The Best in Barley Pop

I finished reading Naomi Klein's No Logo a little while ago which leaves me without an e-book. I must remember to send myself another one tonight. What to read next? Well, what to read at work next - I'm in the middle ofthe paper version of Don't Get Above Your Raisin'. I've taken to reading it before work at Ancora since Stevie is once again giving me lifts to work. And now that I'm spending my lunch hour at Ancora as well, I'm getting some quality mid-afternoon time with the book as well.

Having finished No Logo, I feel compelled to say that it was good. I'm your lefty type so you had to figure I'd enjoy it. Though, admittedly, Klein too oft repeats herself. Her writing style is easy-going but, since the subject matter is complicated at times, it comes across as being faux-intellectual. She just doesn't do a good job of breeding populism with intellectualism. Her rants against multinational corporations & governments give me the sense that she's a populist but only in the most general sense. I get the feeling that she's more at home remaining above the fray to observe with ironic detachment.

Bill Malone's tome is getting a bit repetetive. It's interesting reading, to be sure, but he hasn't really said much new in about 20 pages. I just started chapter 4 so perhaps some uncharted lands are now to be explored.

Work has been pretty uneventful. I pledged to purchase 3lbs. of cookie dough from a co-worker whose son is selling the stuff to raise jinga for the Cub Scouts or some similar organization. The white chocolate chunck/macadamia nut combo pack struck my fancy hard so I went with it.

The Tomah-bound fraulein sent me an email today. Attached were some samples of her art, one of which is a painting of a shoe and is an eerie likeness of my Chuck Taylors. She's a brave lass too as she e-mailed me from her work account which gives me her full name. Luckily I'm not the stalker type. File me under "mostly harmless".

It was a fairly lengthy e-mail and I must admit that she sounds wonderful. Not only is she an artist, but she also loves to write & read. She is in her own words, "...a very very verbal and overall wordy person." In addition, she has a good sense of humor: "...now I feel like the All Powerful Oz! I mean, all powerful ART TEACHER ARTIST!!! You can worship me if you like. :)" Soooooo, when can we fuck?

Having just finished reading about sweatshops and those trying to improve conditions in them, I find it interesting to read that the new Blackfield t-shirt is described as "High quality and ethically sourced (in other words not made in a sweat shop!)"

I am pleased to see a smattering of Wisconsin breweries fared well at this year's Great American Beer Festival. Miller won the award for Large Brewing Company of the Year. Perhaps not a big deal for those of us that try to avoid their swill but it's better than having that wretched joint in St. Louis win it.

Sprecher won Small Brewing Company of the Year. Now that you gotta like. Sprecher Amber is one of the best beers ever. Yeah, it wreaks havoc with my gullet but it doesn't make me violent like the Black Bavarian. Mmm...Black Bavarian...

What else do we have here? Get this - the gold medal for American Lager/Ale or Cream Ale goes to Miller for Red Dog. Wisconsin fairs well in the Fruit & Vegetable Beer category with New Glarus' Raspberry Tart taking the gold and Leine's Berry Weiss getting bronze. I take it that they got tired of giving the gold to New Glarus for their Belgian Cherry Ale so they chose their other fruity potable. New Glarus also got a gold for their Brown Ale in the Wood and Barrel-Aged Beer category. I swear to fuck, Dan can do no wrong.

Next up I see that bronze for best Munchner-Style Helles went to Augsburger Golden by Stevens Point Brewery. Miller grabs a silver for Henry Weinhard Amber Light, the 2nd best American -Style "Light" Amber Lager of the competition.

Oh my fuck. Old Swill was found to be the best American-Style Lager ahead of Milwaukee's Beast. That shit nearly killed me in college and not it's getting awards. Continuing, Miller High Life got the silver for American-Style Premium Lagers. What does "premium" mean here exactly? PBR is premium but Schlitz is not. Somebody tell me what the difference is here.

Ooh! Sprecher's Oktoberfest was the #1 German-Style Märzen/Oktoberfest. Leine's Creamy Dark was the bronzed American-Style Dark Lager. Sprecher's Mind Block was bronzed in the Bock category. We Cheeseheads had a virtual lock in the German-Style Strong Bock category with Capital's Autumnal Fire taking the gold and New Glarus' Eisbock the bronze.

Considering that the beer at the Angelic has never been all that impressive to me, I'm surprised that they got a bronze in the American-Style Amber/Red Ale category with its Arch Amber. Finally, Sprecher rounds out the list with a gold for its Scotch Ale in the Strong Scotch Ale category.

Hmmm. I'm thirsty.