Hello again

Wow, it's been way too long. March 24th? Are you kidding me?

Lots has changed since then. No longer am I a student, for now at least. No longer am I in State College, having taken up residence in my parent's house in bucolic and increasingly beer-friendly Bedford for the time being. And no longer do I have one of the best beer bars in PA just a three-block jaunt from my apartment.

That devilish trifecta hasn't dampened my enthusiasm for beer, though, so some things never change. While the pickings are slimmer in my new, old environ, I'm still finding ways to sample interesting and new stuff. The problem? The six-pack shops and bars don't stock as many quality brews as their State College brethren. That means the only way to taste test often involves buying an entire case... not that I'm complaining.

I've taken up that challenge twice in the past few weeks, first loading the beer fridge with 24 bottles of New Holland Brewing Company Mad Hatter IPA -- a very tasty and drinkable 5.80% abv from Michigan -- and supplementing those with a case of the aptly named Hoppus Maximus Amber Ale from Thirsty Dog Brewing Company in Ohio. Both were blind buys -- I don't recall ever tasting a New Holland or Thirsty Dog beer before these two -- and both satisfied. I didn't think I'd ever blog again when I drank these, so excuse the lack of more thorough elaboration.

That's it for now. Welcome back. Hopefully the weeks and months ahead prove as fruitful as the early days of this blog.