Seasonal Beer Review: Sam Adams Latitude 48 IPA

Anticipation! The Sam Adams Summer syles variety pack is out, with the new India Pale Ale, Latitude 48 a featured performer. I was hoping to be the first review off the blocks, but Beer Advocate beat me! It's a very drinkable IPA (India Pale Ale), but doesn't stint on the hops. The color is a golden amber with a very tall head. The hops settles on the front of the tongue, but doesn't leave any aftertaste. While the Michelob crafts give you a beginner's idea of what a style of beer tastes like, Sam Adams Brewsmaster's Collection Lagers & Ales give you an idea of what they should taste like. There's a slight sweetness from the malt, but it's nicely balanced and not cloying. "Latitude 48" by the way, comes from the hop-growing belt in the northern hemisphere that straddles the north 48 parallel.

Beer Review: Michelob Irish Red

Michelob a few years back jumped on the craft beer bandwagon. Most of what I've tried from Michelob's "craft" collection has been what I've called "training wheels" beers, i.e. beers that give you a good idea of what a beer style tastes like without being outstanding in that particular style. Michelob's Irish Red is no exception; malty, low bitterness, coppery color, but nothing that stands out and makes you want to go back.

Beer Review: Boss Tom's Golden Bock by Boulevard

Coppery golden color and no head to speak of, high carbonation. Hint of apple & pear in the aftertaste. Other reviewers referred to it as a "Maibock", which is a paler and hoppier, less malty version of a traditional bock. Might as well just call it a pilsner and be done with it. Not bad, but I'm glad that I didn't invest in a six pack.

Added March 2011:


This must be one of those beers that tweak the recipe every year. Either that or my taste buds have changed! This year's version seemed to have more maltiness to it than last year; I've also noticed that they must filter it, which Boulevard typically doesn't do. the pear & apple is still there from last year, but there's an earthy, kind of a nutty aftertaste that really firms it up. This year I would invest in a six pack! 

Sam Adams Summer Styles Variety Pack is in the Stores!

• Boston Lager (of course)
• Sam Adams Light (eh...not so much)
• Pale Ale
• Summer Ale
• Blackberry Witbier
• Latitude 48 (New India Pale Ale)

Other than the new Latitude 48 IPA all were in last summer's variety 12 pack and were reviewed here at IGB. The Hefeweizen disappeared. I haven't seen any reviews on the IPA, but will see if I can get some tomorrow.

How Does Prayer Work? Part 2

Like Part 1, we are defining "prayer" for the purposes of this essay as 'asking God for stuff".

When you pray for stuff, under what circumstances does your prayer get answered? Even the most devout among us has to admit that all prayer most definitely is not answered. And we'll define "answered" for the purpose of this essay as "receiving unambiguously what you prayed for". God says "no", sorry, not answered, you got something "better", sorry, not answered. You didn't get what you asked for because, unbeknownst to you, waht you asked for was actually not so good, or "God was closing one door to open another, sorry not answered! 

Many people have attempted to answer this very question, with very little success in my opinion. What is the fine line between receiving answers to prayer and not receiving answers to prayer? Calvinists believe that some folks are "the elect" and some are "the damned" and there not a "damn" thing you can do to change it. God decided who was who and bad things happen to the damned and good things happen to the elect. How do you know if you're among the damned, well, bad things happen to you! Others believe that God only answers the prayers of those who are in his favor, although there are many interpretations regarding what that might exactly be. Some postulate that you can only pray for things that line up with specific promises in the bible and it's the firmness of your belief in those promises that brings your prayer to pass. But all of these theologies have a certain fuzziness about them, they all seem to have exceptions, weasel words, explanations ready at hand when prayer inevitably doesn't work.

More to come

How Not To Debate: Part 1

Since I have yet to post a Part 2 to the last 'Part One' post, let me say that the implication that there will be subsequent parts is at best optimistic. I'm addressing in this post the propensity of some people to start posts, points, arguments with variations on this phrase "You'll probably hate me for this", "The moderators will surely edit this or delete this" or "flame on". What's being done with these statements is setting up any opposition as short-sighted and/or stupid. Rather than simply presenting one's points and letting the argument stand on its own merits, this strategy is a preemptive jab at those who disagree, an attempt at shaming those in opposition to refrain from expressing their variance of opinion as if to say "No, not me, I'm not ignorant!". In my observation, very few people know how to conduct a logical, rational argument and resort to name-calling, personal attacks and jumping to wild conclusions. There are many websites out there, such as this one http://www.nizkor.org/features/fallacies/ which lists many logical fallacies and talks about how to conduct a logical argument.

Beer Review: Sierra Nevada Porter

Coppery medium brown color, three-finger head that stays with you for quite a while. Surprising hoppiness for a porter. Roasted malt and slight chocolate flavor. Good offering from Sierra Nevada, but then again, just about all that they brew is good.

Beer Review: Hoegaarden Belgian Witbier

The first thing that hits you is the color. This is the palest, lightest colored beer I've seen so far, kind of like a lemonade with a snow-white head. The flavor has a hint or lemon and coriander, with a butterscotch overtone. Smooooooooth!

Beer Review: Leffe Blonde

I sampled this little beauty while staying with my brother Mike last August in New York. A Belgian Abbey Ale, it poured a medium white head and is a honey-gold color. The taste had hints of butterscotch softening the firm hop base. Definitely sweeter than the average brew. Drinkable for sure, but not a six-pack beer.