"Yeah with a tin cup for a chalice, fill it up with good red wine And I'm a' chewin' on a honeysuckle vine"
OK, so anyone that knows me should know where that quote comes from. Some, of you that don't know me - may simply know the quote itself. Its from one of my favorite songs from Jimmy Buffett - Tin Cup Chalice. That song talks to me on so many levels. Honestly, I think that is part of the reason I've founded myself here in the great city of Pittsburgh, PA. I know there are many instrumental cities in this country of the great USA. Philadelphia, Boston, Washington DC go with out saying. Then you have places of port, trains and airports. Lets face it, there is a lot of greatness in our beautiful U.S.A. But, I think, I feel many people give one city a bad rep. I think historically one city in this country goes so UNDER RATED. And honestly, I'm OK with that. I live here now. I have absorbed this city as my own and I think the city loves me and I know I love the city. It is a city that isn't "fancy". It is straight forward. It is honest. It is just! Pittsburgh gives you so much in one little area that to over look it or think it a stinky/over cast/groggy city would be a huge mistake. Healthcare is a HUGE industry here, and Google has a major office. Technology is finding out that Pittsburgh has a lot to offer and isn't going to hide. Even American Idol quoted something about 'why did we wait so long to come here'. It is upsetting most reality shows, cooking shows and reality shows do not come here more.
So, when I decided to drink Duquesne beer and Paisano Wine, its because I have embraced my city and my person and I am comfortable with who I am. I've always embraced my person. Was I looking forward to having that first sip of Duquesne Beer? I mean, my mouth wasn't salivating. Was I thinking to myself, self - if I die driving home am I going to be happy that the last beer I drank was Duquesne? NO! But for what it is worth Pittsburgh and PA make a lot of low end beers. They are traditional. This city is/was built on sweat and tears of steel workers and coal miners. This city is a BLUE COLLAR town. It is a man's man town! I've walked in the lowest of low bars here and the richest of rich restaurants and I feel comfortable in both. I've lived elsewhere and it isn't the same. I've lived where you go where your "class" is wanted - "BELONGS". Not here, this city has the rich and the pour and I like to believe that there has been days I've sit at the bar with both and had a civil conversation about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I don't like to classify myself as a huge traveler, but I've been in a few cities in this country. And it is definitely a generalization to say that north/south/east/west - cities generally are the same. They have their own clicks, their areas, their issues. And I'm not here to say Pittsburgh is the only city to be this way, what I am here to say is that Pittsburgh deserves more respect. Do we have the glitter/glamor/money of Miami, New York, L.A., or Las Vegas? NO... but do we have real people, down to earth, that know what is important, and know what is real? Yes? Have great people come from Pittsburgh? Plenty! Just check out this list to name a few - but off my cuff - Michael Keaton, Dan Marino, Brett Micheals, Andy Warhol, Arnold Palmer, Andrew Mellon, Andrew Carnegie, Jeff Goldblum, to name a few. Oh, and that wasn't even mentioning the FAMOUS NFL Football team the Pittsburgh Steelers winners of 6 Super Bowl Championships (the most of any NFL Team as of 2012 the writing of this article) - and all the incredible athletes that have donned the black and gold.
So, today's beer is Dueqense Beer. Check out the website as it gives a lot of history on the beer. In particular, I saw this page that I enjoyed reading. Now, I enjoyed this beer the way it was meant to be enjoyed. It was in a little LOCAL bar called the Tower Lounge. I don't think they even have much of a Internet Presence. Why would they? Right? I did see a facebook page or two that could be them, but the people that visit this bar would not be looking them up on Facebook or Googling them for sure. This is a local bar. This is a no shirt, no shoes, who gives a fuck kind of place. They still are smoking cigs at the bar and still lamenting about the days that used to be. So, Duquesne Beer. This draft beer wasn't great. It had little head - can't attribute that to the beer as it could have been from the poorly cleaned glasses or lines from this 'fine establishment'. The flavor was... ummm... well... you know... not good. It tasted of rice malts, and cheapness. But it was cold. It was slightly refreshing. And it set my mind at ease as I sat at that bar, solo with my pint of brew and shot of jager (they didn't have ginger brandy). It was comforting sitting there knowing that I could potentially be sitting beside a Billionaire and a homeless guy as they enjoyed their beer and talked about the snow that was falling outside. Basically, that is Pittsburgh. I'm sure there are locations that the rich are not wanted, or the poor are outed, but it is FEW and far between in this city I call home. I'm proud of this home. I've lived here 11 years. It is the second longest lived city of my life and I'm happy about that.
Thank you Pittsburgh! Cheers!
OK, so anyone that knows me should know where that quote comes from. Some, of you that don't know me - may simply know the quote itself. Its from one of my favorite songs from Jimmy Buffett - Tin Cup Chalice. That song talks to me on so many levels. Honestly, I think that is part of the reason I've founded myself here in the great city of Pittsburgh, PA. I know there are many instrumental cities in this country of the great USA. Philadelphia, Boston, Washington DC go with out saying. Then you have places of port, trains and airports. Lets face it, there is a lot of greatness in our beautiful U.S.A. But, I think, I feel many people give one city a bad rep. I think historically one city in this country goes so UNDER RATED. And honestly, I'm OK with that. I live here now. I have absorbed this city as my own and I think the city loves me and I know I love the city. It is a city that isn't "fancy". It is straight forward. It is honest. It is just! Pittsburgh gives you so much in one little area that to over look it or think it a stinky/over cast/groggy city would be a huge mistake. Healthcare is a HUGE industry here, and Google has a major office. Technology is finding out that Pittsburgh has a lot to offer and isn't going to hide. Even American Idol quoted something about 'why did we wait so long to come here'. It is upsetting most reality shows, cooking shows and reality shows do not come here more.
So, when I decided to drink Duquesne beer and Paisano Wine, its because I have embraced my city and my person and I am comfortable with who I am. I've always embraced my person. Was I looking forward to having that first sip of Duquesne Beer? I mean, my mouth wasn't salivating. Was I thinking to myself, self - if I die driving home am I going to be happy that the last beer I drank was Duquesne? NO! But for what it is worth Pittsburgh and PA make a lot of low end beers. They are traditional. This city is/was built on sweat and tears of steel workers and coal miners. This city is a BLUE COLLAR town. It is a man's man town! I've walked in the lowest of low bars here and the richest of rich restaurants and I feel comfortable in both. I've lived elsewhere and it isn't the same. I've lived where you go where your "class" is wanted - "BELONGS". Not here, this city has the rich and the pour and I like to believe that there has been days I've sit at the bar with both and had a civil conversation about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. I don't like to classify myself as a huge traveler, but I've been in a few cities in this country. And it is definitely a generalization to say that north/south/east/west - cities generally are the same. They have their own clicks, their areas, their issues. And I'm not here to say Pittsburgh is the only city to be this way, what I am here to say is that Pittsburgh deserves more respect. Do we have the glitter/glamor/money of Miami, New York, L.A., or Las Vegas? NO... but do we have real people, down to earth, that know what is important, and know what is real? Yes? Have great people come from Pittsburgh? Plenty! Just check out this list to name a few - but off my cuff - Michael Keaton, Dan Marino, Brett Micheals, Andy Warhol, Arnold Palmer, Andrew Mellon, Andrew Carnegie, Jeff Goldblum, to name a few. Oh, and that wasn't even mentioning the FAMOUS NFL Football team the Pittsburgh Steelers winners of 6 Super Bowl Championships (the most of any NFL Team as of 2012 the writing of this article) - and all the incredible athletes that have donned the black and gold.
So, today's beer is Dueqense Beer. Check out the website as it gives a lot of history on the beer. In particular, I saw this page that I enjoyed reading. Now, I enjoyed this beer the way it was meant to be enjoyed. It was in a little LOCAL bar called the Tower Lounge. I don't think they even have much of a Internet Presence. Why would they? Right? I did see a facebook page or two that could be them, but the people that visit this bar would not be looking them up on Facebook or Googling them for sure. This is a local bar. This is a no shirt, no shoes, who gives a fuck kind of place. They still are smoking cigs at the bar and still lamenting about the days that used to be. So, Duquesne Beer. This draft beer wasn't great. It had little head - can't attribute that to the beer as it could have been from the poorly cleaned glasses or lines from this 'fine establishment'. The flavor was... ummm... well... you know... not good. It tasted of rice malts, and cheapness. But it was cold. It was slightly refreshing. And it set my mind at ease as I sat at that bar, solo with my pint of brew and shot of jager (they didn't have ginger brandy). It was comforting sitting there knowing that I could potentially be sitting beside a Billionaire and a homeless guy as they enjoyed their beer and talked about the snow that was falling outside. Basically, that is Pittsburgh. I'm sure there are locations that the rich are not wanted, or the poor are outed, but it is FEW and far between in this city I call home. I'm proud of this home. I've lived here 11 years. It is the second longest lived city of my life and I'm happy about that.
Thank you Pittsburgh! Cheers!
