The Sporting Brews

Review of Kirkland IPA

When you are thinking beer you probably aren’t thinking that Kirkland, the brand that gives you generic food and beverages from Costco. However, they do offer their own line of beers. I didn’t know what to expect when I poured this beer. It poured nicely with a foamy head. It had a cloudy orange color with a hint of caramel. The head was robust and foamy. Aromatically it smelled of hops and something else I am hard-pressed to place.

Upon first sip one does notice the hops, as one would expect with an India Pale Ale. It leaves a hoppy aftertaste as almost all IPAs do. The foam laces the glass and the top of the beer is covered in a little foam that entices the appetite as you look at it.

There is a slight fruity flavor that hits the tongue just before the hops come in. The hops are present, as one would expect with an IPA but is doesn’t overwhelm. The hops taste stays with you even after you swallow but still maintain a subtleness that is pleasant among IPAs.

Each sip is consistent in aroma and taste. There is a nice, level carbonation that doesn’t dissipate as you drink the beer. As the beer drinks it does get a little smoother as the carbonation wears off but the flavor remains the same. I find myself trying to place the slight fruitiness and coming up short with each sip.

Honestly, I came into this with low expectations. That was a mistake on my part. This beer has exceeded every expectation I had. When you factor in price and combine it with taste you actually have a solid beer which I didn’t expect. This beer is 6.9% ABV so it does pack some kick. I have to warn because this is the kind of beer you can drink too much of too quickly. It is just a solid beer that you might not seek out on a regular basis but when you combine price and taste you will find yourself buying this again.

Why Saquon Barkley Was The Right Choice For The Giants

While it’s true that when building a football team the most important position on the field is the quarterback, the old adage is when you have a very high pick you draft on talent over need. You simply put take the best player on your board and the Giants did just that. They had such conviction that general manager Dave Gettleman said he would have put the pick in 30 seconds into their allotted ten minutes if he could have. Everyone from coach Pat Shurmur to owner John Mara were convinced they were picking the right guy.

When the Giants traded for Alec Ogletree and gave up picks to do it many questioned why if they were in rebuilding mode. After all if you’re in a rebuilding mode you usually try to acquire picks not trade them away. Then the Giants signed left tackle Nate Solder away from the Patriots by giving him the most money for an offensive lineman in the league. At that point, it was clear the Giants were trying to win again.

With the Giants believing 37 year old quarterback Eli Manning has years left in him, it makes sense to give him the most talent around him doesn’t it? That’s where Saquon Barkley the human highlight reel comes in. If there was a such thing as a perfect prospect, its Barkley. This kid can literally do it all; run the ball, line up as a slot wide receiver, line up as an outside wide receiver, catch passes out of the backfield and oh yeah he can block like an offensive lineman. He literally can do it all. Also, by all accounts he is a great person with no character issues something the Giants have ran into the last couple of seasons with some draft picks.

Some will say that betting on a 37 year old quarterback is the wrong thing to do, and they could end up having a point. However, if you’re going to take a few more shots with Eli you have to put the best talent around him, that according to almost every board was Barkley.

Finally, whether its Eli Manning, Davis Webb, or some other future QB, when they take the field, they will have the likes of Odell Beckham JR, Sterling Shepard, Evan Engram and now Saquon Barkley. The good thing about it is Barkley is 21 and will be here for at least 6 years (2 franchise years). He isn’t just a “win now” move no he will also be around for the next quarterback whoever that is. In the meantime, the Giants whether right or wrong still believe in Eli Manning. It’s been said that part of Eli’s problem was not only the offensive line, but the threat of a running game. The Giants haven’t had even a good running game since Tiki Barber. What the Giants did this Thursday night is give Eli Manning what many believe was missing; the threat of a running game. They did that by taking the best overall talent in the draft in Saquon Barkley.

Goose Island Goose Honkers Ale Review

Goose Island’s Goose Honkers Ale is an interesting blend of hops and malt that plays between the lines. It poured solid with a consistent, foamy head. It did start to dissipate rather quickly but I might lean towards blaming my glass on this one. It advertises a “fruity hop aroma” and a “rich malt middle.”

You will definitely notice a fruity hop aroma. I have a hard time placing the fruit, however. Is it pear? Apple? Maybe a combination of the two? It is pleasant and subtle and compliments the beer well. The hops are present and offer themselves in a polite way to your taste buds. They don’t overwhelm but rather introduce themselves. There is a distinct malt middle. It is very smooth and the bitter and plays well with the hoppy fruit aroma and leading sip.

The carbonation is well balanced in the beginning. It loses a little of its carbonation as the beer drinks but not much. There is a little lacing on the glass and on the top of the beer. I will say the top lace is a little sexy as it covers just enough to leave something to the imagination but reveals just enough to entice you if your imagination is lacking on that day.

This is a pleasant beer. If you are a fan of IPAs but are tired of being assaulted by hops then you might like this as a change of pace without completely taking the hops away. If you aren’t a fan of IPAs then there is probably a 50/50 shot you will like this beer. If you buy a six-pack these would be a great way to break up the monotony of your average Joe beer.

Personally, I can’t drink a lot of these. However, I did enjoy this beer. It was a hoppy, malty, slightly fruity delight. I would buy a six-pack of this but might not commit to a 12-pack. Goose Island has made an enjoyable beer that can be enjoyed in the summer, fall, winter, or spring.

Shiner Black Lager Review

If you like black or dark lagers then Shiner’s Black Lager might be right up your alley. It definitely lives up to its name. It pours dark, looking black in color with a tan, foamy head. One does note hints of coffee and chocolate as they smell it. There is also a malty undertone as well.

As you take your first sip this tastes as it looks and smells. There are subtle coffee and chocolate notes with a smooth, slightly bitter malty finish. Neither the coffee or chocolate taste take over. It is well balanced and delightful. The head dissipates fairly quickly and there was almost zero lacing on my glass as I drank. There was, however, a nice ring around my glass at the top of the beer.

The carbonation in this beer is not overwhelming. In fact, this is a smooth beer, slightly more carbonated than a Guinness but in line with other beers of its class. You really only get the carbonation on the finish as it sits really light in the mouth.

This is a beer that delivered exactly what I wanted it to. I expected exactly what I was given and this is perfect in my book. This isn’t a beer for everyone but if you enjoy your darker, malty beers this will be worth a try. This would pair well with German food or even some fish and chips.

As the beer drinks it doesn’t lose its consistency. It maintains its carbonation level as you sip, and the aromatics stay consistent. This beer was just as good at its last sip as it was on its first. This is just a pleasant beer if you enjoy your darker beers and Shiner Black Lager is definitely worth the try.

Debunking The Myths Against Quarterback Josh Rosen

After the 2017 season, the consensus among scouts was that quarterbacks Sam Darnold of USC and Josh Rosen of UCLA would be the consensus top two picks in the 2018 NFL draft. Here we are, just about 24 hours before the draft in Arlington and now its believed that Rosen could slip while other quarterbacks such as Josh Allen and Baker Mayfield go in the top 5. What exactly has changed? The stigma from the media and the teams that might be buying into it. What are the knocks on Josh Rosen? They are leadership abilities, size, and injury history while in college.

The first one is very important in the NFL, without you being able to command your team every Sunday, you have no chance of being a franchise quarterback at the next level. The question we have to ask ourselves is why does the media consider Rosen unable to lead though? Is it because he asks questions (he’s smart) and wants to know reasons for some things? Is it because football has a shelf life and therefore isn’t the most important thing in the world to him? Is it because his family is rich so he has something to fall back on after football? By all accounts Rosen is a brilliant individual who sees the game better than any quarterback in this draft class. Has the world become so scared of “millennials” that they would steer clear of them at every turn, especially on the football field? Is that what the world is becoming today? Rosen’s former coaches have raved about his ability to lead his teammates and by all accounts was a fantastic teammate.

The next one is size, we’ve heard it for months and months on end that Josh Allen is a “freak” and he has the prototypical build that scouts look for in a QB or that Baker Mayfield is only 6 feet tall and too short to be a successful QB and that Darnold has no questions about his size. Did you ever really look at the differences between Sam Darnold and Josh Rosen though? The “freak” that people call Josh Allen is 6 feet 5 inches tall and 240 pounds, but what about Sam Darnold who has the size but Josh Rosen doesn’t? Believe it or not, Darnold is 6’3″ 220 while Josh Rosen the one that is questioned about his size is 6’4″ 218 pounds, and their hand size is also pretty much a wash there as well. Is it because Rosen is two pounds less than Darnold he doesn’t have the size that Darnold does?

The last one is his injury history in college where he’s suffered a few concussions. First, let me ask you, name a quarterback in any level that hasn’t suffered some kind of concussion in college. Josh Allen the “freak” has had a broken clavicle in his collegiate career, you know the same injury that Tony Romo suffered and was pretty much never the same player again? Baker Mayfield has also experienced two (that are documented) concussions in college but yet the knock on him is his height in the NFL but not his durability? Does there not seem like there’s some kind of bias against Rosen because he’s a smart guy who likes to ask questions and perhaps because he’s a “millennial” that today supposedly don’t have the same worth ethic?

There are no questions around the league or media about Rosen’s talent. They all say he’s the most pro ready quarterback in the NFL draft. They also say he’s the most polished passer coming out of college since Andrew Luck. They say there’s nothing wrong with his footwork and throwing motion that he could step into a NFL team Week 1. So while there are some concerns against Josh Rosen that I have outlined here, there are different concerns with the other quarterbacks in this draft. For instance, the concern in Josh Allen is that he hasn’t had a better than 57% completion percentage in any part of his playing career. The concern in Sam Darnold is that he has been a turnover machine throughout his collegiate career and doesn’t have the footwork or throwing motion at the moment to be a NFL quarterback right away. There are flaws in absolutely every quarterback in this draft class yet Rosen seems to be the one targeted the most when I read mock drafts and scouting reports, and articles about the draft class. Ask yourself this question, if all the quarterbacks have flaws in this draft class, doesn’t it makes sense to take the quarterback that most scouts believe has the most talent in this draft class? That by all accounts is Josh Rosen.

DaeSean Hamilton Would Be Great Fit With New York Giants

The New York Giants own the number two pick in the 2018 NFL Draft and so far almost all of the attention has been paid to that pick. Will it be a quarterback? Saquon Barkley? Will it be a trade? However, the Giants are in a great position to add solid depth in the later rounds as well. They currently own six picks, all in the first five rounds including two in the third round, the second and fifth picks in the third.

GM Dave Gettleman will have a lot of good options to choose from. This draft is fairly deep and there is a lot of talent that could fall into the Giants’ laps, especially in the third round. One name that might be called is Penn State wide receiver DaeSean Hamilton.

The wide receiver position isn’t exactly a huge position of need for the Giants but there is certainly a lack of depth at the position. Odell Beckham, Jr. is coming off an injury that cost him all but the first three games. Sterling Shepard was also banged up last season but showed progress in his second year. Evan Engram was a pleasant surprise at tight end and should be the third option in the passing game. After that, however, there is a lot of question marks and unproven commodities.

The Giants met with Hamilton several times prior to the Draft and every report has been positive about him. He is a solid individual in the locker room, a leader, and would fit perfectly into the type of player the Giants are looking for after last season’s turmoil in the locker room.

Hamilton would be an intriguing option in the slot or outside. He might be better suited for the slot as he has shown a fantastic ability to catch the ball in traffic. He will jump and fight for the ball, which seems like something that needs to be a prerequisite with the Giants these days. He isn’t a great prospect per se but he is a well-rounded one in a draft that lacks a lot of elite talent at WR. There is a chance that someone could take him in the third, or maybe even earlier as things can get crazy once the draft starts.

Hamilton stands in at 6’1” and 203 lbs and had a solid 4.52 40-yard dash during Penn State’s Pro Day. The 40-yard dash time isn’t eye-popping but it isn’t exactly awful either. One of the knocks on Hamilton was that he lacked elite speed and it seems like he always ran the speed during games. However, he can elude tackles once he has the ball and is not an easy tackle. He will fight for that extra yard. He has a drive and hunger inside of him that can’t be measured at a Combine or Pro Day. Call me crazy but he could be one of the better receivers in the game if he keeps that drive.

There is no doubt the Giants need depth at the position. Whether or not they address it in the draft is another matter. However, word is the Giants love Hamilton and there is enough talent and certainly football instinct there to warrant spending a pick on him. He would complement the Giants’ passing game and he could surprise people and emerge as a true star at the position.

Chicago Bears Sitting In Great Spot Heading Into 2018 NFL Draft

With the 2018 NFL Draft just a day away there are few teams in as good as of a position as the Chicago Bears. The Bears, who own the eighth pick, should benefit from many of the teams ahead of them needing quarterbacks and be able to grab a top talent that otherwise would have come off the board.

The Cleveland Browns and New York Jets are definitely taking quarterbacks. The Buffalo Bills want one but would have to trade ahead of the Bears if they want a realistic shot at getting one they really love. The Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos might just accommodate them. Then there are the wild cards like the Broncos and the Giants who may or may not take one.

This draft is looking better and better for the Bears. Even if the Giants don’t take a quarterback and instead take Saquon Barkley, the Bears still benefit. Their target is most likely on the defensive side of the ball and they should be able to pick from all but one or two of the best prospects in this draft on that side of the ball.

Bradley Chubb should be taken no later than fourth overall. It is possible Denzel Ward could go to the Colts at six. That might be it. That could leave the Bears with a linebacker like Tremaine Edmunds or Roquan Smith or a defensive back like Ward, Minkah Fitzpatrick, or Derwin James. They could also add offensive line help in the form of Quenton Nelson and offer Mitch Trubisky a little protection.

The Bears could also find themselves in the position to trade down. The Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, and Bills are all looking to move up for QB help. If one of the so-called Big Four are still there then all bets are off. The Bears could be offered a ton in exchange for their spot and could fill several holes this season.

Few teams are in as sweet of a spot as the Bears. They have what they hope is their franchise QB in Trubisky. They have a good running back. They have an emerging defense. They are adding the finishing touches before really competing in the NFC North and challenging for the playoffs. Ryan Pace couldn’t have drawn it up much better for his team.

New York Giants Might Be Better Off Without Saquon Barkley

The NFL Draft will finally begin tomorrow and we can begin to put an end to the speculation that has been rampant for the last few months. The New York Giants, who will pick second tomorrow barring a trade, have been rumored to be in love with Saquon Barkley and almost every mock draft in recent weeks has them taking the Penn State running back. That could be a huge mistake.

This is nothing against Barkley. He is a great kid and an outstanding running back. He should have a bright future in the NFL. This is just a potentially foolish move by the Giants if they do decide to go this route.

There is a reason running backs don’t usually go high in the draft. Last year we saw Leonard Fournette get taken fourth overall by the Jacksonville Jaguars. He would help lead them to the playoffs, along with an outstanding defense that took years and several high draft picks to assemble, but he averaged just 3.9 YPC. Kareem Hunt, taken in the third round last year by the Kansas City Chiefs, led the NFL in rushing with 1,327 yards and averaged a full yard more per carry.

Todd Gurley finished second in the NFL in rushing yardage. Gurley, who was picked tenth overall in 2015 just after Ereck Flowers, had a bounce back year after the St Louis Rams overhauled their offensive line. Gurley averaged 4.7 YPC, up from 3.2 in 2016. He finished with 1,305 yards on 279 carries which was a drastic improvement over his 885 yards on 278 carries in 2016. Even great running backs need an offensive line to run behind.

Ezekiel Elliott was taken fourth overall by the Dallas Cowboys in 2016. He would lead the NFL in rushing as a rookie with 1,631 yards and scored an eye-opening 15 touchdowns. He also ran behind arguably the best offensive line in football, a line that took a step back due to injury and free agency in 2017. Elliott managed 983 yards and seven touchdowns on 242 carries. His YPC dropped from 5.1 to 4.1. It is worth noting that in 2015 Darren McFadden finished fourth in the NFL in rushing with 1089 yards and averaged 4.6 YPC. He has all but disappeared since then and has carried the football just 25 times for a total of 85 yards. It also should be noted that DeMarco Murray led the NFL in rushing in 2014 with 1,845 yards running behind the Dallas offensive line. What this proves is you need a good offensive line and Elliott can’t be used a measuring stick for the Giants and Barkley.

Something else to be considered is the price. If the Giants nab Barkley at second overall they are looking at a cap hit of around $5.7 million in the first year. That would make Barkley the eighth-highest paid running back in the NFL. Running backs just don’t get paid in the NFL these days for a number of reasons. Using that $5.7 million on a quarterback, for example, would make them around the 30th-highest paid QB in the NFL. The same would go for DE. Those two positions are premium positions along with left tackles. They get paid after their rookie contracts are up. Good cap management would dictate the Giants spend their money more wisely especially since all of the failed drafts by Jerry Reese have forced the Giants to use free agency as a way of staying in contention, a process that has seen the Giants make the playoffs once since 2011.

GM Dave Gettleman is kind of stuck between a rock and hard place. Eli Manning is 37. The Giants were 11-5 and made the playoffs in 2016. Drafting Barkley would give the Giants a dynamic weapon in the backfield that they have lacked for years, since Tiki Barber really. Barkley would help the Giants’ offense stay on the field, which in turn keeps the defense fresh. Last season, a huge issue for the Giants was sustaining drives. It often felt like if they didn’t go three-and-out it was a victory. The defense suffered and faded as games wore on. Barkley would certainly help that. However, so too would a number of running backs. An improved offensive line would help keep the Giants on the field as much as a running back would. Giving Manning time to throw and opening holes for Wayne Gallman or a second round pick like Sony Michel or Nick Chubb could have a similar impact for the Giants.

In today’s NFL you need to get the most bang for your buck. The salary cap drives this game. Money has to be spent wisely and teams depend on the draft more and more. Thanks to Reese, the Giants are behind the curve. They lack depth. They have some star talent but depth, especially along the defensive and offensive front, has been lacking terribly in recent years. There is a reason this team was 3-13 and is picking second. There is a reason the Giants’ draft classes disappear from the team after their rookie deals, and sometimes disappear from the NFL altogether. If the Giants chase the pipedream that they are a Super Bowl contender right now they might set the team back another few years and add to the misery. It is certainly a slippery slope.

There is no doubt that Barkley is a great talent. He would need to be given his position and the money he would be paid. He would need to be considering that if the Giants take him they would be passing up great talent, potentially Hall of Fame talent, in order to grab him. Maybe I’m wrong here. Maybe Barkley is the missing link for the Giants and changes the dynamic of this team. It is doubtful but possible. He would need to be great right off the bat. He would need to be a weapon on the ground and through the air. He would need give the Giants the most bang for their buck and in today’s NFL that might just be impossible.

The Best Trade Brian Cashman Has Made

yankees15 — against the at Yankee Stadium on September 27, 2016 in the Bronx borough of New York City.

Over their illustrious history, the New York Yankees have had their fair share of great infielders. Names like Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano, Phil Rizzuto and even Alex Rodriguez come to mind, three of those were shortstops (although Alex Rodriguez played 3rd base for the Yankees). Who would have guessed that when Brian Cashman acquired a 24-year-old unproven shortstop from Amsterdam, Netherlands in December of 2014 at the request of Gene Michael who was instrumental in the Yankees dynasty runs of the late 90s through the early 2000s, he would become the best trade Brian Cashman has made in his history? A history that included trades for guys like Scott Brosius, David Justice, Alex Rodriguez, Aroldis Chapman, and many others.

The year is 2014, Yankees icon and future hall of famer Derek Jeter had just retired, the Yankees were in need of a shortstop to take over for him. In December of 2014, general manager Brian Cashman dealt starting pitching prospect Shane Greene in a three-way trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks and Detroit Tigers. Gregorius, who was by all accounts a wizard defensively but had questions with the bat, mainly would hit against right-handed pitching. Gregorius was coming off a season where he hit .227 with six HRs and 27 RBI in 80 games with Arizona, there was talk of platooning him with Brendan Ryan as he struggled to hit left-handed pitching.

Over his first season with the Yankees, Didi improved from his previous season with the Diamondbacks when he hit .265, with nine home runs and 56 RBI, hardly what anyone would expect from the Yankees shortstop, but fans at the time were spoiled by having Derek Jeter man that position since 1996 through the 2014 season in which the Yankees won five World Series championships. However, over the following two seasons, Didi hit 45 homers (22.5 per year) and drove in 157 runs (78.5) and his hitting improved abundantly vs left-handed pitching. As a matter of fact, Gregorius became a better hitter vs left-handed pitching than right-handed pitching. The Yankees had their next long-term shortstop, the power that scouts said Didi would one day develop had arrived and the glove was still as good as ever. Furthermore, Didi is just now entering his prime age of baseball years at 28-years-old, so there’s a good chance he can become an even better player and he’s off to a heck of a start in the 2018 season to prove that.

The start of the 2018 season has started even better for Didi, he leads all Major Leaguers in RBI with 27 through his first 22 games, and has already hit eight HRs along with a .358 average and a 1.229 OPS. He is also first on the Yankees in home runs despite having monster sluggers such as Gary Sanchez, Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. He’s on pace to have a season better than 2016 in which he hit 25 home runs and drove in 87 despite missing the first month of the season.

When you factor in the scouting it took to predict , the minimal return that Brian Cashman had to give up, the pressure of having to fill Derek Jeter’s shoes, and the production he has given the Yankees over the last two seasons, as well as the start he’s off to in 2018 its pretty clear that not only do the Yankees have their long-term shortstop in Gregorius but it will possibly go down as the best trade made by general manager Brian Cashman.

5 New York Yankees Players You Would Love To Have a Beer With

There was a time when the New York Yankees were known for their drinking and rowdy ways. Well, at the time they weren’t known for it because the media kept it quiet back then but these days we know all about the Billy Martin, Mickey Mantle, and Whitey Ford stories and those teams. However, the Yankees underwent a bit of culture change when George Steinbrenner took over. To be sure, there were still some big drinkers with the team but things seemed to calm down a bit. There were still some good stories though and a few interesting personalities. These are some of those Yankees from 1990 to the present that you would probably love to have a beer with. Just a note here, we don’t condone heavy drinking or abusing alcohol.

David Cone – Cone had quite the history of heading out to the bars and clubs when he was with the New York Mets. When he came to the Yankees though things got a little quiet. But Cone was still heading out and getting his partying in. Now that he is retired and doing broadcasts he will hint at his lifestyle every now and then. He even mentioned doing a bar crawl during a YES broadcast this season. That is one night we would love to be a part of.

Wade Boggs – Boggs is well known for his habit of eating chicken but is also known for his ability to pound quite a few beers. Jeff Nelson once said that Boggs could pound at least 50 beers in a single trip, which he said would take up to seven hours from stadium to stadium, to the West Coast. Paul Sorrento, who played with Boggs in Tampa Bay put the number closer to 70. Boggs himself has said on numerous occasions he has had over 100 beers in a single night. It doesn’t matter if those stories are true. He obviously can put them away. We won’t be able to keep pace but if you are starting a team for Beerfest or looking for a partner in a drinking game then Boggs would be your man.

Jason Giambi – There have been reports that Giambi would have a beer with a teammate or two while in the dugout. You can just look at Giambi and know he probably isn’t far from a beer and is probably a blast at the bar. While these are just unconfirmed rumors there are a lot of stories out there from every team about drinking habits, including during the game. Is it really that shocking that these guys would grab a beer or two?

Roger Clemens – Clemens, according to the rumors mentioned above with Giambi, was often the teammate Giambi was sharing a beer with in the dugout. Clemens has been known to have a beer or two. As long as you don’t make Clemens mad he seems like he would be fun to have a beer with. He certainly has some great stories to share.

David Wells – Everyone knows the story about the night before his perfect game. Reports say he was hungover that day. That wouldn’t be surprising. There were enough snippets of stories to come out about the celebration of the perfect game to let everyone know that Wells can have a few. Wells has to be a lot of fun at the bar and probably has a million great stories. He also looks like he is a professional corn hole player so he might be good to have on your team.