Cup of Coffee

July 7, 2015: No Driving

42 Comments

After four days straight with anywhere between 4-18 hours in the car, today I get to spend the day on the lake with nowhere to go. Finally, vacation has started.

42 thoughts on “July 7, 2015: No Driving”

    1. Just got back yesterday from eight days on the lake with nowhere to go. Enjoy!

  2. So, I'm reading everywhere that Amanda Peterson, star of "Can't Buy Me Love" has died. If they'd said star of "Explorers" then I would have known who they were talking about.

      1. SHE WAS THE ONLY GIRL IN IT!

        In the years before IMDB, it was always interesting to me to be able to put an actor's face to particular role(s) where masks and/or prosthetics hid them. One comes to mind was Robert Picardo, who played the alien in Explorers and later became the hologram doctor on Star Trek: Voyager. Another was Dan O'Herlihy, who played Grig in The Last Starfighter and later was The Old Man on Robocop.

  3. Hey, cheaptoy, when did you last make a tripel? On the 4th I treated myself to my last bottle of a batch you gave me a couple years back, which I had cellared with surprising self-restraint. It was fantastic! The spices were a bit more muted at this point than they were when it was young, but in maturity it was full of stone fruit and moderately boozy. Still head a strong head and great lacing, too. Thanks again - it made my night.

    1. Hmmm, the last one I made was less than a year ago. The only record I have of one before that was from January 2011, so it must have been that one. I used cloves and seeds of paradise in it. Glad it was still good. I rarely get to try those beers after that kind of aging because I'm impatient.

      1. It was a real struggle. Every time I put something down in the cellar I would look at the bottle longingly, then chide myself for impatience. Earlier in the spring I cracked open a bottle of New Glarus' Enigma from 2012 or so, and it was also really good, so I had hope that my patience would be rewarded. It really was! You brew beautifully, man.

        1. Thanks. I'm coming up on 10 years doing this stuff, so I'm working on a special 10-year recipe. Leaning towards a "Barrel"-aged porter with dates to be made around late September-October.

          I also have that black IPA about prepared for dry-hopping. As of yesterday, I have an empty keg so I need to fight the urge to put it in there. I want to bottle it so I can give some samples. Might have to whip something up quick to put in that keg before the black is ready.

          1. All of my attempts at cellaring have left me disappointed.* I currently have 3 bottles (& none older than 2 years):
            -LSD
            -The Stoic
            -Trappist Tripel

            Also, add me to the waiting list for a bottle of that 10-year recipe.

            *it's a pleasant disappointment though

            1. I've never really cellared anything on purpose, largely because I haven't had the cash to spend on a bottle worth aging. Or, I should say, two bottles of a beer worth aging so I can at least drink one right away. Of course, you'd think homebrewing would make that easier....

              I did accidentally age a tripel and a dubbel one time. Before I bought my house, I lived in a loft apartment and would store my cases under the stairs. I found a 1+ year old case of the dubbel when we moved and it was amazing. The raisin-flavor really came out after that time. The tripel was lost in my basement at the house for a good year and that was also quite excellent, although not as dramatic as the dubbel.

                1. My cellar is my lower bar cabinets, which is up against the foundation of our house. Not temperature controlled, but at least as cool as it gets. I wish the original owners had built a bomb shelter (our house is the right age), because that would have been perfect as a root cellar/beer storage facility.

                  New Glarus gets major points from me for brewing several beers that cellar well but are affordable. I've had good results with their stuff fermeted in oak barrels in their wild yeast cave.

          2. If you can hold off for another couple weeks your timing would be perfect for something Oktoberfest-y for that keg. Perhaps a little more sessionable than a Black IPA. (Then again, I know some folks enjoy IPAs as their main session brews. I prefer to use them more as punctuation in a session.)

            1. Yeah, an oktoberfest would be good and might be a good way to keep me from kegging that IPA since I need the space in the fridge for lagering. Good call. Its either that or a quick turnaround APA.

          1. Mrs. Graves' boy is off to a good start. Retired the first eight batters before giving up a two-out double. Three shutout innings so far.

  5. For the CdL/WGOM get-together/caucus thing, I'm thinking on Sunday afternoon we might hit a park and grill or something?

    Does anyone have a suggestion on where this might happen? I'd love a lot of space, so kids are welcome.

    3. I selfishly suggest Fuller Park, but I don't think there is a grill there.

  6. On a related note: WGOM Twins Game Family Outing Update
    Saturday, 7/11/15, 3:05 PM

    The plan for the Mini-Caucus/Family Outing for Saturday seems to be that we should get tickets in the Our Family Section.
    Family Section tickets (Sec. 310 - 311: third deck above home dugout) are $40 each and include ticket, hot dog & soda.

    As of 10:30 a.m. today, there were 115 seats available in Section 310, most in the last 5 rows (10-14).
    I could purchase Seats 1-5 in Rows 10 & 11: Corn + 2, Sean + 2, Pepper +3. Is this a correct accounting of attendees?

      1. I miiiiigggghhhhht also be at that game. I am heading up to MN and my brother has offered me a ticket. I don't know if I'll be able to go or not, though. I need to leave home early enough, and I have the much more difficult task of convincing my wife to let me go.

        1. Ok, I got the go ahead so I will be at the Friday game. I don't know where yet, though.

      1. Cool.

        For anyone not already in the loop, WGOM families headed by sean, Pepper and I will be meeting by the bronze glove on Target Plaza about 3:15. Our seats are in the Family Section (310), Rows 10 & 11. Anyone with (or without!) children are welcome to join us - still about 100 tickets left up there.

        Items of interest:
        - Forecast for Saturday - Widely scattered showers and thunderstorms early. Clouds lingering later. High 88F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
        - Sealed, bottled water 32 oz. or less, and soft sided single juice or milk containers for children are the only outside beverages permitted.
        - Soft-sided containers and bags 16" by 16" by 8" or smaller are permitted.
        - Guests are permitted to bring food into Target Field as long as items are consumed in the general seating areas.
        - Complimentary admission to children less than 30" in height for regular season games, provided they are accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket.

        1. You can also bring in empty water bottles and fill them at water fountains.
          Refreshingly warm!

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