Rubicon Brewing Company IPA

Here's my second review. I'm no more experienced as this review comes on the night of my first ever review.

I chose Rubicon (http://www.rubiconbrewing.com/) as it is a very successful local brewery. I would like to work for Rubicon before starting brewing school, and hopefully during brewing school. In comparison to Ballast Point's IPA, Rubicon's IPA had a very similar color. The color was honey and it was very clear. However, it had a less hoppy flavor to me and a more mellow finish. My husband didn't enjoy it as much and felt there was a funny aftertaste, but I enjoyed it more than Ballast Points' IPA.

Ballast Point IPA

Ok. So this is my first very informal beer review. If I'm to start Master Brewing School in January at UC Davis, I better start familiarizing myself with different beer. Yesterday, at Nugget in Elk Grove, when I had a cart full of different beer bottles that I was planning to sample, the guy behind me suggested the beer that he had in his cart (Hoptologist Double India Pale Ale from Knee Deep Brewing Company at http://kneedeepbrewing.com/) was a good one and I should try it. He admired all of mine and we talked. Long story short, I told him my intentions, to sample all this different beer as preparation for Brewing school. Then the guy behind him chimed in how bad he felt for me that I had to drink beer to prepare myself for my career. I KNOW! Rough life. Made me believe even more that life is short and we should do what we want.

SO, anywho! Here it is. Just sampled Ballast Point Brewing Company IPA (http://www.ballastpoint.com/). To be fair, I'm not a hoppy girl. I actually think most people are not hoppy. I think that people that say they love IPA's just like it because it's hoppy enough and distinctive enough that they can tell they're not drinking Coors Light or MGD. However, I drank it. And, yes, it's hoppy. But the color was beautiful, like liquid honey. It had an extremely crisp, clear, and hoppy flavor. I liked it enough that I finished it. There you have it.

Gettin' it goin'

Ok. This isn't for you. It's for me. It's been a while since I posted anything and I decided I just have to type something to get the ball rolling again. But to be fair to myself, there's been a lot going on. I think since I last posted, I went to Monterey for 5 days with my family, my kids finished this year in school, I drove to Washington and back with my family for 8 days, got home for two, then drove to San Diego and back for an emotionally draining but wonderful family trip including a big family wedding. I've been home for 5 days now and am just starting to catch up. Tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday is Swim Champs. This means 12 hours in the sun waiting by the pool with 2000 other people for our kids to swim like 4 times for 30 seconds or less each. Don't get me wrong, we love it, but I'll be happy when this weekend is over. OH, and, we found three eggs in the yard today. Lucy (my chicken) laid her first eggs and is hiding them in a "nest" she made in our bushes. After searching the park and the neighbor's yards for her today when we couldn't find her, she finally popped out of the bushes. We checked the spot and there were three eggs! It's like we should have her Quincineara party or bar mitzvah or something! Anyway, I'll get back on it soon. Just had to get the ball rolling and start with something. :)