Interesting News Week
Friday, November 30th, 2007 by Tom
If I had to become a monk, it would be here!
This is why I wish Buffalo, NY was closer to New York, NY.
…and for the record, I was in Buffalo all week… 36,000 pints?!!?
Archive for November, 2007
Tracking Down the True Tiki
Friday, November 30th, 2007 by Hannah
Dave just sent me a link to a really great story about Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, in the New York Times. After years of research and code-cracking, Mr. Berry has written a number of books, chock-full of tiki cocktail recipes, to finally revitalize Don the Beachcomber’s original creations from the 1930’s.
Looking to mix up some truly amazing, perfectly built tiki cocktails? Look no further than Beachbum Berry’s cocktail books… a sure way to conjure up some tropical heat – even in the dead of winter!
TAGS [ TIKI | COCKTAILS | BEACHBUM BERRY ]
Looking Forward to a Few “Cold Ones?”
Thursday, November 29th, 2007 by Shane
By “cold ones” I mean cold months. I was driving to work today with the windows down; it was probably 45º outside. I like it cold. I have always been this way. As a child, I would put ice cubes in my cereal.
I would not wear a coat. By the way, being cold does not make you catch a cold, so don’t believe your mother. I think I will sum it up like this:
When it’s 30º outside and you say, “I’m cold,” no, you’re not. You are somewhere around 98.5ºF. The question is, are you 
comfortable with that? I, personally, am not comfortable with heat and summer humidity. Blah!
So, my challenge to you is to change your attitude about winter – you may find it will warm you up. Here are a few positive things to keep in mind.
1. You can save on the cost of running the fridge.
2. You don’t swallow insects while riding your bike.
3. You don’t need an air conditioner and 60 fans to help you sleep comfortably.
4. It’s easy to keep your drinks cold.
5. Endless weapons at your disposal.
6. You won’t get your car stolen (like I did) ’cause criminals stay in.
| 7. The SHOT LUGE! | |
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| 8. Free furniture – temporarily. | 9. Candles won’t burn the house down. |
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So try to enjoy yourself this cold season; have fun with it. Harvest yourself some ice and get creative.
… and don’t forget to close your car doors before the snowplow goes by.
Enjoy,
Shane
Taps, Taps and More Taps
Wednesday, November 28th, 2007 by JmLast night on a quick pit stop to Von’s Grand City Café, in the heart of Seattle’s shopping district, I fell in love.
In love, that is, with the décor and draft beer selection.
On tap – tons of the best Pacific Northwest local brews, like Mac and Jack’s, Mirror Pond and Maritime. The walls – covered in an eclectic array of beer signs, liquor paraphernalia (my favorite—a vintage Maker’s Mark picture), and tons and tons of tap handles. The walls in the one of the dining areas were completely lined with them! You could find almost any tap handle you could think of.
I think that this would be an absolutely sweet@$$ way to decorate your home bar. And of course, with our ever-growing tap handle inventory, you can. That is, if your wife lets you, of course.
TAGS [ DRAFT BEER | TAP HANDLES ]
A Gift of Beer
Tuesday, November 27th, 2007 by HannahStuck in a gift-giving rut? Just can’t figure out something they’ll truly love, that’s still within your budget? We’ve got some fantastic ideas that are sure to please even the toughest gift critic! Try, perhaps, the gift of beer…
The Mr. Beer Premium Edition Beer Brewing Kit is a perfect gift for the budding home brewer. Complete with easy-to-follow instructions, this kit is great for the novice and experienced brewer alike. For under $40, you’ll get all you need to brew, bottle and enjoy your very own beer at home. This is one gift that can’t be beat!
If cocktails are more your recipient’s fancy, try our beautiful Mojito Cocktail Glass Set. 4 Mojito glasses, artistically designed, are accompanied by a top quality wooden muddler and a classic Mojito recipe. This set is perfect for any season.
Have a friend or family member with a fantastic sense of style? We’ve got the perfect décor to add to any chic room. Choose from 5 of our bright, oversize, real-enough-to-drink Cocktail Lamps, or our classic Cocktail Shaker Lamp. They’re all under $30 and sure to please!
What about gifts for party hound on your list? We’ve got you covered there, too! Our Get Bombed Beer Pong Set has everything you need for an inebriated good time of 
classic beer pong. We’ve got a great idea for the tailgater on your list, too. Try the Hops Holster Drink Can Belt. The belt adjusts to fit any waist size from 28 to 48-inches around, and boasts 6 insulated pockets for cans of your favorite brews.
For the suave, sophisticated James Bond-type on your list, we’ve got stylish and functional Travel Bars - perfect for shaking up favorite cocktails anytime, anywhere. Or perhaps a stylish addition to his or her home bar is more up your alley. If that’s the case, be sure to check out our Liquor Decanter Glass Bottle Set. 4 beautifully crafted glass bottles store, display and serve your Bourbon, Rum, Vodka and Whiskey in style. A perfect addition to any home bar or den!
Tis the season for gift giving… and KegWorks makes it easy!
TAGS [ GIFTS | TRAVEL BAR | MR BEER | HOME BAR | DRAFT BEER ]
Buffalo Beer History
Monday, November 26th, 2007 by KrisIn 1811, Black Rock, the first brewery, was built in the Buffalo area (Black Rock) by Joseph Webb. It didn’t last long though; the British destroyed it along with the rest of the village in 1813. However, more were built and flourished in the style of today’s microbreweries. The beer was brewed and then served in the tavern that was run by the brewery. It wasn’t until after the Civil War that breweries operated solely as a brewery without trying to run a tavern as well. By 1893 one could buy beer in one of 2,512 taverns, 150 hotels, 129 stores or 97 boarding houses in Buffalo. There was about 1 bar for every 100 people in the city and that included women and children.
In 1872 Buffalo was home to 35 breweries, the largest being Palace Brewery, built by Gerhard Lang. It put produced 9 million gallons of beer annually. At the turn of the century, brewing was a major industry in Buffalo. Major breweries were emerging and cooperatives were forming among smaller breweries, those that tried to go it alone were eaten up by the competition. Then Prohibition hit… to be continued….
A Recipe for Disaster
Friday, November 23rd, 2007 by Tim56-10… The worst loss in Buffalo Bills history, to division rival New England no less. I use the word “rival” loosely, as a rivalry implies two teams with some modicum of competitive balance between them. I got to experience the debacle first hand Sunday night at Ralph Wilson Stadium and the only competition I saw was who could leave the longest tread marks peeling out of the parking lot at halftime.
Sadly, the unsurprising outcome was not even the worst-case scenario. Still very unpleasant, but considering Randy Moss had four touchdowns by halftime, it could have been worse. Also, it wasn’t nearly as bad as the gut wrenching, last second loss to the Dallas Cowboys last month on the national stage of Monday Night Football.
In honor of Buffalo’s getting dismantled by an unstoppable juggernaut in front of a national television audience, I’d like to present a special drink recipe for Bills fans everywhere. It’s also good for fans of any other team that has been, or will soon be, shown up by the Patriots this year.
1 bottle of liquor, your choice
1 shot glass
Pour liquor into shot glass and consume. Lather, rinse, repeat until all traces of “56-10” are erased from your memory.
Okay, okay, alcohol abuse is nothing to joke about, so please don’t drink until you can’t feel feelings anymore. Just take solace in the fact the Patriots have been stomping everyone this year and will surely go down as one of the best teams in NFL history. The silver lining is no one got hurt and we’re still within sniffing distance of the playoffs ten games into the season.
Also, with the way the Pats have been running up the score on people it’s only a matter of time before they get their comeuppance. What goes around comes around. Other teams won’t forget and will be quick to pile on when the opportunity arises. The Patriots are angering the football gods and they will be punished… let’s just hope it’s sooner rather than later.
TAGS [ FOOTBALL | BUFFALO BILLS | PATRIOTS | DRINK RECIPES ]
