End of Silence

Last year’s smoking ban wasn’t the last assault against those modern day lepers known as smokers.

The Texas House passed a $1/pack tax increase today to offset the property tax cuts. Of course, the Senate will have to approve it as well, but if they do, that’s a 60% increase on what you’re currently paying. Those trips to the Gas N Sip for smokes and a refuel are getting more and more painful.

Texas Music Matters has a follow-up on the effects of the nearly 9-month-old smoking ban. The report cites mixed results with at least one bar claiming not to have seen much of a difference. The consensus seems to be that it’s not affecting the Fridays or Saturdays or nights with big draw bands, but may be contributing to slower nights during the week and forcing some club owners to shut down on weeknights that were already slow and have become economically unfeasible since the ban.

At least Lovejoy’s is still open although I do believe that ownership changed hands.

Ok, so normally I wouldn’t plug those carpetbagging ice cream hippies over our local favorite, but we’re talking free here, so I don’t feel like I’m cheating.

The free cone giveaway is from noon to 5pm 8pm today. I tried to go to their web site to get you links to the local locations, but it appears that everyone on the planet is trying to do the same thing and has brought their server to its knees. If I recall correctly, there’s one just north of Braker on the east side of Mopac in the same shopping center as Yoga Yoga and Tacodeli. There’s also a location at 5th and Lamar, but good luck trying to park around there.

A co-worker and I were discussing the dark skies, wind and heavy rain when we started to hear thuds on the roof of the building. I ran out and grabbed a few samples. There were larger ones, but they were too far away from the door and I would’ve gotten drenched.

I noticed a blurb in today’s XLEnt that made me happy. Apparently, the guys at Real Ale have persuaded Pierre Celis, he of Celis Brewing fame, to come back to the Austin area and brew two beers, Brussels White and Brussels Grand Cru, which will be available this summer. The beers will be under the Real Ale label, so there’s no conflict with Michigan Brewing, the company who bought the equipment and rights to Celis White from Pierre Celis in 2003. Apparenlty, the deal’s been in the works for a while, this article appeared in the San Antonio Express-News back in December. For those unfamiliar with Texas geography, Blanco, home of Real Ale, is roughly halfway between San Antonio and Austin.

Celis has a warm place in my heart. I miss the brewery on 290 where the Celis White available as part of the tour was the best you’ve ever tasted. I was permanently in love with Celis Pale Bock (Pale Ale in the rest of the country due to Texas’s strange liquor laws). I used to run into his daughter and son-in-law on a regular basis at Casino El Camino.

I’ve raved about Real Ale’s Lost Gold IPA in the past. I’m also a fan of the Coffee Porter and the Fireman’s #4. Sadly, the Lost Gold and Coffee Porter are seasonal and unavailable at the moment. I’m definitely looking forward to tasting what Pierre and the Real Ale folks come up with. Real Ale usually has a booth or two at Eeyore’s so you can check out their traditional offerings there next Saturday or at any decent beer store or bar.