Toast Tuesday: No Filter

No Filter?!  Those who have spoken to me… ever… know I have no filter, but around here, I try to keep things kinda respectable.  Kinda, don’t be getting too excited.

Week 39 in our Year of Drinking Adventurously is actually about coffee beer.  Coffee. Beer. Come on, it’s not as bad as all that, despite what my dinner guests thought.  I’ll encourage you to reflect back on the Dublin Iced Coffee I made during the Irish Whisky week.  That was a lovely blending of Guinness and strong cold brewed coffee.

This week though, we are tasting the natural marriage of coffee and beer in the bottle, as it coincides with International Coffee Day on September 29th.  There really is a holiday for everything.  Our author touches on how beer and coffee have taken a similar trajectory of coolness over the last few years.  Having been in Portland for most of that time, I had front row seats for the show.

I think my first coffee beer was Rogue’s Mocha Porter, many moons ago.   I’m certain the first time I tried it, I didn’t fully appreciate the marriage.  Now, I have a whole different beef with the coffee beer… it’s a downer with an upper.

This week, I found Southern Tier Brewing’s Mokah. I seriously thought about having this with my coco pebbles on Sunday morning, but I refrained, and broke it out for Sunday dinner with some friends.  A couple of the folks did not care for it, but I found it drinkable and would probably enjoy it better at a different time.  It really tasted like a nice rich mocha and had the essence of fresh pulled espresso.

Meg and I have both mentioned this before, but some of the weeks and their drinks do not suit the weather.  This would be another one of them.  While the weather in either Portland, Oregon or Maine is a moderate 60-70’s, here in Memphis, we are still in the 90’s.  This is not weather conducive to a heavy, dark stout.  I think I’ll revisit this one over brunch some Sunday Morning when we at least have to wear pants.

One other thing I’ll mention that I experienced this week that I find wholly inconceivable with a) the weather and b) it’s not even October… Christmas!! It is way, way, way too soon!  Where has our year gone?