Flying Dog Sea Salt Caramel Brown

As is often my first thought when I see a new Flying Dog "Brewhouse Rarities" beer, when I picked up Sea Salt Caramel Brown I wondered just what sort of flavor experience the brewery had come up with this time. I do love caramel. And salt. And ale. So, we'll see...

The beer pours the deepest brown color with a beige, frothy head. The aroma is quite strong, with caramel, toasted bread and a distinctive saltiness. The flavor brings more of the same. There’s also a notable alcohol warming aspect, almost like sherry, that is more than expected from the moderate 7% ABV. The beer has a thick mouthfeel and a dry finish.

Sea Salt Caramel Brown paired well with a Hot German Potato Salad and Sausage skillet dish Colleen made for dinner. I found it to be an interesting and enjoyable beer. It reminded me of one of those rich, boozy, desserts one might order after a fancy dinner out. Like such a treat, one in a sitting was sufficient for me.

This review was made on an unsolicited sample from the brewery. The drinking was done of my own free will.

Thanksgiving Day Range Trip

In what's become an annual tradition, I was able to enjoy a trip to the range on Thanksgiving. This time was made even more special since my son, who was home from college, came along for the fun.

The early weather predictions were calling for cool weather with rain on during the day, but it turned out to be a beautiful day; sunny skies and temperatures in the mid-60°. We couldn't have asked for much better on a November afternoon. Even with the good weather, we had the pistol range to ourselves.

A Thanksgiving Table

We spent a couple hours shooting and talking. What a great Thanksgiving treat to spend some time with him, doing something we both enjoy. It was a most enjoyable afternoon that left me with a smile the rest of the day — so much so I even volunteered to clean the guns afterwards.

We're already making shooting plans for Christmas break.

Classic Thanksgiving Humor

This one never gets old.

"As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly."

Happy Thanksgiving

Today is the day Americans set aside to give thanks for the many graces and gifts that bless our lives. Though deleting the dozens of emails this morning promoting "3 Day Black Friday Deals" makes me hope that people are still taking time to remember the reason for the holiday. (Though I did take advantage of some good ammo deals.)

For myself, I am thankful for my wonderful and loving family, for the freedom to worship as I choose, for true friends, and for a roof over my head, food on the table, for this great country, and much, much more. These are things I am thankful for every day, not just on the fourth Thursday of November. To be truly thankful is to be aware of our many blessings everyday. But today, I'll try to think about those gifts just a little more. Let's also keep in mind those selfless Americans who are separated from their loved ones while working to defend our freedoms.

I wish everyone a safe and peaceful day.

"Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me 'to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.'"

-- George Washington, National Day of Thanksgiving Proclamation, October 3, 1789

Remembering Blessed Miguel Pro

[Reposted from November 23, 2013.]

November 23 is the Feast Day of Blessed Miguel Pro. Born on January 13, 1891, in Guadalupe, Mexico, Miguel Pro was ordained a Jesuit priest in Belgium in 1925. He returned to his home country in 1926, in the midst of that country's Cristeros War. After being falsely accused of an attempted bombing, Father Pro was executed by government forces without trial. 

Blessed Miguel Pro's final request was to be allowed to pray to his heavenly Father.

After which he refused a blindfold and faced the firing squad bravely, proclaiming ¡Viva Cristo Rey!

Father Pro's executioners initially failed at their task, and the deed was finished at point blank range.

I am saddened, but hardly surprised, at the ignorance of the American public regarding the persecution of Catholics, and of the Cristero War that took place in Mexico in 1926 through 1929. Some 250,000 people lost their lives in a persecution that was supported by the government of the United States with both funds and air support. Given the ever-growing intolerance towards Christians, especially Catholics, in the United States, we would do well to remember.

Christ the King, by the intercession of Blessed Miguel Pro, I beg you to answer my prayers. Give me the grace and the strength necessary to follow your heroic example and to live my Catholic faith in spite of all temptations and adversities. Amen.

Images from Wikipedia.

November Rivanna IDPA Match

This weekend was the final IDPA match of the year at Rivanna. It was also the annual Top 10 match where the Top 10 shooters from the year compete to determine the top shooter of the year. The Top 10 shoot as a group and the rest of us watch while they shoot through.

All four stages at this match were stages which were shot previously during the year, and they were all memorable. Stage 1 started us seated with the loaded gun and all mags on a table. Seven targets were arranged in front of us, to be shot in tactical sequence. One target was placed much further down range than the others to break up the rhythm. It was a fun fast stage, one that I completed -0.

Moving on to Stage 2 we found a stage I remember well from an earlier match. There were three targets engaged while backing up. Then moving behind a wall, we dropped to a prone position and shot through a ground-level port. In that opening we found three open targets, two more targets partially blocked by a non-threat, and two steel plates placed right in front of non-threat targets. I recall shooting the plates successfully previously, which added to the pressure to repeat that feat. In the end, it all worked out, and I shot this challenging stage just -2.

The third stage tested our shooting from behind low cover with eight targets that were all reduced by hard cover and non-threats. The targets were to be engaged in tactical sequence. After my reload I was momentarily confused as to were I left off, but picked up again without skipping a target. I was -5 on the stage, though given the tight shots was not overly disappointed.

The final stage I recall from last month, when we shot it in the opposite direction. This stage started on the right side with three targets shot in tactical sequence. We them moved to the center to engage two targets from cover with two body and one head shot. These two targets were partially blocked by high non-threats, which made getting the body shots a challenge. The final left side position was another tactical sequence group of three targets. This was another -0 stage for me.

There were only 5 shooters on our squad and we moved through the stages quickly. We completed our stages before the Top 10 squad caught up to us. We never had to pause to let them shoot through, but we also didn't get to see the top guys shooting the stages.

I was very happy with how I shot a this match. My accuracy was good — no misses and no hits on non-threats — and I felt that I shot at a decent pace too. In SSP - Sharpshooter I finished first, and despite not qualifying for the Top 10 squad, managed a 7th place finish overall. The combination of interesting stages, good weather, and fun folks to shoot with, made for a great wrap to the season at Rivanna. I think I may be able to get to one more match in 2016, but if I don't, this certainly makes a great finish for the year.

How Much Longer?

I can't help but wonder, how much longer will good people continue to stand by and watch their neighborhoods burn? How much looting and destruction will hard working shopkeepers tolerate? How many more flash mobs will attack innocents before people start fighting back? How much longer will righteous people stand by and watch anarchists violently oppose free elections?

Good men can only be pushed so far...

This Text Made My Day

I'm sitting in endless meetings when Colleen sends a text message...

Suddenly the day seems so much brighter.