EAST COAST PALATE

As a fan of both Tom Robbins' writing and the timeless tradition which is Beer, I was happy to spend a few hours over the weekend reading the latest book by señor Robbins.  Saturday afternoon I managed to sip away the time while reading the first half of the 120-page story that is a self-proclaimed children's book for adults (or vice versa).  My first drink was a North Coast Brewery "Brother Thelonious," a full-bodied, dark dubbel fashioned in the Belgian style, but hailing from the West Coast.  It was tasty, in deed, and chased down with a smooth belly-warming mouthful of Jameson Irish whisky.
This was all at the Quarry House down in Silver Spring, a place that always offers refuge from the rain, and plenty of suds and strong drink to quench your thirst. 
I finished the book on Sunday morning over coffee and a crossword puzzle.  The tale relates a young 5-year-old girl's introduction to beer, her travels with the beer fairy, and the ever-present philosophical lessons that can be extrapolated from a kid's book about booze. 
In short, I loved this book... Almost as much as I loved the 2004 Muga Gran Reserva after it had been decanted for an hour and a half.  This is a quick read, and if you have kids, maybe a fun, if not exploratory venture out of the realm of normal bedtime stories.  Go buy a sixpack of North Coast brewery's finest.  Support your local bookstore.  This is a great way to spend a few hours of your life.

The Lagunitas Brown Shugga is a  brew to fit the season.  I love the hoppiness of it, and the citrus and molasses components give it a freshness that puts it in perfect balance.  Thank you Lauren  for introducing me to this great beer.

Samuel Adams Ocoberfest smells like leaves, has a bit of a hoppy bite balance with a smooth maltiness, and a hint of nutmeg sweetness.  Delicious.

In Baltimore there is a basement full of brick walls, raucous voices, and a selection of delicious hand crafted house beers.  Between my two friends and myself we tried 5 or 6 of the 8, and  enjoyed the light or dark, the smooth or hoppy or spicy.  The din of voices rose up to meet the music of the Talking Heads.  Of the beers I tried, Le Canard was the best.  I will definitely be back to this spot.