One of the perks of my job is that people in the adult beverage business are always offering me stuff. It’s really quite nice of them. Take the fine folks at Newcastle Brown Ale, for instance, who came to me recently and asked if I’d be interested in hosting a Newcastle event for a bunch of my friends.

“Sure,” I said.

“Great!” they said. “How’s Thursday, December 16th starting at 7 pm at Ye Olde King’s Head in Santa Monica sound?”

“That sounds lovely,” I replied. “What’s the catch?”

“Oh, there’s no catch,” they assured me. “All you have to do is invite a bunch of your friends, show up, and have a great time drinking the Newcastle provided.”

“So you’re just throwing a party for me and my friends for no reason? That’s awesome!”

“No, no, no, no, no,” they said. “It’s not a party, it’s a TASTING. There’s a key distinction there that our legal department insists you acknowledge.”

Gotcha!

This par…er, tasting, by the way, was a smashing success. Upwards of 50 people showed up to enjoy endless pints of Newcastle. It was all part of a Newcastle campaign tied to a tradition long cherished in the U.K., “Walking the Dog.” While it may sound like a mundane task of suburban conformity, the phrase is being used an excuse to slip out and enjoy a pint of Newcastle with your mates. Indeed, Newcastle fans are apparently forming “dog walker” clubs all over the country. Who knows, maybe our little gathering will lead to the formation of a kennel club here in LaLa.

Cheers!