A friend included this bottle of Ballast Point Habanero Sculpin as part of a Christmas goodie bag. I’ve been anxiously waiting for the chance to try it out. One of the benefits of a “staycation,” besides not shaving everyday, is having the chance to relax with some good beer. I grabbed the bottle to try out before dinner one evening.

Habanero Sculpin has an aroma of fruit and citrus, with only a faint note of habanero. I was concerned as I had been told the heat level is variable. Would this bottle live up to the name? I need not have worried. The initial flavor is that of a nice, citrusy IPA, and then it hits — Habanero alert! The pepper heat comes in strong and unmistakable. It’s exactly what one would experience from fresh habaneros. But it’s a tasty, not destructive flavor. Interestingly, the heat does not linger long. After a minute or two, the habanero heat diminishes leaving the palate is ready for another sip.

I’m a fan of spicy food. If the top of my head doesn’t sweat just a bit, I don’t consider the food to be spicy. While I didn’t break out in a sweat from the beer, I did get the impression of eating a habanero-laced dish. It was just a couple weeks ago I enjoyed another habanero-enhanced beer, Starr Hill Mango Genius. That beer had a more subtle heat, and was a perfect accompaniment to a spicy food dish. I enjoyed the Habanero Sculpin on it’s own, and I think I prefer it that way. It’s a novelty beer, and probably not one I’d drink several of in a sitting. That said, it’s quite flavorful and enjoyable. I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up a six pack if I see it in the store in the future.

A friend included this bottle of Ballast Point Habanero Sculpin as part of a Christmas goodie bag. I’ve been anxiously waiting for the chance to try it out. One of the benefits of a “staycation,” besides not shaving everyday, is having the chance to relax with some good beer. I grabbed the bottle to try out before dinner one evening.

Habanero Sculpin has an aroma of fruit and citrus, with only a faint note of habanero. I was concerned as I had been told the heat level is variable. Would this bottle live up to the name? I need not have worried. The initial flavor is that of a nice, citrusy IPA, and then it hits — Habanero alert! The pepper heat comes in strong and unmistakable. It’s exactly what one would experience from fresh habaneros. But it’s a tasty, not destructive flavor. Interestingly, the heat does not linger long. After a minute or two, the habanero heat diminishes leaving the palate is ready for another sip.

I’m a fan of spicy food. If the top of my head doesn’t sweat just a bit, I don’t consider the food to be spicy. While I didn’t break out in a sweat from the beer, I did get the impression of eating a habanero-laced dish. It was just a couple weeks ago I enjoyed another habanero-enhanced beer, Starr Hill Mango Genius. That beer had a more subtle heat, and was a perfect accompaniment to a spicy food dish. I enjoyed the Habanero Sculpin on it’s own, and I think I prefer it that way. It’s a novelty beer, and probably not one I’d drink several of in a sitting. That said, it’s quite flavorful and enjoyable. I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up a six pack if I see it in the store in the future.

In what is now a holiday tradition, a bunch of us gathered at the range for the 2nd Annual St. Gabriel Possenti Shooters “Day After Christmas” celebration. The informal and wholly unorganized group of Catholic shooters paid homage to the Patr…

In what is now a holiday tradition, a bunch of us gathered at the range for the 2nd Annual St. Gabriel Possenti Shooters “Day After Christmas” celebration. The informal and wholly unorganized group of Catholic shooters paid homage to the Patr…

In what is now a holiday tradition, a bunch of us gathered at the range for the 2nd Annual St. Gabriel Possenti Shooters “Day After Christmas” celebration. The informal and wholly unorganized group of Catholic shooters paid homage to the Patr…

Last week, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring revoked the rights of millions of law-abiding citizens to carry concealed hand guns in Virginia. His accomplice in this egregious act is State Police Superintendent Steven Flaherty, a long-time anti-gun…

Last week, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring revoked the rights of millions of law-abiding citizens to carry concealed hand guns in Virginia. His accomplice in this egregious act is State Police Superintendent Steven Flaherty, a long-time anti-gun…

Last week, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring revoked the rights of millions of law-abiding citizens to carry concealed hand guns in Virginia. His accomplice in this egregious act is State Police Superintendent Steven Flaherty, a long-time anti-gun activist in his own right. In unilaterally revoking long-established reciprocal agreements with 25 states, this team of elitists, along with Governor McAuliffe, is ultimately attacking Virginia gun owners.

The end result of revoking reciprocity agreements is that Virginia gun owners will lose their rights to carry concealed in other states. This is a blatantly vindictive move against a population, who by and large, did not vote for the Governor or AG. There appears to be an additional motive behind this action as well. It turns out that visitors to Virginia can actually still conceal carry while in Virginia, as long as they pay an extra fee to the State Police.

Lest you think this is just coincidental, on the VA State Police Facebook page, the state’s spokespeople wasted no time in “reminding” visitors that “out-of-state residents can readily apply for a Nonresident Concealed Handgun Permit in Virginia.” That’s right, if non-residents pay the Praetorians an extra tribute, they will be allowed to once again exercise the rights that were taken away by the very people collecting the tribute. The State Police are very protective of this fee they collect for “allowing” rights. Last year a proposed bill to recognize all out of state conceal carry permits was killed in the Senate Finance committee when Flaherty’s organization claimed it would lose money should the bill pass.

Remember, if they don’t want you to have a gun its probably because they want to do something to you and you would use the gun to resist.

Last week, Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring revoked the rights of millions of law-abiding citizens to carry concealed hand guns in Virginia. His accomplice in this egregious act is State Police Superintendent Steven Flaherty, a long-time anti-gun activist in his own right. In unilaterally revoking long-established reciprocal agreements with 25 states, this team of elitists, along with Governor McAuliffe, is ultimately attacking Virginia gun owners.

The end result of revoking reciprocity agreements is that Virginia gun owners will lose their rights to carry concealed in other states. This is a blatantly vindictive move against a population, who by and large, did not vote for the Governor or AG. There appears to be an additional motive behind this action as well. It turns out that visitors to Virginia can actually still conceal carry while in Virginia, as long as they pay an extra fee to the State Police.

Lest you think this is just coincidental, on the VA State Police Facebook page, the state’s spokespeople wasted no time in “reminding” visitors that “out-of-state residents can readily apply for a Nonresident Concealed Handgun Permit in Virginia.” That’s right, if non-residents pay the Praetorians an extra tribute, they will be allowed to once again exercise the rights that were taken away by the very people collecting the tribute. The State Police are very protective of this fee they collect for “allowing” rights. Last year a proposed bill to recognize all out of state conceal carry permits was killed in the Senate Finance committee when Flaherty’s organization claimed it would lose money should the bill pass.

Remember, if they don’t want you to have a gun its probably because they want to do something to you and you would use the gun to resist.