Stone Belgo Anise Imperial Russian Stout

Big roasty, chocolate character, hints of licorice and coffee - a great twist on an old favorite. Bring on the winter months with this 10.5% ABV monster. 

52Brews in Maine

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Summer is long gone, but my memories of Maine could never fade as fast. As August came to close, my wife and I embarked on an epic journey across the great Pine Tree State - from Newry and Lovell to Acadia National Park and Bar Harbor, to Bangor, then south through Portland and on to Boston (yes I know Boston's not in Maine) - never did the great state disappoint.

Hailing from the metro-sprawl of New York, inundated by the modern "conveniences" of fast-paced, over-saturated living, I too-often take for granted the value of simplicity. Small business, sustainability, neighborly ways, and plain ol' peace & quiet go a long way in many of the towns we visited.

Now... before I get too warm & fuzzy on you, keep one thing in mind: many of these same values contribute to one of my favorite things about Maine: tons of local beer. It seems everywhere we went I had no problem finding something local or pseudo-local on tap. Better yet, when I wasn't drinking local beer, I was drinking great beer. 

The map above helps outline the trip a bit - where these places are located, where our journey took us. Use the map to find links and locations for each of the below. 

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Creepy Ceramic Heads

creepy little heads on the wallA proper article on how we spent our vacation in Maine, including the awesome beers I sampled, will follow in due time; but this... well, this simply could not wait. 

While dining at the Jolly Drayman Pub in Bethel, Maine this evening my wife and I couldn't help but look up and notice that the walls were lined with these creepy little ceramic heads. This was a small, dimly lit dining area off in a side room, in a pub laid out much like an early 1900's home. Despite all the crazy crap on the wall, none was crazier than these smiley, smug little buggers looking down on us as we patiently waited for our meals.

This, of course, begs the question: where do you get creepy ceramic heads these days, anyway? I wasn't aware there was even a market for such a thing. Moreover, is this a lucrative business? For folks looking to shuffle their investments, should we look to creepy ceramic heads for diversification? Creepy ceramic heads for birthdays, Bar Mitzvahs, holidays, anniversaries, for breakfast? Are we all doomed? Nonsense!

I know why you're here... more hi-rez creepy ceramic heads after the jump. 

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View from the bar: Nocturnem in Bangor, ME

View from the bar: Sud's Pub in Bethel, ME

52Brews in Europe Part 3: London

It's not entirely fair of me to resume my tale of European travels such a long time after they've commenced (over a year since the trip). If anything, London deserves a far more respectful overview than the one I'm about the recall - after all, England is the nation from which my mine originally took away its knowledge of brewing.

Moreover, the country has a devout passion for beer and is even home to a group of extreme enthusiasts - CAMRA - whom would have you believe that the processed and filtered "crap" we serve from stainless steel tanks has no right to be called "beer". Personal views aside, the point is that these people take their product seriously, and I had the pleasure of experiencing first-hand what London has to offer. 

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