Samwise's ears still droop like a puppy's, even though he's a year and a half old. Not 'normal' for a Corgi, but not unknown. We accept it; it's cute, he's The Eternal Puppy (and acts it). But lately...his ears are up on occasion. Could it be...The Change?

Yeah whoever jacked up tariffs on coffee from Brazil earlier this year must be a real bonehead

My wife comes home from a well-deserved vacation in Ireland tomorrow. I don't think we've been apart this long since maybe 2005, when I went on a press tour of Bavarian breweries. I sure do miss her.

🔥 @RepJoeNeguse: “Most of 🇺🇸 will find this REPUGNANT. These senators are guaranteeing themselves million-dollar paydays.” Bipartisan horror at @SenatorHagerty & @MarshaBlackburn’s greedy money grab snuck inside the funding bill— rewarding themselves for getting investigated.

I will support the campaign of, and if possible vote for anyone who runs on the platform of amending the US Constitution to eliminate the presidential pardon power.

First snow in the Valley today. Corgis romped, then we went up on the ridge to check a friend's house (he's away, wanted to be sure his power was on after maintenance). Corgis romped again in the woods, & we're home and warm. Podcast editing day for me.

Blessing of your heart, you brew good ale. Hello again, my dear, dear friend.

If I can mail my IRS return at the Philadelphia PO at 10pm on 4/15 & not face any late penalty, a ballot postmarked on Election Day shouldn't be a problem. Just more voter suppression bullshit. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/10/u...

Memorialized by a great beer (and this sign in my home bar), a salute to the 29 men on the Edmund Fitzgerald, and to the Pride of the American Side, lost 50 years ago today. And to the late Gordon Lightfoot, for an immortal song.

Wonder!

Once again, I am begging Hollywood to make a Chitty-Chitty-Bang-Bang movie based on the actual book, which goes incredibly hard; race car that unexpectedly flies, hovers, has tracking radar; mobsters w/guns & mean names; exploding caves; Parisian fudge! Could be a fantastic movie. PLEASE!

Can you believe this bullshit? Why, yes. Yes, I can. #temupeaceprize apnews.com/article/fifa...

Objection! Hoagie.

The way everyone talks about "this timeline" and "the worst timeline"…have we accepted alternative timeline theory? Is quantum theory now widely known and embraced? No. "Hot Tub Time Machine" didn't mean that either.

Trader Joe's green onion pancake. Vegan, but I'm frying it in bacon fat, so it's okay. #contraindicatedbreakfast

Cathy in Ireland: Blarney Castle. Headed to tonight's lodging: a pub in Kerry!

And to think of all the genuinely brilliant headlines the Post has come up with...and then to do this. The stench of that burning exododus is going to be legendary.

RAJU: Last week you were very critical of Biden's use of the autopen. But Trump admitted on 60 Minutes to not knowing he pardoned a crypto billionaire who pleaded guilty to money laundering. Does that also concern you? MIKE JOHNSON: I don't know anything about that. I didn't see it. I'm not sure.

Cathy in Ireland: today Cathy is doing the Titanic Experience as Nora Murphy. I suspect there will be more drinking later, if you were wondering. (If you're joining us in progress, my wife Cathy is in Ireland w/friends for two weeks.)

Corgis in the gloaming.

My wife spent her career in pharma research. When she started, it was all rat study this, gerbil study that, dog tox studies. By the time she retired, animal studies were almost entirely gone. They bitched about PETA, but that pressure worked. (Also, cell studies were cheaper, once figured out.)

I can't say it better than The Don Of Beer! (Don't quote me on that!)

Hurray and happy birthday to Cathy in Ireland! She's celebrating with a vertical tasting of single pot still Redbreast whiskey: 12, 15, 18, and 21 year old!

Cathy's adventures in Ireland: met up with our friend Lisa in Dublin, pints ensued.

Anyone following me because of stuff I say about politics... there's a lot of Corgis and booze here. Just sayin'.

HELP! CORGI WEDGE ATTACK!

Happy Halloween!

Wow! Great response on yesterday's post about how to get an autographed copy of American Whiskey Master Class DIRECTLY from me. These are going out TODAY. Thanks, keep it coming; you need this book, and they make very special holiday gifts (happy to do personal dedications).

Hey, What's Brewing PA fans! Send a photo of you drinking beer in a Halloween costume to me, or post it in this thread for a chance to win tix to our season-ending beer bash at Conshohocken Brewing (in Bridgeport PA)!

Cathy in Ireland, Day 2: laughing at the cool and rainy day with a Hot Whiskey; she's gone native! At the Black Sheep (Galway Bay Brewing taproom), Northside Dublin. That's our friend Dave's Baltic Porter, foreground.

Want a signed copy of American Whiskey Master Class, for yourself, or to give as a holiday gift? DM me: PayPal, Venmo accepted. $45 (list price plus shipping). You get a signed copy, and I get a lot more of the price than I do when you buy it elsewhere. Thanks!

My wife is in Ireland with friends for 2 weeks' vacation, richly earned. She landed this morning. So far she's sent pix of pints of stout & a plate of bangers & mash. (+ the stamp counter at the Main PO, because philately.) I love her deeply.

Thank you, Sierra Nevada. It's the most wonderful time of the year for a beer.

I drive past this place a few times a month. This shit makes me furious. Pa. bar shares photo of customer in KKK costume with noose: ‘Don’t they look great’ - pennlive.com share.google/Irwdiz1PyD9A...

If you have it please donate cash to the food banks. $10 in their hands will feed more people than the $10 worth of canned goods you can buy for retail prices. Also check on your elders. Many of them will not admit they rely on these programs so grocery gift cards or a surprise bag of staples

Donating to my local food bank this week. Don't tell me the shutdown is not a big deal.

What was left in the East Wing to be demolished? Woodwork? Furniture? Computers? Probably nothing gold-colored. Artwork? Books? THE EPSTEIN FILES?

We celebrated the third anniversary of our little wine club last night. We have a dinner, with a different wine theme, every month, but every October is Riesling Month, because that's what we had the 1st time. The wine's good, & the food, but the friends are the best.

Scoop: Trump has started demolishing the White House's East Wing facade to build his ballroom. The president had claimed construction of the $250 million building wouldn’t ‘interfere’ with the existing White House structure. /W @ddiamond.bsky.social wapo.st/4hqBNiU

Two great book events over the weekend! I spoke at Iron City Distilling & Liberty Pole Spirits, near Pittsburgh, w/whiskey historian Sam Komlenic. Sampled SIX single grain whiskeys at Iron City, & an ASM & a Dad's Hat collabo rye whiskey at Liberty Pole. & Sold over 50 books! Good times.

Stopped at The Showboat, a dive bar in Connellsville, PA. When I see handwritten signs in bars like this, it always makes me want to know the origins... I didn't ask. When the bartender asks you "what mixer you want with that" when you order a 7&7, it doesn't instill confidence.

Nice excerpt from my new book, American Whiskey Master Class, in Men's Journal! www.mensjournal.com/drink/what-d...

More about my trip to the Midwest last week. Whiskey Acres Distillery in DeKalb Illinois has a spirit warehouse in a grain silo. Not efficient space, but it sure looks cool. And the hybrid corn whiskeys they make are unusual and delicious.

Just got back from a seven-day book tour in the Midwest. Had a couple good breakfasts at diners and such, but this plate o' food at a dive bar in Galena, IL was top-notch: eggs, wheat toast, hash browns with cheese & onions, and spicy, smoky side meat. And enough pepper to make a Dutchman happy.

Huge violent demonstration in Lincoln Park today. Better send the National Guard, with artillery. This is ridiculous. I'm gonna go get a whiskey. Duke of Perth is nearby.

Got this Freedom apple at a local orchard (western Union County, PA). Never had them before, got 8 good-sized apples for 2 bucks, how can I pass that up? And they're delicious! Local for the win again!

My wife and I went over the mountain to the 20th annual Mifflinburg Oktoberfest today. Beer (Paulaner, Hofbrau, and Hacker-Pschorr festbiers on tap, along with the local Rusty Rail Brewing), food, music, and wonderful people having a great time. Go to local events! Day drink! Enjoy October!

Last week my local brewpub served a delicious paw paw creme brulee, made with foraged fruit. Tonight we dined on pizza topped with chicken of the woods mushrooms, also foraged. Both came from less than 2 miles away. Life is good in small towns.