Greetings–
At this time, we have 20 signed up for the trip of the year. If you are on the fence or just haven’t gotten around to sending in your deposit, please take care of that ASAP. For the trip to be financially viable, we need 30 takers (then the bus will be about $65 per person–at 35 riders, it’s about $56). We’re taking no more than 35, so that the bus and pubs are not crowded.

I need ten more deposits by August 28th, so quit hemming and hawing–you know you’re going to sign up eventually, so just do it today, please! If you need encouragement, the itinerary follows.

Thanks for your interest!
John

BEER GOOD BUS TOUR III
September 30th and October 1st

(to bastardize the classic Robert Service poem . . . )

The Northern Lights have seen queer sights,
but the queerest they ever did see,
was that bus full of drunks going pub to pub,
thank heavens on the bus they could pee!

It’s once again time to sign up fool-hardy folks for the Beer Good Bus Tour III! Last year’s tour of central WI brewpubs was a great success, and this year’s route will be a northerly one, as you may have guessed whilst groaning at the above verse. I can’t promise Northern Lights, but I can almost guarantee great fall foliage as we skirt the south shore of Lake Superior and tour the northern third of Wisconsin, hitting 9 brewpubs, one microbrewery, and one meadery in two days! The trip itinerary is below.

If you’re interested, please send your non-refundable $50 per person deposit to John Longballa, 1211 Minnehaha Ave W, Saint Paul, 55104. The bus will be about $60 per person, assuming that around 35 people come along. The hotel will be $100 for double occupancy, and you’ll be able to walk to it from the last Saturday stop, so how late you stay up will be entirely up to you!

Saturday, September 30th!
7:30 a.m.–we board a luxury bus, complete with restroom. We immediately begin the People’s Choice homebrew competition, and hopefully Paul won’t take BOTH the top spots again! 😉
10:00 = tour and tasting at Lake Superior Brewing in Duluth
11:00 = we roll into Fitger’s for lunch, because any day that begins at Fitger’s has GOT to be GOOD!
1:00 = we roll across Duluth Harbor and into Superior’s Twin Ports Brewing for sampling. Normally they don’t open until 4:00, but I sweet-talked Steve into opening just for us!
1:45 = we leave TP, arriving at White Winter Meadery in Iron River, WI at 2:30 for a special tour and tasting, complete with appetizers.
3:45 = we exit WW and turn south toward Hayward, where not one, but TWO brewpubs await! We pull into the Old Hayward Eatery and Mad Muskie Brewpub around 4:30 for dinner. 6:30 we head to the Angry Minnow just one mile away.
7:30 = we leave Hayward and head for an 9:00 tour of Deep Water Grill at South Shore Brewing in Ashland after checking into the Ashland Super 8, just five blocks from the brewery. We kick back and relax after a hard day’s work. We sleep hard in Ashland.

Sunday, October 1st!
9:00 = on the road again
11:00 = we have lunch at Minocqua Brewing in Minocqua.
1:00 = we head 10 miles to Bugsy’s Brewpub in Rhinelander.
1:45 = we head to Hereford and Hops in Wassau, arriving around 2:45.
3:45 = leave Wassau for Central Waters Brewpub in Marshfield. Yes, this is the same brewer as last year in Junction City with the sewage problem–no, it’s not the same PLACE!
5:00 = dinner at Central Waters.
6:30 = head for Saint Paul, arriving around 9:00.
Yes, I’m certain that we could stop at a WI liquor store for WI micros again! 🙂
Yes, I’m certain that there will be funny movies showing on the bus again! 🙂
Yes, I’m certain that someone will run the Wheel of Fortune again! 🙂

Sooooo . . .

As soon as I get your non-refundable $50 per person deposit, made out to me and mailed to 1211 Minnehaha Ave W, Saint Paul, 55104, then you are set. To keep the bus comfortable and to not overwhelm the brewpubs, I will cut off registrations at 35 people, so send your deposit today!
Thanks for entertaining the idea!
John