Topshelf Records

solidbrewstastytunes:

Drinking: Great Lakes Brewing Company’s Commodore Perry IPA BeerAdvocate: 88/100

“Don’t Give Up The Sip”

The folks at Great Lakes Brewing Company named this brew after “The Hero of Lake Erie”, Oliver Hazard Perry.  He participated in the War of 1812 against the British, and had the battle flag that read “Don’t Give Up The Ship”. After supervising the building of a fleet at Erie, Pennsylvania, at the age of 27 earned the title “Hero of Lake Erie” for leading American forces in a decisive naval victory at the Battle of Lake Erie, receiving a Congressional Gold Medal and the Thanks of Congress.

Speaking of gold medals, this brew was a gold medal winner at the World Beer Championships in 1996, 2008, and 2011.  Great Lakes Brewing Company seems to be a step above the rest; every beer I try by them is above average.  It’s considered an English-style IPA, but the 7.5% gives it an American kick to it.

Spinning: Rooftops’s A Forest of Polarity via Topshelf Records (2009) Bandcamp

The term “classic” gets thrown around quite a bit these days, but I think this album definitely deserves the term.  This band took what made Piglet awesome, and tightened it up even more and added more layers by throwing more guitarists in the mix.  Not to take anything from Piglet; Lavaland was/is a classic in it’s own right.  These two bands also have another sad similarity: they released really great albums and then disbanded shortly after that.  It’s disappointing, but it is arguably the best way to go.  Make people wanting more.

This was one of my first all-white records.  It fits perfectly with the album art, and it just makes for a really good piece.

P.S. Never ever get Alexander Kieth’s India Pale Ale.  I got a case of it at the Duty Free thinking I was getting a decent relatively inexpensive Canadian IPA.  The 5% should have been a warning, but I blindly bought it.  I couldn’t check Beeradvocate or other sites, because I would get crazy roaming charges.  Basically, it tastes like someone siphoned Budweiser into a different bottle and labeled it an IPA.  Seriously, it doesn’t taste at all like an IPA.  Now I have a whole shitty case of shitty beer to drink.  Poor me.

NEW FAVORITE BLOG. Also, listen to this record.