From "Steam" to "Chili" (Part Two of a Series of Five)

Friday August 1, 1986. The Plaintiff was dating the first of her next four or so husbands. I had a new haircut and a fresh pair of starched "Pro Rodeo cuts". I was wearing a white cowboy shirt with french cuffs that I stole from my Dad and I was sporting a new Bangora hat. I was not sure where I was going but I was starting to look forward to it. For the first time in several weeks I was really feeling good. Actually I felt free. I went to a local eatery and I noticed a sign promoting the sale of Anchor Steam Ale. I had heard that the beer was to be one of the best ever. I worked with a guy named Mike. He was from San Fransisco, Ca. and he had some weird position with our company. He had a Master's degree in oceanography and he was also a huge pot head. He would bring briefcases full of pot which he would show me as we sat in his corner office in downtown Houston. In his earlier life he has once been a drug runner bringing drugs across the Mexican American border. He was actually pursued by Interpol, or at least he said he was. He is the person who recommended that I try Anchor Steam Ale.....

As I have written before, beer selection for people like me was based on what was available and what was socially acceptable. I had ventured many times before in trying other beers. I had heard from my friends and family who spent time in Viet Nam that I should try San Miguel Beer. Lowenbrau Dark was available at the local pizza joint and I had downed many a pitcher. When I was feeling like I was a rich kid I would drink a few "greenies" and when I ate Mexican food I would order a Dos Equis, Tres Equis, Carta Blanca or Coronas. I read somewhere about Shiner Beer and I recall in August of 1974 I purchased two six packs at some roadside liquor store near Cleveland Texas. I tried a Chinese beer once at the Ore House in Houston and of course as a Louisiana boy, I downed many Falstaffs, Jaxs and Dixies. I was a Bud ....then Miller Lite... back to Bud.... and then to Lone Star..... and back to Bud kind of guy.

After riding out Hurricane Rita, I moved to Central Texas in late September, 2005. Before long I began working and traveling with The Power Load . It was only a few weeks before I realized the wonderful opportunity I had to be able to sample new beer selections that I probably never would have be able to. It was in those journeys that The Brew Chronicles was born. I quickly realized that travel was just something we do. It really did not make muck difference where we worked. Most of my fellow employee had seen so much from their windshield that they had become numb to it. I quickly made a mental game of looking forward to where I was going because of the unique beer that would be offered in the area. As I have written I would bring beers back from my travels and on multiple occasions I would bring sampler back for a couple of my local friends and the bar tenders at my local favorite pub.

Upon learning of where our next "job" was, I was be filled with anticipation of being able to find some of my favorites such as # 9, Harpoon IPA, Moose Drool and Black Butte Porter. I no longer work on the road but I can now find each of these beers at my local supermarket. In the past year a large chain liquor store has been opened in town and they have a vast selection of craft beers. Even with the new selections I am still wishing they would have more.

I wish I would have kept better notes regarding all of the different beers I have been able to sample. Looking back I realize I have tasted over a hundred different beers in the last nearly six year. Yes, I write here at times and I post my "Beer of the Day" on my face book from time to time, but my regret remains. In the future I am going to attempt to journal the beers I have tasted over the years. Listed below (way below) are microbreweries and brew pubs I have visited in my life.
Some of those listed are places I visited when I was much younger. Many are found along the . roadways I traveled as a result of my tenure with The Power Load.... I am going to give a real true example of one of my trips.....

This is true story, none of the names or places have been changed to protect the guilty.

I left early Monday morning from Central Texas traveling to Osh Kosh Wi. My plans were to stop somewhere in the middle of Missouri and spend the night. I was traveling with a coworker. Since I left about 3 in the morning I planned to drive till about 6 or 7 in the afternoon. I had a friend who had graduated from the University of Missouri at Rolla. I realized I would be passing through Rolla (on I-44) at about the time I planned to stop so I called the office and had them make a reservation for me. I say this because I did not select the location of my lodging. As we pulled into the parking lot I noticed that we passed a place that said "Public House Brewing Company". It was walking distance (about two blocks) from our motel room. Joe and I checked into our room and I took a shower and off i went. Joe stayed behind (probably smoking a few blunts while I was gone).
The next morning we continued our trip. we arrived in Osh Kosh a day early for our job. We checked into the motel around 2:30 in the afternoon. I read some of the literature left in my room and I learned that there was a brew pub only a few miles from my motel. I called my travel mate Joe (who rarely drank) and I told him I would buy him a late lunch. We drove over to Fox River Brew Pub ( on the banks of Lake Winnebago) and I ordered a sampler with a sandwich. In two days I had already visited two brew pubs. One week later I traveled to Monroe Washington (1,943 miles). We left around noon and as we were crossing through Wisconsin, I passed through Chippewa Falls. I was still driving the company truck (this time alone) and I was to drop it off at the Minneapolis Airport. I was to meet my road room mate and friend, Roger there and we would continue on to our destination in his 2004 Monte Carlo named "Betsy". Since I left about 45 minutes before Bub, I decided to stop at the Linnegukel Brewery (at Chippewa Falls) I drank a small glass (about 4 ounces) of one of their beers, purchased a pint glass and then continued my journey to our rendezvous. I was at the brewery less than 20 minutes. I only drank four ounces of beer yet I had now been to three "beer places" on my trip.
We spent the night in Fargo, North Dakota at a Super Eight Inn ( Roger picked the location). Directly across the street was the Great Northern Restaurant and Brew Pub, (number four).We ate there and I drank a couple of their offerings. I learned that they would be closing for business in less than a month. We left the next morning realizing we had over 1,400 miles to drive to our next destination. Late that afternoon I realized that we would be passing through Missoula Mt while on Interstate 90. I mentioned it to my "Budweiser Only" friend Roger. "Bub, I don't think we will have time to stop....maybe next time." I was disappointed but I understood. Once again the "Beer Gods" were looking over me. As the sun was beginning its decent in the Bitter Creek Mountians, Roger informed me that we were running "on fumes" and that he would be pulling over for "petrol" . I had pretty much had forgotten my earlier request to stop at that Montana Brewery. I was actually catching a few winks when Roger informed me that we would be stopping. As we entered the small Montana town he took an exit indicating a nearby Exxon station. But as he turned underneath the freeway, low and behold I sited Big Sky Brewery, (brewer of Moose Drool Brown Ale) directly on our right. I could barely see the Exxon sign down the street. "Ok I will drop you off to go look inside, but I am going to fill Betsy up and we need to keep going" "Fine, I said". I walked inside their tap room and located a long sleeve tee shirt and a pint glass.....Then I walked up to the bar and ordered a beer (free of course) I paid for my souvenirs and slammed the beer down. Then I ordered another and walked over to look outside to see if Roger was waiting for me. He was not there yet. I quickly downed the beer and walked outside just as he was pulling up. I took a picture of the building, (shown here) got inside his car and we drove away. (I had now been to five places on my trip)"So you did not have time to drink a beer....sorry" he said. "No I did not" I replied. As we continued on I 90 into the mountains and after a long period of silence Roger spoke..."Liar". We both laughed.

As we crossed into Idaho we saw literally hundreds of small fires in the mountains. Although it had a certain eeriness about it. It was pretty cool looking. We arrived at the Holiday Inn Motel in Monroe Washington a few minutes before midnight. Directly next door to the Motel was the Sail Fish Bar and Grill. We were both starving to death and although we were both exhausted, we were too "hyped up" from driving. Neither of us had eaten anything since breakfast back in North Dakota. My cell phone began ringing. It was our coworker "Trol" . Hey guys I saw you two drive up. I am over in the bar next door, come on over. Before we even checked into our room we walked over to the grill. It was there that i saw a sign saying Sailfish Bar and Grill & Twin Rivers Brewing Company. .... Once again the "Beer Gods" were looking after me. I visited my (6th beer place)
After less than 5 hours sleep we were drinking coffee in the lobby of the Holiday Inn. We were getting ready to go to work when nine of us received phone calls and were informed that we would be flying to Denver and then driving to nearby Castle Rock, Colorado. It was nearly six o clock in the afternoon when we walk on to the job site in Colorado. We were there only a few minutes when it was decided that we would commence the next day. As we were leaving the location we passed Rockyard Grill and Brewery located on Interstate 25, We went inside for a beer and then finally to our motel to rest for the next day. We visited that Brewpub (number seven) several times during the next week. A week later we flew from Denver to Phoenix where we worked in nearby Carefree Az. We were staying a very nice "resort" and were required to drive about 6 miles each day to the job site. Along our route we passed through Cave Creek, Az and the many eateries and night clubs. One such place was Black Mountain Brewery (Number eight). We visited that location several time throughout the week. This brewery is famous or infamous (depending as to how you look at it) for brewing "Chili Beer". http://www.chilibeer.com. At the time, they actually brewed Chili Beer there but they now brew the beer in Mexico.

Instead of flying back to Seattle with Roger and then driving to the San Fransisco Bay area for our new project, I was given the keys to another company vehicle and asked to drive it and two passengers to Dublin, California. As I was driving into Dublin I passed the town of Pleasonton (about 5 miles) away. There was a huge billboard advertising "Main Street Brewery". Over the next seven days, I visited the Brew Pub three separate times. The beer was pretty good, but the food was amazing. Many of my coworkers enjoyed the food. I was easy for me to convince at least one of them to drive me over to the brew pub, my ninth "beer place" on my trip.

Our final job was located in Port Orchard, Washington (near Seattle) Our motel room was facing and was only about 100 feet from Puget Sound. The seals barked each night. The trek from our motel to our job site, passed through old downtown Port Orchard. On about the third or fourth day I noticed the Bay Street Ale House. It was a small place and looked like a pub only. One of of coworkers pointed out that they had a brewery inside. He, Joe drove me over to the brew pub (number ten). The beer was amazing.

Within a few days my six week trip was winding to an end. I left the company truck with another coworker who lived in the area. She was to drive it to Texas a week later. She also took me to Seatac (the airport) and I flew home to Texas. While I was at the airport I stepped inside what I thought was just a bar. It actually was a brew pub (Hale's Ales).

This trip allowed me to visit eleven different brew pubs. It was fun.

I admit that most trips I took while working for the Power Load were not always six weeks in duration. Most "places" were not across the street or 'walking distance" from where I was staying. Most required that I drive or ride to them. Most of my travels only afforded me one or possibly two occasions, if any, to visit Brew Pubs and or Breweries. There were several instances where I found local breweries or brewpubs but I could not get a ride or find someone to go to them. In fact, most of my job travels, did not include any visits to Brew Pubs and or Breweries. I realize that my former bosses may read this blog (although I truly doubt it). For that reason, I want to put some issues to rest at this time. Other than the 4 ounces of beer I drank at Leinenkukel in Chippewa Falls, I never, got behind the wheel of a company vehicle after drinking beer. During the course of my employment, if I stopped at a new brew pub, brewery or bar and drank a beer,( and I did on a few occasions) I always had a fellow employee (who did not drink) with me who would drive. I never would travel "out of the way" (further than five miles) in order to visit a brew pub. Each place I visited were usually off of the freeway or down the street from lodging. I never visited a brew pub or brewery while with co workers before I made sure I that it was ok with them. On more than one occasion, I actually paid for their meals as well. I never stayed very long at any place, Usually I would do as I did at Big Sky Brewery, drink a beer or two, purchase a pint glass and possibly a tee shirt and or cap. Visiting breweries and brew pubs became my hobby. I never abused the good nature of those where were with me and I never betrayed the "confidence" (I say that tongue in cheek) of my employers. I worked for a "construction" company with construction workers. Many of them drank and drank a lot. Many of the used various drugs as well. Many of them, including our supervisors would drink so much that they would arrive to work the following day still under the effects of what they had drank the night before. That was something that I can honestly say I never was guilty of. I was usually asleep by 10PM. In nearly five years of employment I was never late to work nor did I miss a single day because of some sort of ailment or because I did not hear my alarm clock etc. Although I logged thousands of miles in multiple company vehicles, I never had a single accident, locked the keys in the vehicle or received a single ticket or citation. Although several employees witnessed me bring several six packs to my room several times a week, they did not realize or consider that I would transport the vast portion of that beer back home so I could share with my friends and family. I am sure they still contacted my employers and inform them that I was a drunken lush. I am sure my employers believed them as well. Change that, my employers always believed them even when I denied such accusations. Because I brought so much beer back home , on occasion I would strategically place several bottles inside my luggage for air travel and on more than one occasion, I transported several six packs of beer in the locked rear portion of the company vehicles I drove. I investigated various state laws and I learned that I was not breaking any applicable laws regarding such transport. I asked my brother in law, co owner of the company, on more than one occasion and he asked that if I wanted to transport beer that I place the beer in the "locked" bed of the truck. I never carried any beer inside the cab of any company vehicle. As I said, my former employer never believed me. Why should I ever think they would start now. But for the rest of my readership, hopefully you WILL believe me.

Below is the list I mentioned earlier. I am placing an asteric (*) after the ones I visited while with the Powerload

Texas:
Southern Star - Conroe
St. Arnold's - Houston
Two Rows* - Dallas
Humberdinks* - Dallas
Fredericksberg Brewing - Fredericksberg
Real Ale Brewery - Blanco
Rohr's Brewery - Fort Worth
Draught House - Austin
North by Northwest Brewpub - Austin
Uncle Billy's Brew and Cue - Austin
Lone Star Brewery - San Antonio
Pearl Brewery - San Antonio
Jaxon's Brewing* - El Paso
Spoetzl Brewing - Shiner

New Hampshire:
Stone Coast Brewery* - Laconia
Smuttynose* - Portsmouth

Vermont:
Vermont Brew and Pub* - Burlington
Switchback Brewery* - Burlington
Magic Hat Brewery* - South Burlington

Massachusetts:
Harpoon Brewery* - Boston

Pennsylvania:
Bethlehem Brew Works* - Bethlehem
The Church Brew Works* - Pittsburgh

New York:
Custom Brewcrafters* - Honeoye Falls

Missouri:
Public House Brewery - Rolla
Schafly Beer - St. Louis
Boulevard Brewery - Kansas City
Trailhead Brewery - St. Charles
O'Fallon Brewery - O'Fallon
Weston Brewery -Weston

Illinois:
Fulton Street Brewery (Goose Island)* - Chicago
Destihl Brew Pub* - Normal

Minnesota:
Summit Brewing* - St. Paul
Flat Earth Brewing* - Minneapolis
August Schell Brewing* - New Ulm

Ontario:
Creemore Springs Brewery (Tap Room)* - New Market

Michigan:
Bell's Brewing* - Galesburg
Marquette Harbor Brewing* - Marquette
Jasper Ridge Brewery* - Ishpeming

New Mexico:
Sierra Blanco*- Moriatiy
Charma River*- Albuquerque
Tractor* - Los Lunas
Turtle Mountain* - Rio Rancho

Connecticut:
Hops Brewpub* -Wallingford Center

Kansas:
Flying Monkey* - Olathe

Wyoming:
Bitter Creek Brewery* -Rock Springs

Colorado:
Left Hand Brewery* - Longmont
Fort Collins Brewery* - Fort Collins
New Belgium Brewing*- Fort Collins
Odell Brewing* - Fort Collins
Coors Brewing - Golden
Trinidad Brewing* - Trinidad
Wynkoop Brewpub* - Denver
Coopersmiths Brewpub* - Fort Collins
Oskur Blues Brewing*- Lyons
Dry Dock Brewing* - Aurora
Rockyard Brewing* - Castle Rock

Utah:
Rooster's Brewpub* - Ogden
Wasatch Brewpub and Brewery* - Park City

North Dakota:
Great Northern Restaurant and Brew Pub

California:
Okie Girl Brewery - Lebec
Seirra Nevada* - Chico
Karl Strauss Brewery* - San Diego
Stone Brewery* - Escondito
Main Street Brewery* - Pleasonton
Indian Wells Brewery -Inyokern
Firestone Walker Brewery* - Paso Robles
Lockdown Brewery* - Folsom

Montana:
Big Sky Brewing* - Missoula

Washington:
Hale's Ale* - Seattle
Bay Street Ale House - Port Orchard
Salmon Creek Brewpub - Vancouver

Oregon:
Pyramid* - Portland
Widmer Brothers* - Portland
DeSchutes Brewing* - Bend
Lucky Lab Brewing* - Portland
HUB Brewing* - Portland
Bridgeport Brewery* - Portland
Roots Organic Brewery*- Portland
Rogue* - Newport
Green Dragon* - Portland
McTarnahans Tap Room* - Portland
Hair of the Dog* - Portland
McMininimans (various locations)*- Portland

Louisiana:
Abita - Abita Springs
Dixie - New Orleans
Falstaff - New Orleans
Jax - New Orleans

Nebraska:
Emporium* - Lincoln

Maryland:
Wild Goose Brewery* - Frederick

Arizona:
Black Mountain Brewing Company - Cave Creek

Looking at the list I realize I have been very fortunate to have been able to visit as many brewpubs. I look forward to visiting many more in the future.

My next blog will discuss my amended plans/dream

Until Then......



The Third