I am sure by now everyone has heard of Leonard Nimoy’s passing. A relatively recent Trek convert, I actually saw Mr. Nimoy speak at a convention before I had even watched the original Star Trek series. I was impressed with his humour, warmth and obvious love for his fans. Stories of his cast mates hiding his bicycle during show tapings highlighted Mr. Nimoy’s good nature, and hearing him speak fondly of his friendship with William Shatner made him seem genuine and down-to-earth (no pun intended). Seeing Mr. Nimoy’s self-deferential cameos on Futurama and The Simpsons showed he could playfully poke fun at that blurry line between the man and the character he made famous.
After I returned home I embarked, with my ever-so-nerdy hubby, on my own little “trek” to figure out just why people loved the show so much. Much to my surprise I found it campy and fun with the Spock and Kirk bromance imparting a sense of heart. In the end I joined the legions before me who have enjoyed the final frontier.
When I saw the news that Mr. Nimoy had died, the hubby and I had our own form of remembrance. The hubby put on some Leonard Nimoy vinyl and I finally got around to opening my can of Vulcan Ale.
Vulcan Ale, brewed in honor of the 2013 centennial celebration of Vulcan Alberta, is an Irish red ale that pours a nice dark reddish chestnut color with a light cream coloured head and a slightly sweet nose. Right out of the fridge this beer is pretty good though when you have to add the caveat ‘drink cold’ it does not really bode well. Pretty standard in flavor profile, malt forward, a bit of caramel sweetness and a slight toasted character. As it warmed this one seemed a little off to me but in fairness this beer may have been lingering in my fridge a little too long. Overall it was an okay beer, not bad per se but nothing I would add to my regular rotation more of a silly one-off appealing to my inner nerd.
In the end the man was far more memorable than the Vulcan Ale raised to his memory.
Boldly go Mr. Nimoy, you are missed…