EAST COAST PALATE

As a fan of both Tom Robbins' writing and the timeless tradition which is Beer, I was happy to spend a few hours over the weekend reading the latest book by señor Robbins.  Saturday afternoon I managed to sip away the time while reading the first half of the 120-page story that is a self-proclaimed children's book for adults (or vice versa).  My first drink was a North Coast Brewery "Brother Thelonious," a full-bodied, dark dubbel fashioned in the Belgian style, but hailing from the West Coast.  It was tasty, in deed, and chased down with a smooth belly-warming mouthful of Jameson Irish whisky.
This was all at the Quarry House down in Silver Spring, a place that always offers refuge from the rain, and plenty of suds and strong drink to quench your thirst. 
I finished the book on Sunday morning over coffee and a crossword puzzle.  The tale relates a young 5-year-old girl's introduction to beer, her travels with the beer fairy, and the ever-present philosophical lessons that can be extrapolated from a kid's book about booze. 
In short, I loved this book... Almost as much as I loved the 2004 Muga Gran Reserva after it had been decanted for an hour and a half.  This is a quick read, and if you have kids, maybe a fun, if not exploratory venture out of the realm of normal bedtime stories.  Go buy a sixpack of North Coast brewery's finest.  Support your local bookstore.  This is a great way to spend a few hours of your life.