New Wolverine: Willie Henry

Willie Henry, a defensive tackle from Cleveland (OH) Glenville, committed to the Wolverines yesterday / today (depending on who you listen to). Henry is a mid to low 3* DT according to the four major recruiting services. The scouts mostly like his burst off the line but you can tell that he is a raw player that will need some coaching up. I, personally, love the catch since defensive tackle is a somewhat slim position as far as depth is concerned. Especially with Martin and Van Bergen graduating. 

Henry could turn into a solid contributor in the next couple years if he is able to refine his skills more and pack on some weight. With Hoke, Montgomery, and Mattison as his coaches, I have little doubt in what he could become. Plus, it definitely helps getting a second player from Glenville in as many years, since it has been an Ohio State talent hotbed for years. 

Below is the recruiting rankings for Willie Henry:

   Scout:   3*, #38 DT

   Rivals:  3*, NR DT

   ESPN:  3*, 75 - Scouts Grade, #97 DT

   247:      3*, 83 - 247 Rating, #75 DT

Beer : Brooklyn Brewery - Black Chocolate Stout

Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery (NY)
Beer:      Black Chocolate Stout
ABV:      10%
Score:    8
Date:      01.21.12


Black Chocolate Stout is a great tasting stout that I would recommend for anyone who loves a thick, tasteful beer. With the taste of chocolate and great smell, you can't go wrong with this brew. It is a smooth drink that I would love to have again.

Beer: Left Hand - Sawtooth Ale

Brewery: Left Hand Brewing Co. (Longmont, CO)

Beer:      Sawtooth Ale

ABV:      5.3%

Score:    6

Date:      01.21.12

Sawtooth Ale is yet another brew that I had on that same Sunday. Not much to say other than it was pretty average. A little better flavor than a Bud Light or equivalent, but not one that I would want to drink much of. So far, 400 Pound Monkey IPA is still my favorite beer from Left Hand Brewing Co.

Beer: Great Divide - Titan

Brewery: Great Divide Brewing Co. (Denver, CO)

Beer:      Titan

ABV:      7.1%

Score:    8

Date:      01.21.12

Titan from Great Divide is another good IPA that I have had recently. It has a more amber color than Encore from Magic Hat and a better taste. It is a little more bitter but it is pretty smooth to drink. Titan is the second brew I have had from Great Divide as YETI is the other one. If you like IPAs, I would recommend checking out Titan.

Beer: Magic Hat - Encore

Brewery: Magic Hat Brewing Company (South Burlington, VT)
Beer:      Encore
ABV:      6.4%
Score:    7
Date:      01.21.12


Magic Hat's Encore was another beer we tried last weekend. It is an American Wheat IPA that has decent flavor. However, if I remember correctly, this is the beer that my brother thought smelled like trash. While I somewhat agreed with him, the taste of Encore did not remind me of trash. It is a lighter brew that does have some bitterness to it, like any other IPA. Since I gave it a 7, it is an average beer for my tastes.

Michigan Wolverines Football 2012 Commitments

As National Signing Day approaches, it will get pretty crazy for the Michigan Wolverines as Coach Hoke and Co. put the final touches on the 2012 class. After NSD (February 1, 2012), I will be making a post about the players that Michigan signed for the 2012 graduating class. 


Within the post will be information about each player, including position, high school, and recruiting rankings. I may even throw in my own personal opinion on each player. But keep in mind, that I am just a fan and have little knowledge of player skill and development, especially since I have only played up through high school football myself. However, it may be fun to elaborate on my opinion of the players and the class as a whole.


Therefore, stay tuned over the next week or so and see how the 2012 signing class turns out for the Michigan Wolverines. GO BLUE!

Commitment Watch: Joshua Garnett

Joshua Garnett, a highly rated offensive guard out of Puyallup, WA, is set to announce where he will be playing college football tomorrow at approximately 6:00 est. / 3:00 pst. He has said himself that it is between Stanford and Michigan. Many recruiting analysts are saying Stanford, while many analysts that deal mostly with Michigan say he is going to commit to Michigan. Hopefully by tomorrow night, we will know Garnett is going to Michigan, but if he decides to stay out west and attend Stanford, I wish him well. Which ever school he goes to, there is no doubt in my mind that he is going to be a good one. 


Below are the recruiting rankings on Garnett, updated through yesterday (January 24, 2012).


Scout:  5*, #3 OG, #42 Overall
Rivals: 4*, #2 OG, #33 Overall
ESPN: 4*, 82 - Scouts Grade, #3 OG, #44 Overall
247:     4*, 96 - 247 Rating #8 OG, #68 Overall


UPDATE: Garnett chose the Stanford Cardinal yesterday at a press conference at his school. While the loss of Garnett to Stanford hurts, I want to wish him good luck in football and in life. He seems like a good kid that will become a great college player and biochemist (if I remember correctly, that is what he said he wanted to study in school). 


Michigan is still in good position for Jordan Diamond and Alex Kozan. Both are also highly rated offensive lineman and we could be hearing Kozan's decision as soon as this weekend. Diamond is choosing his college next Friday, February 3. Again, good luck to Garnett, but it's time to move on to other players. 


Other players of note that have Michigan in their top two, or so, are Armani Reeves and Sam Grant. Armani Reeves is a cornerback out of Massachusetts and has Michigan and Ohio State in his final two. Sam Grant is from Ohio and goes to the same school as commit Kyle Kalis. Grant has Michigan and Oklahoma in his final two. As with Kozan, we could hear from these two fairly soon.

Beer - Leinenkugel's: Big Eddy

Brewery: Leinenkugel's (Chippewa Falls, WI)
Beer:       Big Eddy
ABV:      9.5%
Score:      9
Date:       01.21.12


Big Eddy, a Russian Imperial Stout brewed by Leinenkugel's Brewery is another beer that my brother and I had this last weekend. As you can see by the score I gave it, it is one of the best beers that I have tried. It has a strong but not overpowering taste to it and goes down pretty smooth. Big Eddy is definitely a beer that I would like to drink again... and again. I highly recommend it to anyone that likes a good stout.

Beer - Left Hand: Black Jack Porter

Brewery: Left Hand Brewing Co. (Longmont, CO)
Beer:       Black Jack Porter
ABV:     6.8%
Score:    6
Date:      01.21.12


Black Jack Porter is another beer that my brother and I had this last weekend. It is an average beer in my opinion, as it doesn't have a great taste. As porters and stouts have probably become my favorite types of beer, this one disappointed. In my mind, porters and stouts usually have the best flavor and you can taste the different brewing ingredients, but this one was a below average porter to me. As for Left Hand beers, 400 Pound Monkey IPA is my favorite so far.

Beer - New Holland: Golden Cap

Brewery: New Holland Brewing Company (Holland, MI)
Brew:      Golden Cap
ABV:      6.25%
Score:      7
Date:       01.21.12


This last Saturday, my brother came over and we had a few beers, including this one. Golden Cap was a decent beer that had a hint of lemon, in my brother and I's opinion. It was a light tasting beer that was definitely an unfiltered one. I enjoyed it, but would not drink it often as I thought that there are many beers out there that have a similar taste.

Beer - Breckenridge: Vanilla Porter

Brewery: Breckenridge Brewery (Denver, CO)

Brew:      Vanilla Porter

ABV:      4.7%

Score:      8

Date:       01.15.12

Another beer I had on Sunday January 15, 2012 was the Vanilla Porter from Breckenridge Brewery. As with other porter's, the Vanilla Porter has a dark color and somewhat bitter taste. The vanilla flavor is prominent but not overpowering. This beer is cheaper than the Dragon's Milk from New Holland and one that I enjoyed drinking more as well. So far I have had good experiences with Breckenridge beers. The Oatmeal Stout is a great beer that is definitely worth a try for anybody.

Beer - New Holland: Dragon's Milk

Brewery: New Holland Brewing Company (Holland, MI)

Brew:      Dragon's Milk

ABV:      10.0%

Score:      7

Date:       01.15.12

This last Sunday, January 15, 2012, I tried New Holland: Dragon's Milk for the first time. As you can see from the picture, it is a dark beer / porter (I believe). Dragon's Milk is a rich but bitter beer that has some good flavor. You can definitely sense the "Aged in Oak Barrels" taste. While I did enjoy it, it is not a beer that I would drink regularly. For one, the price is pretty high at about $4.00 or so a bottle; plus it appears to be a once in a while brew for New Holland.