Thirsty Thursday Beer Painting #129. Deschutes Brewing Growler on the Red Chair at Mt. Bachelor

I remember when Red Chair NWPA came in a 22 oz bomber, and was dubbed an IPA.  I loved the graphics on the bottle!  Since I’m a skier, I bought a bunch of these and included this beer in the original 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall painting series.  I revisited the production version rebranded NWPA for North West Pale Ale as my 13th Thirsty Thursday beer painting, pictured at Arctic Valley Ski Area up here in Anchorage, Alaska, since we have two beautiful Riblet red chairs nearly exactly as pictured on the NWPA label.  A month ago we were cruising around Oregon and Maria and I hit up Mt. Bachelor to ride the “real” red chair that inspired this delicious ale.  The original double chair was installed in 1964, and upgraded to a triple chair in 1981.  Unlike the cushy modern quad chairs, this one comes at you fast and hot, and you better be ready for it, or it will knock you right down on your face!  During our lunch break on the mountain I ordered a pint of… you guessed it… Red Chair NWPA.  Maria and I shared a burrito that was larger than my head!  Sure tasted great with the NWPA!  The next day I went to Deschutes Brewery in downtown Bend and bought this growler, because it’s so cool, and I thought it would look good on the vintage chair in a beer painting.  The Deschutes pub glass looks right at home riding the chair as well (how else do you think they get beer up the mountain?).

Cheers to riding the cool red chair!  Raise your NWPA high to keeping the traditions alive!  May your ski day be epic, and your Après ski be well-earned!

This original oil painting and 52 limited-edition prints are available at our Etsy shop RealArtIsBetter. 

Thirsty Thursday Beer Painting #129. Red Chair NWPA by Deschutes Brewery. 11″x14″, oil on panel. By Scott Clendaniel

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Thirsty Thursday Beer Painting #126. Melt Down Stout by Root Down Brewing Co.

I think I feel like having a Melt Down right about now.  That’s right, the beer brewed by new Root Down Brewing in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania in a collaboration project with Beer N.E.R.D.s (Network of Educated Refined Drinkers) to remind us all that life is too short to get our underpants in a bind over waiting for a pint.  How many beer lines have you waited in?  I understand it can definitely cause anxiety if you can’t count how many folding chairs there are in front of you.  According to the story behind this beer, which is rapidly becoming a BeerNERDs legend, a gentleman saddled up to the brewery’s bar, and got impatient after waiting for the bartender to serve him, so he stormed off the premises without getting a pint!  He ranted about his experience online, and someone checked the security camera footage to find out how long he actually waited.  Needless to say, people had very little sympathy when they found out the wait was only 107 seconds.  So that’s the reason this beer is 10.7% ABV.

People have melt downs over strange things sometimes, so that is why Root Down and BeerNERDs are giving a big amount of the proceeds to support Main Line Deputy Dog, a non profit that trains and maintains service animals for people with challenges in life.  Root Down has generated over $6,000 for the non-profit so far!  I will donate 10% of sales from this painting and prints to MLDD to help with the cause.  So don’t wait too long before making it into Root Down… You might just have a real melt down, instead of the chocolate oatmeal stout that comes in a cool can with the BeerNERDs logo on it.  My friend Rich from PA sent me a can of this beer, and it knocked my hat in the creek!

Cheers to bartenders who work fast to get us our pints!

The original oil painting sold. 52 limited-edition prints are available at our Etsy shop RealArtIsBetter.

Thirsty Thursday Beer Painting #126. Melt Down Stout by Root Down Brewing Co. 11″x14″, oil on panel. By Scott Clendaniel

Blind Pig IPA by Russian River Brewing Company

If you walked into a speakeasy during Prohibition and asked for a “Blind Pig”, you may have received a beer.  I should have painted the pig drinking from a blank Mason jar, as that is the way beer would have been served during those times.  A pint jar was known as a pig, and a blank one was known as a “Blind Pig.”  Ironically, the first time I drank Blind Pig IPA by Russian River Brewing Company was not in California, but in Philadelphia at Monk’s Cafe.  I ordered it thinking that it was probably the best thing on the extensive menu, called the Beer Bible, and I was not let down.  I drank it again at the Russian River brew pub in Santa Rosa, and came back the next day, nearly emptying my bank account, and making a generous addition to my beer cellar.  All I have left is a couple bottles of the barrel sour ales now.  Looks like I will have to make another trip to Santa Rosa to refill my private stock.  If you do get your hands on this treasured ale, don’t hoard it, but drink it.  IPA is best fresh!  So share and enjoy!  Don’t let your cool pet pig get ahold of it.  Once they have gotten the taste, they will never be satiated!   Cheers to the “Blind Pig” — the best pig for drinking!

This original oil painting, and limited-edition prints are for sale at my Etsy shop RealArtIsBetter.

Blind Pig IPA by Russian River Brewing Co. Oil painting by Scott Clendaniel. 14″x11″, oil on panel.