Racing to the dark

[shunn]

I am not long back from my trek to Andersonville to see Alaya Dawn Johnson read from her new novel Racing the Dark at the Women and Children First bookstore. The trip was an hour and a half each way on the sad excuse for public transit we have here in Chicago (which is otherwise a terrific, loveable town), but it was worth it to hear a great reading in a great bookstore, and to support a friend and colleague.

But don't take my word for it. Let Time Out Chicago fill you in on why you should check out this novel. (Let me tell you, it was rather strange to arrive home from my epic journey and find Alaya in the issue of Time Out I had brought inside from the mailbox as I was leaving for her reading.)

I keep meaning to post a World Fantasy report, by the way, but I want to note here that I'm glad I wasn't so drunk at the Johncon 3 party that I forgot Alaya telling me about her Chicago reading.

(Speaking of drunkenness, as I write this I am sipping from a bottle of Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout. I can't say I'm truly enjoying it, but since I was unable to finish the last bottle of it I opened, I am bound and determined to conquer this one. It is like drinking a syrup distilled from the walls and ceiling of an old cigar bar. Though the web site says BCBS is 11% alcohol by volume, the label on the bottle says 13%. I am choosing to believe the bottle.)

Comments

[thatames.livejournal.com]

What is the beer like? Does it taste more like beer or bourbon? I'm so intrigued, because while I love bourbon, I generally hate beer.

[shunn.livejournal.com]

It actually doesn't taste like bourbon at all (which is a selling point for me because I'm not much of a bourbon fan—scotch is my poison). It's closest in taste to a chocolate stout, which most beer drinkers don't even like, because it's quite bittersweet, cloying, and thick. It picks up a bit of flavor from the bourbon casks, but it's more the flavor of oak.

[thatames.livejournal.com]

I am still really intrigued. I've never had a chocolate stout either. Basically I'm beer stupid; I have no right to say I don't like it when I know I haven't tried many kinds of it.

(Last night this post made me drink a beer though. Weird!)

[shunn.livejournal.com]

What kind of beer did you drink? I'm pretty much a beer snob. I won't drink the giant American beers like Bud, Miller, and Coors. I prefer smaller names and imports, though I can't pretend I'm thumbing my nose at big corporations by my stance. I tend to like darker beers, and I have a complicated relationship with Belgian Trappist ales. Guinness is usually my go-to choice if nothing else interesting is available.

[thatames.livejournal.com]

I drank a bunch of Guiness on St. Patrick's Day this year (for the first time) and I liked it! Last night I was drinking Red Stripe left over from a party and liked it enough. So based on that what snotty ones would you recommend?

[shunn.livejournal.com]

Okay, if you liked Guinness, you might also enjoy Murphy's Irish Stout, which I think tastes a little more complex. You might enjoy darker beers better too, though Red Stripe is a lager, and lagers are on the lighter side. If Shiner Bock is available in your area, you might like that. I might suggest you also sample Newcastle Brown Ale and Blue Moon, so you can see if, respectively, you like brown ales and slightly spiced wheat beers.

[thatames.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I definitely WANT to be into beer, so this is a good start.

[utsusemia.livejournal.com]

An hour and a half? Wow...did I thank you enough for coming? Thank you for coming!

See you soon, I hope (I might have to dress like a ninja and climb through the window, though).

[shunn.livejournal.com]

Hey, if you're worried about ninjaing in, I can see about adding you to the list as one of my party. Don't know if I can at this point, but I can try.

[utsusemia.livejournal.com]

That might be nice :) Though if you can't, don't worry, as I'm sure I know a few other members I can skulk in with.

[shunn.livejournal.com]

You're on the list, so no need to ninja or skulk! Sent details in a private message.

Goose Island?????

[(Anonymous)]

Goose Island is absolutely the worst brewery in the United States..I have tried all of their brews and the only one that stans out is their seasonal ale...but of course, it tastes similar to Fat Tire..Chicago, good food but get your beer elsewhere, not locally..