“Talk to me, what’re ya havin’?” The bartender has caught up to me before I’ve had a chance to even make eye contact with anyone else. I’m a little stuck for words, a rarity for me but I feel on the spot.
Sensing my hesitation, the bartender asks “what do you like?” He wants to recommend something, which is awesome, usually. Internally I’m having a slight moment of panic; I’m not ready to answer questions! And now the patrons on the rail have noticed that I’m doing a thing-which is nothing.
“Tell ya what,” I finally say, turning to a man on my right, “what’re you having?”
“Waldo’s,” he says.
“I’ll have that,” I tell the bartender. Who smiles and replies,
“You do know that he lost his sense of taste and smell during the war?”
“Hey,” I say, “someone’s got to be the adventure monkey, and it might as well be me.”
Unfortunately, there’s no place on the rail for me to sit, so I find a nearby spot to sit down.
Waldo’s Special Ale is an IPA from Lagunitas. Looking at the board, it becomes clear that this is a double IPA, with an ABV off 11.7%. Whoa, right?
But….it isn’t good, either. There’s a touch of caramel in the nose, but no hops and the middle of the beer is cloyingly sweet. This goes down more like malt liquor than an IPA and I’m not sure if they didn’t let this beer finish out, or if the yeast just tuckered out well before it’s time, but something is making this beverage less than palatable to me.
Sometimes you’re the adventure and sometimes you’re the monkey, I guess.
Today’s second pint goes to the ACLU.
A pint for Dionysus 
Have not tried this beer, but my friend Nathan thinks it’s one of the best IPAs he’s ever has. Lagunitas is hit and miss for me (mostly miss) so may have been the batch or lack of proper keg maintenance/care.
Actually, I’m not !00% it’s the same beer, but pretty sure. Anyhow.