Beer of the Week

The beer: Blue Stripe Kolsch

Brewed by: Axemann Brewery, Bellefonte, Pennsylvania

Description (from the website): "Blue Stripe beer is the flagship beer of Axemann Brewery - a bright and clear kolsch-style brew perfected for everyday excellence."

Would I buy it again?: Yes, I would. It's a tasty yet very drinkable beer, definitely better than Yuengling. It's definitely worth the extra cost. In addition, this brewery, if I remember correctly, is owned by a friend of a friend (maybe? I think I'm remembering that correctly) so that helps the cause. Not that it needed help. I wish it was available in places other than State College, I'd buy it all the time.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Red Mo Ale

Brewed by: Otto's Pub and Brewery, State College, Pennsylvania

Description (from the website): "American red ale. Very malty and crisp. It has all the fun without the AMD (Acid Mine Drainage)! Brewed with Nugget hops for the bittering and late hopped with Liberty."

Would I buy it again?: This is the last beer I got from Otto's, and we saved the best for last. I haven't exactly been kind to red ales in the past, but this beer definitely stood above the others I've had. It had a nice bit of flavor, not overly strong by any means, but enough to be noticeable. The beer stood out a bit, and I appreciated that. I'd definitely get this again.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Slab Cabin IPA

Brewed by: Otto's Pub & Brewery, State College, Pennsylvania

Description (from the website): "A classic American IPA with lots of floral punch and assertive hop presence. Brewed with Nugget and Amarillo hops. Reddish in color thanks to Munich and Aromatic malts.

Would I buy it again?: The description says that it's a classic American IPA, and that's a very apt description. I'm not a huge fan of bitterness, though I have been slowly acquiring the taste for it. Basically, this tastes like an IPA, and if I'm ever in the mood for one, I'd consider buying this again.

Beer of the Week

The beer: Apricot Wheat

Brewed by: Otto's Pub and Brewery, State College, Pennsylvania

Description (from the website): "American wheat ale. Light to medium body. Refreshing. Golden amber with the delicate aroma and flavor of apricot. Perfect any time of year.

Would I buy it again?: I recently made a trip to State College, and I made sure to pick up a few different beers from the main brewery in town. So be prepared for a few weeks of beer from Otto's. We're starting off with a wheat beer, which I'm normally a fan of. However, I don't think apricot is the best fruit to stick into a wheat beer. The initial taste was okay, but the aftertaste wasn't great. I wouldn't be opposed to getting it if I was at the brewpub, but I'm not going out of my way to get some more.

Central Pennsylvania Artsfest 2014

For the second year in a row, I was in State College for Artsfest, a big festival featuring...well, art.  All sorts of arts and crafts, from paintings to woodcarving to live music to handmade clothes, there are so many different things out there on the streets.  I remember I was not prepared for the sheer number of tents out there when I first saw it.  There are hundreds of people set up downtown and on campus, closing down several roads.  No big ones, but still, it's impressive.

More than 100,000 people attend Artsfest every year, and I can understand why.  Sure, a not inconsiderable number of those people are
college kids who just use it as an excuse to drink excessively.  But people do come here to buy things, and I'm sure a lot of people did plenty of business over the course of the event.  I can't say I'm much of a people person, but even I didn't mind being out there in the crowds, walking around looking at all the little stalls, stopping occasionally when I saw something that I liked.  Being unemployed and recently graduated, I had no money, but if I did, I would definitely buy myself some art, because I like art. 

You can't go far at Artsfest without hearing some live music.  It's good music too, tending towards jazz and folk, but I'm sure there's something for anybody with a good ear for music.  Just ignore the terrible college kids who use the music to blast their own terrible music, college kids are just terrible people.  I'd just like to drive that point home right now.  They're terrible.  All of them.  I was walking down, and there was just the worst music blaring from one of the nearby frat houses.  It wasn't just that the music was bad, but the sound quality was atrocious too.  It sounded like they'd worked the bass too hard on the stereo, because college kids love excessive bass, so it just came out so poor.

I got off topic there, didn't I?  Anyway, I only explored State College's Artsfest this year.  I didn't know until this weekend that Boalsburg, right next to State College, has its own Artsfest, featuring Pennsylvania-exclusive artists.  Guess I'll have to go back next year.  I just wish I had gotten a picture of the steak on a stick billboard.  Chicken on a stick, sure, but never seen steak on a stick before.  So yes, if you like art, or supporting local artists, Artsfest is great if you're in the region.

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Thoughts on State College

I've spent most of the last four years of my life in State College, but that time is coming to an end.  I went back home for a few months after I graduated, but I've spent the last month and a half in State College as a non-college person, so the experience compared to when I was in school was a bit different.  I'd like to say that I've enjoyed this town, and going to school here, I know there's a lot of people here who could say that, but I just can't.

The problem is that State College has a ton to do, a lot to see, and all sorts of people to talk to.  It's perfect if you're the sort of person who can strike up a conversation with anyone, who can find a friend anywhere you go, but I'm just not that sort of person.  It doesn't help that I never really felt connected with my peers, and there's a very good reason for it.  I didn't connect with them because I'm not connected in general.  I don't spend the day with a phone glued to my hand, I don't know what social media site is in fashion because I just don't care.  Also, I don't really care about sports, and up here, sports is a big deal.  I like a quiet bar, but finding a quiet bar in State College is not easy, because so many of them have loud music going, or have a band, and I don't want to listen to either of them.   Well, unless it was my friends band, but they're the exception.  I really do have to review their album at some point here, I'm writing down now, it'll have to be done now.

Anyway, I don't want to get down on State College, I think it's a really good town.  It just wasn't for me.  I could have dealt with it if there had been an affordable nine-hole golf course in town where I could have spent a couple of hours by myself.  I think I would have had a much better time if I had played golf regularly, living here made me realize that golf is something that I need in my life, it really does make me much happier.

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State College Has Been Explored

So, I've lived in State College for quite a while now, and I do a lot of walking.  Over the past four years, I've seen most of the town up close, I've walked basically everywhere, with one notable exception.  The entire southwest corner of town was completely unknown to me, because when I was living on campus, it was too far away, and for the past year and a half I've been in this apartment, I just haven't wanted to....until today.

That dramatic pause there probably made it sound a lot more interesting then it really was.  I mean, for a brief moment, I thought I had lost civilization altogether.  There was a barn on my right and an empty field on my left.  I was wondering, "What have I done?  I'm gonna have to walk back the way I came!" I hate doing that.  Luckily, I walked a little more, and townhouses came back into view.  I hadn't lost the town.  And now, I know my way around a part of State College that I have never been to before and probably won't visit again, because there's nothing out there.  Hooray?

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