Ponies and Jiggers

Boo! Did we scare you? It’s scary times around here! The pumpkin and autumn beers that everyone has been selling are finally appropriate to buy and drink! Here’s some booze news that may haunt your dreams:

* There’s big talk about the federal government shutdown we have here in the United States. And maybe it’s not affecting you personally—yet. Tremble in fear when you find out that the shutdown is preventing [craft brewers and distillers from launching new recipes and labels][gsd]. Our friends at [**Long Island Spirits** (**LIS**)][lis] talked a little about this in a recent article for our hometown newspaper, **Newsday**, but **Newsday** is behind a paywall, so we won’t link to it! Instead, visit **LIS** and ask about it while you’re enjoying [some samples in the tasting room][list].

* We’re getting this in just under the wire, but the [**Denver Art Museum** (**DAM**)][dam] is partnering with [**Dillon Dam Brewery**][damb] to create a beer, which you can help name, inspired by **DAM**’s upcoming exhibition, [*Passport to Paris*][dampp]. They’re taking name suggestions on the [museum’s **Facebook** page][damfb], but that ends tonight. Then the lucky folks attending the *Great American Beer Festival* in Denver will get to vote on the name this weekend. If your clever name wins, you will win a prize package with goodies from both the **DAM** and the **Dillon Dam Brewery**. The winner will be announced on October 30, when the newly named beer will be tapped at **Dillon Dam Brewery** and the [Rackhouse Pub][rhp] in Denver. Also, check out [the video of **Dillon Dam Brewery**’s brewmaster, Cory Forster,] describing the new brew, which he calls “sunshine in a glass.”

* Our friends at [**Ellicottville Brewing**][ecb] are setting up to celebrate the return of the [*Ellicottville Fall Festival*][ecbff] in, you guessed it, Ellicottville, New York, this weekend, October 12 & 13. From [the site][ecbff]: “Tens of thousands of festival goers make for a lively weekend of unique foods, an art and craft show, carnival rides, live entertainment and much more.”

* Local to *DnU HQ* is an once-in-a-lifetime wine tasting, hosted by [**Empire State Cellars**][esc]. On Saturday, October 12, from 5:00–7:00 PM, they’re featuring [twelve (count’em, 12!) Long Island wines from 1995][esc95]. They’re opening Merlots from **Peconic Bay**, **Osprey’s Dominion**, and others, as well as **Schneider** Cabernet Franc, **Pellegrini** Cabernet Sauvignon, plus more, all from 1995! Reservations are required and the event is $40/person. Call them at 631-369-3080 or email [cellarguide@empirestatecellars.com][mailesc] to reserve a seat.

* The good folks at [Kegerators.com][keg] have put together a list of [24 ingenious items][keg] for beer lovers, including a set of titanium sunglasses with bottle opener arms and the [*Randal Jr.* from **Dogfish Head**][rjdfh], which allows the infusion of just about anything into your beer. We have one of those *Randal Jr.*s at *DnU HQ* and very much enjoyed infusing a bit of lime rind with a citrusy IPA.

*

Another gift idea for the beer maven who has everything, specialty retailer [**History Company** is introducing the *TeKu* beer-tasting glass][teku], designed by Italian beer experts—Teo Musso, founder of **Baladin Brewery** in Torino, Italy, and Italian sensory analyst, Kuaska—and made by esteemed German glassmakers, **Rastal**. Musso recognized the complex role that size and shape play in capturing essential flavor notes and aromatics of a fine beer, and his goal in creating the *TeKu* was to develop an industry standard glass that could be used for the complete range of craft beers. A gift box of two glasses is $24 from [**History Company**][teku] or [**Amazon**][tekuam].

* Documentary filmmaker, David Panton, released his multi award-winning documentary *Oregon Brewed*, [free to the public via **Vimeo**]. *Oregon Brewed* looks at a few different craft breweries, all different sizes and ages, to find out what really makes beer in Oregon unique.

The beautifully-filmed documentary has won awards for *Best Oregon Film* at the *Oregon Independent Film Festival*, and *Best of Oregon* at the *Oregon Film Awards*. It was also an *Official Selection* at the *Mount Hood Independent Film Festival*.

* Finally, in super-scary robots-are-taking-over-the-world news, there’s a [**Kickstarter** campaign][kick] for an artificially intelligent robotic bartender, called *Monsieur*. **SFist** has some of [the gory details][sfist]. There may be a niche for this, but, at *DnU*, we hope that we don’t ever see this at our favorite watering hole. No doubt it’ll hit big with chain restaurants where they measure out pours with fierce precision.

Scared yet? Relax with your favorite beverage and send your news to [Fervere][email]. It will soothe your fevered imagination to share.

[lis]: http://www.lispirits.com/
[list]: http://www.lispirits.com/tasting_room_shop.php
[gsd]: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/no-cheers-govt-shutdown-hurting-craft-beer-makers-8C11363491
[dam]: http://www.denverartmuseum.org/article/making-doing/we-need-you-name-new-passport-paris-inspired-beer-dillon-dam-brewery
[damb]: http://www.dambrewery.com/
: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CYV9FyuSZg&feature=youtu.be
[damfb]: https://www.facebook.com/denverartmuseum
[rhp]: http://www.rackhousepub.com/
[dampp]: http://www.denverartmuseum.org/exhibitions/passport-paris
[esc]: http://www.empirestatecellars.com/
[esc95]: http://www.empirestatecellars.com/index.html?id=19&main_page=page
[mailesc]: mailto:cellarguide@empirestatecellars.com
[keg]: http://www.kegerators.com/news/ingenious-beer-items.php
[rjdfh]: http://www.dogfish.com/store/other-accessories/randall-jr.htm
[teku]: http://www.historycompany.com/productdetails.php?p=389&PHPSESSID=a1cf77382406b8a0624b41a0ab6adc37
[tekuam]: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F3GMWY8?ie=UTF8&camp=213733&creative=393177&creativeASIN=B00F3GMWY8&linkCode=shr&tag=macpdesi-20
: http://vimeo.com/43259769
[sfist]: http://sfist.com/2013/10/07/uh_oh_introducing_monsieur_the_robo.php
[kick]: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/monsieur/monsieur-the-artificially-intelligent-robotic-bart?ref=card
[ecbff]: http://www.ellicottvilleny.com/fall-festival/
[ecb]: http://www.ellicottvillebrewing.com/
[email]: fervere@drunkandunemployed.com