Last week I was chatting with a customer about craft beer. He has tasted far and wide and is an avid trader/traveller for beers that don't generally make it up into BC, but he's in almost every week to pick up a case of DIPA and whatever is new in the store. Driftwood's Mad Bruin had just been released so we were discussing sours, and Russian River came up in the conversation. I, of course, had never tried any of their beers, let alone laid my eyes on an actual bottle, but he said he'd had a few. Anyway, the conversation moved to other beer topics, and I didn't think of it again. Until he came in yesterday while I was at work: he walked in the door and handed me a 375 ml corked-and-caged bottle of Consecration, batch #007. Needless to say, I was blown away by his generosity! Getting a bottle of Russian River is awesome for anyone, but when you live outside the distribution area and one shows up a surprise, it's even better. It was easily the best beer gift I'd ever gotten. I'll need to see if I can find something to match it when I'm in Illinois this Christmas. So, Canadian BAs, what are your favourite stories of receiving an unexpected beer?
