Neither Snow, Nor Rain, Nor Sleet, Nor Gloom of Night...

To paraphrase the famous (though unofficial) creed of the US Postal Service seems fitting when describing the "creed" of the Hailey's Beer Senators and its President Pro Tempore, Moshe Atzbi.

Usually scheduled for the second Tuesday of each month at the famous Metuchen pub, last week's March 14 proceedings were cancelled due to an untimely blizzard of snow and ice. But, undaunted, a core group of hardy Senators re-convened a week later on March 21 to see that official business was properly done.

And that business had the title of Carissa's Choices. Carissa, of course, would be Moshe's new bride, a regular attendee at all past Senate events, and she expressed a desire to pick the beers for a Senate Session. President Pro Tem Moshe, cognizant of where the true power lies in a marriage, assented. Carissa chose three IPA's, which were all quite good, especially paired with Moshe's food offerings.

Rivertowne's Jah Mon (at 5%) and Moshe's Beef and Bean Stew was a huge hit, especially with my Great Dane Puppy Cody, who, with his mom, decided to celebrate the end of The PubScout's seventh decade at the Beer Senate. And 21st Amendment's Brew Free or Die IPA (at 7%) actually became sweeter when matched up with Moshe's "Puerto Rican Wings" (for want of a better description).

But those babies were on fire last night, and my digestive system recalled them with, um, fondness this AM.

Her final choice IPA, which scored the highest on our rating sheets, was Tropical Torpedo from Sierra Nevada.

Moshe did assert his will somewhat by stepping in to insert a malty offering to "cleanse" the palate somewhat from Carissa's hoppy choices. That was Demented's Scarlet Knight, a delicious red ale malt bomb that accompanied a sweet and different dessert--and actually won the choice contest to see which beer gets to go on tap for the next month at Hailey's Harp and Pub. He'll have to deal with Carissa on that issue.

Though the Senate group was not as large as it has been in the past--likely due to the date change--the Senators themselves were just as loud, just as convivial and just as appreciative as they would have been had the place been sold out. And they decided the next Beer Senate, set for the second week in April, will be called "April Fool's Day--Blind Tasting."

"Blind Fools" might be a term to apply to some Senates.

But not this one.

Cheers!

The PubScout