sour, and a fair bit puckering. But that doesn’t stop this from being oh so flavorful. Better than a Bantha ride through the Jundland Wastes, this is tart but fresh and tasty. The strawberry isn’t overly powerful, which is perfect for me as I’m not a huge fan of strawberries, but the guava really performs here. There is a fair bit going on here, but for the most part, its easy to discern the guava, strawberry, and the lactose to mellow it a bit on the backend. There is a slight acidic burn at first sip, but it melts away and by the point of swallowing its gone, most likely due to the lactose helping dull it. This is a good sipper, I don’t think you’d want to pound this out like a session IPA or pilsner. Its got just the right mouth feel, consistent, dense, not watery, but not like the thick sours. All in all this just as good as the other Out of Order beers in the Star Wars drop they did last summer. This is right up there with the Tatooine Tart and the RAWRGWAWGGGHRHRRRGHRGHGHRGHRRRRAWWWWWAWW Chewbacca beers. Hopefully they’ll do this rotation of Out of Order beers again.

My Untappd Rating: ****.25
Global Average Untappd Rating: 4.29 (as of 2.9.22)

Star Wars

Well, today marks the end of The Book of Boba Fett. By my understanding, its a one-off series, that was meant to just add more to the universe and wet our tastes for The Mandalorian Season 3 (end of this year). Supposedly the Obi-Wan show is due to start in May on Disney+, so at least we’ll have new content there. No word yet on any new movies or when their due.

As always, you can stay tuned here for more Star Wars beer reviews.

Pop Culture Beer Reviews

As always with these articles, I like to link to all the various pop culture and nerd culture beer reviews we’ve done, and you can find them here below:

Star Wars:

Rick and Morty:

Beer Review: Peace Among Worlds (Cushwa Brewing Company)

Space Balls:

Beer Review: Moon of Vega (Equilibrium Brewery)

Game of Thrones:

Beer Review: Game of Thrones: My Watch Has Ended (Omnegang Brewery)

The Simpsons:

Back to the Future:

Beer Review: Back to Reality (Three 3s Brewing Co)

Scrooged:

Beer Review: Scrooge IPA (Iron Hill Brewing)

Groundhog Day:

Beer Review: Prognosticator Pils (Logyard Brewing Company)

A Christmas Story:

Pro Wrestling:

Matrix:

Matrix Monday

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:

Beer Review: Terpenes in Time (BAREBottle Brewing Co)

Seinfeld:

Other:

Thanks For Reading

Tonight you can expect another Star Wars beer review, and I might keep this going doing a beer review every Wednesday with a Star Wars theme. Don’t know how many more Star Wars themed beers I have access to though.

I will likely also do a Book of Boba Fett recap article for the true nerds, that won’t be very beer related, but you can still read if you would like.

Anyway, thanks for reading, cheers!

-B. Kline

Beer Review: Out of Order: RAWRGWAWGGR (RAR Brewing)

BKline — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 13:08:28 +0000

Out of Order – RAWRGWAWGGR by RAR Brewing

Feeling a lot like Hoth lately

If you are in the Central PA, its been feeling a lot like Hoth lately. We’ve had two recent snow / mix storms and just really cold temperatures in general. The picture above was taken from the first snowstorm a bit ago, and you most likely saw the pictures on our Instagram (The Beer Thrillers on Instragram) if you are a follower. And if your not…. why not? Check us out!

It was a perfect day for snow shoveling and using the newly acquired Hoth Lego sets to build up a little scene. Did some shoveling, drank a great beer, and played with Legos taking some fun nerdy Lego pics… like I was a six year old all over again.

And speaking of Star Wars and Legos, be sure to check out my buddy’s YouTube page – and Facebook page (which he just started up). He does Lego builds (primarily Star Wars) as well as all kinds of other videos. Give Josh a subscribe and check him out. MasterMind X Studios.

The Book of Boba Fett

Switching gears now, going from the snow covered planet of Hoth to the desert planet of Tatooine, lets go back to The Book of Boba Fett. As per usual on Wednesdays now, we’ve been doing a weekly Star Wars themed beer review. Some past ones have been:

This is the fourth episode (S1: E4 – “The Gathering Storm”) and thus will be the fourth of this series. But don’t worry, its far from the only Star Wars beers we’ve reviewed on here. You’ll be able to check out all of the others at the end of this article.

As per usual, I’ll also link up to some of the various Book of Boba Fett discussion pages that I follow along with:

And now, just for some interesting background information about Tatooine, a YouTube video by Star Wars Explained:

The Oceans of Tatooine by Star Wars Explained

Just some nerd insight into Tatooine and Star Wars for everyone before we move on to the beer review itself. So how about we get right down to it and actually do that beer review that I say I’m gonna do right?

Beer Review

Out of Order: RAWRGWAWGGR by RAR Brewing

Beer: Out of Order: RAWRGWAWGGR
Brewery: RAR Brewing
Style: Sour – Fruited
ABV: 6%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: Our lactose sour base conditioned on Blueberries, Strawberries, Raspberries, Blackberries, Black Currants, Vanilla Cake, and Cream Cheese Icing.

First, quick discussion on RAR Brewing. They are a micro brewery (according to Untappd) from Cambridge, MD. They have 634 unique beers and a total of 404, 881 ratings (as of 1.19.22). They have a global average rating of exactly 4. Their Untappd Description reads: Based in Cambridge, MD on the banks of the Chesapeake Bay. Their link on Untappd is – RealerRevivalBrewing (just as an FYI).

Now let’s break down the beer.

Appearance is a juicy colored fruit drink. Looks like it could be a light cranberry juice or something similar. It looks sweet, looks tart, looks like juice you could pour straight from a carton out of the fridge. Its a slightly reddish hue, transparent mostly, with the thinnest carbonation based head.

Aroma smells like juicy, tart, and definitely a fruited sour. You get the notes of the blueberries, the strawberries, the raspberries, the blackberries, and the black currants all kind of swirling together into one big fruity berry mixture. No real notes (as far as aroma goes) of vanilla, cake, or cream cheese icing.

This is a juicy juicy juicy boi right here. Chewbeccca definitely knows how to get down with the berries. Be it on Hoth, Tatooine, or Endor, and no matter what berries or where they come from; Chewbacca … gets… down. This is a fruity punch of a beer right here. There is some definite tartness to it, there is a lot going on with the flavor profile too. You get everything the Untappd description lists. You get ‘all the berries’. The Blueberries. The strawberries. The raspberries. The blackberries. The black currants. Check. Check. Check. Check. Check. Five berries. Five checks. Done and done. There is a hint of vanilla cake and cream cheese icing I suppose, in the lactose thats added to the beer. I don’t think its more than just the lactose giving it some kind of creamy feel and taste; than it is exactly vanilla or cream cheese icing per say. But you get this creamy hint to it all. Its still got the tartness and the juiceness, so its not like that lactose takes away from that. The mouth feel could maybe be a bit heavier, but I think its still right on with the beer, and there’s nothing cloying or any real bad aftertaste. It pairs well with shoveling and cold Pizza Boy pizza, as well as reading books and playing with Legos on a day off (natural day off; not a day off due to snow). All in all its another impressive outing from RAR Brewing and the Out of Order series, and in particular the Star Wars Out of Order series.

My Untappd Rating: ****.25
Global Average Untappd Rating: 4.31 (as of 1.19.22)

The Book of Boba Fett – Episode 4 Thoughts

So, just finished Episode 4 thoughts, and will give you some quick spoiler free thoughts on it. I enjoyed it, and thought it was one of the better episodes of the season. Light years better than the horrific episode last week, which I honestly thought was out and out drek. Some cool scenes in this episode, but nothing crazy, and definitely a ‘building’ episode, a “calm before the storm’ episode.

Here’s another YouTube video for any interested:

Temuera Morrison Interview

Popular Culture and Nerd Culture Beer Reviews

Now moving on…. to listing and showing all of pop and nerd culture beer reviews:

Star Wars:

Rick and Morty:

Beer Review: Peace Among Worlds (Cushwa Brewing Company)

Space Balls:

Beer Review: Moon of Vega (Equilibrium Brewery)

Game of Thrones:

Beer Review: Game of Thrones: My Watch Has Ended (Omnegang Brewery)

The Simpsons:

Back to the Future:

Beer Review: Back to Reality (Three 3s Brewing Co)

Scrooged:

Beer Review: Scrooge IPA (Iron Hill Brewing)

A Christmas Story:

Pro Wrestling:

Matrix:

Matrix Monday

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:

Beer Review: Terpenes in Time (BAREBottle Brewing Co)

Seinfeld:

Other:

Thanks For Reading

Well, we only got three episodes left for ‘The Book of Boba Fett’, so please stay tuned each Wednesday for another Star Wars themed beer review for at least the next three Wednesdays. Who knows…. maybe I’ll extend it past that. Because I still got plenty of Star Wars themed beers.

If you like Star Wars and like our Star Wars themed beers, be sure to check out every Wednesday while The Book of Boba Fett is airing, as I will do a new Star Wars themed beer each week!

Thanks for reading, and cheers everyone!

-B. Kline

Beer Review: Sorbetto 42 (Ever Grain Brewing Co.)

AmyMWolfe — Sun, 16 Jan 2022 14:50:53 +0000

Sorbetto Number 42 by Ever Grain Brewing Co.

Sorbetto

There is a secret Sorbetto dance I perform when I see Ever Grain post they came out with a new Sorbetto. I might do a similar celebration dance for the yinzbetto series and Drippity announcements too. Since it’s so darn cold out, this dance was effective at also warming up my cold bones.

Yes, I’m still obsessed with the Sorbetto series. I just feel like Ever Grain gets me when it comes to this series. It was everything I needed in my life and well…. still need! The forty second one in the series does not disappoint! Check out my other Sorbetto review – Beer Review: Sorbetto 40 (Ever Grain Brewing Co.) or my other beer review from Ever Grain Brewing (Beer Review: Missile Toad)

(You can find other Ever Grain beer reviews here as well: All Together, Peanut Butter Udder One, Multiple Beer Review: Barrel Aged Barleywine, You Think Darkness is Your Ally?, 3rd Anniversary Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout, Cinn-a-Bunn).

And now, time for the review:

Beer Review

Sorbetto #42 by Ever Grain Brewing Company

Beer: Sorbetto Series #42
Brewery: Ever Grain Brewing Co
Style: Sour – Fruited
ABV: 6%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: Raspberry Swirl Sour Ale conditioned on raspberry, marshmallow, and vanilla. *contains lactose.

Does anyone have images of the Kool-Aid man bursting through brick walls at different points in their lives? Please tell me it isn’t just me!

Kool-Aid Man

That first sip of Sorbetto #42 I immediately visualize the Kool-Aid but in a Raspberry shape instead of the classic glass pitcher. When he bursts through the wall instead of bricks flying there are raspberries flying at your head, aggressively. I’m dodging the raspberries but then I get overpowered, and I’m soon buried by berries.

The Raspberry flavor is very much the HBIC in this Sour. There is no doubt about it. It’s a delightful mix of sweet and tart raspberries. That first nose and that first sip don’t leave anything else for you to play with on your tongue but raspberries. It’s just that moment when you think to yourself “ok, I’m about down with the raspberries…” the marshmallow and vanilla kick in and mellow out the fierce berry swirls. That second sip will whip you right back in the face with the berries, watch out.

Drink more beer,
Amy.

Ohhhhhhhhhh Yeeeeeeaahhhhhhhhhh

Thanks For Reading

Thank you for reading everyone. Have any questions, comments, or requests? Leave them for us in the comments section or on our social media pages! Thanks for reading! We appreciate you all checking in with us.

Beer Review: Out of Order: Tatooine Tart (RAR Brewing)

BKline — Thu, 06 Jan 2022 03:52:14 +0000

Out of Order: Tatooine Tart (by RAR Brewing) – Part of their Star Wars Out of Order Series.

Out of Order – Star Wars Series

While, this might not be as popular as RAR Brewing’s Out of Order Blue Milk, this was still a very good beer. That has become one of the most popular beer reviews I’ve done here on the blog. They initially released it as a solo beer release, and then included it again in their Star Wars series of Out of Order beers. (Don’t worry, I’ll be doing all of the Star Wars series as reviews here.)

The others in the RAR Out of Order Star Wars drop include: Blue Milk, Tatooine Tart (both mentioned here), Green Milk, Droid Juice, Yub Yub, RarwgWawggr, and Dark Side. The drop was a big deal and event at RAR Brewing back over the summer when they did it. I made sure to get my hands on the full drop (had a proxy there to get me the beers). Glad to be now getting to drink through the series.

The Book of Boba Fett

I’ll cover this more later, but as I did with last week, I’ll be releasing a weekly Star Wars themed beer review every Wednesday to coincide with the release of a new episode of ‘The Book of Boba Fett’. Last week I traveled to New Jersey to go to Bolero Snort Brewery to pick up a crowler of BoBull Fett just to review for the premier. You can read the review here: Beer Review: BoBull Fett (Bolery Snort Brewery).

I’ve already watched episode two this morning (just finished it actually), and so will give my thoughts on it at the end of the beer review. In the meantime, you can check out this interesting YouTube video by the Templin Institute:

Make sure you come back to the blog (of course!) after watching it.

Now… onto the beer review!

Beer Review

Out of Order: Tatooine Tart by RAR Brewing

Beer: Out of Order: Tatooine Tart
Brewery: RAR Brewing
Style: Sour – Fruited
ABV: 6%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: Our lactose sour base conditioned on Passionfruit, Limes, Simple Syrup, and a splash of our House Pastry Cream.

RAR Brewing is a brewery out of Cambridge Maryland, which I got to visit late last year. (Check out my travelogues through Maryland to read all about it.) It is a very hipster vibing place, very cool, sleek, and I absolutely loved it. There’s a Fett on the wall that looks spray painted (made to look that way), and several other nerdy nods. The laboratory add on is really neat and a great taproom sitting area. According to Untappd they are a micro brewery, with 630 unique beers and 403 thousand ratings. They have a global average rating of exactly 4 bottle caps as of 1.5.22. Their Untappd description reads: Based in Cambridge, MD on the banks of the Chesapeake Bay.

Cracking this one has a wonderfully sweet aroma, a nectar like sweetness to it. It smells sweet, like a juicy syrupy sweetness, almost perfume like in a way. Sniffing close hand in the glass I get hints of the passionfruit and the limes like the description says, with kind of a soft vanilla to it.

Appearance is very mellow juicy overlook to it. It looks like a more darker, moodier version of pineapple juice. Like a darker, not quite cloudy, but heavier looking fruit juice – some kind of organic juice (maybe like a pineapple or passionfruit looking dark juice). It definitely gives off ‘sweet’ vibes from the look of it.

This is a very sweet, juicy beer. There’s a slight tartness to it, but its so remote that I feel like its barely perceptible and its probably more a case of a ‘mileage may vary’ type of thing. It is a syrupy juicy. Borderlining too sweet, but not out of the realm of being completely too sweet (and definitely not near ‘undrinkably too sweet’). I get strong notes of passionfruit, a citrusy lime or zest, a syrupy juice, and a creamy, vanilla, undercurrent to it. It has a bit of a bite at the end, with just a hint of tart at the beginning, and mostly a very juicy middle, with each sip. It kind of rolls with your tongue on a sweet and then hits you with a bit of a sucker punch of sour / tart / pucker. I can see this possibly being ‘too sweet’ from some, especially those who might be hoping for or expecting some sour or puckering tartness, which they might feel is underwhelmed with this, but I think that sample size will be smaller. I think the Out of Order series is a bit of a niche market, and not true or genuine of beer consumption or drinkers overall. Its a bit of following the hype machine to some extent, but not 100%. There is definitely some leaning on the market and branding and cache of the namesake and series (ie. going from a Sandlot Out of Order series to a Star Wars Out of Order series to a Halloween Villains Out of Order series to a Christmas Movie Out of Order series, etc). There is some good flavors to this, and in comparison to the Out of Order Blue Milk, this is far more of a normal beer, but still pretty far from ‘normal beer’ if that makes any sense. You get some distinct flavors here, but they also tend to blur and blend together and make for a melting pot of flavors as well. Out of the two Out of Order beers so far, I want to say I like the Blue Milk one more, maybe more for novelty’s sake, but also more for distinctiveness too. This blends a bit too much with other similar beers to be somewhat completely distinguishable other than being able to say ‘it was tasty’ and ‘a good beer of its style’. Which it is all of that. There is nothing wrong with this beer, nothing is made off flavored, and no bad aftertaste, and nothing is wrong in its production or craft either. So in those aspects its what you want out of it. I certainly enjoyed this and it made for a great sipper while watching the second episode of The Book of Boba Fett.

My Untappd Rating: ****
Global Average Untappd Rating: 4.16 (as of 1.5.22)

Posting This Article

So… I woke up today at 4AM to be able to watch the episode and do this article. I wanted to write up most of it the night before, but went to Tattered Flag, had a few, and got home super late, and a bit too tired to write. So I woke up early to tackle it. Got to watching the new episode as I started working on this, and couldn’t finish in time before heading to work. I clocked out of work at 6PM, and was hoping to go home and get to finish this before 8PM and upload it… but my mom asked me to meet her at Rubber Soul, since my dad had a meeting. So who was I to say no to my mom? So, I met my mom at Rubber Soul, had dinner, and a few drinks, and then walked home (won’t lie… it was a bit chilly for a walk home tonight), and only at 8:45PM when I got home, did I get to start to finish this. (Well, I got home at 8:45… but then I had to clean up after my dog, who decided she would “go” in the kitchen while I was gone…. *shakes his fist at Leela*…).

But anyway, here I am getting to finish this up. Been a long day, and nearing 10PM, but its getting done. Hopefully next week’s article will be done before I go to work so I can upload it early.

The Book of Boba Fett – Episode Two

So, if you don’t want to read any spoilers for Episode 2 (and Episode 1 if you haven’t watched that), skip down a few sections. Because here I am going to give my thoughts on Episode Two – and by extension my thoughts on the show so far. I had actually written this all up this morning after watching the episode, and which is primarily why I didn’t get this article done until now. So, without further adieu, here’s my thoughts.

The Book of Boba Fett – Episode Two – The Tribes of Tatooine

Boba Fett

Is your typical “train the village” episode (in the flashbacks). The idea of “a little of the present” with a lot of the past (via dream/flashback) to show how he went from “Fett” to “New Fett” is an interesting storytelling model for Star Wars – albeit cliche in regular storytelling. I’m not so sure it works here with Star Wars/Fett/this story though. Mainly because their doing it with a character that people didn’t really want to see change. I might be speaking for too general a base here, but I feel like, most Star Wars fans wanted to see Fett be Fett. The old Legends Fett while not perfect, at least was still a Bounty Hunter, was what we saw on screen… didn’t take a complete 180 and went in a different direction of his character.

They even end it with a peyote / spiritual quest style ending.

I enjoyed the episode for what it was… and what they were going for. But… I dunno, I just don’t ‘want’ it. I guess is the best explanation for what I can give to this. We’ve seen a “train the villagers” episode in Mandalorian, we’ve seen it (a few times I think) in the Clone Wars show, we’ve seen it done on Rebels…. and… so this makes it roughly the 4th or so time its been done in Star Wars. The Ewoks/Rebels were kind of a shortened version of it too, to some degree. Its a trope, and a Star Wars/Western trope, thats becoming quite overused I think.

And I get that its integral to Boba Fett’s character, and his transformation from Bounty Hunter to Survived Man, to Respectful leader….

…but again, for lack of better explanation…. its just something I don’t want, and thats why I don’t like or care for it/about it.

When I think of Fett’s character, I don’t want to think of “Most Feared Bounty Hunter” “nearly dies stupidly” “resurrects himself as the Outsider coming in, and revamping the Natives and becoming Respectful Leader” type…..

Maybe that’s me? Maybe others will enjoy this ride. I hope they do, and I’m certainly going to finish out the show (there’s 5 more episodes). But so far, its not my cup of tea.

I also don’t feel like the writers/creators quite get logistics of things. Like how a planet with two suns and all desert, would be, ecologically, at night, at full day, etc. The things Fett survives through in Episode 1 is pretty…. uhh, lets just call them miraculous, and the way they depict people traversing the ground no problems, or walking through sandstorms, or just being outside in the desert at night (which would become absolutely freezing, especially on a twin sun planet that shows no moon and both suns are set)….. all of this just really makes me feel like they are going 100% for storytelling over logistics, rationality, etc.

Getting to the present day stuff…. I did ‘mark out’ / ‘geek out’, etc, over the Hutts appearing, and thought that was pretty cool. I wanted a lot more of the present day stuff in this episode (whereas last week, I thought the present day was a lot more weaker). Fett still comes off as comically naieve though in his interactions with EVERYONE. From the Hutts, to the Twi’lek bar owner, to the Mayor, to the Ninja himself, etc. The opening scene in Jabba’s Palace was also predictable and borderline ‘fan fiction’ level writing. “We want to show the Ninjas as being crazy, but … we still need him to give up the information…. so here we go”.

I am also seeing zero reason why Fett isn’t killed. Why isn’t the Mayor killing him? Or the Hutts? Or anybody else? Hes dispensable. Its not like he’s some kind of irreplaceable piece, or cog in a wheel. He has no real powerbase. All they show him to have is Fennec Shand, and two Gamorrean Guards, and 8D8 (the droid). So what retaliation happens from killing him? None it would seem. The Mayor could pinpoint kill the Ninja, why not have done that to Shand and the guards and attacked Fett? Why not have done all this in the street?

Which then begs the question, what was even the purpose of the street ambush last week? If it wasn’t just to further the plot along? We need Fett to come into contact with the Mayor in an adversarial way, here it is, and we need the Mayor to be the smaller fish to the bigger fish (ie. the Hutts). So lets do that. Fett gets ambushed, captures guy, guy gives intel, Fett goes to Mayor, Mayor gives intel on the bigger fish. Problem solved.

But none of that really makes sense. Especially given how easily Fett could be removed if they really wanted to. And they’ve shown us no reason why they SHOULDN’T do it.

Same as the past thing. The logistics of the train and everything makes no sense. So… they are bringing in Kessel Spice to Tatooine via the Syndicate. The Syndicate lands somewhere in Mos Eisley, Mos Espa, Anchorhead, wherever. And are train hovering it to somewhere else… most likely Jabba’s Palace for Bib Fortuna whose attempting to run Jabba’s old empire.

Why? Why do it in such a circuitousness way? And why provoke Natives just out there? For the * and giggles of it? Which also brings up the Biker Gang bit. So Fett attacks a Biker Gang that just happens to be in the area being all “Biker Gang from the 80s Cop Shows” and attacking local citizens, and Fett waltzes in, kills them/injures them, and steals their bikes, just to bring down this train.

If the train could be taken down this easily…. why was the Syndicate using it this way? There had to be a better way for them to do what they did.

I really did want to enjoy this episode, and what they are trying for this show, and I’ve loved Fett’s character in the past (…which might be the bigger problem here). But…. how they are doing it, and the logistics and rationality of what they are trying to do…. seems almost Sequel Trilogy level of poor planning, or skimming the surface level of storytelling.

As if they said to themselves:

We want to make a show about X (in this case – Criminal Underworld in Star Wars)
We want to use a main character people are riveted about
We want to use Boba Fett because we have been off/on planning on using him since we bought the property
We need to set it in a way that all people will be familiar with it (ie. set it on Tatooine, set it with Jabba’s Palace, use Boba Fett)
Lets combine all the above into one thing – so we’ll take the character (Fett) and making him a Godfather esque criminal lord (not quite a 1 for 1 apt analogy though), and do it based on his surviving the Sarlaac and doing it on Tatooine

Boom, thats what we got here. It feels surface level storytelling. Like their just not thinking everything out. Why wouldn’t character X do this? Why would Character Y do that? Why don’t they just do -this-? Why aren’t they just doing -that-? Etc.

I feel like I’m kicking it too hard here, because it looks like a lot of people love it, and enjoying it. And I do find it somewhat bare bones enjoyable. But I feel like there’s just no depth, and no real understanding to the material underneath it. As much as we want it to be. As much as we say “their doing so much Star Wars world building”… it feels like their not REALLY doing that. Their doing ‘member berries’ type world building for our own head enjoyments. “Remember Max Rebo… here he is…. again in a new cantina!” That one person’s long winded post on the TFN Jedi council forums about world building and stuff… all feels superficial here, even moreso. “Omg, they kept the same architectural structures of Tatooine buildings”…… well yea…. of course they would. Why wouldn’t they? Thats not so much as paying attention to detail, as just being smart. I don’t buy that as huge world building. Having Max Rebo there is not world building either — he was afterall on the giant barge that just FREAKING BLEW UP — but it all feels surface level storytelling stuff. Like what they did with the sequel trilogy. And I think thats where my annoyance level is here.

At the end of this, we might look back and go “this is similar to the ST” where it started off decently well, and they did some things like “remember that one guy…” but at the end of it, the pieces just don’t line up. That was part of my issue with Episode 1 of this… it felt not like a fluid, congruent thing, it felt like little veneer cracks, and things just didn’t align up, like pieces didn’t fully form together or fit. Like a puzzle where you purposefully manipulate the pieces to fit together rather than how their supposed to.

Ehh….. I’ll stop rambling here.

Whew…. that was long winded, and probably longer than the actual beer review, and completely altered and changed this entire article, hahaha. (I think I was under compliance for the grammar, SEO, and other algorithm things, until I posted that whole block in here).

Let me know what your thoughts are in the comments section, would love to hear what everyone else thinks of the show so far. Am I over analyzing it? Am I being too critical? Am I not being a fanboy enough? Let me know what you think!

Some Discussion Forums

For some more discussion on The Book of Boba Fett, you can read these discussion forums:

More Star Wars Fun

Well, just had a delivery van drop off my Lego.com order. On January 1st, they dropped several new Star Wars sets, (amongst lots of other new sets), and several were Hoth themed sets. So I picked up the Hoth AT-ST (Blizzard Scout 1) and the Hoth Battle Pack. Super excited to put these together in the near future!

For More Reading

If you are interested in our other nerdy, pop culture, and branded beer reviews, you can check out the following:

Star Wars:

Rick and Morty:

Beer Review: Peace Among Worlds (Cushwa Brewing Company)

Space Balls:

Beer Review: Moon of Vega (Equilibrium Brewery)

Game of Thrones:

Beer Review: Game of Thrones: My Watch Has Ended (Omnegang Brewery)

The Simpsons:

Back to the Future:

Beer Review: Back to Reality (Three 3s Brewing Co)

Scrooged:

Beer Review: Scrooge IPA (Iron Hill Brewing)

A Christmas Story:

Pro Wrestling:

Matrix:

Matrix Monday

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:

Beer Review: Terpenes in Time (BAREBottle Brewing Co)

Seinfeld:

Other:

Thanks for Reading

If you like Star Wars and like our Star Wars themed beers, be sure to check out every Wednesday while The Book of Boba Fett is airing, as I will do a new Star Wars themed beer each week!

Thanks for reading, and cheers everyone!

-B. Kline

Beer Review: Sorbetto 40 (Ever Grain Brewing Co.)

AmyMWolfe — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 02:52:56 +0000

Sorbetto 40 by Ever Grain Brewing Co.

The big 4 0

Sorbetto #40 by Ever Grain Brewing Co

There is a secret part of me, well not so secret anymore, that is OBSESSED with the sorbetto line. Maybe a little obsession with the yinzbetto line. The Sorbetto series was the line of beers that got me through quarantine and coincidently celebrating my 40^th birthday over quarantine as well. The thrill of a new sorbetto announcement STILL tickles my fancy.

Beer: Sorbetto Series #40

Brewery: Ever Grain Brewing Co

Style: Sour – Fruited

ABV: 6%

IBU: None

Untappd Description: Sour Ale aged on raspberries, Boysenberries, Strawberries, and chocolate cookies *contains Lactose

The fortieth installment of the sorbetto series from Ever Grain Brewing company was exactly what you would want it to be; fruity, dense, just slightly sour, chocolatey and just sweet enough to creep a smile across your face. I’m pretty sure if you checked my phone’s history you would see that I have screenshotted and shared every Sorbetto Facebook post from Ever Grain. But each time I crack open a new sorbetto I am squealing with excitement! The fruity sour aromas engulf my face because, of course, I’m inhaling as deep as possible, and I am in love again.

The same with all the other sorbettos; it is dark, dense, and delicious. I can’t say for sure if I ever have specifically eaten boysenberries. After googling a boysenberry image I’m sure I have but I just thought it was a blackberry. I can say for sure I tasted all the berries dancing on my tongue. I couldn’t quite pick out a boysenberry flavor, like I said not sure if I’ve consumed them, but I can pick out the raspberry and strawberry.

One might even compare it to a tootsie pop. You taste all the berry combinations on that first sip then but then at the end a very subtle chocolate flavor. Maybe a multi berry tootsie pop then is more appropriate.

Some might refer to this as a desert beer, but I tend to rich for a sweet stout before a sour fruited beer. Whichever sweet berries or chocolate flavors are you favorite I highly recommend you try a pour while it’s still on draft or grab a 4 pack. Ever Grain should expect me to secretly stalk their Facebook until number 41 is ready!

Save the ocean, drink more beer.
-Amy

Little Fish Brewing Company Expanding into Dayton

BKline — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 03:34:38 +0000

Little Fish Brewing Company in Athens, Ohio

Great news for the Athens Ohio brewery Little Fish Brewing Company, as they are expanding into Dayton Ohio. Early Wednesday the Athens based brewery announced that they signed a letter of intent with Windsor Companies to open a second location in Dayton at Webster Station, which is in downtown.

This won’t be immediate however, as the construction is due to begin in Spring 2021.

In a statement at the release of this announcement, the marketing director, Carli Dexter, for Windsor Companies said: “Downtown is really growing into an exciting hub for small and independent restaurants and bars, shopping, entertainment and living. We couldn’t be more excited that Little Fish is going to be a part of that.”

The location, 112 Webster Station, was the former site of Midwest Tools. Windsor Companies purchased the location in September of 2020. Little Fish Brewing Company will be the first tenant signed on to lease at the location.

I got to stop at Little Fish Brewing Company on my trip from Harrisburg Pennsylvania to Indianapolis Indiana and back. The brewery in Athens with its gorgeous outside venue, and wonderful building, was a fantastic little brewery, and the beer and food were excellent. You can see my trip article when I visited Little Fish here: Trip to Indy – Day Six.

I had an excellent, although sadly short, time there, and the bartenders were both very wonderful, talkative, and knew their beer. Great people working there that is for sure.

Their new location in Dayton will be focused primarily on sour beers, specifically wood barrel aged ones. Little Fish has made sure to let their customers know you will be able to enjoy all of their beers at both locations in the future; at both the Athens and the Dayton taprooms and beer gardens.

Little Fish Brewing Company is five years old, having started in 2015 by Sean White and Jimmy Stockwell, natives of Athens Ohio. But, they assure everyone they are no strangers to the Dayton area as well. As part of their release, Stockwell said: “Dayton is growing, and we very much look forward to being part of its future. We’re excited to become part of the vibrant restaurant and brewery scene and to bring a piece of the spirit of Athens to this strong community.”

Their Untappd description reads: “Our philosophy is to brew simple, rustic, and beautiful beers. While farmhouse ales and barrel-aged sours are close to our hearts, we equally love to brew and drink a meticulously crafted lager or a hop-forward pale ale. Nothing is off the table as long as it pairs well with friends and family! We strive to make our brewery a reflection of our beliefs. Our electricity is sourced from 100% renewable energy: solar & wind power. Almost every beer we make contains a majority of Ohio-grown ingredients by weight (starting with the base malt), and many of our beers are 100% Ohio-grown. Finally, we regularly support social justice and environmental causes that we believe in. Thanks for choosing our beer, and for appreciating the love & passion that goes into it!”

Read below for their official Facebook announcement, posted today – Wednesday, 11.18.20, with photos courtesy of their Facebook page:

“Athens brewery to find new home in downtown Dayton

Little Fish Brewing Company signs letter of intent to open taproom and brewery on Webster St.

ATHENS, OH – Athens, Ohio-based brewery Little Fish Brewing Company announced today that it has signed a letter of intent with the Windsor Companies to develop a second location in downtown Dayton. Construction is projected to begin in spring of 2021.The Windsor Companies acquired the buildings at 112 Webster Station, formerly known as Midwest Tools, along with a few surrounding properties in September 2020. The brewery is the first tenant to sign on to the project, which is within walking distance of downtown, Day Air Ballpark, the Riverscape and the Fire Blocks District.“Downtown is really growing into an exciting hub for small and independent restaurants and bars, shopping, entertainment and living,” said Carli Dexter of The Windsor Companies. “We couldn’t be more excited that Little Fish is going to be a part of that.”The future Little Fish location will be dedicated to the production of wood- and barrel-aged sour beers. Patrons will be able to enjoy these, as well as other Little Fish beers from the Athens location at the taproom and beer garden. Also featured will be a farm-to-table kitchen developed by Little Fish’s Executive Chef, Becky Clark.Stockwell and White are no strangers to the Dayton area. Little Fish distributes beer here to local craft beer centric bars, breweries, and bottle shops.

“Dayton is growing, and we very much look forward to being part of its future,” said Jimmy Stockwell, Co-Founder of Little Fish. “We’re excited to become part of the vibrant restaurant and brewery scene and to bring a piece of the spirit of Athens to this strong Community.”Little Fish Brewing Company was founded in 2015 by Athens natives Sean White and Jimmy Stockwell. While the brewery brews many styles of beers, it focuses on farmhouse and sour ales made with Ohio-grown and processed ingredients. Notable awards include the 2016 World Beer Cup Gold Award for Belgian- and French-Style Ale, 2018 World Beer Cup Bronze Award for Wood- and Barrel-Aged Sour Beer, 2020 Great American Beer Festival Silver medal, wood & barrel-aged fruites sour beer.”

Little Fish Brewing Company Facebook Announcement

Little Fish Brewing Company’s Facebook page

Screenshot of Little Fish Brewing Company’s Facebook announcement

As I said earlier, I got to visit them for just a brief bit on my travels, but I came away very highly impressed with them. And have become big fans. I have been recommending them to all of my friends who are asking about travel and brewery recommendations in the area. If you are in Athens (or come 2021 – Dayton) make sure to stop by and give them a visit. You won’t be disappointed, I can guarantee that. The staff, the beers, the food, are all wonderful.

To read more about their announcement, you can see this article from Dayton.com: “Popular Athens Brewery Expands to Dayton.”

For more brewery news on my blog, you can follow the news below:

You can read about more brewery closures here:

And in better, happier news, check out our articles on brewery openings:

Be sure to check out our other articles on brewery openings:

Shipping News:

To see all about my trip to and from Indianapolis, you can check out the following articles:

The Trip to Indianapolis:

Also, be sure to check out some of our other beer reviews in recent history:

You can check out the tabs at the top of each page to visit our BEER REVIEWS, BEER EDUCATION, TRAVELOGUES, etc. Be sure to check out all the latest beer reviews, as we’re pumping a lot out in recent time.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

Thanks for reading everyone, stay safe, be careful, and cheers!

-B. Kline