http://brewbrain.com/blog Drink Better Beer Fri, 09 May 2008 07:33:40 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Alright, back on the horse. It has been a while since my last formal beer review, so here we go. Tonight I popped the cap on a bottle that's been sitting in my beer 'fridge for far too long. Time to break out the Rogue Shakespear Stout. I've ... http://brewbrain.com/blog/archives/145 The poker was much better in April. Well, it didn't end with a spectacular bang; it was more of a sickly whimper. But, it's better than barely eaking out a win like I did in March. Here's a chart: So, I made $845.80 from poker. Add to ... http://brewbrain.com/blog/archives/144 I really wasn't expecting much from the Giants this year following the exit of Barry Bonds and the supposed lack of young talent in the organization.  I thought the young pitchers would be very impressive, which they definitely are, but I am now very hopeful that we may have a ... http://brewbrain.com/blog/archives/143 Well, once again, the idiots who run the shop have decided to spit in the face of their customers.  Read this garbage:  AssHats. I love college football, but I am done with it.  I know lots and lots of sports fans.  I know precisely zero who like the current structure for ... http://brewbrain.com/blog/archives/142 As a Giants fan listening to six Reds runs cross the plate in the first inning, I hereby call on Barry Zito to do the right thing and put us all out of our misery.  He would be a decent high school pitcher right now.  Barry, do the right thing ... http://brewbrain.com/blog/archives/141 So, I've been drinking my latest pale ale and enjoying it, but have finally decided it is not the finished, final version of the Almaden Valley Brewing Raccoon Trail Pale Ale.  It needs work. To start with, the carbonation did finish too light.  I cut back the priming sugar in an ... http://brewbrain.com/blog/archives/138 And just like that, I'm unstuck. I was really in a great groove playing the poker last night, so I just kept on playing. The tables were about as good as I've ever seen. When the dust settled, I had racked up just over 11 buy-ins and ... http://brewbrain.com/blog/archives/137 In limited playing time, February was a very good month at the poker tables.  I decided to take the game seriously and turn it into a part time job.  Like clockwork, the downswing commenced. It could be tons and tons worse given the horrible luck I've had, so I can't complain.  ... http://brewbrain.com/blog/archives/136 I suppose every homebrewer toys with the idea of owning his or her own brewery in some form or another.  For me, it's a brew pub.  If the opportunity presents itself down the line, that's what I'll do with the next phase of my life.  I'm pretty locked in to what ... http://brewbrain.com/blog/archives/135 A while back I brewed up a batch of a very good pale ale that used cascade hops for both bittering and flavoring.  It was a very tasty pale ale with a super simple recipe that I figured would be easily repeatable, so I decided to use it as a ... http://brewbrain.com/blog/archives/134