Brand Loyalty

Craft beer fans can be passionate about their beer preference, but even factory beer drinkers have standards it seems.

Clarence Sturdivant, 64, shot his 66-year-old neighbor, Walter Merrick, said Col. John Fortunato, spokesman for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. 

The beer showdown occurred Saturday afternoon (March 7) at a complex of single-story apartment buildings in the 1500 block of Esther Street in Harvey. Merrick told investigators that he and Sturdivant were chatting in the parking lot when Sturdivant asked for a beer, a Sheriff's Office incident report said.

Merrick returned with a can of Busch beer -- apparently not Sturdivant's brew of choice. An angry Sturdivant declared his preference for Budweiser, according to the report.

The two men continued to quarrel over beer brands until Merrick said Sturdivant shot him and left, the incident report said.

See "Budweiser or Busch: Argument over beer brands ends with shotgun blast" for more on this beer debate among friends.

Adventure Blazing Trail IPA

We spent a pleasant weekend afternoon at Adventure Brewing in Stafford County. Sunday afternoons at this local brewery are a great time to relax with good beer and good company. The brewery currently has 10 beers on tap so there's something for every taste. Our choice for the afternoon was Blazing Trail IPA.

Adventure Brewing Blazing Trail IPA is made with all Virginia-grown hops. (I've seen the name listed as both Blazing Trail and Blazing Trails.) The beer pours marmalade in color with a pleasant citrus aroma. A thin head leaves behind moderate lacing. The Virginia-grown "west coast" hops give a fresh citrus pithiness to the flavor. A earthy malt base completes the flavor profile. This IPA is hop-forward but does not kill the tastebuds. And at a moderate 5.6%, it's well-suited for Sunday afternoon enjoyment.

Adventure Brewing food truck regular, STEVE-O's BBQ, Burgers & BACON was on hand to provide food to go along with the ale. We opted for Steve's signature bacon cheeseburger and tater tot side. It made for a tasty pairing.

One goal for the visit was to pick up some bottles of the barrel-aged Wicked Nymph Imperial Stout that was released on Saturday. Colleen and I had a tiny taste a couple weeks ago, and were excited to pick up a few bottles for ourselves. The brewery obtained three barrels from the Bowman Distillery which had aged bourbon since 2005, 2009, and 2010. The bottles from the 2005 barrel were sold out, but we picked up some from the other years. I haven't decided if we'll be enjoying them soon, or letting them age. Stand by....

When Mom Needs a Quick Pick-Me-Up

Because it would be crass to drink directly from one of those single serving wine bottles.

Range Time - A Sunny Respite

A cool, rainy morning turned into a warm sunny afternoon, perfect for a trip to the range. Checkered Flag was in town so he, Colleen, and I spent an afternoon honing our skills in the 70° spring air. The warm air was accompanied by strong wind gusts, which played havoc with our targets stands. Appropriating a few logs from the fire pit (mostly) solved the problem. (No, I still haven't picked up those spikes.)

We spent most of our time at a close 7 yard distance. We often try to make a "game" of our range practice, within the restrictive rules of the club. The theme of the day became accuracy and trigger control. We warmed up on IDPA targets but soon switched to the more challenging Pincus "Balance of Speed and Precision" targets. Colleen was the "caller" and we reacted to her cues. "Three, Blue" she might yell out, and we'd draw and engage all of the target spots that matched any of the descriptors. Or "Round, Yellow" and we'd shoot all points that were either round or yellow. Not only were varying degrees of accuracy required, you had to analyze the targets to find the matches, geometric, numerical or color. It was quite a bit of fun and we went through many rounds playing that game.

Later we added some of CF's target cards he keeps on hand, with 1 inch squares and the even smaller "little man" targets and went for extreme accuracy trying to remove the pattern from the cards. When the target is smaller than the front sight, even at 7 yards, a smooth trigger press is critical.

A couple hundred rounds later we a good practice session, and a whole lot of fun, under our belts. It was good to get to the range on a beautiful afternoon, especially since the forecast is calling for more cold and rain over the next couple days.

Devils Backbone The Devil Went Down to Oregon

This is another of the beers in the March Collaboration Adventure Pack from Devils Backbone Brewing. I posted thoughts on another beer in the mix, Double Gooch IPA, previously. The Devil Went Down to Oregon Imperial Rye Ale is the result of a collaboration with Ninkasi Brewing Company of Eugene, Oregon.

The Devil Went Down to Oregon pours an attractive dark amber color with a persistent beige head. The aroma is mild and a mix of caramel and dark fruit with a hint of grassiness. In the flavor you get a bit of sweetness at the start, followed by toasted malt and nuttiness. The rye adds notes of pepper and grass. There's a earthy undertone to the flavor profile. A very mild hop bitterness lingers in the finish. The mouthfeel is creamy and moderately "thick."

This member of the Collaboration Pack is unique from the others in that the big hop flavors are not the main feature. The ale is more reminiscent of a English Brown Ale, but with a twist. It's a smooth, easy beer, and at 7.5% ABV, it goes down way too quickly. 

Celebratory Gunfire

No, not that kind. I celebrated my birthday by shooting an IDPA match at the Rivanna Rifle and Pistol Club in Charlottesville on Saturday. I arrived early to attend the mandatory "new shooters" briefing that is required of first time shooters at the range. Even though I'm not exactly a new shooter, it never hurts to hear the reminders again.

One of the usual bays used by the club for matches was not available due to the rains last week, so the match directors set up three stages together at the end of one of the rifle ranges. Due to the space constraints, only one shooter could shoot at a time, and we alternated through the three shooters on three stages before scoring and pasting. It was as if we had a squad of 40 shooters, which meant it took quite a while to get through the match. But, despite the extra long day, any day on the range beats a day not on the range! And the people are friendly so the time passed easily.

The first stage had us seated in front of a spread of targets and a few non-threats. At the start, the four close targets all got two required head shots. (A hit on the "body" was a miss.) The remaining three targets were engaged near to far with two rounds each. Coincidently, the last stage I shot at the last match I attended was also a seated scenario — I guess it's not such a rare scenario in IDPA.

Next up was a challenging two-string stage that tested our one handed shooting ability. On the first string, after the draw you transferred the gun to the support hand and engaged the first two targets. After transferring the gun to the strong hand, the last two targets were taken care of. Moving back to a barricade at around the 20 yard line for the second string, you repeated the same pattern except this time you could use the "other" hand for support. I was actually pleased with my hits on this stage. However, I did earn a procedural penalty for failing to pie around the barricade and instead shooting the last two targets "inside to outside." Some USPSA habits are hard to break.

The last course of fire was a nine-target stage with the targets arranged among the walls. It was an interesting stage that offered numerous options for engaging the targets. There were quite a few different choices made by the shooters. You could engage the targets at 3 or 4 positions total, depending on the distance you were comfortable with, choose slide lock or tactical reloads, as well as where you did your reload, all the while keeping in mind to not expose yourself to any unengaged threats.

The weather was unexpectedly cool and damp for a good part of the day, the sun finally coming out late in the match. Nonetheless, I still came home with a sunburned neck. Despite the long time it took to complete the stages, I had a great time and it was a fun way to spend the first part of my birthday. My results were fair, 14th out 25 in my division and 23rd overall.

Of course, upon arriving home I quickly started my enjoyment of some tasty craft beers. And those are possible fodder for future musings. Later in the evening I put some thick steaks on the grill for dinner, after which we enjoyed a family movie night. And there was cake! A fitting celebration it was indeed.

Flying Dog Supertramp

I admit it, I didn't want to like this beer. Last week when I opened the package from Flying Dog Brewery and saw the bottle of Supertramp Tart Cherry Ale, I thought, "Oh, a fruit beer." But, I was intrigued nonetheless, as I do enjoy the occasional sour ale. So despite my consternation, I was looking forward to trying it, for research purposes only of course.

As I poured the ale, others in the room exclaimed, "Oh, it's pink!" It wasn't really pink, but there was indeed a pink hue to the orange-amber color. The aroma has faint fruit notes and a hint of breadiness. The initial flavor that hits the tongue is the mild fruit sweetness that morphs quickly over to tart. The cherry tart and bitterness fade quickly to a clean finish. Moderate carbonation tingles the tongue and cleanses the palate, leaving very little behind in the aftertaste.

Despite my skepticism, in the end I had to admit I liked the Supertramp Tart Cherry Ale. Even though we tasted the beer on a cool, almost Spring evening, I actually think this would be a very refreshing summertime drink. The low 4.6% ABV, the tingling carbonation, the mildly tart flavor and clean finish seems a good combination with which to cool down after an afternoon of sweating in the garden, or after returning home from the range.

The beer reviewed here was a promotional sample from the brewery. My impressions are provided of my own free will.

Monica Lewinsky's Boyfriend's Wife

Too good not to share. 

There are members of the current administration who are probably thinking, "Cool, how do I order?"

If these offend, all I can say is "What difference does it make?"

St. Patrick's Day IDPA Match

While many folks were out celebrating with beer and good food, I marked the St. Patrick's Day Feast by shooting another Colonial Shooting Academy IDPA match.

As usual, three quick stages were set up for our enjoyment. The first stage started with a holstered and unloaded gun. At the start the shooter loaded and engaged two close targets with three rounds each, before retreating up range to finish with two final targets on the other side of wall, also with three rounds each. An added challenge here was a high non-threat in front of the last target that caused some folks to get on their toes to shoot over it and avoid a penalty.

Stage 2 consisted of a large group of barrels strategically hiding six targets. Not all the openings between barrels held targets so it was a bit of a search if you didn't have your plan of attack well in mind. The final stage started with four targets partially blocked by non-threats and shot in tactical sequence from a seated position. You then moved to engage the final two targets around a barricade. Shooting while seated isn't something I've done often so it was a welcome challenge.

After accumulating an abundance of points down last week, I made a concerted effort to slow down to get my hits. Accumulating just 3 points down this week, I again finished 9th in my division. And even more interesting, for the third week in a row, ended up 15th overall. There's something to be said for consistency I guess. Now to work on speeding up and keeping the hits in the "down zero" zone. 

These quick, weeknight matches are a lot of fun and don't require a large investment of time or ammo to shoot. The courses of fire are interesting but not overly difficult. Still, I wish it wasn't quite so far of a drive, but that's one of the things we accept living in Fredericksburg — it's a far drive to get most places! Now that the days are getting longer and I should be able to get to the practice range more, and also reinvigorate my dry fire practice, the weekly CSA IPDA matches will be a great way to confirm what I've practiced. 

Round Up Your Mates for St. Patrick's Day

A humorous Guinness ad from a few years ago.

Have a Happy and Safe St. Patrick's Day celebration, however you choose to mark the feast day. Sláinte!!

This Day in History

On March 16, 1780 George Washington issued a General Order granting St. Patrick's Day as a holiday for the Continental Army.

George Washington's General Order of March 16, 1780,
granting Saint Patrick's Day as a holiday to the troops

Document from the National Archives.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

[Originally posted March 17, 2013]

Ah, St. Patricks Day. Such a confusing day. To the Irish, the day honors a great Saint. For too many others, it's a day dedicated simply to green beer and debauchery. Our family has long had a devotion to St. Patrick. Our admiration was made all the more tangible when we were blessed to take a pilgrimage to the Emerald Isle last year. During that visit I was reminded just how much the Irish love Patrick. To honor this day, and St. Patrick's memory, I'll share these depictions of St. Patrick from our trip.

The Black Abbey, Kilkenny, Ireland

Tapestry, Knock Shrine

Ballintubber Abby

Croagh Patrick, County Mayo

St. Patrick Cathedral, Dublin

And finally, since St. Patrick is also our parish patron, one of our church window.

Bishop Patrick

All photos taken by Colleen T.

Sights and Sounds of Spring

Okay, it's not officially Spring for another week, but after the cold and rain and snow of recent weeks, the 65° plus temps, it's close enough! Nice weather combined with longer days culminated in a welcome trip to the range. The last time I was able to shoot outdoors was back on January 2nd. On Sunday evening I grabbed my gear and a couple target stands and headed for the range. No one else was shooting so I was quickly set up and enjoying the solitude. Unfortunately it was so windy I had to use the second stand as an anchor for the first, so didn't get in any multiple target practice. (Note to self: Pick up some metal spikes at the hardware store.)

Most of my time was spent drawing from the holster and just putting one or two shots on target. Starting at 7 yards, then 10, then 15, I fired about 50 rounds from each position. I did mix it up a little with some movement, and switched between taking body and head shots.

A beautiful sight — brass on the ground

My solitude was short-lived when a guy came by and asked if I had found any ear protection. I replied I hadn't and he left. He returned a short while later with his young son who had apparently left the gear behind earlier. They searched around the bench area, all the while he was berating the boy for his carelessness. (And don't think I missed his surreptitious glance into my range bag and back of my car.) After a while I was thinking, "Give it a rest, dude." Fortunately by this time I was on my last string of practice and was soon picking up my brass, all the while he continued his chiding of the boy. Not all the sounds on the range are enjoyable, but despite this interruption, I was still thankful for the time spent outside shooting. Let's hope this is the start of a trend!

An Early St. Patrick's Day Celebration

Saturday afternoon Colleen and I headed over to Blue & Gray Brewing for their 13th Annual St. Patrick's Day parade and celebration. We arrived after the parade, so headed immediately to the beer line for a couple pints of Stonewall Stout. As I've noted often, this is a well-done English Stout and perhaps my favorite Blue & Gray libation. Nicely balanced with roasted malts and a mild sweetness, it goes down easily. And at just 5% ABV, it's fit for an afternoon of festivity.

We ran into some friends and enjoyed good conversation, along with Irish music and dancing. As so often happens during this festival, a steady rain soon began to fall — Irish Sunshine I dubbed it. We crowded under the tents and managed to keep our fronts dry, though the backs of my pants and jacket got quite wet. But there's nothing like another glass of Stonewall Stout to ward off the chill. 

Not an actual picture from the festival

Eventually the weather won out and we headed into the Lee's Retreat brewpub to dry out and enjoy some tasty Rueben sandwiches, made with corned beef brisket cooked in, naturally, Stonewall Stout. And of course, another pint of the Stout to wash it all down. 

After that fitting lunch, we joined a friend and his daughter for dessert at Carl's Frozen Custard, then Colleen and I headed up to Adventure Brewing to continue honoring our patron Saint. In addition to live Irish music, Adventure had three new beers on tap to celebrate St. Patrick's Day; Scotch Ale, Red IPA, and Invasion ESB. Given they were covering some of my favorite styles, I was itching to try them out. Colleen ordered the Scotch Ale while I started with Invasion ESB. The ESB had a toasted malt flavor, but for my preferences was a little too mildly flavored. The Scotch Ale was very nicely done. Slightly sweet, it had a dark malt and roasted nuttiness that Colleen enjoyed very much.

Soon we found ourselves in need of food once again. The food truck on hand was Martina's Cantina, a somewhat juxtaposed option given the celebration. Colleen selected a burger, topped with carnitas and spicy Mexican "fixin's." My choice was a chicharons and porkito sandwich. Honestly, I didn't ask exactly what it was, but only know it was extremely tasty, and spicy. To accompany this meal I ordered a pint of the Red IPA. I had a preview of this ale a few weeks back and was glad to get a chance to enjoy it again. Full of citrus hop freshness, I'd have to rank it as my favorite Adventure Brewing beer, at this time anyway. 

The final treat of the afternoon was a tiny taste of the upcoming barrel-aged version of Wicked Nymph Imperial Stout. The Stout has been aged in barrels from the Bowman Distillery and will be available in corked and caged bottles. This, the first bottled beer from Adventure, should be out in about two weeks. I intend to get some to enjoy right away, and also some to put away in the cellar for aging.

After a long day of celebration, we headed home. My shoes were still a bit wet from earlier and it felt good to get into dry clothes. Although the Feast of St. Patrick is still a few days away, our Saturday celebration was a fun and fitting way to spend the day.

Devils Backbone Double Gooch IPA

Devils Backbone Brewing recently released their March Collaboration Adventure Pack, consisting of four beers designed with the hop fan in mind — Devils Tale Black India Pale Ale with Coronado Brewing, The Devil Went Down to Oregon Imperial Rye Ale with Ninkasi Brewing, Double Gooch IPA with Fat Head’s Brewery, and Devils Backbone's own Eight Point IPA.

I got to enjoy a draft pint of Devils Tale last week at Park Lane Tavern and found it quite enjoyable. I was focused on dinner and company, so a review of that one will have to come later. I opened a bottle of Double Gooch Imerial International Pale Ale at home the other evening. After I took a sip and handled the glass to Colleen, she took a sniff and a sip, and declared "I'll have one too!"

Double Gooch is a very bright, clear orange color. The first pour produced very little head, and it took a very hard pour on the second glass to create the short head shown here, which very quickly dissipated. The aroma is slightly earthy, with oily pine and citrus notes. The citrus aspect really shines in the tasting. It's fresh and rich, and juicy grapefruit came immediately to mind. And interestingly, I thought specifically of pink grapefruit. A pleasing bitter pithiness lingers for a bit, but the finish is otherwise quite clean and short-lived. The 8% ABV is not noticeable at all in the flavor.

We both liked this beer quite a bit. It's not your typical IPA, and seems more like a ramped up Pale Ale. I enjoyed the crisp, fresh citrus happiness that didn't overwhelm. I also lamented that there are only three bottles in the box. Hopefully, it will be available locally on draft too.

Tuesday Night IDPA

I made it back to Colonial Shooting Academy last night for another go at their weekly IDPA match. We've had a long week here at home dealing with plumbing issues, and the evening match was a most welcome way to ignore it diversion.

The first stage had a total of six targets, engaged from four positions. I managed to get confused at one position — looking for a second target where there was just one. The second stage started with the shooter seated facing downrange, magazines staged on a chair behind the shooter, and the unloaded gun in a tool bag on the other side of the wall. Each of the four targets required three shots each as added twist. The final course of fire featured 6 targets well hidden around barrel stacks making it somewhat of a memory stage. I found all three stages challenging as well as fun.

This match seemed tougher, to me at least, than last week's, with more tight shots and targets that could be easily forgotten. The stage designers did a good job of making us think, that's for sure! I didn't feel I shot as well as I did previously, and certainly had more points down overall. It seemed to me I was rushing more, and not getting set up well. Despite that, I managed a 9th out of 28 finish in my division, so I was pretty happy with that. Although it's still easy to morning quarterback myself, "If only I had done that run differently...." But that's what makes it fun, there's always next time!

I'm glad to get in some more match shooting after a long winter off. After the last couple matches, I'm inspired to get my dry fire practice ramped up again as well. I won't be able to make it to the CSA match every week, but I'll sure try to make as many as possible. It really is a great stress reliever.

Happy Birthday Mom

Today is my mother's birthday, and although we can't celebrate with her in person, but I will indeed celebrate her memory today. Holidays and birthdays still bring sadness, but her ever-present smile remains fresh in my thoughts and that memory is a great comfort.

I love you mom, and miss you everyday. Happy Birthday, Mom.

Requiescat In Pace

Flying Dog Single Hop HBC-431

"I've been through a storm with a beer with no name." (With apologies to Dewey Bunnell and the band America.) Sorry, couldn't resist, but that tune, with altered lyrics, was playing in my head as I enjoyed the Single Hop HBC-431 from Flying Dog during our latest winter storm earlier this week.

According to the brewer, "HBC-431 is a hop so new, it doesn’t even have a name. It’s an experimental variety from a cutting-edge hop supplier. With a unique combination of melon, tropical fruit, stone fruit, pine and earth notes, our head brewer said it’s unlike any beer he’s ever been with."

The beer pours a deep golden color with a persistent head. The aroma has strong tropical fruit notes with hints of pine. It's a unique change from the citrus or sweet-forward aromas usually found in Double IPAs. The flavor continues the same tropical, citrus fruit theme, but with more pine and biscuity notes. The flavor is not all that sweet but there is a bit of a syrupy aspect. Overall this Imperial IPA is well-balanced and richly flavored.

Single Hop HBC-431 is the first of the Single Hop Series from Flying Dog in 2015. I've enjoyed quite a few of the previous releases, and this one is no different. It does seem more balanced than some of the others, and despite the reliance on a single hop for flavoring, offers a broad palette of flavors. We should look forward to seeing more beers that make use of the HBC-431 hop.

The beer reviewed here was a promotional sample from the brewery. My impressions are provided of my own free will.

Ammo Vending Machine

I thought the idea of a free beer vending machine was a great idea, but I'm liking this machine's offerings even better. It's at a range in Beaver Falls, PA.

But of guns or ammo are involved, you can be sure someone objects. Amazingly, it's some members of the club who have their knickers in a twist over this innovation.

A vending machine operated by a candidate for Beaver County Sheriff that distributes firearms ammunition is raising some eyebrows. The machine is installed inside of the Beaver Valley Rifle & Pistol Club, offering both rifle and handgun ammunition and operating in the same fashion as vending machines commonly used to sell snack foods.

The Beaver Countian received several tips from members of the Beaver Valley Rifle & Pistol Club (BVRPC), located next to Brady’s Run Park in Brighton Township, who said they have concerns about the appropriateness of using a vending machine to sell firearms ammunition. This publication was provided with several photos taken of the machine by the members.

The club’s vending machine is operated by Master Ammo Company, a small ammunition manufacturing business owned by Sam Piccinini, a Rochester Township patrolman and Republican candidate for Beaver County Sheriff.

Members of the club who are under 21 must be accompanied by an adult when they are at the club, so there doesn't appear to be an issue with those under 21 getting unsupervised access to dangerous pistol ammo. When I first heard about this, I thought the objections were coming from the hoplophobes in the public. Sounds like another case of the "I'm a gun owner, but..." rhetoric we hear so much from the anti-2nd amendment politicians. I don't understand how the objecting members can rationalize allowing young adults in the club, but at the same time objecting to their access to ammunition.

IDPA Again

I haven't been able to shoot competitively since the Fredericksburg USPSA Monster Match on November 2. I've made a few trips to the range since then, but have been itching for a little more excitement. I knew there is a year-round Tuesday evening IPDA match at Colonial Shooting Academy in Richmond, and that's been tempting me for a while. For one reason or another, weather, work, or family commitments, shooting that match kept eluding me.

This week the stars aligned, so my friend Greg and I made the trip down. When we arrived the shooting was underway and we got queued up for the next group. That was good as it gave us some time to watch and get re-familiarized with the rules and other differences from USPSA matches.

The first stage had six targets shot from three positions. It was pretty straightforward and a great ice breaker for a "return" to the sport. The second stage was an "El Prez" type of stage. The shooter started facing up range, hands over shoulders, turning and drawing to engage three targets. After a mandatory reload, the targets were shot again. As an added challenge, the center target was upside down, which meant the down 0 area was lower than usual — a switch that dinged some shooters. The final stage had 6 targets shot from 4 positions while moving down an L-shaped "hallway." They were all quick, fun stages.

It was apparent to me while shooting, and after watching the video of my first stage, that I need to practice getting into position from behind cover. In a USPSA match there's generally little shooting from behind cover, and as you approach a shooting position you are often able to see the target and have the gun lined up. In two of the IDPA stages at this match, which is typical, you are moving to target that it is hidden on your approach. As you "pie" around the barricade, the targets come into view to be engaged. Also, there is no walking the stage in advance and air-gunning in IDPA to burn the movement into memory.

The other "gotcha" for USPSA shooters is that magazines with rounds still in them must be retained, and not dropped on the ground. Most of the time though, you will shoot to slide lock and have an empty mag which can be dropped. When I finished the second stage mentioned above, I didn't even look at my hits, I was simply thrilled I remembered to not drop the mag when reloading!

When it was all said and done, I was down 10 points at the end, adding a total of 5 seconds to my time, and finishing 8th out of 26 in the SSP division. I'd like to speed up a bit, especially getting settled to shoot from behind cover, but I was very happy with how I shot. It was especially satisfying after the long break and lack of practice. The folks running the match do a great job of setting up interesting stages in a limited space. I've watched videos of other matches at Colonial and they seem to get in a good variety of challenges. Some of this week's stage setups overlapped in their space, but were arranged so that only the appropriate targets were visible to the shooter. The shooters were also run through in an efficient manner.

I had a great time at the match, and I know I'll be back for more. I really like the idea of a quick match, especially on a weekday evening. It's hard to get time away from other commitments to devote an entire Saturday or Sunday to shooting (no matter how much I enjoy it.)

That's Enough to Make Me Stopping Eating It

I ran across this in my news feed reader this morning. See what happens to you when you eat anti-biotic laced food?

Yep, lost my appetite right there.

They Closed Schools Again

All I encountered driving to work was cold and fog.

Over the last few weeks, it seems the rule here is schools close one day for each inch of snow.