kamotE trails

This is another local craft beer from the Philippines from Crazy Carabao Brewery. The Kalinga Kolsch is an adaptation of the Kolsch beer which is like Pale Ale with a kind of fruity flavor. For the beer specs: Alcohol is at 4.5% like most beer. IBU at 14 which doesn't translate to how bitter this beer is. EBC is at 5 which is like Pale Ale. The taste of this beer is bitter. More bitter than the local San Miguel Pale Pilsen. The 14 IBU means that the bitters are low on this beer but the perceived bitterness can be attributed to the malt content of the Kolsch. There are fruity tastes which differentiates it from Pale Pilsen. This is enjoyable on a cold weather while winding down.

As I went through the beer isle, I spotted this Andy Player Whisky and Cola bottle.  I kinda heard the Andy Player name here and there and thought it to be a local whisky.  Now they're selling it mixed with cola. If you like hard drinks with cola as a chaser, this concoction will make you think twice. It has 5% alcohol content in a 330ml bottle based on the label.  Almost the same as other beers but not the same enjoyment. Taste-wise, I found the distinct whiskey taste diluted with a ton of cola. The cola sucks. It's like drinking cola that's sitting 4 hours on a glass when almost all the fizz has disappeared and all that's left is the sugary caramel taste. I can comment on the whiskey flavour since it's so washed out by the cola. I haven't tried their whisky as is either. I would not buy another one of this same with the Smirnoff Mule I tried before. It just doesn't give justice to alcohol. No to the premixed hard drinks. Well, to be fair, th...

Brewery: Crazy Carabao Origin: Laguna, Philippines ABV: 6.5% IBU: 65 EBC: 15 This is my first time tasting an IPA beer. IPA stands for India Pale Ale which was the beer made by British to in their efforts to colonize India. IPA beers are usually bitter and strong due to the abundance of hops in their brewing process.  The beer uses the usual dark amber bottle. Labels are very well done. Their graphics are well thought of and very Filipino.  Let's talk about how it tastes. First sip will greet you with a big citrus aroma and a bitter punch. The bitterness is good and strong. The flavour is very citrusy and tropical. Very nice to pair with meat or any salty pulutan(finger food).  The alcohol content is at 6.5% which is higher than local beers. I had a buzz after a bottle. IBU is 65 which tells how bitter a beer is. For reference wheat beers are around 15 and pale ales are usually around 30.  EBC is the beer color. Exit Wound sits at arou...

  As the name "Cerveza Negra" implies, it is a dark beer. This beer has a very strong roasted malt flavour. There's also a bit of caramelly after taste. If you want a full flavoured beer, this one is for you. Bitterness is less compared to the Pale Pilsen. It seems that the main attraction of this beer is the dark malt flavour. The beer comes in a dark bottle with premium paper labels. Black and gold is the theme for this beer. I think this beer goes great with some meaty snacks and a great movie.

This is the best local all-malt beer that I've tasted so far. San Miguel has a long line-up of beer ranging from its original Pale-Pilsen to its flavoured watered down beers. The San Miguel Premium beer is a bit pricey compared to the usual beers. It comes in a green bottle unlike the brown SMB pale pilsen. The bitterness is medium with a great malt aftertaste. The malt has almost dark chocolate flavour to it. I really enjoy drinking this beer.

I was looking for a dry lube that stays on longer.  I liked White Lightning's Clean Ride lube but wanted more durability from it.  I also tried White Lightning's Epic Ride for my daily commuter which worked well but still accumulated gunk at the end of the week. I found this Finish Line Ceramic Wax Chain Lube. It's from the same company as White Lightning.  It says its supposed to coat the chain with ceramic.  Less grease since it's wax and more protection. Maximum performance would be after 2 applications since the ceramic needs time to build up in the chain. Maximum Cleanliness It's a bit pricey compared to White Lightning and comes at a smaller bottle. Bottle cap needs a push and a twist to open. I tried it on my mountain bike and the lube was very light. After a slightly damp ride, I left the bike to sit for 2 weeks without cleaning.  I found some parts of the chain with rust. Performance was okay after the ride. Very clean chain. On m...

I got the Token Jockey Wheels to replace the stock wheels of my Shimano Zee rear mech. The stock wheels are already dried and stuck up which made pedalling harder. This gave me an excuse to have the jockey wheels upgraded to a sealed bearing alloy type although I have easily cleaned and greased the stock wheels. The wheels came with an adapter that I don't know what it's for. Installation is simple. The only problem is that you need to tune your rear mech again since the jockey wheels are a bit bigger than the stock wheels. You need to adjust your B-tension screw to accomodate the larger jockey wheels. What I noticed from this upgrade is that there is a metal noise when turning the pedals. This is attributed to the allow wheels coming in contact with the steel chain. Shimano stock jockey wheels are made of plastic so they do not produce that noise. You just need to get used to it. Overall, the deraileur feels smoother compared to the gunked out pulleys from before ...