Wire rack to hold your beer firmly in your chicken's ass!

Last night on the Television, I saw an ad for one of those trendy “Beer Can” chicken devices. I’m sure you’ve seen them. It’s a wire rack that holds your chicken upright and holds a can of beer in the middle.

The theory is that you open a can of beer and set the chicken down onto the rack then grill it. The steam from the beer is supposed to flavor the chicken from “The Inside” and hopefully your grill gets hot enough to cook the top of the bird.

With people having such a fit over some of the chemicals and processes that American Agriculture puts into their food, I find it hard to believe anyone could think this is safe!

Beer cans are lined with plasticizers to prevent the aluminum can from giving you Alzheimer's, and they are painted! Doesn’t that sound like something you want in your food?

They work great for what they are intended to do, which is hold and dispense COLD beer! What would make anyone think that it is a good idea to heat them is beyond me!

Image from Frank's Red Hot!

I suppose that the idea is sound, and may produce a chicken that’s pretty tasty! But this strikes me as a seriously bad idea! Especially since some of us may have a beer or two or three before the chicken goes on the grill in the evening, and may not be thinking 100% clearly when we decide to add smoked paint, plasticizers and whatever other chemicals the hot alcohol vapors can strip from the can to our food.

If you think I’m just being an overly cautious little sally, grab a can of beer and a torch. Heat it up, breath in the smoke that comes off of it, and call me from the hospital! (***DO NOT BREATHE SMOKE FROM A BEER CAN!***)

All Stainless? MUCH BETTER!

If you get one of these gadgets, please find a stainless steel cup to pour the beer into!

As an alternative, try soaking your chicken in beer over-night. Or better yet, skip the trendy injection kits and head for the vet supply store. Grab a 50cc syringe and the biggest needle they have and inject the beer deep into each muscle (of the chicken... Not you!) before grilling. That’ll get the flavor in there for ya!

Whatever you’re grilling, or how you’re cooking it, be sure to share it with friends and family!
Summer is here! Eat it up!

~CHEERS

Ready for the weekend

 I’m pretty sure everyone has grilled chicken at some point or another, and most people like it just fine. But something I’ve never done, is left the chicken whole.

I normally buy whole chickens. For the little extra work that cutting the bird up takes, the price difference is usually well worth it. Plus I get a kick out of cutting up the chicken. Kinda reminds me of my childhood.

Of course, cutting up a chicken is much more enjoyable than butchering the darn things! Whew! Scald your first chicken and you’ll know why they call them FOUL!

On a whim I decided to leave the bird whole. I thoroughly washed it, then rubbed it down with a light coat of BBQ sauce and then sprinkled on some french onion soup mix.

This whole thing sat for about an hour while I dickered around getting the grill lit and screwing around watering the flowers.

I chose to break out the charcoal grill in lieu of the propane grill.

We cook on the propane grill nearly every night during this time of year. If it’s not too windy... it’s just a better option for us.

Obviously grilled foods tend to be a bit healthier for us, and grilled vegetables are one of my favorite things in the world. Even some fruits go really well on the grill. Ever grilled a pineapple?

Grilled Pineapple! A Kahuna Favorite!

It’s pretty easy. Cut the skin off, roll it in brown sugar and cook till golden brown and yummy!
You just can’t do that in a frying pan!

We also benefit from NOT making fire in the house. Anything we can do during the summer to help keep the house cool is well worth the effort to me!

Living in the country presents some challenges, and this is no exception.

Sure, everyone has to deal with the wind. But at our house it gets a running start! In-fact, I think the wind that hits the north side of my house has been building speed and power since Nebraska. And any good CU fan knows what we think of Nebraska!

Solution: Put the grill inside the stock trailer!

So, we pretty much live on grilled zucchini, squash, onions, burgers, brats, hotdogs, pork chops, and the occasional steak or chicken breast during the summer.

The grill is fast and easy. With nothing but tongs or a spatula to clean, it even helps cut down the dishes that we have in the sink. You just can’t beat it!

Well... Yes! Yes, you can!

Enter the charcoal grill!

Our charcoal grill isn’t nearly as fancy as I’d like it to be. It’s got no gadgets, no auto light, no grilling light. The thing has wheels, but since neither one of them turn, I’m not sure why. One of the wooden slats on the tray in front of it is loose and it’s not big enough to cook for guests. The fire box on the side does a terrible job of smoking food, as it just doesn’t get hot enough to finish the job, and quite honestly, the thing is about as ugly as a Chinese Crested Hairless dog!

But it’s my favorite way to cook food in the whole world!

After five years of fighting with it, I can now control the heat well enough that I don’t burn my veggies, I get the kids steaks fairly well done and mine fairly well raw.

I’ve learned that when I want to smoke with the thing, I use wood chips in the side box for a few hours, but when it’s time to finish things up... that’s right friends and neighbors, I do it on the charcoal!

The flavor that comes from cooking on charcoal is unmatched with any gas fired grill anywhere in the world. Sure, the propane is fast and easy, but for my tastes, you just can’t beat this primitive method of cooking!

So on the grill, just above the bed of perfectly prepared coals went my whole chicken, basted in sauce and rubbed with onion mix.

The smell.... Absolutely amazing.

I wasn’t even remotely sure how this would turn out, mostly because I’ve never cooked a whole bird anywhere but the oven.

I suppose I spent more time fussing over it than I will next time, but somewhere between one-and-a-half to two hours later the breast temp was a nice 171 degrees and we were ready to eat!

That poor chicken was like the ball in a pinball machine as I kept flipping, rolling, rotating and moving it back and forth between the “hot” and the “Cool” sides of the grill.

Sadly, the wings were nearly burnt clean off by the time the breasts were done, but the leg quarters were so juicy and succulent that I’m actually drooling a little just writing about it.

The crust that the sauce and onion mix created out of the skin was flaky and crisp, but just beneath laid white meat so tasty that I had to ask myself why I’ve ever wasted any time screwing around cutting up a chicken!

Hope you get to do a bunch of grilling this summer... Know that I'm right there with you!

~Cheers

Kriek Tuesday #3

What a week to celebrate the Kriek!

Acting on my own wishes from last week, I decided to pair this weeks example of the Kriek with a bit of pork from the grill... I must say that it was a fine idea!

This week we look at the St. Louis Kriek Lambic by Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck!

Weighing in at a whopping 4% abv, this is no heavyweight to be sure.

Proudly wearing the “Belgian” badge of honor, I expect greatness from this beer.

Pouring a bright ruby red with a substantial head for the style. The head even managed to hold on through about 2/3 of the beer before fruit flies infested it and I had to sacrifice the final swallows.

I’m greeted with a sweet cherry nose that is noticeable even while standing beside the grill.

The first sip is overwhelmingly “cherry!” This thing is like a piece of cherry hard candy!

A mildly earthy note reminds me of dried fruit is backed by an overwhelmingly sweet cherry “Beer” flavor.

There is not a lot of depth or complexity to this beer, and all I can say is “WOW This is sweet!”

I was hoping for a nice tart lambic character to this beer, which would definitely help out the sweetness... But I was also hoping for my pork loins to be succulent and moist!

I didn’t get either!

The sourness of this beer is lost somewhere between little and none!

I don’t think that this is the ultimate Kriek for me. I liked it, but more along the lines of a fruit beer that could be produced in a matter of weeks or months, rather than a sour “Lambic” that takes years.

The simplicity of this brew isn’t lost on me. Sometimes things just are as they are. St. Louis Kriek is no exception. It’s sweet. It’s definitely cherry. It’s easy to drink and it is certainly NOT the worst example I’ve tried.

Sadly, the single-sidedness of the beer leaves me wanting to crack open another bottle of a different brand hoping for a little of the “Pucker Factor” that I love so much.

Is this the best Kriek out there? NO! Is it rich and complex? NO! Is it tart and refreshing? Well... NO!

But the good news is that I really did enjoy this beer. As I said, sometimes things just are what they are.

Take a Jolly Rancher candy for example. It’s sugary, it’s sweet and it’s flavored just like the wrapper says! Not that much different from St. Louis Kriek.

~Cheers

Taking it to the street.

When a plan falls through, you have to think on your feet. And when you’re me, plans usually fall through.

I had Jessica drop me off  near a few bars that I wanted to check out on Broadway street in Denver. I had big plans to hit the Tiki Bar called Adrift at 218 S. Broadway. But, as is typical, they were closed.

Apparently nobody in Denver wants a Mai Tai at 2 p.m. On a Saturday afternoon.

Of the other two bars that I wanted to visit, one was packed with an obnoxious Karaoke crowd, and the other was too creepy to enter with a camera and no gun. So what to do?  Street Photography!

A few challenges, like the occasional bum making you wonder if he’s going to kill you for that camera, and the “Special” people that seem to come out on Saturdays that have to stop and tell you “dat a nise camoera mistor!” made me a bit uneasy. I certainly came to be pretty well aware of my surroundings, and that helped.

Gang activity in this part of town is pretty slim, but the homeless population is huge and I must admit, the dude in the hoodie that walked by me no less than 15 times in the hour that I stood on the corner taking pictures had me more than a little nervous. But with no car, no keys and no way out of there, I had no choice but to power on!

IF you like this feature here on BKB, let me know in the comments. This was enough fun that I could do this once in a while.

First: The walk back.

The walk down Broadway is filled with strange things for a country kid like me. I was inspired to take this photo because it instantly reminded me of Key West and the freaky freaky things you’ll see there. Although I will say that I’m far less uncomfortable with the Key West style of sexual deviancy than Denver’s. In Key West, it’s all about letting loose and having a good time. In Denver, it’s all about keeping your guard up and not getting mugged!

Some of the “Street art” around this city is simply amazing. There are artists that have more talent in their index finger than I have in ten life times. Unfortunately, most of them are reduced to simply hoodlum graffiti, but occasionally, they get to do something BIG! These people look like they sorta fit right into the mural.

Speaking of Key West, I just can’t get over my love of a good corner pizzeria! In Key West, the folks at Mr. Z’s Pizza saved my life! Nearly too much beer and nearly too much rum was consumed, but that Pizza was there to keep me going! I wish I could add a “Sniffer App” to this site so you could smell this unsuspecting little pizza joint on the corner!

Someone put some time and effort to make this little spot of grass in the concrete jungle of Denver. There are no weeds, no crab grass, and it’s the only green thing for blocks! That’s why I was so shocked to see a couple of guys stop, whip down their trousers and piss on the brick wall just feet from passing traffic. I was so shocked that I was unable to take a picture of it! I guess a good street photographer needs to be ready for anything!

Dude laughing at some fool carrying his blowup doll on his shoulders. That is All!

Denver has history and beauty running out it’s sewers. There is more to see and do here than in any other city I’ve seen. Coloradans usually overlook most of it, at least I do, and how sad is that!
There is plenty to be seen in this crazy city, and if you’re interested, I’ll try and stop in from time to time and share a bit of it with you.

~Cheers

Its a gamble

Do you ever gamble? We all gamble on things all the time!  Heck, just getting a burrito from the food truck is a gamble. But I mean really gamble. Going to a casino, with a pocket full of cash, hoping to leave with enough to get home and have a burger on  the way?

I thought I had. We have been to Vegas a few times... where I walked around slack jawed and shocked for two day before heading home. We have been to the casino’s in Colorado, where I’ve won as much as $400 and lost at least half that in a night.

It's always fun, so I decided to take the wife to the Isle of Capri for the evening while the kids were off with their Grandma! We stayed in the hotel attached to the casino, and I'll tell you about that some day.. but not now!

Slot machines seem to rake in my money pretty quickly. You see the little old ladies that can play for hours on $20. Sitting there drinking a gin fizz from the cocktail waitress. (Which I have NO IDEA how you tip, because the slot machines don’t kick out coins any more)

BUT NOT ME! $20 in, 10 minutes... GONE!

Table games tend to be pretty intimidating to me. Blackjack, much fun as it is on the little digital game that sits on our coffee table is, tends to run about three times faster than I can keep up with. I just don’t add that fast, and I like to run my mouth at the tables. I also tend to become fairly animated, which drives the dealers insane when you’re playing blackjack. I once had a dealer tell me to quit waving my hands around, or go find somewhere else to gamble. OUCH!

I love the thought of a roulette table or craps, but the only craps I understand is the kind we played in the locker rooms for dollars. Roulette... beyond red and black, and I get lost pretty quickly!

So the three card poker table suites me just fine. When you get a good table of people, it’s just a lot of fun. You laugh and joke and kid them about their hands... then you clap and holler for them when they win.

With a $5 min bet and $100 max, we certainly have plenty of opportunity for the casino to take some of your money. But unlike my luck at the slot machines, there is an ebb and flow to the games. In-fact... A LOT of ebb and flow.

I honestly estimate that over $20K came into my purse in the five hours I spent playing that silly game. And believe me... I didn’t leave with any!

But that doesn’t mean you have to have a ton of money to have fun in the casinos. Cash in your penny collection, before pennies are outdated and worth no more than their zinc content, and head up the hill from Denver! Gamble slow, and smart, and you can have a lot of fun on $50! (And I do remember the first $50 I lost, when I was 21, and it nearly killed me)


You’ll pass the Coors Brewery... which is another blog post altogether.  You’ll see beautiful canons and you follow Clear Creek all the way. It’s simply a gorgeous drive. Take time to stop along the way!

As long as you’re playing, you drink for free. And that’s not a bad thing! Unfortunately, like I said, the machines only take cash... They don’t spit any out! So keep a pocket full of $1bills to tip your server... Or you won’t be getting a second!

I chose to stick with DIG from New Belgium since it was on tap. Not anywhere near as good as from the bottle, but I suppose the plastic cup and stinky people had something to do with that.... Also, a little lesson learned, DIG is not really something you want to drink when at the tables. You’ll do plenty of “Digging” in your wallet!

Even though I’m on the “Kahuna Reduction Plan,” I opted to go balls out at the buffet! It’s called the Calypso, it’s got good crab, fair Chinese food, and no line... This night! I have seen this buffet with a 2 1/2 hour wait! It is so close to Denver, and so well priced, people that DON’T gamble come up and eat at the buffet. So planning you trip, and your eating schedule is a pretty good idea!

If you find yourself in need of something to do, and you’ve got a casino close by... Or an airport that can fly you to one, I say give it a shot!

Did I mention you drink free?

~Cheers!

Kriek 2

Welcome to Kriek Tuesday #2

On this fine Tuesday, I’d like to share with you a 750ml bottle of ECHT KRIEKENBIER from Brouwerij Verhaeghe.

I must begin by telling you that I’ve had this beer before. About a year ago, I purchased a 4 pack of this beer in 12 oz bottles. I didn’t care for it as much as the Kriek and other sour beers that I was drinking at the time, so I’m excited about trying it again. I’ve been more of a pale / IPA kick lately, and have certainly expanded my palate by investigating RUM as a premium beverage in the last year.

When I opened the bottle and made the initial pour, I thought, “Well there is the smell I’ve been looking for!”

A cherry funk with some serious grain background. Not really a malt, but just grain Twang! The aroma is reminiscent of a cherry urinal cake... But in a good way!

Color is red. I love the color of a Kriek. They just look so warm and inviting. This is so much better than last week’s bottle! 

The pour, and consequently the mouthfeel is thin. I don’t know why I need to say that, because it is so typical of the style, and not a flaw at all!  The head barely poured and dissipated very quickly due to the thin body.

The initial sip is tangy and mildly astringent but cleansing. I wish I were eating something greasy with this. Duck or pulled pork... And bread. A slice of thin, crusty italian bread with some salty, mildly greasy Luau Pig? Oh Hell Yes.

Mildly sour, not really puckering, but much stronger than the Sam Adams. The fruit is solid and forward, but has none of that crappy canned cherry juice flavor. You couldn’t simulate this with a Blue Moon and a packet of cherry juice concentrate. This is good. Much better than I remembered. This is not the most complex of sour beers, but enjoyable none the less!

There is a mild floral character... Lavender maybe??? that is barely noticeable as the beer pours over the back of the tongue on it’s way down.

There really is no finish to this beer. It’s really crisp and tasty, almost like an apple cider but it leaves your mouth all cleaned out and ready for either more beer OR food.

I LOVE what I do!

Life crept in right in on the middle of my tasting session, and 2/3 of the beer sat in front of my computer for 2 hours before I could return to it. Normally this would put a beer in the sink for me, but I figured “What the Hell!” and I poured another glass!  Guess what! It’s still pretty damn good! Actually, it didn’t hurt it at all. The finish is now a bit more tart! The cherry lingers on the roof of the mouth for a swallow or two, and flavor now crawls up the from the back of your nose and gets right into your nasal passage where you do most of your tasting anyway!

I would give this beer to anyone looking to try a fruit beer, and I’d give it to anyone looking to try a sour beer. I would serve this to wine drinkers, and I would serve this to wine COOLER drinkers.

I must admit, I didn’t like this the first time I had it in a smaller bottle. But this particular 750 really came through. I will be getting another, if it’s like this one... I’ve got a keeper!

You may love it, you may hate it, but it certainly ranks “Worth a try” on the Kahuna Scale of 1-10!

~Cheers

Endless Search

Today, I’m off seeking content.

I am scouring the liquor stores of Colorado in search of something unique to share with you.


I am in search of the restaurants, bars and drinks that may spark your interest.

With any luck, I won’t get run over by an angry mob of 4-year-old hoodlums while I’m trying to take photographs in public... Or worse yet, in front of the line of hungry people while photographing the buffet!

One way or the other, I’m here for you! Seeking content, entertainment for you!

Well, actually... NO! That’s all BS! (Except the danger of photographing a buffet in public. Use Caution People!)

I took the wife to Black Hawk for a little gambling and seafood buffet without the kids!

Check in on Tuesday to see if I got killed by the kids, and to share a Kriek with me. Check in on
Thursday to see if I found you any content in the casinos!

Have a great weekend!

~Cheers