my favorite time of the year has finally arrived! we have cool weather, fall foliage, and, as of last week, we have the 2010 lineup of wet hop ales!

in case you missed my post at the beginning of the summer, wet/fresh hop ales are by far my favorite beers and are only around for a couple months of the year. this type of beer is unique to american craft breweries and is quite the treat when you can find them. these tasty brews are made with wet hops that are delivered to the brewery the same day they are harvested. the brewers are waiting on hand to add the wet hops to the kettle while at the peak of their freshness. the result is one of the hoppiest, most flavorful beers around. it’s the equivalent of cooking with fresh herbs rather then dried ones.

so far i have only been able to find sierra nevada’s northern hemisphere harvest in atlanta, but i am sure many more will be available soon. in the meantime northern hemisphere harvest is totally satisfying my fix.

i will be trying any and all wet/fresh hops ales i can find this fall, so be sure to check back for more reviews! i hear from my buddy rob in oregon that the rogue wet hop ale is also great, hopefully he can send me one.

– ryan

sierra nevada

1075 east 20th street
chico, ca 95928
530-893-3520

i recently tried loose cannon from heavy seas beer out of baltimore, maryland. it’s a tasty india pale ale that is super hoppy and 7.25%, a stellar combination! it’s also well-balanced, especially for such a high percentage, and features a great floral/citrusy hop flavor. if you’re into ipa’s, this will be a treat for you!

– ryan

heavy seas beer

4615 hollins ferry rd. suite b
baltimore, md 21227
410-247-7822

check out these great hair dryers from austell, ga!

– ryan

at the last minute we grabbed standing room tickets for sundays atlanta braves playoff game. we had a ton of fun, especially in the 8th inning when the braves took the lead. that excitement was short lived, however, as the san francisco giants took back the lead in the 9th and won the game. we were still glad we went to see one of bobby cox’s last games though.

– ryan & gub

ps…this is our 100th post!!!

i had a ton of fun at the recent best coast & cults show at the drunken unicorn. the opening band cults only have a 7″ out, but it’s extremely catchy and they were great live. their song go outside was the highlight of my night.

best coast was also a blast! bethany, the singer/songwriter, was very natural on stage and created a fun vibe throughout the evening. their songs packed way more punch live then they do on the album.

you can download the digital version of cults s/t 7″ here. it’s awesome, so go and grab it!

– ryan

i recently went to harold’s barbecue near turner field for the first time. this atlanta establishment has been serving barbecue since 1947 and is often listed as a favorite in town. i tried the rib sandwich with fries and coleslaw, which were all great. the portions were large and inexpensive, two meals and drinks were under $22 after tax and tip. the ribs weren’t as smoky as i would have liked, but i still enjoyed them. the brunswick stew and pulled pork looked great as well.

harold’s had a lot of character. with red and white checkered table clothes, paper towel rolls on every table, and super sweet tea, harold’s had all the staples of an authentic southern barbecue joint. i wouldn’t say it was my favorite barbecue in town, but i’ll definitely be heading back.

– ryan

harold’s barbecue

171 mcdonough blvd se
atlanta, ga 30315
404-627-9268

we had a great time at the pavement reunion show last week at the the tabernacle. they played all the hits from their entire catalog and sounded amazing!

– ryan

a recent photo…

– ryan

we recently tried an alvarinho wine, which is the portuguese equivalent of an albariño. we had a bottle of 2006 alvarinho dorado superior by quinta do feital. the color was a little more golden than the other albariño wines we’ve had, but it was quite tasty! we enjoyed it with some chilled steamed shrimp!

– ryan & gub

it’s that time of year again! today is the first day of autumn and by now most breweries have released their fall lineup of seasonal beers, including pumpkin ales. i recently tried punkin ale from dogfish head craft brewery ales out of milton, delaware. it’s a great full-bodied brown ale with a mild pumpkin flavor. sometimes the spices in pumpkin ales can be overwhelming, but this one is well balanced and perfect for fall weather. if you are looking for a new seasonal beer to drink during cooler times then definitely consider punkin ale.

– ryan

dogfish head craft brewery

6 cannery village center
milton, de 19968
302-684-1000