Once More 'Round the Sun We Go Again..

Ugh, apologies for not getting this post up yesterday! It was a long day of grocery shopping, work, working out... and, oh yes, the first day of the semester. I've only got one class on Tuesday/Thursday and two back-to-back ones Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, but with the new semester comes a whole new set of logistics and scheduling woes, trying to balance school with work and hobbies and sleep...
So we'll talk about two beers tonight!

Last night, I drank yet another great beer from North Peak, specifically, their Dubious dark chocolate stout. This wintertime beer was delicious and had a strong chocolate nose and flavor! I should really consider making a trip to Traverse City to tour North Peak's facility, as they are quickly becoming one of my favorite breweries.

I also took a detour before class yesterday and stopped by Strange Donuts (the Kirkwood location) to pick up some donuts to share with my US/Middle East History class. This is the first time this particular history course has been offered at STLCC, and I'm incredibly excited to be part of it!

Today, I went to my first math class of the semester, as well as Public Speaking. I've done my fair share of speaking to the public, but mostly via Rolla radio airwaves. I'm still a little shaky around addressing large groups of people. Hopefully this class will help me get past that!
I was stuck late at the lab learning how to do some science, so I didn't get to go to Cicero's tonight for beer school. Good news is, I made myself another batch of Sriracha-Maple Oyster Crackers and popped my bottle of Excel's 2nd Anniversary Brew!

Wow. What a great beer! As it warms, the coconut notes (coconotes? No?) really shine through. Excellent choice. I didn't do much research into this beer, but in a classic case of judging a book by its cover, I impulse-bought it due to the kick-ass tattoo-inspired label art!

I'm hoping to go on a Western IL Craft Beer Day Trip soon, with stops at Excel and at a brewery I just found out about, Little Egypt.

That wraps up this post- I'm getting excited for the weekend! The OG Trivia night is going to be an awesome time, and I'm looking forward to spending my Sunday at Urban Chestnut for Wolpertinger- Expect a full write-up of that Monday afternoon! Be sure to check back late next week for details about a giveaway I'll be doing in February!