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.

DC Craft Beer Week Is Coming Up Fast

Washington, DC is a lot of things. To some, it’s the capital of democracy and freedom. To others, it’s a heaping pile of garbage, showcasing the Burearacracy and pork-barrel spending of massive governments who have lobbyists in their back pockets.

To us, it’s a great place to drink beer, all the while questioning anything and everything, HST-style (Hunter lived in DC while he was covering the 1972 Presidential election). Plus it’s in our backyard, being about an hour from our Frederick, Maryland brewery.

With that in mind, we’d like to tell you all about DC Craft Beer Week. We’ve got a plethora of events happening next week.

Make sure you check out our DC Tweetup event on the 27th. We’ll be giving away some awesome shit, and the first 50 to show up get a free pint glass. Plus, you can meet my boss. Make sure to tell him what an amazing job I’m doing.

Monday, May 25
• Craft Beer Trivia Night - 7PM @ Fado - 808 7th St NW.

Tuesday, May 26
• Meet the Flying Dog Brewers - 7PM @ the Brickskeller - 1523 22nd St NW. Drink a wide range of our more experimental and aggressive brews, like Dog Schwarz, our über-limited Belgian IPA, Barrel-Aged Gonzo Imperial Porter (plus more).
• SAVOR sampling - 6:30-9:30 @ RFD - 810 7th Street NW. Join Flying Dog and 12 other breweries for a sampling.

Wednesday, May 27
• DC Tweetup - 6PM @ Luna Grill & Diner, 1301 Connecticut Ave NW (DuPont Circle). We’re having a Tweetup in DC at Luna Grill and Diner on May 27 at 6pm. Everyone who comes to the Tweetup will get one complimentary Flying Dog beer and be registered to win some sweet Flying Dog Swag. We’ll even throw in a free Flying Dog Pint Glass for the first 50 people through the door!
• Capitol Hill Craft Beer Bar Tour - 6PM, starting @ Hawk ‘n Dove, 329 Pennsylvania Ave SE.

Thursday, May 28
• Flying Dog Promo Night - 6-9PM @ Bourbon in Glover Park - 2348 Wisconsin Ave NW.
• Meet the Brewers & Steal the Pint Glass - 4-9PM @ RFD - 810 7th Street NW. 4-7 is Doggie Drafts Happy Hour, and 7-9 Meet the Flying Dog Brewers & FD steal the pints
• Flying Dog Night at Reef - 5-Close @ The Reef, 244618th St NW, Adams Morgan. Happy Hour pricing on Flying Dog. A great bar with great food and an amazing rooftop patio.

Friday, May 29
• Roundtable Discussion with Craft Brewers - 9PM @ Pizzeria Paradiso, 3282 M St NW. End of the week Meet & Greet! Roundtable Discussion, Flying Dog Firkin on hand.

Saturday, May 30
• SAVOR Craft Beer Festival - 7:30-11PM @ National Building Museum, 401 F Street NW. The second year of the Brewer’s Association Festival geared around pairing great craft beer with great food.

Get To Know Gonzo #6: This Time In Stunning 1970s Gonzovision!

Yes, yes. I know I said I was going to bring you an interview with Ralph Steadman. Well, that didn’t exactly work out, but maybe next time we can bring it to you. Plus Hunter S. Thompson blew deadlines all the time. So this week, we’re bringing you a 30 year-old classic.


Fear & Loathing in Gonzovision was a BBC Documentary produced in 1978 chronicling Ralph Steadman & Hunter S Thompson. It’s about 54 minutes long, and you can crack open a Gonzo Imperial Porter and stream it online today while you’re at work. Just make sure to put some headphones on, and don’t blame us if you get busted.

Part 1     Part 2     Part 3

I think we may have brought this to you in a previous newsletter a few years back, but it’s so amazing that you’ll want to watch it again. But there’s going to be a quiz next newsletter, so pay attention.

—

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.

Ahoy, Matey! Bringing The Fear & Loathing Back To Sailing Races

One of the storied stories in the storybook history of the Hunter S. Thompson / Ralph Steaman collaboration is the time they went to cover the America’s Cup Race. If you read our newsletter on March 11, you’ve read about this incident.

So, you may be asking, how are we bringing back this form of immersive sailing reporting? A bunch of folks from the Brewery took the afternoon off and cruised down to scenic Annapolis, Maryland last Wednesday to participate in the Woodwind Wednesday Night Sailing Races.

The good news: We came in second in our class.
The bad news: There were two boats racing in our class.

But there’s more good news. We wore pirate patches and flew the Flying Dog flag prominently, instilling fear (and loathing) among our competitors, who probably thought we’d hijack their vessel if we caught up to them. Which is some damn good motivation to stay in the lead. From the photos, it seems like people were just hanging out and drinking beer the whole time. No wonder we lost!

Check out more photos here. Also, I wasn’t really sure how to fit this in, but here’s my favorite movie quote about sailboats.

Cheers! Until next time,
     -Josh

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.

Starting Out At The Atlantic City Beer Festival, Ending Up Under The Boardwalk

“Oooooh, under the boardwalk, down by the sea,
At the [Atlantic City Beer Festival] with my baby is where I’ll be.”

Matt Brophy, our VP of Brewing Operations, is from New Jersey. But we try not to hold that against him. That being said, last weekend we had a bunch of people cruise up to the 2009 Atlantic City Beer Festival, including Matt, Flying Dog CEO Jim Caruso, VP of sales Jim Lutz and Mid-Atlantic Sales bad ass Joe Gomez. Here’s what Joe had to say about this festival:

“Holy Shit, that was a lot of people to see in one day! I would say on Saturday alone there were easily 7,000 people in that space. As usual, our booth was Bumpin’ from Noon till 10:15 pm. Sunday.”

Sometimes pictures speak louder than words, so check out our Flickr photoset from the 2009 Atlantic City Beer Festival.

Get to Know Gonzo #2: Sex, Drugs, and Rock & Roll. Oh Yeah, And Motorcycle Gangs.

Playboy magazine. The leading men’s magazine in the world. It also has some pretty hot chicks in it, too. You’ve probably heard of it. Well, recently we were sent an article about their list of the Top 20 Books Every Man Must Read. On that list, mixed among a bunch of other classic books, is Hunter S. Thompson’s Hell’s Angels. This is a book from 1966 and documents Hunter’s take on the Hell’s Angels while he infiltrated their ranks. If Playboy tells you to read it, then you pretty much need to be reading this. Hunter’s time with the Hell’s Angels is also spoken about pretty extensively in Alex Gibney’s Gonzo, so check it out, too. (via @jeffporn)

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.

The Flying Dog 2009 Summer World Tour

Flying Dog Brewery reaches to the four corners of the world - from 45 states in the US to the EU, Singapore, Australia, (soon to be) India, and a whole host of other places worldwide. OK, so we’re not traveling all around the world, but we’ll be all over the country this summer at a beer festival in your neck of the woods (hopefully). We’re still updating our events page, but here’s a brief list of where we’ll be this summer:

4/04/2009 - Beer, Bourbon and BBQ (MD)

4/11/2009 - Breckenridge Massive Beer Festival (CO)

4/17/2009 - 17th Annual Peoria International Beer Festival (IL)

4/24/2009 - Microbreweries for the Environment (CO)

4/25/2009 - 11th Annual Manayunk Brew Extravaganza (PA)

5/30/2009 - SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience (DC)

5/30/2009 - Beer, Bourbon and BBQ (VA)

6/20/2009 - Beer, Bourbon and BBQ (MD/DC)

7/11/2009 - Oshkosh Jaycees Brews and Blues (WI)

7/18/2009 - Breckenridge Massive Beer Festival (CO)

Flying Dog March Beer Radness

The Washington Post is once again doing their beer version of the College Basketball bracket called “Beer Madness.” We had a good run last year, but unfortunately were left off of this year’s bracket. Why? We’re not exactly sure.

But we’re OK with the whole “we got left off this made-up competition” thing. In fact, we’re so fine with it that we decided to do our own Flying Dog beer bracket where the only thing that counts is your vote! Check out Flying Dog Beer Radness at flyingdognews.com to vote for your favorite beers.

We’ve also decided to pair the weekend’s basketball games with Flying Dog beer. Beer is often paired with food, but beer is also paired with personal experiences and events. While you’re watching basketball games in the following cities, we recommend you try these beers to match:

Boston, MA (Pitt/Xavier, Nova/Duke on Thursday): From the looks of it, spring has sprung in New England. Try out our Spring Seasonal Garde Dog Biere De Garde to make you feel like the spring thaw is happening.

Glendale, AZ (Purdue/UCONN, Mizzou/Memphis on Thursday): Well, it’s going to be in the 80s in Arizona. So if you want to feel like you’re there, look for something rather refreshing, like a Tire Bite Golden Ale or Old Scratch Amber Lager.

Indianapolis, IN (Zona/Louisville, Kansas/Michigan State on Friday): This game depends on who you’re rooting for. If it’s Arizona, you’ll probably want to be drinking Road Dog Porter, as it’s the big-time underdog beer that took on an entire state government (and won). If not, you should probably go with Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale, whose seeding in our minds never wanes.

Memphis, TN (UNC/Gonzaga, Syracuse/Oklahoma on Friday): Watching the games in Memphis? Well, this one will be a food pairing because Memphis is one of the Meccas of barbecue. Which makes Gonzo Imperial Porter or Double Dog Double Pale Ale your natural selections. Plus if Syracuse loses, it jacks up my whole bracket. So I’ll need something to dull the pain.

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.

Remembering Hunter

Today marks the four-year anniversary of Hunter S. Thompson’s death. One of the most iconic figures from the last 50 years, Hunter S. Thompson is closely tied to Flying Dog Brewery. Of course, he convinced his friend and Gonzo co-conspirator Ralph Steadman to illustrate our labels. But he also gave us a quote that graces most every label of beer that we produce: Good people drink good beer.


Not a day goes by that we don’t think about Hunter and the indelible mark he left on society. And although it bums us out that he isn’t with us today, Hunter S. Thompson’s spirit lives on in the form of his writings and films. This week, during Conan O’Brien’s last shows in the “Late Night” time slot, Conan has been revisiting clips from the last fifteen years. Tuesday’s show featured a segment shot on location in Upstate New York with Hunter and Conan. Watch them drink whiskey and shoot guns, in typical Dr. Gonzo style:

As is the Flying Dog tradition on this day, we’ve asked those who knew him to write a little something about Dr. Gonzo. Flying Dog Brewery founder George Stranahan and Gonzo Artist Ralph Steadman sent in some stories about Hunter.

We encourage you to toast Hunter S. Thompson tonight with a glass of the beer that was inspired by him, Gonzo Imperial Porter. We certainly will be.

George Stranahan Remembers Hunter

It’s the beginning of my fifth year without Hunter, and I’m feeling like a five year old trying to understand the mysteries and predicaments of the human condition.

The peacock’s shriek was unmistakable. It came at first light and it was close, right over my head, on the roof. To call Hunter at first light was an adventure that had to be taken. He was awake and “still up,” drunk and crazed. “Goddamn birds got outta their cage last night.” He assigned some specific blame here, he himself was blameless. “Two of ‘em were found in Little Woody eaten by coyotes. That’s the last one you’ve got there, I’ll be right up.”

And he was. Shorts, sneakers, Tilly hat and with badminton net in hand. My house is two stories, so the peacock was twenty feet up and so was Hunter, hunched over, tiptoeing along the very edge and coaxing, “you wretched c… sucking bitch sit still for one more second…” I was terrified at his unsteadiness and wondered who do I call for a fallen and almost certainly dead Hunter found at first light on my porch?

With a lurch and a stagger Hunter tossed the badminton net right over the bird, clutched it to his breast and collapsed away from danger. I was learning that he had an extraordinary sense of his own capacities either drunk or sober.

Ralph Steadman Remembers Hunter

Hunter began to speak of images that disturbed his peace of mind. ‘Ralph, I have this horrible image of me strapped inside a wheelchair- and I’m in an Old People’s Home. I look around the room and old people are looking straight at me from their own wheelchairs, lined up against the wall as though they are waiting their turn to go- or maybe to flee!  I scan the room dolefully- then- out of the corner of my eye I catch a glimpse of a wizened ole crone. She has an evil leer across her wrinkled face and she is crawling across the floor-slowly- towards me. She is cackling to herself and I know, Ralph, what she is going to do- and I am helpless! Yes, Ralph!  She is going to fondle my balls!!’

He told me that story just like that as an example of why he was suffering ‘the Death of FUN’. Unimaginable torture!!

What I do every year is take a large sheet of paper, a bottle of ink and a brush, look up at the moon - even if there isn’t one - then I whack it with the biggest blot I can make, date it and time- and then I sign it and toast his memory in a bottle of beer. I find it the most satisfying thing to do and it frees the frustration and sense of loss.