Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Stout Imperial, La Barberie, QC

Julie brought this back for me from Montreal last week. Its very tasty. Its from a cooperatively owned microbrasserie La Barberie.

"Strong beer on lees", 500ml, 7.5% alc./vol.

Scotch Tasting

Notes from a scotch tasting. I divide scotch into the smoky/peaty (3-star) , the tasteless (1-star) , and the in-between (2-star).

3-star:

Ardberg
McLelland Islay & Speyside (my fave)
The Speyside is actually cheap as scotch goes, and a favorite of most.
Bowmore Islay

2-star:

Auchentoshan
Julie's favorite.
Dalwhinnie
Craggammore

1-star:

McCallan
Glenlivet
Famous Grouse
Glenfiddich


How to drink scotch:

In small glasses, without water, or ice, at room temperature.

Water makes it taste insipid.

Crannog Ale Dinner, Figmint Restaurant, BC

This was lots of fun, and began with a free beer tasting next door at Firefly featuring all you could drink of Crannog ale for any passers by. Quite a deal!

I like their beer a bunch, the Red Branch would be my favorite, I think.

The food was excellent, service nice. The manager of the Figmint is pretty obviously trying hard to organize interesting little events. I'm on the mailling list now, there will be more like this.

crannog beer and figmint food

Saturday, May 10, 2008

The Great Eastern, Radio Show, NF

The Great Eastern is no longer carried on the CBC, but its still one of the best shows ever heard. Its very fast, and very subtle, and viciously satirical.

If you've never listened, perhaps start at Season 3, episodes 1 and 11, they're pretty good.

My favorite episodes are Season 4, ep 13 and 14 (and a few of the shows just before that forshadow the events). Its a 2 hour riff on Heart of Darkness, but occurring in Newfoundland's African colony, where a rogue radio broadcaster has dissappeared upriver, and his broadcast must be terminated. You have to listen to understand, and even then...

This American Life

One of my favorite radio shows, and its available as a podcast from thisamericanlife.org.

If you've never listened, you could start with their favorite shows, see their archives, or mine:

  • Fiasco - OMFG, tears stream from my eyes as I listen to this story over and over.

  • How to Take Money From Strangers

  • Roadtrip!

  • Running With Antelope

  • First Day - it's the second story, where the cop tries to capture the squirrel and it all goes wrong...