posted May-05-2005 08:59 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by therealman:
You see the cape can be used as a cloaking devise for the beer you are smuggling into the sporting event.

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In my world, BeerMan is SUPPLYING the beer at the sporting event, making smuggling unnecessary. He still needs to fly, therefore ... cape!!!

[This message has been edited by randymar (edited May-05-2005).]

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posted May-05-2005 09:03 AM            

¡¡¡Página nueve!!!

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Life is Short ... Make Fun of It.

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posted May-05-2005 11:07 AM            

First things first ... It wasn't Spain you bone-heads, it was France!!!

Here's the real deal - el reparto verdadero, if you will.

The 5th of May is not Mexican Independence Day, but it should be! And Cinco de Mayo is not an American holiday, but it should be. Mexico declared its independence from mother Spain on midnight, the 15th of September, 1810. And it took 11 years before the first Spanish soldiers were told and forced to leave Mexico.

So, why Cinco de Mayo? And why should Americans savor this day as well? Because 4,000 Mexican soldiers smashed the French and traitor Mexican army of 8,000 at Puebla, Mexico, 100 miles east of Mexico City on the morning of May 5, 1862.

The French had landed in Mexico (along with Spanish and English troops) five months earlier on the pretext of collecting Mexican debts from the newly elected government of democratic President (and Indian) Benito Juarez. The English and Spanish quickly made deals and left. The French, however, had different ideas.

Under Emperor Napoleon III, who detested the United States, the French came to stay. They brought a Hapsburg prince with them to rule the new Mexican empire. His name was Maximilian; his wife, Carolota. Napoleon's French Army had not been defeated in 50 years, and it invaded Mexico with the finest modern equipment and with a newly reconstituted Foreign Legion. The French were not afraid of anyone, especially since the United States was embroiled in its own Civil War.

The French Army left the port of Vera Cruz to attack Mexico City to the west, as the French assumed that the Mexicans would give up should their capital fall to the enemy -- as European countries traditionally did.

Under the command of Texas-born General Zaragosa, (and the cavalry under the command of Colonel Porfirio Diaz, later to be Mexico's president and dictator), the Mexicans awaited. Brightly dressed French Dragoons led the enemy columns. The Mexican Army was less stylish.

General Zaragosa ordered Colonel Diaz to take his cavalry, the best in the world, out to the French flanks. In response, the French did a most stupid thing; they sent their cavalry off to chase Diaz and his men, who proceeded to butcher them. The remaining French infantrymen charged the Mexican defenders through sloppy mud from a thunderstorm and through hundreds of head of stampeding cattle stirred up by Indians armed only with machetes.

When the battle was over, many French were killed or wounded and their cavalry was being chased by Diaz' superb horsemen miles away. The Mexicans had won a great victory that kept Napoleon III from supplying the confederate rebels for another year, allowing the United States to build the greatest army the world had ever seen. This grand army smashed the Confederates at Gettysburg just 14 months after the battle of Puebla, essentially ending the Civil War.

Union forces were then rushed to the Texas/Mexican border under General Phil Sheridan, who made sure that the Mexicans got all the weapons and ammunition they needed to expel the French. American soldiers were discharged with their uniforms and rifles if they promised to join the Mexican Army to fight the French. The American Legion of Honor marched in the Victory Parade in Mexico, City.

It might be a historical stretch to credit the survival of the United States to those brave 4,000 Mexicans who faced an army twice as large in 1862. But who knows?

In gratitude, thousands of Mexicans crossed the border after Pearl Harbor to join the U.S. Armed Forces. As recently as the Persian Gulf War, Mexicans flooded American consulates with phone calls, trying to join up and fight another war for America.

Mexicans, you see, never forget who their friends are, and neither do Americans. That's why Cinco de Mayo is such a party -- A party that celebrates freedom and liberty. There are two ideals which Mexicans and Americans have fought shoulder to shoulder to protect, ever since the 5th of May, 1862. VIVA! el CINCO DE MAYO!!

In honor of the Mexican victory over the French (or any victory over the french for that matter!!!) I will not take the easy way and drink la cervesa mas fina, but will more likely go with Presidente or Bohemia.

I will give Corona and Sol their due however. As beers, they don't bring much to the table, but the silkscreened "labels" really make for fine art. A woman I know, takes the bottles (as well as green Rolling Rocks) and runs them through a kiln. Very nice glasswork!!!

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Life is Short ... Make Fun of It.

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posted May-05-2005 11:14 AM            

Let's Play!!!

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Life is Short ... Make Fun of It.

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posted May-05-2005 11:25 AM            

Last year's "Beer 2004" never made it past page 9.

Page 9 was begun on Apr-12-2004, rattled around till May, slept through the Summer, and with two posts on Aug-04-2004, it died Aug-12-2004 02:08 PM.

I think we can do better in 2005 ... at least make it to Page 10.

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posted May-05-2005 11:08 PM            

Ommegang out of Cooperstown, NY ranks as one of my top most desired brews. Their brew by the same name smacks certain Belgium ales silly for about 1/3 the price.

If I were drinking I'd raise a can of Tecate, salted, in honour of Cinco. Salud!

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posted May-06-2005 08:41 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Stagger Lee:
oooh, so many good beers mentioned. I've hardly met a beer that I didn't like, however.

Ommegang out of Cooperstown, NY ranks as one of my top most desired brews. Their brew by the same name smacks certain Belgium ales silly for about 1/3 the price.

If I were drinking I'd raise a can of Tecate, salted, in honour of Cinco. Salud!

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Good call. Ommegang definitely does Belgian ales proud. A fine representation. I also like the Unibroue offerings from Canada (Maudite, Trois Pistoles, et Fin du Monde), they'll knock you out as well, and again cheaper in price than Chimay or Duvel.

Si, Tecate. I actually had Tecate before I ever tasted Corona. My uncle was in Mexico and brought a six-pack back to NJ (my brother and I were collecting beer cans at the time - late 70's) Back then, I thought ALL beer tasted like Bud, Miller, or Black Label - my Dad's favorite. I remember thinking that Tecate didn't taste "right"

I now realize that I had it backwards.

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Life is Short ... Make Fun of It.

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posted May-06-2005 08:48 AM            

There's a Mexican joint near me called "Los Amigos." It's pretty good. I especially like their Corn Chowder, it's loaded with jalapenos. Donna and I were having dinner, it was just after we'd gotten back from Colorado. Two guys were eating at a table behind me and to the right, well within earshot of both of us. Apparently one had just returned from a fishing trip - Bermuda, I think. He was telling his tablemate that one day, IN ONE DAY, he caught about 20 bonefish. Well, his friend countered with "50 bluefish in 24 hours off Sea Isle."

And so ...

1st Guy: I caught a 6 foot blue shark off Sea Isle
2nd Guy: I caught an 8 foot tiger shark in Cancun
Me: Donna, I don't think that they have tiger sharks in Cancun!!!
1st Guy: I caught a 12 foot white marlin near Puerto Rico.
2nd Guy: I caught a black marlin, at least that big, near Aruba.
Donna: Don't black marlins live in the Pacific???
Me: No, I think they're everywhere ... You know "Florida Marlins"
1st Guy: You know, there's bigger ones than that, down near Venezuela ...
Me: Uh oh. Here it comes ...
2nd Guy: The Purple Marlin!!! Yeah, I almost had one!!! Fought it for 3 hours then it broke the line.

Donna and I just busted up. There's no such thing as a Purple Marlin!!! Now, anytime we hear some just completely BS'ing ... we just say "Purple Marlin" and be done with it.

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posted May-06-2005 11:53 AM               

The final story was how one of them went to his ex-girlfriends wedding-

"When she looked up and saw me there, she cried man. She cried tears for me at her very own wedding."

We quote him at random...

My cinco de mayo - and by the way I do appreciate the clarification - was celebrated with tequila. In a margarita - on the rocks with salt please. Mis compadres bebían Guinness. Go figure.

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posted May-06-2005 04:19 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by La Tortuga:
Mis compadres bebían Guinness. Go figure.

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I like having German beer with Mexican food, so I guess it's a wash.

St. VdHC rolls tomorrow!!! Photos T/C!!!

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posted May-06-2005 09:37 PM            

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posted May-09-2005 09:44 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by randymar:
St. VdHC rolls tomorrow!!! Photos T/C!!!

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Well, let's put it this way ... Remember the part in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang where Prof. Potts attempted his rocket pack??? Jeremy and Jemima were sitting by the side of the launch track in anticipation; Prof. Potts emerged from his "laboratory" with the rocket pack on; Jeremy and Jemima clapped and cheered. With a flourish, the Professor ascended the lauch track, lit the rockets and coasted down the track, the kids clapped and cheered harder as he gained speed, ... although not enough speed ... he fell off the end of the track, rockets sputtered and his feathered wings caught fire.

It was a lot like that, but without the fire.

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Life is Short ... Make Fun of It.

[This message has been edited by randymar (edited May-10-2005).]

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posted May-09-2005 10:58 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by randymar:
I like having German beer with Mexican food, so I guess it's a wash.

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That's pretty much what Corona is anyway. When Germans/Austrians/etc. fled from WWII and settled in Mexico they brought their brewing with them and that's why you see so many pilsner style beers brewed in Mexico.

At least, so I've been told.

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posted May-09-2005 11:27 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Stardog34:
That's pretty much what Corona is anyway. When Germans/Austrians/etc. fled from WWII and settled in Mexico they brought their brewing with them and that's why you see so many pilsner style beers brewed in Mexico.

At least, so I've been told.

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I think Europeans have been brewing in Mexico since per-Civil War times ... "High Plains Drifter" is set in the late 1870's and they had what looked like a nice amber ale going in that saloon Clint took over.

Keep in mind that you don't need to be German, to start brewing ... they had beer in Egypt before there was Germany, or even Europe for that matter. But then Paris came before Europe, slightly after taste, and way after stew, but so is everything, except taxes. When the first man first clambered from the slime and made his first home on land, what he had for supper that first night was stew. This was after taxes. But everything is after taxes. Taxes were here even before stew.

Let me explain ... no there is no time, let me sum up.

First: Taxes
Second: Stew
Third: Beer
Fourth: Taste (actually there was taste at the beginning, but only of the sensory kind. What we're talking about here is GOOD Taste. Since stew was invented right after taxes, we can assume that BAD taste has always existed.)

5th: Paris
6th: Glamour

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posted May-09-2005 11:42 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Stardog34:
That's pretty much what Corona is anyway. When Germans/Austrians/etc. fled from WWII and settled in Mexico they brought their brewing with them and that's why you see so many pilsner style beers brewed in Mexico.

At least, so I've been told.

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See I'm thinking more ales would be brewed back in the 19th Century Mexico, mostly because, they could be fermented at a high temperature, than a lager, which likes to be fermented with a yeast strain that works best at low temperatures, usually 45 - 60° F. This cold fermentation takes about three to four weeks, and produces beers that have a smooth, clean malt character. Not having refrigeration other than cool caves to chill out the brew, would make it a little harder.

I short, these same factors in India prompted the British occupational forces to produce the IPA we love so much.

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posted May-10-2005 09:44 AM            

I have a similar rule ... If it's a sunny 70° while I'm at work ... I'm crankin' a Hoegaarden when I get hoem, er, home.

Which is exactly what I did.

It's crisp clean yeasty lemony Belgian goodness, poured over me like the first wave of the summer on my way out to the line-up at 18th Street.

Except the water's only 50.4°F, and threatening a brain freeze.

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posted May-10-2005 09:51 AM            

And where the F is page 10!!!

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posted May-10-2005 02:15 PM            

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Dogfish Head Liquor de Malt

A 40-ounce, bottle-conditioned malt liquor brewed with Apache Red (red), Hickory King (white), and Taos Blue (blue) corns. The "All-American" malt liquor is packaged with a hand-stamped, Dogfish Head brown paper bag.
(limited availability)
Next Release date: June, 2005
Bottled in 40 ounce bottles
7% ABV
approx. 231 calories and 24 carbs per 12 ounce serving

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Almost makes me want to start playing basketball again!!!

"Oh, Rodney, could you be a bud and pass me the ball?"
"Whadja say cracker???!!!"
"I'm sorry I meant ... T'row me dee f'n rock, brah!!!"
"Better ... bee-yatch."

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Life is Short ... Make Fun of It.

[This message has been edited by randymar (edited May-10-2005).]

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posted May-10-2005 04:42 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by randymar:
See I'm thinking more ales would be brewed back in the 19th Century Mexico, mostly because, they could be fermented at a high temperature, than a lager, which likes to be fermented with a yeast strain that works best at low temperatures, usually 45 - 60° F. This cold fermentation takes about three to four weeks, and produces beers that have a smooth, clean malt character. Not having refrigeration other than cool caves to chill out the brew, would make it a little harder.

I short, these same factors in India prompted the British occupational forces to produce the IPA we love so much.

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Actually, it was mostly Vienna Style, thus Dos Equis and Negra Mondello.

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posted May-12-2005 09:24 AM            

quote:

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Originally posted by therealman:

Actually, it was mostly Vienna Style, thus Dos Equis and Negra Mondello.

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Right, but in the land of the Raj our intrepid invaders decided to tinker with recipe and invented the IPA, with extra hops to keep the brew fresh on its way to and from New Dehli, Calcutta, etc.

Or am I mistaken???

If Mike was here he'd set us all straight.

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posted May-12-2005 09:50 AM            

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posted May-12-2005 10:07 AM            

The Mexican's, not needing to ship they're beer anywhere, just left it alone. Thus the darker color of native brews like Dos Equis and Modelo.

It was only through American intervention that they went Pilsner with Corona, Sol, Tecate and Presidente.

Are we all good now???

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posted May-12-2005 10:42 AM               

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posted May-12-2005 10:44 AM            

I rack my beers last night. The Nut Brown went into glass and I reracked the Wit into a clean secondary fermentor. Since it came out of a secondary fermentor I guess this is a third fermentor. I like doing this because I think it makes the beer clearer.

I will probably bottle the Wit in two weeks and the NBA a week after that.

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posted May-12-2005 10:48 AM            

The influences on Mexican beer are more varied than most beer-lovers might realise. Mexico claims to have had the first brewery in North America, in the time of the Spanish conquest. The immigration of brewers from Switzerland, Alsace and Germany introduced lager, which today accounts for almost all of Mexican beer. Mexico is about one-fifth the size of the United States. The popularity of Mexican beers has spread to the US. It is, however, only the light beers like Corona and Sol which have made it big across the border, causing Mexican breweries to concentrate more on these Beers.

Almost all of today's Mexican beers emanate from just two big groups of breweries. One group, based in Mexico City, is Modelo, partly owned by Anheuser-Busch. Mexico's rival giant embraces Cuauhtémoc, of Monterrey, and Moctezuma, of Guadalajara. (Moctezuma was a Mexican king; Cuauhtémoc his son). Cuauhtémoc-Moctezuma is partly owned by Interbrew, of Belgium.

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