GABF Session 2

So, here is the real beauty.  Not only did I get tickets for myself, but Mr. Beer also let me bring my wife to the Friday session.  Actually, when I met them for lunch Thursday, they had enough left-over tickets that I probably could have brought her to all the sessions, but it would have been real hard to get baby-sitters for that many days / nights in a row.

Here are some pictures from session 2:

The SheppyBrew Beer Model in her new BN Army hat, drinking something from Oskar Blues

The Beer Model in from of a model of a brewery

Me with my buddy, Charlie.  RDWHAHB!

I think the best beer I had was Alaskan Brewing Co's Smoked Porter.

This is a picture (not a very good one) of Sierra Nevada's peddle-powered bar.  Eight people sit around a bar and peddle.  There is a bar-tender in the middle with a few taps.  Someone has to drive.

Hop monkey.  Not really the Beer Model's favorite, but she looks cute, doesn't she?

Pretzel necklaces are pretty fashionable at GABF.

 Blogger brought these pictures in a random order, and I didn't bother rearranging them.

During this session, I concentrated on finding as many of the beers from the 2010 Zymurgy Best Beers In America Poll. I stayed away from long lines at Sierra Nevada, Stone Brewery, and Dogfish Head, but I did check to check off:  Rahr & Sons Brewing Co's Ugly Pub and Blonde ales;  Bear Republic Brewing Co's Racer 5;  Alaskan Brewing Co's Smoked Porter; Victory Brewing Co's Prima Pils; Lagunitas's IPA; Deschutes Black Butte Porter.  The only real notes I made was that I thought the Alaskan Brewing Co's Smoked Porter was the best beer I had last night.  I noted that I thought the Lagunitas's IPA was the best IPA I've had on the list so far.  The Deschutes Black Butte Porter was pretty nice as well.

Now, I have had 7 of the top 10, and 20 on the list.  Not too bad.

I tried a mead last night.  Didn't much care for it.

I have also "discovered" sour beers.  Never really had one until two nights ago, but D-Rock steered us to a couple more last night, and I really liked them.  The beer model didn't care for the one she tried (not really much of a surprise there).

As I was writing this blog, my wife called my cell phone from the bedroom asking me to go get her some McD's breakfast.  I think they over-served her last night.

I'm half-way through GABF.  Two more sessions today, and then it is all over.  It is so much fun.