A Delightful Sunday

Despite experiencing cold winds and even snow flurries the day before, the weather on Sunday was cool but sunny. On the way home from Mass in the morning, Colleen suggested we hit the range for a bit. She got no argument from me! We quickly changed our clothes, loaded the car and headed out. We spent a little over an hour shooting and enjoying the sunshine. There was a noticeable drop in the temperature at the covered bench area as opposed to the open bay. That just meant we reloaded our magazines quickly to get back to the sunny part of the range to shoot.

We spent about an hour shooting. It was a fun way to spend time outdoors, and I enjoyed the time with my wife. I'm typically on the range by myself and was great to have Colleen as company. We went through several hundred rounds and lots of "splatter targets" during the outing. It was a beautiful spring afternoon; the birds were singing and the Dogwoods were blooming.

When we arrived home, we were both quite hungry so the obvious thing to do was to head downtown to enjoy a late lunch and a couple of good beers. We opted for Capital Ale House since we hadn't been there for a while. We wasted little time getting our beer and food orders in after working up an appetite on the range.

I got to try out a couple new to me beers, Maine Beer Company Zoe Red Ale and Apocalypse Ale Works Hoppocalypse Imperial Red Ale. (The latter is quite a tongue twister of a name.) I enjoyed both very much, and they went well with a platter of spicy Andouille and Shrimp Pasta. Colleen ordered a very tasting looking Chicken and Waffles dish. I might have to try that next time.

Later in the day, I found myself in my favorite chair, enjoying a good book. Well, at least that was the plan. After the time spent on the range and at pub, the book lost out in favor of a nap. I really couldn't have asked for a more enjoyable day spent with Colleen partaking in some of our favorite activities.

Taxes, Then Beer

We spent Saturday morning dealing with the annual task of certifying our income to the Feds so that they could continue funding extravagant trips for the Emperor and Empress (and her mother.) That extortion ritual completed, we decided to relax over lunch at Capital Ale House.

"What's new and exciting?" we inquired after taking our seats at the beer. We learned there was a group of Stouts still available from the Dark Horse Brewing tap takeover earlier in the week. Colleen reviewed that list and ordered a Cream Stout labeled Too. I opted for Ice Breaker Double IPA, a seasonal release from Lost Rhino Brewing. Our bartender smiled when I placed my order, and related that he blamed the morning's grogginess on Ice Breaker.

Colleen remembered the photo

Lost Rhino Ice Breaker starts out with a citrus and pine aroma. The flavor follows with strong citrusy hops with that green "juicy" feel of a hop-rich Double IPA. A dry bitter finish hangs around between sips. Despite the strong flavors, it goes down easily. That, combined with the 9.2% ABV, might account for the bartender's pounding head.

I stole a couple sips of the Dark Horse Too Cream Stout. It's a very smooth, dark roasted stout with a mild sweetness for balance. Strong chocolate and espresso flavors linger in the finish.

The ice now broken, I was contemplating another of the Dark Horse Stout offerings as a fitting accompaniment for my Kielbasa Stuffed Pretzel sandwich, but I was really in the mood for more hops. I noticed a hand-written tap for Mo Pale Ale from Maine Beer Company, and went with that.

Mo is an impressive American Pale Ale. The aroma is quite pleasant and full of citrus and floral notes. The flavor profile wasn't quite as strong as my Lost Rhino beer, but this Pale Ale could hold it's own against an IPA. Fresh citrus and pine hops and a subtle malt base made for a very enjoyable drink. A moderately thick mouthfeel was followed by a clean, dry finish. I definitely need to try this one again.

After being reminded that a large portion of my income is relinquished under threat of force, for reasons having little to do with the welfare of our Nation, having a couple of good beers and enjoying some relaxing time with Colleen was the perfect diversion on a rainy afternoon.