Category Archives: Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous

Hubert H Humphrey Metrodome Memories

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Sunday is the last day at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.  Even though its quite ugly it has held many famous/infamous events through the years.  Let's use this post to look back on one of the last truly public sports venues.  Here are mine:

1.  Game 6 and 7 of 1991 Word Series (naturally)

2.  At a Gophers-Northwestern football game with a bunch a bigwigs in a suite while watching the 1988 World Series when Kurt Gibson hit his famous HR.

3.  Bosox-Twins game in 2006.  I  think Juan Castro was traded that day.  I got to be on the field during BP and Manny be Manny completely iced me when I said Hi.  I got to see Tony O hanging in the bowels of the Metrodome and Papi hit a ball that a certain monster HR but hit a speaker for a long single.  Ball would have easily hit the Hrbek banner in Center Field.  I think it was this game.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/MIN/MIN200606150.shtml

What are your memories, good or bad?

Miscellaneous

Veterans Day: a brief remembrance

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This basement started out as mostly a baseball thing. We do a lot of other stuff now, but it's nice to tie the room together occasionally. With that, I give you this link: Baseball in Wartime.

Baseball in Wartime is dedicated to preserving the memories of all baseball players (major league, negro league, minor league, semi-pro, college, amateur and high school), who served with the military between 1940 and 1946.

Miscellaneous

Pint-Sized Reviews: Grand Imperial Porter

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If there's one thing that Labor Day weekend doesn't get enough of, it must be beer. So I thought I would do my part.

Grand Imperial Porter from Browar Amber, Bielkowko, Poland, 8 pct ABV, is a tasty Baltic porter. I would say that this is one of my favorite styles, but, really. Aren't they all?

Baltic porters are lagers, not ales, like your typical english porter. Like the better known India Pale Ale style, this was a style designed for shipping: high in alcohol, with strong flavors to mask brewing flaws and/or the stresses of long transportation chains with uncertain handling. Baltic porters characteristically have a bit of sweetness, some bitterness from dark-roasted malts, and perhaps a hint of licorice, but often with a soft mouthfeel. So, not the overwhelming punch of a Russian Imperial Stout or an American Imperial IPA. Basically, a cross or blend between the high-alcohol, high-impact Russian Imperial Stout style and the softer, happier english porter style. Outstanding domestic examples include Victory Baltic Thunder and the Alaskan Baltic Porter or, so I'm told (since I haven't yet had one), Surly's Smoke.

This one fits right smack in the middle of my experiences with the style: soft mouth-feel (reminiscent of one of my favorite english beers, St. Peter's Old-Style Porter), big but not overwhelming flavor. Lightly carbonated. Some chocolate and coffee, some licorice, but not too much. It is a wee bit on the sweet side, but only a wee bit. I had no trouble finishing the 16.9 oz bottle because it was so smooth. Like a comfy recliner. A beer to take you to a happy place.

Miscellaneous

Truck Time with Twayn: Minivan Edition

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Making assumptions is a necessary part of diagnosing mechanical problems, and of living life in general. But like most things, there are good and bad assumptions. Good assumptions based on empirical evidence, factual information, experience and knowledge can be quite helpful. But bad assumptions, as Robert Pirsig reminds us in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, are traps to be avoided as they can mislead, direct you down dead-ends, and greatly complicate the task at hand.

Continue reading Truck Time with Twayn: Minivan Edition →

Miscellaneous

2013 NCAA Tournament Proper – Day 1

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I don't have to work until Saturday morning, so today I'm stuffing my face, drinking cheap beer, and watching the NCAA Tournament all day. I haven't watched any college basketball this year, but much like the NFL, the spectacle of the Tourney/Super Bowl drags me in. If you wish to join me in discussion, here's the place. If college basketball isn't your thing, that's cool too, just please don't come in here and harsh everyone's mellow.

Miscellaneous

Pint-Sized Reviews: Traquair House Jacobite Ale

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Wow. It has been six months since my last review. I almost feel guilty.

But not guilty enough to keep from telling you all how awesome Traquair House is as a brewery. According to the website,

The brewery currently produces around 600 - 700 barrels per annum. (200,000 bottles and the remainder draught) Brewing takes place all year round with the exception of August. The brewery expanded its premises in 1993 but continues to ferment its total production in the original oak vessels. At present there is room to increase production by a further 20% but there are no plans to expand beyond this as it is intended to retain brewing in the original style and premises.

I'm pretty sure that I sold this line at the old basement as well, in a review of the utterly awesome Traquair House Ale (if you see this in your local bottle shop, BUY IT!!!).

Today, I'm moving on to taunt, err, regale you with another bottle of awesomeness (and I don't mean donkey-sauce awesome, I mean reality awesome) from Traquair House: the Jacobite Ale "wee heavy" flavored ale.
Continue reading Pint-Sized Reviews: Traquair House Jacobite Ale →

Miscellaneous

Playing Favorites

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So, this began as an LTE, but I didn't want the conversation to get lost.

We all have favorites in baseball, be they players, teams (uh, Twins, duh. Why are you here?), numbers. This is a classic, pull-up-your-bar-stool game: IF you were a Minnesota Twin (for a day, or a week, or a lifetime), what number would you want your jersey to read, and why?

For the sake of argument, retired numbers are in play.