The Session #35: New Beers Resolutions

This Month's session is hosted by Beer For Chicks.

So we want to know what was your best and worst of beer for 2009? What beer mistakes did you make? What beer resolutions do you have for 2010? What are your beer regrets and embarrassing moments? What are you hoping to change about your beer experience in 2010?

In no particular order.

The Best:

• Stone Juxtaposition Black Pilsner  Usually, I find that these odd styles end up being somewhere between meh and a train wreck.  This one was quite nice.
• Leiny's Summer Shandy.  Beer and Lemonade on a hot summer day.
• Columbus Brewing Company Bodhi Double IPA  The most aromatic hops ever!
• Great Lakes Christmas Ale I'm amazed by the popularity of this beer.  I like it.  Everyone else that I know wants to make love to it.
• The honey ale at La Ceversera Artesana  Had this on vacation.  Chances are, I'll never have it again.
• This is non-beer related.  My method for sneaking a flask in on a cold rainy day at Ohio Stadium was borderline genius.  My poncho is in a little plastic bag.  I put the flask in the poncho.  When security asked me what was in my pockets. I handed the security guy the poncho, and by the transitive property of being sneaky, the flask.  Showed them my phone, wallet, etc.  Security handed me back my flask.  I was proud of myself, and when the skies opened, thankful to have a pint of Manhattan pre-mixed.
• The Jimmy Football commercials are works of high art.

The Worst:

• Chateau Jiahu  Tastes like Welch's grape juice.
• Bell's Java Stout  Taste like old coffee grounds.
• Brew Dog Bashah  Just tastes bad.
• Charkoota Rye  Tastes like artificial smoke and salt.
• Michelob's Winter Bourbon Cask Ale  Tastes like artificial vanilla.

What beer mistakes did I make? 

• This has been covered before.  Never drink the 3rd big mug at Bob's.  And if you do, don't hop on a bicycle.
• Avoid any "specialty beer" from the Michelob.  It's always a collection of bad artificial flavors.  The cask ale was awful.  Their fruit infused beers are ghastly.

What beer resolutions do you have for 2010?

• Finally make it to Alefest Columbus.
• Generate enough traffic on this site so that companies will send me free hooch.

What are your beer regrets and embarrassing moments?

• See beer mistakes.

What are you hoping to change about your beer experience in 2010?

• This is more about the blogging experience.  I want to get a little bit more entertaining with the reviews.  Let's face it.  Reviews are boring.  At the other end of the spectrum, there are long-winded explanations about some strangers day leading into a review, which is even more dull.   My goal is to find the right balance.  I think that I'm on the right track by giving my friends anonymous identities on the blog .  It also allows me to take some artistic liscence with reality.  For example, it's quite possible that the $6MMm man's arm does not make this noise when he drinks a beer.  I'm just kidding, it does.  It's mind blowing.