notes. neologism part 2. also, Boston Beer Works: finally, success!

First and foremost, I've made a decision:
From now on, instead of face-melting, things will be described as "meltphace-ing."
Additionally, I'd like to apologize for being lazy. I have lots of things I should write about, but I've been lazy. Also I've been having problems with Picasa. It wants to do things its own way, and I'm not strong enough to defy it... yet.

To come: playlist of holiday/new years mixes (that I will try to send a copy of to all); short review of Emily Haines & the Soft Skeleton concert; short complaint about and praise for recent Damien Rice concert; bragging because I'm going to see Ratatat, Camera Obscura, Bloc Party, and Of Montreal this year; Berkshire Brewing Company seasonal beer tried at Parish Cafe; Victory Golden Monkey tripel-style ale; and more.

Now this is happening:
There's something wrong with this country when a BBQ/Southern-influenced restaurant is sold out to some bitch-ass manager who decides that having Stone on tap (they regularly had IPA and Bastard on tap, not to mention Oaked and Double Bastard etc. at the bar) is a bad business decision. I went there two nights ago for some dinner and a Bastard, ignoring the rumors that the mill had been feeding me. To my chagrin, the best beers on the menu were in bottles, and there was no Stone in sight. But wait! The Stone rep I had met at a tasting last year came in to talk to the manager! However, he did not seem pleased and I doubt I'll be seeing Stone on tap again for a long time. Fuck you Linwood.
You wanna know what else really grinds my gears? Seasonal beers. Even the best liquor stores are choc full of them, and they pretty much all suck. If I wanted mulled apple cider or mulled wine or egg nog or weird spicy tea tasting substance in my beer, I would mull the cider or wine or make egg nog or find weird spicy tea substance to put in my beer.

Boston Beer Works: finally came out with a good beer. in the midst of every brewery trying to stamp christmas on their backwash dark ales, Beer Works went balls out and made a strong ale "Hercules," a GABF awarded barley wine at 11.5%ABV that tastes not dissimilar to a normal barley wine with everclear (but definitely drinkable anyway), an imperial IPA that was quite tasty without being too extreme, and a 'russian' imperial stout with the alcohol, heaviness, and hops to help you through the bleak Boston winter. All of these beers were enjoyable, worth the price ($5 for a 20 or 22oz glass), and alcoholy enough to buzz anybody.
Now, it must be noted that the Accelerator Double Bock sucks, despite its high alcohol, and most of their beers taste like fair-to-middlin home brews. On top of that, they made a peanut butter porter. Looking at their menu, it seems they've realized their mistake and taken it off the menu. But before they took it off, it had resulted in such blasphemous orders as "PBJ" (peanut butter porter plus blueberry beer). It's a really hit or miss brewery, but they come out with new cold-ones in small batches all the time, and I have to give them credit for bravado and limited success.
The buckeye oatmeal stout is always good, and the Back Bay IPA is comparable to Harpoon's (though certainly not to Dogfish).
It must also be noted that one of their waiters overcharged my co-worker's credit card to give himself a 50% tip and another bartender there is a well-known bag-o-douche in our neighborhood. Damn them and I hope they both drown in a vat. No that's mean. I hope they lose their jobs and have to work at Game On across the street.