Beer and Wine Review
2009
(left to right) Beringer White Merlot, Boulevard Single Wide IPA, Framboise Lambic, Miletta Vista Brianna
I am not a beer or wine expert. I don’t sit around in cigar lounges swilling sherry and talking about politics and how to change the world. I am a rather simple man who know what he likes and wants to share. I won’t go into technical details as to why you should or should not like something in order to line a winery’s pockets with more money, I’m just going to tell you what I like and why. So, without further ado, here is my beer and wine review.
The Beers
Boulevard Pale Ale:
I like bitter beers. Most pale ales fall under that category. I guess, since Boulevard is so easily available to me here (it being brewed in Kansas City, MO), I have gotten into the habit of picking up a six pack every once in a while.
Boulevard Single Wide IPA:
I like this one for the same reason I like the regular Pale Ale, its bitterness. This one is a little more bitter though. Another thing I like about Boulevard is their labels, they have some really cool art on their labels.
Sam Adams:
This is pretty much just a standard at restaurants when I want to order a beer with my meal. This is usually how the beer list goes, “We have Bud, Bud Light, Coors, Coors Light, and Sam Adams.” This is a no-brainer.
Odell IPA:
Odell is a very good micro-brewery in Fort Collins, CO (my wife went to grad school there for two years). They have a very good, rather bitter IPA that I very much enjoy. This beer goes really well with the cold winters we get here.
Alfa Hellenic Lager and Mythos Lager:
I have to admit, I honestly can’t tell the difference between these two Greek beers; they both taste the same to me. Well, anyway, they are a nice crisp lager beer with a slightly thicker hop flavor. They go very well with pizza, especially at Old Chicago.
Stella Artois:
First brewed in Belgium in 1926 in a brewery that has been around since 1366, it is, in my opinion, the king of light beers. I have yet to find a beer that comes close to its crispness and flavor. It is so nice to drink, it almost feels as if its hugging your throat from the inside out as you drink it. Its interesting to think that I may be drinking a beer similar to one that King Edward IV and his brother Richard (later Richard III) might have been drinking during their exile in Belgium during the Wars of the Roses.
Framboise Lambic:
This beer is simply awesome. It is a truly good “fruity beer” and could almost pass for a barley wine. It is, however, rather expensive costing around $5.00 or $6.00 a bottle. This is my “special occasion” beer that I only drink and share on very special occasions.
Grapes at the Miletta Vista Winery
Grapes at the Miletta Vista Winery
The Wines
Moscato:
A white wine that is very sweet. If you are new to drinking wine or don’t know what kind to order, this is a safe bet with a light chicken, fish and some pork dishes.
White Merlot:
A blush wine (between red and white) that is rather sweet. This will go good with almost anything, if you can find it. It is not served too often from my experience.
Burgundy:
A heavy red wine that is fairly prevelent. It is slightly dry but goes very well with heavier red meat meals. This is my favorite wine to drink in the cold days of winter.
Miletta Vista Winery Brianna:
Miletta Vista Winery | St. Paul, Nebraska
This wine is local to Nebraska. It is brewed in St. Paul, NE. My wife and I recently had a chance to visit the winery and taste some of their wines. This one was my favorite. It is a white wine very similar in taste and sweetness to the Moscato. If you get a chance, visit the vineyard, it is very beautiful and the staff is very nice and helpful.
That’s my list and my opinions. Everyone has their own tastes, so drink what you want, just do it responsibly.
The site format has officially been suspended. I have thought hard about this and decided that this will be the best option for me to move forward. If I can, I will still stick with the original format I layed down in this article: 
My wife and I are going through the same thing right now. Her grandparents and my grandmother both just moved from their homes to an assisted living facility in their home towns. This has been difficult for both of us but more so for her.
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