The Realm of the Senses

This started out as a blog about beer - finding beer, drinking beer, brewing beer.. Along the way I expanded to other things that please me: wine, whisky, coffee(!), motorcycles, bicycles, cars, adventuring, good food, women,... Also the places where I find these, and the people with whom I find them. Enjoy!

[motorcyclecamping]

[the-beer-explorer]

In our defense, the burgers are REALLY good.

[sweetreddelicious-59]

#my post 🍎

[the-beer-explorer]

Ah yes, the trading of insults - the first steps in courtship...

[been-here-b4]

[the-beer-explorer]

Doesn't everyone's?

[hometoursandotherstuff]

[the-beer-explorer]

My wife's a Leo. The chart checks out...

[sandavito]

[the-beer-explorer]

Hey, Come on! We've all had mornings like that....

[livelovelaugh-777]

[the-beer-explorer]

Not mine. I know exactly why it's hurting where it's hurting...

[nocternalrandomness]

"A golf course is the willful and deliberate misuse of a perfectly good rifle range" ~Col Jeff Cooper

[the-beer-explorer]

I always say a golf course is a waste of good mountain biking terrain. but Col Cooper was on to something...

[whereifindsanity]

[the-beer-explorer]

That's the central conundrum for all of us, yes?

[666hammerhead]

[hootershoney234]

We expect freeze tonight.Ugh

[the-beer-explorer]

Yeah, that's us too...

[pa-ola123]

🌹🍃

[the-beer-explorer]

I'll be honest - these were not the challenges of wildlife photography that I was expecting. Now I'm wondering why everyone needs those long lenses. Better perch for the meerkats?

[bluelady127]

Keep the cookies coming, and no one gets hurt....

[the-beer-explorer]

Me with Thin Mints and Hobnobs...

[3liza]

not what its called

[melvina71]

That is freaking hilarious… 👓 💫 Might need to share this at the office tomorrow. 👩🏻‍⚕️🫀🏥 Hope I never get that! 😂 Not sure my lady bits could take it! 🍯

[the-beer-explorer]

OK, I feel better. First, because that sounds awful. Second, because I had to ask "is that really a thing? I don't think that's actually a thing..."

[the-beer-explorer]

We made a trip down to south Texas over the holidays to visit family. It was warm in McAllen, mid 80s (F) daytime and 60s overnight. At Christmas.

Given the tropical conditions, dark beers were not popular, and we drank IPAs and golden ales. Fortunately, when we drove north to visit friends in the Hill Country the weather cooled off a bit. In the beer section at HEB in Marble Falls we found this imperial stout from local brewer Save the World Brewing. Here their blurb on Danger Noodle Island:

"Silky smooth with notes of dark chocolate, coffee, stone fruit and a velvety finish. Big body, yet delicate and super refreshing. A bold beer deserves a bold name, embrace the Danger Noodle."

Danger Noodle Island is inky dark, does indeed have a dense full mouth feel, notes of dark chocolate and coffee, and a finish that slips off your tongue. It looks like a stout, tastes like a stout, feels stouty in the mouth. The IBU of 60 helps it avoid the cloying sweetness some stouts tend to. The 10% ABV keeps us honest; drink too much of this one and the flavors will be a blur. The last line of Save the World's description seems accurate: "We think it’s the ultimate rocking chair sipper." This is definitely a sipper, and not just for rocking chairs.

[the-beer-explorer]

A Christmas trip to Texas to visit family and friends, and to drink some local beer. We picked up this one at an HEB in Marble Falls, out in the Hill Country. Devil's Backbone is their take on a Belgian tripel. Here's what Real Ale say about their tripel:

Named for a winding stretch of Hill Country highway, Devil’s Backbone is a Belgian-style tripel. Featuring a beautiful pale-golden color, this ale’s spicy hops and Belgian yeast work together to create a distinctive flavor and aroma. Don’t let the light color fool you, this one has a dark side too. Traditional Belgian brewing techniques add strength without increasing heaviness.

it is light in color for a tripel, and a bit more hops bitterness (IBU is 35) than I'm used to, but the Belgian yeast notes are there and that hint of caramel. The full mouth feel and the powerhouse ABV (8.1%). It's a good drink.

Ironically, on our drive from McAllen to the Hill Country we drove right past Real Ale Brewing. Too much of a hurry to stop, some other place to be that evening. At least we found some of their beer.

[stillfreeziecat5]

[bleedhondared2]

That needs to be posted in EVERY Dept of Driver Services(DDS) in GEORGIA🤣

[the-beer-explorer]

I'm driving an Outback with Blizzaks. Grandma will be just fine...

[theroadgoesonforever]

[the-beer-explorer]

Another thing lost to technology: kick starting a motorcycle.

Honestly, I don't miss it...

[whereifindsanity]

Maybe it wasn't quite as glorious as i remember lol

[the-beer-explorer]

Yes, there were some casualties....