Appalachian Brewing Co.'s Grinning Grizzly

This past weekend, Mike, Lotus and I went to the PA Home Show in Harrisburg.  It was an enjoyable couple of hours together, doing some research on companies that provide services for both home building and home renovation.  We walked through a log home that was built inside the equine building.  Wow.  Amazing house, pretty much suits to a 'T' what we want.  As easily as I could continue a rambling verbal escapade of the home show, what I'd like to talk about, really, is beer.

Ah, beer.  How I enjoy thy colored liquid, full of hoppy happiness and malty warmth.  We worked up quite a thirst during our time at the home show so we stopped at Appalachian Brewing Company on the way home for a beer or three and a bite to eat.  The space they are in is fantastic: a large warehouse with glass walls dividing the main dining and bar area from where they get down and dirty (a completely sanitized dirty) with brewing.  We both ordered wings that were large and meaty, fried to crispy perfection, and flavored without swimming in sauce.  Delightful.  I recommend the Thai wings; the sauce is sweet but not thick and spicy but wont' remove a top layer of tastebuds. 

On the way out we purchased a half case of Grinnin' Grizzly bottled beer.  According to their website:

November Specialty
Grinnin' Grizzly Spiced Ale
OG: 14.0, FG: 3.0, ABW: 4.5, ABV: 5.7
This amber ale is dosed with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and fresh orange zest.
It is well balanced with low hop flavor and nice hint of the spices in the finish.
This spiced ale is not overbearing; rather it is smooth and very drinkable.
 

It is typical of a holiday ale, full of spices and heavy on flavor.  There is a crisp citrus note when I first take a sip and I really taste the nutmeg on the finish.  It is drinkable, but much like a Belgian white, I can only have one or two at a time or it gets a bit overwhelming.  I think this beer would pair well with a thick beef stew, served on a cold day while sitting by a fireplace.  You can drink it anytime, though - I won't tell anyone.

Get yourself over to Appalachian Brewing Co before they're out and get some!

When I Say Lindsay, You Say Lohan!

I believe that nature is stronger than nurture and that if someone is predisposed to self-importance they will find a way to be seen whether they are a celebrity or a high school cheerleader.  Please don't hate me for using cheerleaders in my comparison. 

Lindsay Lohan is currently suing E*Trade for using her name in conjunction with being a milkaholic in their Super Bowl commercial. 

According to her lawyer, Lindsay Lohan has star status like Oprah and the first name is sufficient for those in the lower rungs of society to be awefully aware of her identity.  Apparently, whenever someone hears LINDSAY, the waters part and the mountains shake and the Almighty Himself recognizes the brilliance that is Lindsay Lohan and admits that He really outdid Himself.  Funny thing is, I don't think Lohan when I hear Lindsay.  I think of Lindsay that I went to school with and always dressed so well.  I think of Lindsay in Key West that worked at the Hard Rock Cafe and had an amazing pool.  I don't think Lohan.  When I watch this E*Trade commercial, I think of a couple cute babies video chatting and one of them happens to be named Lindsay (not Lohan). 

Let's address a few other errors.  Most recently, Lindsay Lohan has been sampling the womanfolk, so if E*Trade were using her person to base adorable baby Lindsay off of, she would not have spent the night with an equally adorable baby boy.  Second, Lindsay Lohan was notably an alcoholic, not a milkaholic.  As a mother of two offspring under two, I can attest to the fact that ALL babies are milkaholics.  I believe the crux of the issue is that Lindsay Lohan's career is in the crapper and she is bitter that this baby Lindsay is cuter, dressed better, and gets more Google hits than she does.  The only logical course of action for Lindsay Lohan is to sue E*Trade for damages to her poor, pathetic person.

$100 million dollars.  That is what Lindsay Lohan feels she is owed by E*Trade for using her name without her permission so that is what she is suing for.  This is the amount of money that is bringing 4G technology to the entire nation of Zimbabwe.  This is the amount of money that the US has pledged to give to Haiti in efforts to rebuild a ravished country.  This is a large chunk of change, folks.  Really, Lindsay Lohan?  Really?

Lindsay Lohan is a washed up has-been, missing the fame and missing the fortune.  It is disgusting that she believes her name is worth this kind of money.  It is a sad reflection on the state of our society if she actually wins this case in court. 

For clarification: I have used the phrase 'Lindsay Lohan' at all points during this piece to describe Lindsay Lohan so everyone knows who I am talking about.