After the Double IPA Festival on Saturday, I stopped by The Trappist in Oakland to see Rob Tod from Allagash, who had flown in from Maine a few hours before. We got a call from him when he touched down while we judging at the festival. The week before, while attending a charity event and schlepping some kegs, Rob slipped on the ice and two full kegs smacked together on his hand, breaking three fingers, dislocating two, and flattening his wedding ring. He saved the ring with a pliers — now that’s love! I figured if he could endure all that and still fly in for SF Beer Week, the least I could do was drive a few miles to see him. He was in surprisingly good spirits, but that might easily have been his terrific beers showing their medicinal uses. I finally had a chance to try the collaboration beer, Fedeltá, that he made with the brewers from De Struise. After a day of Double IPAs, it was a welcome change, and quite delicious.

No two-fisted drinking for 6-8 weeks.