Thanksgiving Day Recap...

For the first time in 27 years, I spent Thanksgiving away from family.  It was tough not being around them, and I was definitely not prepared for the "festivities" I experienced.  Initially, I was going to travel to San Diego to spend Thanksgiving with my friend Dan.  He called me about two weeks before Turkey Day to let me know that he may be coming up to SF instead.  I was fine with whatever and he came up to San Fran.  Some of his friends were hosting Thanksgiving in the city so we made our way there instead.

On Thanksgiving morning we prepared our dishes for the 1:00 p.m. "dinner."  I was making a dessert and drink. Dan made some homemade macaroni and cheese.  My two offerings contained alcohol, tuaca to be specific, Dan's dish did not.  I made monkey bread and added tuaca to the glaze that accompanies the pull-apart dessert. I then made an apple cider with tuaca and fresh cut apples soaked in a solution of tuaca and cinnamon.  I also brought a bunch of wine and the elements necessary to make White Russians.

We arrived at Union St. a little after 1:00 p.m. and entered the apartment complex.  We had booze and food in hand.  What I entered is not at all what I expected.  I was expecting there to be some more gays (we are in SF mind you).  Dan was the only one.  Everyone there was newly married, engaged, or hooking up with one another.  Dan and I were some of the first few people to enter the apartment.  We added our alcohol to the already overflowing table and broke out the cider.  I will quote the owner of the apartment Tucker, "It is dangerously delicious!"  The cider went hard!!

I could tell this would not be my typical Thanksgiving dinner with family.  The booze was flowing plentifully and the food was just an after thought.  The turkey and the trimmings were ready around 3:00 p.m., but it is safe to say that almost everyone was intoxicated by that point.  That is right.  All 15 people shit-faced.  3:00 p.m.  People ate but really to just try and soak up alcohol.  A magnum bottle of horrible wine appeared at some point and was ultimately consumed by many of the women present.  This shortly lead to more than turkey breasts being exposed if you know what I mean.  By the way, there is nothing more uncomfortable than having a conversation with a guy while his wife is running around and flashing her tits.  It is just awkward.

The festivities continued on for quite some time.  There was a little bit of a dance party after the coffee table was moved.  The evening pretty much ended with an impromptu food fight that spurned from miscommunication.  I really needed to pee and joined a married couple in the bathroom while they showered with one another.  Not to mention, I learned what an "old-fashioned" was.

All in all a good Thanksgiving.  I hear they have a kick-ass Super Bowl party.  I can only hope that I am invited.

Until next time...

-Justin

Russian River Excursion...

I went to a happy hour with some friends from work a while back.  I ordered their beer sampler.  It was insane!!  I was not expecting so many beers.  The most I have ever had in a beer sampler was 7 at DuClaws.  They brought out 14!!  My reviews are below.  (Caution: The more I drank, the more truth came out.)

• aud blonde (4.5) - not bad. had better. a little hoppy. 
• little white lie (5.5) - odd after taste. not my favorite. 
• redemption (4.8) - got lost after drinking the white ale. nothing spectacular. 
• pliny the elder (8) - smooth for a 2x ipa. One of my favs fo realzy. 
• Temptation (7) - tastes like white wine. Interesting. Good thing I like wine more. 
• Hopfather (7) - does not lie about the hoppiness. Not too shabby. Prob would not order. 
• Gaffers (5.27) - tastes like water at this point. 
• Russian River porter (5.7) -had much better porters. 
• Russian river ipa (6.7) - losing taste buds. Don't remember. Don't care. 
• Blind Pig ipa (6) - similar to sierra nevada pale ale. Good stuff. Would def get again. 
• Sanctification (6.75) - tastes like a cider. Not a fan. At all. 
• Supplication (7) - another beer soaked in wine casks. I hate these kinds of beers. They suck. 
• Consecration (10) - I am going to hate this, but will drink anyway. Just as I expected. It was awful. 
• Damnation (7) - a good one to end on. Not the greatest but did not taste like wine.

The number in parentheses are the alcohol percentages of each beer.  A quick recap: Pliny the Elder was the best by far.  The beers soaked in wine taste like piss.

Until next time...

-justin