Saturday, April 30, 2022

NFL Draft Beer List: Day 3

 

(I'll probably drink one or two of these tonight)

Beer List Day 2 Update: Drank two beers on the list last night. Steal My Sunshine and CBS. Just wasn't in the mood for anything else to be honest. Draft was disappointing and I wasn't in the mood for beer.

   I don't plan to watch the draft today. I'm not expecting anything exciting from Washington today, just mostly back ups and rotational players who may start in a year or two. That seems to be their trend. I don't fully understand the methodology of this for a team that has gone 7-9 and 7-10 in the past two season and has been looking at depth (which is important) but not possible starting upgrades.

Anyway, here's 2 beers to help you get up this morning for the draft and one beer to enjoy in the waning hours of the day. This will be quite brief compared to the previous lists I've done.

Breakfast Stout, Founders

ABV: 8.3%

Beer Advocate Grade: 100, World  Class

   It's hard to believe that Breakfast Stout is a all around year beer. An oatmeal stout combined with chocolate and two types of coffee to create one of the best beers in the world. This is the base beer for Founders KBS and CBS. Honestly, you're solid by just sticking to Breakfast Stout.

Rise Up Coffee Stout, Evolution Craft Brewing Company 

ABV: 6.7%

Beer Advocate Grade: 92 Outstanding

   I honestly think this is one of the better beers to drink if you're going to be outside for an event (say a tailgate), you're not going to have to drive for a while and it's a little chilly. Rise Up provides the alcohol and caffeine kick you need to get you going. A caribbean style stout infused with Rise-Up Coffee that provides a nice hefty beer to go with your breakfast. There is also a Russian Imperial version and a Oak-aged RIS version as well. I highly recommend the RIS if you can find it (I think I own about 10 bottles).


Barrel Roll No.3, Pugachev's Cobra, Hangar 24

ABV: 15%

Beer Advocate Grade: 97, World Class

   Russian Imperial Stout brewed with Maple syrup and aged in Bourbon barrels. I'm generally not a fan of  Russian Imperials aged in Bourbon barrels. Old Rasputin BA is a perfect example. I really don't like it and the Bourbon makes it almost a sickening sugary sweet, that takes away the espresso and roasted malt notes. Now I personally expect from a RIS the flavors of dried fruits mingling with the darker, bitter malts/hops and some coffee notes and I'm hoping the maple sugar and Bourbon barrel aging doesn't over take those flavors. That said, I have heard nothing but high praise for Pugachev's Cobra so I picked one up to try it. We'll see how this goes.


Draft update coming Sunday (probably) if Washington hasn't pissed me off or makes me scratch my head with confusion even more.




Friday, April 29, 2022

2022 NFL Draft Beer List: Day 2

 

(No, Guinness is actually not on the list tonight.)

Some quick updates and housekeeping items:

- I will do a breakdown of all the draft stuff eventually after the draft concludes. I'll probably start working on it Saturday night maybe with a general take on all the picks, trades and how it addressed the teams needs. After that I think I'll do a breakdown of each player and what to expect from them in 2022. This is a little different than what I normally do (see my 2020 Draft Evaluations as a classic example), but I think it'll be easier for me to get everything done and easier for you, the reader, to not feel like you're reading a book.

- Beer List Day 1 update:  Got through 2.5 beers. Turtle Dreams, Black Butte Porter and 1/2 of a bottle St. Klippenstein. I hope to do a bit better today.

- Quick Thoughts on Jahan Dotson: I think Washington really needed to trade back at some point and the best time to do so and get a pick in the 3rd was by trading back in the 1st. At the time of the trade, the team had quite a few options at WR and S Kyle Hamilton. By the time Washington got to 16, they were all mostly gone. Dotson was a surprise to me b/c most analysts and draftniks had him as a late 1st round (starting in the 20s) to a very early 2nd round pick if he fell a bit.

   But not everybody felt that way. Some had Dotson graded above Jameson Williams, while others had him in the top 6 of 1st round caliber WRs (Wilson, London, Burks, Olave, Dotson, Williams). He landed in the 1st, I'm fine with it. It makes the Washington O more dangerous and the team picked up 2 more players that could be future starters or at worst early contributors. The only downside to Dotson appears to be his size but Washington has had some good success with smaller skill players over the years (Santana Moss and Darrell Green come to mind). 

Ok, so onto the thing you're here for, the beer list.

Steal My Sunshine, Burgundy Ghost Brewing*

Description: Steal My Sunshine is a light bodied ale that is crisp with hints of honey and lemon (made with actual honey and lemon) that is perfect for a hot summer day or even a cold winter evening.

ABV: 5%

Dumb me, I never wrote the recipe down as it was mostly an experimental beer that I cooked up one day because I wanted to attempt to try an summer shandy for my wife. It's kind of a pale ale/mead monster. I found one bottle left and figured either this thing will be skunky as hell or it could still be a decent opener.


Endeavour, Burgundy Ghost Brewing*

Description: Named after Inspector Endeavour Morse from the British TV Series Endeavour and Inspector Morse, this Dark Mild ale would be the perfect beer to find in a British Pub or in a great pot of chili. With a notes of toasted grains, nuts and some mild malty sweetness, this is not an ideal beer for a hop head but a nice beer to drink while watching a game.

ABV: 3.2%

Grains Used: Maris Otter, Crystal Malt, Caramel Malt, English Black Malt, Pale Chocolate Malt

Hops Used: East Kent Goldings

I felt like going very light early and working my way up as we're going through two rounds tonight. I also felt this would go well with the Buffalo Wings we're having tonight.


Siracusa Nera, Dogfish Head



Description: Combining a roasty Imperial Stout with a jammy Syrah wine, this beer is bold and complex. Notes of coffee, dark chocolate and anise from a blend of roasted malts meld with flavors of plums, cherries and stewed fruits from Syrah grape must in this jet black stout. Aged on American oak to add some light toasty vanilla to the mix.

ABV: 10%

Beer Advocate Grade: 90 (out of 100) - Outstanding

Didn't realize that I had any of this left in my stash and found a bottle while looking for my box of World Wide Stout. This is an amazing Imperial Stout that is somewhat boozy but has many dried fruit and grape flavors. Boozy and fruity.

CBS (Canadian Breakfast Stout), Founders



Description:  Canadian Breakfast Stout (CBS) is the epitome of why we launched the Backstage Series: to bring some of our most sought-after beers, which have been available primarily at the taproom or at a few select events, to a much larger audience.

Canadian Breakfast Stout is an Imperial Stout brewed with a blend of coffees and imported chocolates, then aged in spent bourbon barrels that have most recently been aging pure Michigan maple syrup.

ABV: 11.3%

Beer Advocate Grade: 100 (out of 100) - World Class

Founders no longer makes CBS as it takes a pretty long time to age this beer, even more so than their KBS (which is highly popular). I have had multiple 12 oz and 750ml bottles stored away and I figured now would be as good a time than ever to crack one open.

Bourbon County Stout (2019), Goose Island


Description: The Original Bourbon Barrel aged Imperial Stout. Our primary focus every year is to make this beer the best that it’s ever been, with the best ingredients, which includes the finest of bourbon whiskey barrels. This year’s Bourbon County Stout is aged in a mix of bourbon barrels from a variety of whiskey distilleries. Barrel-aged for a year to develop the complexity that only time can provide, Bourbon County Stout boasts a unique blend of flavors such as fudge, vanilla and caramel — topped off with a rich, complex mouthfeel.

ABV: 14.7%

Beer Advocate Grade: 100 (out of 100) - World Class

And I'll finish off tonight with a little Bourbon..... County that is. We'll see if I can get this far.

* Picture will be posted on Twitter when I pour said beers.

Wednesday, April 27, 2022

2022 NFL Draft Beer List: Day 1

 

(What beverage goes better with the NFL Draft than beer?)

   So, I had thought about doing a 1st round mock draft and mentioned it on Twitter. The response was interesting as many were more curious about the beers I plan on drinking than reading another mock draft that is more than likely not going to happen, especially since there will be 2-4 trades most likely to happen and most mocks don't account for those trades.  I figured I would oblige and drop a 3 part beer list. One list for each day of the draft.

   Day one is going to be rather simple. I'm just cleaning some beers out of the fridge with the exception of a bottle that I have had for a few years. It's not a huge selection but I figured I would start with these beers and go from there.

St. Klippenstein, Allagash (2016 bottle)


Description: At the brewery, we celebrate a holiday full of free ham, potlucks, and strong stouts; it’s called St. Klippenstein Day. In honor of this joyous event, we brew a bourbon barrel-aged, Belgian-style strong stout of the same name. Delivering on its satiny black hue, St. Klippenstein offers up a complex, roasty aroma laden with dark chocolate. Vanilla and coconut notes form the flavor’s backbone, while oak from the barrel lingers in its smooth, warm finish.

This full-bodied beer is brewed with chocolate malt, dark chocolate malt, roasted barley, and brown malt. To round out its robust flavor, St. Klippenstein is hopped with Chinook and Northern Brewer, fermented with a trappist-style yeast for a month, then aged three more in bourbon barrels. Happy St. Klippenstein Day!

ABV: 11.0%

Beer Advocate Grade: 93 (out of 100) - Outstanding

   This will probably be my beer to open around the Washington draft pick at #11. Hopefully, it will be a celebratory beer. I have never had this one before.

Turtle Dreams, First State Brewing Company



Description: Tropical Sour - Peach, Passion Fruit, Guava notes. Made with Pilsen malt, Wheat and Oats with Cashmere and Idaho Gem hops. Also made with peaches, passion fruit and lactose. IBU: 20

ABV: 6.0%

Beer Advocate Grade: N/A (not enough votes)

  This is an interesting beer. It is listed by the brewer as a sour, while Beer Advocate lists it as a Sour-Gose. I personally find it to be neither. It tastes more like a wheat beer or fruit flavored ale to me. I'm not sure if the lactose added anything to it but if you like peach or passionfruit ales, this isn't a bad one. You will be disappointed if you're expecting a true sour however. There is very little sour to it and no funky aromas you would expect from a sour.

Black Butte Porter, Deschutes



Description: Bold reputation. Soft disposition. Surprising balance. Behold an iconic and unexpectedly complex porter that's more than meets the eye. Rise through dark forests dense with notes of chocolate and coffee to reveal a rich landscape of roasted terrain and soft-lit, creamy skies. 

Grains used: 2 Row, Wheat, Chocolate Malt, Crystal and Carapils. 

Hops used: Cascade, Tettnang. 

IBU: 30

ABV: 5.5%

Beer Advocate Grade:  93 (out of 100) - Outstanding

   A very solid Porter. And yes, I am one of those that separates Ale from Porter from Stout despite similarity of brewing techniques and ingredients.  Black Butte has the very nice notes of coffee and chocolate but doesn't give the heft that you expect from a stout. I consider this one of the more gold standards of a classic American Porter along with Founders Porter.

Nocturna, Allagash



Description: Out of the deepest night shines a sliver of light. In making Nocturna we age a silky stout in bourbon barrels with vanilla beans. In the darkness of the barrel a transformation occurs, the beer fills with a galaxy of roasty and sweet aromatics: toffee, chocolate, oak. Experience for yourself this momentous meeting of darkness and light.

Grains used: Allagash 2-Row Malted Barley Blend, Local Pale Malt, Local Oats, Torrified Wheat, Chocolate Malt, Roasted Barley, Midnight Wheat

Hops used: Northern Brewer, Cascade

Other Notes: Aged in Bourbon Barrels with Vanilla Beans.

ABV: 9.5%

Beer Advocate Grade: 88 (out of 100) - Very Good

   What can I say, I like Allagash beers. To be honest, I think my favorite beers are of their Sour and Coolship (aka: wild ale) varieties. You really must try their Farm to Face if you ever have an opportunity. It is an amazing sour. I picked up a 4 pack of Nocturna a few months ago and still have a couple of bottles left. The Bourbon isn't subtle but it still have some nice oaky and vanilla notes.

   Friday should be an even more interesting selection. A little longer draft day two maybe a few more and a few more powerful stouts. We have some family coming over so more of a Draft Day Party atmosphere. Maybe some Dogfish Head, Fremont, Founders, Burgundy Ghost Brewing (aka: my homebrew stuff). We shall see..... stay tuned.

Friday, April 22, 2022

Draft Thoughts: Weekend Before The Draft Edition

 



    By this time next week, we'll know who Washington took at #11 barring a trade back. So here's a look at the most likely six candidates that fit the bill. 



   It's pretty much the same list I've been floating around in my head for about a week now, but I figured I would use Matt's Tweet since he put it out there before I did. I really don't think Wilson and Gardner will still be on the board at #11. Hamilton is a 50/50 depending on what Houston and the Jets do prior to Washington's pick. I don't see Hamilton getting past #13 if he falls however. Stingley seems to be the BPA choice if everybody is off the board. I say this because I just don't see Washington going OL, DL or QB here.

   Obviously, a trade back would probably be the best option. Washington is missing their 3rd, 5th and most likely their 2023 2nd round pick. To move back and regain some of those picks would be an ideal situation. If that doesn't happen though I see either Hamilton, London or Olave as the most likely options to be selected by the front office.

   Personally, I would go with Hamilton if he's there. The reasons are simple. Hamilton is considered a top 5 prospect with some saying he's the best player in the draft. The team needs a replacement at the Buffalo Nickle position after the release of Landon Collins when they run their 4-2-5, which seems to have become Washington's base formation. Hamilton could also rotate as a SS or FS when needed as well. While McCain and Curl have seemed to have jelled at the end of the 2021 season, Washington could continue to bolster the secondary with the addition of Hamilton.

   I wouldn't be upset in the least if London or Olave were to be taken at #11. I have some concerns about both however and with the WR class being so deep, I wonder if the team could trade back and still get talent of a similar/slightly lesser caliber later in the 1st round or in the 2nd round. You could also argue the same with Hamilton as Penn St.'s Jaquan Brisker or Baylor's Jalen Pitre could also fit a Viper or Buffalo Nickle role as well in the Jack Del Rio scheme.

It's a toss up for fans though. I ran a poll on Twitter of who they wanted at #11 if there was no trade back and the results weren't that surprising:


I do expect Washington to try and trade back. Maybe they'll do a trade with Pittsburgh if Willis is still on the board or a trade with the Chargers for a defensive player. Hard to tell. We know Ron really likes the OSU WRs in Wilson and Olave and I can see why. They, much like Terry McLaurin, have great separation skills and route running. Why it probably wouldn't be my pick at #11, I wouldn't be in the least surprised if Ron pulls the trigger for Chris Olave.


The Position Few Are Discussing That Should be Addressed in the Draft

   One of the main reasons wide receiver is a big topic in the Burgundy and Gold's fanbase is because fans want to see Carson Wentz given as much opportunity to succeed (or fail) in 2022. The explanation is simple, the team needs to know if they made the right choice in Wentz and should keep him under contract through the 2024 season. If the answer is no, then 2023 does offer a potentially good QB class to try to choose a replacement.

   Wide receiver is important as there really isn't a currently established compliment to Terry McLaurin on the roster and who knows if Curtis Samuel will be healthy and can contribute. That said, there are some concerns at the tight end position. Logan Thomas is coming off a late season ACL injury. Will he be able to be ready by the start of the season? If so, will he be back at the form that made him a success here in DC? John Bates had an impressive rookie season, but is more of a traditional blocking TE who can go out for passes. Sammis Reyes is still an unknown factor. We saw him a little last season, but he was mostly on special teams with only playing in 5% of the offensive snaps.

   Carson Wentz has had a good deal of success with pass catching TEs with the Eagles and Colts. It might not be a bad idea to consider drafting one in either day 2 or day 3 of the draft. The good news, according to Burgundy Burner is that the team has met with quite a few TEs during the draft process. Here's a link to every player the team met with prior to the draft and when they met with them. 

My Seven Round Mock Simulation

Finally, I'll end with a simulation that I did on Pro Football Network's mock draft simulator. Is it realistic? I doubt it as I don't see Drake London getting out of the top 20 but here it goes:


Notes: 

- Got Arizona's 2nd round 2023 pick along with #23 and #55 in the trade for #11.

- Lost 2023 7th and #240 in trade with the Chargers for #254 and #255.

- Here's a link to the thread I did on this mock on Twitter. It goes into more detail on why I made the trades, what I was looking for and how I addressed needs. 

If I have time this weekend, I might try and do a few Meaningless Mock Drafts with my 1st round attempt and another 7 round Washington Mock.

Love it? Hate it? Let me know your thoughts below or drop me a line on Twitter @HmBrewer72.

-

Sunday, April 3, 2022

The Carson Wentz Trade (Pt. 1 Initial Reactions)

WTF???!!!!

"F***ing stupid. They were going to cut him."

   This was one of my first comments to my wife when she texted me that Wentz had been traded to Washington. My problem was never with Wentz as a player. Matter of fact, I had mentioned once or twice that he was a viable (and probably better) option if/when the Colts released him than most of the available free agents at the time and/or trading for the often injured Jimmy Garoppolo. I do have some concerns about Wentz (injury history, why is he now on his 3rd team if he is a true franchise QB?) but my primary issues were more about compensation than anything else. 

   Overall, the trade in picks isn't that big of a deal to me. Washington on a whole has struggled on day two picks. For every Terry McLaurin and possibly Sam Cosmi, they've drafted a Geron Christian or Su's Cravens (go back and look at Washington's 2nd round picks over the last 10 years it ranges from horrible to average players). So 2 thirds (with the 2023 pick likely to become a 2nd round selection*) for a legitimate starting quarterback is well worth the risk. I don't (and still don't) like the cap hit that the team imposed upon itself by taking Wentz's full contract without trying to get the Colts to pay for some of Wentz's 2022 contract year. The remainder of the contract has no guaranteed monies, so if the team thinks it's not working, they can release him with no further cap hits. If Wentz does prove to be an improvement from previous years, or for that matter a success, then the team has him under contract for two seasons at a reasonable cost for a franchise QB. I know many fans think the cap is just a game of Monopoly money but you do have to keep under the cap and the ramifications for Wentz many be more apparent as the years go by. I'll discuss this more in part 2 of the Carson Wentz trade. This still brings up questions about why the team pulled the trigger instead of possibly waiting it out and/or getting an even better deal if that was likely.

   One suggestion is that the team wanted to make certain that they could get Wentz in DC. Call it being aggressive or call it desperation but the Burgundy & Gold needs to start winning now. Ron Rivera saw the situation and knew that the bar of talent was starting to significantly drop after the Seahawks traded Russell Wilson to Denver. There was no way he could enter the 2022 season with a Trubisky or Mariota and to draft a 2022 QB and hope for the best. The 2022 draft class is pretty weak when it comes to quarterbacks. Even the best of the bunch, Malik Willis, is likely to require a year to sit and develop before he is ready to make his NFL debut. Rivera is 14-19 into his two year tenure and knows that year three he needs to show that his plan is working. There was no guarantee that had Wentz been cut, he would've signed with Washington. Thus, Rivera made the move even though it may have not been the most ideal trade for Washington.

   Another reason is that there have been rumors swirling that their were other suitors for Wentz's services. The emphasis needs to be on the word rumors. There have been no official reports that another team made the Colts an offer to trade for Wentz. This is unlike with the Russell Wilson trade, where we did learn that Washington had made an offer to trade for the Seahawks QB (in fact Washington supposedly offered more for Wilson than Denver). The Colts probably did have some calls from other teams inquiring about Wentz as the team had made it clear he was available for trade or that they would eventually cut him in the near future if he was not traded. So did Washington more or less bid against themselves to acquire Wentz? That would be such a Dan Snyder thing to do.

   This is only part 1 of my take on the Carson Wentz trade. This post was my initial reaction to the trade (generally negative) and my reasoning on why (cap hit, some player concerns). Now that the trade is official and there's no backing out, the rest of this series will take a look at the following: draft and cap values, Scott Turner's scheme, Carson Wentz the player/the person and my final thoughts.

Draft and Cap Values: Part 2 will look at the trade value of Carson Wentz in 2022 versus just a year ago when the Colts traded for Wentz from the Eagles. I'll even go back further to and analyze the trades made by the Eagles to obtain Wentz in the 2017 draft. I'll then go an explore Wentz's cap numbers for 2022-2024. We'll see how Wentz's numbers compare to other quarterbacks in the league and if he's overpriced or of significant value to Washington.

Scott Turner's Scheme: Part 3 will look at Scott Turner, offensive coordinator. What is his scheme? What does Scott really want to do with the Washington offense. Has that scheme been badly hindered by the quarterbacks he's had on the roster? What can Carson Wentz provide to Scott to make his scheme work and be successful?

Carson Wentz, the player/person: What makes up Carson Wentz? Who is he and what has made him both succeed and struggle in the NFL? In part 4, I'll look at what I've heard from various media outlets and interviews and figure out what ended Wentz in both Philly and Indy. Can Wentz rebound? Is Washington the right fit for him despite all the drama that comes out in DC?

Final Thoughts: Part 5 will be my final breakdown on the trade. Do I now like it? Am I okay with it? Is this a typical screw up that you expect based off of history with the Washington front offices over the years? Does it at least make sense? Can Wentz actually help this team win? All will be answered here.

   If you have made it this far, thank you for reading this post. I hope to have part 2 out much sooner than part 1. I just had a hard time writing this introduction. There will be other stuff coming out as well in between the Wentz articles as we have gotten closer to the draft and I am way behind my draft film work.


Friday, March 25, 2022

Quick Friday Draft Thoughts

(Kyle Hamilton maybe?)

 Happy weekend or pre-weekend. Me, I have to work Saturday, so it's not really a weekend for me.

Anyway. 

Quick update. I'm still working on Part 1 of The Carson Wentz trade. Mild writer's block in trying to show my initial reaction to the trade while trying to let you, the viewer at home, know that my thoughts have mellowed significantly on it.

Until then, here's some quick musings about Washington and their pick at #11:

Biggest needs/wants: WR, MLB, QB (future/Wentz fail safe).

Depth/Development: TE, DL, OL, RB, S, CB

Most likely positions of Target at #11: WR, CB, S, QB

 - Wide Receiver makes the most sense since the team wants someone who can compliment Terry Mclaurin on a regular basis. Dyami Brown struggled mostly during his rookie year but showed flashes towards the end of the season. With Wentz could he shine in Washington? Maybe. The position will be addressed at some point in this draft the the massive amount of talent and varying styles of receivers in this draft. Wouldn't surprise me if this happens despite WR being one of the bigger busts rates in the NFL in the 1st round. Case in point, Washington's last 1st round WR: Josh Doctson.

- If Kyle Hamilton somehow slips to #11, I think Ron won't hesitate to take him. He's really the only safety I would draft in the 1st, especially with McCain returning to pair with Curl. The Curl/McCain connection seemed to fair well last year as a tandem once Collins was moved to Buffalo Nickle. Speaking of Buffalo Nickle, I think that is where Washington would immediately put Hamilton if he is drafted. Thus, the team would remain in a more 4-2-5 scheme like they used last year instead of a traditional 4-3. Also Daniel Jeremiah sees Washington taking him. 

- I don't see Washington taking a QB at #11.  Two reasons:

1.  The only QB I see Washington taking at #11 would be Malik Willis and I don't think he gets out of the top 9. Willis has garnered major attention after he wowed at both the Combine and his Pro-Day. (On a personal note this should really mean little. Being frankly honest, Pro Days should be a pass/fail scenario and Combine workouts really just should be comparing players against each other in person than a true evaluation of an individual's talent. However, every year some GM and the fans get suckered into the NFL and media's selling of this hype. Its as if the determination of if a player will succeed or fail at the professional level only if they impress while throwing in shorts with no pressure on them.)

2. If Washington is the least bit smart, they DO NOT take a QB at #11 because of Carson Wentz. The last thing a smart franchise does is trade for a potential long term franchise QB and then draft his replacement. It would kill the early trust Wentz is trying to develop with his 3rd team. Matter of fact, I would tell Wentz straight up if they have any plans of drafting a QB, period. I know what you may be thinking "well, if he can't handle competition, he's not the QB we want". Sure, but Washington knows what they're getting and what happened when the Eagles drafted Jalen Hurts. They should try not to throw themselves into such an early drama filled situation before we've seen a single snap at training camp.

- Cornerback is intriguing and there are quite a few guys that should be there at #11. The only problem is where would he play? Would Fuller go back to being a slot only CB? While it's always good to have excellent CB depth, do you now draft a guy at #11 while you have two highly paid corners on the roster. Yeah, I guess you could, but is it the best use of the team's limited resources?

- No way in hell should they draft a MLB at #11. If you think Jamin Davis was over drafted then this would be many times worse.

- Ideally, I think trading back poses the best solution. The team has only six picks and are missing their 3rd and 5th via trades. If Washington can trade back into the late teens/early 20's, I think they have a good chance of still getting a player in the caliber around #11 and gain some extra picks for 2022 and possibly 2023.

Well, that's all I have for now on this topic. Back to Carson Wentz article.