Hangover Thursday: Choklat

It’s Hangover Thursday, how’s your head? I’ve been putting in some heavy duty hours aboard the Normandy lately, defending the universe from Reapers and all that. I’ve still been able to some time in at the new World of Beer in my area though. At the bar I’ve had a few old favorites, but I’ve been trying some new things too. Without a doubt my favorite has been Southern Tier Brewing Company’s Choklat Stout.

Served in a sifter you can smell this beer as soon as it is placed in front of you. It has this rich, chocolate smell that sets the tone for the rest of the experience. It pours nice and black, like you’ve got a glass of coffee in front of you. That smell carries over into the taste. It’s a smooth drink that has a bit of a bitter after taste, but that is to be expected with an Imperial Stout.

All that chocolate is hiding a real knockout punch too, an abv of 11%. You could do some damage if you were knocking these back quickly. You want to take your time and enjoy this beer; it’s worth your time. Southern Tier has two more stouts I need to track down. One is a coffee stout and the other mixes the Java and Choklat. I’m sure you’ll be hearing about it when I try them.

Max Overacts On Sale Now!

Max Overacts, the fantastic webcomic created by Caanan Grall is something we’ve talked about a lot on this site. We call Caanan an honorary member of team F’ing Monkey because he is the person who designed our mascot Punch. That means anything Caanan puts out, I’m going to promote as much as I possibly can.

Way back in August I had pointed everyone towards the fundraising page so Caanan could print the first volume of Max comics. If you donated enough to get a book, you’re in luck. The books have left the printer and should start shipping sometime in Mid-March. If you didn’t donate during the fundraiser, you can go to the Occasional Comics store and pre-order your copy now!

In case you can’t tell, I feel pretty strongly about this book. If you haven’t read any of Max Overacts, check out the Occasional Comics website. I honestly can’t imagine anyone not wanting a collected edition after they start reading it.

Gone Reaper Hunting!

It’s time to take back the Earth!  Mass Effect 3 is out today.

If you see this image then one of three things is currently happening:

1. I’m currently taking the fight to the Reapers and gathering galactic allies.

2. I’m currently responding to a global threat in co-op with my Engineer. If this is what I’m doing, there is a good chance I’m also yelling “Go for the eyes Boo!” as I launch my Combat Drone.

3. After playing since I got back from the midnight release, I’ve fallen asleep. If the Galaxy Map still plays the same music while you are in it, it is very possible I’ve fallen asleep while looking at what planet to travel to next.

Doth Marcellus Of Wallace Resemble A Wench?

Quentin Tarantino is often said to write dialog well. Sometimes he goes way overboard, I am looking at you "Death Proof". William Shakespeare is even more well know for a mastery of words. When a clever person combines the two you end up with pure spun gold.




I know that is a long clip, but well worth your time.

I also have a bit of site news. Ken and I did a test recording for That F'ing Monkey Podcast. We still need to work out a kink or two, but you can look forward to listening to our dulcet tones in the very near future.

As always Let Your F'ing Voice Be Heard in the comments, Facebook, or hit the Contact Us button.

Under the Gun

I’ll be the first to admit that my musical tastes are spread all over the map. I also tend to fall in love with bands that tend to dissolve after an album or two (you have no idea how much I’d love another Famous Monsters CD). For some reason punk songs with a female singer really seem to put me in a happy place. I can’t explain it really; and it doesn’t matter if it is pop-punk or hardcore. It just makes me smile.

I’ve been smiling a lot this week because I just got the new Tijuana Sweetheart CD in the mail. Under the Gun is third full album by the band and I can happily report that it kicks ass. If you’re unfamiliar with Tijuana Sweetheart you may have heard of them when they were Vagiant, or Vagiant Boston. They are responsible for the songs “FTK” and “Seven” in Guitar Hero and Rock Band.

There is some experimenting with styles on Under the Gun. Some of the songs have more of a poppy sound and then the next has a solid metal feel. There are harmonies coming through that weren’t there on the other two albums. The band’s sense of fun hasn’t gone anywhere. Seriously, you can’t hear an amped up version of the Heathcliff cartoon theme and not smile.

Also there is a cover of “Astrozombies.” I know, I know, another Misfit cover. Don’t worry about that. It’s amazing. Like slow dancing with your sweetheart at a 50’s soda fountain. You’ll understand when you hear it. So go check the girls out and get some new music. Of course if this is the first time you're hearing about them, don't forget their first two albums Public Display of Infection and Trash Candy.

Flash Friday: Flash Tots

Happy Flash Friday everyone! Today we are going back to the land of fast food toys. You may have already heard that Sonic is giving away plush tater tots dressed like superheroes in their kid’s meals. You didn’t misread that, plush tater tots dressed like superheroes. I was very lucky that my wife went to Sonic the first day of the promotion and had the workers digging through the boxes for a Flash Tot.

So here we have the Flash tot. The design of it seems to be based on the Justice League cartoon. The ear wings and the Flash symbol are very similar to the designs used in that show. It doesn’t show up extremely well in the picture, but the body is actually textured with tiny rough patches, to make it better resemble a tater tot. The Flash Tot has legs but no arms. Actually all of the tots are set up that way. It’s a strange design choice but very cute.

The plush tots are pretty tiny, I’ve used my Kapow! Flash for a sense of scale here. This probably works to their advantage though, I’m pretty sure part of the charm is the size. The rest of the line is pretty Superman centric. There is Clark Kent, Superman, Supergirl, and the only villain in the line Bizzaro. Tots not belonging to the Super-family are Wonder Woman, Martian Manhunter, Hawkgirl, Aquaman, and Plastic Man. Look out though, because there is also a pack of trading cards.

There isn’t a whole lot you can say about a plush tater tot dressed like the Flash, so this week’s Flash Friday is a pretty short one. Have a great weekend everyone.

Hangover Thursday: Man Tables

It’s Hangover Thursday, how’s your head? Mine is currently clear. I had planned to go drinking last night but there was a last minute switch-a-roo and it looks like I’ll be going out for drinks tonight. That’s okay though, I need my wits about me this morning because we’re doing this Hangover Thursday like mother fucking gentlemen. Today we’re talking about a piece of furniture that will keep you within arm’s reach of your favorite beer without looking like you live in a frat house.

Enter the Man Table. Man Tables take Amish crafted end tables and turn them into beer coolers. This is something important people. This is a level of sophistication far above the beer fridge out in the garage or on the patio. This is a stylish piece of furniture right next to your favorite couch or recliner. This is no one but you knowing you have a six pack chilled and ready whenever you want it.

I’m seriously impressed with this idea. The table comes in three finishes; Tobacco, Espresso, and Black. They’ll also run you between 329 and 359. When looking at that figure it is important to remember that the price includes the refrigerator. Some of the mini-fridges I’ve looked at come close to that cost by themselves.

Since I don’t own one of these masterpieces, I’ve shamelessly used pictures from their own gallery. Make sure you go to their website and check them out for yourself. I’ve got to go figure out how to convince my wife we need a new end table.