Beer Basics from BeerBitch12

Ales vs. Lagers

The word Ale may come from the Old English "ealu," or even further, "alut," which holds connotations of "sorcery, magic, possession, intoxication."






Lager, comes from "lagern," which
means "to store."






An Ale is a type of beer using top-fermented yeast, fermented at higher temps so they ferment faster than lagers. These higher temps produce significant amount of esters, which give the beer a fruity quality, whether it be pineapple, apple, banana, etc., so they have a sweeter, fuller body than lagers.




A Lager is a type of beer that uses bottom-fermented yeast that ferments at lower temperatures at the bottom of the vessel. They are usually light in color and usually fall into one of the three following categories: helles, pale lager or Pilsner. Because of the type of yeast and temperatures used, lagers are more mild than ales and have less fruitiness and spiciness to them, as the lower temps don't release as many esters as in a lager.




That was Beer Lesson #1

Next up: Beer Laws of Oklahoma!

Beginner's Sake 101

Just a few facts, a little information for anyone interested in Sake...


--Sake is often called the "Drink of the Gods" by the Japanese and is produced from rice, water, koji spores and specially selected yeasts.

--Sake is brewed like beer but drinks like a wine, and has 15-16% alcohol per volume (apv).

--Premium sake is to regular sake what Single Malt Scotch is to the blends.

--Premium sake is brewed by family craftsman rather than large industrial manufacturers, and is made by hand rather than machine.

--Premium sake is gluten-free, sulfite free and kosher.

--Sake can be served chilled or warm, at body temperature, and not piping hot, as heat destroys the flavor.



Levels of Sake

Junmai-shu --highest grade of sake made with pure rice and uses less than 70% polished rice. It ends up heavier and tasting fuller than other sake.

Honjozo-shu--has a small amount of ethyl alcohol added during the final stages. Water is added later to keep the alcohol content the same. It's lighter and drier than others and can be served warm.

Ginjo-shu--uses 60% polished rice and is fermented even longer than Junmai, which results in a complex and delicate flavor.

Daiginjo-shu--like Ginjo but the rice is polished to 50% of the original size and takes even longer to make.

Futsuu-shu is any sake that doesn't fit into one of the other categories.

Oklahoma gets a good deal of Futsuu, but the Premium Ginjo is rising in popularity, and is starting to be made available.

Class dismissed!




Info comes from Vine Connections, wineintro.com, and The Sake Handbook.

There's no clever title today.

I will straight up admit it.

I do not like to see other people happy.

I am fucking irate today.

I am not sure why, exactly.

It's like the PMS/PMDD is extending itself beyond its time, but is EXTREMELY bad RIGHT NOW.


It's August 11, 2009.

So what, right? It's Danyel and Jon Jon's wedding anniversary. It's Turner's birthday. It's Dave Bewley's birthday...It's Derek Bewley's birthday.

Aha.

Wonderful.

So I am in a rage because of THAT? AGAIN? REALLY?

I am really hoping not.

But, yes, as one of my facebook statuses(stati?) I said something about the 4th or 5th worst day of my life being 8/11/02...Right after May 25, 2005, July 1, 2002, and graduation day 2003, or May 3, 2003.

Yes, I know the dates.

Each one is engraved on my mind and soul for all time.

Not to be overly dramatic, or anything.

I am seriously pissed off.

I guess.

I am not entirely sure WHAT I am feeling.

Let's dissect.

I am completely broke. I have no money for gas and I have no idea how I am getting home and back to work tomorrow. Every literal penny I have is gone. I cannot get out of the ghetto that I call home. I can't eat this week.

I am stuck in fucking limbo.

I can't even explain myself well enough, can't get my ideas across, about something I am passionate about...and when I try, I end up losing.

Quitters never win, yes? Well, I wish I had never started.

Why do you have a fake id?/So I can vote.

My childhood is dying, right before my eyes.

Michael Jackson, dead at the age of 50, due to a dr. who couldn't say "No" to the King of Pop, and instead enabled his disease, thereby killing him with a drug that should ONLY be used in ORs, under the careful watch and guidance of an anestheologist.

Not that I had his posters up and was totally enamored of him...I didn't realize how big of a fan I was til I found out he was gone. Sounds about right, for my life.

John Hughes, founder of Shermer, Illinois, director of all 80s movies that really mattered, died today of a heart attack while walking down the street with his family in NYC. "The city claims another victim," so sayeth Jenn Turner.

WTF?

Creator of Sixteen Candles, Weird Science, The Breakfast Club...Mr. Mom, even. I grew up on this stuff. THIS is what has made me [partially] the smart ass I am today. As sophomoric as "they" say the humor was, it seemed real. It seemed that every Samantha would get her Jake(ha!) and that all misfits had a place. It gave us hope.

Now what do we have? Vampires that sparkle in the sun?

THAT's not hopeful.

THAT's faggy.

RIP John Hughes.