Summer Nights

In Seinfeld, as Kramer is pitching his idea of the male bra- the "bro" to Mr. Farkus the bra salesman, Kramer is describing his strategy of using a velcro strap on the "bro" and not hooks because we've all had those intimate moments of struggle with unhooking the hooks on a bra. Mr. Farkus replies with the phrase "summer nights" as they all share a laugh. My Saturday evening hasn't, and likely wont involve any of the sort, but sipping a tulip filled with Russian River's Damnation I feel is best described with that very phrase. It's a pleasant 76 degrees outside here in Southern California's Inland Valley, the wind is blowing lightly, and I can't think of a better climate for a "summer night."

I've been waiting for a few weeks to open up the bottle of Damnation I purchased while taking a finals study break (aka procrastination). Somehow, my test results turned out ok, and the choice of this purchase even better. I popped the cork on this 750mL bottle and poured myself and my Dad a glass of it. Now I have had a few Belgian Strong Pale Ales, namely Duvel, Delirium Tremens, Lucifer, La Chouffe, and Kwak, but Damnation to me is by far my favorite, beating out Delirium for the top spot. What a great beer. A belgian yeasty, fruity nose, with a sweet fruity taste up front, some light earthy hops in the middle, and a lingering fruity sweetness in the finish. You can imagine with the 7% ABV on an empty stomach I'm in a happy place right now. I gave it a 4.7 on BA. The great thing is, this only marks the start of the night as we are having a French dip and BBQ chicken gathering for my friends. The cooler is stocked with Avery White Rascal, Sam Adams Summer Ale, and Green Flash West Coast IPA. More to come later.