Never Spill Beer Again

New Glarus inside the Beltway

I have a friend, let's say Anonymous, who does a fair amount of travel in Wisconsin. I've been there once; for about 24 hours during a baseball road trip. It was one of those rare, great road trips everybody in life takes in or around the college years (rare because in a lifetime most of us can only do it once until after retirement). The point being that we didn't really have time to sample the local fare and, frankly, my beer palette wasn't up to snuff. While at the game we drank the obligatory MGD with a hot dog and went about our merry way. I'm not sure when, or even if, I will ever get back there. This makes my source invaluable. Actually, it makes my source a dealer. She turned me on to New Glarus Brewing and now I have where else to turn. Well played.

The variety pack you see below showed up at my desk last week turning an otherwise average Thursday into a mini-Christmas. Seven different New Glarus brews including that fine ale sitting in the mini-bomber. The challenge will be drinking the beer. My last score included less variety but multiples allowing me to sample one and save one. That last batch included Road Slush and Moon Man so I can enjoy those guilt free. The remaining five are going to be selectively sampled - if at all. I'm fairly certain the ale is going into the collection for the rarest of occasions.

Look at that mini-bomber, front and center 

Repeal Day for Congressional Stepchild!

Most people in this great land celebrate Repeal Day on December 5th, the day Utah (yes, the Mormon state) helped the United States ratify the 21st amendment in 1933 thus ending Prohibition for almost everybody. The residents of Washington, DC celebrate Repeal Day on March 2nd. Say whaaaa?

Residents of Washington, DC have, quite literally since it was created, been the red-headed stepchild of Congress. Initially, Washington, DC was completely under federal control. It got better in 1974 but as a resident of the District, I still have a long list of grievances about Congressional meddling in our local affairs. In the past, the US Congress has asserted its will on issues such as abortion, gun control, budgets, and voting rights (Congress really enjoys imposing rules on DC residents that don't pass muster on a national scale). All local laws, including the budget, must be approved by Congress. My favorite is voting rights. The approximately 600,000 residents of Washington, DC do not enjoy basic voting rights. We have no official member of the House of Representatives or the Senate. Yes, Elanor Holmes Norton represents us in the House and we have a Shadow Senator but these positions do not have voting rights on federal legislation. Also, in my head the Shadow Senator does nothing but follow the real Senators around the halls of the Capitol Building.

Getting back to the issue at hand...On November 1, 1917, the Sheppherd Act went into effect "prohibiting the sale, manufacture, and importation of liquor in the District of Columbia." The legislation was repealed on March 1, 1934, some three months after repeal ended for the rest of the country. Not only did DC get Prohibition some 2 years early it lasted a few months longer. Our forefathers stayed thirsty longer than your forefathers.

"Taxation without Representation is Tyranny"
-James Otis, Jr

Gheorghe: The Blog: Apology Accepted

Last week, our friends at Gheorghe: The Blog sent apologies for trying a hand at craft beer reviews. There is no need for such an apology any more than we would need to apologize for writing on sports, offering a music review, penning run-on sentences, or posting whatever OCD material the teej posts. Sadly, Squirrel (are we on a nickname basis?) was quite artful and now I'm jonesing for a Cocoa Mole - despite the fact that he bragged on us about his vegan, steel cut oat diet and running half marathons in record time. Note: completing any marathon-type race warrants the phrase "record time".

We're sensitive to the G:TB content and so bring you a brief review of Fordham's Doppelbock Lager. The first thing you might note about this beer is that it is brewed in Delaware and is not a Dogfish Head. Seriously, who knew Delaware had other breweries? According to the Brewer's Association there are approximately one dozen breweries and/or brewpubs in the First State. Don't worry, we assumed they only had banks and credit card companies too.

The Dobblebock is a deep brown lager with a short head. The beer tastes sweet with a strong caramel note. It lingers in the mouth, which is fine because the aftertaste is not overpowering. The medium bodied brew is nicely carbonated and tips the scales at 8 percent ABV. The sweet taste and higher ABV makes us think you could pound the four pack and pay dearly in the morning. Of course, that never stopped us before.

In all seriousness, it's quite easy to enjoy Fordham's Doppelbock. We recommend you enjoy this beer while perusing G:TB and FOG:GB. If that's not enough there's always tumblr porn.

Mermaids Delay Construction of Reservoir

We chase stories to all four corners of the Earth for our loyal reader(s) - assuming we don't actually have to leave our desk.

In Zimbabwe, Water Resources Minister Sam (Salt N') Sipepa Nkomo reported to the senate delays in a major water project are being caused by mermaids living in reservoirs. How can you get rid of mermaids? By brewing traditional beer. Everybody knows that the best beer for such a situation is brewed right here in America.

Mermaids, according to Zimbabwe custom, are known for carrying humans underwater and may never be seen again if relatives protest. The true motivation is unknown as some customs believe mermaids are spiteful to humans while others believe they simply forget humans cannot breathe under water. According to the report:

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Local Government, Rural and Urban Development Minister Ignatius Chombo, who also appeared before the senate committee, backed the call for traditional rites to be performed at the dams to allay workers’ fears.

Nkomo said the government is prepared to give the population the water it needs, but is unable to do so until the rituals are performed and necessary repairs can be carried out.

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Yes, I would very much like some bananas at cost.

h/t Off the Bench.

Flash Mob at Rec League Hockey Game

For all the heartache we like to give the Galactic Empire that is ABInBev, we have to tip our hat when they do good. We understand that it's a commercial and is as much marketing for Budweiser as anything else but it's a great reminder that sports is not about being in the pro leagues.



h/t theCHIVE

If You Need Help Just Ask

It's been awhile since we tackled the issue of crime and beer. So, let's re-visit the category by dropping in on our friends in Austin, Texas where Louie Alvarado is currently sitting in the Travis County Jail for attempting to steal a beer truck (assuming he has not posted bail). From the Statesman.com blotter:

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"A man who was delivering beer for Brown Distributing told police that he went inside the business, which police did not identify, and when he came outside, he found Alvarado sitting in the driver’s seat of the truck, the affidavit said.

Alvarado asked the man how to start the truck because he wanted to steal it, the affidavit said."

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No photo is posted in the article but we can only assume it's this guy: