 |
| Great tune. |
Or
perhaps it’s an oddity – This is Major Tom to Ground Control… I’m stepping
through the door…
June 1st is not particularly special in and of itself, unless your birthday is today, in
which case, Happy Birthday!!! But other than birthdays, it’s just another
summer day. Of course, it happens to fall on a Saturday this year, which
qualifies it for…
… RANDOM SUMMER BEER SATURDAY QUEST
status. And, no, I didn't just make that up. Okay, maybe I did.
What am
I blathering about? I’ll tell you what I’m blathering about. It’s summer, it’s
nice outside, you don’t have to work today, so let’s go beer questing. Plain
and simple. The quest can be as easy or elaborate as you wish to make it. It
can take place at a single destination, multiple destinations, or maybe even
from the comfort of your own home. It is quite literally whatever you want to
do with this opportunity.
So as a
way to inspire you, I’ll reveal what I've got up my sleeve for today’s beer
odyssey. WARNING: The following descriptions and accounts contains SPOILERS, for
those of you who are joining me on today’s adventure and want to remain
surprised.
 |
| Be careful with this one. |
A few
days ago, I received a message from Brixx Woodfired Pizza in Woodbridge, VA,
alerting me to the fact that they have acquired a cask of Lake Erie Monster
Double IPA, courtesy of the Great Lakes Brewing Company out of Cleveland, OH.
It would be tapped at 1:00pm sharp on Saturday, June 1st and be
available until floated.
What’s
the big deal? Well, as you all know by now, I am an admitted hop head. I would
be willing (if it weren't for pressing obligations in my real life) to scour
the earth looking for IPAs, Double IPAs, Imperial IPAs, etc, just to sit back
and enjoy them. Not to mention that Lake Erie Monster is a seasonal rarity
release and is not always available. Additionally, beers out of a cask are
ALWAYS delicious and cause to literally drop everything you are doing and
partake. This particular Double IPA is hopped with Simcoe and Willamette hops
from the Pacific Northwest and weighs in at 9.1% ABV, 80 IBU, and has a final
gravity of 22 degrees plato. Everything you want; nothing you don’t.
Clearly,
this is a prime place to begin my sortie into deliciousness. Once I have had my
share of the the Monster, it will be time for round two, which is…
…pre-gaming
for round three. Okay, I know what you’re thinking. Why not just label this
part a transition and make round three round two? Because it’s my beer odyssey…
not yours. Besides, a pre-game should never be treated as an afterthought. It
is just as important as the events that precede it and those that follow it. An
entire evening can be made or broken with the pre-game.
Once the
prescribed amount of time has elapsed, the pre-game will end and we’ll be on to
round three. A few times a year, I contribute my time and effort to serving
beer to the thirsty masses… in person. This is one of those times. I will be
serving beer in a beer tent on a beach to those who crave malted-barley-based
refreshment (and have enough tickets to trade me for the beer). I’m not going to
sit here and tell you that I won’t be having a few myself while I hand them
out, because that would be a lie.
 |
| $7.75 for horse urine in a bottle? That's highway robbery! |
Once the
beer serving is done, I will then fade into the throngs of thirsty beer patrons
at the event and continue drinking until I determine that enough is enough.
Should be a pretty nice little Saturday, maybe Home Depot or Bed, Bath, and
Beyond… not sure if we’ll have enough time.
… for
here am I sitting in my tin can…
Here’s
to craft-brewed happiness… Cheers!
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