I can think of something even better then figs to go with Trois Pistoles....dates. Talk about not being able to eat just one. Damn things are worse than potato chips where that's concerned....for me anyway.

Those are from my neck of the woods spitball. You in NZ?

I like a few of the Renaissance beers. Voyager is a nice one. I also like the Stonecutter. I have been looking for the MBA release, which should be this month, but I aint seen it yet.

I talked about that 8wired smoked porter earlier in the thread. I remember being freaked out by the beer. That doesn't happen often. After the freak out finished I was reminded of a bon fire of all things. Very interesting beer. I did enjoy it.

My reserves of Hop Zombie got to a critical level as the 1st batch they brewed sold out in a week. That was a couple months ago. The effect wasn't felt in the shops until about 3 weeks ago. They brewed a 2nd batch, but distribution takes time and I had only one left in the cupboard earlier this evening. Couldn't sleep properly and I was snapping at work colleagues for no reason. On the way home from work, I found that my local supplier had restocked. I picked up 4 and now reserves are at a reasonable level again. I'll sleep well tonight knowing they are in my basement lying in wait.

This does pose a problem for me tho.... I want to start brewing my own beer which requires an up front capital outlay. Thing is... all my beer money goes to buying more Hop Zombie. I'm stuck. Can't not buy the Hop Zombie, can't afford to keep going!

__________________
O&B Dream Team
Bill Barber - Bobby Clarke - Tim Kerr
Mark Howe - Chris Pronger
Bernie Parent
Farm: Giroux

Cracked into a 120 minute iPa from dogfish head. Wow, not what I was expecting at all. Almost sensory over load. Strong abv (18%), 120 ibu's, moderately hoppy, super sweet, super malty, so complex.

I like dates, but if you ever have the opportunity to have grilled figs stuffed with gorgonzola and wrapped with prosciutto, please do so.

You can thank me later.

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Four out of three people have difficulty with fractions

Commish - Twisted Wrister Fantasy Hockey League

12 team, $$$, 24 players, Weekly, H2H, limited keeper (8), multi-cat (G, A, PIMs, Hits, SOG, HT/ W, GA, SV%, SO)

Start: 2C, 2RW, 2LW, 4D, 2G

i'm in victoria bc. found a few bottles of big smoke at the local. he keeps a large and quite varied supply. requires frequent visits.

wife grew up in aukland. we visit often. last trip we enjoyed a week in marlborough. return in february for two months...rented a bach in ruakaka.

off to montreal this morning, five days ( brutopia visit ), then to charlottetown for 7 days (golf and gahan house ), final 7 days on cape breton isl ( more golf and looking forward to checking out big spruce brewing ).

home brewing is on the horizon. house getting a reno, should be done by november. at that point, there will be ample space to begin.

hope you didn't try to drink the big smoke out of the bottle....seriously heady stuff.

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dobber pro 2012-2013; campbell conference

c; b richards, ribiero, desharnias, zajac
lw; sedin, e kane, pacioretty, kunitz
rw; kessel, callaghan, cole, paranteau
d; chara, seabrook, souray, leddy, markov, s elliott
g; rinne, elliott
bench; garon, giguerre, hodgson, orpik, d roy
ir; nobody, yet

I thought the same about the 90 minute one. A bit malty for my liking. It is a highly respected brew though. Very high marks on Beer Advocate. My idea of an IIPA is less malty and more hoppy. Personal taste I guess. The 90 minute seemed more like a Belgian IPA if you get my draft.

__________________
O&B Dream Team
Bill Barber - Bobby Clarke - Tim Kerr
Mark Howe - Chris Pronger
Bernie Parent
Farm: Giroux

Oh lord I am drooling. I have planted a fig tree in the median of a street here in DC (along with some basil - hooray for guerilla gardening!), and my next harvest I will be having this again. Haven't made them yet this summer (gorgonzola and almonds, yes), but because I have no grill, I have to mooch off my friend's when possible.

I agree that dates are good, but figs are easily on my top five fruit list.

P.S. I have gotten some interesting responses and some insight into people's personalities by working the five favorite fruit question into cocktail party talk.

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H2H 10 GMs Keeper: keep up to 4 at cost of draft pick (round in red) G, A,+/-,PIM,SOG,PPP; Wins,GAA,Sv% Start 2C 2R 2L 1 Util 4D 2G, weekly starts
C: Tomáš Plecanec (10), Jonathan Huberdeau (11)
LW: Patrik Eliáš (14), Pascal Dupuis (10) Иlлья Kovalchuk (1), Brandon Saad (10)
RW: Jarome Iginla (3), Phil Kessel (2) Jakub Voráček (9)
Util:
D:Ryan Suter (7), Mike Green (4), Brent Burns (10), Mark Streit, Justin Schultz (12)
G:Craig Anderson (6), Дeвaн Dubnyk (17) Cepгeй Bobrovsky (9), Niklas Bäckström (8)

Or an IDA (i.e. India dark ale. Not sure if I just made that up).

I agree about the Dogfish in general. Went to the brewery years back and felt like all the guys there would talk about was how extreme everything was. Beer is four ingredients - there's no reason to blow out any of the flavors to the detriment of the others. As Lao Tzu said "..the Sage avoids extremes."

__________________
H2H 10 GMs Keeper: keep up to 4 at cost of draft pick (round in red) G, A,+/-,PIM,SOG,PPP; Wins,GAA,Sv% Start 2C 2R 2L 1 Util 4D 2G, weekly starts
C: Tomáš Plecanec (10), Jonathan Huberdeau (11)
LW: Patrik Eliáš (14), Pascal Dupuis (10) Иlлья Kovalchuk (1), Brandon Saad (10)
RW: Jarome Iginla (3), Phil Kessel (2) Jakub Voráček (9)
Util:
D:Ryan Suter (7), Mike Green (4), Brent Burns (10), Mark Streit, Justin Schultz (12)
G:Craig Anderson (6), Дeвaн Dubnyk (17) Cepгeй Bobrovsky (9), Niklas Bäckström (8)

Interesting...I'm going to give that a try myself.

__________________

Four out of three people have difficulty with fractions

Commish - Twisted Wrister Fantasy Hockey League

12 team, $$$, 24 players, Weekly, H2H, limited keeper (8), multi-cat (G, A, PIMs, Hits, SOG, HT/ W, GA, SV%, SO)

Start: 2C, 2RW, 2LW, 4D, 2G

Pretty much the fig trees I grew up with:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/29/di...l?pagewanted=2

__________________
H2H 10 GMs Keeper: keep up to 4 at cost of draft pick (round in red) G, A,+/-,PIM,SOG,PPP; Wins,GAA,Sv% Start 2C 2R 2L 1 Util 4D 2G, weekly starts
C: Tomáš Plecanec (10), Jonathan Huberdeau (11)
LW: Patrik Eliáš (14), Pascal Dupuis (10) Иlлья Kovalchuk (1), Brandon Saad (10)
RW: Jarome Iginla (3), Phil Kessel (2) Jakub Voráček (9)
Util:
D:Ryan Suter (7), Mike Green (4), Brent Burns (10), Mark Streit, Justin Schultz (12)
G:Craig Anderson (6), Дeвaн Dubnyk (17) Cepгeй Bobrovsky (9), Niklas Bäckström (8)