SELF-WASHED BRAINS

"Because more and more in the modern Internet era you came across isolated instances of a mind virus or worm: brains that self-washed, bathed in received ideologies that came down from on high, ideologies that could remain dormant of hidden for years, silent as death until they struck. Almost anything could happen now, and did. The government could not investigate every farmer's purchase of fertilizer and fireworks—could not self-police every deviant brain within its own ranks."

—pages 234-235, Authority (Southern Reach trilogy hardcover edition) by Jeff VanderMeer

SUMMER BEER

It's been a long time since I've picked up a bunch of beer for tasting and taking notes. Part of that is due to the closure of my favorite beer store. Part of that is due to so many changes in the beer industry. Part of that is due to a stomach ulcer that meant a great diminishment in the frequency of imbibing beer. It appears that beer may be a young person's game.

So I hunkered down a bit and fell back on some of my core favorite beers for some time. Deschutes Red Chair Northwest Pale Ale. Iron Horse Double Rainbow Red IPA. Deschutes Mirror Pond Pale Ale. Rogue Dead Guy Ale. And they lasted because I wasn't having them all that often.

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But now, feeling a bit better and looking out at a craft brewing "landscape" that is being transformed by new hop varieties, I figured it was time to explore a bit. This round is going to be focused on some IPAs, a couple of gose ales, and stuff that is flavored by fruit. Notes will be forthcoming as beers are sampled.

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Georgetown Lucille IPA

Aslan Batch 15 IPA

Deschutes Passion Fruit IPA

Puyallup River Brewing Hazey's Comet IPA

Anderson Valley Briney Melon Gose

Anderson Valley Framboise Rose Gose

Dogfish Head Sea Quench Ale Session Sour