It's better late then never. The Montreal Edition. Two weeks have passed; three for this blog. When you travel for work it all begins to blur together and suddenly you are home and wondering if you had ever left. And yet, there are all of these memories now imprinted in my mind. The goal over the last two weeks was to try out at least 60 different beers I'd never had before while working 10-12 hours a day, every day. No problem! Reading ... yea no much of that happened. Sacrifices had to be made. Only one book noted this week and I had finished it just before I left!
What I'm Reading:
There is no question that Leonardo was a genius of his time and yet this book does a great job at laying out why. Leonardo may have thought differently then everyone else but he also worked harder then everyone else. Worked harder and putting ideas together and never giving up on them or getting discouraged. Perhaps this mentality is the reason why so many of his art pieces were never finished or sold. Isaacson creates a narrative here based on research of Leonardo's notebooks and paintings that show the progression of talent and understanding of the various forms of art. Studying anatomy for example to deliver art work that no one previously had portrayed.
What's On Tap:
A wild yeast fermented farmhouse-ale saison with a nice balanced flavour. Not too hoppy and a nice sweetness too it. Glad I got a chance to check this one out while it is still around. Batch brewed, this one won't last long. I'm sure the folks over at Last Best are already working on their next creation.
One of the first beer's I tried while in Montreal was Trou du Diable's La Morsure. Inspired by the American IPA this 6.5% beer had a nice caramel note and lots of bitterness. At 77 IBU it packs a punch. It also has the prestige of winning several World Beer Awards including the 2014 World's Best IPA. A great start to the trip with a great beer.
Hill Farmstead Brewery's Art (2013)
Well this was a special find. Spending the evening at Joe Beef, one of Montreal's most renown restaurants, happened upon the last of their bottles of this gem. An aged saison that really unlocks the fruity flavors with green apples, lemons, and an almost white wine edge to it. Simply delicious. A truly great saison for anyone if you can find a bottle.
What I'm Listening To:
I enjoyed this one but to be fair there is a lot of stuff in here I wasn't interested in. Dawkins' work stands on its own in the history books and in science. Hearing him analyze religion is always such a fascinating subject because, similar to Sam Harris, he can always flip things on its head through rational argument. I'd say this is a read for someone who is a science buff or a Richard Dawkins' fan. Otherwise you might start with one of his other works such as The Selfish Gene.
Random Thoughts:
Random Shoutout: Alayna (@books.andbrews) over at instagram is a fellow book and beer lover and has some great reads as well as always bringing the Southern California beer scene to the forefront. Strike Brewing anyone?
A Quote:
Today's quote is attributed to the Greek stoic philosopher Epictetus on knowing that what happens in our life happens for a good reason. Something to remember when you are feeling down:
"As you think, so you become. Avoid superstitiously investing events with power or meanings they don't have. Keep your head. Our busy minds are forever jumping to conclusions, manufacturing and interpreting signs that aren't there. Assume, instead, that everything that happens to you does so for some good. That if you decided to be lucky, you are lucky. All events contain an advantage for you - if you look for it!"
- Epictetus
Final Thoughts:
Good to be back home and in detox! Time to pick up a book and enjoy your weekend. Ok, maybe one beer.
Cheers to the Weekend.
Sean
A Question:
Pumpkin beer. Pumpkin beer everywhere! Any favourites out there?
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