Week 23: What do a bear, a tiger, and a monster have in common?

1. Bear Republic Racer 5

2. Cigar City Jai Alai

3. Sixpoint Bengali Tiger IPA

4. Voodoo Pilzilla

5. Weyerbacher Fireside Ale

6. Arcadia Hopmouth (Hand Pump)

7. Troegs Sunshine Pils

8. Great Lakes Brewing Lake Erie Monster

9. Troegs Hopback Amber

"Each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor."

I wanted an eerie quote. Something campfire(ish) for the monsters on the loose this past week. Somehow, and I don't know how, there was a theme brewing with the names of some of these beers.

The Philadelphia area is finally getting their hands on some Cigar City brews again. A few months back a tale was spun that Tampa brewers couldn't keep up with our drinking. Well they have let their Jai Alai slide up our way. It looks just like a Florida Orange. It's piney and grapefruity with just the right amount of hops throughout. It was not as fresh as from a Florida tap. I need a vacation.

Like most monsters, we shouldn't flee from them, but just make friends. Great Lakes Brewing Lake Eerie Monster should be a very good friend to you. He is a fantastic IPA or Double IPA with a pretty thick head...minus the scales. He must wallow in the fruit groves, because he stank of citrus hops. I also saw some mangoes between his toes, but that might have been my imagination. Once I got to know him I found him to be a just a sweet fellow that could talk you to sleep.

I am in the midst of what some call a Beercation.

Cheers for now.