Too Close for Comfort

As of this writing, the Phoenix Suns’ record is pretty abysmal — they’ve lost almost twice as many games as they’ve won. But the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Look a little closer and you’ll see that the Suns are among the league’s leaders in close games and overtime…

Ballast Point Victory at Sea

Beer: Victory at Sea Brewery: Ballast Point Brewing Co. Style: Imperial Porter ABV: 10 percent Beers that are available year-round are all well and fine, but they’re not what I look for when perusing the shelves at my local bottle shop. I want the limited-release stuff — the beers brewers…

Swimsuit Up

Of all the things Donald Trump has given us — a few giant buildings, endless bad-hair-day jokes, faith that a braggadocio troll can still bag a smoking-hot wife — no contribution is greater than the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants. But to become a contestant in these pageants,…

Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Banana Ale

Beer: Voodoo Doughnut Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Banana Ale Brewery: Rogue Ales Style: Fruit/Vegetable Beer ABV: 5.3 percent It’s apparent at this point that the Rogue/Voodoo Doughnut collaboration ales are going to be a love/hate deal. When the Pepto-pink bottles of Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Maple Bacon Ale first appeared on…

May Days

Ralphie May is funny, in part, because he’s big. As a society, we tend to find fat people hilarious at base value, and the rotund comedian has capitalized on this by poking fun at his own rotundity. But Ralphie May is also big because he’s funny. Since his second-that-totally-should’ve-been-first-place finish…

The Lost Abbey Mayan Apocalypse Is Upon Us

Beer: Mayan Apocalypse Judgment DayBrewery: The Lost Abbey Style: Quadrupel ABV: 10.5 percent Screw you, Mayans. I was SO ready for the apocalypse. I stocked up on canned goods and toilet paper. I spent months mapping out the best path to take after the skies rained down fire and turned…

He’Brew Jewbelation Sweet 16 Will Get You Lit Like A Hanukkah Candle

Beer: He’Brew Jewbelation Sweet 16 Brewery: Shmaltz Brewing Co. Style: American Strong Ale ABV: 16 percent Hanukkah might be over, but sometimes eight crazy nights just aren’t enough. For those looking to squeeze in a few extra or get a buzz that’ll last as long as the original Hannukkah candles,…

Drawn to Scales

No, it’s not Reptar On Ice. First off, this is Arizona, and therefore there’s very little ice for dinosaurs to dance and sing on. Two, Reptar was on Rugrats ®C a kid’s show ®C and Repticon is for grownups. Snake- and lizard-obsessed grownups — but still. This weekend promises the…

Revolver Blood and Honey: Beer in Texas

Beer: Blood and Honey Brewery: Revolver Brewing Style: American Wheat Ale ABV: 7 percent See also: – Crispin Bird on a Wire – Chow Bella’s Gift Guide for the Beer Lover While our state’s brewers undoubtedly put out some great stuff, beer does not exist in an Arizona-shaped bubble. Across…

Boarding School

The flow state is known by many other names — the runner’s high, the groove, the center, the zone. In the flow state, it’s said, time goes slower the faster you ride, and you emerge improved, happier, more confident, and more aware. Few skiers and snowboarders get to experience it,…

Crispin Bird on a Wire: A Bourbon-Aged Cider

Beer (cider): Crispin Bird on a Wire Brewery (cidery): Crispin Cider Co. Style: Apple Cider ABV: 6.9 percent The beer of the week this week isn’t a beer at all — it’s a cider. But it’s fermented, in part, with beer yeast. Does that count? I think it counts. Here…

Chow Bella’s Gift Guide for the Beer Lover

What? Not done with your holiday shopping? Yeah, neither are we. But we’ve been making lists — and checking them twice — and we’ve got some suggestions for the nice people on yours. Today, Chow Bella’s Gift Guide for the beer lover. See also: -Sun Up’s The Nut Before Christmas…

Finnegan Begin Again

If laughter truly is the best medicine, then the people going to see Christian Finnegan perform at Stand Up Live may as well be suffering from life-threatening conditions. Otherwise, all the comedian’s good work will have gone to waste. You see, he’s put a lot of work into being funny…

Logsdon Seizoen Bretta: A Farmhouse Ale Brewed in a Farmhouse

Beer: Seizoen Bretta Brewery: Logsdon Organic Farmhouse Ales Style: Saison ABV: 8 percent Because it is so appropriate, we begin this review with a short history lesson. The saison is a light, drinkable ale that originated in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium. French for “season,” saisons were brewed seasonally,…

Runner’s Thigh

The average American consumes about 4,500 calories and 230 grams of fat on Thanksgiving Day. To get rid of that excess, you could do about 3,000 push-ups or go for a quick five-hour swim. But if you want a fun way to jump-start your turkey burn-off while also supporting a…

Firestone Walker 16: The Voltron of Beers

Beer: 16th Anniversary Ale Brewery: Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Style: American Strong Ale ABV: 13 percent Voltron knew it best: Giant robotic lions are all well and fine on their own, but combine them into one super-robot and no foe in the universe can defeat you. See also: – Firestone…

Running Men

Listen, man. We’re sick of all the whining about how everything (a.k.a. your life) turned out. We know that you rocked it on your high school football team, and if not for your grades, and your knees, and your damn coach, who just never gave you the chance to shine…

Gluten-Free Beer: Omission Pale Ale is So Good, You Can’t Tell

Beer: Pale Ale Brewery: Omission Style: Gluten-free beer ABV: 5.8 percent The world has no shortage of really terrifying diseases you can catch. Necrotizing Fasciitis — often referred to as “flesh-eating disease” — is a bacterial infection that causes body tissue to dissolve like a wet napkin. Prion Disease can…

Local-Motion

It was once said (in an old episode of King of the Hill, we’re pretty sure) that you’ve never really eaten a corn chip until you’ve tried it hot off the line. Birds fly a little slower; pretty girls smile a little longer. It’s like the whole world moves just…

SanTan Rail Slide

Beer: Rail Slide Imperial Spiced Ale Brewery: SanTan Brewing Co. Style: English Strong Ale ABV: 7.1 percent The problem with seasonals is that they’re just that — seasonal. Here for a short time, then gone for another year, your cravings be damned. Feeling like a Pumpkin Porter in the springtime?…