Comments on: Free As In Beer http://www.briankaneonline.com/2009/02/27/free-as-in-beer-2/ Thu, 09 Sep 2010 01:34:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Tony http://www.briankaneonline.com/2009/02/27/free-as-in-beer-2/comment-page-1/#comment-6220 Tony Sun, 01 Mar 2009 16:01:49 +0000 http://www.briankaneonline.com/2009/02/27/free-as-in-beer-2/#comment-6220 I visited the Olympia brewery when I was about 13. My parents and I had driven cross country from Maine to visit relatives in Washington. My grandfather's brother worked for Olympia Brewing. Still have a beach towel and souvenir can somewhere. On the same trip (or maybe the year before, visiting other relations in central New York) we visited the Utica Club (F.X. Matt Brewing Company) brewery in Utica, New York. Compared to Oly or the AB brewery in Merrimack (which I have also visited - sensing a trend here?), the Utica Club operation was much smaller, but not nearly as small as some of the craft brewers I've been sampling lately. Matt Brewing is still open, producing Saranac beers, so some of the older ones do continue to soldier on. I visited the Olympia brewery when I was about 13. My parents and I had driven cross country from Maine to visit relatives in Washington. My grandfather’s brother worked for Olympia Brewing. Still have a beach towel and souvenir can somewhere. On the same trip (or maybe the year before, visiting other relations in central New York) we visited the Utica Club (F.X. Matt Brewing Company) brewery in Utica, New York.

Compared to Oly or the AB brewery in Merrimack (which I have also visited – sensing a trend here?), the Utica Club operation was much smaller, but not nearly as small as some of the craft brewers I’ve been sampling lately. Matt Brewing is still open, producing Saranac beers, so some of the older ones do continue to soldier on.

]]> By: Karan http://www.briankaneonline.com/2009/02/27/free-as-in-beer-2/comment-page-1/#comment-6216 Karan Sun, 01 Mar 2009 01:59:47 +0000 http://www.briankaneonline.com/2009/02/27/free-as-in-beer-2/#comment-6216 It's a long sad story...the Olympia Brewing Company sold to Miller's who then aquired a few other local breweries including Henry Weinhard's and Rainier Beer (remember the Raaaaaaaiiiiiinnneeeeeer Beer ads?) before it decided to close the joint in 2003. It was a big loss to the area because not only did we lose a free tourist attraction, they employed around 200 people and had been open since the last 1800's. It’s a long sad story…the Olympia Brewing Company sold to Miller’s who then aquired a few other local breweries including Henry Weinhard’s and Rainier Beer (remember the Raaaaaaaiiiiiinnneeeeeer Beer ads?) before it decided to close the joint in 2003. It was a big loss to the area because not only did we lose a free tourist attraction, they employed around 200 people and had been open since the last 1800′s.

]]> By: mig http://www.briankaneonline.com/2009/02/27/free-as-in-beer-2/comment-page-1/#comment-6213 mig Sat, 28 Feb 2009 22:02:53 +0000 http://www.briankaneonline.com/2009/02/27/free-as-in-beer-2/#comment-6213 When was the Olympia brewery closed, Karan? I remember visiting it a few times. Not 9, though. When was the Olympia brewery closed, Karan? I remember visiting it a few times. Not 9, though.

]]> By: Karan http://www.briankaneonline.com/2009/02/27/free-as-in-beer-2/comment-page-1/#comment-6204 Karan Sat, 28 Feb 2009 00:13:36 +0000 http://www.briankaneonline.com/2009/02/27/free-as-in-beer-2/#comment-6204 When ElJay was born, we had a whole parade of visitors and we took most of them on the tour of our own now-closed brewery (Olympia - It's the Water - Brewery). By the time ElJay was two months old, he had rounded the big vats of brew 9 times...I know because I put each trip in his baby book. We didn't have big horses like you did, but it was a nice freebie and there was free beer at the end. When ElJay was born, we had a whole parade of visitors and we took most of them on the tour of our own now-closed brewery (Olympia – It’s the Water – Brewery). By the time ElJay was two months old, he had rounded the big vats of brew 9 times…I know because I put each trip in his baby book. We didn’t have big horses like you did, but it was a nice freebie and there was free beer at the end.

]]> By: Gretchen http://www.briankaneonline.com/2009/02/27/free-as-in-beer-2/comment-page-1/#comment-6203 Gretchen Fri, 27 Feb 2009 22:00:59 +0000 http://www.briankaneonline.com/2009/02/27/free-as-in-beer-2/#comment-6203 I went to Busch Gardens in Virginia as a teenager, and my main memory of the whole park was the equipment on those Clydesdales. I was in shock. Down to their knees, my God. Actually a brewery is quite an interesting tour to take! And the "free" part is wonderful (and so important in this economy). I wish we had more of that around here. We've been reduced to hiking and hiking and hiking around the Upper Newport Bay (known locally as the "Back Bay" which would crack up any Bostonian), which is across the street from us. I went to Busch Gardens in Virginia as a teenager, and my main memory of the whole park was the equipment on those Clydesdales. I was in shock. Down to their knees, my God.

Actually a brewery is quite an interesting tour to take! And the “free” part is wonderful (and so important in this economy). I wish we had more of that around here. We’ve been reduced to hiking and hiking and hiking around the Upper Newport Bay (known locally as the “Back Bay” which would crack up any Bostonian), which is across the street from us.

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