Cos I'm TNT, I'm dyn-o-mite!

Howyagoing!? The Real MGD here, standing in for the PL on this momentous occasion: the TNT blog preceding the one year anniversary of the blessed event. As a lifetime member of CAMRA, I'm stoked that Tacoma has such a motivated group of publicans and Real Ale drinkers who dreamt this baby up and executed it.

While the taplist for the March TNT was a bit uninspiring, I showed up at the Park Way in the late afternoon with a full head of steam and decided that I'd make an effort to get around to all participating pubs this time around, come hell or Pissed LiBEERian.

The PW were their usual welcoming selves and I sipped a DFH Aprihop while awaiting the arrival of my better half who was working until 1800. Once joined up and fueled up, we headed off to The Red Hot to see what the Iron Horse Oak-Aged IPA was all about.

Photographic documentation of the PL's entrance led to the discovery of a stealthy interloper. I have no idea who or what this thing is, but am fairly certain that if the PL had seen it she would have soon been parts per million. My best guess is that the Cheshire Cat shagged a waterlogged Gremlin.

The atmosphere at TRH was pretty relaxed and the Iron Horse IPA was pretty reasonable while the Aprihop was a bit disappointing. DFH apparently have changed the formula this year and it’s not for the better IOHO. But we had things to meet and people to do, and the Cheshire Gremlin was still stalking the back of my mind, so we strolled down to Engine House No.9 for a pint of their Amarillo IPA on cask.

One whiff gave me the chills: butterscotch all the way, which is usually a bad sign in the nose of an IPA. Butterscotch or popcorn butter is a marker of infection or contamination and is to be avoided at all costs.

We quickly headed off to The Swiss, eager to put memories of ale confections behind us. The Swiss was its usual relaxed Monday night self and, as has been the pattern developing over the past year-plus, showing off some interesting ales in addition to the featured Hale’s Dry-Hopped Mongoose. As a bonus, we ran into my good mate and the guy I love to lock for, Jerry the Nomad Prop.

 Next stop was Doyle's and the Fullers was tasty but fairly routine at this point, especially after Swiss goodness.

  As all roads (in the world of the PL & myself) lead to Park Way, we finished off our night with a 2nd stop in.

SJ serving up pints from the Randall

TNT ='s 2 thumbs up from Justin

Dragging the PL away from the Park Way, never an easy task.

I mean seriously, can you blame her? Check out the taplist.

 
The announced brews for the 1^st anniversary of TNT, hit it up in your mouth hole tonight at 6p:

Red Hot - Everybody's Brewing Dry-Hop Country Boy IPA
Parkway - Everybody's Brewing Imperial IPA
Doyle's - Fullers ESB
Swiss - Pike Dry-Hop Double IPA
E9 - E-9 Imperial Bourbon Barrel Stout

Tap Night Tacoma, it's better than a punch in the junk.

kind of a big deal,

The Real MGD

(with permission of the pissed liBEERian)

Photography & Writing by The Real MGD
Reading, approving, laughing & thanking by The Pissed LiBEERian

Tap Night numero Ocho

Tap Night #8 starting @ 6p prontissimo!

Monday Jan 10th, 2011

The Red Hot is pouring Walking Man Double Dry Hopped Homo Erectus IIPA, Parkway is pouring Nectar Ales Hemp Ale, Doyles is pouring Fullers ESB, The Swiss is pouring Maritime Pacific Dry Hopped IPA, & Engine House #9 is pouring E-9 Simcoe One Hop Wonder!! All casks tapped at 6pm!

Not going to bother listing a route (or plan of action) this go around since I'm (1) trying to avoid stalkers, (b) working until 9p so who knows how much ground I'll be able to cover, and (7) because Jacob Leonard (formerly Head Brewer @ Walking man, now working for Widmer Brothers) specifically made the cask of Double Dry Hopped Homo Erectus IIPA for the Red Hot for this event... you can guess where I'll be headed!

Hope all of you get your badonkadonks out there to represent the goodness that is Tap Night Tacoma!

the pissed liBEERian

And we now conclude the 'Tacoma Drinks WA Beer' event 2 Growlers richer & what can only be described as a happy ending known as 'Tap Night Tacoma'.

Ahhhh, the invention of the beer punch card. Bingo style sheet to be defiled with special made Red Hot & Parkway stamps with the promise of a special edition Tacoma Drinks WA Beer Growler upon completion. Somebody let it leak that I am a marketing persons dream; this event was MADE for me. A legitimate reason to go drink and review lotsa awesome ale. Okay guys... you talked me into it.

There is way too much randomness to go over from 10/1-10/11 so I'll just list up the ales we had and other B.S. I personally find muy importante to our overall enjoyment. Enjoy!

Go Team Washington!

 Pike Dry Wit, Elysian Men's Room Red, Big Al Harvest. 2 crazy days @ Tacoma Craft Beer Festival. 1 visit to the Schooner Exact tasting room & a Jack Johnson concert to follow. Nautical Night @ Parkway involved 7 Seas Cutt's Amber & Ballz Deep, Port Townsend Oak aged Scotch Ale on cask & Old Bawdy Barleywine & Green Tea Gold, Snoqualmie Stout, Schooner Exact King St. Kriek. Harvest Night @ Red Hot entailed Two Beers Fresh Hop & Pumpkin Spice and Schooner Exact Gutter P'nkn & Fresh Hop. Enjoyed some Elysian Immortal IPA, Scuttlebut Hoptopia and Port Townsend Straight Stout on nitro.

One night @ home I tried out the Wells Banana Bread Beer... yeah, whoa. I passed out early so I didn't have to finish it and could pass THAT buck. Took trips to both World Beers on 56th in Tacoma and 99 Bottles in Federal Way for Dogfish Head swag and lots of bottled goodness. At this point I think we are set for the next 10 private beer fests... I'm currently formulating a private punch card to use so we can start working on some of the stuff I've been stocking up on. I think it might help open up some room in my fridge for actual food. A brewery crawl to visit both Odin & Big Al in West Seattle. Will blog more info on those trips later...

Back to punch card drinking... Fish Tale Organic Amber Ale, Elysian The Immortal IPA, Lazy Boy Belgian Gold, Schooner Exact Fresh Hop, Two Beers Crooked Belgian Wit, Snoqualmie Black Frog, Big Al Sourlicious on cask, Boundary Bay IPA (the head had a cool swirly nebula and we missed the effing photo opportunity which equaled sadness for this girl because I heart astronomy.) Hit up Crown Bar in Tacoma for some mac 'n cheese, burgers and fried oysters. Yes, the best eating decisions are ALWAYS made late at night.

Moving on to the pinnacle of our adventure...

VICTORY!!! Growler #1 secured. Final beer stamp was Diamond Knot Industrial XIPA. Finished #6 @ Red Hot. They took my picture but walked away quickly when I started giving my acceptance speech so I did it in my head. Had a Fremont Interurban IPA, hit up some pesto pizza @ PSP then onto Parkway to finish things off.

As you can tell from the picture, the sun shineth down on our victory ales...

and again... VICTORY!!! It truly creates a sweet mouth feel. The winning beers for Growler #2 was the Big Al IPA and the Burris Octoburrfest. Once again, 6th to complete a card @ Parkway. Did you know that 6 - 5 = 1? That's right. Number FUCKING 1. Forgot the foam finger at home... sigh. Must be more boyscout-ish in the future. You would think that I of all people would carry around a beer drinking survival kit of some kind for these occasions. Oh... now THERE'S an idea!

We kick it old school.

Rounded out the night with Mac & Jack's Imperial IPA & Elysian The Immortal IPA then onto the Alehouse in University Place for some Schooner Exact Seamstress Union and a teeny Shuffleboard smack down.

Does this seem like a lot of booze? Guess what? That's because it is. There were 24 beers per punch card and by 10/11/10 we were the owners of two Growlers'... you do the math. Then factor in 2 FULL days @ Tacoma Craft Beer Festival, visits to 3 breweries and a few other random locations... Yeah. Wow is right. Don't worry, we're impressed with us too.

Bye bye paycheck...

Bye bye healthy liver...

Bye bye all of my free time...

Hello 11 days of awesome time spent with MGD. Having many a laugh, many a pint & many an awesome memory to bring home in addition to our limited edition Growlers.

"No babe, we can't stay in tonight for a movie and a few beers. Yes, I know we have filled Growlers burning a hole in the fridge. We chose to accept this mission and still have empty spots on our cards... put your shoes on. Now. Please." (insert irresistibly cute pissed liBEERian smile) See Example A(ale) below, could you say 'no' to that? :) If your answer is 'yes', well... you shouldn't.

Could this shirt be more perfect? I truly do heart WA beer. Thanks eyeluvbeer.com!

Mustered up some (nonexistent) energy for one final day of TdrinksWAbeer. After all, it's freaking Tap Night. I rambled on last week about how great this event is, how everyone should come out for it and questioned why there wasn't better advertising for it. I couldn't be a lame ass no show and ruin my street cred.

Tap Night Tacoma #4, I ask you... when & where else could I find Georgetown Lucille IPA on tap, cask AND on the Randall; all in one evening? Seriously people, nowhere. (okay that may or may not be a lie, but F off; it seems pretty awesome to me!)

Due to all of my strenuous efforts in punch card filling out... I didn't accomplish much for Tacoma Tap Night. However, here is what I was able to sample due to the combined efforts between myself & MGD:

•  E9 - Dry Hopped IPA
• Doyle's - Morland Old Speckled Hen (plus a hummus plate because I was working on the equation of 'super hunger + cranky = hankry')
• Parkway - Mac & Jack's (new!) Yerba Mate IPA (the Double Mountain Vaporizer was the listed cask ale for TNT but that was before they decided on the dates for WA beer week. Therefore it had to be thrown out like the little piece of Oregonian trash that it was. Hahahaha, I'm totally kidding. That was just fun to say.)
• Swiss - Georgetown Lucille IPA

My pick of the night would have to be the M&J's Yerba Mate. A very enjoyable IPA but my stomach was really done tolerating any level of hoppiness. It was starting to feel like the apocalypse was happening in there. Thank the sweet flying spaghetti monster for MGD, he totally carried this event. Considering I almost left after visiting E9 I was so sick of drinking. I know, okay, I know. A super scary thought. A day or two off and I'm back to normal, ready to blog it up and make some arrangements for the next few events. I won't abandon you, my faithful readers!! Here, take a free hug.

Anywho... like I was saying. Favorite beer was the Yerba Mate but my fave moment was when I drank it so slowly that eventually MGD just took it from me. Then said "Are you actually going to drink anything tonight, or are you beyond done? Steal my beer instead..." and handed me his ever so lovely (partially emptied) Schooner Exact Gallant Maiden. Happeh sigh.

We also found it to be highly entertaining that out of the 24+ Parkway ales on tap, it was pretty impossible to find something we haven't already tried over the last week or so. Yay for punch card drinking. We truly know how to get 'er done. I believe the pivotal moment that brought us here was when I was looking over our 2 collective cards in dismay and thinking "How on Earth are we going to finish 1 punch card let alone 2? Did you actually NEED a Growler?" I handed the sheets to MGD who stated "This is a piece of piss. It's on like Donkey Kong. Get your coat." Who knew we could be so efficient as a team?

Thanks Red Hot & Parkway! You made my October totally interesting. It hasn't been the easiest 11 days of my life, but it was worth every bit of my time and energy and moola. Can't wait to see what y'all come up with next.

Check out my previous blogs (also known as: amazingly funny & marvelously informative musings by thePL) on Tacoma Craft Beer Festival and Tap Night Tacoma if you crave more oh-so-delightful information.

switching to the H2O for a damn minute, the pissed liBEERian

 Oh and BTfreakingW... you only dream of having minions as amazing as I do. Much like the Beer Bitch who writes for NWBrewing News and has her feet rubbed down as she scribes her articles, I am equally blessed. Spent many an hour out drinking while spending our punch card completion night in style. MGD brought me this awesome morning care package the next day because I was too tired & cranky to cure myself from so much fun. Heart bubbles.

You wanna tap this?

Due to what I find to be highly insufficient plugging and advertising, I am going to start doing my part to promote Tap Night Tacoma. This is an event that happens on the 2nd Monday of every month at local pubs and taverns around the general 253 area.

At 6p sharp, a city wide selection of cask ales are tapped for the enjoyment of the masses at approximately 5-6 locations. The breweries who provide the casks are usually well known & it may even be beer you've consumed before. However, I'll give you four reasons that this is a must attend event so listen the fuck up... I only want to have to repeat myself once a month (approx. a week before the event as a reminder).

1. Support your local businesses. We don't need to pump any more of our hard earn $ into the hands of any more Red Robins and Applebees. Stay away from chains, obvious. Kthnxbai.

2. You may have had Schooner Exact's 3 Grid IPA (winner of the blind IPA David & Goliath event @ Parkway Tavern on 9/29) but have you had their 2-5-3 Grid IPA? This was a special made brew for a previous Tap Night Tacoma. You will see all kinds of great new ales and tweaked old favorites featured.

3. Help keep great events alive! More bars should collaborate and host events like this. I totally dig how much the Parkway and Red Hot are into doing special & weird things in the sake of craft beer. It gives me a reason to go out (because my social life is really lacking right now, as is my beer drinking...) and shoves them deeper and deeper into my heart of hearts. I've become bored just showing up @ a bar to drink nowadays. Other than doing it to keep my loyal following going... I want a reason! I am a marketing persons DREAM. You make a punch card for WA beer... I'm fucking there with my sleeping bag and toothbrush.

4. Cask ale is da bomb! It offers a richer taste and has more character, while at its freshest. It is unfiltered and unpasteurized, served without the use of extraneous carbon dioxide or nitrogen around room temperature. The live product in it's natural state, kind of like traveling back to the Mesozoic period to see real dinosaurs vs. a field trip to see some fossils @ a museum. Yep... just like that.

Hope those points hit home and you make it out to the next Tap Night Tacoma, Monday October 11th @ 6p. Here's the lineup:

The Red Hot - Naked City Dry-Hopped Impact IPA*
Engine House 9 - E9 Dry-Hopped IPA
Doyle's - Morland Old Speckled Hen*
Meconi's - Maritime Pacific Imperial IPA
The Swiss - Georgetown Brewing Lucille IPA
Parkway Tavern - Double Mountain Vaporizer*

I starred the ones I am the most excited to try, then followed it with one based on convenience. I mean come on, if I'm gonna hit Red Hot why wouldn't I walk across the street to E9? Please note that I put Parkway last because it is my most favoritest and I like to save it. I haven't made it to all locations yet on a single Tap Night and when I'm done traveling, I head to Parkway to finish my evening for the cask ale they are serving up and whatever else looks delicious.

I will do what I can to help this event be a success. Not only by promoting it and attending, but I am only one liBEERian. I don't understand why I can only find out info on what's being served and where for this event by seeing a random poster @ a pub (which works for me, I go often but there are many who don't) or MAYBE hearing some info on Facebook the day of the event. Can't Tap Night Tacoma have it's own FB page? I'll even make it if that's what it takes to get the good word out because it's TNT and it's dynamite.

 

the pissed liBEERian

Tap this.