MADD at the world

I have been perusing the back issues of the magazine Modern Drunkard, and I ran across an article about MADD. One of the amusing things is that the lady who started MADD ended up being booted out of the group and went to the other side. Read all about it in Fighting MADD, and also read about how MADD has turned into the Prohibitionist League. Fun for all the family. Also read about how the Department of Transportation inflates the numbers of accidents caused by alcohol by counting accidents where the pedestrians who had a drink were hit. See how cough syrup makes you one of these statistics. Yep, our government lies to us and MADD is part of the problem.

German Brewing Treasure Saved!

As I was watching NBC Nightly News yesterday, one item stood out that I knew that I had to share.

The 1400 year old Benedictine Abbey in Weltenburg, Germany escaped damage to "its famous church, full of Baroque masterpieces, and even worse, the jewel that attracts many of the Abbey’s half million visitors a year: its beer."

Yes, O lovers of that precious fluid, Weltenburg Beer seems safe. This has to be especially good news for many in Germany, since Weltenburg has become one of that nation's most popular brews.

Click here to read NBC's archived story, which includes a link to the broadcast (video requires IE6 for viewing).

I Can See My Beer!

Beer You Can See
Originally uploaded by Terrible_Swede.

In this close-up I tried to give you a sample of the "floaties" in this wonderful trappist ale - I can't remember which one this one was.

Konings Hoeven - Quadruple Trappist Ale

Konings Hoeven - Quadruple Trappist Ale
Originally uploaded by Terrible_Swede.

This series of post is one of my favorites. School starts Thursday and if I don't post these, it may never happen. With this set, comes a very nice wide beer glass. You can see your beer. You can smell your beer. Finally, you can taste your beer.

Konings Hoeven - Dubbel Trappist Ale

Konings Hoeven - Dubbel Trappist Ale
Originally uploaded by Terrible_Swede.

Very good beer.

Konings Hoeven Gift Set - Trappist Ale 1of5

Konings Hoeven Gift Set - Trappist Ale 1of5
Originally uploaded by Terrible_Swede.

A fine gift set. I recommend this to any new graduates, newly weds, confirmands, converts, etc.

KHGS - TA 2of5

KHGS - TA 2of5
Originally uploaded by Terrible_Swede.

Logo.

KHGS - TA 3of5

KHGS - TA 3of5
Originally uploaded by Terrible_Swede.

An side view of the gift set.

Close-up 4of5 of KHGS - TA 3of5

Close-up 4of5 of KHGS - TA 3of5
Originally uploaded by Terrible_Swede.

Read it and weep! It reads: "Blond beer is a clear, sparkling beer that drinks easily. Its fresh and aromatic smell is also one of its charateristics. Dubbel is a ruby red trappist beer with a sweet, aromatic but above all fresh character. Tripel is a honey coloured trappist beer with a fruity bitter sweet flavor. Quadrupel is the strongest of the quartet. It has a full-bodied flavour, yet mild and pleasing. Quadrupel is bottled and dated according to year of bottling and is the ideal accompaniment to a long and dark winter's evening." Courtesy of me.

Back Side KHGS 5of6

Back Side KHGS 5of6
Originally uploaded by Terrible_Swede.

Close up of 6of6. Courtesy of me. It reads: Since 1884, the monks of Koningshoeven have brewed Koningshoeven Trappist Ale to support themselves. Holland's only Koningshoeven beer. The recipe that has been created by the Trappist Monks has given connoisseurs the enjoyment of the traditional beers from Koningshoeven for more that the last hundred years. There are four types of Koningshoeven: "Blond", "Dubbel", "Tripel" and "Quadrupel". The brewing methods require nothing less than pure and natural ingredients: hops, barley,malt, yeast and water from own spring. All types are highly fermented. All the beers (Blond, Dubbel, Tripel, Quadrupel) are bottled bottled along with yeast and sugar. The beer is then free to ferment in the bottle itself, and it is here that it develops its unique aroma.

Back View of KHGS - 6of6

Back View of KHGS - 6of6
Originally uploaded by Terrible_Swede.

This is awesome beer. I got it as a gift set when I graduated back in May. It has four different kinds of Trappist Ales with nice beer glass.

New Reforms

New Reforms
Originally uploaded by Terrible_Swede.

Nice, eh?

"'It's 'ealth and safety, innit?"

News that will no doubt sadden most contributors and readers of this blog: Bavaria's barmaids are to be forced to cover up under a new European Directive.

The European Union's "Optical Radiation Directive" requires employers of staff working outdoors to ensure they cover up to protect against what the directive calls "natural sources of radiation", or what the rest of the the planet calls "sunlight". This will put paid to the Bavarian barmaid's traditional "dirndl", described in the article as:

[A] dress and apron with a tight, low-cut top whose figure-hugging effect is enhanced by a short white blouse.

Got to love that "enhanced", haven't you? Serious journalism we're dealing with, here.

Full marks also to Christian Ude, mayor of Munich, who is quoted as saying:

"This is European law-making at its most pedantic. A waitress is no longer allowed to wander round a beer garden with a plunging neckline. I would not want to enter a beer garden under these conditions."