Mike Loves Beer -

Frantzdy Cherisma Fundraiser: Wine, Spirit, & Beer Tasting

June 30, 2010

If there is one thing better than drinking craft beer it is helping a good cause while drinking craft beer. That is the case for tomorrow when Total Wine will be sponsoring a fundraiser for one of their own. Here is the story.

On May 18, 2010 a 26 year old FAU student, Frantzdy Cherisma, left class and never made it home. For ten days his friends and family were worried sick, not knowing where he was or what had happened to him. Today, May 27, they found out the worst possible news- he was badly injured, and he was in critical condition at Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center. It turns out on that night, May 18, while heading home Frantzdy had ran over some road debris, and his car became disabled in the middle of northbound I-95. Shortly after, his car was rear-ended by another driver. Somehow in the seconds after he was hit, his car went up in flames. (No official news yet on how or why). Frantzdy was badly burned but his will to survive pushed him through, and he was able to make it out of the car alive, and to the side shoulder where he awaited help. An off-duty firefighter of Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, came up on the scene and helped out as much as he could until on duty emergency services arrived, PBCFR Rescue 35 and Florida Highway Patrol. Minutes later, he was taken away to Delray Medical Center and from there transferred to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center with over 50% of his body burned. Here, he was mistakenly registered under his father’s name which made it nearly impossible for him to be tracked down, until an insurance investigator was able to help this morning, May 27.

So tomorrow at the Boca Raton store there will be a fundraiser to help raise money for Frantzdy’s medical bills. The cost is $25 and for every paying person that attends Total Wine will match that. I don’t know about you but that’s freaking awesome!

If you have the time you can come out and enjoy samples of wine, spirits and (most importantly) craft beer. There will be some food and some other goodies as well. Plus you are helping out a great cause. Yours truly will be there to give support. If you can make it I hope to see you there. It starts at 6 pm and goes until 8 pm

Total Wine and More
5050 Town Center Cir
Boca Raton, FL 33486

Rogue John John Ale (Spruce Gin Barrel)

June 30, 2010

/ Beer Review /

5 Comments

Name – Rogue John John Ale (Spruce Gin Barrel)
Country – United States
Type – Spiced Beer

Appearance – Poured a very hazy orangish color with a big white head.

Smell – Citrus like hops with a hint of juniper berries in there.

Taste – More of the citrus hops with a bit of a malt backing. You can pick up the juniper again and bit of the spruce.

I was looking forward to this one when it was announce because gin is one of very few liquors I actually enjoy. But I had no idea what to expect as I’ve never heard of a beer being aged in a gin barrel before. Well luckily I didn’t have that high of hopes because I really got no hints of gin in the smell or taste. You could probably make an argument that the juniper and slight spruce taste were from the gin but I don’t know. I’ve had beers with those flavors before and they weren’t aged in gin barrels. Definitely didn’t get any barrel taste to it. I guess what we are left with here is the regular Rogue Juniper Pale Ale. That’s pretty much what it tastes like to me. While it was enjoyable as just a beer I am a little let down by the lack of gin presence considering the John John Dead Guy was very bourbon present. Oh well I guess.

Overall Grade – C+

1554 Enlightened Black Ale

June 29, 2010

/ Beer Review /

3 Comments

Name – 1554 Enlightened Black Ale
Country – United States
Type – Belgian Dark Ale

Appearance – Pours a very dark brown to black color but there is some ruby red highlights along the edge of the glass. There is a good sized tan head that leaves a bit of lacing on the glass.

Smell – Definite dark malts there. Some roasted goodness and a hint of chocolate.

Taste – Great mix of roasted malts, some buttery toffee, bittersweet chocolate along with hints of smoke and coffee.

I had 1554 back last summer when I was in Arizona and fell in love with it. Then this past weekend when my friend from Gainesville Amie was coming down she said she would make a run to Georgia to pick up some for me. A friend indeed. It’s a lovely beer that is lighter in body than you would think with lots of flavor. I just hope for the day that New Belgium comes to Florida.

Overall Grade – A-