NAMELESS BEERMAID
More like Boozapalooza Mammoth Bluesapalooza does the trick
icture your life over the past year. Have you stopped to enjoy the simple pleasures it has to offer? Have you had the opportunity to view a perfect sunset or really feel the breeze? Have you done this amidst a couple acres of pine, dirt, laughter, the mouthwatering scent of grilled food, and music? If you have, now add beer to the scene. Welcome to Bluesapa- looza in Mammoth Lakes, California. With every wonderful vacation comes the “getting there is half the fun”
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part. The drive to Mammoth is fantastically scenic. About an hour or two outside of Mammoth is this super high-tech beef jerky store cleverly named “Really Good Fresh Jerky.” Despite its shady appearance, the name does it justice. However, the jerky was just an appetizer to the copious amounts of beers that wereconsumed over the course of the weekend. We pulled up to the hotel circle on Friday and Pops opened the tailgate; out came the growlers to relieve the stress of an extended car ride and numb- butt-from-sitting-so-long syndrome. Thankfully, no matter how many times I‘ve been repeatedly asked for ranch dressing at work, no matter how many awesomely rude customers I encounter, and no matter how many times a keg blows, shooting some fantastic color all over my sweet white shirt, five minutes of silence, sunlight, and a pick-me-up beverage really does have an instant resetting effect. We couldn’t wait to get into the festival Saturday as swarms of fellow beer aficionados piled into the designated area. Mom laughed as my Pops and I were running around like kids in a candy store. Do I spy Green Flash? Rus- sian River? Pizza Port? Hess? Kern River? Lost Abbey? All in one place? So many booths, so small a glass, but more than enough time. As I discovered, five hours was more than plenty to taste to my heart’s desire. Next year, I plan on trying out that new thing... I think it’s called pacing yourself? As the day went by, the real effects of beer set in. I made more and more friends, had some really intellectual thoughts, and I’m sure my voice’s volume went up a couple notches. Sure, the music that played during this festival was groovy and dance-worthy, but for me it was really nothing more than background noise.
Background noise at Mammoth Bluesapalooza
Instead, I was up to my ears in Russian River’s Supplication, Kern River’s Just Outstanding IPA, or maybe it was Hess’ Double IPA? Perhaps it was all 3. That said, I can honestly tell you that Ballast Point’s beautifully-crafted Victory At Sea Bourbon Barrel Aged Porter completed my day. All in all, hats off/thumbs up/chest bump to all the local San Diego breweries that at- tended. Way to represent the local community! The ride back home, complete with more jerky, gave me ample time to reflect on the weekend’s shenanigans, and I thought to myself how Ghandi is rumored to have once said, “One must take time to sit amongst the trees with a cold adult beverage at least 34 times in their life.” I may have exceeded his standards, all in one weekend.
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