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Tuesday, August 7, 2007

Things that suck

Once again, I won't be at the Great British Beer Festival (where Hobson's Mild was just named Champion Beer of Britain...and I won't get any).

I dropped a half-full growler of Victory Kölsch yesterday.

People still drink malternatives.

My dog's away for almost two days, getting snipped and chipped at the vet.

There are no bars within walking distance of my house.

It's hotter than the brass hinges of Hades out there.

Not being at the GBBF sucks so much I have to say it twice.

There is no brewpub in Newtown.

Philly's non-smoking in bars and restaurants, but PA is not.

Stan Rogers is still dead, dammit.

The things that don't suck are not enough to make me happy...right now.

Before anyone gets a bad impression: Hobsons Mild does NOT suck. As far as I know. I've never had any. Which sucks. And reminds me of another: not being able to put captions on graphics in Blogger.

30 comments:

Matt said...

Sometimes you get the most out of the posts that are published out of sheer boredom.

Bill said...

Things that don't suck:

Your dog will return and be massively thrilled to see you.

There'll be lots of fans of yours singing your praises at the Great Taste of the Midwest. And, amidst the 10+% barrel-aged megabrews will be delicately balanced lagers. And a cask ale tent.

You didn't drop a full growler of Victory Kolsch.

Happiness will return.

Steven said...

Okay, I'll try to reverse the curse.

Things that don't suck:

I have just under a case of mixed bottles of Trader Joe's beer styles brewed by Gordon Biersch.

The TJ's Vienna is dead-on to style.

The TJ's Hopfest is the most delightful rendition of a German Pils -- down to a soft body that HAS to be double decocted.

My GF loves the TJ's Weizen so much, it was her idea to stop for the mixed case!

Steven said...

Oh, and Lew -- at least you didn't drop the whole growler of Kölsch!

S.

(and you didn't have to write the $260 check to have my AC fixed 2 hours ago)

Lew Bryson said...

Hrrrrmmm...

Not working yet. "Happiness will return" is a good start, though.

Thanks, guys.

Lew Bryson said...

Things suck a little bit less: the vet called, and Penderyn's out of surgery, awake, and "doing just fine." Whew...

Anonymous said...

I wish there was a Gordon Biersch around the Boston area. Who else in the US makes a Vienna, Marzen, and Festbier? You would think more beer geeks would be geeking out over this place. But I guess when it comes to lagers, subtleties are lost on some - or is it the corporate chain brewery that is unnapealing to beer geeks, no matter the quality of the beer produced?

Anonymous said...

Well,

Gettysbrew could be the brewery in Newtown....

Your local bar within walking distance could be taps of Miller Lite, Bud Light, Smirnoffs Ice, Coors Light, Miller Chill, Pabst Blue Ribbon and Old Milwaukee.

It could have been a full bottle of Michters.

You could be getting fixed instead of the dog.

And LDA could be 49.

So, it could be worse...after all W.C. Fields said..."Here lies W. C. Fields. I would rather be living in Philadelphia."

Lew Bryson said...

Well...it doesn't make things better, but it sure hell does put 'em in perspective!

Steven said...

Okay Lew, here's one:

Horse walks into a bar, bar tender says, "Why the long face?"

B-dum - bum.

BTW -- Fields' actual line was, "I'd like to see Paris before I die... Philadelphia would do!" And it's an urban legend that his headstone states, "On the whole, I would rather be in Philadelphia," but the sentiment that Philly beats the alternative fits! ;-)

Anonymous said...

a termite walks into a tavern and asks .."is the bar tender here?"

please, throw money....

i'm here all week folks...

chin up Lew, go to Triumph and have a few!

Jeff Bearer said...

I dropped a half-full growler of Victory Kölsch yesterday.

Glad to see you are a growler half-full kind of guy.

:)

97% humidity at 5am, yeah today sucked even on this side of the state. And that reminds me, living close enough to victory to get growlers certainly does not suck.

BuckSpin said...

Everytime I feel that things are bad, I always remember this:

Somewhere, in licensed practice, is the world's worst proctologist....and someone unknowingly worse off than me has a noon appointment....

Anonymous said...

Lew,
Is the Temperance House still there and that pub not far from it that had lots of taps?
I used to love to go up there on a weekend and catch the Mark Kramer trio at the Temp and head over to the other place.
That was a decent night out.

Lew Bryson said...

Temperance House is 'still' here, but under new management...about four years ago, maybe five or six...can't recall, I don't go there. I assume the place with lots of taps you're referring to is Isaac Newton's: they're doing very well.

Anonymous said...

"The things that don't suck are not enough to make me happy...right now."

Triumph Philly NOT having growlers, yet...but the Kellerbier on tap is enough to make you rescind your vote. Not to mention the fact the chalkboard said: "Coming soon: RauchHefeWeizenDoppelBock".

[thud]

Back to your regularly scheduled vacuum in cheek sounding off.

Steven said...

"...Who else in the US makes a Vienna, Marzen, and Festbier?"

Istaff, Capital does, but they don't get far out of the midwest. As I said in my other post, look for a Trader Joes's -- and enjoy the $5.50 a sixpack GB beers!

Steven said...

So...how's things in the light of a ne day Lew?

Do I have to go find Eric Idle and bring out the big guns?

Lew Bryson said...

Oh, right: thanks to all who reminded me again that there's no G-B in Philly.

Anonymous said...

Have always loved Gordon Biersch. Even petitioned them to open one at Foxwoods Casino in CT but I think the e-mail sent got clipped as spam by the brewpie alert flag. Ah well...

Still hoping though.

Lew Bryson said...

Hrrmph. I refuse to be shocked out of my mood. I get my dog back at 4. Talk to me then.

ksqdomer said...

I dropped a half growler of Victory Kolsch on Sunday......right into my bellllly!

Lew Bryson said...

Steven sang "The Bright Side of Life" at me.

I rejected this.

Don't try to cheer up the moderator.

Steven said...

Well, how about this? Was out for a post-meal walk last night and saw a woman walking a very energetic corgi.

Thought about you then - you'll be racing around the backyard in no time!

Unknown said...

I had a 1/2 growler explode in my car once...
Sly Fox Hellesbock and shards of glass in every single nook and cranny of my entire subaru..

good news on your dog update...

Lew Bryson said...

Been there, had three 16 oz. returnables of Yueng Premium blow in the car once; what a frickin' mess!

Less than two hours to dog return...

Dan Bengel said...

Oh please Sly Fox girl and Lew, I had TWO growlers of Troegs die a horrible death in my truck, I live with a no fun twin, and I know Jack Curtin! Top that!

Alan said...

Stan's "45 Years" was our first dance at our wedding.

And I got a growler of Rohrbach porter back home (along with about 70 other can't be bought here beers) and didn't have to pay any duty at the border.

Anonymous said...

Today's lesson: never travel without a cooler during summer months, growler lovers!! A hard and fast rule in my world!

Alexander D. Mitchell IV said...

You could have dropped a second bottle of Allsopp's Arctic Ale...... after selling the first one on eBay for $304 in June.......... (^_^)

If you insist on being in a "fowl" mood, shall I send BBQ chicken or smoked turkey? And a good rauchbock to accompany? (Sorry, no Balto. Brewing Rauchbock available....)

You could be in Baltimore--losing our Cap City outlet next month, lost the last vestiges of decent beer at Ryleigh's Oyster House, Baltimore Brewing is still history......