Panclog: Thirsty Thursday
Whom I would have a beer with
Jared and I often times share a drink together. On one of these occasions it came up that we would like to share a beer with some individual. I cannot remember who anymore, but it did germinate the thought, “wouldn’t it be nice to add a section to the Panclog where we would talk about someone that we would like to share a beer with.” Over lunch on a later date, where we ate breakfast, we fleshed out the idea a bit further. Once, every other week, we will both pick someone that we would like to have a drink with, selecting a beer that would go well with that occasion.
For the inaugural article we opted to pick a famous person. At later dates, we will pick athletes, presidents, teachers, friends, spouses, historical figures, or whomever. We may even pick each other someday (would that be a quiet act of desperation).
I am currently sitting in Detroit, MI, staring across the river at Windsor Canada and this thought came to mind, what great Canadian comedic actor would I be excited to meet and talk to. I quickly came to the conclusion that Martin Short would be that person.
I’m sure most of you know of Martin Short and his work with SCTV, Saturday Night Live, Inner Space, and many other famous roles. He has a tremendous gift for character development and has wide array of characters that can be produced at a moment’s notice. I suspect his most well-known character is Ed Grimley. However, my favorite is probably Jiminy Glick. His consistent ability to get other performers to break character in spite of themselves while remaining in character as Glick is truly remarkable.
When I say that he is gifted I mean that from the perspective of how hard he has worked to develop that talent. After reading Short’s book, “I Must Say: My Life as a Humble Comedy Legend,” you can only reach one conclusion about his talent. That while he was born with a God given talent, it is carefully honed and developed into something terrific. It is this that I would like to talk to him about over a beer. I would like to know his take on how to develop skill into craft. Not that I am a comedian, or have a desire to be, but one can look at the work of one individual and develop principles for turning your own work into a craft. I believe that Mr. Short must have tremendous insight into this.
The beer I would like to share with Mr. Short is the Atwater Purple Gang Pilsner.
It is a beer that is brewed in Detroit, MI and that I thought was quite tasty. The menu listed the following characteristics about it: 5.5% ABV, bright, floral, crisp, and light bodied. I agree with these sentiments, at least as far as I was able to notice them. If I were to suggest tastes like this, I say that it has the sharpness of 7-Up with a lingering cracker like aftertaste. I thought it was very good.
(Jared)
I have always enjoyed sharing a nice drink with an interesting person. I can not think of a better way to open up communication than over a nice cold beer. I can not tell you how many meaningful conversations happen every day with the help and guidance of a groovy brew. I would have to guess that the number is well into the teens!
It was quite a journey to find who I would like to share my inaugural beer with. I first thought about people who are great at conversation. Maron seems cool. Yeah Marc Maron is good at talking and he seems cool. oh? Yeah, you are right. He does not drink. Never mind I have another person. Buzz Lightyear himself, Tim Allen! That would be cool. Tim is what all boy’s think what men should be like. A tool-man.
After a the littlest bit of research, I discovered that Tim Allen is sober as well. I also learned that people who are sober are called teetotaler. That is interesting or very weird.
I want to have a beer with someone who is nice but can give it to me straight. Someone who will can make a joke at their own expense. Maybe someone who is more than they seem. They are complex yet fun. I am going to choose Louis C.K..
Louis has been one of my favorite stand-ups for a very long time. He can make me laugh in many different ways with pure awkwardness, an incredible one-liner, or physical comedy. I have even fallen in love with his acting be it in Louie or in the fantastic Horace and Pete. He was also in American Hustle. That’s cool. I also find it crazy interesting that he grew up speaking Spanish. He also completely changed the game for comedians when it comes to releasing new material; be it the frequency or the way he self releases it. I would love to swap stories over something delicious.
I am going to try to pair a beer with what I envision Louis C.K. liking. I see him as a full-bodied beer. I think he needs some deep flavor in his beverage. I am going to go out on a limb and say we will be drinking, nay sipping, on a Russian Imperial Stout. I will have to go with the most recent one I have had. That is Spider Bite Beer Co.’s Boris The Spider.
Spider Bite Beer Co. is based in Long Island, NY. I have been able to try their beer because I am in a craft beer membership club that sends me 12 beers from around the country every month. I have really enjoyed being able to try brand new beers each month. Boris the Spider is a very heavy stout. The mouth-feel is on the verge of crude oil. It has flavors of coffee, dark chocolate, yet some light sweetness from the malts. I would describe this beer as a sipper due to its high ABV. At 10%, you would not want to nor be able to take large gulps of this beer. Because we are sipping, Louis C.K. and I would have plenty of time to discuss anything that comes to our minds.
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Cheers
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