Hobo Special

We were planning on having a dry night in. We got a call from our good friend whose brother had just arrived in town for the holiday weekend. When she informed me she'd be drinking the 40 she promised a couple weeks ago, the mug clubbers gathered quickly at the bar for support (and to knock a few more off the list while we're at it). They have a "Hobo Special" which is a hot dog and a 40 (of your choice!) for $8. Still seems a little steep, but whatever.

Beer: BrewDog Punk IPA
ABV: 5.60%
Home: Aberdeenshire, Scotland, UK
Slogan: "An inherently contradictory take on a classic style"

Damn, I'm super impressed. As I've said before, I'm generally not a fan of IPAs, but I'll make an exception for this one. The floral hops made their presence known, but they weren't overpowering. The same could be said about the taste. I never expected to find an IPA that was easy to drink. With this beer, I'm able to appreciate the slight bitterness from the hops that accent the flavors before they fade away in a fast finish. Awesome.

Beer: Full Sail Amber Ale
ABV: 5.50%
Home: Hood River, Oregon, USA
Slogan: "Oregon's original amber"

Quite delicious and well balanced - I really enjoyed this one. The pour yielded a nice frothy head with a floral aroma. This brew is lightly hopped with a healthy dose of earthiness and a little spice at the finish.

At this point, our friend decided to do her 40. On the menu are Olde English, Colt 45, Steel Reserve, and Miller High Life. She chose the High Life (the only non-malt liquor), with a hot dog that was reported to be pretty good.

Beer: Miller High Life
ABV: 4.60%
Home: Milwaukee, WI, USA 
Slogan: "The Champagne of Beers"

In solidarity, I ordered a regular-sized High Life. How small and precious it seems in comparison! Although this beer is bottled, it still has a slightly metallic taste. I don't need to pour this one into a glass to say that the beer is a pale gold. While discussing this feature at the bar, I learned a disturbing fact: The High Life is brewed with hops extract (as opposed to actual hops), which allows the beer to be stored in clear bottles without worrying about it skunking from light exposure. Great. Happy to say that this is my last Miller on the list!

**UPDATE: See the next special guest blog post for a review of the 40 oz High Life!