I am almost caught up from feeling jet lagged from last weekend..A great time but a lot of work for the short time that it is...It looked a lot easier last year when I was a mere consumer and spectator...I didn't over-imbibe since I was nervous about making it out to the rendevous to pick up my beer and take it over to the fairgrounds...Must be the sailor in me...nervous about ships leaving without me... 
I could see trouble on the horizon though when many of my compatriots showed up missing keys and cell phones...the campground must be littered with drunk dialing debris My cell phone had no bars...so much for S_ _ _ _ _!!!!...Come September I go to Verizon because of that...The things that we learn at beer fests...
The only problem with accepting the hospitality of others to move me and my paraphenalia is that I had to be on their schedule...not too bad since we were all going to the same place...just that I could not extricate myself when I would have liked to be on my own...oh well...
The day was hot and everyone appreciated the large umbrella that I had appropriated from the restaurant...Oh well...I would have had sun stroke without it...smiles...I am sure my station was under the hole in the ozone...I could feel the sun burning my bare arms...
All went well until the end when you discover the depths to which humans will go to get one last 4 ounce serving of beer...any beer...The more experienced brewers had begun slowly breaking down and I discovered that I was alone with 50 people who wanted one last beer in the last 30 minutes of the event...Well, many went empty...as did my kegs,,,which is good news since nearly empty kegs weigh more at the end of an event than full kegs at the beginning of one...One of the strange facts about beer and physics...
There were a few heinous acts commited by friend and foe alike...Can't blame alcohol though...I think most of these folks were flawed to begin with...and alcohol just makes you more of what you already are...
Still, I think I will be much more prepared for the event next year due to my ups and downs this year...I made it home with many bottles of rare beers that new and old friends bestowed upon me just by wandering into their campfire ring...the comrarderie of brewers...always a beer waiting at the next stop...
I could see trouble on the horizon though when many of my compatriots showed up missing keys and cell phones...the campground must be littered with drunk dialing debris
My cell phone had no bars...so much for S_ _ _ _ _!!!!...Come September I go to Verizon because of that...The things that we learn at beer fests...
The only problem with accepting the hospitality of others to move me and my paraphenalia is that I had to be on their schedule...not too bad since we were all going to the same place...just that I could not extricate myself when I would have liked to be on my own...oh well...
The day was hot and everyone appreciated the large umbrella that I had appropriated from the restaurant...Oh well...I would have had sun stroke without it...smiles...I am sure my station was under the hole in the ozone...I could feel the sun burning my bare arms...
All went well until the end when you discover the depths to which humans will go to get one last 4 ounce serving of beer...any beer...The more experienced brewers had begun slowly breaking down and I discovered that I was alone with 50 people who wanted one last beer in the last 30 minutes of the event...Well, many went empty...as did my kegs,,,which is good news since nearly empty kegs weigh more at the end of an event than full kegs at the beginning of one...One of the strange facts about beer and physics...
There were a few heinous acts commited by friend and foe alike...Can't blame alcohol though...I think most of these folks were flawed to begin with...and alcohol just makes you more of what you already are...
Still, I think I will be much more prepared for the event next year due to my ups and downs this year...I made it home with many bottles of rare beers that new and old friends bestowed upon me just by wandering into their campfire ring...the comrarderie of brewers...always a beer waiting at the next stop...
'Eat the bread now, O Enkidu, as it belongs to life. Drink also beer, as it is the custom of the land.' Enkidu drank seven cups of beer and his heart soared. In this condition he washed himself and became a human being." Of course, it was a prostitute, who was sent to spy on him, who showed him the glory of beer. I am such a dork...