Don't tell what to do, England! You're not the boss of me!

Hello everyone, yea, yea, yea, it's been awhile.  I know...but I learned today that we shouldn't be writing about Bacon or Pork.  You know, because we don't want to offend the Muslims or Jews.

Feel free to read for yourself.

OK, so I have friends that practice both of these religions, and while I respect them, I'm not going to dodge subjects just because of them.  People that know me, know that I don't have issues talking sensitive subjects with people of other views.  Hell, I've always said that if you want to understand something, ask questions.  Learn about the subject...but ALWAYS have your own views.

Why do I have to turtle because it might "offend" them??

Last I checked, this is America.  We have this document that has these amendments that say we can do something.  This little Relationship Agreement between the Government and the People.  And the first one says, "Fuck you!! I'll Say/Write/Post what I want."  Granted, I may have ramifications of exercising that right...but I can do it nonetheless.

So, today I'm going to talk about two OTHER things that I love, Bacon and Donuts.  That, and that I just found out is going to be coming to a Dunkin's near me!!

You can see the story here..(click me or the picture above)

Yes, that's right, it's a Maple Bacon Donut.  From what they are saying over at Dunkin's, they are calling it, "The Deluxe Bacon Donut."  They say it will feature a glazed Bismark (eclair-shaped donut) topped with two strips of bacon. The donut is available in two varieties, Original and Maple Flavor, featuring maple flavor icing.

Now, what I now have to see, is if this is as good as the one that I bought at Voodoo Doughnuts in Portland.

I was out there working and stood in line for an hour to get a dozen of their donuts, and two of them were their Bacon Maple Bar doughnut. This is a raised yeast doughnut with maple frosting and bacon on top!  And OH MY GOD!!  They were good.

These are two of the donuts that I picked from Voodoo Doughnuts up in the Dozen I bought.

So now it seems that I'm going to have to locate one of my kazillion Dunkin's around me to find one of these.  As it seems that not all of the local Dunkies will have them available.

Once I find one of these little gems, I'll be sure to let y'all know...so until then...

Let's Compliment The Craft Beer...

So, here I was going through Facebook when an Ad about this special pint glass came across my feed.  It was called, "The Oregon Pint Glass."  So, this got me to thinking...what else is out there that would be a great gift for the Craft Brew Drinker in your life.

I was really amazed on the products that were out there...and now I'm thinking that I need to win the lotto...there's just so many things that I would love to have to make my beer drinking easier!!  So, let's take a look at the things I feel would be the most handy.  If you have anything that you've seen, leave a comment with a link...I'm sure that there would be many of us that would love to see them.

So, here we go...

The worst thing to happen is you have a beer, and you don't have an opener.  So, why not have one on your phone?  Here's one, which is similar to what I already have on my phone, that's from The Russian River Brewing. It's an iPhone 5 case.  And really, who doesn't want to show off a little Pliny??

What I have is the Opena Case, and I just like the way it works...but to each it's own.  But the fact that the opener slides out is what I like.  I worry about the open opener catching on things in my pocket.

And, if we're going to be talking about bottle openers...then this is something that everyone with a hitch MUST have...while I don't have one (the opener, I have a hitch), I have a birthday in a few months...just sayin'.  I mean, really, how can you go wrong with a bottle opener on a trailer hitch?

So, you don't have a truck or a car with a hitch? But you say that you have a dog?  Oh, then you should have told me that earlier...this Bottle Opener Dog Collar from Yazoo is just what you need!!

Honestly, how has no one come up with this before??  To have an Insulated 6-pack Carrier? This would be great for those short trips where you don't want a full on cooler!

So, you're headed up to Vermont or Maine to get a few growlers of your favorite brew...but you dont't want it rolling all around the back of your car?  Well, then I think that you might want a "Growler On Board." This should keep things upright and not all shook up!

Ok, so you've been traveling around, picked up too many Six/12 packs of your favorites?  But you don't have enough fridge space?  Well, don't you fret...because you just hang them with the Bottle Loft.  BAM!  Now you have a little extra space in your fridge for more beer!

And if you can't think of anything...or you already have all these Gadgets, then just go all out, forget the beer fridge and just get yourself a Walk IN with a Tap!

If all else fails, take a selfie and make some Toast!

Budweiser is Running A'Scared...

Howdy everyone!

I guess it's been awhile since I posted anything.  So, tonight I figured after those horrible Superbowl Ads, (well, a few were good) I wanted to take a look at the Budweiser spot that seemed to attack craft beer.

So, let's start by talking about what seemed to happen....it seems that AB InBev is getting nervous about how smaller craft breweries are starting to pop up EVERYWHERE.  Craft breweries have witnessed as much as 32% growth per year. In the same time while the two heavyweights have seen their market share wither by 7-8%.  That might not be a big thing to you or I, but when any large company starts to lose market share, they get nervous.  Look at Sam Adams...they are now considered one of the big boys...and while Koch said that he would only brew what he likes...he had to drift away from that with his line of IPA's. Why?  Because that's what people want.  He was starting to lose market share because he wasn't known for making other beers people wanted, like the IPA.  Now, enter the Rebel West Coast IPA, his contribution to the market to try to get back some of what he's losing.

So, what does that mean?  It means that AB and SABMiller are getting worried.  While they are still selling A LOT of beer, it seems that the Craft Beer segment is growing while the Macro Beer is in a slight decline.

So, what does that mean?  I guess it means that we must attack that market!  We must make fun of those beer drinkers and see if we can, "Win back this Great Country!"

But, per Budweiser VP Brian Perkins, he said the intent was not to criticize competitors or craft beer in general.

Really? Because that seems to be just what you did...and what's even funnier, they own some of the very same craft breweries that they mocked in this commercial.

So, let's go and break down this commercial, shall we?  Here's the text of the ad, just so we're not lost going along with this..

"Proudly a macro beer. It's not brewed to be fussed over. It's brewed for a crisp, smooth finish. This is the only beer Beechwood aged since 1876. There's only one Budweiser. It's brewed for drinking. Not dissecting. The people who drink our beer are people who like drinking beer. To drink beer brewed the hard way. Let them sip their pumpkin peach ale. We'll be brewing us some golden suds. This is the famous Budweiser beer. This bud's for you."

The commercial starts off saying that they are Proudly a "Macro Beer."

Yea,..OK.  So what?  What are you trying to say?  That you're a big time beer??  Because they are some of the leading burger joints, right?  Highest Volume?  But I can tell you, I'd rather eat at Slaters 50/50 and pay a little more for a better burger, than a fast food joint...who's our version of the, "Macro Burger."

Next, AB says that their beers are not to be, "Fussed Over."

Really?  I wonder why?  Maybe because your beer is nasty, there's no quality, it's just brewed to be sucked down...errr...sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself.

So, what you're saying is that there's no reason to smell, taste or enjoy your beer.  That there's nothing that goes into your beer to make someone WANT to take time to drink that yellow liquid. The very stuff you call, "beer."  I just want to make sure that I have this down correctly.

But wait, you're not telling me that it's, "Beechwood Aged."  

OK, so what are you saying?  You just told me that it's not to be fussed over.  That it's brewed for a crisp, smooth finish. And now you're talking about it being aged...in beechwood?  Do you understand that the only people that would care and possibly understand what this means, are the ones that you're currently mocking??  You do, right?  So, what are you doing here?  Trying to save a little face?

Yet, in the next breath, you say that it's just brewed, "For Drinking."

What do you mean?  I'm taking that this is meant to say, "Just suck this shit down. Don't care what it tastes like, that's not our goal!  Our goal is to get you wrecked so you can scream at your favorite NASCAR driver!!!"

Oh, and make sure that you don't, "Dissect our beer."

You know, because as we can see here, only glasses wearing Hipsters like Craft beer.  And let's just make fun of a whole population of people that like craft beer that don't really fall into the, "Hipster," genera.  I mean, if you're not leaning over to your buddy and asking them to, "Hold my beer and watch this," then you don't drink Bud!  I'm guessing that the normal person isn't in their targeted demographic.

And then, don't forget that people that drink Bud want their beer brewed, "The Hard Way."

OK, like how?  Mass produced?  By giving up and being bought by a Belgian Investment group, InBev?  Hell, they don't want to go the "Easy Way,"   You know, a small start-up, busting their asses every day working 20 hours days fighting YOU for shelf space in stores.  I was talking to the people at Jack's Abby the other day, they have been running 24 hour shifts to keep up with demand.  Working every day so they can make a living doing what they love.  You know, because that's not, "The Hard Way!"  I'm guessing that's why craft beer is on the rise, as the first graphic shows, because they are doing it, "The Easy Way."

Then they tell us that we can go on and enjoy our, "pumpkin peach ale."

This is what's even funnier to me.  This one statement that this is in the commercial.  Only because a few weeks earlier, AB just bought Elysian Brewing.  I bet you can't guess what they make! They have a beer called, Gourdgia on My Mind.  And you know what that beer is??  Yep, a Pecan Peach Pumpkin Amber Ale.  So, AB is making fun of the very beer of a brewery that they just purchased.  Then they basically say, with this ad, that the brewery that they just bought are pretentious fucking hipsters.  And, while they make fun of these beers, they are also trying to break into the fruity beer market as well.  I think that we've all see their line of "Rita" beers.  SO, what's this about not being scared about Craft Beer?  What's even funnier is that when asked about his, Mr. Perkins even went as far as to say, "The only other beer that we reference in the spot is a fabricated, ludicrous flavor combination of pumpkin peach ale."  So, you're telling me that you don't even know what you own?

Keeping it Classy!

So that's what Budweiser is all about...being a'scared about the Craft Brew Revolution.  People are tied of the same old flat tasting beers.  People want something good! They want something different! They want beers that push the limits...

Isn't that Right, Mr. Perkins?  What have you to say about how you're treating the people of the breweries that you own?  Mr. Perkins said, "Occasionally we do have a little bit of fun with some of the overwrought pretentiousness that exists in some small corners of the beer landscape that is around beer snobbery. That is the antithesis of what Budweiser is all about."  That must make Elysian Brewing and Goose Island, two craft breweries that are owned by AB, feel really good about themselves.

I guess the big question is why are you buying the breweries of the same beer you're poking fun at in this spot?

I haven't been able to find an answer to that question.

So, what's really going on??  

Well, Beer Marketer’s Insights notes that Budweiser’s market share has fallen from 8.4% in 2011 to 7.6% in 2013. And while Bud Light remains the country’s most consumed beer, with an 18% market share...The only “craft” beer to make the top 20 is Blue Moon.  And to be honest, that's a MillerCoors product.

So now that AB is seeing that craft breweries are opening at an astonishing pace around the country, I think that they are starting to panic. From what I could find, between 2010 and 2013, The Brewers Association estimates 836 new microbreweries opened their doors. All totaled, there are more than 2,800 in operation today.  That's pretty impressive considering after Prohibition ended, a consolidated industry emerged. So, by 1979, there were just forty-four breweries remaining.  That's considering that in the late nineteenth century, there were thousands of breweries in the United States.

Did the Big Guys win again?  While it's taken quite a bit of time, it's looking like they haven't.

“New breweries consistently find ways to produce innovative, differentiated products,” said Brewers Association chief economist Bart Watson. “The American beer lover increasingly is demanding fuller-flavored offerings from small, independent, local producers.”

That my friends, is why Budweiser put up that commercial.  They are getting nervous.  And they should, because their beers are not innovative.  They are just hoping that the market they are trying to retain isn't smart enough to understand how they were just insulted.  

Insulted as much as they insulted Craft Beer Drinkers around the Country.

Shame, Budweiser, Shame

EDIT:

I want to thank my friend Jen for posting a link to Northern Brewer Brewing Supply Store for this little bit of a "middle finger" to Bud.

Peach of Resistance Pumpkin Peach Ale Kit

As Jen said...well played, Northern Brewer, well played.

What do you mean Bacon is Good for Me?

Hi everyone, C-pher here and I figured that I would start a topic with one of my favorite foods.  Down home, we grew up eating bacon.  It's been a staple at the breakfast table at my Mimi's house, that's my Grandmother for all my Yankee friends, since I was knee high to a grasshopper.  So, I'm not gonna lie about this topic.  I have to admit that over the years of my life, I've kinda grown this unhealthy addiction to Bacon.  Hell, of the people that know me, knows that it's my middle name on Facebook.  Also, if you've been around for the past Eight years, then you might have made it to one of my annual "Bacon Beerfests."  That's my tribute to this little strip of meat.

There's only a two rules to this annual party:

1. Bring something to eat with bacon on it, in it, or around it.
2. Bring a six pack of a beer that's not commonly available in local drinking establishments and that becomes communal.

This allows people to eat a lot of interesting foods made from bacon and try beers that they have never tried before.  My Untappd profile gets a good kick from this party.  Not to mention, after Eight years I can tell you that the foods brought get more and more interesting.  This is because everyone wants to out do what was made the year before.  Tying all these foods can be a bit daunting as we're now around 150 people that come for this event.  And I can promise that no one leaves hungry.

So, I figured we'll do a little talking about the health benefits of bacon. (wait..what?) And being how Beer is a huge topic of discussion on this blog, how it can help with that not so happy feeling you might end up with the following morning.

So, what's all this about health benefits of Bacon?  Say it isn't so?  You're telling me that I can eat bacon without all the guilt?  You really need to explain all this...

SO, I guess I will.  Everyone wonders why I don't weigh a bazillion pounds from all my Facebook posts about all the food I eat while I'm traveling for work.  It's easy, I don't eat like that all the time.  If I did, I most likely WOULD be a bazillion pounds.  Yet, the only thing y'all see are the amazing places that I get to eat while traveling.  Hey, we all watch Triple D, or Man vs. Food, and some of those places are just too good to NOT try.  (If you're on the road, there's one site that I'm never without while looking for these places.  The site is called TV Food Maps and you can look up all the places near your current location that has been on one of the shows)  But, the other times I end up having small breakfasts, end up missing lunches or quick small lunches...those are what you don't see.  So, it lets me eat all that yummy bacon when I can!

So, what's so healthy about bacon?  Let's take a look!

Two thick slices of bacon are only around 150 calories and from what I can find, has about 10 grams of that good ole healthy fat and none of it are those yucky trans-fats.  WHOO-HOO!  And while everyone complains about the sodium, it's not huge, and where I don't eat a high salt diet (which is crazy for a Southerner, I know) the sodium I get from bacon isn't a lot being I rarely use salt in any of my other foods.

You know what else is in that yummy bacony goodness?  Vitamins B1, B12, Choline, zinc and selenium.  So, what does that mean?  Well, one thing we know about the Vitamins B is that they are good for producing red blood cells.  We also know that a Vitamin B deficiency can cause fatigue and depression. So, that means that eating bacon actually gives you energy and makes you happy.

Yea, yea, yea, I'm not a doctor, so don't quote me, but I'm going to believe this and you can't tell me otherwise.  So, let's keep going down this road...because I LIKE IT!

Then we've got that Choline to talk about. Choline is good for a health nervous system.  So, they are saying that if you're pregnant, Choline is necessary for the development of a healthy brain and nervous system in a growing baby.  So, if you're pregnant, eat that good ole wonderful magic meat!!

So, we've got some good vitamins in there...let's talk about two important minerals, zinc and selenium. Zinc is responsible for many of the enzymes created in our bodies, boosting immune system function, and in DNA formation. So, don't worry about those zinc pills when you have a cold, just eat some bacon! And they say that selenium is an important antioxidant, fighting to keep those free radicals out of your system.  SO, bacon doesn't make you radical!  Now that's pretty rad...(don't judge)

Now we know that it's heather for us than we thought. Let's keep talking...

This blog talks a lot about beer.  We talk about good beer! That means that we're doing Beer clubs, Beer Pairing Dinners, we're working on brewing, Beer Festivals and Tastings...that means we tend to have a day or three where we might have "tried" just a few too many.  And that means that we have to suck it up the next day...

How can we make this next morning a little better?  You guessed it, Bacon!

So, from what I can find, Scientists at Newcastle University say that one of the best hangover cures is the bacon sandwich.

What?  A bacon sandwich?  GET OUT!

Elin Roberts, of Newcastle University's Centre for Life said, "Food doesn't soak up the alcohol but it does increase your metabolism helping you deal with the after-effects of over indulgence. So food will often help you feel better.

"Bread is high in carbohydrates and bacon is full of protein, which breaks down into amino acids. Your body needs these amino acids, so eating them will make you feel good."

Ms Roberts said, "Bingeing on alcohol depletes neurotransmitters too, but bacon contains a high level of aminos which tops these up, giving you a clearer head."

I guess that they also found out just by cooking the bacon, there's a chemical interaction that produces a smell that starts the healing process.  How cool is that, not only is the bacon itself good for you, the smell of bacon cooking is as well. Man, just looking this stuff up has made me love this amazing food even more.

From the article: The science at work, behind the tantalizing smell of bacon causing the hangover to begin dissipating involves the effect on the human body when you have the specific, particular amino acids and sugars released into the air when heated above 150 degrees centigrade. This creates a physiological effect known to scientists studying the effects of nutrition on the human body, as “The Maillard Reaction!”

So, there you go, Bacon is good for you!  And if you don't want a bacon sandwich, then maybe you could make yourself a Baconhenge.

Wait, what's that about our beer??

Hi Everyone, I want to start off by wishing everyone a Happy New Year!!

I spent much of the holidays watching the Mythbusters Marathon on TV...and that got me to thinking...What are some of the myths that we hear about beer?  Are they true?  Maybe it's just stuff that we've believed all along because that's what we've been told.

With that, I say that today, why don't we dive into those myths and see what we can find?  Are there things that we thought we knew but we've been wrong about?

The first one, "Beer tastes better in Bottles than in Cans."

We've all heard this one, "You should drink beer in bottles!  It doesn't have that metallic taste."

Hey, I get it, Bud, Miller, Pabsts...they all come in cans.  All the good beers, like those are in those 22oz bombers, they're glass.  I get my Bruery or Goose Island beers in bottles, so they must be better, right?

Not necessarily.  Actually cans can keep beer fresher than bottles.  And even in bottles, the color of the glass can make a HUGE difference on how long beer can stay fresh.  There's two evil factors working against your tasty beer; Oxygen and Light.  So, with the potential of oxygen that's in the bottle, oxygen that's coming in under the cap, and light coming through the bottle...you can see why a can might keep beer fresher longer.  The worst bottles for beer are those clear glass, and the green really isn't much better.  Brown glass is going to hold out the most light, but add in twist offs and you still have the issue of letting in oxygen.

"But C-pher, what about that metallic taste that you get with cans?"  Well, fortunately, modern day cans have a coating inside them that's called a comestible polymeric coating.  This forms a protective barrier between the can and the beer.  That keeps the beer from oxidizing with the can and giving it that metallic taste.

And to prove it, many craft brewers are now canning right along with bottling.  If cans were worse than bottles, do you really think that many craft brewers would risk their beer in cans?

Any way that you want to look at it, the best way is to drink from a glass anyway.  So take those cans and bottles and empty them into the proper beer drinking glass.  What glass you ask?  Well, stand by,

we'll talk about later!


The next one is anything you've heard about dark beers.  They are heavy, they are more caloric, they have higher APVs, etc...

There's really no correlation between the color of the beer, and anything listed above.  Actually, Guinness, which most people call, "Liquid Bread," is only about 4% ABV and about 125 calories at 16 ounces.  Put this against a Coors or Bud, which is around 200 calories and has about a 5% ABV per 16 ounces.  You'll see that you're better off with that dark beer sometimes.

There's a lot of light, dark beers, and very heavy, light beers.  As we've been told growing up, you can't judge a book by it's cover. Honestly, the main reason that the beer is dark is because they roasted the malts longer.  It's the same malts used in other beers, just roasted longer.  It's much like roasting coffee, dark roast beans and light roast beans have the same amount of calories.  The difference is the dark roast has a more robust flavor due to the longer roasting times.  But it doesn't add calories into the bean.


What was that?  Beer needs to be served in a frosted glass and extremely cold?

Don't do that...different beers are meant to be served at their own temperature range.  And for the love of all things holy, DO NOT USE A FROSTY GLASS!

Frozen glasses cause all types of issues.  They water down the beer, as that ice melts off the glass that water is going into your tasty drink.  Also, beer served at near frozen temps will blind the taste buds against beer served at a recommended temperature. You lose aromatics when you serve beer too cold as well.  We all know that a large portion of taste is also attached to the smell.  You're wanting to taste and smell all those flavors in the beer that you drink, not hide them under cold conditions.  Also, the frost in your freezer picks up the flavors of other things in the ice box.  That means, when you frost a glass, you're going to end up adding those flavors into your beer. So, you'll once again never get the taste that the brewer intended you to taste.  While our well known American Light Lagers should be served around 38 degrees, the rest of the beers we drink shouldn't be.

And, speaking of glasses, much like there's different glasses for wines, there's different glasses for beers.  If you want, use them, they will enhance the enjoyment of your beer.  If you only buy one, then I think that the standard tulip glass is the best all around glass for drinking beer.

The Beer Temple has a great guide for beer temperatures and glasses.


Now, the last thing I want to talk about is how all those ads actually tell us something.  I mean, we heard it with the girl and her blind date with a french model.  I saw it on the Internet/TV, it MUST be true.

Well, sorry to tell you, the beer companies have been telling us lies and spreading these myths we're talking about as long as I can remember.  Hey, Guinness is Good for you, right?

Look what are we hearing from Miller Now, "Our Beer is Triple Hopped."  I'm pretty sure that most all beers today are using three additions. So, what's so new about that? And I believe that Coors is excited about their beer being cold filtered.  Is there really a Hot Filtering process? So, they make up things to make us think that they are doing something different.  The main problem with beer ads is that they aren't targeting anyone new.  We all know about these brands, they are trying to get more of the market share.  Trying to get us to. "Switch."  Well, knowledge is power!!

I think that the best thing that you can do is do like the rest of us that love beer.  Go out, ask questions, look up how your beer is made.  That will tell you more about how to best enjoy what you like to drink.

When you know more, you can enjoy that beer just that much more, right?  And ultimately that's our goal, to fully enjoy those beers we like so much.   And as always, if there's a myth about beer that you want to talk about, then let us all know!

A Little Southern Lesson for our Yankee Brethren...

Hi there, it's C-pher again.  As most of everyone around me knows, I was born in the South.  I'm proud of my Southern Heritage.  I'm proud to say that I was raised with values, respect, and a healthy fear of my Momma...even at the age of 43.

So, I was talking to some of my Northern Friends about the difference between a, Good 'ole Boy, Redneck, Hillbilly, Southern Gentlemen, etc...So, let's see if we can help everyone out. 

As most of everyone that was raised down South knows, there's a pretty big difference between each of what most Northerners call, "A Redneck."  It seems that most of them up here think that everyone from the South is pretty much all the same.  So, today, I think that I"m going to give y'all a little lesson.  I might even throw in a few things that this here Southern Boy is tired of hearing as well.   Mostly because the lot of y'all think you're being funny, but you're not.  hahaha  Ok, sometimes.  But mostly, it's recycled old jokes.

Let's start with the differences between, as it's been called, "The sociological economic infrastructure of Dixie."

We'll start with the Redneck.  Rednecks are usually crude Southerners.  Not always raciest, but can be sometimes.  They generally have jobs and have a strong work ethic as they are happy to work an honest day's pay.  Hence the term, working outside, and that warm Southern Sun burning the back of the neck.  They are proud of the South, may or may not have a Confederate Battle Flag (commonly mistaken for the Star and Bars) hanging somewhere in or out of the house.  They are commonly mistaken for a white trash, but they aren't.  White Trash folk don't usually work, tend to be lazy, so there's a pretty big difference.  Don't call a Redneck white trash, as Rednecks are usually prone to violence.  Rednecks might or might not live in a trailer...but more often than not, are happy with living a modest life.  Though they do tend to go crazy over certain types of Country music and NASCAR and good 'ole beer drinkin'.   They can be loud and obnoxious, but some aren't and can be quite pleasant around the right people.  So, honestly, they seem to have a lot in common with you Yankees!  And as my buddies up here say, they consider themselves Northern Rednecks, but that will have to be a topic for another time.

Next we'll talk about Hillbillies.  These are good people, but they're from the what we Southerns call, "The Hills."  These are Southern Mountain folk.  They don't live in Swamps and chase alligators, like Discovery Channel would like you to believe.  They are from what we call, hollers.  While they can be a bit rough, for the most part Hillbillies are nice, honest, friendly people.  You will find that they are brutally honest and forthcoming.  While many can be under-educated, they make up for it with years of "real world" education from surviving on their own.

Now, we're going to talk about Good 'Ole Boys.  While the previous two categories can include both women and men, this group is your average white male Southerner.  Middle to Middle-Upper Class, College Educated and most likely went to a predominant Southern College (Hotty Toddy).  These are your common, all around fun loving Southern Boy.  Very comfortable with the outdoors, but can also hold their own with the Ivy League types as well.  Brought up with strong family values, a lot of respect, uses Sir/Ma'am often, hold doors open for ladies, etc...  He's the one that would get this expression said after him for doing something for a neighbor or friend.  "Did you see C-pher help cut Mrs. Johnson's lawn when her husband was in the hospital? He's such a good 'ole boy."

Now we have the Southern Gentleman.  This is someone that models himself after the history of his family.  Usually Plantation Owners from Southern Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, etc...  A Southern Gentleman never complains, never boastful, always stands up when a lady enters the room, overly chivalrous.  You can think of the Southern Gentleman as the original Metrosexual. If you want to think of the perfect example of the Southern Gentleman, my guess is that it would be Robert E. Lee.

Now, we can't leave out the ladies, and for that, we have the Southern Belle. These are women that are very good in higher social gatherings.  They do well in social graces and the finer things in life.  Most grew up in Beauty Pageants, Miss (insert city, state, America) competitions, and needs to be the center of attention.  She's going to be someone that likes to get her way, and will do it with the patter of her eyes.  But beware, they can nice, friendly and smile...but the more they smile, the more hatred there is behind that smile.  You might even hear a, "Bless their Heart" a few times while they look down their noses at you...and you might want to find out what that really means if you don't already.

Next is the Southern Lady.  This is going to be one of the most respected women in the South.  These are strong, independent women who won't pout if they didn't get their way. She's going to be educated, understand history, art, and things that matter more than materialistic items.  These are kind, gracious women that men notice when they walk into the room.  Not because they are demanding attention, but because they are well dressed, hold themselves together and smell nice using light but expensive perfumes.  They are always working to help out some charity or their church, but will never take credit for any of the work that they've done.

So, there's a breakdown of who's who in the South.

I hope that this has helped you understand the different people of the South.  I know that I've also learned a few things moving up here.  Things that I wish that you Yankees would understand.

First, Stop asking where my accent is, and why I don't sound like, "A Hick"  Just because I spent the majority of my life in the South, doesn't mean that we all have huge Southern Drawls.  Much like everyone that lives in Boston doesn't speak without using "Rs."  And yes, while there's that beautiful sound that only a Southerner sounds like, they don't all sound the same.  And while we may all sound the same to you, we can usually tell where you're from as soon as you open your mouth.  Eastern and Western TN can sound completely different for example...which sounds different than someone from Atlanta which is different that the Carolinas, that's different from Mississippi...get it?  Y'all can tell the difference between Boston to Rhode Island to New York...but to us...y'all are the ones that talk funny.

Second, Yes, Southerners wear Shoes, know what Cable is, and we don't know if our cousin is a good kisser.  We're normal people.  We have big cities, great wonderful cities with Rich History.  What would good Alternative Music and Hip Hop be if we didn't have Atlanta?  What would the first weekend in May be around the country if we didn't have Louisville and the Kentucky Derby?  Or Bourbon, without Lexington and the Bourbon Trail, we wouldn't have that nectar of the gods.  What would BBQ, Blues and Country be if it wasn't for Memphis and Nashville?   So Stop...we didn't live in the dark.

Third, We have big Cities down South. It wasn't weird moving into one as large at Boston. Surprisingly, we even have cities that are LARGER than Boston.  So, don't ask what's the difference being from this city or that.  We have better transportation systems than most Northern places.  Better Highways...and yes we have roads...NO, I DIDN'T RIDE A HORSE TO SCHOOL!  We did have buses, we had our parents driving normal cars, I didn't have to walk to school, up hill, both ways, barefoot.

Oh, and you thinking that we talk funny because we say Y'all?  Stop, it's a real word...and you're saying it wrong.  Let's be a little more creative if you want to make fun of us.

And lastly, stop thinking that our traditions around food are weirder than yours.  Yes, we had to salt cure things back then, and well...we still do that today.  There's nothing more yummy than Country Ham, Biscuits and Gravy, fried Eggs and butter...yes, we cook things in butter.  Get over it....butter's good.  AND FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THINGS HOLY!  Stop trying to make BBQ...Just....STOP!

Southerners are a great bunch of people.  We care about our Country, we care about our fellow men.  And many do believe that we will rise again...haha

So, there's your Southern Lesson for the day.  If you have any good stories about the South, living in the South, misconceptions such as we all love Sweet Iced Tea...which I can't stand by the way.  I don't like my tea sweet, but I do love my Iced Tea (don't judge), then let me know.

Have a great Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!!

Are We Honest with our Beer Ratings??

Hello folks, C-pher again and I got to wondering...Why do we care about Beer Ratings?? 

Honestly, why do we care?  Why do we care what someone else says about a beer?  Do you like it, do you REALLY like it?  Or, is it all in your head?

Why am I asking this question?  

Because the other night at our Monthly Beer Club, It was brought up I may be critical in my beer ratings.

Ok, maybe I am...maybe we all are.  Why must we subject ourselves to what others think is good beer?  I don't like mushrooms, some people do.  I like escargot, some people don't.  We all have different palates.  SO, why must we feel pressured to like a beer just because our friends like a beer? Or a rating site? Or the rest of the world?

So, I figured I'd try to figure this out.  What goes on when you order that "Hard to get" DIPA? Or that Imperial something or other? or that once in a life time 2008 KBS?

I do what just about all my beer drinking friends do...and that's fire up Untappd.  What's Untappd?  It's basically Facebook for beer drinkers.  I love it, I can check in my beers, I can see what my friends have been drinking, I can covet what my friends have been drinking...I can drool and wish that I decided to go up to meet my buddies.  More so when I see four check ins in a row, at the same place, from friends all drinking something I really wanted to try.  BASTARDS!!

But, unlike Facebook, you don't just check in your beers, you rate them.  Some people give the same beer a high rating, some give the beer a low rating...and then the app averages the rating and gives it a general rating.  Now, people are seeing these ratings and chasing beer!  Or, as I said above, the comments you hear others ribbing each other about..."YOU gave that <insert beer here> a 3-1/2? That was easily a 4!"  And after every round, that's what you hear...and then you may wonder, "Should I have given that beer a better rating?  Did I under/over rate that beer? Was it better than I thought, Bobby Beer drinker said that it was good."

But, why do we subject ourselves to believing in these ratings?

I came across a very good article on beergraphs.com that talks a little bit about what's going on in our heads.  Ryan Langrill writes up a good one called, "How Much Can You Trust Beer Ratings?"  He really gets into the psychology about why people rate the way they do.  And it makes sense, because I've fallen into those traps.  I've read that the beer is good, no...scratch that, that the beer is AMAZING!  So, when I go to taste it, I like it.  Do I really like it as well as I think?  Or do I really like it because I'm supposed to like it?  Yes, if I like a beer, I'll rate it what I think that it should be rated.  But was that rating as objective as I think?

Then it hits me, SHIT!  Did I just under rate that beer?  Everyone gave that beer a 5, why did I only give it a 4 or 4-1/2?  It was good, yes...but was it worth of a 5?  Or, maybe I gave a beer a 3-1/2 when everyone is rating it much higher.  OR, maybe I went the other way...I really have it as a high rating and the other people are rating it much lower.  

Then you hear the comments from others at a great local beer bar...I don't have a great response. Well, other than, I just rate it how I, ME, MYSELF tastes that beer.  So, we go back to individual tastes.  Palates being like snowflakes.  We all like something different.  And that was one of the things one of my friends always say...we all don't have the same tastes, and our perceptions of the beers change as we try other beers.

So, I do a little more reading and find that cognitive ratings are a big problem among the beer community. And it seems that if you look at the top..say...50 on both Beeradvocate or Ratebeer, they are Imperial this or that, or Double IPAs...  So, what about those amazing Sours that I love so much?  Does this mean that because it's not a DIPA or an Imperial Stout, that they will never be that good?  Or, is it because we're trained to search out the best of the best, and these are all the Imperials and Doubles that are hot right now?

And that my friends is why I'm so critical of my beer ratings.  I really do try (albeit not always successfully) to rate the beer based on the style of the beer that I'm tasting.  Just because I don't like Belgians or Wits, I still try to rate them by the style compared to others that I've tasted.  Rather than thinking, "I don't like it, so it gets a 1 or 2."  But, I'm still not going to give them a 4 or 5 because I just don't like the yeasty tastes that they have...so, yes...I'm bias.  We all are...to a point.  So, no matter how objective we want to be, I just don't think that we are...including myself.

I guess that's why we'll never see some of these other beers at the top of the lists. Just because people just don't like them.  And while Sours, Farmhouses, and Lambics are on the rise, until they reach the hypes of Heady Topper, Pliny or KBS, I don't think that we'll see them rising to the top anytime soon.

Remember, when you're drinking your next beer, and you're thinking about rating you're about to put up on Untappd, try to rate the beer honestly.  Rate it how YOU wnat to rate it, not because your buddies are ribbing you or because the sites say that it's the best thing on the planet.  

SCREW THEM, they aren't the boss of you!!  

Rate away my friends, Rate Away!!