While we were in Telluride, a week ago, (see post below, and assuage my ego), we had an opportunity to try some ski-town pizza. For the record, ski-town pizza is pretty much like everyone else’s pizza. Just at a higher altitude.
Anyway, while we were waiting for our alpine pizzatorial special I decided to order a beer. Yes, I am a rebel. Pizza and beer, what a strange combination, and yet so strangely good. I ordered a Fat Tire, a fine beer made by a local Colorado brewer, New Belgium. While I was sitting there relishing the tawny amber goodness, the bartender came over with a small glass of another ale.
“Here’” he said, “try this. It’s Pinstripe beer and it’s brewed near here in Durango. The stuff you’re drinking isn’t even brewed in Colorado anymore – it’s made in Seattle!”
I was shocked! Shocked, I tell you! A free beer? Granted, it was a small, free beer, but it was on the house! Though if the bartender was really serious in attempting to sway my opinion behind the Pinstripe, he might have given me a whole beer gratis, rather than just a half. So my affections can be bought but the limits seem to be higher than a half glass of beer. Not much higher, though.
I had to admit, the Pinstripe was a pretty damn good ale. Still, the Fat Tire was awfully good too, even if it was brewed in the soggy lowland environs of Seattle. I had to admire the bartender for sticking up for the local stuff. However, for some reason I decided to check on New Belgium Brewing, as I thought I might have noticed some sort of news item that they had been sold to some soulless conglomerate and moved to Seattle. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that there was no such news item, and indeed, New Belgium still resided in Golden, Colorado. Now, I’m no stranger to the strong feelings and loyalty that beer can engender in oneself. So I know what it’s like to diss another person’s beer company, writing appalling half-truths on the internet impeaching the good name of this beer company or that microbrewery. Not that I’ve ever done anything like that myself, at least under my own name. BeerFanatic32 on the other hand is a hard man to please when it comes to beer. Here in Colorado, it would appear that the Brewski Wars are waged with a fierce and unrelenting passion. I expect the Sixth Ska Brewing Panzer Division will be blitzkreiging into the Front Range any day now, and the Hundred and Thirty First New Belgian Infantry Brigade will be called out to defend against it. Meanwhile, the Nineteenth Miller Strategic Aerial Armada will continue to bomb the hapless inhabitants of the state with beer bombs of amazingly bland effect.
Anyway, I’m glad that the New Belgium Brewing Company is still a local concern and also happy, happy about finding another local brew that tastes pretty damn good.