Good Investment!

Cleaning out the garage after all the holiday hoopla.

I felt like someone from Hoarders except, I have all these empties lying around because I was lazy, not because I wanted to keep them.  So, I loaded them all into the trunk and brought them to my local distributor.

 

Point of pride:  My first Spider Bite Boris The Spider returns.  You know you're making it big when you're getting recycled. ;)

Perched jauntily atop my usual dead soldiers is Larry's fine-ass Imperial Stout offering.  The only thing better than BORIS is oaked BORIS.  That is, as far as Spider Bite's stouts go.

Personally, I am a big fucking whore for their Eye Be Use which, at 85 IBU, isn't all that bitter.  At 9.2% ABV, it's a dangerously drinkable Double IPA which makes it one of my favorite dance partners.

Hoptron Brewtique had a keg, which made me happy, as they're only 2 miles from my house.  But it's since kicked (now they're pouring Spider Bite's First Bite Pale Ale) and I find myself wandering to Lake Ronkonkoma Bev (apparently Spider Bite's de facto home base) to get Big John to fill my growlers.  I really wish my home base distributors would get this shit on tap so I wouldn't have to wander into Long Island's "Devil's Triangle" to get my fix.  C'mon Dave!  C'Mon Bryce!  EYE... BE... USE!  EYE... BE... USE!!  EYE... BE... USE!!!

I'm pretty close to pulling a Les Misérables by building a barricade of empties and waving a red flag whilst singing in a bad baritone.

Do you hear the people sing?
Singing a song of thirsty men?
It is the music of a people
Who will not drink pissy, pale rice adjunct lagers again! 

But, like Greenday sings, "I run it up the flagpole to see who salutes, but no one ever does."

The post holiday clean-up also results in odds and ends integrated into my veritable mountain of craft beer empties.  Things like Red Stripe and Heineken make their rare appearance as does this:

What the hell are you doing here?!?!

Still, all dead soldiers count a nickel and after loading everything into the car, I cashed in for $18.20 (including water returns which proves I do drink something besides beer.  And coffee.  And bourbon.)

That found money was burning a hole in my palm and, since I knew I now had all that excess space in my garage, I began the cycle anew.

A growler of Greenport Harbor's Otherside IPA would be needed for the Islanders' home opener for this abbreviated season.  A 4-pack of Weyerbacher's Double Simcoe IPA (for when the score gets really bad) and another palate of Poland Spring (yeah, do you really want a link for that?) and I was all set.  Never mind that I've still got an extra growler of Eye Be Use hidden in the garage fridge.

So, I'm sitting pretty.  The garage is cleared out and I feel justified in hunkering down, watching the Isles in a couple of hours and slugging my way through the Otherside IPA and a meat lover's pizza.

Here's to hockey, a clean garage and found money!

Cheers!