I would like to say happy birthday to my cousin Mike in Chicago. I think he is 41 today. When we were all kids growing up in the 70's, Mike was so proud to tell everybody, "I have the same birthday as O.J.!" Today, not so much. You know what, let's all say happy birthday to O.J. too. "Happy Birthday Juice!" OK, now maybe nobody will get stabbed. If you knew O.J., and you guys were totally friends, do you think it would be funny to give him a set of gloves on his birthday? I mean, would he think it's funny. "Oh, you got me gloves! I get it. Like when I killed my wife and that gigolo waiter. You got me. Cops didn't though! God bless you Johnnie Cochran! Aaahh.......good times."There are lots of beer happenings out there in the next seven days. I know that summer is usually associated with laying around and catching up your R & R. But those are the types of things LAZY people associate with summer. I have some other notable distractions, which mostly involve sitting around drinking beer (I know how much you love that). Some might say that those are lazy activities. Well, those people have clearly never seen you drink. You, my friend, are an athlete, and don't let that police officer try to tell you any differently. Anyway, lets begin:
- Tomorrow, July 10th we are tapping a cask of Avery IPA which has been dry-hopped with these rare and potent hops called Apollo. If you are able to get to Metropolis tomorrow, the beer starts flowing at 6 pm. Yes, we usually start at 5, but that is because we have been there all day, and frankly we are sick of waiting. However, we understand the traffic is not friendly on Fridays especially, so 6 pm it is. On that note, if there are any doctors out there who want to bring me a pad of those notes you give people to excuse them from work and stuff, that would be great. There are a lot of drinkers out there who just need to get out of work an hour or two early once in a while to get a good parking spot and a seat at the bar. I realize that you have devoted your life to helping people, and these people need your help.So, the pad please.
- Also tomorrow is the big "Christmas In July" kick-off. Almost every store has kegs and bottles of beer they have been sitting on since last fall/winter. These are stronger beers that will actually benefit from some aging. Find out from the stores near you what they plan on breaking out for you, either by calling or getting involved with their Twitter activity. There are different strategies that some stores are employing to keep things interesting. The idea here is that warm weather drinking doesn't have to be boring. Especially if you plan ahead.
- Next week we will see more casks, this time accompanied by the actual brew master. Hugh Sissons from Heavy Seas will be at our Mall of GA store on Tuesday, and at Metropolis on Wednesday. He will be bringing casks of his Loose Cannon IPA. If you were lucky enough to have tried this beer at the Heavy Seas beer dinner last year, or at any of the other events where we have featured it, then you just got very excited. If you have not had this beer served this way before, clear your calendar on those days. Trust me.
- If you want the last seats to the Big Picnic Beer Dinner on the 21st, you need to use the web site to pay for the last 1 available through Pay Pal, and contact me for the last 1 that I am holding. I save a certain number for brewery personnel and high-ranking Passport Club members cashing in rewards. Those people are all accounted for, and I have 1 spot left. So, contact me first through the Beer Dinner link on our web site, and if I still have that spot left, it is yours. We just sampled the surprise beer on Monday. You'll be mad when you find out what it is if you aren't coming. That is only one of two surprises.
