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Operation “Scrape, Sand to Bare, and Paint all by Yourself” officially shut down for the season after getting two sides primed. Well deserved beers today and hoping the giants give me a win. Beer first, progress pictures following
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Operation “Scrape, Sand to Bare, and Paint all by Yourself” officially shut down for the season after getting two sides primed. Well deserved beers today and hoping the giants give me a win. Beer first, progress pictures followingView attachment 832162 View attachment 832157View attachment 832158View attachment 832159View attachment 832160View attachment 832161
And I was going to complain about my project. Nothing like the challenge of ownership!

IDK if it's because it's hot as faak up here or it's just a decent batch but not bad for a pumpkin. Got the spices in nice proportions. Bought 2 more kinds but the finale takes (hopefully) the cake of all pumpkins.

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Erdinger Oktoberfest vs Ayinger Fest-Märzen – Sundays are a great time to drink beer, get caught up on office work, drink more beer, check the beer supply, straighten the warehouse issues, go on a Lager run, drink beer and do beer reviews! Today is no exception – next up is a showdown between middleweight contenders Erdinger and Ayinger. Both are great brews incidentally.

Erdinger Oktoberfest – This is really a great Festbier, but I have to say I am a bit perplexed. Erdinger specializes in wheat beers, it says wheat beer on the can, the label says Erdinger Weissbrau – Me confused, aren’t authentic Oktoberfest or Festbiers supposed to use nothing but barley malt and the usual suspects hops, water and yeast? …. and it is 1516 Compliant? I know there are wheat carve outs for Hefeweizens and such, but this whole thing is leaving me baffled. Nevertheless, this is one smooth, easy drinking Festbier 5.7% ABV, generally EXCELLENT!

No such issues with Ayinger, since 1878 making what I consider the benchmark Märzen, but calling it here Fest-Märzen. This brew is malty, a big beer 5.8% and a touch sweeter and fuller than the Erdinger. 1516 compliant, says Authentic Bavarian Festival Lager on the label – again in all ways, EXCELLENT!

Let’s not discuss how hard it was to find a Bavarian Pretzel in SoCal. Darned near impossible. I can find Oktoberfest beers by the bucketful, but Pretzels? Obviously all the German bakers are out getting loaded up on beer this month, “ ‘cause they sure ain’t bakin’ pretzels! ” Yes, I’m drinking both Krugs … Prost!

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Erdinger Oktoberfest vs Ayinger Fest- Märzen – Sundays are a great time to drink beer, get caught up on office work, drink more beer, check the beer supply, straighten the warehouse issues, go on a Lager run, drink beer and do beer reviews! Today is no exception – next up is a showdown between middleweight contenders Erdinger and Ayinger. Both are great brews incidentally.

Erdinger Oktoberfest – This is really a great Festbier, but I have to say I am a bit perplexed. Erdinger specializes in wheat beers, it says wheat beer on the can, the label says Erdinger Weissbrau – Me confused, aren’t authentic Oktoberfest or Festbiers supposed to use nothing but barley malt and the usual suspects hops, water and yeast? …. and it is 1516 Compliant? I know there are wheat carve outs for Hefeweizens and such, but this whole thing is leaving me baffled. Nevertheless, this is one smooth, easy drinking Festbier 5.7% ABV, generally EXCELLENT!

No such issues with Ayinger, since 1878 making what I consider the benchmark Märzen, but calling it here Fest- Märzen. This brew is malty, a big beer 5.8% and a touch sweeter and fuller than the Erdinger. 1516 compliant, says Authentic Bavarian Festival Lager on the label – again in all ways, EXCELLENT!

Let’s not discuss how hard it was to find a Bavarian Pretzel in SoCal. Darned near impossible. I can find Oktoberfest beers by the bucketful, but Pretzels? Obviously all the German bakers are out getting loaded up on beer this month, “ ‘cause they sure ain’t bakin’ pretzels! ” Yes, I’m drinking both Krugs … Prost!

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You need to make your own pretzels. Nothing better than homemade, right out of the oven.

Thank you for your continued reviews of beers. Especially these fests & Marzens. While I've had many of those, I like to see the side-by-side comparisons. I need to make a run to the beer store.
 
OK, OK, it’s the same pretzel. I mentioned how hard it was to find an authentic Bavarian Pretzel here in the SoCal pretzel desert wasteland. I think this is one of maybe 10 in the entire Southwest. I plan on eating this solemnly while drinking my Oktoberfest after this writing.

Since we are making the leap to SoCal renditions of beer bliss, may I introduce you to Karl Strauss Oktoberfest. Karl Strauss, since 1989 is located in that other beer Mecca, San Diego California. A side note, we used to hit their brewery restaurants all the time pre-Covid. The table distancing was really tough on things, last time there they still weren’t fully on-line. A great brewery, they had a Red Trolley Sour Ale aged in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels which was to die for!

As usual, Karl Strauss doesn’t disappoint. Their 2023 Oktoberfest is one heck of a super-clean beer – not really a Festbier, but I’d say a cleaner version of a Märzen which you could chug. 5.0% ABV, SUPER CLEAN, made using Munich and Vienna malts, Perle hops. GREAT JOB KARL STRAUSS!

Now off to eat my Pretzel, no more pics, I’ve rode this pony enough. Prost!

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Tasty Evil Twin imperial stout. Chocolate, coffee, bitterness at fridge temp. As it warms (and you drink it), flavors bloom, bitterness fades, sweetens, stone fruit aroma and taste come forward. Can't believe I'm saying this but at 12% abv and such a big, bold beer, I'd prefer 12 oz over 16. I really like it, though.
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Tasty Evil Twin imperial stout. Chocolate, coffee, bitterness at fridge temp. As it warms (and you drink it), flavors bloom, bitterness fades, sweetens, stone fruit aroma and taste come forward. Can't believe I'm saying this but at 12% abv and such a big, bold beer, I'd prefer 12 oz over 16. I really like it, though.
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That can, they actually let them sell that? In Alabama?

That is sooo cool!
 
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Shared some beers with my friend and neighbor while watching the Pats win. Then the Grape Pie Sour while making dinner.
Waiting for SNF to bust out a cellar beer.
Edit - @HBT_Admin tonight’s post that allows some but not others to be embedded.
 

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I attempted to mow what I call lawn prior to my visit to Cooperstown, but I discovered that the belt slipped off or worse, so I let it wait until today. Put the belt back on the pulley… half done it slipped again. Might as well break for lunch and let the thing cool down before I put the belt back on.
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Time for a lawnmower beer? No🙁it’s hop water.
 
I attempted to mow what I call lawn prior to my visit to Cooperstown, but I discovered that the belt slipped off or worse, so I let it wait until today. Put the belt back on the pulley… half done it slipped again. Might as well break for lunch and let the thing cool down before I put the belt back on.
You might need a new belt. You definitely need another drink.
 
While cleaning my empty beer glass, I became momentarily distracted and accidentally fell into my kegerator. To my great suprise, this resulted in the tap turning on. Luckily, I was still holding the empty glass, so I used to to catch the beer that would otherwise have spilled all over the floor. I have made a decision to drink this beer, rather than pouring it down the sink.

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While cleaning my empty beer glass, I became momentarily distracted and accidentally fell into my kegerator. To my great suprise, this resulted in the tap turning on. Luckily, I was still holding the empty glass, so I used to to catch the beer that would otherwise have spilled all over the floor. I have made a decision to drink this beer, rather than pouring it down the sink.

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In other words, a typical Monday, eh? 😉
 
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