The Kavorka
A Dutch woman who called a man 65,000 times in the past year - an average of 178 calls a day - is to face charges of stalking. Kinda reminds me of my high school years. My parents had to change our home phone number after a group of chicks saw me mowing the yard with my shirt off one day.
Or something like that.
Poor Art
I don't think I ever bought into the whole gambling addiction concept, until I read about poor Art Schlichter. The Ohio State QB could've been a star in the NFL, but he threw it all away for gambling.
Back in the 1990s, I was an Arena Football fan. The Detroit Drive won four championships. The reason: Art Schlichter was their QB. Whoever had Art, won the Arena Bowl. It was that simple. The guy was that good (compared to his Arena counterparts).
In any event, his trials and troubles continue: "Documents filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Columbus allege Art Schlichter deceived people by promising sports tickets at low prices based on his contacts." Link.
Drinking Corner
I blogged months ago about extreme beers: Beers that pack a huge alcoholic wallop. Start the Future is the current record holder at 60 percent alcohol.
But I never knew that Sam Adams started the contest over two decades ago. I found this very interesting:
The grandfather of extreme beers is Boston Beer Co., makers of Sam Adams. In 1994 they released the first vintage of Triple Bock, a 15 percent ale brewed with maple syrup that was one of the first beers to be aged in whiskey barrels. Only three vintages were made -- 1994, 1995 and 1997 -- but bottles still occasionally turn up in stores.
If properly stored, these high-alcohol beers age like fine wine or whiskey. After 17 years, Triple Bock has become an intensely complex sipper. It pours thick and black from its blue-glass bottle, without even a hint of carbonation. The flavor is candied cherries smothered in rich dark chocolate. Background notes of soy sauce, sherry, maple and vanilla add intriguing depth. Though not for everyone, many will find Triple Bock a richly satisfying treat.
Weighing in at 27 percent alcohol, Samuel Adams Utopias remains the strongest naturally fermented beer ever made. Utopias is not so much brewed as constructed. It is a blend of beers from different vintages dating back to the original 1994 batch of Triple Bock. Some of these component beers have been aging in bourbon, brandy, sherry or cognac barrels for 17 years.
More like cognac or port than beer, Utopias is uncarbonated and meant to be sipped at room temperature. Alluring aromas of butterscotch and maple greet your nose as soon as the liquid falls into a glass. Those aromas carry over into the flavor, where they are joined by background notes of chocolate, tart cherries and caramelized prunes. The hefty alcohol tingles the tongue and warms all the way down. Utopias makes a great aperitif.
The 2011 vintage of Utopias was released a couple months back. Bottles can still be found in area stores, but you'll have to ask for it. A 22-ounce bottle will set you back about $180.
Link.
