Poetry & Beer

Pictured here on this t-shirt found on Portland Street are two of my favorite loves: poetry and beer. Shipyard Brewing Company, a famous local  microbrewery, has been tapping beers since 1994 and has a wide range of options. I especially enjoy their seasonals like Summer Ale, Pumpkinhead and Prelude. Their Longfellow Winter Ale, named after the city's most famous native son, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, is an English Porter that I've sampled from time to time. Funny story. Back in '04 when my Sox were making their first World Series run since 1918, I was a creature of habit and exhibited some superstitions that hereto had never shown themselves. I watched all the games alone in my den with only the glare of the TV lighting the room, and during the very first game against the St. Louis Cardinals, I popped open a Pumpkinhead in the fourth inning and again in the seventh. As I remember, in the seventh I asked Elenka to bring me the frosty from the fridge. They were thirst-quenching numbers that I savored, and the Sox won. Game Two, I repeated the pattern; same results. They won the Series 4-0. In 2007, they were back in October Classic against the Colorado Rockies, and I again repeated my 4th and 7th inning ritual. They swept again in four games. Was I on to something? Their record this morning is 80-56 and they are 3 1/2 games up in the American East. Might they be playing games in October this fall? Hope so. And if they make it, maybe against the Braves, Cardinals or Pirates, you can bet my Pumpkinheads will be close by.
With apologies to Icabod Crane... Long Live Pumpkinheads!