Brits and a German

I've been a bit negligent lately.  I did procure a bunch (case perhaps) of new beer options from the great Wegman's selection over the weekend.  I was accompanied by that legendary beer connoisseur of the family - young Samuel.  He has already been to quite a few liquor stores and bars already (as a percentage, it might be a bit scary).  It took me a few days to break into the new options.  Here are a couple.

Aventinus (Rating = 3.5)
Another German beer that tastes like bananas.  What's with this trend?  It was ok, - definitely a funky beer.  I don't recall having a wheat dopplebock before.  So, it was light and slightly heavy at the same time.  Smelled chocolately and kind of heavy, but was light on the palate, with the late banana taste.  A bit of an enigma.  I liked it, but wouldn't tel l people - you MUST drink it.

I did also get another extra one in here.  I thought I had the other Schneider beer from the list, but it turned out to be a different one.  It was a straight Weiss beer that was pretty good though.  Probably would have been a 4.0 if it was officially on the list.  But no, wasted drinking effort.

In related news, I've started to notice my beer belly start to grow a bit.  I do not think it is coincidence.  I think it might be from the beer.  Not sure how to solve this and keep drinking.  I've told many a friend that has gone about a weight loss program by cutting out booze that they are just plain stupid.  You must continue to drink while you get in shape.  So, I will have to work on that one.

Samuel Smith's Nut Brown Ale (Rating = 4.0)
Ahh, memories.  This particular beer reminds of some friends from college.  They got married just a few years after we graduated - ceremony at Marsh Chapel on the campus of Boston University.  I remember the wedding well (ok, not really well).  I was friends with the bride, having met her my first day of freshman year in my door.  We lived in the massive Warren Towers on Comm Ave.  I stayed good friends with Alicia for the entirety of the college years.  She met Matt at BU (I think I met him once or twice) and then got married.  Matt was a big beer guy back then (and did some home brewing, etc.).  At the reception, they had some great beer.  This was one of them.  I didn't realize a) it was a bigger bottle and b) it was strong.  Not that I wasn't headed in that direction anyway, but I got myself nice and toasted.  It was a fun wedding (again, I think) and I remember a lot of dancing.  That means that a bunch of other people probably tell a story to the effect of "remember that wedding we went to with the really, really drunk and really really tall guy at?"  Yes, that would have been me.

Anyway, it was nice to have this one again, it had been a while.  This is a really tasty beer - not too nutty, but just enough.  Easy to drink.  And the cool, official looking bottle.  A winner.  I've got a couple other Samuel Smith's varieties in the house on deck to try.  Stay tuned.  And no, Samuel Smith is in no way related to Samuel Adams (obviously, they share a first name, not a last name).

St. Peter's Cream Stout (Rating = 3.5)
I know I end up with a lot of ratings in the 3.5 range.  I think this is my middle-of-the road rating.  Anything below a 3 feels like I'm saying - don't drink this crap.  This is a little bit lighter stout, but it does have some coffee flavors to it.  A little bitter finish, but an ok stout.  I'd still take the traditional ones - Murphy's and Guinness over this one.  And, for the record, I don't think St. Peter has anything to do with this brew.  I'm just saying.    

Beers down: 37
Beers to go: 964

Here is the updated spreadsheet.