Happy New Beer 2008

As we say farewell to the year gone by
We can pause and dwell and ponder
On all the things that once have been
And what lies out there, yonder

A time to recall our finest deeds
As well the not so worthy
Of all the times we tried to grasp
The Cosmic and the Earthly

The friends we made, the places seen
The comp’ny gathered ‘round
The joyous conversation there
The lovely beers we downed

But then I stop and take a sip
And thoughts come without stealth
Life’s too short for all this crap
Let’s just drink each others’ health!

Cheers & A safe and happy New Year ... of beer

Prof. Pilsner

Do as you are told

So you need to kick start the economy because, well, I don’t know why, something to do with someone in the U.S. lending money to someone and then they couldn’t pay it back and so the whole world economy caves in on itself – seems logical enough, I guess. What’s the solution? Pokies!!!

The federal government recently decided that, because everybody in the whole wide world was spending too much money that the didn’t actually have, we could easily solve the problem by making them spend money that they did actually have, and the best way to make sure that they had the money was to give it to them and the way to ensure that they spent it was to give to them in the weeks before Christmas, and the way to make doubly sure it got spent was to give it to people who would just get a bit giddy at the thought of heading straight out and wasting it.

So a little Christmas present, in the form of between $500 and $1400 was posted out to all the pensioners, low income earners and some people with kids with strict instructions to get it out there into the economy and, whatever you do, don’t save it or put it in the bank but don’t waste it, OK? Promise? Good, off you go!

The result? We know have a new ‘feast day’ in Australia and it’s called ‘Rudd Thursday’. Named by the Hotel Association because the day that the cheques arrived in the mail was the day that literally millions of extra dollars were pumped into pubs and clubs around the country – into poker machines! Now that’s the way to get the economy back on an even keel.

The cynic may even suggest that this is the very result that the Government was looking to achieve. Look good by playing ‘Robin Hood’ for Christmas, get them to spend it on the pokies and we get a shitload of it back in tax!

And still decent people who are out there producing real craft beer are being taxed in the same way as the big multinational beer barons. Makes you think, doesn’t it?

Cheers,
Prof. Pilsner

A Tale of two Sittings

I love Christmas. I realise that it is a difficult and stressful time for many and for this I feel sorrow. Sorrow that everyone can’t feel as good as I do.

This situation is as much to do with beer as it does with having here kids, a couple five and under. Don’t underestimate the power of the magic of the season on adults as transposed from the little ones. But let’s just look at the role of the beer now shall we?

Christmas means a few things when it comes to beer. First, it gives partners a good opportunity to get you a ‘special’ as a gift from one of the kids to sit temptingly beneath the tree – even if, like Dr Lager, you have to get it for yourself while you’re out buying your own ‘Christmas specials’. These are the second of the great beer things of Christmas. The opportunity to grab a basket (or trolley) full of specials is a rare feast for the beer lover and one which needs due care and consideration mixed generously with liberal doses of care free abandon.

We spread our Christmas family celebration over Christmas eve and Christmas day with both sides of the family visited and each is very different in terms of the beer. Eve with the ‘out-laws’ is a bit of a beer fest with the Bro-in-law and I both exchanging very beery presents as well as providing the matched or themed beers for the meal. As we are the only two beer drinkers, this task is both fun and easy! More on the beers we chose in another post.

Christmas Day down the beach with my folks is just as enjoyable for the company and noisy laughter of three extra kids but the beer situation is vastly different. Because I have the driving duties – around an hour each way – and the fact that I have given the festive ales a reasonable nudge the night before, I need to pace myself and take things a bit easy. To this end, Dad helps out by being a wine drinker with plenty of beer in the fridge. But, in stark contrast to the ‘variety pack’ from the night before, Dad only ever has one or two beers representing the beer world at any one time. Fair enough if you don’t drink it all the time and only have it on hand for guests.

So Christmas Eve was spent selecting, evaluating and anticipating six different ales, lagers and specialty beers, while Christmas Day was spent knocking down a few quiet Crownies and enjoying the day. Both completely different experiences, but both enjoyable in their own special way.

I told you Christmas was a wonderful time.

Cheers,
Prof. Pilsner