The Euro-Condon Web Log

In case you are wondering, I’m using this site to test how the Google Adsense program works. If you see something interesting, check it out. If not, please ignore it. Thanks, Jim

I had the best Single Malt Whisky of my life last Friday night. It was a Balvenie Vintage Cask 1971.

“This Rare Whisky was specially selected by The Balvenie Malt Masters from our limited stock of Ancient Reserve Whiskies, and hand-bottled at the Balvenie Distillery on 11 May 2005. Bottled from a Single Vintage Cask No. 8921 which lay undisturbed since 29 June 1971. This bottle No. 105 is one of a limited edition of 189 bottles.”

The bolded text was hand-written. The whisky is a year younger than my wife. The description on the label pretty much says it all …

Jim

It’s been one month since my last post … and not a lot of blog worthy things have happened.

We are still trying to finish buying a new apartment. We signed the loan and we’re finalizing the contract with the lawyer.

The Besen has opened in Esslingen, in fact, we had lunch there today with Glen and Celine.

More importantly, the Esslingen Medieval Christmas Market and Festival is now going on. This is one of our favorite, perhaps most favorite, festivals in Germany - and its 500 meters from our house.

I posted a few photo’s just now, but nothing major.

We had one of the best Thanksgivings I have had in a while. I have been in a major cooking mood lately and Migle cooked the bird and I cooked everything else. We had two friends over and that made for a enjoyable, relaxing, and fun meal.

Last week was a big week at work. I had a lot of business guests in town.

Next week I’m headed to DC for a few days.

And the week after, we might be going to Garmisch, also for a few days.

And we’ll spend Christmas in Lithuania, like we do each year.

Happy Holidays!

J, M, & K

LONDON: Michael Jackson, a leading beer critic who praised the brews of Belgium especially and acknowledged he would never be as famous as “that Michael Jackson,” died Thursday. He was 65.

Jackson, known as the Beer Hunter, died of a heart attack at his home in west London, Paddy Gunningham, his partner, said Friday. She said that he had kept traveling despite suffering from Parkinson’s disease and that he had planned to write a book about the ailment.

Tim Hampson, chairman of the British Guild of Beer Writers, said, “He was simply the best beer writer we’ve ever known. He told wonderful stories about beer, breweries and far-away places. He told the story of beer through people, and he was humorous and erudite at the same time.”

Belgian brews were his special favorite. Two of his books, “The Great Beers of Belgium” and “World Guide to Beer,” introduced them to many export markets, including the United States.

By identifying beers by their flavors and styles, and by pairing them with particular foods and dishes, Jackson helped lead a renaissance of interest in beer and breweries worldwide that began in the 1970s, including the North American microbrewery movement.

His television documentary series, “The Beer Hunter,” which popularized his nickname, was filmed in many parts of the world and then was shown in 15 countries. He was a beer critic for more than 30 years and wrote books about beer and whiskey.

Jackson knew he would never be as famous as the rock star of the same name, and that was reflected on the beer critic’s Web site. “Hello, my name is Michael Jackson. No, not that Michael Jackson, but I am on a world tour,” the site says. “My tour is in pursuit of exceptional beer. That’s why they call me the Beer Hunter.”