Sierra Nevada Celebration: A Winter Treat

I often lament the onset of cold weather in these Musings. Despite my aversion to cold and dreary, there are still things I look forward to this time of year. One of those bright spots is the release of Sierra Nevada Celebration Fresh Hop IPA. The beer has been on the shelves for a few weeks, and we finally got some in the house this week. I was happy to also find our logo Celebration glasses for this year's first taste.

The deep amber ale is tipped with a long-lasting beige foam and releases aromas of citrus and pine. Rich flavors of citrus, pine and grassy hops over a biscuity malt backbone treat the tastebuds. The lingering bitterness coats the palate to complete the flavor delights.

One of my all time favorites, Sierra Nevada Celebration is a welcome pleasure in the cold season. I look forward to brightening the days with many more pints of this tasty brew.

Feast of St. Nicholas

Time to dig out a bottle, or two, of Samiclaus.


Reposted from December 6, 2016.

Today, December 6 is the Feast day of St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra. St. Nicholas, was a wealthy and generous man. His generosity towards others led to him being the inspiration for the tradition of Santa Claus and gift giving. He is also one of several Patron Saints of brewing. It's not entirely clear why Nicholas was chosen as a Patron Saint of brewing. Tradition states that Nicholas was having a beer at an inn where the inn keeper had murdered three boys and packed their bodies in a barrel of brine. Nicholas was offered some salted meat with his beer. Due to a local shortage of food, Nicholas became suspicious, found the bodies, and brought the boys back to life. He died on December 6, 345 A.D. or 352 A.D.

Inspired by this feast day, is Samichlaus Bier. Samichlaus is a 14% ABV doppelbock that at one time was billed as the world's strongest beer. The name means "Santa Claus" in the Swiss-German dialect of Zürich. Brewed only on December 6 of each year, the beer is aged for almost a year and released in time for the following year's feast day. Samichlaus was originally brewed by Brauerei Hürlimann, and later by Feldschlösschen Brewery. It is currently produced by Schloss Eggenberg of Switzerland.

We have a tradition of opening an aged bottle of Samichlaus Bier on the evening of December 6. Tonight I'll dig through the boxes in the cellar and find something old to enjoy. Even if you can't get your hands on Samichlaus Bier, raise a pint to St. Nicholas today for his generosity and the traditions of giving he inspired.

Another tradition surrounding this Feast involves children leaving their shoes out the evening before, and St. Nicholas would fill them treats such as candies or fruits so the children know he had visited. It is from this tradition that we get the Christmas stocking.

Big kids sometimes get treats too.

Double Duty Range Snacks

When it comes to range snacks, I'm a fan of beef jerky. It helps keep the hunger away and gives me an energy boost. I always make sure there's some in my bag when I'm heading to a match. Lately I've started carrying a dried fruit mix with me as well.

I've realized a two-fold benefit to this snack. After consuming a handful of the snack, I noticed my hands were slightly tacky. So, not only does it provide a tasty energy boost, the fruit provides a bit of extra grip on the gun in cool weather.

And no messy white powder!

Five O'Clock Friday: Defense Against Spatulas

I have no idea what is going on here, but it's funny.

The man with the hood is my hero. pic.twitter.com/hBwneBq2C5

— Men's Corner (@Mens_Corner_) November 29, 2018

Thanks to "Checkered Flag" for sending the laugh.

Edit: Sorry for the black image. It showed fine on preview mode. Click the play arrow to view.

The Brown Truck Delivered

As did the purple one. And the white one too.

The package tracking app on my phone had me rushing home on Tuesday.

I took advantage of sales over the holiday weekend to stock up on ammunition and cigars. There was also a beer sample delivered that's queued up for a future review. Having everything show up on the same day was like a mini-Christmas. Also in the pile by the door was a portable propane heater to extend the back porch smoking season.

If anyone needs me, I'll be over here enjoying the fruits of online shopping.

Return to the Range

To my chagrin, I haven't gotten in any trigger time for a couple of weeks. Now that the outdoor range closes at 4:00PM it's very hard to get there after work. I also hadn't been down to the indoor range in nearly two months. My reluctance to get to that range was due mainly to summer-time traffic on I-95. The lack of range use is not a good ROI on my membership fees!

A welcome sight.

On Monday I finally had a chance to load up the SIG P320 Compact and do some shooting at the indoor range. Since I haven't practiced in a while, this outing was mostly focused on trigger press. I also took the opportunity to shoot some longer continuous strings than I am allowed at the outdoor range.

After shooting 120 rounds at distances of 7, 10, and 15 yards, I decided to have some fun with the timed turning target. Drawing from the holster is not allowed (without paying an extra $60/year) but even from low ready I was able to get in some target focus shooting at 7 yards. All in all a good session.

When I first got to the range, it was as crowded as I've ever seen it. All the lanes in my bay were in use. I was relieved however that most folks seemed to be shooting .22 rifles, so the noise factor was low. That is until the shooter in the lane right next to me started sighting in his .30-06 hunting rifle. That reminds me, I need to add more foam ear plugs to my range bag in case I need to double-plug again.

Beware the Thought Police

A New York (of course) democrat (of course) wants to require a review of your internet browsing history as part of the background check to buy a gun.

People applying for a pistol permit or renewing a license could have their social media accounts and internet history reviewed. It's part of a newly proposed bill in the New York State Senate.

State Senator Kevin Parker of the 21st District introduced Senate Bill 9191 in attempts to keep firearms out the hands of people who may be violent.

The measure requires, "social media and search engine reviews prior to the approval of an application or renewal of a license to carry or possess a pistol or revolver; requires a person applying for a license to carry or possess a pistol or revolver or a renewal of such license to consent to having his or her social media accounts and search engine history reviewed and investigated for certain posts and/or searches over a period of 1-3 years prior to the approval of such application or renewal; defines terms."

In order to facilitate this dismantling of the 1st Amendment of the Constitution, the state would demand your passwords to online accounts. What shouldn't be overlooked, is that having your private account information also will allow government agents to control and alter your accounts at their will.

Related news from another part of the world, ironically posted the same day, offers a clue as to where the leftists in this country draw their inspiration. China is moving forward with a plan to rank citizens by their social behavior.

China’s plan to judge each of its 1.3 billion people based on their social behavior is moving a step closer to reality, with Beijing set to adopt a lifelong points program by 2021 that assigns personalized ratings for each resident.

The capital city will pool data from several departments to reward and punish some 22 million citizens based on their actions and reputations by the end of 2020, according to a plan posted on the Beijing municipal government’s website on Monday. Those with better so-called social credit will get “green channel” benefits while those who violate laws will find life more difficult.

How long before democrats demand we be chipped?

See "NY State bill would review social media, internet history as part of background checks" and "Beijing to Judge Every Resident Based on Behavior by End of 2020."

Fire Exposes Illegal Still

According to the report, an "illegal distillery" was found by official investigating a fire at a home.

The Stafford County Fire Marshal’s Office says it discovered an illegal distillery Tuesday afternoon while investigating a garage fire at a home in Falmouth.

Investigators reported the setup to Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control agents, who confiscated a makeshift stovetop distillery and a copper still outside of the split-foyer home in the 100 block of Kelley Road. They also discarded a 5-gallon bucket of mash, according to a news release from the Fire and Rescue Department.

The fire marshal did determine that the fire was caused by an extension cord short, and not anything related to the distilling equipment.

One tenet of making moonshine is staying under the radar of the revenuers. A fire in your home is not a good idea.

Read "Stafford officials discover illegal distillery while investigating garage fire" for more information.