Daily totals:
- 6 miles (5mi trails/ 1mi road)
- Blue Point No Apologies (Double IPA)
- Blue Point RastafaRye (Rye Pale Ale)
ALES:
A fairly "short"day in the trails, but I'd rather run 5 miles with my dad than 50 miles by myself any day of the week. Getting my father out on the trails was especially great since he hasn't run much, or really at all, since he had surgery on his legs just one month ago. With no plans to tackle a set distance, "Big Rob" and I hit the fire roads and dirt paths at Heckscher State Park, a local spor perched on the Great South Bay with some decent trails wrapping its outer edges. With the park being so close to my home, just a 5 minute drive away, it's always served as a local escape and venue for some backyard exploration ever since I could walk. Hitting the park with pops served as a great bit of nostalgia, as we trekked over familiar grounds in a way that we haven't done as a duo ever before. Despite his recent time under the knife, his legs held up well and I so kindly pulled the mileage "trick" on him -- simply telling him he had gone only 2 miles when he was already a full 4 into the day. He likely knew I was full of it, but I was determined to pull him to a nice rounded 5 miler to round out Easter morning. In the end, we tackled the task on the trails without issue and reached that unmatched sense of freedom one finds when being out in the elements. With the morning both a success and an enjoyment, I no longer felt sorry for pulling that "mileage trick" on dad -- and to that, I say "No Apologies," which brings us to a proper beer to fit just the occasion...
ALES:
Blue Point No Apologies (Patchogue, L.I.)
10.0% ABV
That's right, NO APOLOGIES. This rare small batch Double IPA packed a punch of amazing flavor and a huge hop character, as expected with a Double or Imperial. Carmel malts balanced well with its 93 IBU and seemed to cover up its very high ABV. Blue Point is just one of many great local Long Island breweries, and is one of the closest to my house. I've tried dozens of their varieties over the years, every one of them pleasing and satisfying in their own way, but I had never tried the No Apologies D-IPA before, so it was a perfect compliment to what the day on the trails brought to my father and me: Discovering a new, unfamiliar variety together with the help of a very familiar venue/brand. And of course, what a way to break the NO IPA Lenten promise... Double style. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BREW!
Prior to having this Blue Point Imperial, my favorite Double IPA had been Ruckus Brewing's "Hoptimus Prime" (PA), but I can say with confidence that No Apologies has taken the top spot with my palate, and dad agrees. A bias towards Long Island beer over others? I say no, but if it truly is, I'm not sorry (as the beer itself notes).
**Some notable mentions (from Long Island, and our friends from beyond borders):
- Blue Point Rastafa Rye (7.5% ABV, a fantastic and strong Rye Pale Ale, with Bob Marley on the label)
- Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA (7.2% ABV, an incredibly well-balanced and happily hoppy serving from this San Diego, CA brewery)
- Firestone Walker Wookey Jack (8.3% ABV, one of THE BEST Black Rye IPAs out there. Full of flavor, with a nice carmel-flavored and colored head that satisfies even the most stubborn palates)
**Day 3 of the Trails & Ales Tour ahead, but it's sure to be a condensed version thanks to METS OPENING DAY -- Next stop: CITI FIELD!
Happy Trails & Hoppy Ales, folks.
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