Expired? Meh, Just pour it!

Its August. Yes, the eight month of 2012, already. Its 3/4ths through the year. WHERE DID IT GO? If there's any long term project anyone wants to start before the year is out, this month would probably be latest you could start it. Soon enough, you'll start hearing Christmas songs on the radio and you'll find yourself regretting procrastinating the year away. Now, I won't pretend that I'm the best person to be preaching the last statement as I am just as guilty of such procrastination as the next guy. But somebody has to say it, right? Is admitting you have a problem the first step into rehabilitation? Right? Right!

Anyhow, on to the beer. 

Yes, that's an Oktoberfest Wiesn. It's a little late to be drinking it (or too early). But it's what I've got. I did not have time to go the liquor store the last few days due to a pretty eventful week and I did not want to miss my deadline, again. I was relegated to searching my refrigerator for anything resembling beer. Lo and behold, I found this "box" set. Now, if you think that's too large for something to be lost in a refrigerator, clearly you've not lived with three guys in an apartment. Nevertheless, this was sitting in the back of my refrigerator and it was a small victory that I'd gladly accept. 

This Oktoberfest Wiesn from Paulaner is one of the better ones the come out during "oktoberfest season". Seems like every other craft brewery (specially American ones) come out with their own version but I tend to only trust German offerings of the said variety. Paulaner is one of them. Oktoberfest is a long-beloved tradition in Bavarian culture. As the name suggests, its a party that happens in October. To be precise, its a 16 day festival that begins in late September and ends around the first weekend of October. That's a pretty good party. It first started in 1810 when Crown Prince Ludwig married Princess Therese of Bavaria all of Munich was invited to celebrate (now if any German readers are offended by my oversimplification of this part of Bavarian history, let me know and I'll kindly oblige). Paulaner is one of a handful of breweries that are allowed to produce Okbtoberfest Beer under the strict criteria set by the Reinheitsgebot, or German Beer Purity Law. The beer must also be produced within the city limits of Munich to be considered Oktoberfest Beer.

As I mentioned earlier, this baby has been lost in my refrigerator for a while. I purchased this "box-set" from Costco in early October (Ok so I bought 3 of them). I planned to enjoy them on Thanksgiving, perhaps sharing them to a cousin or two. But my plans went awry when the then girlfriend informed me where I was spending Thanksgiving. So I enjoyed one of them on a day like today (I'll explain a little later), I enjoyed another one at my Aunt's house, and I subsequently forgot about the third one. Now, despite being past its "Enjoy by Date," this German brew was still serviceable. I poured the liter can into the liter mug it came with and found no sediments, or foul odor. My only guess is that it was stored well enough to be "safe" to drink six months after its intended lifetime. To not sell this brew short, I can profess that when I first had this particular offering from Paulaner, I was very very satisfied. It has a full-bodied hop flavor that a seasoned beer drinker will enjoy but it's mellow enough for anyone to appreciate. It goes down smooth, quenching your thirst, without feeling cheap and filled with fillers like some beers (if you can call it beer at all) out there. 

Now, I've some explaining to do. If last week was tough. This was even worse. Work is always work and its always tough. Its usually the extracurricular events that make it worse than it should. What is it this week you ask? Well it was this.

If you haven't noticed, my beloved Subaru Forester was broken into. Yes, a week after my alternator gave out. So in two weeks, I've had a new alternator installed (a rebuilt one) and my car was broken into. Awesome! If I was a lesser man, I would have just drank myself silly tonight (no, a liter is not enough for me to get drunk, I'm BIG guy).

But I guess I shouldn't complain, since this week was also the first time I enjoyed a ballgame in the new Yankees Stadium. I saw the Bronx Bombers wallop Baltimore 12-3. To top it off, I got to see a Robinson Cano grandslam. To the uninitiated, that's not something you see everyday. Needless to say, it was a pretty crazy week for me, hence settling for an "expired", out of season brew. Its a shame to be wasteful my friends. Shame shame shame. 

All my cousin and I kept thinking before the game started was the YES network theme  song for anything Yankee related.

That's a cup of Stella Artois in my hand and my cousin has a Bud Light. Can anyone guess how much they cost together? $21.50!!!
(Photo courtesy of my cousin Ronneal)