Darkness Day 2015

Well that would make sense since number goes up to 290 in the picture

Why would I think that they would start number at 270 instead of 1...

 

Or maybe it won't be bottled for D Day...

 

Reverse of last year? Kegs barrel aged and bottles not?

 

Bottle Art
Surly Darkness 2015

 

Posted on 8/14. You're a few days late homie.

 

Day 7 in line, 65 days to go... people in the industrial park have been looking at me strange, and I am wondering if they may call the police as they think I am homeless. I also wish it would stop raining, although it is really the only shower I have had so that is a bonus. I believe my wife has started divorce proceedings so I am expecting someone to come serve me papers here soon.

 

And then.... when you think it couldn't get any worse a stray dog comes by and pisses on your leg. Sorry I couldn't help myself.

 

Moving to MN next week and hoping to make it to my first darkness day this year! From what I've read it seems like a good plan would be to arrive Friday evening to enjoy some bottle sharing and prep oneself for a day of darkness. In terms of overnight camping in line, is there actually room to set up a tent etc or is it more so just trying go get some sleep in a camping chair? Also, on saturday what time should one expect to have actually gotten thru the line and purchased bottles? Any other tips or input would be appreciated

 

I'm sure plenty'll respond to this, and possibly ninja me. Plenty of tent room, could do camping chair or your car. It can be helpful to share a tent if possible as there are lots of em.

As for Saturday, it really depends where in line you are during the stupid ass line condensing as the wristbands have a 30 min time window (you can get your beer AFTER the time window but not before). I've been outta there at 11:30 on Saturday before.

 

I think you have your years wrong. I've only been to the last two and it was really warm last year but not that cold the year before. I also heard stories about the dumpster fire so I'm thinking the low 20s was in 2012.

BA Darkness was pretty disappointing last year and if they're only aging it for a couple of months why bother?

 

Source: Weather Underground Weather History (more or less)
October 24th/25th 2014: No rain, low 44 degrees
October 25th/26th 2013: No rain, low 36 degrees
October 26th/27th 2012: No rain, low 28 degrees (but high of 39 Friday & not above 40 until almost noon on D-Day)
October 21st/22nd 2011: No rain, low 40 degrees
October 22nd/23rd 2010: .01 inch of precip, low 50 degrees
October 23rd/24th 2009: .03 inch of precip, low 45 degrees
October 24th/25th 2008: .02 inch of precip, low 42 degrees

By my pessimistic reading we're due! I mean really, no horizontal rain, only one day below freezing, tons of balmy afternoons & evenings to drink way too much.

For those who are curious, for October 24th, 2015 the average high temp is 54, low average of 37. Dress in layers, campers.

 

I was working with some climate data before reading this thread and I love rampant speculation about weather chaos months before an actual event so here's some weather extremes for DDay weekend, plus or minus 5 days.

MSP:
Earliest 1 inch snowfall (season) (From 1891-2015):
1.) Sep 26, 1942 (42-43)
2.) Oct 10, 1977 (77-78)
3.) Oct 12, 1959 (59-60)
4.) Oct 12, 1969 (69-70)
5.) Oct 12, 2009 (09-10)

Statewide:
October 16, 1880, earliest blizzard in Minnesota, struck SW and WC counties. Huge drifts exceeding 20 ft in the Canby area last until the next spring.

Oct 19-20, 1916, one of the earliest blizzards, with up to 15 inches of snow in western counties, and a 50 degrees F temperature drop.

Oct 31-Nov 3, 1991, Halloween Blizzard. Over 28 inches at MSP, nearly 37 inches at Duluth. Nasty windchill conditions, deep snow drifts harsh on wildlife, many roads closed for days. Perhaps one of the largest and longest lasting blizzards in state history.

On the happy fun warm side of things there are high temperature records of mid 80's on those days as well. The long and short of this info is that its utterly useless to this year, but its fun to look at. Have your tank tops and flip flops ready along with your snow tires and thick glossy neck-beards, its a crap shoot.

 

2012 sucked.

 

There seem to be a lot of climate scientists here in this forum. My question to them is this: how will this year's El Nino (I'm told that is Spanish for 'The Nino') affect Darkness Day?

 

Early predictions are forcasting the El Nino affecting the Polar Vortex extremely early. In fact the northerly trend of the El Nino moisture surge is pointing to a strong chance of extreme cold and snow right around the end of October.

So I would strongly suggest that all of you stay home, so I can sleep in my bed and just show up in the morning.

 

What I was told by a bartender at Surly, now granted this was awhile ago so take it with a grain of salt. He said there would be approx. 15,000 BA Darkness and 30,000 non BA Darkness bottles available this year. Source of the info was the great bearded one himself.

 

This far out, your best bet is climatological average even with the developing El Nino pattern. ENSO affects certain parts of the country more dramatically than others, and historically, it's meant a warmer and drier than average cold season for the upper midwest. Any teleconnection between it and the "polar vortex"... no.

Not that a little cold and snow should stop you from drinking, though.

 

Wow, you must be fun at dinner parties.

 

There's no crying in beer acquisition... If you really wanted some you'd be in line already like me running from various law enforcement officers.

 

Likewise. Everyone loves an exaggerator.