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Ah politics. Is there nothing better than bickering with each other over countless hours, even days, concerning rabid topics from foreign, domestic, all the way down to boxers or briefs?
Well, there’s beer.
Yes. That’s decidedly better.
For those of you who don’t know, I’m a beer brewer. A homebrewer, specifically. Home brewing has been practiced in this country for, well, longer than we’ve actually been a country. George Washington did it. Thomas Jefferson did it. Barack Obama did it at least once . . . all thanks to the only good piece of legislation to come out of the Carter Presidency. Due to the diligent efforts of the American Homebrewer’s Association (AHA), in 2014 fermenting beverages at home finally became legal in all fifty states.
Of the many benefits endowed by brewing, pride is the most obvious. Crafting a robust ale or crisp lager and serving it to one’s friends inevitably results in a chorus of positive adjectives, including the overused (but always welcome) “This is the best beer EVER!” But let’s be honest. Family, friends, neighbors: They’re liars. You could serve them raw chicken in pickle juice and many of them will still tell you the concoction laid before them can be none other than liquefied mana from heaven. These are people who have to see you again. They have to be positive, lest the pieces of your crushed soul haunt them for years to come. Indigestion is temporary; crushing a family member– that stain lasts forever.
Now sure, there are plenty of competitions out there to get real unbiased feedback on your fermented works of art. National, local, public, private– they’re everywhere. But beer wasn’t made to be weighed, measured, and judged . . . it was meant to be drunk! By people in great halls filled with stories, laughter, and general merriment– that is the source of true pride for a brewer. I labored, I created, I brought . . . happiness.
Now herein lie the conundrum for the homebrewer. Our ability to make people happy, well, it has limits. I can’t bring delicious beer to the masses.
Why? Because I don’t want to go to prison. It’s illegal.
Enter: Hopwars at Phantom Aleworks in Anaheim.
Hopwars invites two homebrewers to join with a seasoned Phantom brewer to create competing libations to serve to the public. Two brewers go into the brewery . . . only one comes out. First keg kicked wins.
This is the people’s contest and answer to every homebrewer’s quest: TO PUBLICALLY SERVE MY BEER AND NOT GO TO PRISON.
Starting today, Thursday October 22, I will have a Porter entering Hopwars. It’ll be on tap all weekend. Come one, come all, and experience the simple chocolatey joy that I have created. Sure, this beer has won multiple competitions including Best Porter in the Anaheim Fest of Ales as well as being selected as a National Homebrew Competition Final Round Entry for 2014. The ribbons and medals . . . cold and lifeless reminders on the wall. Good beer must be consumed to be loved.
. . .
Or, alternatively, come down to Phantom and drink the other guy’s beer for no other reason that you can’t stand me. Not only will that homebrewer appreciate your feedback, you’ll be benefiting a local business while dicking me over.
Cheers.
Phantom Ales, Cider, and Cellar
1211 N Las Brisas St
Anaheim, CA 92806
http://www.phantomales.com/
[Editor’s Note: As it had already become so in practice, this post has been drafted — get it? “draft”? — into becoming the new Weekend Open Thread. We accepted the author’s position that it would take this position only if it was unanimous and if this post could take weekends off to be with it’s family. So talk about that or whatever else you want, within … etc. And bottoms up! Also, happy Avogadro’s Day!]
Well, someone ought to comment. Big doings in town tomorrow night, so I must regretfully decline your invitation. I particularly enjoy porters. Best of luck with yours.
It’ll be on all weekend. If you can, swing by!
Am I confused? It says “Thursday, October 22.” What weekend?
I’ll fix it.
Starting Thursday, ending sometime (hopefully) this weekend when the keg is kicked.
How much is it per glass. I don’t generally like beer, but I generally like your beer.
Not exactly sure what they charge per oz.
To be crystal clear: Phantom is selling beer and keeping the money. Nothing it this for me, just satisfaction.
And you’ve had this one, Greg. Either last year or 2013. I usually have it around the house.
It’s usually $5 a pint.
By the way, the Weekly’s collection of Scariest People this year is really good, it sounds like a list of folks and companies WE’VE been ragging on, some even before the Weekly noticed them.
Robert Coldren, bane of mobile home owners!
Rainbow Environmental Services, bane of schoolchildren and the Oak View neighborhood. Right, I haven’t finished my piece on that yet.
Scott Maloni of Poseidon!
Cunningham’s homeless-bashing “BetterSolutions4Anaheim.” They don’t seem to realize how much of a leader he is in that, though – they ding them for “associating” with him.
Gay-bashing Scott Peotter of Newport Beach.
Jordan, Jordan, Jordan.
And Pringle inducted into the Scariest People Hall of Fame!
Has Dan C never made this list? He really should.
“Two brewers go into the brewery . . . only one comes out.”
Just like Thunderdome!
What time you gonna be there, Ryan? I’ll swing by to support you just for a bit if I can…
Apart from my regular Thursday evening work in Fullerton, Matt is referring to an important Coyote Hills meeting at Fullerton City Hall — https://www.facebook.com/events/1476580425984123/
AND Lalo Alcaraz (with his buddy Gustavo) is premiering his new animated series Bordertown at CSUF – https://www.facebook.com/oczinefest/posts/438751462977235
Shit, everything is in Fullerton tonight, and Fullerton’s own Ryan Cantor will be in Anaheim.
Correction – not everything is in Fullerton. The Bordertown showing is in a CSUF facility, but in Santa Ana:
CSUF Grand Central Art Center
125 N Broadway, Santa Ana, California 92701
Theology on Tap at Valiant Brewery in the City of Orange:
On select evenings, residents of Orange County (and beyond!) are invited to attend various talks by both religious and lay speakers to encourage thoughtful discussions and a deeper understanding of the faith. We operate in complete fidelity to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church and the Code of Federal Regulations and public laws relating to the beer industry.
Wait a minute . . . Beer and discussion? In Orange County?
Thoughtful discussion?! With Quad Alpha Drive???
My faithfulness feels so uplifted.
I prefer my theology with sacramental wine. Or scotch.
I saw that, too.
Nobody around here is interested in a quick, inexpensive, practical, portable solution.
No it has to be a permanent, expensive, lengthy effort that multiplies difficulties at every turns and creates a bunch of resentment. That’s how you demonstrate your level of care and commitment.
To help confused readers, I’ll re-post the article link you are talking about, if only to see if it gets deleted AGAIN.-
https://www.yahoo.com/realestate/stackable-portable-apartments-are-tiny-homes-for-001438323.html
I don’t know why that didn’t post the first time. But I can tell you that a single bare link is what a lot of our spam looks like.
You can buy a large, sturdy shed that will keep out the rain at Home Depot, full retail, for a couple grand. The cost of that on Kraemer Place could buy 2300 of them.
*Anna’s Mom, just got off the ventilator on Saturday. She has made a big recovery since she was admitted into the ER and ICU a week ago last Weds. She got Legionaires Pneumonia in Acapulco the week before that evidently. On the drive from Phoenix to HB she also got a Urinary Track infection. 70 year old Diabetic woman with a 105 temperature when she got admitted to the ER in HB. Thought we would be taking her to Getty Center and all aound LA…but that didn’t work out…so well. Hopefully, they will be going home to Sweden in about another 10 days.
OK, back to beer. RC it is great to see someone give it the good old college try to re-event the wheel. Granpop made beer and wine during prohibition. One hot day in Venice, CA during the late twenties…..and ka-boom…..all the beer blew up. under the house. You evidently have some Chemistry background and will not use too many reagents….we hope! OK, beer – you already know that Becks is being made in St. Louis…..and already know that many import beers are not allowed to offer their 5.3% Alcohol. There is a great beer from Northern Germany entitled Humserbrau…a smooth slightly dark 12.3% Alcohol….that will never seen this side of the ocean. What is amazing is that none of this talk included the words: “Octoberfest at Old World in HB”. The joint is jumping and you could easily spend a week, eight hours a days drinking and tasting the various brews….which are certainly not IPA’s, Craft Brews or a bunch of terrible beer which neither has the correct amount of alcohol, but also has the worst of the worst “after taste”. Have anyone of you actually tried a 22 ounce that cost $7.49 a bottle? Crap….and most of the craft beer are. We got into a restaurant and it is so bad…..unless they at offer Stella….we are gone. There are lots of folks that like Guiness…..which we can’t stand and lots of people like Private Label nonsense. The truth of the matter is that the Mexican, Japanese, German and Phillipino beers are still the best. Not all mind you…..and when you go someplace with Draft Beer, they have
to use clean glasses, have to have a fresh, cold product which represents the brewer.
Beer is good and RC….thanks for giving it a try. Just please don’t dress up like “The Little Old Wine Maker”…and we will be happy!
Just posted a reply on the Cunningblog beginning with “Tell me, to take just one example” and ending with “to be believed.” Lately it’s been taking several days for my comments to appear there after being given plenty of time to wilt in “moderation”; let’s see what happens with this one.
No one in Democratic politics can say that I didn’t try to warn them. This development was totally predictable.
Hopefully, if Newman (whom I don’t know well at all) beats Sukhee and wins the spot against Chang, Bushala will turn his gaze into that worthy void of her lyin’ eyes instead. Meanwhile, I’m going to enjoy this one from the sidelines. And it wouldn’t matter if I didn’t — it’s a lost cause.
I would think that the Freedom Caucus members are now screwed, whether they voted for Paul Ryan or not, although supporters and resisters are screwed in different ways.
Anyway, congratulations to John Boehner, who made it out alive.
I would have liked to see Gohmert as Speaker.
Me too — for about five minutes. Then I’d probably feel like Jerry Garcia felt after having had the excellent idea of cutting off his finger.
You don’t think that daily sight on TV would have cured a shitload of Americans from voting Republican?
It might have “cured” them. Or it might have just normalized that level of deviance. Or it might induce cynicism and inaction. It’s very hard to get Americans to revolt against stupidity, and I tend to be pessimistic about the Leninist approach. We don’t know where the floor is on how low we can go, but I suspect that when we find out it will be very hard to dig back out from under the rubble.