The first Penn State game is in the books, and while the result on the field wasn't very encouraging, it was tremendous to be back in State College for a football game. Maybe now we can go back to debating the merits of the back-up quarterback or blitzing linebackers or kicking game woes, or whatever else it is people talk about at tailgates besides Jerry Sandusky. While the game was lost, we easily continued our streak of being undefeated in the parking lot. It was great to see everyone again all in one place, and we ended up having a sizable contingent of friends stop by to spend the day with us. One of the highlights of any tailgate is welcoming back old friends I haven't seen in a while. We'll do it again in two weeks, and try once more to get a win on the field to match our effort at the tailgate.
A few items for consideration:
1. Yes, we were among the first to arrive and set up shop. I'll be worried on the day we pull in and see hundreds of other cars around us.
2.. After the game, kids from Penn State's marching band, The Blue Band, roam our parking lot, playing some songs for the crowd in exchange for donations to help support their whatever it is they do with our donation (hopefully buy beer). When they stopped by our tailgate, I was able to get the rhythm section to recreate snippets of the final battle scene from the movie Drumline, complete with the whole 'play other guy's drums / drop sticks vibe'. More on this later.
3. Managed to get a blog beer going at the tailgate, too! While there were plenty of macro brew light beers consumed by the crowd (including a few by me), there were definitely some good beer options as well. SweetWater was one of the more notable good beer choices I saw in our flotilla of coolers. Word on the street is New Glarus will be making an appearance next time.... love it.
My beer review for the day comes from Diamond Knot Brewing Company's Brown Ale. In my blue plastic cup (always blue - never red), it seemed to be a dark brown color with a fluffy white head. Your nose is greeted with a malty aroma, and the taste gives you caramel, malt, bread, dark fruit, and some sweetness Nice and balanced at 6.0% ABV. Not the beer I might have gone with on a sunny, 90 degree day, but I definitely enjoyed it, and will try some of the other Diamond Knot beers when I see them in the future.
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| This beer is approved by Tailgate Cheetah, our official tailgate mascot |
Diamond Knot was named for a shipping vessel which sunk while sailing to Seattle in 1947. In the cargo hold was up to 10% of the canned salmon harvest from Alaska that year, so a huge effort was made to recover the tin cans from the wreckage. Not quite as lyrical as the Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, but topical for the town where this beer is brewed. Now you know.
Thing to Think About Today:
So, the Blue Band's recreation of this scene wasn't exactly perfect, but I give them credit for at least having some fun at the tailgate. Consider the film Drumline your bonus College Week material in this space - while this movie wasn't terribly representative of my college experience, it's a pretty decent flick, and certainly provides more marching band excitement than your average Penn State game.
Thanks for a great tailgate yesterday. It was so good to be back!
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