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The Eagles would have been proud, it should have been themed “Hotel California”

Fear hung over the festival-goers like a heavy raincloud. With the brewery deciding to ban dogs at the last minute, handing out “limited” drink tickets, and supplying official State of NY training to help volunteers identify drunks, we feared that BCTC had jumped the shark. As if the drunks needed help identifying each other or had the slightest proclivity to do anything about it… yeah, right!

A well written e- mail by Neal shows that years in the service industry paid off, Max and his canine compatriots are allowed to attend, woof!

The Eurovan arrived early Friday, rolling onto the grounds prior to any other RVs and securing the corner spot for the Stewart’s gang, who rolled in shortly thereafter.  Kegs were tapped and bottles opened in short order.

Ed, Jamie, and Hans turned up next, followed by Neal, Rick and Kristin.  New to the event were Reka, Lori, THE Tom Harvey and son Jason. Some vowed to return, others, not so much.

Friday night found Neal and Dan up too late with the others watching Rocky Horror, only to be rudely awakened early or volunteer duty as one of Scottie’s Hotties. Cleanup duties and check in went smoothly, despite Scottie’s best efforts.

Afternoon finally rolled around and with it, the tasting. Fewer breweries than years past but still some very fine libations. Hans (AKA Manfred) appeared without his Wingman at times (see separate update), which could only lead to trouble. Kristin went clothes shopping. Manfred drank heavily. Max ran around with a squeaky beer bottle in his mouth, to Kristin’s delight. Mafred continued to drink.

Reka and Lori headed for home early citing an uncomfortable night in the tent. Ed found Manfred disembarking from the balloon, then beer disembarking from Manfred. Grills grilled, more beer was enjoyed and movies were watched. Neal “picked up” a house warming gift, to Suzan’s surprise on unpacking the van. Tom sat contentedly in his chair drinking fine beer and vowing to return next year.

Morning dawned with a light drizzle. The area behind the Eurovan smelled like a Moroccan men’s room; I know, I’ve been in one. Cars were packed, good-bye’s exchanged, but everyone knew one thing; when it comes to BCTC, you can checkout any time you like, but you can never leave! 2010 was already being penciled into calendars, at least for most of us.

The management apologizes for not having brought this site up to date but check back soon for the 2009 wrap up and the 2010 preparation.

Spring of  ‘08 finds a new cast of characters  ready to obtain VIP tickets the minute they go online, but to no avail.  The Ommegang web page crashes, the phone lines are busy.  By the time anyone gets in only standard tickets are available, but they are snapped up, and in greater numbers than before.  With no Friday camping at the brewery, all head for last year’s discovery,  Deer Haven.  Dan and Suzan pop the EVC first.  Neal arrives all the way from OH,  Max barks.  Neal has treats… ooh, you’re OK!  Ed, Jamie and Mani arrive (Mani all the way from Visp).   Max barks some more.  Krisitin and Rick arrive, Max… oh you get the drift.  Neal still has treats, though.  Beers are handed to Kristin and Rick, preventing them from shopping for food, but no worries,  no one notices, and there is plenty of food (and even more beer).  Drinking, eating, drinking, skinny dipping, and standing on the hill naked follow.

Morning dawned clear.  The party shifted to Ommegang.  Sh!t, no place to park the EVC… hey, there are Ric and Natalie!   The gang from Stewart’s opens up space.  As the festival begins, Neal (Johan) turns into the best “wingman” that Mani (Hans) has ever had.

The drinking goes on, the wingmanship goes on.

Sadly, Johan forgot that Amsterdam is not in Belgium, the chick noticed, and the beer tasting ended.  Stewart’s continued to pour, though, as did Uncle Jesse (homemade barleywine and whiskey!).  I think there was loud music, bands, a movie, and a bonfire.

Morning came and the crowd began to pack it in. 

Ed laments that this may be the beginning of the end, though photos showed that debauchery was not completely absent.  Max is Neal’s new best friend.  It was a good time, though, and all agreed that it should be revisited in ‘09.

Ahh, only 12 months since the Planet of the Ales, the tone begins to change.  No more Friday night camping,  leading to the discovery of Deer Haven campground.  Friday AM brings cold rain, Dan and Suzan buy extra clothes so they can actually go for a bike ride and only approach hypothermia.  This is July?   On the way back into town we have a VW weekender sighting… Stewart’s brew crew on the road in.

Ed and Jamie show up with 3 month old Willa… you do the math.  A cold drizzle leads to heavy drinking at Deer Haven.  Wait, anything would have led to heavy drinking at Deer Haven.  Ed stokes the fire, Oliver steals food, and all is well in the world.

Morning finds us parking the van next to the lovely boys from Brewers Art in Baltimore.  As we head out on the bikes,  they offer to watch Oliver; good score for him (they had hamburgers), good score for us (they had beer).  Plenty of  good brews, we discover that both Brewers Art and Stewart’s continue to pour after the tasting is over.  4 year old Sage (Stewart’s daughter) proves she can draw a mean beer.   Ed grows contentious but Dan points out that while he can lose the extra pounds he had put on, Ed will still have three kids next year.

At the end of the weekend, Ed bemoans the dwindling debauchery of last year’s Ommegangstock, but we all decide it’s worth a return next year.   Oliver (rest his doggie soul) is known up and down the camping row… apparently he had more than one hamburger that evening.

So you want to bring something to share…. you should.  Checkout these web sites:

http://draftmag.com/recipes/

http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blalcohol4.htm

http://www.beercook.com/

Now get into that kitchen and make some stuff to share!

In the beggining there was… Planet of the Ales

It was June 2006, Suzan and I were sitting on the Narke deck on a Saturday afternoon, enjoying several good brews when Ed began discussing this beer festival he had heard of.  Somplace in NY he said.  Someplace named Ommegang that brewed Belgian style beers.  You could camp on the brewery grounds he said.  Send us the link we said.  By Sunday evening plans were being made to go.

2006, those where the days, show up on Friday, camp where ever you want, pay the fee (no advance purchase required), it was all OK.  The EVC arrived early and powered it’s way up the the hill in the far corner.  The Narke’s arrived later.  Dinner was had and all walked down to the tent to see what was happening.  “Gratis” beer shouted Jamie, “it’s Gratis, you do NOT have to pay!”.  Yes it was free beer all around, the night ended well with well under 100 folks on the grounds.

As morning dawned the cars began to roll in.  Parking where they wanted, pitching tents, drinking cheap beer, good beer, bloody marys.   100s and 100s came.  Cars got stuck axle deep in mud.  The fest began, the beer poured, the rain came, Woodstock it nearly was.   The sun cam out and all was good.  We meet the folks from Stewart’s in Bear DE (Ric and Natalie own a VW Weekender). As evening fell, Ed made friends from Long Island with mullets and we dialed Manni on the mobile.  Most of us passed out… Ed partied on.  Sometime in the middle of the night Ed tried to wake us all up to see “something really gross”.  We all passed (ask Ed what it was, something to do with a Saab and pizza).

Morning dawned, we had cool posters showing we had gone… all was good and plans were being made for ‘07.   Stay tuned for part II.

CLICK   HERE

In 1987 EMI Parlophone in the UK put together a promotion with Heineken Beer, unusual for the fact that the Beatles have rarely loaned their name for advertising purposes. Specially printed cans of Heineken Beer featured a red banner across the top that said “The Beatles - A Unique Cassette.” Along the bottom, the Beatles’ names repeatedly circled the entire can. By sending in four pull tabs from the cans and approximately $5.00, consumers received a special custom pressing of a unique EMI compilation cassette titled Only The Beatles (Parlophone SMMC 151).

The tape featured twelve songs from 1962-1967, including “previously unreleased stereo” versions of This Boy and Yes It Is. This is the first and only time that a special pressing of Beatles songs was ever issued for the promotion of a commecial product. The cassette, along with the original can and inserts, is very hard to find as a set and is now worth from $150-200.00.

What would Dennis Hopper have to say?!?

(Don’t get it…..think  Frank Booth in “Blue Velvet”)

Birth Control Methods: Comparison Chart

Method of Birth Control	How Many Couples Using This Method Will Get Pregnant in a Year?	How Well Does This Method Work in Preventing Pregnancy?	Can This Method Also Protect Against STDs?
Consistent Abstinence	None	Completely effective	Yes
Birth Control Patch (”The Patch”)	5 to 8 out of 100	Effective	No
Birth Control Pill (”The Pill”)	5 to 8 out of 100	Effective	No
Birth Control Ring (”The Ring”)	5 to 8 out of 100	Effective	No
Female Condom	21 out of 100	Less effective	Yes
Male Condom	15 out of 100	Moderately effective	Yes
Birth Control Shot	3 out of 100	Effective	No
Diaphragm	16 out of 100	Moderately effective	No
Emergency Contraception	1 to 2 out of 100	Very effective	No
IUD	Fewer than 1 out of 100	Very effective	No
Fertility Awareness	25 out of 100	Less effective	No
Spermicide	29 out of 100	Less effective	No
Withdrawal (”Pulling Out”)	27 out of 100	Less effective	No
Not Using Any Birth Control	85 out of 100	Not effective	No

Wingman Technique

A Wingman is a guy you bring along with you on singles outings (like to bars) that helps you out with the women.

Typically in these ways :

• Since women often travel in pairs or packs, your wingman helps you approach them without feeling weird about being solo.
• The wingman will sometimes take the least attractive gal of the pair you approach so that you can get the one you want. (Though, this is not always necessary.)
• The wingman gives you social proof - or validation that you are a trustable man, not some drifter in town just to get laid.
• A wingman helps by motivating you to get away from the television and go out to practice your skills on women, and you do the same for him.
• The wingman can also be a more skilled seducer, a man from whom you can learn a great deal by flying at his side.

Keep in mind that a wingman should never be too inexperienced or he will hold you back. (Unless you are mentoring him.)

I don’t watch a lot of television, but I understand that there is a Bud Light commercial where they have a pretty good parody of the wingman taking “one for the team” by suffering at the table with a lame gal while his partner is out dancing with a hottie. That’s one of the situations a wingman can be put in, but the learning and support system is unbelievable if you do it right.

Your wingman is an invaluable assistant for you (and you for him), so don’t underestimate the value of finding one that you can work with.