The People’s Republic of Flying Dog is now in session. It’s happy hour at Flying Dog Brewery, so here is your latest dose of irreverence.
Celebrate El Seis De Mayo with Flying Dog Brewery
It’s El Seis de Mayo today. We’re assuming that you, the faithful People’s Republic of Flying Dog, are the type who don’t necessarily need an excuse to go out on a Tuesday to get shit-faced. But having Cinco De Mayo as an excuse helps explain your lack of productivity the next day at work. Like many of you, we at Flying Dog are nursing hangovers, too. But it’s ok, because we are professionals.
If you didn’t get the chance to celebrate last night, crack open a Doggie Style tonight (or if you’re really slick or adventurous, ask for it “a lo perrito“) to celebrate. After all, today is Hump Day (thus making Doggie Style the natural choice). So we’ve all got that going for us, which is nice.
Get To Know Gonzo #5:
Read more about Ralph Steadman
Last time we reintroduced you to our artist extraordinaire Ralph Steadman. Plus, since it was the Kentucky Derby last weekend, it only makes sense to talk more about Ralph. As you might recall, the 1970 Derby marked the first collaboration between gonzo co-conspirators Ralph Steadman and Hunter S. Thompson. Here are some cool links that we recently found online about Ralph. Expect an interview with Ralph next time around, folks.
Ralph wrote the foreword to Jerelle Kraus’ new book about the New York Times’ Op-Ed Cartoons called “All the Art That’s Fit to Print (And Some That Wasn’t): Inside the New York Times Op-Ed Page”. Read about the book here, buy it here.
• Here’s a good Salon.com interview with Ralph from 2000 - yes, all the way from back ’round the turn-of-the-century.
• It’s hard to talk about the art of Ralph Steadman without talking about Hunter S. Thompson, and vice versa. Here’s a Washington Post book review of “Outlaw Journalist: The Life and Times of Hunter S. Thompson” where Ralph is name-dropped liberally.
We’ll be bringing you something Gonzo-themed from the world each time the newsletter comes out. Have a link to send us? Email it to joshm {at} flyingdogales {dot} com.
George Stranahan Relaunches His Website
These must be the days of new websites. George Stranahan, if you didn’t already know, is the benevolent founder of Flying Dog Brewery. What you also might not know is that George is a prolific photographer, writer, publisher, and philanthropist.
George recently redesigned his personal website. Take a look around to see what George is all about. Recommended “must-read” sections:
• George’s Phlog (Photography Blog) is regularly updated. Check out George’s wonderful photographs, as well as the stories that accompany them.
• The “Chapters” section: Two years worth of blog entries give people an idea of what George is like, with entry titles like “One Hell of a Life“, “How to Suck Eggs“, and “Authority on Lunacy“.
So dig deep into our founder’s website, and come away having a better idea of what George Stranahan is all about.
Meet the Pack: Bob Malone Brews Your Beer
Bob Malone is our Head Brewer. We got an email after the last newsletter from someone purporting to be his friend, asking why we didn’t showcase Bob more. We want you to know that we’re listening when you’re speaking. So by reader request, here’s a Q&A with Mr. Malone.
• Who are you and what do you do??
I’m the grumpy old man that walks around and yells at people. I am the slave to the yeast, I live to keep it happy. My job description is this: It varies anywhere from “wonderful” to a “serious clusterfuck”. The only thing I can say about a typical day is that it isn’t going to be typical.
• Why does your picture on our employee page make you look like a dog? You’re not that hairy, right?
The world is full of pictures of ugly middle-aged men; why not put a little beauty in the world? That and the fact that I have no hair, so I wanted to look good.
• When did you realize that you wanted to brew beer for a living?
When I was 28 years old, having just moved back from Japan and interviewing for jobs in companies where the people didn’t look happy. I had just started home brewing and realized I needed to turn pro to support my habit. Oh…sorry, I meant “hobby”.
• Where else have you worked?
Have boots, will travel. I have worked in the following breweries: The Wild, Wild West Gambling Hall and Brewery, Rogue Ales, Star Brewing,
Echigo Beer, Otaru Beer, Backcountry Brewery, Big Buck Brewery, Copper Canyon, and the Wild Goose Brewery.
• What was working and living in Japan like?
Living in Japan was good, initially a lot of frustrations but most of those stemmed from not understanding the culture or speaking the language. The longer I was there, the less that became an issue, and the food is great. Working in Japan was a very interesting deal, things are done differently there - not better or worse, but certainly different. I learned how they were into consensus building but not really. It was a true education in every sense of the word.
• What do you like best about working for Flying Dog Brewery?
Dealing with all the people who help make me look like less of a whack-job and being able to make something as opposed to tearing something down. The act of making is far more challenging than the act of destruction. And I make beer, HELLO!
• What advice do you have for homebrewers who are hoping to turn their passion into a career?
Make sure your significant other makes a good living and completely understands that brewing is a lot of work, it has to be a labor of love or you are wasting your time.
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Want to learn more about one of the Flying Dog employees? Check out our Flying Dog Mutts page, and shoot us an email at bullshit@flyingdogales.com and ask! We’ll see what we can do.
Cheers! Until next time,
-Josh
