Beer of the Week

The beer: Troegenator Double Bock

Brewed by: Tröegs Independent Brewing, Hershey, Pennsylvania

Description (from the website): "Monks had fasting figured out. No food? No problem. Just drink a Double Bock. Thick and chewy with intense notes of caramel, chocolate and dried stone fruit, ‘Nator (as we call him) serves as a tribute to this liquid bread style."

Would I buy it again?: Ha. Good one. Is it cheating for me to review my literal favorite beer? Well, I'm going to do it anyway. It tastes good, it's incredibly smooth and drinkable, and while this a beer for cooler weather, it's not so heavy and dark to be unpleasant to drink during the summer. And that's not even mentioning the alcohol content. It says 8.2%, but I swear it's more than that. No beer affects me quite like a Troegenator.

Simply put, this is a wonderful beer and you should definitely try it out if you haven't already.

Oldest Beer in the World Found

Sorry, Ancient Egypt, you've been outdone.

We've been making beer, wine, and various spirits for a long time. Thousands of years, in fact, or about as long as humanity has been planting crops. It was assumed that the discovery of fermentation was a byproduct of agriculture development and the baking of bread; it wasn't done purposefully, at least at first. However, a new discovery has thrown that theory into doubt.

Researchers were investigating a cave in Israel inhabited by a group of hunter-gatherers about 13,000 years ago, predating the Neolithic period, which started around 10,000 BC. They found traces of an alcoholic beverage based on wheat and barley within a collection of stone mortars carved into the floor of the cave. Using similar ingredients, the researchers recreated the drink, which was fermented and alcoholic, but was weaker than modern beer and had the consistency of gruel. Not particularly appetizing, but hey, these are some pretty primitive people we're talking about here.

What's most interesting is the appearance of intent. Not only does this find predate all previous discoveries of alcoholic beverages, the site seems to be a brewery of sorts. 13,000 years ago, we were purposefully making beer to drink. To put that into perspective, that's about 8,000 years before the previous first appearance of beer, about 5,000 years before the first appearance of wine, and 3,000 years before the first appearance of any sort of alcoholic beverage. It basically predates agriculture, which wouldn't become widespread for another thousand years. Remember, this was a nomadic tribe of hunter-gatherers, not farmers. And they were still purposefully making beer. Now that was a group of people with a proper set of priorities.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Chairy Cherry Cream Ale

Brewed by: Jailbreak Brewing Company, Laurel, Maryland

Description (from the website): "This luscious, dreamboat of a cream ale was brewed with judicious amounts of vanilla and nearly 500 pounds of tart red cherry purée. Unsurprisingly, the resulting beer leaves behind a sweet, creamy mouthfeel (oats and lactose certainly don’t hurt in that department) that is balanced by subtle tartness from the cherry. Suffice it to say that 'Chairy' is indeed cherry pie in a glass."

Would I buy it again?: Yes, but I'd pick a much nicer and warmer day to drink it. This is a very summery kind of beer, the sort of beer you drink on a warm and sunny July day, not on a cloudy and cool September evening. But I thought it was pretty good, and it didn't taste like cough syrup, which is something I find cherry flavored beer struggles with.

Review: Flatbush Golf Club (Part 2)

Here's the back nine at Flatbush, and here's the front nine if you haven't seen it.

The tenth hole is a short par 4, and you should get used to that particular phrase. This hole, and two of the next three, are all par 4s less than 375 yards. This one is just under 360, and doglegs left between a pair of fairway bunkers. There's an empty field right that is also OB, but it's very easy to get your golf ball back if you do go over there. The second shot is a little wedge, preferably from the left side to give yourself a better angle at the green, especially when the flag is tucked behind the greenside bunker.

The back nine starts off with a short par 4.

The tenth green.

The eleventh hole is a medium-length par 3, just under 190 yards. It plays over level ground, and is guarded by bunkers front left and to the right. The par 3s at Flatbush aren't the most thought-provoking or interesting holes in the world.

The eleventh hole.

The twelfth hole is the shortest par 4 on the golf course at 340 yards. So, not quite reachable, and a pair of fairway bunkers around the length a good drive would go mean that the smart play is to lay up with a wood or long iron down at the bottom of the hill. The second shot is a wedge back up the hill to the green, which is guarded by two bunkers. Also, there's a neat little windmill thing by the green, which I thought was kind of nifty.

The twelfth hole.

The twelfth green.

Here's the little windmill.

The thirteenth hole is 363 yards, and doglegs to the right. There are no fairway bunkers, but the road that separates 12-17 from the rest of the course is to the left. You'd have to hit a big hook to get there though, the native area to the right is much more of a threat, considering the shape of the hole. The green is fairly undulating, and there are two bunkers short left and one short right.

The thirteenth hole.

The thirteenth green.

The fourteenth hole is a bit longer than the previous three par 4s at nearly 400 yards. The pond in between the tee and the fairway really isn't much of an obstacle, but this hole is pretty narrow. There are dense trees left and a native area right. So the driver still may not be a good idea. The green is once again pushed up above its surroundings, and there is a single bunker to the right.

The fourteenth is not an inviting driving hole.

The fourteenth green.

The fifteenth hole is the only par 5 on the back nine, and at 510 yards, it's not a particularly long one. However, this is most definitely meant to be a three shot hole. The fairway runs out after 250 yards and the hole bends significantly to the left over a narrow stream. Should you be able to sling a draw around the treeline, you can carry it, but there isn't a huge reward for doing so. The hole is a double dogleg, and there are trees in between the second shot landing area, wherever that is, and the green. Unless you can summon a big draw and then a big fade, you'll be laying up on this hole. The green is at the top of the hill, and has bunkers left, right, and behind. This is a hole to play patiently.

You'll probably be laying up off the tee on 15.

We'll see the fifteenth green at some point...

Here it is.

The sixteenth hole is just under 390 yards, and for whatever reason, there are five bunkers clustered in the corner of the dogleg. Now, Flatbush isn't quite as bereft of fairway bunkers of some of the other courses I've played, but there hasn't been anything of this magnitude, and it struck me as being a bit strange. There isn't even any great benefit to carrying the bunkers, sure, you get a shorter second, but that's it. The angle to the green isn't any better, and if anything, you'll have less green to work with. I think it's better to play this hole with a 3 wood and then a full wedge.

The sixteenth hole with its large collection of fairway bunkers.

The sixteenth green.

The seventeenth hole is the last par 3 on the course, and while it's slightly shorter than the eleventh, it plays a bit uphill. If you can hit a draw around the front-left bunker, you have a definite advantage. Right isn't a bad place to miss though.

The seventeenth hole.

The eighteenth hole is about 420 yards, and this is the only par 4 on the back nine that is over 400 yards. It plays uphill the whole way, but it's a slow, steady climb. There really isn't much in the way of obstacles on the drive, so it's one last opportunity to pull out the driver and see how far you can get. The green is guarded by bunkers front right and back left, and is angled to best receive a fade. It's a long enough hole that it isn't easy, but it's definitely easy enough that you can see yourself being able to finish with a birdie. And that's a good thing in a finishing hole.

The eighteenth is very wide open.

The eighteenth green.

Looking back down the eighteenth.

Now, to be honest, Flatbush isn't the most exciting golf course in the world. But it definitely wasn't a bad golf course. I'd definitely put in the middle of all the golf courses I've played. Also working in its favor is the price. It cost $22 to walk on a Saturday afternoon, which is a thoroughly reasonable price for the golf that you get. I've spend more money on less enjoyable golf courses. It's a better golf course than Glade Valley, which I was reminded of more than a few times while playing Flatbush. 

One interesting thing about Flatbush that I didn't notice when I first looked at the course is the disparity in length between the two nines. I saw a course that was a bit under 6,700 yards from the back tees, which is pretty much ideal for me. However, the front nine is just over 400 yards longer than the back nine. This is a little strange, but I think I preferred the longer front nine to the shorter back nine. There was a bit more challenge and interest to the front nine.

Now, for the big question: Would I play this course again? And the answer is yes, but I wouldn't go there again in the height of the summer golf season. I think this is a good course to play on a particularly warm day in the winter/late fall/early spring. It's very wide open, not particularly long, an easy walk, cheap, and while I obviously don't know what the course is like on a day-to-day basis, it was thoroughly unbusy when we played there. My brothers and I got around in less than 4 hours quite easily. I would travel the extra half-hour and pay the extra $5 to play here over slogging through a 5 hour round at Glade Valley. And that's all a course of this quality can reasonably ask for.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Black Lager

Brewed by: Devil's Backbone Brewing Company, Roseland, Virginia

Description (from the website): "Derived from the recipes of medieval Germanic brewers, our Black Lager embodies a millennium of refinement. Schwarzbier (literally: black beer) originates from eastern Germany and is a window into premodern brewing. Medieval brewers browned barley over open flames; today we get the characteristically subtle roasted flavor by using the finest toasted malts. This sophisticated little gem is fermented with lager yeast, and finishes quick and dry."

Would I buy it again?: Well, considering I'm pretty sure this isn't the first time I've had this beer, I'm going to go ahead and say yes, I'll probably get this again. I like black lagers quite a bit, but they're not particularly common. This one isn't quite as good as Sam Adams' black lager, but it's still pretty good.

Review: Flatbush Golf Club (Part 1)

We're heading north of the Mason-Dixon Line again for this month's review. Today, we'll be looking at Flatbush Golf Club, located in Littlestown, Pennsylvania. This is another one of the many, many golf courses littered about in the general Gettysburg area. Way back in 2014 (I can't believe it's been that long), I reviewed Meadow Brook and Cedar Ridge, two other courses in the area. I passed a sign for Cedar Ridge on the way to Flatbush. And that's not even mentioning the other two courses in the vicinity, Quail Valley (which I have not played but would like to soon) and the Links at Gettysburg (which I have played but you couldn't get me back there unless you paid me). And that's just the area southwest of Gettysburg. So, if you're looking for a vacation spot and you like history and golf, Gettysburg could definitely fit the bill.

Anyway, back to Flatbush. I can tell you from the start that half of the name is quite apt, and that there aren't a whole lot of bushes here. Hey, nothing wrong with a fairly flat golf course, it just means it's easy to walk. And Flatbush is quite easy to walk.

The course starts with a short par 5, not much more than 500 yards. It's not always good for getting golfers out the door at a decent pace, since you often have golfers waiting in the fairway for the green to clear, only to top their 3 wood 50 yards, but there's something about having a good birdie opportunity right away that's very appealing. Who doesn't like being one under through one hole? To have the best chance at hitting the green in two, the drive should be down the left side, flirting with the fairway bunker and the native area. From here, you have a clearer shot at the green, which is guarded by two bunkers front right and by another bunker behind. There's lots of room to bail out right on the drive, but you may be blocked out by trees. Overall, it's a good starting hole.

The first hole.

It's beneficial if you can fade it into the green.

Looking up at the first green.

The second hole is a 423 yard par 4, the first of several long par 4s the front nine has to offer. However, this one is definitely on the not-so-tough side. The drive is quite lenient, so long as you're not directly behind a tree (most of which aren't very big), you'll have a shot at the green. The second shot is a lot tougher, the green is elevated and not very big, and there are two bunkers very much ready to catch wayward shots.

The second hole

The second shot is semiblind.

The third hole is the first par 3 at Flatbush, and also by far the longest, weighing in at 220 yards. There's no great trick to this hole, the green is slightly elevated, much like the last two holes, and there's a bunker front left and behind. You just have to be able to hit a good long iron. No problem, right?

The third hole.

The fourth hole isn't quite the longest par 4 on the course (that honor belongs to the eighth), but this is definitely the toughest hole at Flatbush. It's 450 yards, and it was playing straight into the wind when we played it. There are two ponds bordering the fairway, one on the right side that is definitely in play off the tee, and one left that is really not much of an issue unless you possess some stupendous amount of length. The green isn't big, and there is one bunker to the right, but I do feel the approach is a bit underwhelming. This is supposed to be a tough hole, it should be tough from start to finish. I can't believe I'm advocating for more difficulty, but a more thoroughly protected green would make the hole more memorable. Just don't use more water please. Ponds are not my favorite kind of hazard.

The fourth hole.

There isn't much around the fourth green.

The fifth hole is a short par 4, the only one under 400 yards on the front nine, and the start of a welcome 2 hole respite from an otherwise stern and fairly long opening nine. The hole doglegs significantly to the left, and there are trees in the corner of the dogleg, so you can't really go at the green. That means you'll be teeing off with a wood or long iron, and that brings a pond, lurking behind the trees on the left side, into play. If you've done everything correctly, the second shot will be slightly uphill to a green guarded by a bunker front left, which is an issue, and a bunker long right, which really isn't. That bunker probably doesn't get a lot of action, and I forgot about it completely until I looked at the course on Google Maps.

Laying up is the obvious choice on the fifth.

The fifth green.

The sixth hole is the shortest par 3 on the course at 160 yards. It plays slightly downhill to a small green, and there are bunkers left and right. And that's about it for this hole.

The sixth hole.

The seventh hole is the longest hole on the course at 532 yards. The tee shot plays uphill to a small plateau, and is very wide open. There is a pond that cuts across the hole around 100 yards from the green, so if you've hit a poor drive, there's a very good possibility you'll be laying up short of it. So you may end up with quite a long third shot. That third shot (or second shot, if you've got the length to go for the green in two) is made more difficult by the presence of a pair of trees just over the pond, directly in the way unless you're far enough left. The ability to either hit it high or hit a fade is quite beneficial here. The green is fairly undulating for this course, and is guarded by bunkers left and right. Unlike the first hole, this par 5 is not such an easy birdie prospect.

You can't really see much from the seventh tee.

This is not the view you want on the third shot of a par 5.

The seventh green.

The eighth hole is the longest par 4 on the course at 455 yards, but it was playing downwind, so it wasn't playing as long as the fourth hole. A draw threaded between the fairway bunker and the OB line right of the fairway is the ideal shot off the tee. But essentially, so long as you keep it in bounds, you can go at the green, which is defended by two small bunkers. It may be a pretty long hole, but honestly, it's not really that tough.

The eighth hole.

The eighth green is pretty open at the front.

The ninth hole is 436 yards and uphill pretty much the whole way. There's OB right in the form of the property line and a thick group of trees, and there's OB left in the form of the driving range. The playing corridor is plenty wide, but it's always a bit constraining having OB on both sides like this. The green has sand left and long. The back bunker has a sort of brick wall behind it, which I thought was a fairly unique feature.

The ninth hole.

The second shot plays across a shallow valley.

The green, with the rear bunker backed by a wall.

That's it for the front nine, next week we'll check out the back nine.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Hazelnut Brown Nectar

Brewed by: Rogue Ales, Newport, Oregon

Description (from the website): "From the hazelnut capital of the United States, this nutty twist on a European brown ale was originally crafted by Rogue Brewmaster John Maier's good friend and avid home-brewer, Chris Studach. Hazelnut Brown Nectar offers a hazelnut aroma with rich nutty flavor and a smooth malty finish."

Would I buy it again?: Probably not. This is one of those beers that didn't really distinguish itself one way or the other. I didn't dislike it, but I didn't love it. It was fine drinking it in the moment, but it was kind of forgettable. I liked the Honey Kolsch Rogue makes a lot more, so much so that for the first time, I followed through on my "Would I buy it again?" decision and bought it again.

Apparently We're Looking For Dark Photons Now

I am not a theoretical physicist. Shocking, right? But I like to think I have a greater knowledge and appreciation for the subject than the average person. I've read some books, I occasionally peruse science news websites. But I had never heard of dark photons until today. Sure, they're still theoretical, but the fact that we're confident enough in their existence to actually spend money searching for them... I'm skeptical.

But anyway, yes, we're searching for dark photons. And we're doing it by shooting antimatter at a diamond. Science is weird, but it's also pretty cool. 

I guess the better question is why are we looking for something called a dark photon anyway? Well, if you follow astrophysics at all, you'll know that most of the universe is not actually visible. The matter we see? Only about 10% of the universe's mass. The rest is so-called dark matter/energy. And you'll also know that we've had absolutely no luck in figuring out what either of those things actually are. If dark photons are a thing, and that's a big if, they could help us detect dark matter and help us figure out what it is. In addition, the existence of dark photons would mean the existence of a fifth fundamental force beyond gravity, electromagnetism, and the weak and strong nuclear forces. That's right, the fifth fundamental force would be... dark electromagnetism. 

I don't want to downplay the work these people are doing, and obviously, if they're successful, that would be really cool and would change our viewpoint of the universe, but these names are terrible.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Raspberry Soiree (Berliner Style Weisse w/ Raspberry)

Brewed by: Ithaca Beer Company, Ithaca, New York

Description (from the website): "Our new spring sour showcases the naturally flavor-packed raspberry with a unique and refreshing beer that strikes a perfect balance between tart and sweet. Enjoy the beautiful pink hue, and balanced profile of our latest limited release."

Would I buy it again?: No. I could appreciate a subtle raspberry taste mixed in with the beer. But this beer was not subtle. This beer was subtle in the same way a punch to the face is subtle. This beer shouts in your face, "HEY! DID YOU KNOW I'M MADE WITH RASPBERRIES!" It's a good thing my brother doesn't care about beer, otherwise he might be slightly miffed I didn't like a beer from the town he's going to school in.