Election Day - The Beer Thrillers

Craft Beer and Election Day: Sipping Democracy in 2024

B. Kline — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 16:00:13 +0000

Craft Beer and Election Day: Sipping Democracy in 2024

Liberty Ale by Anchor Steam Brewing – a truly patriotic brew.

As the 2024 U.S. presidential election approaches, craft breweries across the nation are once again tapping into the political spirit with creative, election-themed brews. These special releases not only celebrate our democratic process but also provide beer enthusiasts with unique flavors to savor while awaiting election results. Let’s explore some of the most interesting election-inspired craft beers you can enjoy this November.

Pliny for President: A Hoppy Contender

Russian River Brewing Company, known for its iconic Pliny the Elder, has been “running” Pliny for President every election year since 2004. For the 2024 election cycle, they’ve developed a new recipe that’s sure to win over hop lovers:

Style: Triple Dry-Hopped IPA
ABV: 7%
Flavor Profile: Strong notes of stone fruit, tropical flavors, citrus, pine, and resin
Availability: Multiple batches throughout 2024, starting December 12, 2023

This special brew showcases Russian River’s commitment to both quality craft beer and engaging with the political process in a lighthearted way.

(See our beer review on Pliny the Elder.)

Bipartisan Brews: Uniting Beer Lovers Across Party Lines

Beer and Patriotism

Several breweries have created beers that playfully reference both major political parties, allowing drinkers to enjoy a cold one regardless of their political leanings:

The U.N.I.T.Y. by 1310 Kitchen & Bar (Washington, D.C.)

This election special, named after Queen Latifah’s song, aims to bring people together over a shared love of craft beer.

Purple Patch’s Sherry Week Specials

Coinciding with Election Day, this Filipino restaurant in Washington, D.C. offers $8 or $10 pours of specialty sherries, providing a sophisticated alternative to beer while watching election coverage.

Politically Charged Pints

Some breweries use their beers to make more direct political statements or engage voters:

The 270 Challenge at Royal Sands (Washington, D.C.)

This clever promotion ties into the electoral college:

Offering Blue, Red, and Purple themed drinks
If 270 drinks are sold by the end of the night (representing the electoral votes needed to win the presidency), the entire bar receives a round of shots
Starts at 5 p.m. on Election Day

Responsible Drinking on Election Day

While these election-themed beers add a fun element to the political process, it’s crucial to remember the importance of responsible consumption, especially on Election Day. Many bars and restaurants are offering special promotions to encourage civic participation:

Dirty Water (Washington, D.C.): 10% off for showing your “I Voted” sticker
Midlands Beer Garden (Washington, D.C.): $5 beers all night while showing election results on all TVs
Whitlow’s (Washington, D.C.): $5 Bud Light drafts and $8 Front Porch Rocker Teas

Craft Beer’s Role in Political Engagement

The trend of election-themed craft beers highlights how the brewing industry can play a unique role in political engagement. By creating these special releases, breweries:

Encourage political awareness and participation
Provide a common ground for people with different political views
Add a touch of levity to what can be a tense political climate

Voting Themed Beers

Second Sin Brewing’s “I Voted for Kang” and “I Voted for Kodos”

Second Sin Brewing released two beers – “I Voted for Kang” and “I Voted for Kodos”.

I Voted Today by Tired Hands

I Voted Today – Tired Hands

Brews and Ballots: How Beer is Shaping the 2024 Election

As the 2024 election approaches, craft breweries are tapping into the political zeitgeist with creative, election-themed beers. This trend has been fueled by recent high-profile moments connecting politicians and beer culture.

Vice President Kamala Harris made waves during her appearance on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” by cracking open a can of Miller High Life. This strategic choice not only connected her with everyday Americans but also highlighted Wisconsin’s brewing heritage, a key swing state in the upcoming election, Harris’s beer moment has inspired local breweries to consider creating their own “High Life” themed brews for Election Day parties.

Meanwhile, Ohio Senate candidate JD Vance went viral with a campaign video featuring him holding a six-pack of Old Style beer. His catchy tagline, “Make Six Packs Great Again,” tapped into the cultural significance of beer in American social life. This clever marketing could inspire breweries to create limited-edition beers that play off political themes during election seasons.

The concept of “beer polls” has also gained traction, where voters express their candidate preference based on who they’d rather share a drink with. Recent polls suggest more voters would prefer to have a beer with Kamala Harris over Donald Trump, showcasing how beer can be intertwined with political likability.

Savvy breweries are capitalizing on this trend by creating special labels or events themed around these findings. As Election Day approaches, craft beer enthusiasts can expect to see more politically-inspired brews hitting the taps. Whether you’re toasting to democracy or drowning your political sorrows, there’s sure to be a craft beer that speaks to your political palate. Just remember to drink responsibly, especially before heading to the polls!

Conclusion: Toasting to Democracy

Whether you’re celebrating a win, commiserating a loss, or simply participating in the democratic process, there’s likely an election-themed craft beer to suit your taste. As you enjoy these creative brews, remember that the true spirit of Election Day lies in exercising your right to vote and participating in our democracy. So raise a glass to the American political process, savor the craftsmanship of these election-inspired beers, and most importantly, make your voice heard at the ballot box. Cheers to democracy and great craft beer!

You can find lots of fun Instagram posts of people decking themselves out in gear and regalia for the voting and for the drinking, like Stouts and Stilletos Instagram post. Obviously also; there’s just a ton of vitriol and political annoyances on Instagram as well (albeit far less than on Facebook or Twitter) so be weary. Also, as always, beer and Instagram tends to lean towards a lot of “posting for the algorithm” of women in revealing outfits, so be forewarned about that as well.

As you gather with friends and family to discuss the issues that matter most to you, let these craft beers serve as conversation starters. Each sip can spark discussions about policies, candidates, and the future of our nation. Supporting local breweries not only enhances your voting experience but also strengthens community ties. Many breweries are hosting events that encourage civic engagement, offering discounts for those who show their “I Voted” stickers or organizing watch parties for election coverage. This Election Day, take a moment to reflect on the power of your vote and the role that craft beer plays in fostering community spirit. The act of voting is a celebration of freedom and choice, much like selecting your favorite brew from a diverse tap list. So whether you’re sipping an IPA with friends or enjoying a stout while watching the results roll in, remember that each beer has its own story—just like each voter has their own voice. Let’s raise our glasses not just to the beers we love but to the democracy we cherish. Cheers! Cheers to democracy and great craft beer!

(PS: We voted today. Was number 200 at 8:30 AM at our small town voting district. You can check out our Instagram to see our ‘I Voted’ Post.) (Instagram: The_Beer_Thrillers)

All of Our Nerd Content

Here’s all of our nerd content, served up best in one single place. Enjoy!

I know ya’ll here for the nerd reviews. So check out our other nerd reviews below:

Star Wars:

Futurama

Lord of the Rings:

Magic the Gathering:

New Belgium Teams Up with Magic the Gathering for Vastwood Seer IPA

Heroes of Barcadia:

Rollacrit Partners with Voodoo Ranger IPA for New Kickstarter, Heroes of Barcadia: Heroes for Hire Tabletop Game

Zelda:

Rick and Morty:

Beer Review: Peace Among Worlds (Cushwa Brewing Company)

Space Balls:

Beer Review: Moon of Vega (Equilibrium Brewery)

Game of Thrones:

The Simpsons:

Back to the Future:

Beer Review: Back to Reality (Three 3s Brewing Co)

Scrooged:

Beer Review: Scrooge IPA (Iron Hill Brewing)

Groundhog Day:

A Christmas Story:

The Peanuts:

Pro Wrestling:

Soccer:

World Cup:

Phillies:

Philadelphia Eagles:

The Philadelphia Eagles Running Back – D’Andre Swift – Visits Bald Bird Brewing Company

Matrix:

Matrix Monday

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles:

Beer Review: Terpenes in Time (BAREBottle Brewing Co)

HP Lovecraft / Cthulhu:

Beer Review: Azathoth (Edmund’s Oast Brewing Company)

Seinfeld:

The Muppets:

Other:

Voting:

Beer Review: I Voted Today (Tired Hands)
Some Beers to Enjoy After Voting
Craft Beer and Election Day: Sipping Democracy in 2024

Philosophy:

Philosophy and Craft Beer: A Confluence of Thought and Taste

Thank You For Reading

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Cheers.

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MAPS OF BREWERIES

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Some Beers to Enjoy After Voting

B. Kline — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 15:52:51 +0000

I Voted

Some Beers to Enjoy on Election Day

So you just got done voting, and what do you do now – especially if you are given the day off by work? Well drink of course! So lets take a look back at three “voting” themed beers we’ve reviewed.

I Voted for Kodos by Second Sin Brewing

I Voted for Kodos by Second Sin Brewing Company

Beer: I Voted for Kodos
Brewery: Second Sin Brewing Company
Style: IPA – New England
ABV: 6.7%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: I Voted For Kang and I Voted For Kodos, conceptually, are like two peas in a pod. They both started with the same base of 2 row malt, Malted Oats, and light Crystal. Both are supported with Galaxy and Idaho 7 hops to round out their flavor profiles.

See our beer review here: I Voted for Kodos (Second Sin Brewing Company).

I Voted for Kang (Second Sin Brewing Company)

I Voted for Kang by Second Sin Brewing Company

Beer: I Voted for Kang
Brewery: Second Sin Brewing Company
Style: IPA – New England
ABV: 6.7%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: I Voted For Kang and I Voted For Kodos, conceptually, are like two peas in a pod. They both started with the same base of 2 row malt, Malted Oats, and light Crystal. Both are supported with Galaxy and Idaho 7 hops to round out their flavor profiles.

See our beer review here: I Voted for Kang (Second Sin Brewing Company).

I Voted Today (Tired Hands Brewing)

I Voted Today by Tired Hands Brewing

Beer: I Voted Today (Simcoe and Chinook)
Brewery: Tired Hands Brewing Company
Style: Pale Ale – American
ABV: 5.6%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: Brewed with American two row barley and malted wheat, hopped with an enthusiastic dose of our very favorite American hop, Simcoe, and fermented with our house ale yeast. This batch was double dry hopped first with more of our beloved Simcoe, then again with ultra classic and punchy Chinook. 5.6% abv. Notes of sparkling orange drink, Meyer lemon, fresh cut grass, dank green stuff, and a beautiful piney bitterness to finish it of.

See our beer review: I Voted Today (Simcoe and Chinook) (Tired Hands Brewing).

Get Out and Vote

Make sure you get out to vote today! In most places the polls end at 8 PM, so you have plenty of time yet to get out there and vote. Its your Civic Duty afterall!

Thank You For Reading

If you like this article, please check out our other many articles, including news, beer reviews, travelogues, maps, and much much more. We greatly appreciate everyone visiting the site!

Cheers.

MAPS OF BREWERIES

You can check out our different directories here: Beer Reviews, Hike Reviews, Book Reviews, Brewery News, Brewery Openings, Brewer Interviews, and Travelogues.

The Beer Thrillers on LinkTree can be found here: The Beer Thrillers LinkTree.

The Beer Thrillers are a blog that prides itself on writing beer reviews, brewery reviews, travelogues, news (especially local to the Central PA brewery scene), as well as covering other topics of our interests – such as hiking, literature and books, board games, and video games which we sometimes stream with our friends over at Knights of Nostalgia. We are currently listed as #7 on FeedSpot’s “Top 100 Beer Blogs” and #8 on FeedSpot’s “Top 40 Pennsylvania Blogs”. (As of January 2023.) Thank you for reading our site today, please subscribe, follow, and bookmark. Please reach out to us if you are interested in working together. If you would like to donate to the blog you can here: Donate to The Beer Thrillers. Thank you!

If you would like to reach out to us for product reviews, beer reviews, press release writing, and other media – please contact us at thebeerthrillers@gmail.com. Thank you.

Beer Review: Shallow Grave (Nitro) (Heretic Brewing Company)

BKline — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 04:45:06 +0000

Dipping into my bag of beer reviews I need to get done and posted, while slowly working on the series of articles from the trip. This isn’t as old as some, and comes from November 3rd, when I visited Al’s of Hampden (Pizza Boy) to try the I Voted Today by Tired Hands.

I had this on Nitro, had the I Voted Today, and later got a draft of this for Haley as her birthday ‘gift’ and she enjoyed it as well. So it does come …two-time recommended.

Shallow Grave (Nitro) by Heretic Brewing Company

Beer: Shallow Grave (Nitro)
Brewery: Heretic Brewing Company
Style: Porter – American
ABV: 7%
IBU: 33
Untappd Description: Shallow Grave Porter is dark as night, perfect for a cool evening out in the woods. This is a big, dark ale with a complex and rich chocolate and caramel malt character followed by a touch of warmth and light malt sweetness, leaving you ready for more after each shovelful. You will love this so much you won’t have time to dig a six-footer, so make it a Shallow Grave. We’re sure you’ll dig it.

Heretic Brewing Company is a small microbrewery from Fairfield California. Their Untappd description reads: “Ordinary beer is boring; don’t drink it. Embrace your inner Heretic and join us to push the boundaries of beer flavors. We are crazy about beer and passionate about making it. Wanna be a Heretic too? There’s always room for one more.” They have 173 unique beers with a global average rating of 3.84 (as of 11.19.20).

This is a dark brown, but creamy looking porter. The nitro adds a layer of creaminess to the already brown silken look to it. It looks like a good dark brown porter should, not as dark as a stout, but with a heaviness that isn’t in brown ales. It had a very thin dispersed head with nice bubbles, all varying, smooth and creamy, with a lightly brown to off white coloring that dissipated pretty quickly.

Aroma is very deep complex rich and aromatic. Lots of chocolate and caramel notes. Sweet and bitter at the same time, like you are getting sweet candy and also the bitter baker’s chocolate at the same time. There is definitely some malt notes but its a little bit more subdued and hidden behind the chocolate and caramel.

This is delicious right out the gate, it starts with the bitterness of a baker’s chocolate, but very, very quickly, switches to sweeter chocolate, and sweet malt, and sweet caramel, all emphasized and stronger due to the nitro. This has a nice range of flavors amongst these – varying sweetness and bitterness, but mostly staying on the sweet side. I think the base malt gets really added to by the nitro and lays down a very solid foundation for the chocolate and the caramel. Most of the chocolate and caramel is a malty style, but there is some regular caramel and chocolate. The 7% ABV isn’t too high, but I definitely think you feel it with this, it has a bit of a heaviness to it all overall. You aren’t going into this drinking a four pack or a six pack, but this makes for a wonderful beer to drink by the campfire, or at the bar (when we can drink at bars again in Pennsylvania) in winter times. Nitro or not this has a great flavor profile, is exactly what a good porter should be, and will leave you feeling full but satisfied, everything you can really ask for in a beer during these colder months.

My Untappd Rating: ****
Average Global Untappd Rating: 3.84 (as of 11.19.20)

Well, back to writing on those Indy trip articles. They won’t write themselves after all. Until then, everyone stay safe and healthy, cheers!

-B. Kline

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Beer Review: Wookie Monster (Fourscore Beer Co)

BKline — Thu, 05 Nov 2020 23:03:49 +0000

Wookie Monster by Fourscore Beer Co.

Had to go back and revisit this beauty last night with this being ‘stout season’ and what all… despite how nice and warm its been. But anyway, this has been one I’ve been meaning to review for a while, since I finally got my hands on a four pack of it back around August I believe. I’ve left one in the fridge for a nice night to drink and do up a review, and that is exactly what I got for you here.

This is one of many (many) nerdy or pop culture beers I’ve done. Yesterday I listed some in my review for Super Villain. So we can add this to that growing list of beers.

As I said yesterday: “Nerd culture definitely speaks to me. Look at my numerous beer reviews on here that are Star Wars themed, or video game themed, or some TV show themed. Jon Voight’s Car, Out of Order – Blue Milk, Moon of Vega, This is the Way, This is Nut The Fluff You’re Looking For, etc. You can see Josh also is very fond of nerd culture / pop culture and beers clashing with his latest review – Terpenes in Time.”

So instead of lamenting, and worrying about the election results and letting anxiety run amok, and with The Mandalorian episode two (of season two) coming out tomorrow, and since today is International Stout Day, why not do a fun, Star Wars themed stout for today’s blog and beer review.

After taking my dog (Leela) for a walk, which I did as a way of pausing my work on this review – because I’m the ultimate procrastinator, it was such a beautiful day that I had to sit out and do some day drinking.

Day drinking and reading

So I ended up having a fantastic IPA from Stickman Brews – The Growfather (gotta love a Godfather beer / hop pun) (don’t worry, this will be a review soon), and then I took down the hops finally. Then I decided to finish the last of my Wookie Monster stouts.

So what should have been done around 12 – noon – is now only getting finished up at 5PM, and before I head over to Drew’s to do tonight’s stream.

Which I also picked out the stouts for tonight’s stream, since it’s International Stout Day, I decided we’d have nothing but stouts for the stream.

Stouts picked out for tonight’s video stream

Well, minus the Wookie Monster…. since I drank that now. Which, speaking of that, lets get to this review and finish up today’s post!

Wookie Monster by Fourscore Beer Co

Beer: Wookie Monster
Brewery: Fourscore Beer Co
Style: Stout – Imperial / Double
ABV: 9%
IBU: None
Untappd Description: Brewed with malted oats, chit malt, flaked oats and Maris otter base with a variety of specialty malts. Conditioned on over 100 lbs of Oreo cookies, along with organic cacao nibs and Madagascar Bourbon vanilla beans along with milk sugar. Medium bodied to restrain the sweetness, but still full enough to satisfy. Liquid Oreo cookies in a glass with a “managable” abv!

I’ll lean on an old favorite saying for the appearance – its black; as black as Razor Ramon’s hair. (Not Scott Hall’s hair; Razor Ramon’s.) This is the epitome of black, like those materials that block all light and absorb it, like black holes, its a silk, smooth looking black, with a very thin head to it, the head was off white cream to slight brown. Small head but with dispersed bubbles.

Nose to this is extreme Oreo chocolate / fudge chocolate smell. The cacao nibs really makes the Oreo cookie smell pop. There is some sweetness to this, like the white cream filling, you get vanilla from the beans, Oreo cream, and the milk sugar. It ends with a hint of the bourbon but so faint, like its drifting on the wind. The chocolate is the most overwhelming aroma to this.

Then we get to taste….. and ohmergerrrrdddd this is amazing. “Amazeballs” as the cool hip kids that I hang out with say…. But in all serious, this is one hundred and thirty eight percent delicious. If you like chocolate and you like dark heavy stouts, then this is everything you could ask for. Immediately on the first sip you get blasted with the heavy chocolate coming from the cocoa nibs and Oreo cookies. Heavy. Strong. Blam. Right out the gate, no waiting for it. Then as you sip you get in that smoothness, that silkiness, that gentle relaxing creaminess that comes from the vanilla cream part of the Oreos, from the Madagascar vanilla beans, and from the milk sugar. But, right at the end, it has a little bit of a kick of bourbon, enough to make this feel boozier, to taste boozier, to lend this like a very rich dark backbone to an already amazing brew. This feels heavier and denser and richer and boozier than its 9% belies, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I really think the 9% “manageable ABV” is tucked away and hidden because the beer feels more like a 11-12%. Its definitely not one to pound or chugg or shotgun or crush a four pack of. But that takes nothing away from how amazing this beer is. The flavors all work together so perfectly well, and its so rich and creamy that it goes down very smooth, its just so dense and heavy that you’ll fill full from drinking one. The chocolate and the vanilla combine perfectly in this, just like they do in real Oreos, that its so fantastically done. Hopefully this will be brewed again because this is downright phenomenal.

My Untappd Rating: ****.50
Global Untappd Rating: 4.15 (as of 11.5.20)

Now remember everyone, Chewbacca is a Wookie, and he is 8 feet tall, but he does *NOT* live on Endor with 3 foot tall Ewoks. Wookies are from Kashyyyk and live there, (or out in the galaxy) not on Endor with the Ewoks.

Wookiepedia: “Wookiees were a species of tall, hairy humanoids that were native to the planet Kashyyyk. The most notable member of this species was the warrior Chewbacca, Han Solo‘s best friend and co-pilot, who played a vital role in the Clone Wars during the defense of Kashyyyk, the Galactic Civil War by aiding the Rebel Alliance in their fight against the Galactic Empire, and the war against the First Order. They were quite strong, and were known to rip people’s arms out of their sockets when provoked. Though being from a temperate planet better known for its swamps and forests, they were able to be comfortable on icy worlds such as Ilum and Hoth without any protective clothing, including gloves and boots.” (Source: Wookies article on Wookiepedia.)

Also, Happy Guy Fawkes Day.

“Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t’was his intent
To blow up the King and Parli’ment.
Three-score barrels of powder below,
Poor old England to overthrow;
By God’s providence he was catch’d (or by God’s mercy*)
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holla boys, Holla boys, let the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!
And what should we do with him? Burn him!”
(Wikipedia – Gunpowder Plot.)

Also, of course, Happy International Stout Day. Hopefully everyone has some good stouts lined up to drink today / tonight. (And well, every day and night, because lets be honest, its always Stout Season and Stout Day.)

Make sure to check us – myself, Rory, and Drew – on the Knights of Nostalgia page as we play The Last of Us tonight and drink some very excellent stouts. One of which is the Peanut Butter Udder One, that I have done a review of before.

Also, be sure to check out some of our other beer reviews in recent history:

You can check out the tabs at the top of each page to visit our BEER REVIEWS, BEER EDUCATION, TRAVELOGUES, etc. Be sure to check out all the latest beer reviews, as we’re pumping a lot out in recent time.

Please be sure to follow us on our social media accounts – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Influence. We just hit 900+ followers on Facebook, so that’s super exciting, and hopefully that will continue to grow! Please be sure to also follow, like, subscribe to the blog here itself to keep updated. We love to hear from you guys, so be sure to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

Cheers!

-B. Kline

Beer Review: I Voted Today (Tired Hands)

BKline — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 16:29:00 +0000

I Voted Today by Tired Hands Brewing

As you can see, I am well stocked for the election results. (Not pictured is actually a draft already drank before my pizza got done and brought out to me.) What is pictured is I Voted Today by Tired Hands, Tired Branches II (the small remainder of a pour) by Tired Hands, and Heretic’s Shallow Grave (a porter). But thats not what today’s story and review is about.

You can guess what today’s story and review is about…. trains. Its all about trains and the locomotives that transformed America in the 1800s and early 1900s….. oh wait…. no… no… thats not it at all.

No, today’s review, is brought to you by the letters I. V. T. …. I Voted Today. And followed by the letters T. H. Oh… you figured out the pattern by now did you? This marks the first Tired Hands beer for the blog, surprisingly, but so it goes.

The full accurate title for this one should read: I Voted Today (Simcoe and Chinook) (Tired Hands), but that felt like adding too much to it all, so I just left it at “I Voted Today” which is far more the important part anyway.

….Well, I guess, its easy to discuss it now, and the cat is kind out of out of the bag, but today is November 3rd, which means, in America, its election day, when millions upon millions of people stand in line to do something very similar to getting Other Half or Burley Oak beers – vote.

The voting line at Hummelstown’s Lower Dauphin High School at 8AM

Knowing the parking lot for the Lower Dauphin High School would most likely be completely packed, I parked at my parent’s house (which is about two blocks away) and walked over. I got to the high school to stand in line at about 8:08AM. Its interesting how Hummelstown has their voting set up. Everyone votes in the same location, but they have it split into two groups – “West Side” and “East Side”. (Yes, I can imagine what you are thinking about this.) The dividing line is Rosanna Street in town. I don’t know the official split of residences, but it is far lopsided in that West Side has a ton more residences and people than the East Side. Mainly because they added Greystone Farms (a development) to the West Side and most of the East Side is primarily just Main Street which has turned a lot of the houses into businesses. Plus it just doesn’t have the same amount of land. So while the wait for the West Side was incredibly long, if you lived on the East Side you could literally walk right in, vote, and leave.

The Hummelstown Voting Line at 8:40AM

I took this picture while still waiting in line but having at least made some progress, this is me now waiting at 8:40AM. Meanwhile the East Enders are flying past me still at the regular brisk pace they were before. Interesting notes – while in line I saw that both George Scott and Lindsey Drew were there by the entrance. George Scott walked up the line thanking everyone for coming out. Also at the entrance was Mayor David Roeting, which has been the Hummelstown standard for as long as I’ve been alive, Mayor Brad Miller and Mayor Bud Alexander both would stand at the polling entrance for the entirety of the day.

9:22AM and I have made it inside and can now vote.

(First, disclaimer, before posting the above picture, I looked it up, in Pennsylvania you are allowed to take a photo of your non-filled out ballot and post it online. From what I have read on a few sites, you are not allowed to take a picture of a filled in ballot however. So the above is perfectly fine in compliance with these laws since its not filled out.)

Finally at 9:22AM I am inside and able to vote. I am #197 and getting to vote. I am not elaborating or discussing my details. This isn’t the point of this post or beer review. This is all just to discuss the actual process of voting. On exiting, the line had certainly gotten smaller, and I ran into Rich Dibeler who said he had been only waiting twenty or so minutes and he was up to the door (so he had about ten to fifteen more minutes to wait).

My mom sent me this picture of the line when she went to vote

At 4PM my parents went to vote after my mom got home from school (she’s a teacher not a student). This was the line they were greeted to, and they were finally able to get in and vote around 4:40-4:50. My dad texted saying he was #895. They ran into Robert Myers as well as Mayor Roetting still there.

Chris James (radio DJ / host / personality on 105.7 the X) posted this picture showing the voting line at his polling place around 8AM.

It is fantastic to see people doing their civic duty. Voting is one of the strongest and most powerful tools we have in America for the real change we want to see as Americans, and everyone should exercise it. Too many countries in the world don’t have the ability to have a say in their government and their politics, and we owe it to people like them to let our voices be heard.

After voting, I walked back, got home, took care of wind damage from the night before and had to leave for work, after work I went straight to Pizza Boy to try the ‘I Voted Today’ by Tired Hands. I had been looking for a ‘I Voted Today’ beer for the past week to be able to review it for the blog on election night. (I try to go nerdy and do the right things for the blog like election beers on election day, etc.) I wasn’t able to get any of cans from places like Monkish or etc, but was told and was able to get the last of ‘I Voted Today’ by Tired Hands at Pizza Boy. Literally, the last of it. Sorry if you didn’t get to try it, but here is the review of it all the same.

I Voted Today (Tired Hands)

This might be one of the first times you get a sneak peak of the writing world there, as you can see my laptop up and running with the beer review started. You can also see my backup beers (one of which I started before I got the pizza). Backup beers were Tired Branches by Tired Hands and Shallow Grave by Heretic. Before the night was over, I would also get Elationship by Shy Bear and Valley Standard by Pizza Boy.

This was a bright yellow pale ale. Mine looks a bit darker than some of the others I’ve seen pictures of on the internet and Untappd, which I found to be interesting, perhaps it was due to date, perhaps just the lighting at Pizza Boy where I was sitting, or my camera. My camera has been at full memory so I haven’t been able to use my flash (I know, I know, I need to get rid of all the old hiking photos and upload them to my computer so I can delete them off my phone, and also remove old apps like Hop Plotter and work out apps I’ll never use), so it might also be because of no flash. But it has a beautiful yellow to light golden color, with a very foamy head that dissipated quickly. (My pour also doesn’t do a good service to the head, and was retopped too, so it doesn’t show it as well either.)

Aroma is strong hop presence, very powerful Simcoe and Chinook hop presence. Simcoe is a hit or miss hop for many people. I personally love it, and I also love Chinook (I even grow Chinook hops at home). There is a strong lemon zest and lemon grass from the hops, some piney and a bit of earthy and regular grass undertones as well.

This is certainly a delicious crushable beer. Probably a four pack of these would be fantastic to ride out election night results. Luckily at Pizza Boy I was able to do my best to only partially glance out at the results, and only after 8PM. (I got there at 6:30.) The hop presence just like in the aroma is very strong here, and you get all of the Simcoe and Chinook hop flavors you are expecting – lemon, zest, lemon grass, pine, some hints of earthy notes, some hints of orange drink – though I always found this very subtle and don’t always pick up on it like some have, and this tails off from being juicy to leaving a light hop bitterness at the end. Which I enjoy that little ending ‘kick’ of hop bitterness, letting it not all be juicy and dank and instead giving you a wide range of flavors and tastes. This isn’t as complex as it sounds, but is more just a full flavor wheel of the above. The lemon zest, lemon grass, and grass all work together, the orange drink, piney, dank, and earthy notes all work together, and as a whole it just blends well as a juicy drink with that hop ‘kick’ of bitterness at the end. Its also only 5.6% so it’s certainly not a heavy beer and very light on the palate and stomach.

My Untappd Rating: ****
Global Untappd Rating: 4.01 (as of 11.3.20)

While eating and drinking and writing and reading, I had been texting co-workers about the election results as they were starting to come in, as well as texting a friend Haley, as well as my mom about election results, and several others. Wrapping up and going to get a box for my pizza I hear this, “Ben is that you?” and turn around, and here it was Haley, her and her mother and a friend were there the whole night as well, and we just hadn’t even seen each other there, despite texting each other the whole time. Funny world. It was her birthday (28, practically still a child, compared to my old 35). So I bought her a drink (got her a Shallow Grave by Heretic) and got myself one more beer – the Valley Standard, and we chatted and hung out and watched some of the results pour in on the screen while discussing how she’s not coming back to the casino, how her son is, etc.

After Pizza Boy I stopped at my parents to also watch the rest of the election night results with my mom, something that is usually a staple for election nights for me. I always find it interesting hearing her perspective on the country’s voting. Made it home after that to find Drew was streaming with Rome on his Knights of Nostalgia page. So I put them on in the background, while I had the TV on mute, and finished writing this (literally, writing this sentence right now with the above as described).

Please everyone remember – whoever you voted for, whichever side, blue, red, yellow, green, doesn’t matter what party you represent or voted for, what you are registered as. Nobody is “the losing side” or the “winning side”, nobody is the enemy, we are all people, we are all brothers, sisters, mothers, daughters, sons, fathers, workers, teachers, waiters, writers, streamers, construction workers, accountants, etc. Nobody is the enemy. We. Are. Humanity. And that is what we always need to keep in focus. Left vs. Right doesn’t work and isn’t something we need to be seeing when we can see it as simple as HUMAN and HUMAN. No versus. Just AND. That is the key I think, if we can just look at the person who voted opposite of us, and say, “I see you as a person, as a friend, as a co-worker, as a person.” Rather than seeing them as “voting opposite, as the enemy, as wrong”, I think we can get back to National civility, to global humanity, to friendliness, to a better world, and a better humanity.

I’ll take my step down off my soap box now, and move on. My little naive rant over. Some day I hope for a better world, and I feel the change is possible, that its right there, and we just all overlook it due to the pettiness and the banalities of people’s lives and choices. But this is probably viewed as a soppy mushy weak view and sentimental by many. Shrug. This is a beer review and I’m not going to get too crazy on the politics or the human rights rant here.

Enjoy your beers and take care everyone. Cheers!

-B. Kline