Guardian of the Non Sequitur

bare pate roue

Bad Idea gone Beer

I’m not one to fill out marketing surveys. I’m one to abhor them, actually. But I filled out this one because it’s for a friend of a friend.

And now he wants to give me a dollar!

So, you should fill it out, say I referred you, and he’ll give me a dollar. (You know my name, right?)

So, just do it!

He’s planning on starting a beer related website and there are three pages worth of beer and internet related questions.

So, just do it! I’ll get a dollar. You won’t get anything (but good karma, and an invitation to my Christmas party.)

(You should have pity on him for thinking he’ll make money on a beer website. Or envy him, or respect him. Just take the survey!)

May 30th, 2008 Posted by bshirley | beer, web | no comments

Come on, Bitter Pilgrim

Stuff That Happens tells me all about politics and beer.

I know that the Beer Politico would enjoy the train of thought. But, it also reminded me of the Pixies singing “politics goes so good with beer”…

One two three
She’s a real left winger ’cause she been down south
And held peasants in her arms
(more…)

April 15th, 2008 Posted by bshirley | beer, politics | no comments

St. Arnold Imperial Stout in Bourbon Cask

It’s been an insanely busy week - and I still haven’t had time to deal with my apparently broken air conditioner. Stopped off for dinner/beer/wi-fi before an evening of board games at the Stag’s Head.

They have the most awesomely amazing St. Arnold’s Imperial Stout aged in whiskey barrels on the cask pull. It’s an amazing beer, and being served at the perfect temperature. Austin Beer Boy should be salivating! I’ve only had this beer once before - at the 2007 St. Patrick’s Day Gonigel competition and party. Sean Lamb had brought a chocolate cake he made me eat with the beer, at the same time. It was amazing!

After laundry and chores and trying to fix an A/C on Monday (didn’t work), I had dinner and Power Grid at Sivco’s on Tuesday, edited a lengthy podcast last night with more laundry. Games tonight. Tomorrow is Ringwalds sans Jennifer plus derby in-service if I can make it. Saturday is crawfish boil (in the 281 - eep), and Sunday is roller derby with an after party at Onion Creek. I’ll be late to work on Monday for sure.

April 10th, 2008 Posted by bshirley | beer, friends, houston | no comments

Shade: Monk Fish

ShadeLogo.pngYum.

Duvel.
Pan sautéed monk fish.
Crab stuffed calamari.
Purple finger potatoes.
Diced vegetable medley.

It’s not on the regular menu, so I couldn’t grab the description off their web site. Thanks for dinner, mom.

January 17th, 2008 Posted by bshirley | beer, family, houston | no comments

Tuesday at Gingerman

A few months back I was installing an application on my computer, and I checked the “about” box as I usually do, and there was Andrew Loewenstern’s name. I worked with him at the WilTel Advanced Technology Group back in 1994. I put his email address in my address book and forgot about it.

St Arnold ChristmasLast night I sent out a mass mail about the party.shirl.com and got a surprised response from him. Though he’s living in San Francisco now, and we haven’t seen each other in more than 13 years, he was in town for Thanksgiving and is leaving tomorrow.

So, we had some beer at the Gingerman. I forgot I’d tough him how to brew. He’s now appreciating the wine out in CA, working for BitTorrent. But it was nice to catch up with him and a nice St. Arnold Christmas and a Sierra Nevada Celebration were tasty and geographically appropriate.

November 28th, 2007 Posted by bshirley | beer, friends | one comment

Best of “Austin”

The Best of Austin is out again, and Lee lists a few of the beer categories. It’s the analog of the Houston Press’ Best of Houston - they’re both alt/entertainment weeklies owned by the same company (see comment #1).

It quite humored me that three of the bests on the list are Houston imports: Little Woodrow’s, Gingerman and Spec’s. We’re more than happy to share the wealth, and I’ll try to avoid the discussion of the conversation I recently had with someone on relative merits of the two cities – it’s a discussion topic not a blog topic.

October 15th, 2007 Posted by bshirley | beer, inthenews | one comment

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