Mini Beer Bloggers Summit

I had a pleasant surprise last week when I got word that the KC Worthog would be visiting Austin. The Worthog (see photo, right, taken at Whip-In) is a native of Portland, Oregon, aka Beervana, although in more recent years she's found herself in Kansas City. That's how I got to know her — as I've noted many times before, Mrs. I Love Beer is a KC native, so I'm up there about twice a year and have gotten to know several of that city's beer bloggers.

This was her first visit to Austin, and she asked me to show her around. Of course I was happy to oblige — I've been in Austin since 1986, and really, in my heart, I was an Austinite long before I moved here, so I love playing tour guide.

We were joined on our endeavor by Debbie Cerda, aka Snax, who does her own beer blogging for the Austin Examiner. That was perfect: I think those two really hit it off, as they are both brewers, while I am not, so they were able to converse on a level that I just could not.

Our night out, summarized:

• Uncle Billy's Brew & Que: Worthog had the sampler, I had the Hop Zombie, and we split brisket, jalapeño cheese sausage, and pulled pork. Amy said the pulled pork was inferior to KC, but the brisket was better than KC. I'd generally agree — I like KC bbq, but I'll always maintain that Texas style is better, and we're a beef state. She liked Uncle Billy's beer, and I thought the Hop Zombie was great. Darn it, I can't remember what Snax had.
• Whip-In: Believe it or not, until a few days before Worthog hit town, I was a Whip-In virgin. A later post will detail my first time, but as soon as she said she was visiting Austin, I knew we had to go there. That place is ridiculous. The tap selection is insane. Snax had the 2005 Sisyphus, I think Worthog had the Saint Arnold Divine Reserve No.6, and I had a Live Oak Primus. And then Worthog bought me my first taste of mead. Yum. I also had a Southern Star Buried Hatchet Stout and helped Snax finish off her Boulevard Chocolate Ale and Worthog finish off her (512) Pecan Porter. She said she was impressed by the 512. I had to grab a 4-pack of Green Flash Double Stout before I left, and am glad I did.
• Then I had to show her my 'hood, so we went to Black Star Co-0p. Snax got a Recalcitrant Dockhand, Worthog got another sampler, and I had a magnificent Moontower, Black Star's rich, malty winter seasonal. (They refuse to label their beers by style, but I'll go out on a limb and call it an imperial stout. If you get one, let it sit for a good 15 minutes, if you can stand it, because Black Star serves it a little too cold.) And then Snax bought us a plate of Black Star's bacon toffee, which sounds weird but tastes insanely good. I have a friend who has a T-shirt that reads, "Bacon is like a little hug from God." Well, bacon toffee is like a wet, sloppy kiss from God. Then I took Worthog back to her hotel, but I made sure to show her a real moontower on the way back.

I think she had fun. She gave our town good marks in a Facebook post. Now if I could just get Bull E. Vard, Beergirl, Muddy Mo, Bad Ben and other Kansas Citians to come to town for the same treatment.