A local bar in NYC I stumbled into recently had Old Speckled Hen, an English Pale Ale I’ve never even heard of, let alone tasted. Being the beer lover I am, I was intrigued - and thirsty for it.

Being a nitro-tapped beer, Old Speckled Hen pours rich and smooth, boasting a pale amber color with the best head I’ve encountered since my ex. The scent is buttery with a hint of toasted hops - a highly inviting combination.

Luckily, the taste matches the smell: a malty, deep caramel flavor is apparent at first, followed by a sweet butter aftertaste.

All that is fine and dandy, but it’s the low carbonation that hoists this Hen above the rest. With no bitterness to speak of, Old Speckled Hen goes down easier than, yes, my aforementioned ex. (Ok, ok - I’ll drop the ex thing now.)

While it can be a bit pricey I still give a warm recommendation to Old Speckled Hen. It’s extremely well-bodied with a great finish, like…oh forget it.

Old Speckled Hen stats:

Smells like: buttery, toasted toffee

Tastes like: caramel and malt…caramalt (awesome, right?)

Alcohol content: 5.20%, with low carbonation - a smooth operator

Although celebrities who go commando are still all the rage in Hollywood, we here in the real world like something that triggers our imagination…like a Hollywood babe going commando.

Ok, bad example - but I still believe that sexy underwear trumps “in the buff” eight times out of ten, if only for accentuating the assets on display. When held in flattering fabric, the a** and vajayjay take on a new personality, filled to the gills with magic and wonder! And they look hot.

But how about these newfangled no-string G-strings, fellas? Even I, a** enthusiast extraordinaire, am taken aback by this new form of undergarment. Read More »

Video games can be, well, addicting. God knows how many late nights I spent trying get out of that one dungeon, or unlock that one sword, or kept saying to myself, “Just one more level…” Still, I draw my limits on things like World of Warcraft.

In case you aren’t up on the MMORPG (that’s Massive Multi-player Online Role Playing Game) front, World of Warcraft is the most popular MMO out there, with well over six million – yes, million – players.

I know people who are hopelessly addicted, people who have no social life, people who dropped out of school so that they could spend more hours playing Warcraft. So when I read about a married couple of six years that divorced because of this game, I could only say one thing: WOW. Read More »

Killian’s Irish Red is located straight in the heart of beer purgatory, where snobbish types and casual drinkers alike don’t see the big deal. It has middle-child syndrome; I can empathize, being one myself.

In comparison to other lagers of its status, Killian’s is actually quite good, pouring a reddish rust color that reminds me of foliage and fall altogether. The head is unremarkable, but present nonetheless.

The taste isn’t as terrible as beer experts would have you believe, either - bland may be correct description. Sporting a scent of sweet malts and hops, Killian’s has a muted, earthy flavor that’s not complex by any stretch of the imagination (or palette). Its carbonation is soda-like, with an odd bite that doesn’t settle very well as an aftertaste. You’re gonna need to set your standard fair when drinking this average brew.

If you’re left in the predicament of choosing between a Killian’s and a Bud Light, it’s a safe bet to go with the former. It’s character, however small, is gauged by its company.

The biggest fish in a sloppy, skunked out pond: that’s Killian’s for you.

Killian’s Irish Red stats:

Smells like: weak hops and wheat, and slightly skunked

Tastes like: average beer, which is fine if you drink and don’t think

Alcohol content: 4.90%, with so-so drinkability - knock them back quick!

Being a frequent traveler to New York (don’t worry, Red Sox/Pats/Celtics fans - I’m still a dedicated fan) I find myself drinking Brooklyn Lager when going to local NYC bars, mostly due to its availability and overall value.

For a mid-priced beer (or high-priced, depending where you live) BK brew is of high quality, stacking up nicely against other lagers. Pouring a rich amber with some frothy head, Brooklyn Lager is well-bodied for a beer of its type, housing an almost overwhelming presence of hops. A healthy whiff of malt is noticeable in its scent, as is honey.

Upon taste, a strong caramel flavor mixes with the malt, creating a nice balance of sweet and bitter. Its carbonation is crisp, with a dry finish that goes down easy. A dense combination, but it works.

Most impressive is Brooklyn Lager’s aftertaste, which lingers long enough to make you crave another sip, or another bottle if you’re at that point.

Despite any reservations I have against New York sports teams, I have to hand it to Brooklyn Brewery and their great stable of brews; they have yet to let me down.

But do I think they’re better than Sam Adams, you ask? I’ll leave that debate open for now.

Brooklyn Lager stats:

Smells like: hops and honey

Tastes like: a bittersweet, strong combo of caramel and malt

Alcohol content: 5.20%, and extremely drinkable

Hey! It’s Valentine’s Day! Exclamation point!

If you’re anything like me, you find Valentine’s Day silly and not important in the grand scheme of a relationship. Still, you would be quite the a**hole to not show some sort of nice gesture on the holiday. If anything, mocking it is the best way to go. If your girl isn’t a humorless sack of ice in the lap, reserve a candlelit dinner at White Castle, or something to that extent. Do something fun and spontaneous that doesn’t require you or her stressing about money.

Or, you can order a gift today to be delivered in the near future. Who cares if it arrives late - it’s a gift. Who gets mad about receiving a gift, really? Read More »

What goes well with food? Beer, of course. But what goes well with spicy and salty food? Tecate, of course…?

First things first: Tecate’s signature red can is alluring in a weird way, like ogling a decent looking girl who seems to have that extra something you can’t quite put your finger on. You can purchase Tecate in glass bottles, but I recommend going for the classic can for the full experience - that smooth, late-night at the local restaurant/lounge experience. Yeah…that’s the stuff.

There are plenty of beer drinkers that despise the taste and smell of Tecate, which admittingly is pretty bland with a slight corn sweetness. While it’s totally fair to pan a beer for tasting less than stellar, Tecate’s light carbonation and taste work to its advantage - when food is involved.

For “quenching your thirst” (your thirst for getting wasted on the cheap, that is) and cleaning your palette, the brew works like a charm; as a stand-alone it’s not up to snuff.

I would bet that Tecate is a great beer for cooking purposes, though…

Tecate stats:

Smells like: sawdust and sweet sweat; blue collar beer

Tastes like: unremarkable but slightly sweet

Alcohol content: 4.50%, with heavy drinkability

We all know that to throw a fantastic party you need more than just a few kegs of beer and some attractive ladies. (Well, not really. Still, drinking games are a must, as they are a sure-fire way to loosen up the vibe. Who doesn’t like an old-fashioned round of quarters?)

Now, with a few choice drinking games you can transform what started out as a social gathering into a wild (and crazy) night of debauchery and shenanigans. Girls skinny dipping, Frank the Tank downing a yard of ale in less than a minute and frivolous copulation with inebriated freshmen!

(Ok, none of those will happen, but just imagine…)

So, without further ado, I present to you: 5 Drinking Games to Break the Ice!

Read More »