Picture this: a women upside down, on a man’s back, with her legs wrapped around his head. What does this sound like to you? If you were thinking some kinky new sex position the answer is no… sorry. This is the position that is used by the couples that compete in the sport of “wife-carrying.’
In Newry, Maine, Dave and Lacey Castro became the new champions of the wife-carrying competition. Dave carried Lacey on his back while he ran through an obstacle course that contained a muddy water hole and two log obstacles. The Castro’s are the proud recipients of Lacey’s weight in beer and five times her weight in cash. They will also get the chance to compete in the world championships in Finland.
I am shocked that this is actually real and that people actually treat this like a serious thing.
I personally don’t understand the point behind “wife-carrying”or how it came to be. The only thing I get out of this weird piece of news is that anything can become a sport these days and people will compete in it, no matter how ridiculous it is, as long as beer and cash are involved.
As a senior about to graduate in an ungodly short amount of time, let me give all you students my best piece of advice: Take HPM 422 Wine and Beer Appreciation. Trust me, it’s as sweet as it sounds. And you’ll learn a ton (i.e. this blog). I’m not talking about anything that’s likely to get you a job, but once you do land one you’ll have some ammo ready to impress your boss at his/her next dinner party. And when your parents ask what you learned this semester, you’ll finally be able to fire back something relevant and interesting, like “Dad, you know that Blue Moon in your hand? You’ll get a better taste if you drink it out of a glass rather than the bottle. And don’t put that orange slice in your beer—the acidity ruins the taste.”
Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown,NY
Probably the best part of the class is during the second half of the semester when local breweries like Saranac and Empire visit, bringing along straight-from-the-brewhouse beers. Last week, Brewery Ommegang (based in Cooperstown, NY) came to SU with a few of its staple brews. Overall, they brew some hefty beers with complementary alcohol percentages. Read on for details on our in-class tasting and some follow-up notes courtesy of an afternoon at Blue Tusk in Armory Square. (more…)
You can’t miss the Syracuse Suds Factory. It’s a huge brick building in Armory Square, on the corner of South Clinton and Walton Streets. The inside feel is a big, open warehouse with brick walls and rustic red accents. There’s plenty of bartop space, tables, and 13 TVs in total—nine of which were tuned to sports channels during a recent visit.
Its a bar, but it also gives off a slight museum feel, especially when you catch a glimpse of the wax figure in overalls manning the replica of a keg distribution line on one of the walls, complete with mini keg replicas. Add in some black and white pictures of the building back in the day and framed memorabilia here and there and it’s almost like a history lesson. In fact, all you need to do is flip over your menu to learn about the whole history of brewing in Syracuse. (more…)
River Horse Brewing Company opened in Labertville, NY in April 1996
Wandering through the wonderful world of Wegmans’ beer section one recent day, my boyfriend and I stumbled upon a strange looking variety pack with an intriguing label. The tan and light blue box, which sported a logo that mimicked the weathered graphic t-shirt look, read “River Horse Brewing Company” and hailed from New Jersey.
River Horse is actually another name for a Hippo
Always drawn to alcohol named after animals (even though I’ve been told brewers who do so usually don’t take their craft seriously), I was especially tickled that this brand included the word horse, and persuaded a purchase. Read on for the often delicious and slightly surprising delights we found inside. (more…)
I’m not sure if it’s a craze that’s sweeping the nation, but it sure as hell should be. Those of you who are not “in the know” about campus golf, sit for a second and I’ll teach you the basics.
The Old Course at St. Andrews. It's beautiful. It's historic. It's...overrated.
Campus golf is very similar to ”standard” golf. However, the one key difference is that, as the name suggests, it is played on school property. So, instead of scratching up some serious dough, throwing on an old polo and some too-small khaki pants, and finding a ride out to some local country club where you (as a disheveled-looking, possibly hungover college student) don’t even feel welcomed, you simply grab some wedges and find a lawn. No shoes? No problem. (Important note: I discourage making the SU Quad your personal Carnoustie. Somebody’s going to wind up with a beastly bruise, and you’ll probably find yourself on the receiving end of litigation. South Campus and its wide, open, mostly pedestrian-free spaces are just a bus ride away.)
Saranac showing its SU pride in the brewery gift shop
Saranac Brewery in Utica, NY, was one of the first microbreweries to open in the United States. Also known as the Matt Brewing Company after the family who founded the brewery in 1888 and still run it today, this historical gem is responsible for quite a few other firsts in the beer world as well (which your tour guide will be more than happy to point out). (more…)
Look closely, those red stripes are actually red dog lables
That’s just one of the signs you’ll see in Empire Brewing Co. – an Armory Square gem I visited on a recent Sunday. On my first visit to the brewery/restaurant, I literally thought, “This place is so cool.” Perhaps not my most prophetic moment, but let me explain.
The wrought-iron gate at the top of the stairs decorated with oversized hops gave the first indication that this place is all about the beer. To my right as I entered, I caught a glimpse through some windows of the fermenting vats they use in the brewing process – our table was just feet away from the mysterious world in which malt, hops, yeast, and water magically combine to form alcoholic deliciousness. Cue the choir – I had entered some sort of beer heaven.
Empire's brew on tap at the bar
The brick walls in the dining area were simply decorated with portraits of pints (seriously, huge pictures of beer), each with a different background (like the ones you choose from in your third grade school portrait). The walls near the bar, on the other hand, were covered in gold, silver, and bronze medals – each awarded to one of Empire’s unique brews over the years at the Great American Beer Festival. (more…)
Armory Square hosted the world’s smallest Mardi Gras parade this weekend…so I’m told. Due to poor organization skills on our part (i.e. finding a sober and willing driver), my friends and I unceremoniously arrived downtown at 3:25 p.m. to find that the “parade” had started, paraded itself through town with beads and merriment galore, and ended in (apparently) less than 25 minutes.
Unperturbed, we marched to the source of our excursion: the bars offering Magic Hat drink specials in honor of the last weekend to indulge (theoretically) before Lent. Since I plan to give up chocolate for the sixth year in a row and continue my debaucherous ways, I took the event as an excuse to hold a marathon taste testing of the Vermont brewery’s offerings.
Below are my four favorites from the afternoon – or, if we’re being honest, the first four I tasted and have halfway legible notes for. (more…)
