Madison WI Area Meet & Greets / Gatherings

[Don Coyote]

Originally Posted by zora

So you're squabbling over $.25? What are you, the new Benron?

The general craft beer scene has a strong community ethic. Brewers are all theoretically competitors, but they end up being very supportive of each other at the end of the day. When someone comes in and says their brand new beer is worth more than what others are making, it feels like it is dispersing the gem:utlichkeit. I didn't actually taste enough of their beer to comment on how it is, but the atmosphere felt like this bland metrosexual trendy Facebook phenomenon thing that made me want to leave and go to forequarter that much quicker. I've dropped in on a few similar places in the Chicago burbs and paid their inflated prices - I'm not excited to see something like that opening up around here.

BTW, One Barrel is another new place that is skirting the edge of what it takes to keep a micro-brewery going. They serve the Underground Kitchen meat platter also (although i thought they were charging $10 for it, could be mistaken). Very close to a famous shuffleboard dive...

[BENRON]

Originally Posted by zora

What are you, the new Benron?

I wish I had that hair.

[TimCC]

mmmm smoked porter sounds good. How about one week from today?

[zora]

Originally Posted by BENRON

I wish I had that hair.

Originally Posted by TimCC

mmmm smoked porter sounds good. How about one week from today?

Works for me!

[vwboomer]

Originally Posted by BENRON

I wish I had that hair.

a nice bottle of scotch and some sleepy time music, and it can be yours

[BENRON]

Originally Posted by vwboomer

a nice bottle of scotch and some sleepy time music, and it can be yours

Nah, Sounds like he only needs a coupla $4 beers.

[Don Coyote]

Suh, you insult the capacity of my liver! It would take a few $10 belgian imports at the least, although i guess some Great Dane Velvet Hammer would work for a skinflint...

[falconati]

Went to karben4 last night, was pretty impressed with their UnderCover session ale; however the SamuRyePA was my favorite.

[zora]

Glad to hear someone finds it worthwhile. I don't think we've met, have we? You should come Thursday and taste their others or does twice in one week indicate a bad habit?

[Don Coyote]

Not to put too much into first impressions, i was there last night also to take another looksee. It felt alot different earlier in the night, just a little awkward and geeky with the mustache party and all. It gives the impression of a new place searching for an identity. I had more beer and it impressed. Emphasis on the malt in the three i've tried, not much hops detectable. The rye and smoked beers are done very subtly for drinkability.

They have expanded the menu some. I was wrong, the meat and cheese platter is $14, not 12. They have added a veggie paltter for $11 and a Polish something sandwich for $10. It is all from Underground Kitchen, so probably unique enough to be worth trying.

I'm still nostalgic for the old AA though...

[OU812]

I'm off work next Thursday. Hopefully some meet is happening.

[falconati]

Originally Posted by zora

Glad to hear someone finds it worthwhile. I don't think we've met, have we? You should come Thursday and taste their others or does twice in one week indicate a bad habit?

Yeah, I definitely thought the beer was worth the drive. I live on the west side, so it wouldn't be a regular hangout for me; however it would be a different story if I was downtown or on the east side. And no, we haven't met! I haven't made an ADV event yet (though I've met plenty of the Region 4 folks on ST.N) - I work for Epic and travel a lot. So my schedule doesn't usually lend itself to the weeknight events (since I'm not in Madison). This week I'm not travelling, so I'll come hang out if I'm able.

I agree with Don Coyote's assessment - my friend and I were there at about 8 pm until 10ish, and the scene got busier/crazier as the night went on. I think that it was really hitting it's stride when we left. There was an interesting mix of people, which I thought was great. Nobody was crazy drunk...except maybe my friend

PS Don Coyote - were you the BMW GS that was there?

[OU812]

Originally Posted by falconati

Yeah, I definitely thought the beer was worth the drive. I live on the west side, so it wouldn't be a regular hangout for me; however it would be a different story if I was downtown or on the east side. And no, we haven't met! I haven't made an ADV event yet (though I've met plenty of the Region 4 folks on ST.N) - I work for Epic and travel a lot. So my schedule doesn't usually lend itself to the weeknight events (since I'm not in Madison). This week I'm not travelling, so I'll come hang out if I'm able.

I agree with Don Coyote's assessment - my friend and I were there at about 8 pm until 10ish, and the scene got busier/crazier as the night went on. I think that it was really hitting it's stride when we left. There was an interesting mix of people, which I thought was great. Nobody was crazy drunk...except maybe my friend

PS Don Coyote - were you the BMW GS that was there?

Time for a 1st time bro!

[Don Coyote]

Originally Posted by falconati

PS Don Coyote - were you the BMW GS that was there?

Yeah, I was hanging at a corner table with acquaintances and had on my Atlantis leathers (not to mention the much coveted coiffure). A friend of a friend actually ended up winning the stache contest...

Unfortunately i work most Thursday evenings so won't be by to try the last couple of brew flavors.

[lxmary]

Going to try and get myself to the M&G this week. It's been so long I'm forgetting what everybody looks like.