Bad Tom Brewing

In a very non desript building in Linwood, at the end of Bella Luna’s parking lot, is a relatively new brewery. Actually, Bad Tom Smith Brewing has been open for a year, but just recently extended their tap room hours.

Its a small building with a bar and a few picnic tables where you can see and smell the brewing going on behind some glass doors. There lineup right now is 6 solid beers, mainly traditional ones but with a slight twist.

They have:
A 6.6% American IPA (Addlehead IPA)
A 6% American Brown Ale (Bad Tom)
A 6.8% Wheat beer (Brother Clement)
A 10% American Strong Ale (Old Abe)
A 5.8% Stout (Black Kettle)
And a 5.4% Helles (Kloppenburg Helles)

I would easily say their Helles is one of the best, I’d not thee best that I’ve had. And I was pleasantly surprised that I love the brown ale as well! As far as the others, the IPA is a little untraditional and I don’t think as bitter as most. I’m not an IPA fan (there I said it) but it was drinkable to me. Now as far as their stout, that’s the totally unique one! It was a sweet stout with definate hints of cinnamon in it. Like I said before, they definitely put their.own twist on their beers.

So if your down that way, definitely check them out! Slight parking is in the left side of the building, but mainly street parking. I can solidly say this might be my favorite little brewery in Cincy! 🙂

Have you checked them out yet in person or at Beerfest? What are your thoughts?

Mad Tree Fundraiser

On Tuesday, Mad Tree Brewery had a fundraiser to benefit the Philippines typhoon via the Red Cross. From 5-9ish or whenever people decided it was time to go, food was served by Maribelle’s and all proceeds from the beer was donated to the Red Cross.

This isn’t the only fund raising they’re doing. They’ve also got a Toys for Tots donation area set up, albeit a little unconventional, but awesome none the less

Through out the night, the amount on the giant check above the beer board was changed out to cheers and applause. It was a great night of good beer, good friends, and good food for a great cause! A total of $3100 was raised!! Well don’t beer drinkers of Cincinnati! Feel free to stop by, off Kennedy Ave in Pleasant Ridge during the week, or the weekend, and don’t forget to throw a donation for Toys for Tots above the bar while you’re at it!

Halloween

Ok, so if you don’t know me by now… I’m kind of a Halloween freak 🙂 I live for this holiday! But this year I’ve been a little off… I don’t know if it’s because I haven’t really had the money to go shopping, or maybe because my fiance has done all the grocery shopping before he goes to work. I haven’t bought a single Halloween decoration this season! Tonight that will change… just wait.

But I didn’t even decorate as much as I normally do though either. The stuff was out in like 15 minutes tops. My fall leaves are still tucked away, my big light up spiderweb isn’t in the window, cauldrons still in the box. Maybe it’s because I’ve been sick as hell all last week, with my allergies acting up the worst they’ve been since I was in jr. high! Or maybe I’ve just been so preoccupied with my house hunt that I haven’t really gotten into it. Or the wedding planning. Or maybe I didn’t have any big/new/far away haunted houses to go to and look forward to. Or maybe because I didn’t have a bunch of people to go with all the time to Kings Island for their Haunt. Who knows. But its kinda depressing.

But I did make the most of it, even in the funk I seemed to be in. Friday night was my last night doing makeup at the Springboro Haunted Hayride and Black Bog. Sad. I did have a blast making everyone all scary looking, and a few of those guys loved the blood… and I love covering people in it 😛

And after that it was off to a girls night at Kings Island! The boy tagged along long enough to go through the 2 houses he hadn’t done yet (Urgent Scare and Carnevil) I’m willing to put money on the fact that Carnevil is no longer there next year. It’s one of those trippy neon clown mazes that you’re supposed to wear 3-D glasses in… except the greedy Cedar Fair people were charging you a dollar for them! when they used to give them out and recycle them, and reuse them. 1. Not worth it for one trip through. 2. the house sucks without them. 3. going downhill like this is one of the reason I couldn’t work there anymore. All the fun was sucked out of working 😦 But we all made the most out of it, and I got to see my old co-workers, and even got a ride on Racer in and a glorious fogged filled ride on Diamondback and Beast. Where you literally could not see the track in front of you from the 2nd seat, until you were at the tops of the hills. I loved it!

The girls all trying to stay warm 😛

Saturday night was my parents annual OSU Chilifest! Its a Saturday in which the Buckeyes are out of town, in October (we had it late this year) and our backyard is full of tents and tv screens, and lawn chairs, and even a bar! Everyone brings a bowl of chili to feed the family and we combine it into one big roaster. My huge extended family comes over, all the neighbors, and even some of the old neighbors who have moved away! It’s a great crazy time full of games, a poker tournament, and normally someone in one crazy get up.

Forgive the crappy dark phone camera. But you get the idea with the huge projection screen, and another small tv, and the lights and seats and heaters, etc. And this is only half the tent...

The garage with 3 different food tables, and 2 fridges, and you can see one roaster full of chili on the right, and the fridge with tv #7 or so, has all the different games that go on during thee game.

Too many beers or jello shot, or pudding shots, or whatever the neighbors were throwing at us, made for a late morning… ok… ok, early afternoon. But then I got to help pass out candy to the trick or treaters! Yay! My youngest brother is a senior this year, so he brought up all the costumes that were in a huge basket from the basement from over the years to try to make one. I know, you’re going “But he’s a senior! He’s too old to go trick-or-treating!” Not true. Every year, since my senior year, the senior civics class has gone trick-or-treating…. for canned goods… for the food pantry 🙂 It’s a great philanthropy project, and those that want to dress up can, and about half of them do. And normally when you stop at the little old ladies houses they ask if you’re there for cans or candy… the correct response is both! I don’t know how he did, but I know I made bank in the candy dept back then!

Boo as Super-Chicken-Cow!!! and our neighbor as Super Woman. Funny thing? It was totally unplanned. Too bad they weren't in the same class to go around together.

Then it was off for home, but a stop for dinner at Applebee’s (only cause we had a gift card) and then we met some friends at Dent Schoolhouse. Dent is my 3rd favorite haunted house, after Lewisburg cave, and Haunted Hoochie in Columbus. I love that its actually haunted 🙂 And I love that they seemed to make some major changes to it, and almost made it longer? It was definitely a good time. Even if I did have a younger one trying to take my arm off 😉

"Carrie" before 😛

And then yesterday was Halloween! It’s depressing that I can’t even dress up a little bit for work 😦 It’s not like anyone else sees me! And I think it would help some people loosen up. 😛 but I instead opted to don my old prom dress and my old college homecoming tiara, nix the blood and just go with the prom queen/princess/beuty queen/whatever the kids decided I was that night. It was originally Carrie from the “Carrie” movies, but I decided to be nice to the kids. Last year I only got maybe 5 kids that made it up the hill to me. This year I totally ran out of candy in an hour. But that made me happy 🙂

Yesterday was also a great day in Ohio for another reason…

Yuengling debutes in Ohio!!

It’s such a good beer… and the four of us so should have not gotten 2 pitchers… it is interesting to see who carried it and who doesn’t last night. I figured the Molly Malone’s chain would, but nope. The tiny dive bar Gas Light Cafe in Pleasant Ridge did! (Neon’s won’t get it until tonight… booo…) and the stores won’t have it until the 14th. I believe Arnold’s has it already as well. So go, drink up, enjoy and hope everyone had a great Halloween! 🙂

I’m going to enjoy the sunshine in Disney this weekend 😉 So a few posts might bombard you.

Crazy busy weekend in Cincy

Ok so the past few weeks, I was all looking forward to this weekend, and relaxing as I had absolutely nothing planned. But now? Oh now… There is not going to be enough hours in the day to cram everything in. So if you’re like me, come, join in my insane misery 😛

Option #1:

Taste of Blue Ash

Yes this event is similar to Taste of Cincinnati, only more locally focused. Yes there will be amazing food and lots of it, but thats not the draw. The entertainment, is what I will going for. Friday @9pm is Pat Benatar, so ladies, this would be a great girls night out. Saturday @9pm is REO Speedwagon. You can find me front and center for that concert! and Sunday @7:30 is Creedance Clearwater Revisited. This is going to be my first time out, and it sounds amazing!! And best of all?! The concerts are FREE!!

 

Option #2

Brew Ha Ha

This is another first for me. But from what I hear, it involves, lots of beer, and lots of laughs. It’s held at Sawyer Point on the River, and it boasts 50 Comedians on 3 stages and 100 beers.  Friday Night @9 is Bert “The Machine” Kreischer. Again, this is where I will be. If you’ve never seen him live, or are a fan of his “Bert the Conqueror” show on Travel Channel, GO! He’s freakin hilarious! Saturday night @9:50 is Caroline Rhea. And yet again, the beer samples will cost you, but the Comedy is FREE!!

 

Option #3

Summer Music Series

Fountain Square is already one rocking place to be. Throw in Free concerts and a great urban setting, and you got yourself a party!

 

Option #4

Germania Society’s Oktoberfest

No this is not the big Oktoberfest Zinzinnati. This is the Slightly smaller, slightly more authentic Oktoberfest at Germania Park on Kemper Road. It may not be the huge drunken party, but you can make sure the liederhosen still fit from last year, and get an early start on the festivities 🙂 That and they have Spaetzel 🙂 nom!

 

Option #5

Grease at the Drive In!

Holiday Auto Theatre is located in Hamilton. If you’ve never gone, you are missing out!! Occasionally this place has good ol throw back weekends. This weekend would be one of them… kinda. The first movie is Spy Kids 4million (or something like that) @ 8:30 but then @ 10:30 They’re going old school and showing Grease! I mean if you love or hate the movie, you gotta admit it would be awesome to see it like in the movie! (Just don’t ditch your date 😉 ) Trust me, I went and saw The Wizard of Oz at 20 Century theater in Oakley thanks to Watch This, and it was magnificent to see on the big screen! Although I’m not sure if more kids/teens or more grownups will be singing along. 😛

 

Will I make it to everything? Probably not… But I will definitely be checking out Bert on Friday, and REO on Sat, and i really really wanna get out to see Grease