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Edmund Charles Davis-Quinn

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Maine Beer Guy

I Love Beer

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Exhausted.

It’s been an odd few days here.

Dad is doing better today.

Glad Shangy’s is nearby where I can get good case beer that I can’t find in Maine.

Yesterday I got a case of Flying Fish Variety Pack. All quite nice but not super amazing.

Today I got a case from my favorite brewery right now (which of course isn’t available in Maine) Bell’s Brewery out of Michigan.

So far I have had the Amber, Kalamazoo Stout and Best Brown and all are delicious.

The best of the Flying Fish case easily is the Belgian Abbey Dubbel. That’s pretty yummy.

Beer makes me happy. It’s good that I’m here but it’s hard.

Cleaning up my dad is unfun. Changing a diaper is unfun. Dealing with his demands sometimes delusional, and sometimes hilarious isn’t really fun.

Beer is awesome.

As is my iTunes and Dominion Online.

And thank you for your support.

edmund

Smoking in Bars

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Went to a very cool beer bar with excellent food in Allentown, PA today.

The Liberty Street Ale House on 23rd and Liberty right by Muhlenburg College.

Very good tap list, $6 Moosehead pitchers on a Saturday which is quite worth it and a decent beer. And hundreds of different craft beer bottles including some very premium Belgium beers and 22s.

The Pulled Pork Sandwich was great, and the Cream of Crawfish soup was delicious.

I will say the service wasn’t great and could have used a 3rd server.

But, as I went to the bar instead of a table. Someone lit up a cigarette a couple of seats over that blew in my face. It’s not pleasant.

Moved back to the table. But, I realized how much more pleasant bars are without smoking.

Yes, for some patrons who like to smoke it’s frustrating. There are lots of people that love drinking beer and chain smoking in bars.

But, for non-smokers it opens up everywhere. Smoke in your face doesn’t make you want to hand around somewhere.

So, I am glad smoking bans are in place. But I certainly think it’s fine with places with outside patios to allow smoking but inside in a bar it’s frankly obnoxious.

So, I would definitely go back there but I really do prefer people smoking outside. Sorry smokers.

So, smoke, smoke, smoke that cigarette. Puff, puff, puff and if you smoke yourself to death tell St. Peter at the Golden Gate you hate to make them wait, you just have to have another cigarette.

Beer > Football

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I have been a sports fan for a long time. At least since I was 9 years old and the Phillies went to the World Series in 1983 and lost to Rick Dempsey’s great series with the Baltimore Orioles.

It’s something guys talk about in school. I got into both pro and college sports, although central New Jersey where I grew up is like New England pro sports country.

I always looked forward to the NCAA tournament, loved college football Saturdays and NFL Sundays, loved hearing Harry Kalas and Richie Ashburn (both in the Baseball Hall of Fame, Ashburn for his great hitting too) do Philadelphia Phillies games (and yes that made me spoiled.)

But, recently I simply don’t care about sports as much.

Last year I even had the NFL Redzone as an extra on DISH for a couple months. And that is ADD football to go to the redzone in every NFL game, sometimes going back and forth in multiple games at once.

But, late September this year I dropped the DISH. We have it on pause for $5, so we get preview channels and the DVR, but we really haven’t missed it.

I admit I miss watching PTI (Pardon the Interruption) on ESPN that was last real connection about what is going on in sports world, and I do like watching NCAA games and may have them as background now while I play Dominion: Online (yep still addicted). Honestly though I prefer listening to podcasts. It’s hard to listen to podcasts and web surf for me. Reading text and hearing text gets confusing to my brain. But it’s a good way to hear a good story.

So last night I was at a friend’s house to watch football and drink some beer. The AFC championship game Patriots vs. Ravens. I literally didn’t even know who was playing the NFL game, I thought it was the Niners but forgot the Falcons were there. I enjoyed watching the game, my friend is a loud fan, but frankly preferred drinking beer and hanging out.

I love beer. And I am going to keep talking about it on the blog, here is a collection of beer posts.

Right now having a delicious Bell’s Two Hearted Ale IPA, great balance and delicious beer. (90/A-) Last night I had some yummy dark czech lager that I should have checked into because I would get it again that was wonderfully drinkable. (88/B+) And had some Okacim (Poland) O.K. beer, that was just that. (78/C). I also had a monster beer the Founders Bolt Cutter 15th Anniversary Ale. It’s a monster at 15% alcohol by volume and frankly the alcohol showed and it was very, very heavy. Possible it will be better from aging, but like many costy beers I usually don’t see how it’s worth it. (85/B). And if you are curious I am on Untappd and like to check in.

So, I will drink beer all year, and as far as football goes I enjoy it but no longer need to go out of my way for it. But, beer truly is a gift of the gods and proof that God wants us to be happy. But, I guess Ben Franklin really said that about wine. For all spirited people it’s true, although too much spirit may soothe the soul in the evening, and brings horrors in the morning.

Cheers!

Edmund

Big Beer Season

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Mid-Winter, mid-January, it’s time for big beer.

Ironically it’s also the time that Sam Adams puts out it’s Spring Beers.

So went down to Friendly Discount, not my favorite beer store in Westbrook (odd parking lot). But, they were the only ones in town to have Brooklyn Monster Barleywine. And even better it was 2011. This is a good, good thing when it comes to barleywine. It was even pretty cheap for a huge beer, 10.1% ABV, $6.99/4 pack. Yummy and rich. (92/A-). Ironically, you can also get it in bottle at Buffalo Wild Wings. Also got some Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout. One of my old favorite beers. Delicious, but still prefer the North Coast Old Rasputin as a big stout. And the Chocolate Stout is also a huge ABV of 10%. If you don’t know ABV = alcohol by volume.

And considering it was 15 degrees F outside when I was driving home, it’s time for a big warming beer.

So here is to the big beers and especially barleywines. I already wrote a piece on Bell’s Third Coast Old Ale my favorite beer of 2012, and also really loved the Sierra Nevada Bigfoot. Do you have a favorite winter beer?

Bell’s Third Coast Old Ale

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Bell’s Third Coast Old Ale is easily my favorite beer of 2012. Just a delicious, rich, well-balanced barleywine. And it tastes just awesome with roast.

Yummy, yummy stuff 96/A from a fantastic brewery. It also has amazing balance for a big 10.2% ABV (Alcohol by Volume) beer. Mmmm.

Frustration is finding out your favorite brewery Bell’s Brewery from Comstock, Michigan isn’t available in Maine. The good thing is, it is available at Shangy’s in Emmaus, PA a exit on 78 away from my parents in Allentown, PA.

I have loved every beer I have tried from Bell’s. The Winter White was delicious, yeasty and rich 88/B+. The Two Hearted Ale was a good solid IPA 90/A- and it’s delicious rich, unpasturized beer.

Considering they are the #9 microbrewery in the country it’s well time Bell’s comes to Maine.

Mmm beer.

2012 – The Best of a Not Good, Very Bad Year

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2012 was the toughest year of my life. I lost my wonderful father in law Walter Maheux in March. Seeing my dad’s brain cancer return in August.

But even in a terrible year there are best things.

Best poetry venue move: Rhythmic Cypher to Dobra Tea. The tea house fits it perfectly.

Worst poetry venue move: Port Veritas from Local Sprouts to Bull Feeney’s. There should have been a way to both charge a cover and keep a perfect venue for the place.

Best poetry book: Carl Sandburg’s amazing “Chicago Poems”. This is a reminder that many of these things weren’t produced in 2012.

Best poetry chapbook: Billy Tuggle’s “The Way of the B Boy”, just an amazing Chicago slam poet, and simply an awesome dude and poet.

Movie: Wes Anderson’s “Moonrise Kingdom”. Not even close, Anderson’s best since the fantastic “Rushmore.”

Book 1st Read: “Daytripper”, a graphic novel that goes through life through a series of deaths in important places. Beautiful, poetic and amazing.

Book re-read: Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut. Amazed how well this held up to re-reading. So it goes.

CD: Fiddler on the Roof – Original Broadway Recording. I love Zero Mostel and Fiddler together.

Hot Mess: Cloud Atlas — Lanna and @gennyfer both loved this. I like the modern tale, but a lot of it was just a mess. From the jub jub sounds of the primitive future, to some of the worst Korean makeup ever in the New Seoul scene. It’s a mess. **

Podcast: Lounging with LannaLee. Proud of Lanna doing this every week. Really, really good. It’s an adventure in conversation.

Discovery: How much I love golf. I am really shocked about it.

New Restaurant: The Dancing Elephant in Westbrook. Yummy Indian food a few blocks from my house, I do miss the lunch buffet though.

Ice Cream Sandwich: Catbird Creamery in Westbrook. Always good, but favorite was snickerdoodles with brown sugar ice cream.

Go to restaurant, great service: Saigon. Pretty much universally loved. Just excellent.

Beer: Bell’s Third Coast Old Ale. Just an amazing barleywine. Great balance and just amazing with a beef roast.

Brewery: Bell’s (Michigan). Not available in Maine but pretty much getting a case every time I visit my parents in Allentown, PA from Shangy’s in Emmaus, PA.

Blogpost: Write Poorly. Can’t believe this little poem inspired Colleen Hoover enough that it’s in the New York Times best selling book “Point of Retreat.”

Accomplishment: Seeing “Write Poorly” in “Point of Retreat” and being in the acknowledgments. Makes me super happy.

2nd Accomplishment: Blogging every day on this site in 2012 and completing a National Blogging Year (not even totally sure that exists.)

Most spiritual moment: Being in the room when my father in law spirit passed from the realm of the living to the realm of the dead. Feel blessed to be there.

Tap Water: Sebago Lake/Portland Water District. It takes going to Allentown to appreciate how great the tap water tastes in greater Portland.

Website: Goodreads. Just loved that it let me know I read 182 books in 2012. And of course that I can see how others love the books that I love.

Blog: Margaret Miller Finch’s Stationary Unicycle. I think Ms. Finch should make sure to blog more this year and not listen to her critics.

Best Local Brewery: Bunker brewing. Still at only a 1 barrel system. I hope this changes soon. Their beer is seriously amazing, if only available a few places in Portland, Maine. Ie Mama’s Crowbar, Sonny’s, Local 188 and the Great Lost Bear. I have loved every beer I have tried from Bunker.

To buy wines: Trader Joe’s and it’s not close.

To buy liquor in Maine: New Hampshire.

Best/worst website discovery: Dominion Online. Great in that it’s really Dominion and that’s awesome. Bad in it’s really Dominion and I want to keep playing. Even already spent $10 in real money to buy some sets and plan to get more. Warning addictive.

I Like Beer and Sausage

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Today was fun.

Got to sleep in. Cook some bacon and eggs and go to a couple parties.

My friend Rick had a great idea. Cook some sausages on the grill, bring some of your favorite beers and a tasting glass and drink beer.

I like beer, I like sausages, and I like hanging out on a lovely October night by the fire.

Great party.

The Bell’s Winter White (2011) and the Stoudt’s Double Bock were both super popular and delicious. I love the Winter White, others liked the Double Bock more than me which isn’t surprising.

I would like to host a party like this. Wish I had the yard for it.

Mmmm beer. Mmmm sausage.

Beer Times in Philly

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I guess Portland, Oregon belongs too, but I don’t know it well.

So I just spent about a week and a half in Philadelphia. Often called “America’s Best Drinking City.” Philly does have a magazine for beer “Philly Beer Scene” and a Philadelphia Beer Week. This is pretty awesome.

But, it’s more a place to drink beer out than buy beer. Pennsylvania has strange beer laws where beer is much, much cheaper by case than by 6 pack. You can buy a 6 pack in a bar/restaurant but not a package store where it’s case only.

So sometimes it’s actually cheaper to get a beer on tap than to get it on bottle, which is kind of nuts.

That being said the beer lists in Philadelphia are ridiculously good. Went to the famous Monk’s Cafe, owned by Tom Peters who is often considered the most knowledgable man about Belgian Beer in America. Reminded me a little of Novare Res in a way. Very expensive beers, very high end taps, lots of Belgian beer. Was most impressed by the most excellent mussels that were cooked in Saison Dupont and had all sorts of aromatics. Would go back for the mussels.

Even a dive bar like the Locust Bar has some microbeers and a beer I haven’t had in too long the yummy Yuengling Black and Tan. I wish I bought a case of this over the overrated (to me) Yuengling Lager. The Black and Tan is rich and drinkable, I think it combines the Lager and the Yuengling Porter.

Tria had a great beer list, had the yummy Don de Dieu (Unibroue, Quebec), wish I had the space for a yummy Victory with just one hop. Was also great to see Maine Beer Peeper on tap.

Went into the Boilermaker bar for a moment. They had yet another excellent beer list, but it was just too dark for me (as was Monk’s) and was wicked full of hipsters. Thought about trying it later, but decided against it.

Went to the Good Dog Bar with an old HS friend, and they also had a great beer list. Had a Great Divide Double IPA (CO) .. was good but like my friend Greg I liked the richness, but the taste was harsh. I enjoyed the Philadelphia Beer Kenzinger much, much more. Good flavor and crispness, great session beer. I wish I picked the Yards Philly Pale Ale as the first pour.

And my favorite beer of the week was the delicious Victory Golden Monkey, a very spicy tripel with lots of notes for free with a beer at Tabu. Which was a sports beer/gay bar. The bartender was awesome, and you can’t beat a delicious burger with BBQ sauce, bacon and smoked gouda and a great beer for $7.75. Would totally go back. Especially on a Thursday (the day of the free beer with sandwich).

Comparably, Portland has many bars with great beer selection, but the fact we have 12 breweries in town means our local microbrews take over the beer list often. Of course, Novare Res is known for it’s beer from around the world (especially Belgium) and the Great Lost Bear (my favorite beer bar in town) highlights Maine beer, but also has great out of town beers.

Portland is also a great place to get local beers inexpensively at local package stores and doesn’t have odd case beer laws. Maine does have an issue of having weird laws with out of state beer causing many great beers to not enter the great northeast.

But both towns are great for drinking. Philadelphia is of course a much, much bigger city and probably has more places to get great beer. And Yards, Victory, Troegs, Flying Fish etc. are great breweries.

Missing Maine

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Been away for a couple weeks now. Seems like longer.

I am used to having Lanna with me these days.

Used to knowing my way around.

Used to the Maine attitude of getting by, and letting things go.

Missing the Portland poetry scene.

Missing the rhythm of days working and days off.

Missing my wife.

Scared about my dad. He survived a 2nd brain surgery, that’s good. He’s in recovery, the neurosurgeon Dr. Laroix at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia, said it’s normal to see a lag from days 3-5.

I want to see my dad move more on the left. I worry about it. Looks like he will always be missing some vision on the left side so will not drive again.

I miss Lenny and Squiggy, the two adorable cats always giving smiles.

I hate car drama.

I have enjoyed the food in Philly but Portland, Maine is an amazing food town too.

I am enjoying the beers in Philly (wish I had more money) but Portland is an amazing town for beer too. Saw Allagash White a few places (including Monk’s Cafe) and saw Maine Beer Peeper on tap at a wonderful place called Tria (12th and Spruce).

Mainly I miss my wife. Secondarily I miss the cats. And of course I miss kisses, hugs and someone else in bed.

And I definitely miss getting paid and my friends.

I will get through this. Life takes you where you don’t expect it.

And thank you for your support.

Edmund

In Praise of Mussels

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Today I had mussels. They were awesome.

Sometimes you go to Hannaford to get some taco stuff and you see that Mussels are 99 cents/pound, and even from Maine waters.

So you buy around 3 pounds, put in some lemonade and whatever beer you are drinking (usually IPAs and Pale Ales for me) and dump the mussels in.

You put on a top, and let them steam until they are all open. I also threw in a couple spoonfuls of minced garlic.

When they are open, you eat them, dipping them in butter.

They are awesome. Also taste great with some garlic bread and good beer. Belgian White or Abbey Ale might be perfect but I find IPAs and Pale Ales do nicely.

Delicious food. And you can’t eat 3 bucks for 3 pounds of local Maine mussels. Ok Downeast Maine Mussels from Jonesboro, Maine way out towards Machias.

And my wife doesn’t like them. That just means more for me.

How do you like your mussels?