Passenger Side

What happens when four middle aged men load up a truck with food, beer, wine, gin and weapons? OK so the only weapon in question was Cheppe's fly rod but the thing is pretty tough looking when you first see it in its leather case and brass lid. The idea was to road trip down to Bend to catch Wilco, maybe a few trout and in the process eat and drink like like the gluttonites we are. To celebrate the event, we unearthed some serious wines which would be methodically tasted and paired with the meals we were having. There were Barolos, Viader, Leonetti, Ridge, some Bordeaux, Buty and Oregon pinots. Is it wrong to admit that we didn't make it through the wines? After all, we finished all the Tanqueray, Heineken Light and bottled water. Who's keeping score anyway?

Without a boring and tedious travelogue attached let's just say we "whacked some lunkers" at Lava Lake (Lil Antony quote heard ad naseum) with the help of a guide (future posting), saw the Wilco summer tour ender (which after seeing these guys for a decade was still epic), and drove our tired asses back to Seattle on Sunday.

Post show Saturday we ate those lunkers with thyme, slab bacon, shallots, and lemon slices on the BBQ. We had hedged our bets though at the Bend Whole Foods (Wild Oats) and bought sausage to ensure the sausage fest would be alive even without the presence of the nice Rainbows.

It's cleansing to spend time with the boys and Big Jim was our leader and frighteningly goateed catalyst. No topics were safe as usual and I have to say if you haven't spent time with your mates (even if you just eat meat and drink wine or whatever) get off the couch and make it happen...life's too short.

Postscript Deep Thoughts:

• Don't be the first to pass out on the couch
• Know the entire Lennon back catalogue
• Never draw straws for rooms when one "room" may involve a pullout couch in the kitchen
• Don't think your fishing skill is more effective than a worm with a marshmellow
  
  

Impossible Germany

You've got to hand it to the Germans in a few areas: cars, beer, and well...cars. On a recent trip to Bonn, I got to reacquaint myself with German beer IN GERMANY. Very important distinction as some of the imports get a bit swampy or skunked from being warm and cold multiple times before the beer hits your glass. Around the city of Bonn and Cologne (Koln) the regional beer served is called Kolsch.

This delicious, crisp, slightly hoppy light ale is traditionally served in skinny, small glasses. In most restaurants and bars if your glass is empty a new one is brought almost automatically. A German colleague told me the basic idea is that the beer is meant to be fresh, cold and consumed quickly. It's a bit hard to keep track of your consumption however given the tiny glasses. At the end of the evening you may have had twenty glasses. Or maybe that's just me.

The list of beers I sampled is to big to include here but I did want to give the nod to Schneider-Weisse, arguably the best wheat beer in the world. This is what hefeweizen is all about. With its amber-mahogany coloring and streaked with fine top-fermenting yeast, this beer has a fine, persistent head that adheres well to the glass. It is pleasantly spicy with a typical top-fermented smell. An aroma of clove and nutmeg apple tantalizes the nose. On the tongue it is fresh, clean, full-bodied, harmonious and well-balanced. It finishes lightly sparkling with a light and fine bitterness. I feel a beer coming on...