Well I can officially knock one off the bucket list. I couldn’t believe my eyes when Brenda sent me a text asking if I could go to a beer festival, drink some of the best beer around, listen to some good rock and roll music and BONUS, it would all be for charity.  If any boy ever tells you that things like this aren’t on his list of cool things to do, you need to check his vitals.
    This is sure to be one of many beer festivals taking place in the area during the month of October; a month that seems dedicated to celebrating the frothy beverage and all it has done for mankind. I could give a history lesson or two of how beer saved our species time and time again but I’ll save that one for a moment when our stools happen to be parked next to one another.
    This particular festival hosted by the 45th St. Taphouse was their first of what I’m sure will be a growing event in years to come. On the property of the 45th St. Village they portioned off a section of the lot and gathered some of the best brewers around; some from as far away as Colorado. As I weaseled my way in on Brenda’s dime I spotted Bryan Brushmiller of Burley Oak Brewing Co. (Berlin) and bellied up for a sample of the Rude Boy. It was then that I was introduced to and educated on something called a “firkin”.
    If you haven’t had the pleasure of experiencing this particular style of brewing, you must if you consider yourself a lover of beer.  In a nut shell, the firkin brewing is done in a cask and in small batches and generally is used as a means of experimenting with different flavors and ingredients. This low carbonation method allows for the beer to evolve constantly without hiding the flavors with what we might call too much fizz. My first impression was that the beer was flat but soon realized that was the whole Idea. Fresh beer in its true form.
    So there I was hangin’ with the big dogs weeding through all the brewers jargon,  enjoying one delicious firkin beer (oh you knew it was comin’ eventually) and enjoying a bit of the rock and roll from one of my favorite local bands. Pompous Pie never disappoints with the crunchy stuff. I’ve been enjoying the unique raw style of guitar that has made Marco Hiemenz very popular among these parts as long as I can remember.
    With his classic Marshall amp and a hollow body Fender Arch Top guitar he has named “White Heat”, Marco, T. Lutz (drums) and Eddie Saah (bass and also sitting in with entertainers of the year “The Mood Swingers”) pop out some of the most raw blues-based rock songs there are. They’re always a lock on bringing the energy.
    I unfortunately missed The Mood Swingers but Brenda was there to take one for the team and assured me they always prove they’re worthy of the Coconut Times Entertainer of the year award. This long-time rock band has an impressive list of players including Mike Armstrong (guitar) and Bubba (drums) as the core. One of OC’s most talented ladies Lauren Glick layin down vocals belted out everything from Zepplin to Joplin and all that lies between. A powerhouse of talent that should be on everyone’s agenda.
    Now on to the most beautiful part of my day, the charity that benefited from all this fun.  Believe in Tomorrow and Children’s House by the Sea is a top notch organization that focuses on easing some of the constant burden that a life threatening illness can cause on a family by offering a retreat to the beach in a beautiful 2-level ocean front house with all the amenities.  Very few of us can imagine fighting a terminal illness or even worse, watching your child suffer.  I’m proud to live in a world where organizations such as Believe in Tomorrow exist.
    With all of the good that came of my day I suppose all this boy can hope for is that Brenda will send me to the next beer fest (or wine, hint hint). I hope for  another opportunity to support some of our culture via music, fabulous brew and most importantly, the worthy causes for which they raise ever important funding.   Saludos amigos.