Interlude

Those were drinking days, and most men drank hard.

-A Tale of Two Cities

Boy that was some shit Monday huh? If the actual shock of sitting through that solid mass of water wasn't a kick enough for the balls, the cringing at seeing so many up to their asses in that nasty mess certainly will. Once again, Mother Nature brings the heat and I'll be damned if she doesn't have one more ace up her sleeve. Of course, we recommend copious boozing to erase the taste of this event, and while you are at it lend a hand to those with damaged homes and vehicles.

So before I tell you why it's time to get back to drinking, let me first preface by saying that the good people here with the Second Harvest Food Bank got walloped and lost a good bit of supplies. Worse, there is damage to their hardware which complicates the already tenuous collection effort. I am told there is an ad hoc and improvised effort from our friends at Downtown Grill and Brewery to organize aid for Second Harvest, so if you are a local business that can help there is a good place to start. In addition, one can always donate directly at the effort's website:

http://www.secondharvestknox.com/ as well learn more about what they are facing after the waters receded.

Okay, now for some motivation. Today is Beer Day in Iceland, where Reykjavik recognized the complete folly of 75 years of prohibition and allowed beer (as we know it) to resume its rightful place in 1989. Hoist one if you need a reason to drink on a Tuesday(we do not).

Also on March 1st(or 2nd in some climes) is the commemoration of the Feast of Vesta, the ancient ritual where the hearth fire was stoked.

Not exactly the Bacchanal but it's a start and a reason to shake off the Whiskey Season and look to the future. So in that spirit, lets get ready for proper Spring drinking-St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner, as well as a needed get-the-fuck-out-of-town happy fun times.

Much Better

The weekend was quite simply, tits. Significantly better weather around our region finally allowed us to get out for a small bender/binge and we made the most of it. DK sincerely hopes that all of you managed some outdoor fun even if it was -gasp- spent sober.

Even though the South, and Knoxville in particular was spared the worst of this bitter-ass winter cockbite, let's face it this winter largely sucked. Piss poor economy + cold = meh. The Whisky Season endures of course, and private consumption of the brown was still very high but yours truly found himself finding less time for usual barhopping and much more time for drink specials and HH. With warmer weather around the corner(looking at you groundhog) we can expect to resume publican behavior and we'll let you know who and what survived the recent bleak days.

As all of you know, the first warm days of the year will cause the cabin fever to break, and our once febrile minds will entertain all sorts of high-minded ideas for a Saturday bender. Keg drinking, Maker's, and a healthy appetite for all sorts of victuals.

Yeah, that's sushi. No, we didn't drink the bourbon out of the sauce containers you assholes. Look, it was predictably a strange combination but damn if we didn't eat all of it. Perfect example of how one of these benders can go south.

So with that in mind, let me encourage you to get your warm weather boozin' together and tie one on before springtime rolls in. Hit the back yard a few times to prep for the true rite of the season: Patio Drinking.

Goodbye Manhattan's

A downtown / Old City favorite closed its doors just as I was reacquainting myself (and liver) with one of the coolest places I’ve known during the time I’ve been in Knoxville. It’s last call for Manhattan’s. The place had a good run. It was a dependable standby for drinks though lean and good years. It was never trendy, obnoxious, or pretentious. It was a smoking bar. They served good food at decent prices. The bartenders were bar veterans and usually drunks who worked their job honorably out of passion and commitment, not as privileged assholes. And they poured a good drink.

Quick Question

In today's rough economic climate, inquiring minds need to know:

What's the best-tasting cheap beer?

Please leave a comment with your answer.