Menu mania

If you retreat back to the far corner of the downstairs (where a pool table used to be), there's a pseudo-Belgian brunch spread: Waffles, fruit, bagels, cream cheese, mini-muffins (poppy-seed, no less)............

Okay, we see a La Chouffe Fourquette tap handle, but no Chouffe on the menu. Closest several of us can get to a match is Les 3 Fourquett Wheat, a 5.8% wheat ale. This glassful from the Chouffe tap is yellow and cloudy as very fresh apple cider, nose lemony like a wit...... hmmmm, seems to have the same Choufe signature yeast flavors I like, but seemingly reaching for the citrusy wit style, lemongrass and ambiguous spices..... not bad at all, but the name seemed to hint towards a quadrupel...... if this be the only Chouffe this weekend, I'm happy.

Jim W. just handed of the rest of his Stone Vertical Epic 2007, 8.4%. First "bright" beer so far, the only non-"Belgian" here........ menu says Strong Pale...... I call this odd. Cross Belgian yeast character with the funk of a wheat wine with a strong golden like Erie Railbender; nose is almost fruity like a Vignoles, Vigonier, or Riesling wine, but then you get hit with a hoppy palate and odd finish. It' something I'll have to come back to in order to figure out why I don't care for it.


By 12:05 I have had two menus stolen from my "work station". #3 is now "chained" to my laptop on the same security cable as my bags and laptop. Several photocopied menus are floating about in the side-room bar. The former darts lounge is now the cigar/smoker's lounge. and cigar store--"No Drinks Past" the closed door, but you can smell the cigars in the side bar.