Brews and Miles

OK, so the title of this post sucks but I wasn't in the mood to sit around and think of a rhyming title that was catchy.


I once again was unable to meet my mileage goals for the week, but there's always next week! I'm going to get another 5 miles in tomorrow and then a long run of hopefully 10 miles on Sunday so it won't be too bad of a weekend. I'm going to drag myself out of bed early tomorrow too so I don't wilt from the humidity.

This week was busier than I anticipated mainly because I had to finally bite the bullet and book the expensive honeymoon. I have been putting this off for literally months because I didn't want to think about spending that kind of money on a single trip. However, it's one of those expenses that's really not optional and so it had to be done. Our past vacations have been self-planned expierences, and while I prefer that to pre-packaged tours, a honeymoon is different. We both had agreed that we didn't want to do much planning once we got to our final destination, and so the logical choices were a cruise or an all-inclusive resort. After doing some serious research the last week and a half and running many price comparisons, I came to the conclusion that we'd be spending the same amount for a cruise (the cruise and airfare) as we would to go to an all-inclusive. However, with tips, most alcoholic drinks, logistics and off-ship activities not included in the cruise price, the all-inclusive made the most sense. So, I booked use for a week at an all-inclusive in the Caribbean and we got a very nice deal on a Honeymoon suite with concierge service, so we aren't staying in a broom closet. It's pricey, but it'll be worth it.

And, if I pass the CFA Level I exam in December, my firm gives me $4,000 cash so that would pay for the trip by itself...no pressure!

With that done, we're one giant leap closer to finishing our wedding plans. Thank goodness! Maybe now I can concentrate more on running and training and enjoy the summer.

In other news, the last two weeks I've gotten on a root beer kick. I don't know what sparked it, honestly, but I used to hate root beer and then I LOVED it and then I got away from it (went to Sprite, then Coke, then Dr. Pepper, then Diet Coke and now favor Coke Zero) and am now back to it. I've started searching out new root beer brews wherever I can find them, although getting beyond Barq's, Mug and A&W can be tough here in Baltimore. We stock Mug at work in the kitchens, so all is not lost, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. To that end, as I try new brews, I'll post about them here, although in short order, as there's really only so much one can say about a particular root beer, no matter how good it may be. To date, here are my thoughts in brief:

Mug
Made by Pepsi Co and available everywhere. Not bad for a canned root beer that is produced by the ton. Pretty carbonated and you can really taste the corn syrup in each sip. Can be too sweet to drink more than one at a time, although I think this migh have more to do with my own tastes (I like Coke Zero because it lacks the sugary taste) than anything else. Classic root beer flavors here, but nothing remarkable and the taste quickly fades into carbonation. Overall, 5 out of 10.

IBC

Based on my limited experience, this is one of my favorites. Not too fizzy with a creamy, smooth feel and taste. Solid root beer flavoring here but not overwhelming. Solid option if you're debating between this and any of the canned stuff. 8 out of 10.

Sparky's
This is a beer brewed in California, and they've started shipping it to select markets. I found this one at a Fresh Market off of Greenspring Ave thanks to a co-worker's tip. Way too much birch spice here for my taste. It tastes like you're eating pure wintergreen flavoring. It has a nice wintergreen smell to it but that's because the flavor is overwhelming. There were hints of smoother accents in the background, but they were killed by the birch. Couldn't finish the entire bottle, sadly. 3 out of 10.

Sam's Choice Root Beer
Available at your local Wal-Mart, so basically every 3 miles or so. I bought a 12 pack on sale for $2.83 (that's about $0.24 per can!) on a lark. And you know, it wasn't half bad. Definitely better than Mug, which came as a surprise. Typical middle of the road root beer flavoring with just a tad too much carbonation. But didn't taste as much syrupy sweetness in this as I did with Mug. I could have easily had two of these in one sitting if I wanted to and not feel gross. This would be a nice third option root beer if you're at a Wal-Mart and don't want to spend $3.99 or more on Barq's, etc. Again, a very pleasant surprise here. 6 out of 10.

Frostie
Thus far, my favorite root beer. Very smooth, slightly vanilla flavor initially with no overwhelming wintergreen assault. Not a ton of carbonation, which helps the flavor linger for a while. The only downside to Frostie's is that the flavor does fade a little quicker than I'd like. But it keeps you coming back for more! Could definitely drink a few of these at a picnic, etc. Apparently you can buy this in cans from Costco, although I have yet to confirm that. If so, this would be a great staple for the fridge, as I've heard they price it at $4.00 per case! 8.5 out of 10

That's all I've hit up thus far. However, I bought bottles of Berghoff's, A.J. Stephans, Dad's Original, Stewart's and a can of Dr. Brown's at the Fresh Market to try in the coming days. I ahve to limit myself to one per day though! I'll also buy some Barq's soon to get an updated impression.

In the meantime, I will end this very long post and turning on the Nationals game, as I don't want to watch the Orioles play the crappy Pirates when I can watch my Nats try to beat lowly Seattle!