Beer Review: Smuttynose Zinneke

Smuttynose makes damn good beer.  Produced in charming Portsmouth, NH on the Seacoast, this brewery makes one of my favorite everyday IPAs.  Their Big Beer series features a rotating cast of higher ABV beers.  They are more complex than the everyday beers, and come in 22oz bombers.  I have had some success in the past, and was in the mood for a stout so I grabbed Zinneke.  Touted as a Belgian Style Stout with a portion aged in Bourbon barrels I wasn't sure what to expect.

Pouring into a Harpoon tulip, the beer appeared to be fairly dark, small tan head, and fairly carbonated.  Smell was complex and remnisicent of their Robust Porter.  Taste was much stronger, and there were a number of flavors present including chocolatey malt and a very faint bourbon twang.  The beer was quite carbonated which is my only real downside with the beer.

Stouts are not my favorite style, and an oddity like a Belgian-yeast based Stout with some barrel aging is unlikely to be heavy in my drinking rotation.  With that said, this beer is one hundred percent appopriate for a late fall/early winter evening.  Check out ratings at Beeradvocate and Ratebeer.

"Productivity" is Overrated

I have followed various "productivity" systems over the past few years.  Get It Done, note taking, to do lists, tracking progress, measuring each step are all tenets of "productivity."  I find that these systems are all well and good for those of us who just need a kick in the right direction, but there are many downsides.  You get so caught up in measuring your progress, completing tasks, making gains and so forth.  All of those phrases could be put in quotation marks, because what is "progress?"  Also, what good is completing tasks and making gains if they don't matter.

This post is the opposite of the Negative Nancy first paragraph.  I think its important to get away from productivity systems.  People who are most efficient are those who are doing what they truly LOVE.  For these people, they often don't need productivity systems, because they know exactly what they need and want to do.  I think being passionate about what you are doing, and completing the tasks that you are most passionate about is the most effective productivity system.

When you stop worrying about measuring, tracking, completing and all these other tasks you can slow down and enjoy the moment.  My advice: take a deep breath, and go do what you WANT to do.

Further reading:
Untrack: Letting go of the Stress of Measuring (ZENHABITS)
The Upside of Inefficiency (LIFEHACKER)

How to Tie a Tie - Four in Hand Knot

I went to an all-boy's Catholic High School with a dress code.  Although we didn't wear ties on a daily basis, they were required quite frequently.  I learned how to tie a tie from my father at a young age, but I was always shocked by how many of my peers could not complete the simple task.  There are many more fancy knots, but I always tie the four in hand knot.  It does not make a perfectly symmetrical, massive knot, like the full or half windsor, but each knot has a unique charm.  If you are in the market for a lovely tie, check out the Kiton Sevenfold (above) I have listed on eBay.

First, from Sette Neckwear:




Next from TM Lewin:

The ever important dimple @ GQ:

2012-2013 Celtics: Game 1 vs Miami Heat

The 2012 - 2013 Celtics are a whole new team.  Their extended bench consists of Jeff Green, who is not a completely new face, but was unable to play last year based on health reasons, and new faces Courtney Lee, Jason "Jet" Terry, rookie Jarred Sullinger, Leandro "Leandrinho" Barbosa and a few other minor players.  This brings significant increased depth to the guard position for Boston.  The only notable absence is the future Hall of Famer Ray Allen, who left to join the Miami Heat to help Lebron defend his title.  Most Valuable Celtic is going to have to be Rajon Rondo, the capable Celtics PG.

Game 1 was in South Beach vs the Heat and the Celtics did not emerge victorious.  Lebron and Wade had massive games and Ray Allen's first game wearing red and black was a memorable one.  It really hurt to watch that smooth jump stroke count against the Green.  I think the line was fair at Heat -6.5, and probably would have taken the Celtics with the points.  However, the new pieces of the Celtics are not yet clicking as I think they will be as the season winds to a close.  This Celtics team is constructed a lot differently, the offense is going to be much improved, and the defense, which has been the hallmark of this team since we acquired KG seems to have fallen off a bit based on the first game.  They will need to improve this as the season moves forward to be competitive.

I am very confident that the Celtics will emerge as the #2 or #3 seed in the Eastern Conference and the success of our new players will be critical to any post season success

Celtics coach, Doc Rivers, looing stylish with the window pane SC, nice tie and french cuffs.  Doc Rivers tends to favor Ermenegildo Zegna.

Review: Farnum Hill Semi-Dry Cider

My uncle gave me a bottle of this cider from Lebanon, NH based Farnum Hill.  I have had their ciders before, but not in the past 2 years.  The stuff is fairly pricey, but for a truly artisanal product, it is great value.  Made from true cider apples, grown on their own apple orchards in Western New Hampshire, and brewed using traditional methods.  Available in beautiful corked and caged 750ml bottles. 

The appearance is not so dissimilar from apple juice, but the carbonation is extremely lively.  The aromas in my tulip glass are outstanding, and feature almost a tropical fruit smell.  The sharp, bitter taste of apple is followed by a very clean, crisp finish.  This stuff is extremely drinkable, and not at all sweet like a Strongbow or other industrial cider.  It compares very favorably with a white wine or a saison.  I am going to try it with some goat cheese as I am a little hungry, but it can definitely stand on its own.  I am going to look into some other ciders that are from MA, and will report back in the future. 

This is a fantastic beer for autumn.

ATL Essentials: Autumn Edition

Autumn is getting into full swing, and it is a welcome reprieve from the heat of summer.  I did an ATL Essentials: Summer Edition and decided that now is an appropriate time for autumn.  These items all coincide with the cooler weather.  As usual, there is a New England-style leaning for these picks.

Pants: Charcoal Wool Flannel and Corduroy.  Although, I still wear plenty of khaki and denim, these two materials are featured most prominently in the fall.  Gray pants are the standard, but the nice warm flannel material is best suited for cooler weather.  Corduroy is fantastic as well, particularly in a green shade as pictured above.

Red Wing Boots are my favorite type of work boots.  I prefer the 875 model, and these are relegated mostly to the weekend.  Sturdy and practical.

Patagonia Fleece.  It is no secret that I am a big fan of Patagonia.  I really like their understated styling and great outdoor gear.  Fleece is perfect for this season, regardless of the model.

Tattersall shirts.  British country style tattersall is a great pattern.  It is obviously more on the casual spectrum, Barbour is the gold standard, but I own a couple shirts from Orvis and Land's End that are nice as well.

Stouts.  My favorite of which is Goose Island Bourbon County.  Perfect beer for the season, bit of a meal in itself.

Beef Stew.  The perfect fall food.  Potatos, peas, hearty meat all together.  Enjoy with stout.

Check out other ATL Essentials posts.