Hey everyone, and welcome back to another CSU-Pueblo TODAY weekly beer review. My name’s Eric, I drink beer and I’m tired. Damn tired.
This week’s rant is about dedication and devotion. Times are hard here at the TODAY. Our staff is at an all time low, with students either dropping or taking extended breaks, and it’s taking a lot of effort and time to keep things running smoothly and on schedule.
As an example, I’m the magazine managing editor this year. It’s my duty to assign stories, take pictures, design the layout and write for the quarterly magazine our newsroom puts out.
Due to the lack of submissions and interest from students and professors alike; however, it’s almost impossible to compose a newsworthy magazine on schedule, and it leaves our staff stressed and irritable up until completion.
It’s a hard job, but I took it due to my devotion to the TODAY. I could have taken the easy route by choosing a simpler elective, but I’m not the type. I’ve been working on this magazine for the past two years and I’m not giving up that easily because dedication is never simple.
Sometimes those you are dedicated to question your every motive and treat you like crap, and sometimes you get a pat on the back and a “well done” by people you don’t even know. It’s random how it works out, most of the time.
However, it’s the feeling inside you that makes it all worthwhile. Knowing that you worked hard for something that you care about is a reward all its own.
At any rate, I’m just venting. This week’s beer is Samurai Ale by the Great Divide Brewing Company based out of Denver, Colorado. The Samurai were about as devoted as you can get, and I’m a fan of Japanese beers like Sapporo, so I thought I would give an American take on rice beer a try.
When poured into your pint glass, Samurai Ale is a pale yellow with a thin white head and a cloudy consistency.
Smell wise, it had a slightly sugary scent mixed in with the aroma of rice and hints of hops. Nothing too special.
To the taste it’s fairly bland. Hints of hops and toasted rice are there, but are far from profound, and it leaves a bitter aftertaste in the mouth when finished. It’s not near as crisp as the other rice beers I’ve sampled in my life.
As an experiment, Samurai Ale was a bit of a failure. I had really high hopes for this one when I saw it at the liquor store, but in the end I only finished the six-pack because there wasn’t any other beer in the fridge.
It’s not the worst beer in the world, but at $7.99 a six-pack it’s too pricey to recommend to anyone but those truly devoted to the Great Divide Brewery.
Samurai Ale gets a 2 out of 5.
