Il Vicino turns 20 years old in style

It was actually rather a miracle that I was able to attend this wonderful proceeding at all; my work schedule changed at the last minute (the beer gods be praised) which allowed me to enjoy this great event!

This week has been quite hot in the afternoons, pushing into the upper echelon of heat in the Land of Enchantment and Saturday was no different. Thankfully, the staff of Il Vicino had us well covered (literally) with two large Biergarten tents alongside several smaller ones for vendors and of course their marvelous patio. Cold water was also readily available, which was a definite need owing to the fact that there were 50 (count ‘em!) delicious beers to sample from ’07 onwards.

I began my tasting excursion in the stout section, of course, where I was greeted by four vintages of the much beloved St. Bob’s imperial stout. Drinking imperial stout in the blazing heat of a June afternoon may seem quite, well, insane, but I assure you it is

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