Last evening was wonderful. I held my first soccer practice of the new season and then just had time to race home, shower, and jump in the preacher's van to head over to the beer tasting at Double Dave's.
I've got some cool little kids playing soccer with us this time. Kevin and Jackson return from the spring season. With mid-November birthdays, they're the oldest ones on the team. In addition we have Kevin's good friend Micah, another strong player called Trey, and Aubrey, a ready little girl who only turned four in mid-June. Aubrey comes from a soccer family. Her dad, Sean, will be my official assistant coach this time out. We also have a little girl named Crystal on our team, however, she got spooked and sat on the sidelines for last night's training session.
I was much more at ease with running a training session this time out. It was nice to be well equipped and ready to go from the beginning. Like the old-time-radio Camel cigarette ads said, "Experience is the best teacher." I had goals, extra balls, extra shin guards, lots of cones and a sense of what to expect from this age group. I forgot my whistle. But this actually provided one less distraction. (Getting to blow the whistle is a treat to four-year-olds.)
Aubrey had to go to the restroom just before scrimmage time, so we played 2v2. She didn't have shin guards yet (I had already lent out my two extra sets when she got there) so that was just as well. These boys played aggressive ball. We're starting from quite a nice baseline. I have hopes of actually getting some marginal advances from them in the next nine weeks.
The beer tasting at DoubleDave's PizzaWorks was decadent and glorious. For twenty-two bucks a head, this was a super gastronomical delight.
We began with a milk stout from the new Texas brewery, Left Hand. This smooth creamy sweet beverage was complemented by portobello mushroom and brisket pizza with a barbecue sauce. Next we made a jump to real highbrow: St. Bernardus Brewery's Watou Tripel with caramelized onion and asparagus alfredo pizza. The tripel was my favorite beer of the evening: light, crisp, clean, and yummy. Both of these first two pizzas were superb.
We took a little break from food and enjoyed our first Lindeman's lambic of the evening: the Cassis. This beer was currant based and as sour as it was sweet. Gordon, who was driving and not generally imbibing, really liked this one and Tim, happily got him another glass since it has less alcohol than a domestic light beer.
Next up was Tim's favorite of the night: Great Divide's Double IPA. Tim isn't a big fan of sweet. I'm not a big fan of bitter. This, the beer with the highest alcohol content of the night, was served with a "Turkey Fiesta" pizza. A competent pizza, but not as rich and artery hardening as the first couple.
We finished the evening with Lindeman's Framboise lambic. This is the popular raspberry drink that Lexie enjoyed at the Map Room in Chicago while I suffered through a Rochefort 10 and a DeKonick. A peach tart-like dessert pizza accompanied this final sweet beer.
The crowd apparently drank the store out of the Lindeman's Cassis, but Gordon bought a couple of bottles of the Framboise to take home and share with his wife. I just took home happy feelings of good will toward all.
Posted to Family and Home at August 31, 2005 7:12 AMSounds like a great afternoon and evening. Soccer Goals, $$$$, Pylons, $, soccer balls, $$. A neat field of players and an excellent group of friends, Priceless. Glad you enjoed ur evening. OOpps that should have been under heir lurning.
Posted by: mike mcjilton at September 1, 2005 7:15 PM