A rant about reviewing

I love playing and writing about games. I wish someone would have told me that all of those game magazines I read growing up were written by real people and that it was something I could pursue as a career. I may have done a bit better in school with that kind of a goal in mind. Regardless, I know now that I enjoy the ups and downs of being an amateur journalist / critic and I can’t imagine giving it up for anything. Even if I get comments or messages from people who really wish that I would.

Drinking all the beer.

It’s summer! Even here in the Pacific Northwest, the sun is out and the temperatures are rising. That can mean only one thing, or maybe multiple things, but it does coincide with the 2012 Seattle International Beerfest. SIB is one of my personal favorite annual events in Seattle. There is usually an eclectic mix of people enjoying a common love of liquid goodness.

Starting SIB off with The Stoic from Deschutes brewery in Oregon.

This year the festival features a mouthwatering array of brews from all over the world including incredibly rare offerings such as the Samuel Adams Utopias. But beyond the beer, there are
numerous amazing local food vendors on hand to provide cheeses, nuts, tortas, hot dogs, and more. My personal recommendation for a good snack is the cured meat and cheese pairings on a stick from Mt. Townsend Creamery.

It’s no secret that I am a fan of the darker beers, and there are far too many porters and stouts for me to try over the course of the weekend. If you can only make one day of the festival and need to taste with the 10 tickets you get with entry, allow me to suggest the Mad Viking Cognac IRS, the Two Beers Ascension, the Zhiguli Grande 12%, the Double Mountain Ferocious Five, and the Wingman P-51