Tag Archives: Beer

Unemployed Scientists Prove Dog Likes Beer

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Interesting developments in the world of science this week:

Dog Likes Beer

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—A team of three out-of-work stem cell biologists announced Monday that, after four weeks of rigorous observation and field testing, the evidence conclusively shows that chief researcher Dr. Henry Rogers’ dog Franklin likes beer.

“We’re extremely pleased with the results of the experiment,” Rogers said. “It exceeded our highest expectations, and we’re confident that our findings will have far-reaching implications for the coming weekend.”

For the rest of this story and more, check out my favorite weekly publication, The Onion.

Moretti La Rossa Doppio Malto

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Birra Moretti La Rossa Doppio Malto

I picked up a bottle of Moretti’s Doppelbock while I was getting a Godmother at Bay Cities. I used to drink their pale lager every once in a while with a college friend who had studied abroad in Italy.

She used to drink it at the bars there, surrounded by old, mustachioed Italians who looked exactly like the guy on the label. This isn’t too surprising, considering their logo was meant to capture the essence of the Italian Everyman. Sort of like the Italian version of Bud Man or Barry Duffman.

From Birra Moretti’s website:

One day Commander Leo Menazzi Moretti saw a nice, moustached, old gentleman sitting at a table in the Boschetti Restaurant in Tricesimo (Udine). Commander Moretti believed that it was this old gentleman who embodied the character and personality of the actual beer – genuine, traditional and authentic. Commander Moretti didn’t let the opportunity slip but approached the gentleman and asked his permission to take a photo of the man drinking Birra Moretti. When asked what he wanted as a reward the gentleman replied “Cal mi dedi di bevi, mi baste” which in friulano dialect means, “a glass of what I am drinking, is sufficient for me”. They took the photo and it was later published just after the turbulent period of World War 2.

Over the years, the old gentleman or Mr. Moretti, as he is now known, has been played by a variety of actors and later in the 1970’s the famous designer, Bruno Bozzetto, produced a series of cartoons that used Mr. Moretti and his faithful tankard of Birra Moretti. Finally in 2000 Mr. Moretti came to life with a new advertising campaign where he is surrounded by expert contributors to the secret behind the quality and tradition that is Birra Moretti. Today, Mr. Moretti is played by the famous actor Orso Maria Guerrini.

La Rossa pours a nutty amber brown. Sweet, caramelly malt smell and a bit bready. I did a great job pouring, an inch of head settled down to a thin film that perfectly covered the murky brown beer. Nice taste, malty and nutty. Tastes better cold.

  • Appearance: 2.5/3Birra Moretti La Rossa Doppio Malto
  • Aroma: 8.5/12
  • Palate: 3/5
  • Flavor: 15/20
  • Overall: 7/10

Rating: 3.6

Carlsberg Elephant

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Carlsberg Elephant

Carlsberg Elephant is a malty, piss yellow beer with a heavy smell. Head is fizzy and immediately disappears. Tastes skunky and bitter. Palate is thin and grainy. That malt liquor taste is way more liquor than malt.

Elephant is 7.2% alcohol, which would explain why I thought it tasted so bad. It seems like they are more focused on making a strong lager than making a good tasting beer. I can’t remember the last time I had regular ol’ Carlsberg, but I remember it tasting much better than this.

  • Appearance: 1/3
  • Aroma: 5/12
  • Palate: 2/5
  • Flavor: 10/20
  • Overall: 5/10

Rating: 2.3

Sonny McLean’s: You Better Believe They’ve Got Sam Adams

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Sonny McLean’sMarch Madness is over, and baseball season is upon us. And what goes best with baseball, besides peanuts and crackerjacks? You guessed it: Beer. There are tons of crappy sports bars all over LA that serve their purpose, but wouldn’t you rather go somewhere exotic for the afternoon? How about Boston! (Yankee fans, you can go to Yankee Doodle, because you are not welcome here)

The interior is almost entirely dark wood, with a two rows of beat up bar stools and tons of crap on the walls. Beer mirrors, autographed sports memorabilia, inflatable Sam Adam’s bottles, California license plates that commemorate the Red Sox, old toboggans. They’ve got everything.

Sonny McLean’s may not have all the fancy-pants beer that Father’s Office and the Otheroom keep on tap, but what they lack in obscurity, they make up for in selection. Sonny’s has plenty of crowd-pleasers on tap, about 25 in total. Boddington’s, Guinness, Pilsner Urquell, Stella, Bass, Harp, Blue Moon, Sam Adams, Redhook IPA and ESB, Newcastle and Smithwick’s to name a few. Interestingly enough, they have Anderson Valley’s Boont Amber Ale on tap. It seems strange that this is their only beer whose brand is not widely saturated. Why Boont?

There are many reasons (besides beer reasons) to go to Sonny McLean’s :

  1. Darts
  2. Air Hockey
  3. Pool
  4. A ton of TVs
  5. Decent Jukebox
  6. 2 Golden Tee machines
  7. Basketball arcade game

If that hasn’t sold you, they also have terrific food. Their turkey avocado sandwich is delicious. Their fries are winners too. I have not tried their burgers, but have witnessed my friends enjoying them.

Expect to pay between $4.75 and $6 for a pint. A bit pricey, but hey, this is Santa Monica, you’re used to it.

SONNY MCLEAN’S
2615 Wilshire Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90403
310-449-1811

Spaten Optimator

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Spaten OptimatorLike I mentioned last week, Spaten Optimator wins big points in the cool name department. It ranks higher in alcohol content as well, with 7.2% as opposed to the Pils 5%. Both are available in 16.9 oz. sizes at Gelson’s for $2.59. Strangely enough, they don’t sell the Pils in 12 oz bottles. Optimator, Oktoberfest, and Lager are available in both sizes. I haven’t seen this beer on tap anywhere, but I know it has to be hiding somewhere in LA.

Optimator pours a reddish dark brown, with a diminishing off-white head. So-so lacing. Nose is malty and sweet, but not that enjoyable. This doppelbock has a toasty, nutty start, and a bitter finish. Medium body, dark and flavorful.

  • Appearance: 2/3
  • Aroma: 6/12
  • Palate: 4/5
  • Flavor: 14/20
  • Overall: 7/10

Rating: 3.3

Alaskan Amber

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Alaskan AmberBought a single 12 oz bottle on a whim one evening for about $1.69. I’ve always seen it sitting there on the shelf at Ralph’s, but for some reason I had never tried it before. Boy was I missing out. The verdict on Alaskan Amber: DEE-licious.

The beer pours a deep mahogany color. Off-white fizzy head that is mostly diminishing. It has a very unique aroma, sweet and hoppy, with a hint of cherry. With such a sweet sugary aroma, I didn’t expect the taste to match the smell as much as it did.

I didn’t know I liked beer that tastes this sweet. The cherries were waiting for me up front, with a hint of amaretto backing them up. This stuff goes down easy, with a slightly malty aftertaste. Alaskan’s got a light body, the beer is a bit thin, but that can be easily forgiven.

After such a great impression, Alaskan Amber really stuck in my head. Just a couple days ago, I realized they have this on tap at FO. Highly recommended. You will want to have more than one.

  • Appearance: 2/3
  • Aroma: 11/12
  • Palate: 3/5
  • Flavor: 18/20
  • Overall: 9/10

Rating: 4.3

Czechvar aka Budweiser Budvar

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Czechvar aka Budweiser BudvarWay back in August of 2005, I went to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with a group of 12 Northwestern students. They were bringing their play out for 30 performances, one each day at 3:30. Riding on my actress girlfriend’s coattails, I lived with them in a five bedroom apartment right across the street from the west end of the Meadows. I offered up my services as a stagehand, and they provided me a place to sleep. It was a fun month.

About a week into the run, I discovered a quaint little pub around the corner from the venue called Proctor’s, a great place to drop in for a wee dram. Continue reading →