Drink #18 Pabst Blue Ribbon
2.11.2012
Being an adult is fun. Now look, it’s not fun in the way you think it’s going to be fun when you’re 10 or 11 and you think grown-ups get to do everything and go anywhere and never have to worry about anything. Shockingly you come to find out a few things about adulthood that you never dreamed of:
You have to pay for water? Toilet paper doesn’t grow on the roll? You have to pay credit cards back? This is as tall as I’m going to get? This is as big as it’s going to get? I’m growing hair where?
You get the point. You take the good you take the bad. But one fun thing about adulthood is making your own choices at will. For the most part you get to act on things you choose to like. Don’t like broccoli? Don’t eat it. Love chocolate milk? Drink it every day!
Oh sure, there are adult issues related to consequences, life-decisions, ultimatiums, blah blah blah. But if you’re reading about a 35yo guy who’s drinking for the first time to learn a deep life lesson, you are on the wrong blog.
“Is there a point, Ben?” Yes, of course impatient voices in my head, quiet down.
I love hotdogs.
I’ve briefly covered my love for them before in my chardonnay post a while back, but that was no joke. I love love them. With a cherry one top. (seriously, if it’s an option, I’ll try it, with cherries.) But as an adult, I choose to eat hotdogs. I don’t care that they’re made with all the leftover parts of the pig/cow/turkey/dog. I love them and choose them whenever and where ever with pride.
It’s like my thing. My other thing. Wait. My other, other, other thing. Related to hotdogs. Nevermind.
Anyway, I love trying new ones, crazy ones, ethnic ones, you name it. So Joe and I went to DC-3, a dynamic hotdog joint in DC on barracks row. They’ve got everything from a traditional coney to a Seattle Pike Place Ultimate Fish Dog. And yes, it’s literally a fish hotdog.
“No, really, is there a point, Ben? You’re killing me.” Shut-up, yes. I thought the drinking would have killed you, impatient voice in my head. Apparently not.
I was kinda nervous about trying a PBR. I didn’t really care for the Bud Light I had back at the beginning. And I had been told again and again “You’re going to dislike that genre of beers, I bet. Avoid Miller Lite or PBR, etc.”
But I’m not choosing drinks based on if I might like them, I’m choosing them because they’re classics or well-knowns that I have/must/need to try in order to do this Adventure right as a new drinker. I know, I’m a slave to the process saint.
So my twisted thinking was: if I’m going to potentially have a drink I might not like, I should at least pair it with something that I know I’ll love. Hotdogs. Mmmmm, glorious hotdogs.
I’m full of stupid good ideas.
I ordered a Bay Bridge Dog (a dog on a buttered sourdough bun, topped with spicy crab-dip and Old Bay seasoning) and a Q’s Seoul Bulgogi & Kimchi Dog (dog & bun topped with bulgogi steak, spicy kimchi and siracha sauce). I went fancy.
And then I ordered a Pabst Blue Ribbon, complete in a pint can. A 16oz can is kinda daunting, but as my first can of beer, go big, right? Right.
“So did you drink the beer or are we just going to read about crazy hotdogs all day?" I… look, just hold on. I’m getting there. I’m painting pictures with my words. You need to back off and go back to complaining about how long I have to wait for the Metro or Youtube videos of cute kittens to load.
Anyway, I was actually pleasantly surprised by the PBR. It was slightly sweet, but in that fresh, yeasty hot pretzel kinda way. It had these orange rind bitter flavors, kinda nutty, tangy, hoppy. It was richer than the Bud Light, but milder than every other beer I’ve tasted outside of the Corona.
It had this odd sour, olive finish that lingered. I don’t know that I’d reach for one again as my first choice, but it was nice with the hotdogs. Its on the lower of my preference spectrum for beers tried, but I didn’t dislike it whatsoever.
So all in all, being an adult isn’t that bad–and you go get to buy alcohol if you choose. Now, if this were a proper essay, I’d end with some thoughtful tie-in about adulthood to end on a solid pitch. But it’s not.
Oh, and the hotdogs? Delicious. Simply amazing as always. But seriously, that’s another blog for another person.
"Thank god.” Oh, shut-up already.
Cheers, Ben
PS: Did you know you can follow the Adventure on twitter and on facebook? Yes indeedy. Much like a hotdog, you try every variety available.
PPS: The February #firstdrinkHappyHour for charity is just a few days away! Check it out and plan to attend if you’re in the DC area. It’s benefiting the Washington Animal Rescue League and being held at the Blue Banana on Georgia.