Who is coming to the World Beer Cup next week?

I'm already here and plan on going.

I know a Bill Benzel in San Diego who plays guitar, would that be you?

If you are the Bill Benzel I know, it's fairly likely I'll see you in El Cajon tonight.

Slobby Don ( snipped-for-privacy@thru.ng) wrote: : : I know a Bill Benzel in San Diego who plays guitar, would that be you? :

There's only one. I know a Don who is the treasurer of a homebrew club. Would that be you?

Meaning you are the one? No it wouldn't be me. I thought I was going to see Bill last Saturday night, but he didn't show. He accents the last syllable of Benzel. Do you?

Slobby Don ( snipped-for-privacy@thru.ng) wrote: : Bill Benzel wrote: : > Slobby Don ( snipped-for-privacy@thru.ng) wrote: : >>

: >> I know a Bill Benzel in San Diego who plays guitar, would that be : >> you? : >>

: >

: > There's only one. I know a Don who is the treasurer of a homebrew : > club. Would that be you? : : Meaning you are the one? No it wouldn't be me. I thought I was going to : see Bill last Saturday night, but he didn't show. He accents the last : syllable of Benzel. Do you? :

That's me -- beer and acoustic guitar music. I didn't make it to El Cajon although I thought I'd be able to -- too many things to do -- are you a Don who plays an acoustic guitar with an abnormal shape to the soundhole?

The Philadelphia ISP threw me, so I thought you were a namesake. Yes I know Don, the acoustic guitar player with the heartshaped soundhole. I'll be seeing him tonight at his usual Monday-night gig. I'm a lot slobbier than he his! I've seen you perform a few times with Jim down by the bay. I plan to go to the Beer cup on Wednesday and will look you up.

Slobby Don

Well I did go briefly Wednesday and missed by minutes the only event I would have appreciated--the North San Diego County brewery tour that included Stone Brewing Co and an Oggi's. When I went in I saw three pallets of Stone Symposium ale, brewed especially for the conference. The only activity I saw was vendor setup for the Craft Brewers. I was told it would cost me $85 just to see their exhibits on Thursday or Friday. I couldn't see paying that much just to give people the opportunity to sell me something so I went and had lunch at Oggi's instead. They are a chain of local microbreweries (mostly San Diego County and they are expanding into Phoenix) that offer about ten varieties at a time. They also have Stone Arrogant Bastard ale on tap.

Slobby Don ( snipped-for-privacy@thru.ng) wrote: : Slobby Don wrote: : > I plan to go to the Beer cup on Wednesday and will look you up. : : Well I did go briefly Wednesday and missed by minutes the only event I would : have appreciated--the North San Diego County brewery tour that included : Stone Brewing Co and an Oggi's. When I went in I saw three pallets of Stone : Symposium ale, brewed especially for the conference. The only activity I : saw was vendor setup for the Craft Brewers. I was told it would cost me $85 : just to see their exhibits on Thursday or Friday. I couldn't see paying : that much just to give people the opportunity to sell me something so I went : and had lunch at Oggi's instead. They are a chain of local microbreweries : (mostly San Diego County and they are expanding into Phoenix) that offer : about ten varieties at a time. They also have Stone Arrogant Bastard ale on : tap. :

Tuesday and Wednesday were actually not open to the public. It was a closed judging session of something like 2000 beers from all over the world. Best part was that we got a case each of randomized extra bottles at the end of each day as a reward for volunteering to staff it. So far, I've been very impressed by the Japanese craft brewers who are taking on Belgian styles and producing some world class beers -- but there's a lot to dring in the fridge right now.

I didn't go to the craft brewers conference either.

So -- will I finally catch on to who you are at Hot Java tomorrow -- I think Kev is headlining.

Maybe you've been dringing too much, Bill! Wouldn't now be a great time to host a beer party?

I won't be able to make it Monday night. Kev knows me, but not as Slobby Don. Just tell him I'm the big guy who recently lost his teenage daughter.