The First Annual BeerRantsAndBooks Blogger’s Choice Book Awards

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Blogger's Choice Awards, Book, Book Review, Happy New Year, Reading

With 2017 drawing to a close, I thought it would be fun to look back on everything I read this past year and have my own personal awards ceremony!  For the back story of these awards, check out this link to see how some of my fellow WordPressers inspired this post.

While compiling the nominees below I considered only books I reviewed within the 2017 calendar year, regardless of when they were actually published.  I love to read, but simply don’t have the time to keep up with new releases and work on my TBR pile at the same time.  I also apparently read a lot of series this past year, so I limited myself to one character per universe for each category.

And so, without further ado, the nominees and winners of my 2017 best in books awards!

Best Leading Male Character

Captain Francis Crozier (The Terror, by Dan Simmons): The grim, hard-drinking captain of the HMS Terror, he was a really interesting figure in that he had a dual identity as both an outsider (an Irishman in the English Navy) and as a person in a position of power (ship’s captain and second in command of an artic expedition).  His combination of skill and determination is one of the main forces holding his doomed crew together in the face of extreme Arctic elements and attacks by an elusive monster. 

Kaladin Stormblessed (Stormlight Archive, by Brandon Sanderson): One the main heroes of the Stormlight Archive, Kaladin is an honorable man who in the course of standing up for what he believes is right discovers that he possesses some rather extraordinary powers.  

Waxillium Ladrian (Mistborn, Era 2, by Brandon Sanderson): After spending years as the Scadrian equivalent of a Wild West lawman, Wax eventually returns home to inherit his family’s holdings.  Old habits die-hard, however, and it’s not long before he starts investigating a powerful criminal organization.

WINNER: Kaladin Stormblessed.  He’s probably my favorite character of the last few years as well.  Not only does he have some really cool powers and fighting skill, he’s also a rather complex individual.  His relationship with Syl, a fairy-like creature that has befriended him, is both fascinating and endearing to watch as she pushes him to focus on his more heroic and honorable tendencies as a means to overcome both his anger and depression.

Best Leading Female Character

Vin (Mistborn, Era 1, by Brandon Sanderson): The heroine of the first era Mistborn novels, Vin rises from humble beginnings into a powerful, confident, and formidable young woman over the course of the trilogy.

Kiva Lagos (Collapsing Empire, by Jonathan Scalzi): Ship captain, heir to a powerful mercantile family, and unstoppable force of nature, Kiva has both a vocabulary and a lifestyle that would make a space pirate blush and really couldn’t give two [bothers] about what anyone might think of that.  It was certainly a joy watching her power her way through this novel.

Zan (The Stars are Legion, by Kameron Hurley):  The gritty star of this novel, Zan battles everything from memory loss, an invading army, and a whole host of strange creatures in her quest to fulfill what she hopes is the realization of a forgotten dream.

WINNER: Zan.  This category was Zan’s before I even finalized the rest of the nominees.  In my review of The Stars are Legion, I used words like brutal, intense, and uncomfortable to describe a lot of the action and arguably no one in that story had a tougher journey than Zan.  Heck, she spent a good portion of the book literally cutting her way through the innards of a living planet from the bowels on up and that only begins to touch upon the deaths, betrayal, and personal trauma she had to deal with.  That she faced down all of this in an unflinching display of raw strength and determination made her my no doubt choice despite some serious competition in this category.  I can’t readily think of any character I’ve ever come across that would top her in this regard.

Best Supporting Male Character

Wayne (Mistborn, Era 2, by Brandon Sanderson): Wax’s trusty sidekick, Wayne brings his own unique charm to series and also introduces the reader to one of the really cool new abilities featured in the second era Mistborn universe.

Wit (Stormlight Archive, by Brandon Sanderson): He’s really just here as an honorable mention, but I couldn’t leave him off.  He’s one of the most intriguing characters I’ve come across so far, offering up a mix of vital information and amusing word games.

Amos Burton (The Expanse, by James S.A. Corey): The enforcer/strongman with a heart of gold – provided you’re on his side. Amos has been consistently one of the more interesting characters in the Expanse universe thus far.

WINNER: Wayne.  From his philosophy on hats to his exceptionally liberal views on trading possessions Wayne’s personality quirks really gave the second era Mistborn books their own distinct feeling.  That he also happens to be a solid partner with some pretty interesting powers of his own makes him the clear front-runner in this category.

Best Supporting Female Character

Chrisjen Avasarala (The Expanse, by James S.A. Corey): The tough as nails Indian grandmother who also happens to be one of the most powerful and influential individuals in the solar system.  

Lift (Stormlight Archive, by Brandon Sanderson): An irreverent, young street urchin who revels in her ability to “become awesome.” Frequently uses her powers to acquire free meals.

Steris Harms (Mistborn, Era 2, by Brandon Sanderson): Though present in all three second era Mistborn novels, it was really her standout performance in Bands of Mourning that got her this nomination.  She’s a bit different than the rest of this year’s nominees in that she doesn’t have a commanding personality or abundance of physical strength; instead she relies upon her (often overly) analytical mind and careful planning to get ahead.

WINNER: Chrisjen Avasarala.  Her ability to get things done is surpassed only by her ability to offer up such fantastic quotes as: “The generals.  They’re all fucking men…I don’t mean that they all fuck men, I mean they’re all men, the fuckers.”  and “My life has become a single, ongoing revelation that I haven’t been cynical enough.”  She’s easily the highlight of this series for me.

Well, that wraps up this year’s awards.  I’ll look to do this again next year, perhaps with a few more categories.  Since this is also my final post of 2017, I want to wish everyone a safe and happy New Year!  See you all in 2018.

Cheers!

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Idle Hands Craft Ales – Four Horsemen (2016)

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Beer, Beer Review, Craft Beer, Idle Hands Craft Ales, Malden, Massachusetts, New England, Xmas

With the big day nearly upon us, I decided it was time to start visiting some beers of Christmas past.  This one I’ve been hanging on to since last December.

Beer Name: Four Horsemen

Brewery: Idle Hands Craft Ales (Malden, MA)

Style: Quadruple Ale

ABV: 13.0%

Description: Originally brewed to celebrate the end of 2016, the brewers describe this as featuring a rich dark fruit base topped by gingerbread and allspice.  My bottle was dated September 2016.

Appearance: Dark brown body with some reddish highlights.  About a half finger of tan, bubbly foam formed up top.

Smell: Mainly sweet, with caramel and dark malts joined by just a hint of spice.

Taste: Opened with nice notes of dark fruit; mainly raisin, prune, and plum.  Took on a bit of a Belgian-style yeast influence in the middle before coming to a warm finish that blended in a subtle amount of allspice.  Great balance of flavors and insanely smooth drinking for a 13% beer.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus with a fairly low-level of carbonation.

Hype: I think I recall fans of the brewery being excited about this one, though Idle Hands typically doesn’t get caught up in the hype game.

Overall: it’s rare to find a beer this big that is so drinkable.  It offered a great balance of sweetness and subtle spice that I really enjoyed.  The warming effect of the alcohol was on point as well, but again it was very tame compared to what it could have been.  Don’t miss out on this next time it is available.  I’m really wishing I had another one of these.

Brewery Ommegang – Three Philosophers

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Beer, Beer Review, Brewery Ommegang, Craft Beer, New York, Winter

This bottle had been in my refrigerator for a little while and finally found time the other night to revisit another old friend of mine.  I was really into this beer a few years ago, but hadn’t gotten around to drinking it since I’ve been blogging here.  Time to change that.

Beer Name: Three Philosophers

Brewery: Brewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, NY)

Style: Quadrupel Ale

ABV: 9.7%

Description: The brewers describe this as a unique blend of a Belgian dark ale and Liefman’s Kriek, a traditional Belgian cherry ale.

Appearance: It had a reddish/brown body topped by a thin, fizzy layer of light tan foam.

Smell: On the sweeter side with dark fruit and cherry standing out against undertones of malt and yeast.

Taste: Opened sweet with notes of cherry, plum, and caramel malts.  These flavors carried into the finish where they were joined by a slightly spicy bubblegum yeast, a minor clove presence, and a nice little kick of heat.  As the beer settled into the glass it blended into a warm combination of cherry, caramel, and Belgian yeast.

Mouthfeel: Roughly medium bodied with a slightly effervescent finish.

Hype: Not particularly hyped at all.  Just another example of a readily available, high quality beverage that is way too easy to walk by.

Overall: I enjoyed this and once again had a wonderful time drinking a beer I haven’t had in a while.  The cherry aspect of the Kriek blend really gave the beer a delicious sweetness that makes this standout for me.

Central Waters Brewing Company – Bourbon Barrel Belgian Style Quadruple Ale

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Beer, Beer Review, Belgian, Central Waters Brewing Company, Craft Beer, Wisconsin

These Brewer’s Reserve beers have become instant pick-ups for me over the course of the past year.  And to think, I might never have found about them if not for my wife getting an excellent recommendation for Christmas gifts last December!

Beer Name: Bourbon Barrel Belgian Style Quadruple Ale

Brewery: Central Waters Brewing Company (Amherst, WI)

Style: Belgian Quadruple

ABV: 11.9%

Description: From the brief blurb on the company website, this was brewed with an eye towards combining Belgian tradition with American experimentation.

Appearance: It had a dark brownish body that pretty closely matched the color of the bottle.  There was some off-white lacing up top.

Smell: A sweet mixture of dark fruit, cotton candy, Belgian yeast, and maybe a bit of heat.

Taste: Started out sweet, again mixing cotton candy/bubblegum taste with dark fruits and malts.  This gradually tapered off as the beer moved on, taking on more of a brown sugar quality as it mixed with oak and a good amount of heat.  The finish definitely got more intense the longer the beer sat in the glass.

Mouthfeel: Just slightly shy of thick bodied, with a minimal amount of carbonation.

Hype: I’m not aware of any particular hype around these beers (they’ve all been pretty easy to get a hold of), but I sure like them.

Overall: The Brewer’s Reserve series just keeps on delivering hit after hit.  I was a big fan of this, but be warned that it did take on some impressive heat by the time I finished the bottle.  Definitely a nice beer to sip on a cold evening.

Book Review: Words of Radiance, by Brandon Sanderson (Book Two of the Stormlight Archive)

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Book, Book Review, Brandon Sanderson, Cosmere, Fantasy, Reading, Stormlight Archive

I couldn’t get my hands on this book fast enough after finishing Way of Kings and eagerly dove into the next 1,000 pages of the series.  For those of you reading on, please be aware that this is indeed the second book in the Stormlight Archive.  I don’t provide any spoilers for this particular novel, but you can probably assume a few things about the first novel based on what I say below.

The action picks up not long after the end of the previous book and once again focuses primarily on Dalinar Kholin, Kaladin Stormblessed, and Shallan Davar.  Arguably at the center of all the action, Dalinar opens this book with a major target on his back.  Seeking to protect the legitimacy of the throne, he embarks on an ambitious plan to change the course of the war against the Parshendi for good, perhaps permanently altering the Alethi political landscape in the process.  Meanwhile, as the members of Bridge Four adjust to their new lives and positions, Kaladin finds his faith in Dalinar and King Elhokar severely tested when certain past events begin to figure prominently into shifting present day alliances.  Finally, Shallan and Jasnah Kholin have set off for the Shattered Plains with information vital to the Alethi war effort.

I absolutely loved this and had a really hard time putting the book down.  At one point I exclaimed to my wife that even though I was already 870 pages in, I was really worried I wasn’t going to get enough before the ending.  The world created on Roshar is immense and absolutely fascinating.  In addition to the main story, there were once again a number of one-off chapters depicting people and places somewhat removed from our heroes.  I really enjoyed this variety of perspectives and appreciated finally seeing the world through Parshendi eyes.  By the end of the book it is quite clear we’re gearing up for a major conflict in the next installment.  It will be interesting to see how the new Surgebinders develop their skills.

What really made the story for me though where the characters.  The main ones were all well written and interesting, though it did take a bit of time before Shallan and Dalinar’s son Adolin grew on me.  I know there’s a lot of readers out there rooting for a love triangle, but I find them well suited for each other and don’t find that potential story arc that interesting (yet at least).

Kaladin, however, is without a doubt my favorite.  He’s an easy guy to root for, not just because he’s both honorable and a total badass, but for his personality as well.  His relationship with Syl is simultaneously funny and rather touching and in combination with his spells of depression serves to humanize someone who might otherwise be an overly intense character.  Although I most definitely want to see him get vengeance for the wrongs done to him, my biggest hope is that his circumstances have changed enough that he can better channel the anger and resentment he carries.  I’m really looking forward to seeing how he develops his personality and powers throughout the series.

Another character I have particularly enjoyed so far is Wit.  He gets very limited page time, but I just can’t get enough of him.  He’s obviously a major player in whatever events are happening in the larger Cosmere and spending time with him always feels like getting a peek into the inner workings of this universe.  He also has some of the best lines in the series and makes several excellent plays on language.

I can’t wait to find out where the series goes from here and am already getting started on book three, Oathbringer.  Certain developments in this story also have me looking forward to the next  Mistborn book, since it seems there may be a major connection between the two worlds (though only someone who’s caught up on that series would notice).  Pretty safe to say I’ll be reading a lot more Brandon Sanderson novels.

Ipswich Ale Brewery – Oatmeal Stout

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Beer, Beer Review, Ipswich Ale Brewery, Massachusetts, New England, Stout

I am ending my streak of local stouts by revisiting a long time favorite of mine.  I’ve had plenty of good things to say about this brewery on here previously, but I would say that this is beer I most often associate with them.

Beer Name: Oatmeal Stout

Brewery: Ipswich Ale Brewery (Ipswich, MA)

Style: Oatmeal Stout

ABV: 7.0%

Description: Billed as a deep, rich, and malty brew, you can some more of the specs here on the brewery website.  Although I only bought a single bottle on my last shopping excursion, you can find this most places around here that beer is sold in the range of $100 for six pack of bottles.

Appearance: Black body topped off by a thin, bubbly tan head.

Smell: A little bit of sweetness mixed with a little bit of roast.

Taste: A slight sweetness upfront sat atop a rich base of grains and dark malt.  A hint of roast came through as the beer went on, joined towards the finish by dark fruit, dark chocolate, and slight bitterness.

Mouthfeel: Medium-plus thickness with low level carbonation.

Hype: It would be wrong to call this beer hyped, but it does have a solid reputation in the Massachusetts beer community and almost always pops up on lists of the best local stouts.

Overall: A delicious and extremely drinkable stout that more than holds its own against comparable offerings from more popular brewers.  It may not have been as big or as bold as some of the others I’ve had this month but it was still extremely satisfying to drink.

Trillium Brewing Company – PM Dawn

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Beer, Beer Review, Craft Beer, Massachusetts, New England, Stout, Trillium Brewing Company

I picked up a can of this the other day when I swung by the brewery for the Fireplace Bananas release.  I was subsequently very surprised to find out that despite my love of both Trillium and stouts (and yes, even Trillium’s stouts) I’ve never had this before.  How did this happen?!

Beer Name: PM Dawn

Brewery: Trillium Brewing Company (Boston, MA/Canton, MA)

Style: Imperial Stout

ABV: 9.0%

Description: An Imperial Stout infused with cold-brewed coffee.  As usual, you can check out Trillium’s website for some more details and brewing specs.  

Appearance: Black body with about a finger’s width of light tan foam up top.

Smell: Rich dark roast coffee with a hint of sweet cream on the end.

Taste: It started out with a bit of creamy sweetness just before a moderate layer of dark roast coffee and chocolate set in to dominate the middle.  The finish saw some of the initial sweetness return and added a slight bit of heat as the beer sat.

Mouthfeel: Very smooth with a thick, creamy body and minimal carbonation.

Hype: Elevated, as all things Trillium tend to be.  That said, this doesn’t get quite the same level of attention as the more hop forward releases do.

Overall: I really liked this.  Great coffee notes and just the right amount of sweetness.  I’ll also add that pairing this with Hershey’s kisses was an amazing experience.  Going to make sure I don’t overlook this one again!

Exhibit A Brewing Company – Sunday Paper

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Beer, Beer Review, Craft Beer, Exhibit A Brewing Company, Framingham, Massachusetts, New England, Stout

I seem to have an unofficial theme of local stouts going on this month.  It wasn’t planned, but I sure am enjoying it.

Beer Name: Sunday Paper

Brewery: Exhibit A Brewing Company (Framingham, MA)

Style: Imperial Stout

ABV: 9.9%

Description: An imperial stout brewed with locally sourced malts and fresh roasted coffee.  Check out the brewery website for a bit more information.

Appearance: Dark, black body with thin, foamy tan head.

Smell: Slightly sweet with hints of lightly roasted coffee.

Taste: Very smooth, creamy malts mixed with subtle notes of light roast and sweetness.  The finish offered a hint of espresso mixed with just a touch of heat.

Mouthfeel: More than medium bodied but not quite thick. Minimal carbonation.

Hype: I really enjoyed my last two offerings from this brewery and was hoping to keep the streak alive while branching out from their double IPAs.

Overall: It was good, but ultimately not really something that stood out for me.  I think it was almost too smooth for what it was and could have done with a slightly bolder flavor and definitely a bit thicker mouthfeel.  Wasn’t bad, but got overshadowed by some of the other beers I’ve had recently.

Boston Beer Company (Sam Adams) – Cream Stout

Tags

Beer, Beer Review, Boston, Craft Beer, Massachusetts, Samuel Adams, Stout

Like a lot of beer drinkers in my area, Sam Adams was the gateway brewery that got me into drinking craft beer.  While this offering was by no means my first beer, it does have the honor of being the first brew I checked into Untappd way back on September 4, 2011!

Beer Name: Cream Stout

Brewery: Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams) (Jamaica Plain, MA)

Style: Milk Stout

ABV: 4.9%

Description: Drawing its inspiration from English sweet stouts, the brewers describe this as a rich and creamy beer offering subtle sweetness and deep roast.

Appearance: Black body with a thin covering of light tan foam.

Smell: Blend of sweet cream and light roast.

Taste: Creamy sweetness and lightly roasted coffee were pretty much the dominant flavors throughout.  I would say the sweetness was slightly more prominent on the front end while the roast came through just a bit more on the finish where it paired with bittersweet dark chocolate.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a touch less than moderate carbonation.

Hype: Is reverse hype a thing?  One of the founding fathers of “craft” beer in America, a lot of beer enthusiasts today kind of turn their noses up at them.  

Overall: A solid example of the style with a nice balance of flavors.  Pretty much exactly what I expected from a Sam Adams beer.  Put prejudices aside and hold this up against similar brews; it should more than hold its own.

Lamplighter Brewing Company – After Midnight

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Beer, Beer Review, Cambridge, Craft Beer, Lamplighter Brewing Company, Massachusetts, New England

Another musically themed beer from Lamplighter Brewing Company that put a song in my head.  I’m not sure if I am officially declaring a Stout Season this year, but from here on out just go ahead and assume we’re already there.

Beer Name: After Midnight

Brewery: Lamplighter Brewing Company (Cambridge, MA)

Style: Imperial Stout

ABV: 9%

Description: The label on the can told me that this Imperial Stout was brewed with Bourbon Madagascar coffee beans and over 200 pounds of Vermont maple syrup.  

Appearance: Poured a thick black body that got topped off by a thin tan head.

Smell: A light amount of roast mix a bit of heat mixed in.

Taste: A lot of bold tastes going on in here.  The front part of the beer featured an inviting blend of sweet, bitter, and roasty flavors.  Dark chocolate, espresso, and molasses were the standouts.  Towards the finish there was a subtle change in the balance of flavors with a bit of maple syrup, vanilla bean, medium roast coffee coming through.  It culminated with just a slight bit of heat on the very end.

Mouthfeel: Thick bodied with a very minor amount of carbonation.  Pleasant warming feeling on the end.

Hype: I had a good feeling about this one when I saw it.  The can I bought was the last of its kind on the shelf, so I felt like it was meant to be.

Overall: A very, very good brew that was executed amazingly well.  I was heavily into this flavor profile a few years ago and had this existed then I probably would have stockpiled as if for the zombie apocalypse.  Though my tastes today are a bit different today, instill really enjoyed this beer and highly recommend it.