Real Bullet Bottle Openers

Face it, beer bottle openers made from ammunition are a natural fit for Musings Over a Pint. So when the folks at RealBullet.com offered to send along some samples of their product, I was happy to open a couple beers with Real Bullet bottle openers to try them out.

The 50 Caliber Bottle Opener is made with a .50 BMG casing and bullet. This large opener makes quick work of opening a bottle with its hand-sized leverage. The .308 Bottle Opener does double duty as a keychain. I always keep a bottle opener hooked to my keys — just in case. I like the conversation starter aspect of these bullet bottle openers, so I think I'll add the .308 to my keyring. I just need to remember to remove it if I have the misfortune to get on an airplane!

Real Bullet also make bullet necklaces in a number of calibers, if you're a jewelry wearer. (Sorry guys, I posted this a little late for Mother's Day shopping.) There's also a 50 caliber pen available that might be just the thing for your range bag.

Note: I received the two bottle openers as review samples. No compensation was received for this post.

Sunset and Sunrise App

With the lengthening days, and the time change, I often find myself wondering just how much daylight is left? Do I have time to get to the range, shoot, and still see to pick up my brass? Is there time for some yard work? Not to worry, "there's and app for that!"

Sunset and Sunrise for the iPhone provides the needed data in a easy to read, and interesting manner. The app uses iPhone's built-in GPS, or you can manually set a location. During the day, the main screen shows the time left until sunset, as well as how much daylight is remaining. The remaining light is based on "civil twilight," the limit at which terrestrial objects can be clearly distinguished. After dark, the app switches to determing first light and sunrise. Another screen provides information on upcoming solstices and equinoxes. You can also review future, and past, sunrise and sunset times.

One evening I sat at my window and watched the sunset and the app click down. It was interesting, in a nerdy sort of way. After official sunset, the app clicked down until last light, which was pretty accurate, even in our wooded location. I've used the app during an evening at the range to get the most time shooting and know I'd still be able to get packed up and leave before the gate lock became hard to see. Of course, if I had mistimed, my iPhone flashlight would have come in hand in working the combination lock.

Sunset and Sunrise provides a simple means to keep track of remaining daylight. It's available for $1.99 in the iTunes app store. Sure, it's not that hard to judge the sunset and sunrise without it, but where's the fun in that?

The Stupid, It Burns

"A pencil is a weapon when it is pointed at someone in a threatening way and gun noises are made."

 --Bethanne Bradshaw, Suffolk Public Schools

Yep, a Virginia second grader was suspended for holding his pencil like a gun. I wonder how Ms. Brandshaw manages to dress herself each morning. Sadly, this is exactly the sort of mindlessness that we've come to expect from the State indoctrination centers.

Beer Delivery Drone

Partiers at a South African music festival could soon be ordering beer delivered "air mail."

Large crowds. Beer cans falling from the sky. What could possibly go wrong?

Read the details here.

Injured Reserve

I had hoped to be sharing tales of two fun pistol matches from this weekend, but alas, it was not to be. Last week I ended up getting my left hand wrapped up in a spinning steering wheel on the lawn tractor. The radiologist deemed the x-rays "within normal parameters." But that status does come with swelling and intense pain from any finger movement or pressure. So I withdrew from the Cedar Mountain Youths match on Saturday, and the Fredericksburg Practical Shooters match on Sunday.

Mad? Disappointed? You bet! This past weekend was to be a shooting mini-vacation of sorts. The coming weeks and months are packed with other activities, to exclusion of the shooting matches. Our family stays busy with high school sports, school and church activities, and I devote many evenings and weekends to community and charitable endeavors. We're fortunate to live in a great area where opportunity abounds for shooting competitions. I could conceivably shoot at least one USPSA match just about every weekend, and throw in the occasional IDPA event. But family comes first, and one can't ignore chores too often. Okay, I really don't have a problem ignoring the chores; perhaps if I had ignored chores last week I wouldn't be in the condition I am now!

I've often written how the two main topics of these Musings are often mutually exclusive in a given day. If I'm planning, or hoping, to shoot or even dry fire at some point in the day, I won't crack open any beer until after the gun-related activity is finished. As so often happens, I'll then run out of time, or energy, for beer reviewing. Maybe this injury will give me time to get to more of those beers waiting to be enjoyed.

I'm confident I'll be able to get in some limited dry fire practice within the next day or so. Of course I'm anxious to be healed enough to do some live fire as well. The VA/MD Section match is coming up in less than two weeks. I would hate to miss that too!

Meanwhile, a good IPA will help ease the pain better than another Aleve® I'm sure.

Local Winners in the National Homebrew Competition

My friend Greg is an avid home brewer. He's shared a number of his beers with me over the years. (He also gifted me that bottle of Pliny the Elder last year.) Greg's also a devoted hop head — a kindred spirit.

Greg entered one of his beers in this year's National Homebrew Competition. His entry was awarded a Silver Medal for the India Pale Ale category in the first round of judging last month. That means he'll move on to the Final Round to be held at the 2013 National Homebrewers Conference in Philadelphia on June 27.

The beer Greg entered was a recently reformulated version of his tasty Pike Ale. As he puts it, "It's seriously hoppy." The recipe uses Cascade, Magnum, Simcoe, Columbus, and Centennial hops, and is finished by dry hopping.

Congratulations Greg! I wish you well in the competition. And I am looking forward to tasting the new Pike Ale.

Soon.

Really.

Seriously.

Soon.  :-)

Perusing the first round results, I found two other Fredericksburg brewers who made the cut as well. Charles Arnold took a Bronze in Scottish and Irish Ales, and Mark Faller was awarded Silver in the Spice/Herb/Vegetable Beer category. Kudos to all.

Capital Ale House LivingSocial Deal

A good deal on LivingSocial for fans of Capital Ale House.

Spend $15 to get $30 to spend on food and non-alcoholic drinks at dinner, or spend $10 for $20 to spend on food and non-alcoholic drinks at lunch. Coupons are available for all four locations; downtown Richmond, Innsbrook, Midlothian, and Fredericksburg.

Go here. Now.

Disclosure: If enough people purchase using this link, my deal purchase will be free. You still get to enjoy your half-price meal.

Starr Hill Grateful Pale Ale

I've been looking forward to trying out this new summer seasonal from Starr Hill. Since Park Lane Tavern was featuring the beer in their "Steal the Glass" promotion this week, I decided that would be the perfect place to try the beer, and I'd pick up a new Starr Hill glass on top on it.

Grateful Pale Ale pours a clear pale golden color with a thin head. The aroma is full of citrus and grassy hops with a hint of an earthy background. The flavor is also a mix of tangy citrus and piney hops. There's a mild caramel malt base, with a bit of a toasted aspect providing a mild, bitter finish. The overall flavor is fresh and clean. The beer checks in at just 4.7% ABV, adding to the ease of enjoyment.

This new beer from Starr Hill was introduced as part of the brewery's summer variety pack, which also includes Northern Lights India Pale Ale, Starr Pils Lager and The Love. According to the Starr Hill web site, Grateful Pale Ale will also be available in six-packs starting in May. This is a seasonal offering which will be available only through July.

I don't bother writing about a beer unless I enjoy it, but Starr Hill Grateful Pale Ale goes beyond that qualification. I really like this beer! It's got plenty of hop goodness, but is not overwhelming. The beer is light bodied, low in ABV, and quite refreshing. It's got all the makings of a great summer refresher. I suspect this will be a "go to" beer this summer.