Well, I worked eleven and a half hours of overtime between Monday and Friday this week. Because of computer network problems, they cancelled OT for this morning. I had planned to blow off a little steam last night, but only have two drinks so that I could go into work OT this morning, but after they cancelled it, I changed my mind and just decided to play it by ear.

I went to Bar None after work. I had invited a bunch of people to go out, but it was short notice, and only 1 guy ever showed up. I was on my second beer when he did. My first beer was a Newcastle on draft – which is always nice. My second beer was Left Hand Brewing’s Black Jack Porter (6.2% ABV).

It poured a dark, dark brown with a decent tan-colored head. On first sniff, I could detect a floral aroma, followed on second sniff by a strong caramel scent. The beer seemed kind of thick on the tongue, but rather pleasantly so. A strong flavor of roasted malts dominated, although there were hints of espresso. Pretty good beer, but not my favorite porter. But I’d drink it again. Bill, my drinking companion, had one as his first beer of the evening.

Bill wanted to go to Brewhaus, but I told him I’d have to eat something before I did any serious drinking. So, we went to Sammy’s Sports Bar where we had supper. I had another Newcastle with my meal.

Then we went to the Brewhaus, where Bill had Goose Island’s Bourbon County Stout – a hefty beer weighing in at 13% ABV. I, on the other hand, having been told that they were out of Westmalle Dubbel ordered a Grouden Carolus Tripel. This was another first for me.

A very fizzy beer, it poured a hazy golden color. It had a pleasant aroma – almost, but not quite fruity in character. The head took a long time to die down, and the lacing was just amazing. The flavor was pretty good – as I’ve come to expect from a tripel, but there was a hint of vinegar to it, and there was also a little something which I couldn’t identify, but added a small but noticeable unpleasantness to the overall flavor. It was still good, just not quite as good as it could have been.

Bill had to go pick up his son, so we called it a night, and I went home about 8:20 p.m.