Friday, January 16, 2009

Raise a Toast for A New Outlook

With my country getting a long overdue fresh perspective on leadership, breweries, restaurants, and bars are getting in on the action by making special beers and throwing parties on Inauguration Day, January 20th, 2009. While by no means exhaustive, check out the following list of events for next Tuesday that I've seen come across my screen. If you know of more in your neck of the woods, please feel free to post them in the comments section or just toss an e-mail to me if you prefer. I'll get things started here with an interesting blurb from Piece Brewery in Illinois by way of Lew Bryson. Interesting, to say the least. The Tiedhouse- "History in the Making" Inauguration Brunch McGillin's- all day, special Hawaiian-inspired menu, drinks, and leis 21st Amendment- Yes We Can! Party; opens at 9am with the televised inauguration and serving $2 cans of 21A beer all day McMenamin's/Crystal Ballroom- The People's Inaugural Ball, details TBA Plough and Stars: 6pm, Get Your Barack On Grey Lodge: 120 Minute IPA on 1/20 on draft all day Blind Tiger: serving Duvel/Ommegang's Inauguration Ale, Avery's Ale to the Chief, a few Imperial beers Pike Brewing: Pike "White House" Chili Thirsty Bear: all day Beer Stimulus Plan City Tavern: Jan. 16-20, $44 prix fixe 3 course menu with beer London Grill: all day, all night with Obamagang (see below); and even a "going away" party for Bush and Cheyney on 1/15 Dock Street: 6pm, special food and beer Zot Restaurant: 3 course Inauguration Dinner followed by Bush Piñata Party And finally, Ommegang- has released a new, very limited, beer called Inauguration Ale (a.k.a. Obamagang) in the brewery's words...
January - February 6.2% ABV - Draft only The TTB won't let us call the beer Obamagang on the keg label. So it will be known legally as Inauguration Ale 2009, but the tap handles will be more...um...direct. The style lies between a porter and stout, with a bit of Kriek and a touch of chocolate blended in. It will be on draft only, beginning with the inauguration - in limited areas including DC, NYC, Syracuse, Philly, Chicago and Boston. We will donate a percentage of sales to charities in the respective cities where the beer is sold, and we've asked our distributors to match our donations and pick the local charities. (Also please note that the beer is not an endorsement of Obama.)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I thought the Grey Lodge actually had the best idea, 120 on draft on 1/20.

Bryan Kolesar said...

I had it on my Jan '09 calendar all along, but overlooked it for this posting. Thanks for pointing it out HH.