Sunday May 9: It was a picturesque morning in San Francisco. The pavement damp from the morning dew, low fast pacing clouds rolling in from the west, the sun beating down from the east. The only thing that wasn’t very picturesque was my left palm. It had bruised up pretty bad. No pain, but you wouldn’t think it just by looking at it.
Beer is good! Science is good! Beer and science is double good!! So this is my mission: to apply a sense of order and structure to the often highly subjective forms of beer rating.
As a kid we wanted to grow up to do something awesome, like blow stuff up or go really really fast. So now that we have some more experience within the working world we here at the Bren and Sven team would like to impart upon you our knowledge of what we view as the top 5 best jobs.
But Motorcycle, thou are no thy-lane,
In proving foresight may be vain:
The best laid schemes o' Motorcycle an' Men,
Gang aft agley,
An' lea'e us nought but grief an' pain,
For promis'd joy!
Truer words have yet to be spoken and over the past week I have learned that life is what happens while your busy making other plans. So lets see how this will end...
So you have reached the Y atop Glendora Mountain Road and East Fork Road, and you see a small road trailing off to the east along the ridge of foothills. Take this and you’ll end up in Baldy Village, the quiet lil town nestled below Mt. Baldy. The views along this road can be superb depending on which way you come in from. I you ride for west to east, you have a near endless view of Mt. Baldy, which may be snow capped depending on the time of year.
On a technical standpoint, Glendora Ridge Road could be a fun ride depending on your crazy factor. See, the road is only wide enough for two vehicle to pass semi-comfortably. The roadway does not contain any lane designation so be wary of potential wrong way riders and drivers. There are plenty of fun twisties both tight and sweeping. But be warned, it’s called Glendora Ridge Road for a reason, you’re on a ridge so a spill could be deadly.
All in all, Glendora Ridge Road has the potential to be fun, but the greater potential to be dangerous. I wouldn’t openly and willingly suggest this route as the everyday Sunday ride. If you do decide to venture along this road, please exercise the utmost caution. I would even advise refraining from high speeds or knee dragging. You may never know who or what is around that bend.
Sunday May 9: It was a picturesque morning in San Francisco. The pavement damp from the morning dew, low fast pacing clouds rolling in from the west, the sun beating down from the east. The only thing that wasn’t very picturesque was my left palm. It had bruised up pretty bad. No pain, but you wouldn’t think it just by looking at it.
Surprisingly my spirits were up and I was feeling pleasantly optimistic about the events that preceded. I told myself that moping over the crash wasn’t going to fix the scratches and make everything pretty again. The Daytona works, I work, throw the bags on the the Two Faced Triumph, and mount up. I’ve got a bridge to cross.
With my music playing in the helmet, I set my sights on the Golden Gate Bridge. As I rolled onto the 6 lane bridge, an overwhelming sense of excitement swept over me. The U2 play list kicked in on the iPod and bam…Beautiful Day. And it was, it was the start of a beautiful day.
Afraid of psyching myself out and the potential of worsening weather, I decided to stray from PCH and headed south along the CA 101. The big decision I had to make was if my trip was ready to end. Was I ready to go home? Not really. But where would I go? Would I be willing to go to Yosemite or Sequoia? A brief ride through a quick moving rain storm made my mind up. I’m done. All it took was a bit of heavy water to “rain in on my parade”.
A very typical May shower was rolling across central California. Very untypical for us Los Angelinos, who seem to never see a drop of water in their lifetime. So I sought refuge in the small town of Gilroy and immediately sought after a Starbucks. At times, I wish I had never gone into the Starbucks in Gilroy, for I had looked upon the most beautiful lady I had ever seen; in disguise as a barista. Call me rude for staring, but if you saw her for yourself you would understand (both man and woman alike). In typical Sven fashion, I remained quiet about my awestruckeness of the vivacious brunette. I admired her from afar as she rang up orders for the customers while I nursed my drink, ate my pastry, and lost myself as I contemplated the little diamond of beauty I found wrapped in the mundane monotony of everyday life.
I wrapped up my Mother’s Day at the bar of a restaurant in San Luis Obispo. Watching all the families and couples enjoy their meals, I made my phone call to my own mother who playfully berated me over the phone about the unsuspecting flowers that were delivered.
I was glad, sore, and tired that night. I was ready to go home.
Monday May 10: I wasted no time in packing and loading up the Daytona. I was on the road at first light and screaming down the CA 101 towards home. The first half of my day was pretty much lackluster. I did have my ego stroked at a rest stop when a Cal Trans worker came over and complimented me on my battered Triumph, “It still looks better than all those other bikes that all look the same.” I KNOW, RIGHT?!?! There was also a guy on a Yamaha R1 going the opposite direction who gave me a friendly notification that CHP was on patrol up ahead (the tapping of the top of the helmet).
Deciding to break the dull monotony of CA 101, I veered off towards Solvang. The quaint lil Danish tourist trap was surprisingly tasteful. Cross timbered houses and windmills, all that was missing were the wooden clogs; I’m sure they were there somewhere. The Santa Ynez valley was beautiful. Many of you Sideways fans will recognize this serene slice of Santa Barbara as the location centered around the film. For all you winos out there, it looks better in person since it is pleasantly complimented by the natural smells of the wineries.
Sven in Santa Ynez
Straying further from the CA 101, I took the 154, a pleasant mountain road along Lake Cachuma. 154 eventually spat me out at Santa Barbara, and I was back on CA 101. Well it was fun while it lasted.
Soon enough I was back in the familiar smog of the Los Angeles basin. The Mercedes, Lexus’ and BMWs dominating the highway. Everyone trying to stand out, but fitting in. Talk about an oxymoron. Snaking along the backside of Hollywood, I was searching for my exit. I had one last destination before I officially called my journey over.
The Godfather had explained to Bren and I that one of his most defining moments in motorcycling was riding his old Kawasaki along Mulholland Drive. I decided to give this a go. As iconic as Mulholland Drive is, I lamented the ride. The views were great, but the poor quality of road and the technical skill needed to ride on it was too much for exhausted Sven. I was too tired from a whole day of riding to actually attack the turns, but I gave it a whack just to say I did. And hey, it’s very Hollywood.
To close the day, I made my way to the Griffith Observatory. For a public park, the way up to the observatory was fun. Wide turns and a couple of switchbacks made for the icing on the cake on the way up to my finish line. As I rolled onto the parking lot and dropped the kickstand, a wave of accomplishment and relief rolled over, I made it home. The Los Angeles skyline to the southeast, the Hollywood Sign to the west of me, these landmarks I saw day in and day out never looked so good.
1076 miles in 4 days, Sven and his Triumph, alone, up the great Pacific Coast Highway. All the while I was exploring the better part of California, I took the time to explore myself. With all those hours alone on the Daytona and 90s Alternative Rock playing in my headset, I realized that the Sven I currently am, is the Sven I want to be.
Bren's helmet at the Golden Gate Bridge
About midway through my journey, I took the time to reflect on Bren’s unfortunate accident which psychologically grounded him from getting back on the saddle. The Bren and Sven universe obviously has changed, and understandably so. The heavy focus of motorcycling is now on my shoulders, but for the longest time it was the dream of Bren and Sven to race around exploring the world on two wheels. In an instant it was decimated. I deeply wished for him to be riding with me up PCH. In a way I felt he was. I had purchased Bren’s Shoei RF-1000 helmet from him and used it on the trip. His helmet still had the scars of his spill. So in some way, it seemed as if I brought a part of Bren on the voyage.
And at the Hollywood Sign
Although my journey could have been filled with so much more “tourism”, this adventure is my own, and will always have a special place in my life. A milestone. The scenery was magnificent and the monuments were awe inspiring, but it was the characters I met along the way that defined my trip. Mr BMW providing the brief break of solitude and sharing the love of motorcycling. Mr Hemp showing me that generosity and compassion can still exist in world of ever growing narcissistic smug. The Middle Eastern men who helped me drag my Triumph from a ditch when no others would. The Gilroy barista brightening a day full of dark rain clouds. I can’t leave out the bartenders, making sure my glasses stayed full of scotch and listening to my trials and tribulations of the trip. People like these, who I may never know by their real names or ever see again that re-instilled a lost sense that there are still good, hard working people amongst us in a world that seems to have lost itself in politics, greed, and empty materialism.
Keep the paint up and the rubber down. Ride safe. -Sven
Bren’s helmet at the Golden Gate Bridge
Sven in Santa Ynez
And at the Hollywood Sign
Continue traveling with Sven up the California coast:
There is nothing better than waking up to a thick coffee flavored oatmeal stout! MMMM viscus beer! Okay so unless you’re a well functioning alcoholic, and if you are more power to you, this would be a recipe for a rather long and unproductive day, but if that’s what you have planned I would highly recommend you try Mikkeller’s Beer Geek Breakfast. Now unfortunately I have a job outside of blogging and would like to keep that job, so I did not try this for breakfast but instead had it as a nice dessert beer after a good meal, which appears to be the ideal time for this complex dark beast. So whether you’re beginning your day or putting a pleasant end to it, this complex brew won’t do you wrong, but to confirm this statement lets see how it stacks up against the Bren’s Beer-o-Meter.
1. Taste- I know that many of you are thinking that since this is a stout, like the great Guinness, it is going to be strong, a little bitter, and not one for the faint of heart. Well you’re damn wrong! This dark delight pulls out the sweet chocolate and hearty grain flavors that are found in the best stouts then perfectly blends it with the bitterness of a strong shot of espresso. Needless to say this stout is incredibly well balanced and yet very complex, with each flavor having its own distinctness but none overpowering the other. This beer easily deserves a 4.5 out of 5 for taste.
2. Texture- Oh baby does this one feel good! This thick brute surrounds your tongue with the kind of cuddly love you could only get from a chocolate lab puppy… I know it’s an odd analogy but there is no better way to describe this excellent beer! It’s like a grown-up milk shake with a 7.5% ABV(Alcohol by Volume)! But in all honesty, after a long day the texture of this delightful beer just warms your cockles like the best of comfort foods. Another 4.5 out 5 for this sexy stout!
3. Appearance- If you’re a coffee connoisseur, then take the darkest bold you have ever tried and then darken it by a few shades. This beer definitely holds up to the stout tradition of being dark and daring. With a thick brown head and the viscosity of molasses, it clings to a pint glass like darkness grips a moonless winter’s night. It is something of beauty to behold, and something even better to imbibe. 4 out of 5 for appearance.
4. Aroma- This is where the beer truly comes into its own. With its spongy cacophony of carbonated coffeehouse scents settled gently, yet ever presently, upon the dark black body of this full scented beer, the head of Mikkeller’s Beer Greek Breakfast releases a complex combination coffee and chocolate aromas that bring your taste buds to life as you are about to down this great beer. The beer’s aroma brings to mind the rich earthy scents found in a well aged coffee shop or one’s local pub. You can almost feel the grain of the old polished wooden counter top under your hands as you order a drink, and hear the hiss of the espresso machine or keg tap as your next brew is being poured. It truly brings to mind the great pubs and coffee houses of Europe and the debates of intellect one might find in their hallowed walls. And for that it deserves a 4.5 out of 5.
5. User Friendliness- Now given that this is a stout, it may be a little intimidating for those new to the beer world and it’s heavy texture and rich aromas don’t make it well designed for parties where a large consumption of the great equalizer is expected to occur, but don’t hold that against this great beer. To truly enjoy this excellent piece of liquid craftsmanship you must redefine your perspective on beer drinking. This beer is a session beer. For those new to this term, that means that the consumption of this beer should be more of an event than an after thought and it should be consumed among close friends accompanied with interesting conversations of the worlds happenings and cheese! Also, as far as I have seen, this beer is only available in pint glasses, so quenching the thirst of a large party with this dark delight is just not economical. So with this new, more geeky and intellectual view of beer, this beer totally gets a 4 out of 5 for its bromance factor.
The taste of rot and decay has never been so well bottled until Rouge brewery decided to plop out their ever nauseating version of a Maibock. Now for those of you new to the beer world, a Maibock is a darker, higher alcohol, hoppy bock, originally reserved for the month of May ( hence the prefix of Mai). If you want to know more about Bocks and the wonderful world of craft beers, I highly suggest you check out The Naked Pint: An Unadulterated Guide to Craft Beer, by Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune. Anyways, enough shamelessly plugging a great book, lets get back to the dead guy at hand. As I was kindly saying, Rouge Brewery, a well respected craft brewery from the great state of Oregon, did not quite get it right with this funky brew.
1. Taste- Umm… MALT with a hint of MALT, and a smack of Hops with a aftertaste of bitter. They really knew how to name this funky mess because after sucking this brown brew down you feel like you have just guzzled the goop left over from an exhumed grave. Sorry to say this one is far from balanced and unless you have a strong pallet for the bitter and brash you’re probably not going to be too fond of this harsh ale, therefore it gets a 2 out of 5.
2. Texture- The texture of this zombie brew was well, rather like a zombie, sluggish, lingering, viscus, and sticks with you till you chop its damn head off with a better tasting beer. Unfortunately the beer had a rather low carbonation level, which would have helped lighten the beer a little. Perhaps it would have been better on tap but something tells me it would still leave you with a funky film on your chomps, thus it soundly deserves a 2.5 out of 5 for texture.
3. Appearance- Again following the dead guy theme, this beer had a very earthy brown color to it. Unfortunately there wasn’t anything really special about how this brew looked, it’s a darker ale, so it looked like a darker ale. Going on about the lack of carbonation, it could have used a bigger head, which may have released a little more of its earthy hoppy aroma and lightened its texture, but aside from that it look fine to me so I’ll give it a 3.5 out of 5.
4. Aroma- It was like a sucker punch of hops to the olfactory senses! As I stated earlier, this beer is far from balanced and that really came through with its hop happy stank. Given that one’s taste is primarily influenced by your sense of smell, this earthy mess really gives you a solid warning as to what your are about to imbibe in. Trust me, take heed of that warning and run for the hills because this zombie is out for brains and taste buds! 2 out of 5 for this funky skunk!
5. User Friendliness- Okay unless you’re going to a goth convention where the term dead gives every pale faced morbid member a stiffy, I wouldn’t take this beer anywhere! It has a cool looking label, which is how it traps its victims, but once you pop open that top around friends you will quickly be identified as having the plague and quarantined. It really doesn’t have any bromance factor, and given that it’s a Maibock, a beer designed for the merry month of May and the celebration of surviving another winter, this beer does more to remind you of those you have lost over the past few frigid months than lift your spirits and make you think of the wonderful warm months to come. 1.5 out of 5 for this brews bromance factor.
So I think I have thoroughly bashed in the head of this zombie brew with a cricket bat, so lets look at the stats.
Beer Name: Dead Guy Ale
Beer Type: Maibock
ABV: ? (Not specified on bottle or on brewers website, if you know, let us know, we are guessing around the 7% range)
No that was not a typo, this post brings you our second beer review – first if you don’t count the Budweiser berating on our beer review intro post: Hoegaarden’s Witbier-Biere Blanche. This cloudy little citrusy cluster of crisp, clean, coriander creativity hails from the great country of Belgium and it brings with it the image of summer afternoons spent at beer gardens being served by buxom bar maids! So needless to say, we like it! But enough alliteration, lets get down to business and throw this Belgian beauty up against Bren’s Beer-o-Meter.
If a beer brings this to mind... the beer-o-meter becomes a little pointless!
1. Taste- This beer is a quintessential wheat beer. It has a light, crisp, balanced, sweet taste with citrus and spice undertones. Due to the low alcohol content (4.9% ABV), and the well-controlled hops flavor (there is barely a bitter bite in the beer), the flavor is great for a newbie to the beer world or someone who is just looking for something nice and refreshing to sip on during a summer afternoon. The true drinkability and mildly complex citrus undertones of this beer warrants a 4 out of 5 for taste.
2. Texture- Given that the beer is an unfiltered wheat beer, the texture is light but it still has a bit of weight to it due to the yeast floating around in it like little boozed-up sea monkeys. The beer leaves a little “grit” or bready-like film on one’s mouth after drinking it. Now I know that these don’t sound particularly appealing, but to be honest it was very good, it lets you know you are drinking something of quality and you’re getting a bit more than pissy pasteurized pilsner (*cough* Budweiser *cough*) in this golden lager. Overall the texture is light, and the “grit” like afterfeel does not detract from that. So given that the beer balances itself well, it has earned itself a 4 out of 5 for texture as well.
3. Appearance- Now thanks to the first American Pie movie, I have been forever wary of a lager that you can’t see through, especially one that is noted as pale (the word blanche in the beer’s title means pale). So needless to say I was initially put off by the swirling cloud of yeast monkeys floating around in this witbier, but luckily I had done my homework and knew that this was to be expected. Once you accept the fact that this golden straw-colored beer is not see-through, the overall appearance is very nice. If poured properly the beer has an inch-thick, light and bubbly head which allows its citrus and spice aromas to escape, as we will discuss next. Overall the beer earns a 3.5 in appearance (sorry swirling yeast monkeys still reminds me of spunky mini-man monkeys, so I just couldn’t rate it higher).
4. Aroma- Following this beer’s “light” theme, the aromas that radiate from that inch-thick, pale head are crisp and citrusy with a mild aroma of spice and hops. The scent of this witbier is not overly complex but provides an excellent olfactory teaser to let your taste buds know what they are in for, and that it deserves a 4 out of 5 for aroma. Please note, that due to this beer’s light scents and relatively delicate demeanor, it should be consumed in a glass to fully appreciate all the nuances of the beer. Drinking if from a bottle neuters the poor wheaty brew.
5. User Friendly- Does this brew have bromance… you bet! Thanks to this little wheat wonder’s crisp taste and refined appearance it would be well-accepted at any backyard BBQ or evening dinner party. That versatility is what truly endears us to this beer, it provides one with a cool crisp lager and the unique suaveness of being a sexy import. It’s lighthearted class in a sexy Belgian bottle! It completely deserves a 4.5 out of 5 for its user friendliness!
Hoegaarden how I love you and your wheaty wonder! So there it is, our first true beer review with Bren’s Beer-O-Meter, and we must say it has set a high bench mark for those many brews that shall follow.
, by Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune. Anyways, enough shamelessly plugging a great book, lets get back to the dead guy at hand. As I was kindly saying, 
