Guinness: 250 years of craic*

250 years ago today, Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease on his Dublin brewery at St. James's Gate. Guinness began as a unique Irish brand of beer - and still is distinctly Irish, although it . . . more

Punk'd

The onset of cooler weather has few things to recommend it. Football and chili are two. Autumnal brews are another. I'm currently trying the Punkin Ale from Dogfish Head (one of my favorite breweries). It's a nice addition to the pumpkin brews I like - flavorful and balanced with a respectable 7% abv. It's not overly spicy but has a nice flavor profile. I recommend checking it out.

"Take me down to the Sunset Grill..."

Props to Scottobrew Beersalot for putting together a little midweek break to kick it with Dr. Goodbeers over at the Sunset Grill & Tap on Wednesday. Pumpkin beers were the order of the evening, and I tried the Dogfish Head Punkin Ale (disappointing - a little lackluster in taste although it sports a healthy 7% ABV), the Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale (amazing - incredibly complex, spicy, and delicious at 8% ABV), and the Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout (really nice, dark, hint of sweetness and roasted flavor at 6.75% ABV).

Seasonal beer. One of about three positives of living in an Arctic clime.

Day 8 (Part I): A Relatively Excellent Meal

This is one of a series of entries from my travel journal chronicling my recent trip to Europe. You can click here for the archived entries.

Day 7 | Day 8 (Part II)

Ireland Photo Gallery

Cork Airport, Cork City, Co. Cork, Rep. of Ireland 13/06/08

I'm currently waiting to board my flight from Cork to Dublin after a very easy and successful drive here. I bid farewell to Mom, who dropped me off and has another day in the Old Country before she flies out on Saturday. I made sure to give myself plenty of time to get here so I have some time to kill. Seems like the perfect opportunity to recount yesterday's events.

All week I had been yearning to try the fabled Irish breakfast, specifically black pudding (blood sausage). I awoke bright and early and headed over to La Jolie Brise to order their Full Irish Breakfast, consisting of both black and white pudding, bacon, sausage, egg, and tomato - all pan-fried. Coffee, OJ, and toast were included at €7.50 - not bad at all in this land of culinary highway robbery.

It was a great meal, although I've never been more thirsty - shockingly salty, especially the bacon. I was pleasantly surprised with the pudding as well. Black pudding is a mixture of pork, oats, herbs, spices, and of course pig's blood. (I noticed that the grocery store versions contained about 18% of it.) It's actually far less meaty than typical pork sausage and has a slightly bready texture and spicy taste, with a bit of sweetness due to the blood (the white pudding is the same sans blood of course, so lacks this level of sweetness and depth of flavor). I liked the black pudding quite a bit and preferred it to the white.

After breakfast Mom and I headed out to Rosscarbery, the main town in the general area from which my great-grandparents on my Mom's maternal side came. We took the R597 out of Rosscarbery to the tiny village of Drombeg, where there is an impressive stone circle dating from 2000-500 BCE. This was far more impressive than the first stone circle we saw. The two tallest stones (the "portal" stones) were about 5' high, and the rest of the slightly shorter stones made a circle some 10' or so in diameter. During the winter solstice the sun shines through the portal stones and hits the axial, or recumbent, stone, lying horizontally directly opposite the portal stones. In the center of the circle was a small plot - presumably a more modern addition - filled with offerings of one sort or another - flowers, seashells, coins. I tossed in a few euro cents because it seemed like the thing to do.

On the same main site about 50 yards from the circle were a couple other Bronze Age sites - the remains of a couple huts (mere stone foundations/outlines) and a very interesting communal cooking area with a well, a trough, and a hearth. My hungry Celtic forebears would build a fire and heat up rocks until they were red hot, then roll them into the trough, filled with fresh water from the well. This would heat the water in the trough so that it could be used in cooking. Experiments have shown that it was possible to boil 70 liters of water in about 18 mins. using this method, and the water would remain hot for some three hours thereafter. [Ed: My numbers might be off here but that's the gist of it.] An amazing site, perched on a hillside, with a tremendous view of the surrounding hills and the sea off in the distance.

After Drombeg we headed back to Rosscarbery and walked around a bit. There was a very nice town center and a church up the hill hidden a bit from the main road. Very scenic. We then tried to find Barleyhill, back down the N71 toward Skibbereen. This proved a mite difficult as small town districts like this are on the maps but not necessarily marked with any signage. Also, although technically called a "town" district it might in actuality be nothing more than a handful of houses and farmland scattered over several square miles. After a couple back-and-forth attempts we took a turn onto what looked to be the correct turnoff into rolling farm country - serious hicksville (which for Ireland is saying something). I was fairly confident we were in the right area - there was not a house standing anymore, but we knew that my Nana's mother had come from the Barleyhill area. A friendly local farmer confirmed that we were indeed in Barleyhill, although we were in West Barleyhill rather than East Barleyhill and we possibly wanted East Barleyhill; or perhaps it was vice-versa. Either way we figured we had succeeded. We snapped a few shots of horses and cows and set off to meet the rest of my relatives in Castletownshend for lunch at the famous Mary Ann's.

This is a restaurant with great distinction in Ireland, from what I understand. It began in the 1840's, has gone through several changes in ownership, has won many awards and is in countless guidebooks and recommendations as a top seafood restaurant. This was reason enough to check it out but we also had a tenuous family connection with the owner, Fergus O'Mahony. Fergus was related to one of my Nana's first cousins - therefore a cousin of some complicated degree of removal to me.

We had a fantastic lunch, one of the best I've ever had - long, leisurely, with fabulous food and company. I started off with the seafood chowder - not a complex broth but brimming with big pieces of fish and fresh vegetables. A simplified departure from my experience at the Fishy Fishy Cafe, but definitely a welcome one. I was able to sample some starters from around the table as well - delightful mussels in basil & cream; fried goat cheese with a sweet chili relish; smoked salmon as part of a cold seafood salad. All were delicious. For my main I chose the filet of plaice (a white fish similar to cod) stuffed with leeks and crabmeat in a creamy white wine sauce. Fabulous! I sampled the scallop special as well - seared scallops with an herb mushroom & crab risotto. Quite tasty, all. With our food the table got a big plate of yellow chips (fries), mixed veggies and a gigantic dish of mashed potatoes. We were served by a friendly if slightly hard-to-understand Polish young man. Nobody could resist ordering dessert given the ostentatious dishes we had seen going by to other tables as we ate. I chose the apple and rhubarb crumble which was simply delicious, served with creamy vanilla ice cream and surrounded in a sort of raspberry-vanilla sauce.

After dinner we introduced ourselves to Fergus and asked him for help with directions to the fourth and final destination on the Sullivan Family Tree Tour at Bawnishall Cross Roads. Fergus - a busy man and rather a big deal in Ireland's burgeoning gourmet dining industry - dropped everything he was doing and launched into a nonstop stream-of-consciousness speech:

"Oh yes we were in the States a few years ago - Trish, my wife, and I - but the last time was before that awful man was elected President. Ooooooh, how I hate those Republicans. Corrupt, all of 'em! We here love the Clintons. Love them." He indicated a photograph of Bill Clinton from a benefit in Dublin some years prior. "A most charming man. I don't think Obama's the man for the job. They'll shoot him before he gets to the White House. But yes now where are ye from? Boston - what part? Milton...is that on the North Shore? South Shore, right. Now [my relatives] lived in Chelsea. I remember Daniel had the big dog. You shoulda seen the food that man would feed it. Three dogs couldn't have eaten it! Thing was enormous. I used to take it out for a walk and it'd be panting for hours after we got back. That dog died of a heart attack. Dan killed him with kindness, he did. Now Jake's brothers were rebels. Our family was always Fianna Fail, always supported the cause. All three of them left Ireland and headed for America. Never came back. The Free State Army was after them. Never came back home. Aye, driving here can be tough. Stay to the left! A few years ago I was home for James' funeral - that would've been ninety-seven. Was playing golf in Florida and found meself a few times with a car comin' right at me. Forgot meself to drive on the right! At night it's especially tough. Lovely country, though, America. They just had a tornado in Iowa yesterday. Ran through a Scout camp it did. Killed nine children. Tragic, absolutely tragic. Here, follow me and I'll show you where me grandmother was born, it's just around the corner. That little house right there with the bay windows. Now me brother's house. My other brother lives next door there. How's the economy in Massachusetts? Real estate is just crazy over there. My brother bought a huge house in Florida for $200,000! Unbelievable. Around here houses start at €400,000! I'm on a diet now - lost 2 1/2 stone over the last few weeks. Smoked salmon and beef stroganoff is all I eat. You should've seen me five weeks ago! I looked like the fattened calf. Did'ye like our fresh homemade brown bread? Let me give you a loaf to take with you."

Fergus was incredible. Friendly, charming, hilarious, generous, and very helpful. After giving us a big loaf of his brown bread he wished us good luck and said, "Perhaps I'll see you in America!" Once Bush leaves office then Fergus will bring himself to come back to the US. In a poll I read in the Irish Times it said that only 7% of Irish would vote for McCain - Hillary had a few more percentage points of support over Obama. They love the Clintons over here.

We checked out the impressive church in Castletownshend (which is a small town with a nice harbor, the church, and only one other bar/restaurant aside from Mary Ann's from what we could tell) and then went off to find the Bawnishall Cross Roads.

Again, Bawnishall is a town district that is unmarked by signage, but Fergus had told us that once we reached the crossroads that had the sign for the Toe Head road, then that would be the right spot. We hit the crossroads as Fergus had described in our two-car caravan and talked to some locals to confirm that we were indeed in the correct area. They were, as is evidently the case in West Cork, wonderfully friendly people, willing to drop everything to help a stranger out. Now Bawnishall from what I could tell consisted of a couple farms and three or four houses in close proximity ("Oh! Boh-NEEE-shall you mean!") so everyone had at least heard of the Sheehans, the descendants of whom still lived somewhere in the area although nobody was sure where. This was the one place where we had relatively good intelligence that the original house in which my Mom's grandfather grew up was still standing. After much deliberation, talking amongst themselves, and conferring with all the local passersby, it was determined that the old Sheehan house was literally right in front of us at the crossroads. This was a very good thing - unfortunately the house had fallen into ruin for some time and was purchased by someone who knocked it down and was building a big, modern house on the old site. Fortunately the original outhouse stood on the side - a curious juxtaposition with the huge modern house in the midst of construction. Also, part of the original wall remained in the back and was seamlessly integrated with the new wall - an appropriate tribute to the old while making room for the new. Although we couldn't be 100% certain that this was in fact the correct house, everyone seemed pretty confident that this was "where the old Sheehan house was." An amazing feeling to be connected to a few stones, a small plot of land some thousands of miles across the Atlantic in a foreign land.

"You're standing on the same land where your great-grandfather once stood, dearie," said one of the local women who helped us (actually she was visiting from Cork City but she had friends in the area).

Indeed, an amazing feeling.

We headed down the road back to Baltimore and headed to Casey's for a final drink with everyone together. My aunt, uncle, and cousin were staying in Baltimore until Saturday, driving to Dublin, and staying through until Monday. Mom was heading up to Cashel to check out the Rock and the surrounding area and then staying over in Cork before catching her flight home on Saturday. And I, well, here I am at Dublin Airport now around 2PM, awaiting my 4:00 flight to Budapest, Hungary. (I finished my Cork-Dublin flight while writing this entry for those actually paying attention.)

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A few notes on Guinness:

To start, a poured pint here is different from all but the most legitimate Irish pubs in the States (the ones in which the bartender speaks with a brogue). The two-part pour is a process that should take no less than four or five minutes, and often seems to take longer. The first pour fills the pint glass about 3/4 of the way, and then the bartender lets it rest for a few minutes to let the head settle. Then he goes off to tend to other customers, tidy up behind the bar, or even come out from behind the bar to gab with the regulars for a bit. After this the pint is topped off with a perfect finishing pour - the head is a wonderful nitrogenated foam forming a perfect meniscus on the rim of the glass. Even then it's best for the patron to let the pint sit for a couple minutes to let the foam settle into the head properly. Whether all this actually makes it taste better, or even different, isn't something I can in good conscience comment on (only because I don't think it matters a whit after my very informal experimentation) but it's just the Way It's Done.

Because of all the time involved, the corollary to being prepared for this process is that when you order your next pint, be sure to order it well before you've finished your current one. Ideally you should have a fresh pint poured and waiting for you while you finish your current one. This means when you finish, you will have a properly poured pint that has already settled enough to be enjoyed. I found that a good rule of thumb is to order the next round when the level of stout has reached the curving-in point in the standard stout pint glass (this of course assumes a leisurely rate of consumption. Individual mileage may vary, especially on St. Patty's Day). I have arrived at this conclusion only after some rigorous, scientific testing this week.

Oh, and you know how everyone says that Guinness tastes better in Ireland? I disagree. I think a draught in Ireland tastes the exact same as that in the States (and presumably Honk Kong, Vladivostok, and Ulan Bator, for that matter). Not surprising considering that Guinness is a huge international brand that is quite effectively mass-marketed by its owning company (which isn't even Irish). However, the Guinness definitely feels better over here. It's a far more enjoyable, almost transcendent experience to have a drop of the black stuff on the Old Sod than anywhere else.

A small distinction, perhaps, but an important one.

Bad Larry the Limey

I was very skeptical about it when I first heard about it, but I have to admit that the new Bud Light Lime is pretty decent. Makes an otherwise piss-poor beer palatable.

Still can't hang with a Corona and actual lime, but that goes without saying.

Beer o'clock started an hour ago, btw. Cheers to the advertising industry!

Day 3: Land of the Midnight Sun

This is one of a series of entries from my travel journal during my recent trip to Europe. You can click here for the archived entries.

Day 2 | Day 4

Baltimore, West Cork, The Republic of Ireland 08/06/08

I was awakened around noontime this morning by a persistent banging. It took me a few minutes to wake up from my deep slumber, but I finally jerked awake. At first I thought it was my Mom having returned from a morning of photography and forgotten her key. I ran downstairs and saw my uncle's face through the front door. They had arrived! I welcomed my aunt, uncle, and cousin to Baltimore and it was a bit of a déjà vu of cranky, tired, complaining travelers (as my Mom and I had been exactly the day previous). They regaled me and Mom (she returned soon after their arrival) with tales of their hairy travels from Shannon. It's a rite of passage for travelers flying into that airport I suppose. We had a chuckle at the similarities in our respective travails.

Our landlord, Bob Clarke, came by to pick up the security deposit and give us some info about the heat, showers, and some recommendations on local eateries, grocery stores, and sights. I then went out with Mom for a stroll around Baltimore. It's a small fishing town that's a popular destination for both the Irish and foreign tourists. There's a quaint town center overlooking the harbor. Sailing, water sports, cruises to islands in Roaringwater Bay, and other seafaring activities are what draw so many here. The scenery with the colorful little buildings on the water, surrounded by hills, with islands out in the distant bay, is beautiful (the enormous rusting skeleton of a dockyard building directly across the street from us notwithstanding).

While my relatives recovered, Mom and I decided to do some walking and photography around town. First we strolled down a path near the cottage to the Lifeboat Station, which is supported and run entirely by donations and volunteers. It's a small white building sitting on the beach overlooking the back inlet of Baltimore Harbor. We walked all along the beach, snapping some great pics of sailboats moored offshore, rusting derelict hulks run aground at low tide, and wonderful views of pretty little houses perched up on the surrounding hills, with the omnipresent fog rolling over the hilltops. We then walked through the town center and out to the Baltimore Beacon, about a 30 min. walk up into the hills just past the harbor entrance, looking out onto the Atlantic.

The Beacon itself is a squat stone tower, probably some 30 ft. high, that's simply been whitewashed (the last paint job was some time ago judging from the peeling). It sits high on this rocky promontory that is just absolutely majestic. The fog had rolled in thick and covered the top of the surrounding hills; sailboats and jet skis could only just be made out as they shot the gap in the straits below; across the way one could just make out a lighthouse perched on an even higher peak on Sherkin Island across the narrows. On either side of the Beacon were sheer cliff faces falling into sheltered coves covered in the slate or shale that comprises the shoreline of the area. It was windy, slightly chilly, but with the sun peeking through every so often. The lush, green hillsides; the path up bordered by stone walls; the dense fog rolling in and out was so mysterious - it felt otherworldly, fairy tale-like (or at least as if I were on a movie set). Several times Mom mentioned how easy it would be to "accidentally" push someone off the cliff. I made sure to not turn my back to her when I was near the edge, in case I had made one driving crack too many.

As we strolled back to town I was struck by a sudden headache and hunger pangs. Despite its being in and out all afternoon, the sun had done a Rudolph job on my face (I often get headaches from sun overexposure). This was undoubtedly compounded by lack of food and Guinness (up until now I had a mere tuna fish sandwich and some cheese, crackers, soda bread and a banana in a day and a half on the Emerald Isle). Time for some serious noshing. I also had yet to have my first pint of the Black Stuff - I had purchased a six-pack of bottles at the store in Skibbereen to keep at the house but they were the extra stout (good but not the draught). They were also tiny 250ml bottles, which somehow I failed to notice when I bought them. They were like those bottles they give you on airplanes. So I was fiending. We made it back and met up with the rest of the folks - to La Jolie Brise in the town center for dinner!

Right above the harbor, the town center is dominated by an outdoor patio serving several nearby establishments. La Jolie Brise was one that caught our eye. I had the most amazing mussels - a truly gigantic bowl of the mollusks swimming in a broth of white wine, onions, garlic, and what I would conservatively estimate to be several pounds of butter. A bowl of tasty chips (french fries) accompanied it. Possibly the best mussels I've ever eaten. Tender, fresh, delicious, and rich in that heavenly broth (so heavenly that I found myself dipping everything in it that would take to it - chips, pizza crusts, etc.). We ordered a couple pizzas as well - decent but nothing earth-shattering. A sauvignon blanc went very nicely with the mussels. My cousin and I picked up a couple ice cream bars from Cotter's next door for dessert (he opted for Twix; I Snickers) while my uncle picked up the bare essentials: bars of soap and a bottle of Côtes du Rhône. We headed back to the house - my Mom and aunt were bushed, as was I. My uncle and cousin went walking around as I drifted in and out of consciousness on the living room couch. As it was getting close to sunset I decided to rally and head out. I met my uncle and cousin on the way back into town; Liam went back while Staley and I headed to Bushe's Bar to grab a pint and watch the sunset. It was a brilliant way to end the day. That first pint of Guinness was pure magic, poured into a perfect head after the lengthy but necessary two-part pouring process. We grabbed one of the wooden beer barrel tables and chatted and sipped our pints while we watched the sundown.

An interesting thing about Ireland, and one that escaped me during my first visit (or perhaps I plumb forgot) is that it stays light here very late. One could still see spots of orange in the cloudy sky well after 10PM, and it was light for some time thereafter. Even as I write this at around 12:30 in the morning, the sky possesses a dim glow. We are close to the same latitude here as Alaska. Did you know that? I certainly did not.

The plan tomorrow is to take a ferry out to one of several islands out in Baltimore Harbor. Clear Island is rumored to be more scenic and the largest by far of all the islands (it is home to an Irish school for children & adults), whereas Sherkin Island has ruins of a fort and friary and "a bit of a pub scene" according to Bob Clarke. I think I know which one I'll prefer.

A Couple Awesome Things: Giacomo's and Beirut.

A bunch of people that I hang out with for some reason and I are having dinner at Giac's tonight. Should be good. Then we are going to break in the schtonky new beirut table that 45 sent me for my birthday. Hopefully we'll get some good pics for the interwebs.

Although I haven't heard from a single one of these so-called "friends" today...

Friday Miscellany

A great night for the Celts and the Sox last night.

• Beckett was brilliant over seven innings, K-ing eight and giving up a single run. With the 5-1 win, the Sox won the four-game series in Detroit. Very nice start to the road trip. Four in Minnesota up next with a couple games at Camden to round out the away games next week.
  
  
  
  
• For the second game in a row at the Garden, King James appeared mortal. He put up 21, which was far better than his performance on Tuesday. Still, the Celtics' defense has been stellar, making LeBron really work to put up poor shots. The first quarter of last night the Cavs came out swinging, and James looked like he was back in the groove. But the Celtics bench came alive in the 2nd, with Cassell, Posey, Powe, and Brown energizing the team with steals, great D, a couple 3's and some intense offense. Awesome win. Now the Celts have to go to Cleveland for Game 3 on Saturday and see if they can win a playoff game on the road. By all accounts LeBron is far from out of this and can explode at any time, especially on his home court. Let's hope that the Hot 'Lanta performances do not follow the Celts to Cleveland.
  
  
  
  

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Mike-robrew: This one's for Scottexplorer. Endurance Pale Ale. Hoppy, flavorful, and refreshing, with some excellent label copy:

Perhaps the most compelling survival story of our time took place almost 100 years ago. This is a story of heroics, strength, fortitude and endurance. In 1914, Sir Ernest Shackleton, Second Officer Tom Crean and their 26 man crew launched a voyage from England to become the first polar explorers to traverse Antarctica. And so started the journey known as the Endurance expedition.

Endurance Brewing Company was founded with two clear goals in mind: to bring awareness of this incredibly heroic group of men and to provide beer enthusiasts with award-winning brews that help stir the adventurous nature of the spirit within. For well over 3 years, Endurance Brewing Company has been creating a branding strategy and beer recipe that we think would earn the respect of every man of the Endurance Crew.

Our flagship ale, Endurance Pale Ale, is dedicated to Second Officer Tom Crean, who was regarded by many historians “as close to indestructible as any man that’s ever lived”. This smooth and crisp golden pale ale is rich in hops with a hint of citrus. Look for other Endurance Brewing Company beers shortly, but in the meantime, pour a tall, refreshing glass of Endurance Pale Ale, raise it high in honour of Tom Crean and the Endurance crew and enjoy one of the finest beers around.

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Speaking of Scottinfo, he recently linked to this well-done report on city comparisons based on a variety of interesting metrics. Very cool. The Hub does very well; no surprise there.

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Been reading several interesting articles over at Arts & Letters Daily as of late:

• Atheist Churches: Oxymoron? This article in New York Magazine talks about atheism and the rise of atheist churches. One of the points I liked is that atheism should stand for something rather than just being anti-God. Its very name is an inherent negation.

• Another article taking on an otherwise oxymoronic phrase: "Libertarian paternalism." The Chronicle Review piece's author meets with professors Cass Sunstein and Richard Thaler and discusses their theory that good government can be paternalistic through "nudging" people to behave in ways that benefit society as a whole, while remaining as hands-off as can be expected to appeal to the libertarian camp. Pretty intriguing idea. Almost a "Why not?" approach to governance.

• An excellent MIT Technology Review piece about the possibility and probability of other life in the universe. Nick Bostrom has an entirely different view on the matter that I had never heard or thought about: he sees the lack of evidence about otherworldly life as great news for the human race. It's a longer article, but fascinating. Check it out.

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It's Friday. That's always noteworthy.

For the Record

Amstel Light is horrendous.

That is all.

Fisherman's IPA

One of several beers from the Cape Ann Brewing Co. in Gloucester, MA. I'm a big fan of IPAs - the Harpoon IPA has been my #1 go-to drink in recent months, edging out Guinness in a thoroughly unscientific study - and this is a great contribution to the category. The Golden Goose, from which I purchase beer at highway robbery-level prices, doesn't have a big or very varied beer selection, but they have added a few new microbrews as of late, including Fisherman's IPA. This beer has a lot of hoppy flavor without being overpoweringly bitter. Really nice.

Irish Red

I recently tried Sam Adams' Irish Red, from their Brewmaster Collection. I've never seen this before, but I'm not sure if it's new or if I just haven't come across it. It's a great red ale. If you like Killian's or Harpoon Hibernian Ale then you'll like the Irish Red. Sweet maltiness balanced with some bitter hop flavor. Check it out.

To Hop or Not To Hop? That Is the Question.

Interesting reading this after having read this. Hops are getting scarce and incredibly expensive, meaning all those delicious microbrews you like are going to possibly skyrocket in price.

Sobriety or poor house? That is another question with frightfully disturbing answers.

As a side note, I had a Miller Lite after having had a Dogfish Head last night and I might as well have asked the bartender to micturate in a cup and hand it to me. I switched back to the Dogfish Head. Just thinking about its delicious hoppiness makes me happy.

Celebration Ale

Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale is the best holiday/winter seasonal ale I have had. It's rich, hoppy, and flavorful without overpowering spiciness (Harpoon Winter Warmer and Sam Adams Winter Lager, for example - while good beers - are guilty of this). A fantastic beverage.