THE DOG AND DUCK

THE DOG AND DUCK.

The bartender and bar patrons must’ve loved me. I rode in on the bicycle from visiting with Caitlin - she mentioned it was close by and I heard about this place before I came to Austin. The bartender let me sample any and every beer I pleased - but of course I bought myself a couple, too. ;)

REAL ALE IPA - I never thought much of anything I’d had by Real Ale, and this IPA just reminded me why. It was good, very drinkable, but it was too mild and lacked the hop flavor I look for when I drink IPAs.

REAL ALE EXTRA SPECIAL BITTER - Now this beer was tasty. It went down smoothly, was very light despite the dark color, and had lots of yummy hop flavor. I think this must be the only good beer they make!

512 IPA - Very tasty brew here. It wasn’t a heavy IPA, it was smooth and light and went down easy. The aroma was perfect and sucked you in for more. Dry hopped with Cascade hops that you can clearly taste when enjoying. Apparently 512 uses a lot of organic grains, too - awesome! 

REAL ALE FIREMANS #4 - This blonde ale was pretty good, very drinkable, but not memorable at all. Notes of citrus, just not a lot of flavor.

CIRCLE ENVY AMBER - I believe Circle Brewing is a new brewery in the Austin area - and drinking this beer made it seem to me that they have no idea what they are doing. Their amber is clearly made with lots of molasses - a flavor I don’t typically enjoy in my beers. Despite the pretty color and a nice mouth-feel, it was a bland beer with an overwhelming molasses flavor. I do not recommend it.

CIRCLE TEXAS HEFEWEIZEN - Now this beer may have just saved my opinion of Circle Brewing. Their hefe is delicious! So good that I actually ordered an entire pint of it. ;) It’s brewed with some great spices, is a subtle yet flavorful brew that I really truly enjoyed. A great aroma, too!

INDEPENDENCE SAISON - A beer that didn’t really flip my trigger. Claimed to be brewed with mandarin orange peels and spices - I couldn’t identify either of those flavors. To me, it was just another mediocre beer.

And oh yes, the fish and chips - it was great! I felt like I had way too many fries but so be it - people dig it, I understand. But the fish was great! :)

Arriving in Austin...

Crossing the Colorado River in Austin, Texas on the train.

Passing through San Antonio in the wee hours of the morning. I slept on a bench outside with the warm breeze blowing - it was too cold inside the station!

My amazing friends Samantha & Richie in front of their home. Lake Charles, Louisiana.

Lake Charles, Louisiana

                                     

My latest battle wounds. This bike wreck happened about 2am on Saint Charles Avenue around Napoleon. I was just trying to go and say goodbye to a special friend - I’m just glad I didn’t get any road rash!!

Leaving the Big Easy

Saying goodbye to New Orleans was a feat for me. Life, love, happiness, friends, family, food, music, charm, characters…how do you say goodbye to all those things? Saying farewell became a teensie bit easier once I decided I’d return in the fall.

Wednesday afternoon I got into Lake Charles, Louisiana to visit my dear friend Sam. The evening before was filled with hugs, kisses, and so long’s. The hardest people to say goodbye to came on Wednesday morning, when I made a special pass by the brewery to say goodbye. They had become like my family, and saying adios to them was like cutting the umbilical cord. For days, to get out of the sun, rain, and heat, I found myself there, working hard and loving every minute of it.

It was wonderful to see Sam and Richie again. I surely wish they weren’t so far away. They are some of the best folks I’ve ever been lucky enough to meet.