Knoxville, Tennesse = the huge disappointment

I’m in Knoxville, Tenn. at the moment, volunteering for what looks like it will be a very fun event.

The T is for Tom. The hat is because it's a bajillion degrees out.

Unfortunately, there is not a brewery to be seen in the vicinity. The closest thing is a small collection of brewpubs called Smokey Mountain Restaurant and Brewery, and while I don’t want to seem ungrateful, would it kill a city of almost 200,000 people to branch out and get more creative with it’s drinking?

I’ll be heading to Smokey Mountain sometime this week. I’ll also be on the lookout for some Tennesse brews from the few local breweries around. Reviews and previews to come.

Illinois Beer Tax Hike – The Saga Continues

Gov. Quinn may be going to bat for beer lovers throughout Illinois.

In an interview on WGN, he said, ““I’m not sure I’m for the alcohol tax. I’m going to take a look at that.” That’s an interesting position, but a welcome one, from a guy who’s proposing to raise the income tax by 50% to pay for the $12,000,000,000 state budget deficit.

The Trib’s political blog, Clout Street, went on to elaborate that “[p]reviously, Quinn said he would consider higher taxes on wine and spirits but was lukewarm to an increase in the levy on beer, which is pegged at 2.6 cents per six pack.”

I still think a tax on sodas would be a much more productive solution to the government’s problem. I’m waiting to see where this goes, because without the beer tax, it may be harder to raise taxes on other liquors, so everyone wins.

The Great Brewing (mis)Adventure, …fermenting?

So…. I checked in on the vat of beer-ish liquid that’s sitting in my apartment (it shouldn’t be turning into beer because I killed the yeast).

To my surprise, the fermentation lock is bubbling. Not a strong roaring bubbling, but a slow, measured, every-couple-seconds-I’ll-spit-out-a-bubble sort of bubbling.

Now I don’t know what to do with it.  I’m very curious what would happen if i bottle it, so I may mix my priming sugar with it and bottle at least 3-4  bottles to see what I get.

I’m out of town for the week, but will be posting/drinking from Knoxville, Tenn., so I’d have to wait until I got back before I did anything serious with it.

My roommate considered that I should call it “Zombie brew” if it survives this. I whole heartedly agree.