New Beer Friday, Cracked Pipe Edition (July 6)

Rod, Steve's regular handyman

Preamble by Steve Siciliano

I’m not much of a handyman so when something needs fixing around the house or at the store I hire someone to do it. Most of the time that someone is my friend Rod Lawrence who, I’m convinced, owns every tool devised by man and who takes great delight in ribbing me about my mechanical maladroitness. But sometimes a repair is beyond even Rod’s considerable skills and I have to enlist the help of a specialist. Thankfully there’s plenty of folks in the environs of Beer City USA who are willing and able to do the work.

Unfortunately that’s not the case at the cottage. When something needs to be repaired at our Lake County lake house it can be a challenge finding someone to do the work. That’s not to say that there aren’t plenty of folks who claim they’re willing and able to do the work as evidenced by the number of advertisements on restaurant placemats and by the proliferation of business cards plastered on bulletins boards in saloons, gas stations and grocery stores. The problem is getting some of these folks to show up. Some won’t even bother returning your calls.

I’m not sure why this is but I surmise that if you’re in business in a rural area rife with cottages and weekend retreats you probably have more work than you want or need. Whatever the reason it certainly can be frustrating.

I went through that frustration a few weeks ago when I was trying to find someone to replace a section of PVC pipe that carries groundwater from a basement sump pump. I had noticed that an area of the yard was perpetually green and when I saw water bubbling up through the ground one day I immediately suspected a cracked pipe. I grabbed a shovel and after a few minutes of digging I found it.

One guy I called surveyed the situation and promised to get back to me with a quote. After waiting a few weeks and after leaving a few terse voice mails I wrote him off. I then called another guy and I have to admit that I was pleasantly surprised when he called me back. He said his foreman would contact me by the end of the day and I was even more surprised when he did. The foreman told me he would be at the cottage sometime around three on the following day. I crossed my fingers.

It was 6:30 when he finally showed up with two of his workers and by then I had become resigned that I would have to attempt the repair myself. The foreman immediately told me about his broken ribs and his two workers seemed less than enthusiastic about tackling another project after working all day in the heat. I was afraid they would leave so I grabbed a shovel and began digging. The two workers reluctantly followed my lead.

It took us three hours to uncover, extricate and replace the twelve foot section of cracked and root-clogged pipe. I did a good deal of the digging. The two workers took a good deal of breaks. The foreman supervised. After the digging was done and the old pipe was out I left the installation of the new pipe to my coworkers and jumped in the lake. Afterwards I relaxed on the deck with a G & T feeling pretty darn good about myself. I may not be much of a handyman but I’m pretty good at handling a shovel.

New and Returning Beer

• Brew Detroit Cerveza Delray, $1.69/16oz - "A Mexican-style lager" (source).
• Cutwater Bourbon Highball, $3.79/12oz - "Just bourbon, soda water, and mint. Our take on a Whiskey Highball is the perfect showcase for our Black Skimmer Bourbon with hints of honeysuckle, caramel, and vanilla. When combined with our house-made soda and a dash of mint, you have one simply refreshing cocktail" (source).
• Cutwater Cucumber Vodka Soda, $3.79/12oz - "Cool, fresh, and effervescent, our Cucumber Vodka Soda is a new take on the classic cocktail. We start with our exceptionally smooth award-winning Fugu Vodka. Then add just a hint of cucumber to our unique house-made soda. It’s a refreshing cocktail that will take you places" (source).
• Cutwater Gin and Tonic, $3.79/12oz - "Even when updated, some cocktails are timeless. We’ve blended our clean and fragrant Old Grove Gin with our house-made grapefruit cucumber tonic to re-create the perfect match. A modern spin on an old classic, the bright citrusy flavors will keep you refreshed day or night" (source).
• Cutwater Mild Bloody Mary, $3.79/12oz - "Our Fugu Mild Bloody Mary is perfect for those who like a stronger dose of tomato in their mix. This veggie-forward cocktail is perfect with our signature Fugu Vodka, featuring ripe tomatoes and exotic spices, for a classic cocktail that is dangerously drinkable" (source).
• Cutwater Rum and Ginger, 3.79/12oz - "This Rum & Ginger is like none you’ve ever tasted. We blend our Three Sheets White Rum, crafted from pure cane sugar, with our fresh and spicy house-made ginger beer to create a robust yet balanced craft cocktail. It’s a storm of flavor that is sure to warm your pallet" (source).
• Cutwater Spicy Bloody Mary, $3.79/12oz - "Like the venomous namesake fish this Fugu Bloody Mary packs a sting. We’ve combined our signature Fugu Vodka with our award-winning Bloody Mary mix, featuring ripe tomatoes, exotic spices and a heavy dose of pepper, to make a spicy cocktail that is dangerously drinkable" (source).
• Cutwater Tequila Paloma, $3.79/12oz - "Our Tequila Paloma puts a south of the border favorite in the palm of your hand. The tequila gives a floral aroma with a smooth finish that complements the sweet flavors of our house-made grapefruit soda. It’s a sparkling citrus cocktail that will have you dreaming of your next beach getaway" (source).
• Dark Horse Obtuse Spruce, $2.99/12oz - "Pale ale brewed with spruce tips" (source).
• Great Divide Strawberry Rhubarb, $11.69/22oz - "Strawberry is the yin to rhubarb’s yang—the sweet to the tart. This beautiful partnership creates a beer that glows ruby in the glass, bursts with strawberry aroma, and bites with every sip. Bright and effervescent, this sour is a fun and refreshing, lip-puckering treat perfect for every occasion, any time of the year" (source).
• Short's Strawberry Shorts Cake, $2.59/12oz - "Strawberry Short’s Cake is a Golden Ale brewed with the addition of strawberries and milk sugar. The flavors of shortcake and fresh strawberries transform this beer into rose-colored party nectar that is pleasingly sweet with hints of cream. Biscuit flavors and aromas arise from the use of large amounts of Victory malt" (source).

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