Sunday Night Suds - New Belgium Mountain Time Lager

 

This week's Sunday Night Suds looks at New Belgium's Mountain Time Lager.

As frequent readers of this blog may recall, New Belgium has been rolling out new beers under the Voodoo Ranger line at a rate of one per quarter. This is NOT a new non-Voodoo Ranger IPAs as that would be the Wild Ride tribute to Fat Tire (reviewed here https://kosherbeers.blogspot.com/2021/05/sunday-night-suds-new-belgium-wild-ride.html). Instead, the Mountain Time Lager was introduced back in 2018, but I've never come across before I saw it in the recent Wild Ride mix pack.

Although we did not have the Mountain Time Lager with out post fast dinner (it does not really go with past and fish sticks), it is a decent non-macro lager which is not offensive and has some decent flavor notes. There was some breadiness and even a faint bit of fruit, but at 4.4% abv, there is no significant alcohol taste. Still, the combination of  nugget, williamette and cascade hops gives decent flavor for a lager.

The New Belgium Mountain Time Lager is under kosher supervision by the Scroll-K/Va'ad of Denver, and their symbol is on the bottom of the Wild Ride mix pack. However, not every brew produced by New Belgium is under kosher supervision, so look for the Scroll K on the six pack holder or box when considering purchasing any NBB product.

To see what the experts on Beer Advocate think about New Belgium Mountain Time Lager, click here https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/192/382389/.

As always, please remember to drink responsibly and to never waste good beer unless there is no designated driver.

If you've tried this beer or any others which have been reviewed on the kosher beers site, please feel free to post your comments (anonymous comments are acceptable).

If you have seen this post being carried on another site, please feel free to click www.kosherbeers.blogspot.com to find other articles on the kosherbeers blogsite. Hey its free and you can push my counter numbers up! 

Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Balak

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts on the parsha that R' Frand spoke about in his shiur tonight. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

In Bamidbar 23:8, Bila'am says to Balak - How can I curse if Hashem has not cursed, how can I anger if Hashem is not angry? Rashi explains that Bila'am was saying that even when the Jews should have been cursed, Hashem did not curse them. By example when Ya'akov was upset about Shimon & Levi killing Shechem, he did not curse them, he cursed their anger. And when Ya'akov took the brochos that Yitzchak intended to give to Esav, Yitzchak said - he will also be blessed. Even when the Jews stood on Har Eval, they were not addressed as a nation to be cursed.

R' Frand quoted the Maharal who says that one can see this in the posuk - because the language in the pasuk is past tense - in the past they were worthy of being cursed and Hashem did not curse them. This is not a discussion of the future, but of what has not happened to date.

The Klei Yakar explains that when things are difficult and people are suffering, people curse their king or their perception of G-d. But here, Bila'am observes, the Jews even when things are tough, they don't curse Hashem. Even when Hashem deals with them harshly, they don't curse Hashem and even bless Hashem for the negative. So if they never curse Hashem, how can I curse them?

R' Frand quoted R' Avraham Bukspan who cited the Gemara in Berachos 20b in which the angels said to Hashem - You don't favor any nation, yet the pasuk says in Bamidbar 6:26 - May Hashem lift His Countenance to you and establish peace for you? To this Hashem responds, I need to show favor to them, because one only needs to bench after a meal that is filling, yet they do bench even after eating only an olive or egg sized piece of bread.

The obvious question on the Gemara is - why is this the chumra selected as being worthy of praise? Given all the chumras in Shabbos, or kashrus or taharas hamishpacha, why is this chosen?

R' Bukspan answers by quoting the sefer Yalkut Yehuda by R' Ginsburg who explains that the Gemara is not saying that benching on a small amount is what is meritorious about the Jews. Its that when a Jew only has a small amount of food - just an olive or egg size piece of bread - the Jew still thanks and praises Hashem for this. 

To this, Bila'am says - if they praise Hashem and do not curse him when they have so little, how can I curse them - Hashem will not accept it!

If you have seen this post being carried on another site, please feel free to click www.kosherbeers.blogspot.com to find other articles on the kosherbeers blogsite. Hey its free and you can push my counter numbers up!

Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Chukas

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts on the parsha that R' Frand spoke about in his shiur tonight. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

Rabbi Frand's first vort on the parsha involved the incident wherein Moshe hit the rock instead of speaking to it. R' Frand quoted the Yalkut Shimoni who used a teaching example based on his era. The Yalkut explains that when a child is young, a potch may evoke compliance. However, when the child grows up you need to speak and reason with him. What works for a younger child will not work with an older one. 

The Yalkut notes that the word for rock is different in Beshalach than here is Chukas. In Beshalach, Moshe is told in Shemos 17:6 to strike the "Tzur." However in Chukas he and Aharon are told in Bamidbar 20:8 to speak to the "Sela" which is a larger and more developed rock.

R' Frand then quoted R' Weinberg who noted the difference in the anticipated result and what actually occurred. Moshe and Aharon are told וְדִבַּרְתֶּ֧ם אֶל־הַסֶּ֛לַע לְעֵֽינֵיהֶ֖ם וְנָתַ֣ן מֵימָ֑יו - speak to the rock and it will give its waters. When Moshe hit the rock instead the pasuk indicates in Bamidbar 20:11 וַיַּ֧ךְ אֶת־הַסֶּ֛לַע בְּמַטֵּ֖הוּ פַּֽעֲמָ֑יִם וַיֵּֽצְאוּ֙ מַ֣יִם רַבִּ֔ים - that once he hit the rock a lot of water gushed out.

R' Weinberg explained that if you speak and reason with a child, his natural talents will come out. But if you are forceful with the child there may be a result, but you will not see the best he has to offer.

R' Frand said a second vort related to the water in the parsha. The story of the Jews crying out for water, leading to Moshe hitting the rock, follows immediately after the death of Miriam. Rashi explains that the reason the two incidents are consecutive is to teach that the well which accompanied the Jews in the desert came in the merit of Miriam.

R' Frand then quoted the Sifsei Chachamim which further develops this point. He asks - why couldn't the water have continued in the merit of Moshe & Aharon? He answers that the Miriam had a special connection to the water because it came as a reward for her waiting on the banks of the river when Moshe was placed in the basket.

R' Frand closed the vort by quoting the Klei Yakar who explains that the cessation of water was a punishment for the Jewish people not mourning Miriam. While the Torah indicates that the Jews grieved for thirty days after Aharon and Moshe died, there was no period of aveilus mentioned when Miriam died.

R' Frand remarked that this is an unfortunate lesson. At times we don't know what a treasure we had in our midst until after the person dies and only at that point do we feel a great loss.

If you have seen this post being carried on another site, please feel free to click www.kosherbeers.blogspot.com to find other articles on the kosherbeers blogsite. Hey its free and you can push my counter numbers up!

Sunday Night Suds - Samuel Adams Wicked Hazy Juicy New England IPA

This week's Sunday Night Suds looks at Samuel Adams Wicked Hazy IPA.

As mentioned in a the review of the Samuel Adams Wicked Easy Lager, the Boston Beer folks are now using the word "wicked" in connection with multiple beers, including the Wicked Easy Lager (reviewed here http://kosherbeers.blogspot.com/2021/05/sunday-night-suds-samuel-adams-wicked.html), the Wicked Hazy IPA and Wicked Double NEIPA (which I really would love to find).

As explained by the experts at BA about the New England IPA style:

Emphasizing hop aroma and flavor without bracing bitterness, the New England IPA leans heavily on late and dry hopping techniques to deliver a bursting juicy, tropical hop experience. The skillful balance of technique and ingredient selection, often including the addition of wheat or oats, lends an alluring haze to this popular take on the American IPA.

This beer is an exceptionally juicy IPA, climbing into the Voodoo Ranger stratosphere of juicy IPAs. This would hold up well with stews and other smoky meat dishes such as bbq, in case you are looking to have one on July 4th. With good carbonation, decent lacing and a fruity, hoppy, scent which sticks with you from beginning to end, this is a beer you want to buy a six pack of.

At 6.8% abv the beer was high in alcohol for an average IPA, but the alcohol taste was not heavy. Still, I get the feeling that 2-3 of these would give a real buzz.

The Wicked Easy New England IPA is under the Kosher Supervision of the Star-K and has a Star-K certification mark on the can. To see what the experts on Beer Advocate think about this brew, please follow this link - www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/35/528771/.

As always, please remember to drink responsibly and to never waste good beer unless there is no designated driver.

If you've tried this beer or any others which have been reviewed on the kosher beers site, please feel free to post your comments (anonymous comments are acceptable).

Lastly, if you have seen this post being carried on another site, please feel free to click www.kosherbeers.blogspot.com to find other articles on the kosherbeers blogsite. Hey its free and you can push my counter numbers up!

Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Korach

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts on the parsha that R' Frand spoke about in his shiur tonight. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

Rabbi Frand began the vort by quoting a Sefer called Tevas Gomer al HaTorah, written by the Pri Megadim. The sefer quoted the first Rashi in Korach which states that this Parsha is well discussed in Medrash Tanchuma. The sefer commented that if you have a vort about the four cups of wine you don't discuss it on Sukkos and if you have a Yom Kippur derasha you don't say it on Purim. But there is one thought that always is well discussed (i.e. timely) and that is a vort about the evils of Machlokes.

R' Frand then quoted from the parsha where Moshe devises a test wherein the person whose staff would bloom would be the true Kohain Gadol. The Torah states in Bamidbar 17:23   וַיֹּ֤צֵ֥א פֶ֨רַח֙ וַיָּ֣צֵ֥ץ צִ֔יץ וַיִּגְמֹ֖ל שְׁקֵדִֽים - that Aharon's staff gave forth flowers, sprouted buds and produced ripe almonds.

But what is the symbolism of the almonds? The Gemara in Berachos states that there are two kinds of almonds - bitter and sweet. The ones that start sweet, when they ripen they turn bitter. But other kinds of almonds are bitter when they are immature, but when they ripen they are sweet.

R' Frand said that this is the way that Machlokes evolves - when it starts it is sweet, but in the end it is bitter. And even when a person is not personally involved, in the end it can be bitter for the whole community. But if a person keeps his mouth shut when he could fire back and does not cause Machlokes, then even though it is bitter to keep quiet, in the end it is sweet.

R' Frand also said a vort in the name of R' Melech Biederman. He observed that this is not the first time that we see Moshe & Aharon and their matos. We see it when Moshe first comes down to Egypt and the staff of Aharon swallows all the other staffs. Why does that not happen here, instead of sprouting almonds. 

R' Frand said that maybe the lesson is that when a person is involved in a Machlokes they should not crush the other guy - let him live.

R' Frand said a final vort from the Belzer Rebbi who observes that there is a minhag that the Chosson says Torah by the Aufruf or Sheva Brochos...and when he does, people interrupt him with singing. Why? This is a message to the Chosson - you don't have to have the last word - you don't always have to finish.

R' Frand quoted R' Chaim Shmulevits in discussing the wife of On ben Peles who saved him from being involved in the fight by telling him - no matter what you will still be On. You have no dog in this fight. And he bought in. But what was the great chochma? On should have known this! R' Chaim answers that during a Machlokes people lose perspective and its a great chochma if one can keep their cool and not lose perspective.

If you have seen this post being carried on another site, please feel free to click www.kosherbeers.blogspot.com to find other articles on the kosherbeers blogsite. Hey its free and you can push my counter numbers up!

Sunday Night Suds - Blue Moon Honey Daze

 

This week's Sunday Night Suds looks at Blue Moon Honey Daze.

I first encountered this beer shortly after Pesach and was confused by what seemed like another iteration of my all time favorite Blue Moon product - the Honey Moon (reviewed all the way back in 2008 - https://kosherbeers.blogspot.com/2008/05/sunday-night-suds-blue-moon-honey-moon.html). Over the last dozen or so years this beer has been in and out of production and has been reintroduced as Blue Moon Honey Wheat, but this seemed different, mostly because it claimed to be lower alcohol.

I then went to the Blue Moon website which did not even mention the Honey Daze, so I filled out the form on the website for questions ... and got an email back confirming that the Honey Daze is not the Honey Moon (or Honey Wheat). They did not bother to explain why the Honey Daze was not listed as one of their beers on their website, but I guess that they don't expect people to use the site.

But back to the Blue Moon Honey Daze, this beer is light on calories (114) and only 3.9% abv, but its not light on taste. I tried this beer by itself and with salads and sweet chicken dishes and it was equally enjoyable. The young Rabbinical Scholar also very much enjoyed this beer and I have sent quite a few for him to enjoy.

This beer is available in six packs and in the summer mix box which includes the regular Blue Moon and the Mango Wheat. I have not seen it in bottles, so if you don't open cans on Shabbos you will need to have this during the week.

Blue Moon Light Sky is certified kosher by the Orthodox Union, as is every other current variety of beer produced by Blue Moon. For the experts take on this beer, please click here beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/306/541051.

As always, please remember to drink responsibly and to never waste good beer unless there is no designated driver.

If you've tried this beer or any others which have been reviewed on the kosher beers site, please feel free to post your comments (anonymous comments are acceptable).

Lastly, if you have seen this post being carried on another site, please feel free to click www.kosherbeers.blogspot.com to find other articles on the kosherbeers blogsite. Hey its free and you can push my counter numbers up!

Thursday's Parsha Tidbits - Parshas Shelach

The following is a brief summary of some of thoughts on the parsha that R' Frand spoke about in his shiur tonight. I have attempted to reproduce these vorts to the best of my ability. Any perceived inconsistency is the result of my efforts to transcribe the shiur and should not be attributed to R' Frand.

Rabbi Frand began the vort by noting that the tribe of Levi were counted from the age of one month, whereas the remainder of the Jews were counted from the age of twenty. R' Frand quoted a Rashi which states that the reason that the Levi'im were counted from this age was because He knew that there would be a decree that everyone over the age of twenty would die in the desert because of the Cheit HaMeraglim and Hashem did not want them to be counted with them because the Levi'im did not sin at the Egel.

The Sifsei Chachamim asks the obvious question - what is the connection with the Egel? We are talking about the Meraglim! He answers that the Levi'im did sin at Cheit HaMeraglim...and that the reason that the remainder of the Jews died in the desert was because they sinned at the Egel and with the Meraglim.

But why did the Levi'im sin at Cheit HaMeraglim? R' Frand quoted the Chofetz Chaim in the Sefer Shmiras HaLashon who explains that the Cheit HaMeraglim came as a result of the nature of the Yetzer Hara. The Yetzer Hara convinces a person that he should not strive to be better spiritually because he is not worthy. He asks - why do you want to observe that? You are not that holy. 

This is why the Meraglim were successful - they said to the Jews - you are not worthy of making it into the Land of Israel - Hashem will not perform miracles for sinners. You have just sinned by complaining about not having the foods of Egypt - you are not going to make it into Israel.

R' Frand remarked that this exact argument is what Calev tried to counter. He said them - Hashem knows that you sin and that people sin. As long as it is not a sin of rebellion, Hashem will still help.

R' Frand said that perhaps this explains why the Levi'im did not sin at the Egel, but they did sin with the Meraglim. The Levi'im said - we will not worship avoda zara - thus they did not partake at the Egel. But when faced with the Meraglim and their statement that Hashem wont save sinners, the Levi'im looked at themselves and said - we have sins too, maybe we wont be worthy to make it into the Land of Israel.

R' Frand quoted a Medrash Rabbah which discusses the pasuk in Bamidbar 13:23 -  וַנְּהִ֤י בְעֵינֵ֨ינוּ֙ כַּֽחֲגָבִ֔ים וְכֵ֥ן הָיִ֖ינוּ בְּעֵֽינֵיהֶֽם . Hashem said - I understand why you felt that you were grasshoppers compared to them, but why do you think that THEY thought you were grasshoppers in THEIR eyes? Maybe they thought you were angels in their eyes?

R' Frand tied this into a Sfas Emes who cited the Gemara which states that the Jews heard the people of the land saying they saw ants. The Sfas Emes explains that a person thinks that someone else has an opinion about him, based on what he thinks of himself. They thought the inhabitants were saying they were lowly, because they themselves thought that they were lowly.

R' Frand closed the vort by telling a story of R' Ya'akov Bokst whose father was a Rosh Yeshiva in Detroit. He said that when he was 22 years old his father hit him. Why? Because they were visiting Israel and he saw some scrawny vegetables in the marketplace. He said to his father - look at these vegetables, they would never sell such scrawny produce in the United States. His father gave him a potch saying - you don't speak negatively about the Land of Israel.

If you have seen this post being carried on another site, please feel free to click www.kosherbeers.blogspot.com to find other articles on the kosherbeers blogsite. Hey its free and you can push my counter numbers up!