Ale to the Chief!

Today's the day. Change is in the air. They shut down our government costumer in DC for the festivities, and based on the record turn out and unrelenting coverage of the ceremonies, parades and balls it is probably a good thing they did. A couple of months ago my friends and I were joking about all the "Obama" signs in liberal eastern PA, and today we swore in (apparently had to do it twice) our first African American president. My daughter was happy that Obama was elected since it wasn't fair that we never had an African-American president. My son taped the Disney ball on TV and ran through the house to tell us that the Obama girls were on TV. A rock star for president, I'll need some time to get used to that.

Avery brewing brewed a special All-American ale, Ale to the Chief!, to celebrate the inauguration of our new president (http://www.averybrewing.com/BigBeers/seasonal/AletotheChief). It was a Pale Ale brewed with American grown hops. The hoppiness and the alcohol content would better characterize it as an Imperial IPA, but that wouldn't be very appropriate for a democracy. I sipped the beer while we watched the TV, and I hope that our new president has the vision and the strength to lead our country through these trying times.

Jenn and I just finished watching "Swing Vote," the Kevin Costner film that was about the national election coming down to one man's vote. And although it was advertised as a comedy, the message of serving as an example to our children, an example that they can be proud of, rang home to me. This country needs to change in so many ways, and I plan to give our Commander in Chief plentiful prayers in support of pursuing the right changes. - 5003

"I am a firm believer in the people. If given the truth, they can be depended on to meet any national crisis. The great point is to bring them the real facts, and beer." – Abraham Lincoln