Four Unplugged is the band. And Mockler always has a truck out there with their usual suspects. Downtown Seafood has 2 for 1 bottles of Bud, Miller, etc. Best kept secret down there, really. Only it's not really a secret 'cause they have a poster in the window but there wasn't anyone in there when we first started going. Or we'll stop in Happy's for a pint. Just depends on what we want.
I brew my own. But when I have to buy it us usually one of the following: Fat Tire Yeungling Sam Adams Turbo Dog (when I can get it) Fordham Copperhead Otter Creek Copper Ale Resurrection Ale from Brewer's Art in Baltimore Guinness Arrogant Bastard Samuel Smith's Pale Ale Sierra Nevada (just about anything they brew) Doggie Style Ale
When I lived in Denver, I was at the GABF every year. One year, I called one of my best friends, Guy, (from NOLA who dabbled in homebreweing) just so I could puff my chest and say that I was at the GABF and he was not. Back in the day, they used to have these old time phone booths upstairs that had doors that closed on them. So I roll into a booth after having many many 1 oz samples of beer. (1st dash was always to the Alaskan Brewery table for some Smoked Porter.) By this time, the live yeast cells were kicking in and doing wonders to whatever was still fermentable in my lower bowels. Just before I dialed the number, I let out one of the most rank and voluminous farts I have ever created. Just as my friend, Guy, answered the phone, I said "Guy...listen to this...". With that I opened the phone booth door and stuck the phone out of the booth just as someone dropped their souvenir glass downstairs in the main hall and the entire convention center erupted into applause. It just so happened that 2 guys were walking along the upper concourse where the booths were and seeing a phone receiver being held out of the booth as far as the cord allowed, one guy walked up and put his head to the receiver and announced "HELLO?" right into the receiver. Almost immediately, only what I can imagine what the face of a Hiroshima victim must have looked like - with a grimace of unimaginable horror - enveloped this guy's face as my effluvium destroyed the soft tissue lining the inside of his nostrils. He immediately cupped his hands over his nose, stumbled backwards in a defensive panic until his retreat was blocked by a wall, and just looked up with his eyes all watered up and uttered "Dude...something ****ing died inside you!" I was dying laughing and after I painted the scene for Guy, he was laughing harder than I heard him do in many years. As for the other guy, I can only imagine what his version of the incident must have been.
Great story Herb. It's funny to me that a guy named Herb is a zymurgist and not a horticulturist, but that's just me. Same as it ever was I noticed the Alaskan Smoked Porter won the gold again yesterday. Winners | Great American Beer Festival My friend Steve Donohue of Firehouse Brewing in Sunnyvale won a bronze for his Pete's Support (yeah it's a joke) Cali-Belgian, and my other buddy Shawn O'Sullivan of 21st Amendment in SF won a silver for his Hop Crisis double IPA. Nice work boys! First time in a lonnnnnng time that Russian River Brewing wasn't amongst the winners...
Isn't there supposed to be some kind of variation on 'don't ask / don't tell' on that subject? It's been years since I have had that elixir on my lips. The great thing I remember about the Alaskan Smoked Porter was that the smoked grain was not as aggressive as a typical Rauchbier in terms of the smoke flavor and was much better balanced. That's awesome. We have a few decent microbreweries out my way, but nothing along the richness and diversity of Colorado and California.
Since the Great American Beer Fest was just held, we decided to go All-American for Tobyfest (the event formerly known as Around The World) on Saturday. Our lineup so far includes: Abita Purple Haze, Abita Amber, Abita Andygator, Abita Fall Fest, Anchor Steam, Blue Moon, Flying Dog Double Dog, Flying Dog In Heat, JW Dundees, North Coast Red Seal, Pikes Kilt Lifter, Rogue Chocolate Stout, Sam Adams Boston Lager, Sam Adams Oktoberfest, Shiner Bock, Shiner Oktoberfest, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Covington Ale, Yuengling, Copperhook Ale We should end up with over 30 in all as there are quite a few stragglers who are participating but who haven't selected their beer yet. Should be a great time!
When I met my bride to be 20 years ago, she was a Chardonnay girl. Having enjoyed micro many years before we met, I knew I could convince her to like 'em too. Now all she drinks is IPAs. The hoppier the better. IBUs, y'all. :thumb: Me, I like 'em too, but I have a wider palette when it comes to beer. I grow Cascade, Centennial, Chinook, and Nugget hops in my backyard. Just harvested 'em two weeks ago. Fresh hops. What a GREAT smell.
