UYE Tom’s Beer Sampling & Potluck

Tom thank you so much for this awesome party! Also I’d like to thank everyone else for bringing such tasty food and beer. I wish I could describe all the things I had, but I was too drunk to remember. Not drunk enough though for singing! Woo hoo!

It’s hard to believe, but there were two high-​profile Unilocal beer events in a span of four nights. This started with the noblest of intentions. I was there a little early — Tom and Vanessa had set out a well-​organized table for everyone’s food, and had printed out flavor wheels and tasting notes. I brought a sizable cooler loaded with bottles, and Tom helped me lug it out back. Yislin came next, bearing Scaldis Tripel, The Bruery’s Two Turtle Doves, Unibroue’s Maudite, and Meantime’s London Porter. We popped open a Lagunitas Tom had, and awaited the madness.
With astonishing quickness, as everyone showed up, the well-​laid table overflowed with bounty. It was a pretty crazy spread, and it frustrates me to say that I did not try everything. I *could not* try everything, as there came a point where I was simply unable to introduce one more morsel of food into my digestive tract. My sincerest apologies to those whose food I was unable to try, but of what I did try, I was most struck by the excellent salads Vanessa put together, Yislin’s bacon-​wrapped chestnuts, the meatloaf (whoever brought it, my compliments), and the bacon-​infused brownies Eschel brought from Sweetness. I did try other stuff, and it was all great, but at this point, I just don’t remember who brought what.
The beer. I have a fairly large collection of specialty craft beer at home, and I really wanted to share some of it. With the beer everyone brought, we had an embarrassment of riches. I will say again, though, I was frustrated in that I couldn’t even drink as much beer as I wanted, due to being so full. This caused me to miss out on the bulk of Tom’s well thought-​out Dogfish Head flight, as I had no room left.
As has come to be expected from me, I brought some off-​the-​wall beers. I focused primarily on lighter flowery, earthy, funky saison/​farmhouse ales with ABVs of 5% or less, but on the other hand, I also brought an equal number of heavily hopped, ultra-​roasty, and tart high-​octane bottles — good beers for sharing, in small-​ish portions. My (predictable) favorite was the tart Consecration, the brown ale with black currants, aged in used cabernet sauvignon barrels for six months.
It was slightly embarrassing, as we were sampling from the bottle of Two Turtle Doves Yislin brought, I committed a verbal gaffe somewhere along the lines of «wow, I get a lot of nut.» I realized it just as I said it, and immediately braced for the inevitable. The funniest things I say are almost always entirely unintentional. Hey, the damned beer was brewed with toasted pecans, what else am I gonna get, freakin’ mango? ;)
After everyone was done gorging for the most part, there was Rock Band. Even with years of musical training as a child, I have no clue how to play that game, but it didn’t stop me from karaōke-​ing it for a couple songs.
Beyond that, if I go out, there always comes a time when I realize I’m getting a little old. I’ll come to the sudden, sobering realization that I can’t drink any more, I can’t eat any more, I’m not going to hook up with a woman 15 years younger than me, and frankly, if I don’t leave immediately, I’ll fall asleep and drool on someone else’s couch. To my credit, though, I held out longer than I thought I’d be able to.
Tom, you’re the man for hosting this night of culinary/​beery/​gaming debauchery.

I was completely nervous driving to Tom’s as it was my first UYE and my first time meeting any Unilocalers.
I am no stranger to uncomfortable situations as I have dipped my toe in the pool of Internet dating and adventuring with single professionals on several occasions.
I was running a bit late (I was recently told that whatever time I say I’m gonna be somewhere to add 30 minutes. I am constantly learning new things about me on a daily basis).
I arrived at Tom’s house close to 8 o’clock. Perfect!
My plan was to get in early as to meet everyone whilst we were still sober so that I wouldn’t come in to that awkward «everybody knows each other and has already build a rapport through crunkfesting and then the record scratches as the new chick walks in» kinda thing.
Success.
Upon my arrival I was greeted by Tom whom asked the pronunciation of my name (completely common occurrence).
I then met Vanessa and shortly thereafter Patrick.
I asked for a place store my beers and was taken to Patrick’s ginormous cooler full of hops and yeasty splendors. Boys got some brews!
I met Eschel and his + 1 Liana (yikes if I forgot)
Everyone was very welcoming and soon the barrage of peeps began coming in. It was difficult to keep track of everyone I met.
There was so much deliciousness to be eaten. But the stand out dish for me was absolutely, positively the pumpkin squash thingy on pita with sour cream and mint. HEAVEN!
When I heard some sassy little number say «hey I’m already drunk, I was at a game earlier» (completely paraphrased) I knew the good times would ensue.
I later commented to a friend how fond I am of drunk girls, he assured me as was he.
Beer!
I have to say that my Scaldis and Two Turtle Doves were exquisite.
I also liked some Argentinian number that Patrick was popping and Vanessa’s Brooklyn 1,2. I know there were several more but I cannot, at this point, recall them.
I was completely excited about the Rock Band and even managed to get a few tunes in.
I had a blast and can’t wait to see you all at the next one!
Big thanks to Tom for poppin’ my UYE cherry.
You always remember your first time.
Shout outs to Maria, Rebecca, Kristy, Amber, Danny, Manny, Marcos and Ozzy. They are names that I recall from the evening and It was great meeting you all! Even if I can’t totally place the face with the name, I’m sure upon next meeting, I shall.

Tom knows how to party!!!
Whether its an EPIC UYE picnic or a UYE at his house, if Tom’s involved — so should you!
The potluck involved tons of delicious food from everyone: orzo bean salad, pea linguine, kibbe, hummus, pizza, garlic knots, tabbouleh, pumpkin stew with cream and mint (delish!), baba gounash, meatloaf, salad and crostini, chicken fried steak, lasagna, baked ziti… and then there was dessert: german chocolate cake, Sweetness bacon brownies, Amber’s Puppy Stew, my pumpkin cookies, and pumpkin loaf. Okay — did I miss anything?
And the Beer Tasting. An assortment of beers I’ve never heard of and their were those cute sampling cups, so everyone was sharing and tasting all the different ones: pumpkin, amber gingerale, chocolate and pomegranate, ones with fishies and others with skulls on the labels. So many and I can’t remember any of their names, except the Three Philosophers that tasted like crap — no offense Danny, even though I totally love the idea of us being three philosophers. But then again, who am I to judge regarding beer?
So this party turned epic and unforgettable when they set up the inflatable giant screen in the backyard so we could all partake in RockBand as well as discuss unforgettable police stories. What a night! I had no intentions of ever learning how to play RockBand as well as staying out til 3am, but totally didn’t want to leave.
PS the recipe for the cookies for those that asked: