Shallow Thoughts: Pumpkin Beer, Bukowski and Ardbeg Scotch

August 29th, 2014

Shallow Thoughts: Vapid headline grabbing, meandering nothings and a false sense of importance

Pumpkin Beer

So it was 90 out this week and it’s August. It seems like the changing of seasons, crisp fall nights, and the allure of pumpkin would be a distant thought, but alas, it isn’t so. My local craft beer shop has a whole shelf dedicated to the coming season’s pumpkin beers, with extra cases of it stacked tall along the walls. I gave in to the craze, even if it feels a full month too early, and I bought a Southern Tier Warlock.

Warlock is an imperial pumpkin stout, and it comes in at 8.6 percent alcohol. I had high hopes for it, but was disappointed to taste it and see how one dimensional the beer is. While the base beer is enjoyable enough, the taste of pumpkin was not very detectable. The pumpkin pie spices were overpowering, and in particular the flavor of clove, which left a strong aftertaste in my mouth. The added presence of a cinnamon component, a toning down of the clove and a stronger pumpkin flavor would have greatly enhanced this beer in my opinion. I won’t be trying this one a second time.

Bukowski

I’ve started reading Charles Bukowski’s “Hollywood” and it’s hilarious. His satire of Hollywood types and the tropes of the film industry are spot-on. One little gem I’ve stumbled upon is, “bad taste makes more millionaires than good taste.” The combination of his simplistic voice and pessimistic view towards the intelligence of the media industry create a black humor that is a pretty enjoyable read. Earlier this year I read Bukowski’s “Ham on Rye” and loved it, so I very well may have to work my way through all of his books.

Ardbeg 10 Year Scotch

Do you like Scotch? Do you enjoy the flavor of peat? Is this bottle part of your bar? If you answered these questions, yes, yes, and then no, you need to immediately go to the store. I recently tasted Ardbeg for the first time and was blown away by it. I have enjoyed Laphroaig in the past, but at the same price per bottle, I would chose Ardbeg every time. The combination of light body and massive peat presence is amazing, and at 46 percent this stuff goes down with zero burn. Pretty amazing all around.

Fink
Fin Greenall, otherwise known as Fink has worked as a musician, producer, DJ and songwriter. This song is catchy, and has a top-40 sensibility that I wouldn’t normally go for, but something about it just works for me. The video is also interesting. It starts with extreme close-ups, and then transitions to a series of wide-shots that appear to have been shot with a camera mounted to a drone. The expansion of drone technology is quickly making an impact in the world of media production, so it’s always interesting to see the ways this growing technology can be used.