222 Days of Deployment = 108 Beers

So when my husband left with the Navy on a 7 month deployment I decided I wanted him to come home to more beer than he would know what to do with.  He will have been gone 222 days by the time he returns.  Last time he left for 7 weeks he came home to a beer for each day he was gone.  When we realized that this would be 200+ days he made me promise not to buy him a beer for each day (crazy boy).  So instead, over the months, I managed to nearly buy him a beer for every 2 days he was gone.  Marriage is about compromise, right??  I did my best to pick up beers that were limited to certain times of the year, some that were his favorites, or just ones that I picked up for one reason or another.  It may sound strange but I looked forward to a weekly shopping trip to get him these beers - it gave me a good opportunity to think about him, what he'd like, and made me feel connected to him.  And I'm pretty sure he looked forward to the pictures I sent via email of the beers waiting for him.  Each care package that he got had a stack of all the beer magazine he subscribes to.  I'd read them first and put in sticky notes with my thoughts & comments of things I wanted him to notice, just like I'd point out to him if he was home.  Turns out beer somehow keeps us together even when we're on opposite sides of the world.

Here is the list of what he has waiting for him, now we just have to find the time to work on some this list:

1. 7 Seas - Ballz Deep
2. 7 Seas - British Ale
3. 21st Amendment - Allies Win the War
4. Alameda - Yellow Wolf Imperial IPA
5. Alaskan - Perseverance Ale
6. Alchemist / Ninkasi / Stone - More Brown Than Black IPA
7. Anchor Brewing - Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
8. American Brewing Co - Breakaway IPA
9. Avery - Maharja
10. Beer Valley - Delta 9 IPA
11. Boston Brewing - Infinium 2011
12. Bruery - 4 Calling Birds
13. Bruery / Dogfish Head - Faster, Bigger, Better, Bolder
14. Bruery / Elysian / Stone - La Citrueille Celeste de Citracado
15. Buffalo Bills - Blueberry Oatmeal Stout
16. Deschutes Brewery - Jubelale
17. Dogfish Head - 120 Minute IPA
18. Dogfish Head - 120 Minute IPA
19. Dogfish Head - Burton Baton
20. Dogfish Head - Chateau Jiahu
21. Dogfish Head - Faithful Ale
22. Dogfish Head - Fort
23. Dogfish Head - Immort Ale
24. Dogifsh Head - Life and Limb
25. Dogfish Head - My Antonia
26. Dogfish Head - Namaste
27. Dogfish Head - Noble Rot
28. Dogfish Head - Pangea
29. Dogfish Head - Pangea
30. Dogfish Head - Palo Santo Marron
31. Dogfish Head - Punkin Ale
32. Dogfish Head - Punkin Ale
33. Dofgish Head - Ta Henket
34. Dogfish Head - Tweasonale
35. Dogfish Head - Tweasonale
36. Dogfish Head - World Wide Stout
37. Driftwood Brewing - Singularity
38. Elysian - Dark o’ the Moon
39. Elysian - Idiot Sauvin
40. Elysian - Idiot Sauvin
41. Elysian - Night Owl
42. Elysian - Nimbru (#1 of 12 Beers of the Apocalypse)
43. Elysian - Rapture (#2 of 12 Beers of the Apocalypse)
44. Firestone Walker Brewing - Firestone 15 Anniversary Ale
45. Great Divide - Hibernation Ale
46. Fremont - Interurban IPA
47. Full Sail - Top Sail Imperial Porter
48. Full Sail - Wreck the Halls
49. Hair of the Dog - Blue Dot IPA
50. Hair of the Dog - Blue Dot IPA
51. Hopworks - IPA
52. Iron Horse Brewery - Cozy Sweater
53. Iron Horse Brewery - Cinco de Drinco
54. Iron Horse Brewery - Double Rainbow
55. Iron Horse Brewery - Malt Bomb
56. Iron Horse Brewery - Mocha Death
57. Iron Horse Brewry - Mocha Death
58. Lagunitas - Cappuchino Stout
59. Lagunitas - Holiday Ale
60. Laruelwood - Stingy Jack
61. Left Coast- Hop Juice
62. Left Hand - Fade to Black (Volume 3)
63. MacTarnahan’s Brewing Co. - Winter Humbug
64. Maritime Pacific Brewing - Jolly Roger Christmas Ale
65. Midnight Sun - Arctic Devil
66. Midnight Sun - Treat
67. New Belgium - Frambozen
68. New Belgium - Lips of Faith Series - Kick
69. New Belgium - Ranger
70. Ninkasi - Imperiale Stout
71. Ninkasi - ReNEWale Porter
72. North Coast - Old Rasputin XIV
73. Pelican Pub & Brewery - Bad Santa
74. Pike Place - IPA
75. Pike PLace - Kilt Lifter
76. Ridgeway Brewing - Bad Elf
77. Ridgeway Brewing - Lump of CoalFifteen
78. Ridgeway Brewing - Pickled Santa
79. Ridgeway Brewing - Santa’s Butt
80. Ridgeway Brewing - Warm Welcome
81. Rogue (Chatoe) - First Growth Pumpkin Patch Ale
82. Russian River Brewing - Pliny the Elder
83. Samuel Adams - Black Lager
84. Samuel Adams - Cream Stout
85. Samuel Adams - Holiday Porter
86. Samuel Adams - Irish Red
87. Samuel Adams - Mighty Oak Ale
88. Samuel Adams - The Vixen
89. Samuel Adams - Whitewater IPA
90. Samuel Adams (Imperial Series) - Imperial White
91. Samuel Adams (Imperial Series) - Wee Heavy
92. Shipyard Brewing - Pumpkinhead
93. Sierra Nevada - Bigfoot Ale
94. Sierra Nevada - Bigfoot Ale
95. Sierra Nevada - Bigfoot Ale
96. Sierra Nevada - Celebration
97. Skagit River Brewing - Sculler’s IPA
98. Smaltz Brewing - Jewbelation Fifteen
99. Southern Oregon Brewing - Nice Rack IPA
100. Southern Tier - Chokolat Stout
101. Southern Tier - Harvest
102. Southern Tier - Pumking
103. Southern Tier - Uneartly Imperial IPA
104. Spoetzel Brewery - Holiday Cheer
105. Stone - Vertical Epic (11-11-11)
106. Two Beers - IPA
107. Unita - Punk’n
108. Unita Crooked Line - Oak Jacked Imperial Pumpkin

Maui Brewing Mana Wheat

This beer is ok.  I'm not a giant wheat fan.  This one kind of tasted like flowery soap to me.  I'm not sure what that soapy taste is, but frequently I think light beers taste like soap.

When I went to the description of the beer and realized there was pineapple in it, I could taste the flavor.  It's probably part of what I was tasting but not able to place until I read that.  Once I placed that taste it was less soapy and more pineapple sweet.  It still had a bit of soap taste though.

Beer Advocate calls this average.

Here's Maui Brewing's take on their beer.

Redhook Blueline Series Down Under Stout

Redhook is somewhat local.  Their brewery is up in Woodinville.  I've been there.  I went to ExBEERience there in 2011.  We ate in their restaurant.  I didn't enjoy it.  Thus, I am going to probably rate this lower based solely on my feeling of the brewery.

The beer was bought earlier in the night and was not super cold and I was not impressed with this beer.  It smelled like a generic Redhook beer.  I find they must either use the same generic hops or malts or combination and that a lot of their beers taste the same.  I was really underwhelmed.  I think I feel the same way about Redhook as I do about BJ's.  They are just another mass brewery trying to be too big and their beer quality has suffered.

Beer Advocate definitely needs more reviews!

Here's a Red Hook's site on the Blueline series, though it seems they rotate through the different beers in the series so you may not find this one on their site.

Iron Horse Irish Death

I love Iron Horse.  I love this beer.  It's incredibly drinkable.  I also love the label.  Really, Iron Horse puts out a solid product and I suggest you all give this beer a try.  Or any other beer that may suit your style more with Iron Horse.  

Beer Advocate calls this good.
Here's Iron Horse's info on the beer.

BJ's Tatonka Stout

Meh. I really kind of think places like this aren't exactly great. This location had an extensive beer menu but I feel like whenever I'm somewhere that is a "brewery" I should give their beer a try. This particular BJ's was in Southcenter Mall in Seattle.



When I was down in San Diego and tried their porter in December and wasn't impressed. I felt the same with their stout this time around. It was bland and almost tasted watered down.  I am shocked this is considered an imperial stout.  This was just terrible.

As sad as it is, I'd consider eating at BJ's again but I'd rather skip having a beer all together. The food here was ok but the service was lacking. However, I did try fried buffalo chicken wontons which may have been the best part of my visit here. I think next time I'll have a water, some wontons, and a pizookie (google it). I'd even skip the pizza as I wasn't impressed!

Beer Advocate disagrees with me.
Here's what BJ's says about their beer.

Great Divide Nomad

Ok. A little weak for a pilsner. Great divide may want to stick to the darker beers.

This is a checz style pilsner. Maybe that's the problem? I wonder if the style is different than other pilsners I've had and enjoyed. Writing this blog is going to end up educating me as well as anyone reading it!

This one is apparently a seasonal available from January-March.

Well I looked it up, and it does seem there are some slight difference.

Beer Advocate thinks this is good.

Here is Great Divide's site on all of their beers.

Carter's Chocolates made with beer!

I swung by a chocolate store called Carter's in Port Orchard. They make all of their chocolates by hand. I had never been in an was browsing their truffle selection. And what did I find? Truffles made with all sorts of lovely beer, wine, and even a mead!

I picked up this dark chocolate truffle made with Pike Place Stout. I must say the chocolate itself was delicious. The taste of the stout was faint but definitely there.

I plan on going back and picking up a set of the other beer related truffles for the husband soon. These may be perfect for the beer lover in your life.

Here's Carter's website in case you want to check them out for yourself!