———- Forwarded message ———-

Raise Your Pints Action Alert!

Raise Your Pints supporters,

The deadline for committee action is upon us. All bills must be out of committee by this coming Tuesday, February 2. If they survive committee, then they move on to the appropriate floor for discussion, vote and possible transfer to the other house to repeat the process (committee approval, floor discussion, vote). At this time, all four of our bills are stalled in committee.

If you want to see Mississippi brought up to par with all other U.S. States… NOW IS THE TIME for your action.

We need as many people as possible to contact the individuals listed below who will decide the fate of these bills.

**********************************************
Stuck in House Ways & Means Committee:
House Bill 731: Gourmet Beer Bill (raise ABW cap above 5% ABW)
http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2010/pdf/history/HB/HB0731.xml
House Bill 732: Legalize homebrewing of beer
http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2010/pdf/history/HB/HB0732.xml

Ways & Means Chair, Percy W. Watson: 601-544-6490 (h), 601-545-1051 (w)
pwatson@house.ms.gov
Ways & Means Vice-chair, David Norquist: 662-843-9183 (h), 662-843-6171 (w)
dnorquist@house.ms.gov

**********************************************
Stuck in the Senate’s Finance Committee:
Senate Bill 2243: Gourmet Beer Bill (raise ABW cap above 5% ABW)
http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2010/pdf/history/SB/SB2243.xml
Senate Bill 2717: Legalize homebrewing of beer
http://billstatus.ls.state.ms.us/2010/pdf/history/SB/SB2717.xml

Finance Chair, Dean Kirby: 601-359-3246, 601-932-1966 (h), 601-939-5968 (w)
dkirby@senate.ms.gov
Finance Vice-chair, Eugene Clarke: 601-359-3172, 662-827-7261 (w), 662-827-7264 (F)
bclarke@senate.ms.gov

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Lt. Governor Phil Bryant can pressure the committee chairs to support the
bill. Contact him here:
http://www.ltgovbryant.com/contact/

Don’t wait. It’s now or next year!

[via email from Craig Hendry]

Jackson, Mississippi – Jan. 27, 2010 – The theme for 2010 Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade will be “It Ain’t Easy Bein’ Green”. The parade will step off at 1:00 PM on Saturday March 20, 2010 at the corner of State and Court Streets. It will go north on State, west on Capitol, south on Lamar, and eats on Court. It will once again go by the Jackson Convention Complex and the Mississippi Museum of Art where the Trustmark Children’s Festival, Pet Parade, and Kid’s Parade will take place.

Parade applications will be available at www.halandmals.com tonight (Tuesday). The float meeting for parade participants will be held at Hal & Mal’s on Feb. 18th.

There will be a street dance at Hal & Mal’s immediately after the parade. More details to be announced in the near future.

[via email]

In the last post, we covered digestivs. We listed a few famous ones, but we neglected Cynar. Cynar is a liqueur that happens to feature artichokes (Cynara scolymus), of all things.

Although most people associate fruits and grains with alcohol beverage production — well before vegetables — the use of vegetables is extremely common. Potatoes and beets are widely used to make spirits. I don’t see a lot of artichoke wines, or those made from potatoes or beets, but here is at least one vegetable wine.

[via bevlog]

• On deck–ESB for the St. Paddy’s Day Parade
• Primary1-empty
• Primary2-Double IPA
• Secondary1-Ryan’s Face Puncher IPA
• Secondary2-Chinook IPA

Cheers,

Matt

The Bottle Cap Wrench by Craftsman is manliness incarnate. Drop forged in the same USA factories as Craftsman tools it carries the same unconditional guarantee as it’s brethren: If any Craftsman hand tool ever fails to provide complete satisfaction, Return it to any Sears store or other Craftsman outlet in the United States for free repair or replacement.

After some thorough Gear Patrol style testing (refer to pics) we’d be shocked if you ever need to take advantage of the warranty, but impressive none the less. From a functional standpoint the Bottle Cap Wrench features patent pending fulcrum design, for both “lift up or push down removal”. With either method it elicited “wooowwws” and “where do I get one?” from everyone who tried it. Bottle caps were surrendering to the Cap Wrench quicker than the French to…well anyone and everyone.

Admittedly bottle openers are simple beast, but this is the best one we’ve ever tried. It’s a necessary addition for any beer man. The solid heft should also allow you to fend off any party crashers with ease.

Author’s Note: Sears offers the Bottle Cap Wrench with engraving. We suggest this as an excellent groomsman gift or Xmas gift for your buddies.

Cost: $15

[via Gear Patrol]

When faced with the choice, most men will opt for a draft-poured beer over something bottled or canned. At least, I hope they do. Don’t get me wrong, individually packaged beers are good, but they lack the freshness and fullness that a draft can offer. So you can imagine the utter lack of productivity that hit the Gear Patrol Labs when our friends at Newcastle sent along their newly launched DraughtKeg. It was a Tuesday, so no big deal.

Piggybacking on the same technology originally created for Heineken, the Newcastle DraughtKeg offers a draft system that utilizes a patented internal CO2 system with a mini tap. Hurray beer! This feature helps keep the beer fresh for up to 30 days after tapping and delivers the same taste experience as a pint of Newcastle poured in a pub.

With 10 pints at the ready, the DraughtKeg is perfect for the house, backward BBQ, or office (I love working here). It works with the Krups BeerTender to give it that more, um, polished look.

Cost: $23 at select grocery and liquor stores where Newcastle is sold

[via Gear Patrol]

Continuing our education of the unenlightened about all things Dude-like, we’d like to drop a little piece of trivia on you: The Dude consumes 9 White Russians over the course of The Big Lebowski. We’re not going to admit to participating in any sort of drinking game where we drink when the Dude drinks, but if, theoretically, we were to play, that’s a lot of White Russians, man. Avoid the nasty cream, sugar and alcohol induced hangover with the delicious alternative of White Russian Lollipops ($10 for 4) from Lollyphile.

[via Outblush]

Ever wish you could take a Jägermeister shot machine with you camping, tailgating, and partying? Now you can, with the Jägermeister 6-Bottle Shot Cooler ($120). Available as a six-bottle value pack, the cooler has plenty of room for all six bottles, ice, and the requisite cans of Red Bull, and uses the same tech as the Jägermeister Tap Machine to deliver ice-cold shots straight from the external tap.

[via Uncrate]

It’s a brand of milky Russian Vodka called “Sexy Tina,” containing Irish Cream and weighs in at a hearty 35% alcohol, but what makes it so special is the breast-shaped bottle.

The breast shaped bottle was designed by a Russian designer, Pavel Gubin.

[via The Inquisitr]

[Yamazaki 12-Year Old Single Malt Whisky via Gear Patrol]