Big Election day here in Georgia.

It's finally here.

The referendum on Sunday alcohol sales is being put to the counties.

COME ON ATLANTA!!!!!!

i drink way more wine and cocktails than beer. rarely drink beer anymore cuz it gives me massive hangovers. i will throw down a bottle of oregon pinot, however, without any problem.

Shit passed overwhelmingly...GOOD FOR US!

Results by city

God Bless Decatur. 91%.

So, I guess we'll expect the rest of the state to fall in line sometime around 2063?

Had some of this over the weekend:

No, it wasn't the first time, and I know that y'all have almost certainly had it too.
Just wanted to reinforce the insane awesomeness of this beer. Had it on tap and it was, in fact, heaven.
Thank you for your attention.

Wow, big win in PTC, barely a win in F-Ville and Tyrone. Wish I could index these %'s against shit like dem/repub, income per household, median age (my guess), or whatever best correlates.

I'd say urban vs rural. The further away from Atlanta you get the less likely it is to pass. (Except in cities like Athens, Savannah, and maybe Columbus/Macon).

The thing that annoys me most is that most of the politicians punted this issue for decades for fear of not being on the side of JEBUS and respecting the Sabbath when the numbers clearly showed, in and around Atlanta at least, people CLEARLY wanted the right to make their own decisions.

The EASIEST vote any pol can make is to let people decide for themselves. You're not voting for or against, you're voting for their right to decide.

That said, this was a Liquor/C-Stores vs. Restaurants issue all the way. Wholesalers I would guess were neutral or came down lightly on both sides depending on where they are. Like Empire (or whoever that is based in Macon) would probably be for it, but in ATL, they wouldn't give a shit - they make money either way.

I don't know that this really drives down your brunch crowd or whatever, but I certainly know there are some days that a Bloody at home and a 14 hour So Cold monger Sesh would beat brunch hands down.

I still remember those awful sundays, realizing how badly you needed one of these, and then realizing the cabinets were bare. Ie, "what can I make with Gran Marnier that won't make me puke right now?"

I figured it would win easily in PTC but not pass at all in Tyrone and Fayetteville: Up until just a few years ago you couldn't buy alcohol of any kind in either of the latter towns while PTC has always had an abundance of liquor stores and bars; I chalk most of that up to PTC being less of a "Southern town" and more a haven for transplants.

Also, some of those towns that passed the measure don't even have liquor stores, just beer and wine sales in convenience and grocery stores. (I'm looking at you, Jonesboro)

Not much of a difference maker for me as I typically buy my beer on Friday's and enjoy it on the weekends, but hey, it would be nice to throw a bottle of wine or a good sixer in the cart when we buy groceries on Sunday's.

RIP to the guy who's job it was to dim the lights in the beer aisle in the grocery store on Sunday. I'll miss that shadowy, tempting and oh so forbidden hue amidst the fluorescent glow.

We have a version of that here - all beer/wine sales in grocery stores are verboten on sunday mornings until like 11am, I think, so they get locked up saturday at closing time, with the metal screens like they use at the mall. I guess you can buy booze on any other day at 8am, if you can live with looking like what you are.

Mythical monastic brewers Westvleteren to ship some beer to the US for first time ever. Importer is based in MA, no word on where the beer is going. Obviously I'll be looking for it, but competition will be insano in the braino.

http://www.brewbound.com/news/westvleteren-beer-to-be-distributed-in-u-s

It's good. It's very damned good.

Noon for us, but no metal screens. But then again, you can't buy wine in grocery stores or beer in liquor/wine shops and visa/versa.

I'm going to the New Belgium tapping party for Prickly Pear Saison and the Fresh Hop IPA on Friday, but the highlight of my weekend is the AHA Teach your friend to Homebrew day on Saturday that is in conjunction with the Lincoln Lagers Homebrew club swap meet at Modern Monk brewery. We are doing an all grain brew, and there will be $2 pints of Modern Monks beer for participants in the swap meet.

That sounds fucking awesome, Prom.

Recents


Boulevard - Double-Wide IPA

I haven't had DFH 90 Minute in a long time, but from what I recall this is just as good. Big, thick, complex, hoppy, nice kick, a lot to ponder over the course of 22 ounces. Once again these guys really impressed me. Recommended, as with all their others. A


Idle Hands - Grand Kickoff Tasting Party

A bad cell phone pic of Shiv's elbow and 2 not-quite-ready-for-primetime pints from newcomers Idle Hands, who have set up shop down in the Seaport district of Boston. Both were belgian styles, neither was quite there yet. Here's hoping they bust their ass and get world class. C+


Sam Adams - Imperial Stout

The good news is, this didn't taste just like all other SA beers. It's pretty good, and commands respect. 12 ounces took me over an hour each time, in a pleasant way. It's huge, burnt as hell, and the alcohol can be tasted. Not the best imperial out there but good on 'em, this went really well with the wood burning stove... excellent fireplace beer. The fact that it comes in a 4 pack of 12's, and isn't uber-expensive compared to other huge stouts is decidedly a bonus. It's not often one person wants 22 ounces of burnt toast and rubbing alcohol all to himself in one sitting. B+

Green Flash is going to start distributing beer to the Cornhusker State. I'm pretty excited about getting to try most of their beers. A few craft breweries from Colorado have recently stopped distributing beer here, so it is good to get another of the coastal craft breweries to come in here.

Green Flash is awesome.

After a day of brewing Porter at a local craft brewery with local home brewers, I am enjoying this:


http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/boulevard- ... ne/111445/

Spent the afternoon at Three Floyd's XV Anniversary party where we all could buy three bottles of the embarrassingly named "Baller Stout" which is a blend of Dark Lord, Darkness, Beer Geek Brunch Weasel and Black Albert. The beer is... well. Though, I really enjoyed this, a buckwheat wine, on tap:

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/mikkeller- ... op/151390/

Tasted like fresh Expo Hoppiness, or, the most delicious fruit cocktail you can imagine.

Then, spent the evening at the Festival of Barrel Aged Beers. Goose Bramble Rye Bourbon County, Manhattan Bourbon County and Ghost Pepper Bourbon County were all awesome. Oh, Lost Abbey sent Veritas 10 as well!

who'd ya lose?

i thought that New Belgium Fresh Hop was excellent. unfortunately their Snow Day is a step down from 2 Below, IMO. too bad, because 2 Below was a winter staple here.

couple recents from small, local breweries who are starting to make a name for themselves:

Crooked Stave, from up in Ft. Collins. Not sure if i relayed his story here before or not, but very interesting stuff going on there. i'm not big on sour's, but this saison was really good:


Dry Dock down in Denver has been getting glowing press lately, but i haven't yet tried anything. Guy at Liquor Mart literally forced me to buy this one, as it was the last one in the store. i'm torn between cellaring or drinking now. if i could just find one more bottle:

i need to try their other offerings.

Damn, total beer boner reading those labels.

I have some damn ol' canned beer reviews I need to get up when I get a minute.

Hells yes.