Beer glass down!

Beer Geek at St. Paul Summerfest

Since starting my beer quest, I've imbibed at over 50 beer festivals since 2001.  In that year, I attended the first Autumn Brew Review in Minneapolis and have been lucky enough to drink every ABR since.  While every festival has its ups and downs, I've prided myself on returning home with my glass from every festival.  Every beer festival veteran knows the hoots and humiliation that comes with the unique sound of shattering glass.  The entire festival seemingly joins in raised voice to mock the drunken dropper.  I think my pride stems from successfully avoiding being the focus of the crowd.

At the 2010 ABR, my boast changed.  Instead of bragging that I've taken home every glass, now I can only say that I've never broken a glass.

It's the end of the festival and in the waning moments before getting the traditional last taste of a festival favorite, I noticed that the porta-potty lines were short.  So, I head over to relieve myself in anticpation of a long walk downtown to the light rail from the historic Old Grain Belt Brewery complex in Nordeast Minneapolis.  

Festival glasses.  From left to right:
Winterfest, Great Taste, ABR, GABF and Real Ale Festival

To understand the tragedy, knowledge of a beer strap is necessary.  For those not familiar, I'm displayed above in all my beer geek glory, beer strap holding my tasting glass so I can take notes.  While going to the bathroom in the uniquely male manner, I bumped the bottom of my glass with my "beer" belly and...out it tumbled into the porta-potty with a sickening plop, and a day's worth of human excrement vacuumed closed behind it.

Needless to say, I passed on my last sample of the day.