Hooray For Larry Bell, and Up Yours Union Bev

I think everyone by now knows the saga of Larry Bell (aka Bell's Brewing) and the reason that Bell's is no longer sold in Illinois. To no one's surprise, Larry figured a way around Union and Chicago Beverage Systems, and decided to start another "brewery", Kalamazoo Brewing. I was fortunate enough to sample their "Hopsolution" at the Gingerman last weekend, and man, is it good. Kudos to Larry for sticking it to the man and doing what he wanted in spite of having to walk away from his biggest market.

Larry, along with Jim Koch, should be in the Brewmaster's Hall of Fame.
Here's a little tidbit he offered to KalamaBrew recently:

A Toast with Larry Bell

Better Late Then Never...

Funny thing, when you accept the inevitable, the opposite happens. I had resigned myself to the fact that the few beers I had entered in homebrew contests were always going to come in at the "good, but not great" score level and I'd jest be an average brewer, brewing for myself and friends, but a little package arrived today that raised my spirits a bit.

I guess my beers aren't so crappy after all. I guess I'll keep trying.