Thursday, October 30, 2008

Halloween Week - Music Playlist

Ok, so I've been digging around for a good Halloween soundtrack and here's what I came up with...
  1. Halloween, Alaska - "Halloween": Ok, the song itself isn't very dark but I like the group.
  2. Godspeed You Black Emperor! - "09-15-00 Pt. 2": This is an instrumental track that definitely has dark tones and to me, gives off a somber tone as well...but definitely nice, eery background music
  3. Shawn Lee - "Halloween": This is from a video game soundtrack and is a pretty short track, but it's definitely a livelier track to bring you back up from the somber GYBE track
  4. Dead Can Dance - "The Host of Seraphim": This one has that creepy operatic tone to it (what they're actually saying is beyond me but it sounds dark) and it sounds similar to the music from Eyes Wide Shut
  5. Silver Mt. Zion - "13 Angels Standing Guard Round the Side of Your Bed": Appropriately, this group is made up of members from Godspeed You Black Emperor, so it has similar tones to track 2.
  6. Sleepy Hollow Score - The entire score from this film is fantastic because it comes from Danny Elfman who has done most, if not all of Tim Burton's films as well as many others.
  7. Ray Parker Jr. - "Ghostbusters": It doesn't matter if you're dressed up as a Ghostbuster or not on Halloween...this song will make everyone dance.
  8. Halloween Theme - I watched this tonight and it's definitely one of the best horror themes...I especially like the video that I saw back in the day of guitar phenom Buckethead playing this on guitar
  9. MC Hammer - "Addams Groove": Nevermind the original theme...I'd rather listen to Hammer's version
  10. Dr. Dre & Ice Cube - "Natural Born Killas": I love the begining little skit of this song and how the bullet shot extends into the drop of the beat...which is the illest beat ever (yea...I said illest)
  11. DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - "A Nightmare on My Street": Oh yes...this one has to be played no matter where you are...Will Smith in his old days rhymes about Freddy haunting his street...classic.



Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Halloween Week - Movies

There are plenty of horror movie scene marathons on every year so I won't attempt my own list because it will probably be similar. You may be familiar with the phenomenon known as "Power Hour," in which you drink a shot of beer every minute for an hour. This drinking game has gained popularity and therefore people have made hour-long 60 song-clip music playlists and it has even led to video playlist compilations as well. With the Halloween season upon us, I have recently started putting together a Halloween power hour, although if you're a fan of horror movies (like me), it could be used any time of the year. I'm compiling 60-second scary movie scenes to put together a video...let me know if you think any scenes are a MUST to be included. Whether you're actually partaking in the actual power hour or not, I think the finished product (which of course I will not be posting for copyright, etc. purposes) will be entertaining.

As far as movies go, however, I thought I should mention a few...

First of all, I'd like to commend the "After Dark Horrorfest" event, which, in its third year, has obviously gained some popularity. Starting as an all-day/multiple day horror movie festival at various participating theaters across the country a couple of years ago, the "8 Films to Die For" are a series of films that either don't have the budget to make it as big releases or perhaps are a little too grotesque or obscene to make it. That said, they are definitely entertaining from what I have seen. I have seen most of the first year's releases, recently have seen (on DVD) last year's releases and look forward to the next festival which will be held between January 8-15 of 2009. Check horrorfestonline.com for details and if it's shown at a theater near you.

As far as future movie releases go, here are a few that you should keep on your radar:
  • A Hellraiser remake from relatively unknown French director Pascal Laugier
  • (Possible) remake of Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds (possibly) starring Naomi Watts and George Clooney (vague enough for you?)
  • My Bloody Valentine 3D - Yes!!! It's about time they start making horror movies in 3D...by the way, this is a remake of an 80's slasher flick
  • Underworld 3 - I don't think I even saw the 2nd one...and probably for good reason...but the first one was definitely entertaining so hopefully they bring that back for the trilogy completion
  • Friday the 13th - set to come out next February
  • It's merely rumors right now as far as I know but they're talking about a Ghostbusters 3 - if it actually comes to fruition...noone will accept anything less than freakin' amazing...hard to face those standards



Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Halloween Week - Zombie Portrait

So Hilary and I took a day trip to Salem, MA a couple of weekends ago to experience the various Halloween festivities and whatnot...

Here's one of the souvenirs that we brought back:




Monday, October 27, 2008

Halloween Week - Jack O Lanterns

Well, Hil and I literally just finished carving a jack-o-lantern (and we just poured ourselves a Southern Tier Pumking Ale too!):

You can probably guess which one is mine and which one is Hilary's.

I'm pretty proud of ours, of course, but I'd also like to post some very creative, awesome ones too:


Cannibalism is cool (when it's with pumpkins).


I think this is my nephew Connor's favorite Star Wars character so I had to put it up just for that.


This guy can kick Frosty the Snowman's ass any day of the week.


(Suddenly our pumpkins don't look so amazing) And finally, the Keene Pumpkin Festival in New Hampshire, which competes with Boston every year for the Guinness World Record for "most jack-o-lanterns lit at the same time":




Sunday, October 26, 2008

Halloween Week - Decorating Houses

Decorating houses during holidays is a heavily debated topic. I remember an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air when Will decorated their house with more than the classy white-light approach during the Christmas season, going all out with plastic reindeer, santas, and multi-color lights. This sight was met with anger by the surrounding neighbors because their neighborhood was so "high-class," but of course they eventually embraced it (I think Evander Holyfield made a cameo appearance in that episode...before his ear got Tyson-ed). Anyway, I'm all for the Clark Griswold approach...make your house as cheesy as you want...I love it!

I'm even more for it when it comes to Halloween. There are multiple approaches you can take with Halloween decorations because you have to consider the fact that very young children don't want to take advantage of the fact that they're wearing a diaper when they approach your house. Because of this, many people take the conservative approach, hanging things here and there. Other people become a little more active, covering every square inch of their yard, but still don't make things too scary. And then there's the other people...who don't feel satisfied until someone goes into cardiac arrest when approaching their lawn.

Here are a few examples of what I'm talking about...


*Yawn* Oh is it Halloween? I wasn't sure. Oh ok...I get it...a witch...and a couple pumpkins...cool...I bet you these people hand out mini-size candy. Whose bright idea was it to call the miniature size, "fun size" anyways? What's fun about it?


Yea...you're probably squinting at this one. That's the point. Overstimulation. You approach this house with caution...because God knows what's hiding in that yard. Give this house a standing ovation...for both their exterior decorative skills...and the fact that they use 60% of their house for Halloween decoration storage.


I swear...people have addictions to plug-in blow up holiday decorations. There used to be a time when people would put out one of these things in their yard. Nowadays, with about 500 to choose from, people put out as many as they can. I can't look at one of these things without thinking of the time a guy I went to high school with snuck one of these (a turkey) into his parent's room while they were asleep and plugged it in. To say they were confused would be an extreme understatement. Anyway, it's pretty cheesy to have one of these things in your yard...to have atleast 4 is just fantastic. Where the hell did they get that enormous Hulk?


These people have a front yard...and come Halloween...they're gonna use it. They've used the conservative approach as far as the scariness factor, however, most people probably get dizzy when walking to and from this house.


This one is just one-of-a-kind. They've taken the B-rated old-school horror movie approach with giant creatures. I just saw a portion of a gem called "The Food of the Gods," apparently based on an H.G. Wells novel. The premise was that a substance that animals were eating was making them enormous and of course, dangerous. The best part was that because it was made in 1976, cheesy CGI took a backseat to the use of actual rats...on a scaled-down scene with a house...and the movie just panned between that and the actual house where people were shooting the rats. Classic.

Anyway, the site that I got this picture from gives a little more insight to the mood of this house. That dragon on the right...spews actual fire. So not only has this house achieved a scariness factor...but also a danger factor. A+!



Saturday, October 25, 2008

Halloween Week - Pet Costumes

It's less than a week until Halloween, one of my favorite holidays. For that, I'm committed to posting on Halloween-themed topics every day from now until the 31st - if I don't, then everyone can feel free to TP my apartment on Mischief Night.

Today, I'll start with a hot topic: dog costumes. Let's face it...dogs don't like costumes. Dressing your dog in a costume is like making Ralphie dress up in the pink bunny pajamas in A Christmas Story. Some dogs seem to tolerate it more than others, but most dogs simply look miserable with anything on their bodies other than dirt. And let's not forget that Halloween is a traumatizing experience for dogs...people walking around the neighborhood in costumes all day, constantly ringing the doorbell and knocking on the door. So is it wrong to have a laugh at a dog's expense? Well I don't have a dog, so I'm not faced with this moral dilemma...therefore, I can post pictures here and laugh all I want. Ha.

We all know Yoda is like...the best character ever. If more adult males were about a foot and a half shorter on average, I think we'd see a lot more grown-up Yodas walking around on Halloween. Unfortunately, that's not the case, so many dog owners resort to dressing up their dogs as Yoda (case in point: my brother's dog, Midge). This dog looks especially miserable sporting the Jedi get-up.

Some dogs just walk around with a disappointed look on their face even if they're happy - it's just how they are. That doesn't mean a costume won't make them even more miserable. I mentioned Ralphie in the pink bunny pajamas before...this picture reminds me of exactly that.

Ok, these last ones are pretty creative...I'm not even quite sure that they're all real.




Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Christmas List

I know it's only October and I'm committed to Halloween right now, after which I'll only be committed to Thanksgiving until Black Friday. And I know the economy is in the toilet right now and all, but if any of you are looking to go all out and get me something nice for Christmas, here's an idea:

My Christmas Wish



Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Don't Vote & Don't Watch Nic Cage Movies

A couple of weeks ago, before the voter registration deadline, this video came out with a bunch of celebrities sarcastically telling you not to vote (unless you care about anything and everything). It's pretty amusing and a tad on the NSFW side at some points, but if this is what it took for anyone to register to vote, that's kind of sad:



Now I just saw a parody of that video and had to post it considering I think Nicolas Cage is so overrated and pretty much all of his movies are horrible except the ones in 1987 (Raising Arizona, Moonstruck...ok and Matchstick Men in '03 was decent). Please don't defend Gone in 60 seconds, The Rock, or Con Air...




Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Making Use of Beer Labels

You may remember back in March that I mentioned starting to save beer labels, both because a lot of beer labels are very creative and because I want to remember the beers that I've had. The labels have piled up and here and there, I've pondered over what I could do with them.

Well, in the most recent issue of Beer Magazine, there was a small clip of an artist who creates pieces out of beer labels. You can check out his website for pictures of the things that he has made, but in words, he puts together designs out of beer labels. For example, an outline of Germany made from German beer labels, a collage of Octoberfest/Fall beer labels, and just other shapes and designs.

Well, call me an idea thief, but I'll call it inspiration because now my mind is tossing around some ideas for creating something in the same way from my beer labels. Many thanks go to the inspiration, Devin - I like your work man, but considering all of the beer labels that I have, I'd rather create my own. This will require going through my collection thus far and probably more collecting, but stay tuned for my blueprint and hopefully final creation.

Speaking of final creation, my first batch of home-brewed goodness has made a trip to the fridge today because it's ready to go. I'll be taste-testing it tonight...more to come...



Monday, October 13, 2008

Monkey Waiters

Why monkeys haven't been waiting on tables for years now is beyond me. Better late than never though I guess. Thanks to The Underwire for this one:




Friday, October 10, 2008

Google Goggles

Those cool folks working at Google came up with another cool little gadget. Since the adaptation of cell phones, the concept of "drunk dialing" has become a common phrase, meaning to make calls when drunk. Obviously, this can be dangerous because when drunk, it may seem like you're having the most intelligent conversation with the Dalai Lama when in reality you're just drooling and speaking gibberish to your boss at 3 am. Similarly, when around computers, people can make the same mistake through e-mails.

Well Gmail users can rest assured now with Mail Goggles (I think they should have named it Google Goggles). Once enabling this feature, the default application of it is all night on the weekends, but you can obviously change those settings. What it does is when you click "send" during those set times, a pop up box appears with 5 math problems according to the difficulty you set for it. You have 60 seconds to solve them correctly, otherwise the e-mail will not send. The math problems don't seem incredibly difficult, even at the highest setting, but I guess when you're drunk enough to be sending improper e-mails, they'd probably look like trigonometry.

Here's what it says when you get them wrong:




Thursday, October 9, 2008

Top 10 "Teacher" Characters in Movies (Part 2)

If you did not get a chance to read my post from yesterday, it was Part 1 of a list I made from what I think consists of the Top 10 "teacher" characters in movies (literally, symbolically, figuratively, whatever, you get the point). Yesterday I posted the the top 5: you can read it here (or just scroll down if you're on the main page...or click on the link on the left side...or just don't read it - it's your life - do what you want). So as promised, here are the top 5:

5. Chubbs Peterson from Happy Gilmore - The fact that a teacher character is played by Carl Weathers automatically means he makes this list. The fact that he plays a one-handed, alligator-hating golf pro turned instructor means he makes the top 5. Not that it's a very common phrase outside of golf, but I can't hear "tap it in" without saying (in my mind or out loud...usually out loud), "just give it a little tappy, tap tap tap a roo" because of one of the exchanges between Chubbs and Happy in this movie.

Sadly, Chubbs dies from falling out of a window in shock after seeing what Happy thought was a nice gesture in getting Chubbs the head of the alligator who took Chubbs' hand. But he lives on in Happy's good thoughts.

4. Mickey from Rocky - Played by the late Burgess Meredith, Mickey is Rocky's trainer. He makes the list because every line he has is awesome:

--You're gonna eat lightnin' and you're gonna crap thunder!
--(To Rocky) Your nose is Broken (How does it look?) Ah, it's an improvement
--Keep hittin' him in the ribs, ya see? Don't let that bastard breathe!
--Women weaken legs.
--You know what you are? (No, what?) A tomato. (A tomato?) Yeah, and I'm running a business here, not a goddamn soup kitchen!
--You're a bum rock, you're a bum.

If lines like that don't inspire you to punch people, I don't know what would.

3. Detective John Kimble from Kindergarten Cop - Get to the choppa!!!! Hearing Arnold impersonations is probably one of the best things that this crazy world has to offer...that is, unless they're coming from the man himself...Ah-nuld. I'm proud of a lot of things that I've accomplished over the years...one of those things: being in Kindergarten when this movie came out. I don't really remember, but it's okay because I definitely appreciate this movie more, 18 years later. You know how I mentioned not being able to take the phrase "tap it in" seriously because of #5, Chubbs? Well it's because of Kindergarten Cop that I can't take the word "tumor" seriously...especially when watching one of the many hospital shows on TV when they figure out, "it's not a tumor." And now, for your viewing pleasure, a compilation of some of Detective Kimble's best lines from the movie:



2. Mr. Miyagi from The Karate Kid - RIP Pat Morita. This is just a no brainer. Mr. Miyagi is easily one of the best teacher characters from the movies...he's one of the best characters period. Why is this though? Well, I think most of it has to do with the fact that although he can barely speak English, and when he does he sounds like a Japanese George of the Jungle, he still comes off so wise. Like this:

Daniel-san, must talk. Walk on road, hm? Walk left side, safe. Walk right side, safe. Walk middle, sooner or later...get squish just like grape. Here, karate, same thing. Either you karate do "yes" or karate do "no." You karate do "guess so"...just like grape. Understand?

Hell yea we understand! There's also his subtle sarcasm:

Daniel: Hey, what kind of belt do you have?
Mr. Miyagi: Canvas, JC Penny, $3.98. You like?
Daniel: No, I meant...
Mr. Miyagi: In Okinawa, belt mean no need rope to hold up pants. Daniel-san...(taps head) Karate here...(taps heart) Karate here...(taps belt) Karate never here...understand?


The other thing about him is that he's very calm but once in a while he busts out some ass-kicking moves, only when entirely necessary though...annnd he taught Daniel-san how to defend himself by making him sand his entire deck, wax his cars and paint his fence. And because of all of this, one of the hardest Nintendo games ever made was based on the movie series. But that's just how Miyagis roll: "In Okinawa, all Miyagi know two things: fish and karate."

1. Yoda - You knew this was coming. No elaboration needed.



Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Top 10 "Teacher" Characters in Movies (Part 1)

Many inspirational films contain a similar element: a character that acts as a teacher (literally or figuratively), a role model, or just a kickass guy with loads of wisdom. I've compiled a Top 10 list of what I think are some of the best characters that fit this description. A couple of these movies are so inspirational that they make guys squirm in their seats trying to act like they're not about to burst in tears (note: a future list that I'll make: Movies that can even make men cry). But most of these movies are ridiculous - either way, these are some great characters:

10. Fortune from Rudy - Ok, so maybe the whole wise janitor/custodian character has been overplayed in after-school specials, but this guy is great. Fortune plays the source of strength and wisdom for Rudy to continue his studies/football at Notre Dame. One of his best lines:

"You're 5 foot nothin'...100 and nothin'...and you hung in with the best college football team in the land for 2 years...and you were also going to walk out of here with a degree from the University of Notre Dame. In this life time, you don't have to prove nothin' to nobody except yourself...and after what you've gone through, if you haven't done that by now, it ain't gonna never happen..."

After this, Fortune reveals that he used to play for Notre Dame, quit because he thought he was getting benched because of his color, and that a day didn't go by that he didn't regret it. Cue the tears.

9. Roy Munson from Kingpin - Ok, the diversity of this list can begin here - the only tears that anyone would ever shed over this guy would be out of sheer pity...or more likely laughter. Roy (Woody Harrelson) is a bowling pro who gets mixed up with the wrong guy (Bill Murray) and an underground hussling scheme which lands Roy a hook for a hand, an introduction into alcoholism, loss of hair, and an end to his bowling career. This leads him to forcing himself as a mentor for an Amish guy named Ishmael (Randy Quaid), trying to gain a profit from acting as his coach in the pro circuit. Roy makes the list because of the ridiculous dialogue resulting from a down-and-out drunk and an Amish guy with no clue about the real world:

Roy: Thomas can raise a barn, but can he pick up a 7-10 split?
Ishmael: God blessed my brother to be a good carpenter...It's OK.
Roy: Yeah, well he blessed you too, and I'll give you a hint at what it is: it's round, has three holes, and you put your fingers into it.
Ishmael: You leave Rebecca out of this!

8. Priest Pai Mei from Kill Bill Vol. 2 - Being wise and acting as a master in any type of martial arts usually go hand in hand, which is why Pai Mei had to make the list. Pai Mei is far from the nice, gentle master though - in the first conversation he has with Black Mamba (Uma Thurman), he informs her that because she cannot speak Cantonese, he'll talk to her like a dog, he makes sure that Black Mamba knows that he kills at will, he threatens to chop her arm off, and embarrasses her in a fight. An awesome training montage follows. And oh yea...he has majestic long white hair and a Fu Manchu to match.

7. Louis Stevens from Only The Strong - Many people have not experienced the gem that is this film. You may recognize "Louis Stevens," the martial arts expert named Mark Dacascos as the Iron Chef America chairman. He was also in the movie adaptation of Double Dragon. In my mind, however, I can't see how any of his works could top Only The Strong. The movie is based on the Afro-Brazilian martial art form called "Capoeira," which is a kick-ass dance-fight hybrid. You know the song that Mazda ruined in their commercials: Zoom Zoom? Well it used to be a good song, one of a few good ones that are played during the capoeira sequences in this movie.

Anyway, Stevens plays a Green Beret who returns to his high school as a teacher to find it run by drug dealers and gang lords. He conforms a group of rebels from the school to the art of capoeira, but of course one of the rebels is related to the worst druglord in town, and a final showdown between Stevens and the druglord becomes the climax. Bad acting + ridiculous plot + coincidental town-wide knowledge of an obscure fighting form + awesome fighting + awesome music = great movie.

6. Dewey Finn from School of Rock - This movie is highly coincidental in that a down-and-out wannabe rock enthusiast (Jack Black) just happens to fraudulently sub in a classroom full of young musical prodigies, therefore enabling him to mold them into a band. But we can look past that. Jack Black, a musician himself in real life, shows his humorous musical talent in this film, teaching the entire class to damn the man, one of life's great lessons.

To be continued...look for the Top 5 tomorrow...



Tuesday, October 7, 2008

NET10 Wireless

This video apparently comes from a real cell phone provider called NET10 Wireless. If I were to base my cell phone plan on advertisements, I'd have to opt for these guys (rather than the really annoying guy constantly saying "Can you hear me now? Good.")




Saturday, October 4, 2008

Bud Light: Drinkability

First of all...yes, I'm up before 10:00 on a Saturday morning.

Second of all, with ESPN on in the background, I just saw the first of Bud Light's brand new $50 million ad campaign. This campaign is focusing on its "drinkability," a term that they have used in their previous ad campaigns, as in "superior drinkability." The other descriptors have been eliminated though. Now it's strictly "drinkability." I know beer ads haven't exactly positioned themselves as the intelligent ones in the bunch (Miller even spells their beer "Lite"), but macrobreweries are the joke of the microbrew arena anyways, so I don't care if that reflects the intelligence of a beer drinker. But let's go back to this drinkability business. To me, as I noted in my last post regarding my own beer that's brewing, drinkability comes off as "able to be consumed." When I go to a restaurant, I don't ask if a dish is eatable. I suppose though, when it comes down to it, it's kind of an honest word to describe Bud Light...noone is drinking Bud Light for its flavor. But Bud Light is not using "drinkability" in its true definition...it's basically saying you can pound a 6-pack in an afternoon and end the day like a champ.

It seems that light beer advertisements are focusing a little less on strictly humor and more on their competition. Miller Light has Dr. Cox acting as the Miller Light beer commissioner, popping up whenever someone trys to drink a light beer other than Miller Light. Coors Light...well, actually Coors Light is in their own world. While Bud Light used to have the funniest commercials on television, Coors Light was driving trains through football fields to the tune of "Love Train." Now they're playing on the crappy work situation and hyping up happy hour while also creating fake press conferences with football coaches. God Bless them. And the Bud Light ad that I just saw started by someone saying something like "yea whatever, all light beers are the same."

The interesting thing is a Google search on "drinkability" sees no Bud Light anywhere (except people who are writing articles about them like me...I'll probably be on or around page 37 of the search results). Anyway, unless you're on a tight budget or you're planning on pounding a 6-pack in the afternoon, don't settle for drinkable.

Update: Page 1 of blog search results for "drinkability" Woo hoo!



Thursday, October 2, 2008

Fall Beers

I've come to realize that my favorite time of the year in the beer brewing season is definitely around the start of Autumn, but not just because of the beer. Growing up close to and currently living in New England, it's hard not to love the fall season: the leaves changing colors, the air becoming cool and crisp and the Halloween season lending way toward Thanksgiving. With the football season well underway too, what better time for flavorful, Autumn-infused beer?

Early on this season, Hilary and I got our hands on a case of what I've found to be the Crème de la crème of Pumpkin ales: Southern Tier's Imperial Pumpkin Ale: Pumking. I owe my father a lot for discovering this last year at what most would consider the Mecca of the Lehigh Valley for beer menus: The Farmhouse. After trying a large handful of pumpkin ales over the past couple of years, I've found that this one is just spot on with its combination of spices and flavors - it's like liquid pumpkin pie...with the whipped cream. At 9% abv and 22 oz bottles though, you should probably only savor one at a time (if you have the will power). We put our case in a corner once we bought it, and I don't plan on taking any out for atleast another week. We're also going to try to save a couple of them for next year's season and see how they age. Even though I think this one trumps the rest, there are plenty that I have not tried so of course I'm always looking to try a new one. We have a few in store, including a "Halloween Ale" from Gritty's.

I've also found that although some of the other pumpkin ales are only average on their own, they can pair very well with the right meal. For instance, Hilary made us a butternut squash pasta which was excellent with a Dogfish Head Punkin Ale. And if you're not really a beer fan but you are a fan of pumpkin flavors, I recommend using some Bols Pumpkin Smash liqueur with some dark rum and milk/cream for a Pumpkin Martini: great for Halloween parties.

Even though it's called "Oktoberfest" in Munich, Germany, most of the festival is actually at the end of September. We even got a postcard from a friend who attended. It does still have a few days left though...and even when it's over, that should not stop us from enjoying Oktoberfest beers. I've only had a couple US versions this year so far: Blue Point's and Weyerbacher's (Autumnfest) - both pretty good. I'm definitely going to try a few more though, especially after reading NY Times' article about them. According to the article, after sampling 24 Oktoberfest beers (17 US, 7 German), they found the #1 brew to be from Thomas Hooker Brewery, in my home state of CT. In fact, 7 of the top 10 were from the US.

And of course I can't forget the other beer that will be available soon: my own. My first attempt at beer brewing, a clone of Orange Brewery's SW1 Pale Ale, is currently bottled and will be ready for consumption in less than 2 weeks. I'm hoping for drinkable...anything more will be great, but either way, I'm definitely going to continue this hobby. I'll probably try out a pumpkin ale next year!