Ballast Point Brewing Co. Big Eye IPA
28 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
in beer Tags: ballast point, california, india pale ale, ipa, palm springs
“When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Well, when in California, do as the Californians do, and drink IPA! After a long day (was up at 5:00AM and out the door by 6:00) at Joshua Tree National Park (INCREDIBLE!) and the Salton Sea (EERIE!) I returned to my “cell” at the Waldorf-Astoria La Quinta Resort and cracked open a bomber of Ballast Point Big Eye IPA.
While last night’s Lagunitas IPA was surprisingly balanced for a West Coast IPA, Big Eye fits a little more of the stereotype of hop-forward Left Coast beers. This beer clocks in at a cool 6.8%ABV and I was drinking it from my little hotel wine glass (decent shape for beer, and it’s glass, so no complaints here!).
The pour was a nice, hazy, orangey-gold color with decent head retention. Aroma is malty with a good amount of citrus hops. Enjoyed next to the pool (which was 5 feet from my hotel room door on a 79° January day with zero humidity) it seems like the perfect beer! LOL It is very hop forward and has a LOOOOOONG lingering bitter hops aftertaste, which I happen to enjoy. A bomber is a little much for me to handle of this beer, though, what with palate fatigue and all.
The hops are slightly resiny and plenty piney, but the dominant characteristic is straight-up West Coast grapefruit pith. Eat some of that white stuff that is between the peel and fruit of a grapefruit, and you’ll have a pretty good idea of what Big Eye tastes like, especially in the long aftertaste (but in a good way). Balance it with some malt and you have a nice IPA to be enjoyed on what could only be considered a perfect day.
Lagunitas IPA
28 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
in beer Tags: california, india pale ale, ipa, lagunitas, palm springs
Photo courtesy of theperfectlyhappyman.com
Sometimes my life is pretty darn good. Right now I’m typing this blog from my hotel room at the Waldorf-Astoria La Quinta Resort outside of Palm Springs, CA, where I am enjoying my nice in-room fireplace (takes a little chill out of the desert air) in my poolside casita. Reality will return when I spend all day Sunday in the airport, getting home around 1Am and working all day Monday, but for now I get to enjoy a little slice of high living! 
I just happened to spot a little hole-in-the-wall liquor store on my way out of Palm Springs and I stopped to see if they had anything good. For the ridiculous price of $24 I am now the proud owner of one bomber each of Alesmith X, Ballast Point IPA and Lagunitas IPA. Sheesh!
I chose the Lagunitas for a nightcap, and it’s great! I was expecting a hop bomb because the guys at Lagunitas certainly don’t mess around when it comes to hops, but to my surprise it is very nicely balanced and the hops are quite restrained, especially for a West Coast IPA.
My bomber poured a clear gold with little to no head. The aroma is malty with a little citrus tone, and the flavor is a wonderfully balanced malt with resiny hops flavors. This is a great IPA and it’s not just the pool and fireplace coloring my impressions!
Priming the Pump and Other Valuable Lessons
14 Jan 2012 Leave a Comment
in coffee
The original intent of The Liquid Diet was to wax eloquently about all things potable, but more often than not I write about beer, because that’s the most interesting thing, in my opinion, to write about and that seems like what my audience likes. I do drink lots of other fluids, however, coffee being way up on the list.
I hit Broadway Cafe yesterday to pick up some beans for French press and my espresso machine. Broadway has THE BEST espresso I’ve had outside of Italy, so it pleases me to have it right here in Kansas City. While my homemade espresso isn’t quite as good as it is off Broadway’s perfectly set up system, it is DAMN good and as good as most shots you can get in a coffee shop. I’ve compared a LOT, so I know! LOL
I just went to turn on my machine to brew a shot this morning and was shocked to find the water reservoir was bone dry. I gave it a good fill a week ago and haven’t used it since, so maybe the dry air has something to do with it. I always run a little water through the machine when I first turn it on. NOTHING. Loud noise, so I knew the pump was working, but no water, so I freaked out, of course. I got this machine as a refurb from Whole Latte Love back in 2007 when I moved to KC and it seemed like a big investment at the time. I’ve taken pretty good care of it and it has taken pretty good care of me, but parts do break, etc etc, so I immediately thought the pump had kicked the bucket.
I struggled for a while trying to work the black top off the machine so I could peek at its guts. It comes off pretty easily IF you are observant enough to notice that there is a screw holding it down. The screw is at the bottom of the reservoir where you pour water in. Took me a while of struggling to figure it out, so there is lesson #1!
Lesson #2 is that if the pump runs dry, you have to prime it, which I must have forgotten after doing it once when I first bought the machine. Turn the machine on and let it heat up some, open the steam wand all the way, and then turn on the “make espresso” and the “make steam” button at the same time. A bunch of water will pour out the steam wand, so have a cup ready. Let a cup of water blast through and that will fill the pump and get it primed so it can use physics to continue to pump water when you need it.
Lesson #3? Don’t let the reservoir run totally dry or physics won’t work anymore (well, you get the drift).
Lesson #4? Thank God for people who upload user manuals for free use online. Here’s the manual for the Gaggia Espresso.
