Wednesday, August 28, 2013

15 Miles and 1 Beer

Something must be off with my math because clearly running 15 miles deserves more than one beer tonight, however, seeing as how I can barely keep my eyes open long enough to finish this one, I'm thinking one might be all this girl can handle tonight.

I did my long run this evening. A 15 miler after work is not really what the doctor ordered, especially when this is supposed to be the start of my taper for next Sunday's Nation's Triathlon. However, I haven't really done an actual "long run" since before the West Point Tri and if I don't do one or two between now and September 8th, it could reasonably be a month between long runs. Taking a month of training off right in the middle of marathon training doesn't seem to be the smartest plan, and seeing as how I've turned into such a stickler for my training plan this summer, I figured I would find the time to bang it out.

My pace was right on target for my long run, so I didn't have any trouble with that like I did for my GMP run on Monday evening. I don't know if it's because I just didn't really care about how fast I was going and was more focused on just running long and smooth, or whether it's because I actually just didn't care what my speed was, but it was a good run.

On the flip side, I am now pretty much completely living in my compression shorts and calf sleeves. I might as well be the Michelin man with how much of my body I am stuffing into these bad boys. I have been wearing one or the other, or sometimes both, to bed after hard days the past few weeks. I will give a product review at a later date - but just know that anything that takes you an hour to get into and almost as long to take off is not something that anyone would consider "sexy bedtime attire", although SJ doesn't seem to complain when it's ALL I wear to bed (schwing! Sorry dad!).

Onto the beer tasting for the evening. I figured it's been awhile since I had one of those and seeing as how I've drank my fair share of beers over the past few weeks, thought I might offer you all a little insight into what I'm drinking now:






I know what you're thinking, Ugh, another beer from Brooklyn? Don't those hipsters have anything better to do than open up craft breweries in gentrified neighborhoods? Alright already, we get it. You guys like to drink beer. No go carefully sculpt your beard and find another flannel shirt to wear with your skinny jeans. However, you would be wrong, because this beer is not from Brooklyn, but rather Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

I actually bought this beer because of the label - anything that is clean and clear automatically has my attention. I don't need my beer labels to be cluttered up with pictures and writing and too much "stuff". Just tell me who makes it, what style of beer it is and what it's called. That's all I really need. If you would like to add a picture, just make it a simple one. We don't need works of art on the bottle - that shit usually gets ripped up and torn to shreds in the cooler anyway.

The beer pours out a light, straw-yellow color and the head is big and foamy, but settles down relatively quickly for a pilsner while leaving a light foam along the top. It is brewed with the Czech's in mind and you can tell right away from the aroma. It gives off a typical malty, grassy smell, but with an added hint of yeast and - something else that I can't quite tell.

The taste is smooth, just like a pilsner should be but with a slightly hoppier finish than you would expect. That "something else" comes out in the taste a bit more, and I can only describe it as "buttery". As I am drinking it, the foam on the top is leaving a lace design along the side of the glass.

The finish is typical for a pilsner, with no great flourish or lasting impression. It's by far not a bad beer, but it's also relatively unspectacular either. This is billed as a "session beer" and I wouldn't refute that at all. It's light and crisp with a smooth, easy finish - definitely a beer that you could have all day and feel good about.

In fact, maybe I SHOULD crack another one of these guys open. I've even inspired myself!

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