Arcadia Sampling at Slows.....sort of

So I get wind of this weekend via the micraftbrew group on yahoo that Arcadia is going to be at Slows Bar B Q this Monday doing a sampling, tasting or overall goodness assessment. Vividly excited, I rearrange some plans, invite some friends to come on down anticipating to try the Cereal Killer, Shipwreck Porter, Sky High Rye, special surprises and more. I sat somewhat impatiently on my couch as I waited for my sister and brother in law to arrive, abandoning my wife to catch a ride with other friends (no worries there, they had new born in tow, and my wife is all baby-i-fied). So we head out, sun still on the horizon and arrive close to 7:30. There we are notified by the cross between Bob Dylan and Jack White host that the event started at six, so we were well late, and that the event cost $30. Pissed and thirsty we bellied up to the bar. I did all the research I could on the details of this event and nowhere did it mention promptness and cost. So my ass-out-of-you-and-me assumption assumed it was a show up, try some special beers at specials prices, fraternize with the brewers and have a good ole time. Asking the bartender who maintains their website, mentioning our interest for the event and our disappointment in no Slows web presence at all, I made sure he knew he was the liaison between our discomfort and the management. He wasn't too up on the know of who maintained the website, and mentioned that it could be "in between managers" as if there is some internal conflictions there. I had ordered the Shipwreck Porter and man was it tasty. The alcohol presence was immediate in conjunction with the maltiness. It had a thick mouth feel and appearance, rings clinging to the glass. It hit me quick, probably because I had recently been sick and this was my first brew in about a week or more. The cost of the event actually wasn't bad. Considering food, drinks and other goodies, i would have been more than happy to pay my way. But unfortunately, either due to my further search for details or a combination of everyone involved, seven of us missed out. And so did Slows and Arcadia. Arcadia missed out on more "official" attendance, thus more excitement for their brand and brews. Slows missed out on what could have been more word of mouth exposure due to lack of web presence of the event, and perhaps more revenue, as our combined bill was about $150, when it could have been about $210 or more. Next up after the Shipwreck was the Sky High Rye, Arcadia's 12,000 (I believe) celebration Ale. This was a hoppy, possibly IPA worthy Ale that had a balance of bitter and sweet hops. Post dinner it was almost a bit too much for me, as my palate hates conflictions, I didn't have enough time to "rinse" from dinner. We had a great time with ourselves, sometimes ease dropping on the event and the conversations witht he brewers.

I love my Michigan produced goodness. I love my Detroit based Establishments supporting my Michigan based breweries. And I love my websites up to date, especially in 2009, where the web has been around long enough and is utilized more than ever for information based events and the like.