Big Sky Brewery Beer Dinner

Wow. Over beer.

When I drank and went out to dinner regularly, my friends, I N-E-V-E-R chose a place based on the beer offerings. I chose it based on the F-O-O-D. Not the wine list, the F-O-O-D and service and prices, of course) not the B-E-E-R. To me, it's like having a Catchup Tasting at the hamburger joint down the street. Within a couple of degrees of taste and color and head, they are bascially the same thing with a hint of that or a blast of this for novelty sake. "Oh, man, that new Dougway Dew Lager from Desert Dirt Brewery tastes just like Jimpson Weed and Sagebrush steeped in a broth of muddy water! It's a locally-crafted beer that just sings with notes of dirt, weeds, sheep shit and salt!"

In Utah, it's the label graphics, the cute, double-entendre of words mocking Mormons and a fad called "brew pubs," those noisy, awful places that smell like a yeasty-water treatment plant where The Pickle Slice reigns supreme as the permanent condiment of the day and wondering, with much drama, which foaming glass of farts, belches and headaches looks the coolest to order. Ever notice how some beer "specialists" loudly order their beer so there's no question from anyone within 20 feet that they know something, they have special knowledge or they are some kind of international adventurer exploring the gastronomic environs? "You know (loudly). . .I'll think I'll try the Mountain Massacre Malt with Puffer Fish toxins, I feel like trying something different!"

If City Weekly's Beer Festival last summer didn't teach y'all anything else, it should be that trying to please beer lovers is like herding cats. Really crankly, energetic cats.

At this point, I'd really, really love to know when Desert Edge began brewing Powderhound Porter and using that name. They've been around for a very long time, longer than Blue Sky, and it is odd that they'd choose the name "Black Sky Porter" if they had no reason to. Of course, using lawyers unnecessarily would piss anybody off, but still...

Duke, Good Luck in finding a girlfriend.

What's the deal, Lugano? Couldn't find any local breweries to host a beer dinner with?

I wonder if Big Sky will invite the brewers at Desert Edge Brewery so that Big Sky can stick it in their faces by serving their Powder Hound Ale?

Desert Edge used the name Powderhound Porter for years until Big Sky had their big attorneys threaten Desert Edge with a big law suit, prompting Desert Edge to change their beer's longstanding name to Black Sky Porter. I reckon Desert Edge felt this was the best way to honor such a respectable brewery as Big Sky.