Beer Moment: Mama's Little Yella Pils

I had my first tast of this new offering from Oskar Blues Brewery out of Lyons, Colorado, at the recent Velocross Cyclocross race held this past Sunday at the Boulder Indoor Cycling Velodrome. I had first noticed the beer this past summer while browsing (as I'm prone to do in liquor stores) at Union Jack Liquor in Louisville. It had grabbed my attention because it was a pilsner offering from a brewery that by all my previous experiences brews hoppy beer. While I very much want to like Dale's Pale Ale and Old Chub, I find them barely palatable. Hops just aren't my thing.


I'm not going to go on a diatribe about why I think craft and micro-brewers over-hop the living crap out of everything they produce, but let's just say that Oskar Blues generally doesn't let down the stereotype.


On to the beer: I like, on some level, that Oskar Blues delivers it's product in a can. It's fun and it's very American. It also seems appropriate, in a way, for a pilsner. They're generally light and crisp and have a very easy finish, perfect for a beer you want to grab out of a cooler full of ice on a hot, late-summer day: exactly what I did at the Velocross race after I'd finished my 60 minutes of suffering in the Men's Open category.


I found the actual product to be slightly heavier and more complex than a German Pilsner, while not as sweet or aromatic as some of the Belgian beers that I've been enjoying lately. There was a hint of hops in the way the beer finished, but nothing that was too pungent after a few sips. Altogether, very enjoyable.


I'm glad that I have a new option from a smallish local brewer, and I'll be sure to stop by the OB Brewery in Lyons next time I'm out that way on a mountain bike ride to get some post-workout refreshment.

Race #2 Complete!

The video is from the Sports Garage Tuesday Morning Cyclocross Skills Clinic presented by Colorado Multisport. I'm doing my best Sven Nys impersonation and trying to hit the barriers hard and smooth.

The second day of the weekend's racing proved to be a very good one. The course was a big question mark for everyone involved given the venue, the Boulder Indoor Cycling Velodrome. This is tucked away in an industrial area of town just west of Foothills Parkway, and being only vaguely familiar with the area I assumed it consisted of mostly parking lots. While I'm not totally wrong, the imagination of the promoters combined with the fact that there is actually some grass and dirt and sand tucked back there as well lent itself to a FANTASTIC course! The highlight and most unique feature was that the course did in fact briefly go indoors. While there was a lot of stop and go and tight corners, the course was not lacking for long drag strips where I could make some use of my fitness and make up for my still-developing skills.

I ended up 12th on the day and didn't get lapped (by the skin of my teeth) and felt much better overall than the previous day's efforts. I had a proper warm-up on my trainer for 25 minutes or so and felt ready to rev when the whistle blew. Starting on the back row didn't help anything but I was able to work my way up through the field and felt strong. My form is starting to come around and I'm glad to have gotten a couple days of racing in my legs. I feel like the snowball is just starting to roll along and there will hopefully be good things to come.

A Race Under the Belt

It really feels good to get one under the belt, so to speak. There is a level of comfort that comes with having toe'd the line and had everything gone, to a reasonable degree, as expected. The Open field was not large, only 10 or so guys lining up. I finished sort of mid-pack, 6th in my estimation. I was reminded of just how much the almost imperceptible difference in racing speed versus very fast training speed can make the body hurt so much more. Finding my rhythym and working on learning new courses are going to be things to work on in the very near future.

My start was good, had a blip getting into my pedal but was through the first turn in 3rd. Bobbled a turn shortly after, and dropped to around 8th or so by the end of the first lap. As the laps ticked by, my speed going through some of the more difficult turns increased exponentially. Need to work on sorting out the course at speed before the race actually begins. Can't be learning on the fly with the fast guys.

On-bike fitness was brilliant. I was able to close massive gaps up the longest climb on the course. All of the rides back and forth from home to work 'training with a backpack on' this summer seem to have yielded a great base of fitness. Where I was letting those huge gaps open up, over and over, was on the long uphill run-up (PS- barriers were NOT UCI legal!! wink, wink). Maybe dust off the old running shoes this week and work on that.

Second race of the year is today in Boulder. Unique indoor/outdoor course should prove interesting if nothing else. I'm interested to see who will show up. Race report to follow. Possible beer report to follow as well!

Here we go

Today begins anew what is quickly becoming my favorite season of the year... CYCLOCROSS!!!

Yesterday started with a bit of skills work and a couple of practice starts. With the first race closing in fast, every bobble and hesitation brought with it a tinge of panic. Are the skills there? Am I ready to hit the barriers at speed in the middle of dozens of other oxygen deprived maniacs?

The morning is starting with some espresso and a look at the paper before I get ready to head down to Colorado Springs. Haven't ever raced down south before, so not sure on the course, but I'll probably go with my Zipp 404's with Challenge Grifo tubular 34's. They seem to be a superb all-around tire. Sunday we're back in the People's Republic, racing an indoor/outdoor course at the Boulder Indoor Cycling Velodrome. Word is the course has lots of goatheads. Might go with the Mavic Ksyrium's set up with Challenge Fango clinchers, my daily training setup.

It's funny how Cyclocross started as a completely fun endeavour. Triathlon was the focus of my athletic effort, cross only a way to get some fitness through the Fall. Results did not matter. How things change...