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Beer In Art #143: Adriaen Brouwer’s In The Tavern

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This week’s work of art is by the Flemish artist Adriaen Brouwer, who was a part of the Baroque movement and lived from 1605-1638. He was especially known for his genre works and painted scenes of everyday life, which were very popular during his lifetime. According to Wikipedia; “Tradition has it that Brouwer himself spent much time in the alehouses of Flanders and Holland. His works are typically detailed and small, and often adopt themes of debauchery, drunkenness and foolishness in order to explore human emotions, expressions and responses to pain, fear and the senses.” One well known painting of Brouwer’s, In the Tavern, done in the last year of his life, 1638.

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Referred to by one art critic as “a particularly picturesque scene,” he describes the painting:

Adriaen Brower has portrayed a group of individuals seated at a table. An innkeeper is serving them. The style is remarkably direct. The figures are in various positions, notably the figure in the middle who is raising his glass of beer with gusto. The artist has paid careful attention to his details: the remains of a meal on the table; the knife sticking out of the belt of the figure with his back to the viewer; and the carefully executed jug in the foreground.

While I like it, I think my favorite is one that’s known by various titles: The Bitter Drunk, the Bitter Draught, the Bitter Tonic, and the Bitter Potion. Painted in 1635, some accounts say it depicts a man having just taken some disagreeable medicine, while based on the titles, others believe simply strong, bitter beer. But I just love the expression on his face. Who among us hasn’t seen a bad drunk with that expression?

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Yet another is known as Seated Drinkers, though its date is uncertain.

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Another is Peasants Smoking and Drinking, painted in 1635.

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And finally, Village Scene with Men Drinking, painted between 1631-35.

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You can read more about Brouwer at his Wikipedia page and his biography at the Web Gallery. There’s another biography at Art Table, and also a small gallery of more of his work. You can see yet more of Brouwer’s paintings at the Web Gallery of Art, Olga’s Gallery, Wikimedia and ArtCyclopedia.

Update On DBA’s Ray Deter

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I received an update on d.b.a. bar owner Ray Deter’s condition, after being in a bicycle accident earlier this week. I desperately had hoped the news would be better, but Ray’s wife, Catherine Lepp, posted the following on d.b.a.’s Facebook page earlier today:

Thanks so much for everyone’s kind words and support for me and the boys….Ray will no longer be with us after this weekend, but we hope our loss will give life to others. Please celebrate Ray as he passes on.

Love to you all, Catherine, Jake & Maxwell

The Times-Picayune, the Village Voice and the Gothamist have the same story. And if you haven’t yet read Tom Peters’ reminiscences about Ray, head over the Monk’s Cafe website. My heart goes out to Ray’s wife Catherine and his two sons.

UPDATE 7.3: I got the news a few hours ago that Ray passed away. Please drink a toast tonight to honor the memory of Ray Deter. He will be missed.

DBA Owner Ray Deter Critcally Injured In Bicycle Accident

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I learned this morning that Ray Deter, the owner of the d.b.a. beer bars in New York City and New Orleans, was critically injured in a bicycle accident last night in New York. That information comes from Tom Peters of Monk’s Cafe in Philadelphia.

Although not mentioning Deter by name, DNAinfo, a local news website covering Manhattan has the story. According to Tom, Ray “was struck by a car while he was riding his bike back to DBA last night.” He is apparently in critical condition at Bellvue and the prognosis looks very grim.

My heart goes out to Ray and his family at this difficult time.

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Ray Deter in front of the New Orleans d.b.a. with Garrett Oliver several years ago.

Beer In Art #127: Carlos Morel’s Duel In The Taproom

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This week’s work of art is by an artist from Argentina, Carlos Morel. I saw the original in Buenos Aires at the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes. The painting is known as Payada en Una Pulperia or Duel in the Taproom and was created in 1840.

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The duel depicted in the painting is of the musical variety, with two guitar players squaring off against one another to the general merriment of all the people drinking in the taproom.

Morel is considered to be Argentina’s first great painter. He was born in Buenos Airies in 1813 and lived until 1894, painting a great number of watercolors and oil paintings throughout his career. Here’s a translated biography

A Texas Bar & The Power Of Prayer

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It reads like a joke, so I don’t know if it’s true or not, though it does come from the Clark County Democrat of Grove Hill, Alabama from late October, 2009. Thanks to Pete Slosberg, who sent me the link. Apparently, a Texas beer joint sues church…. Here’s the joke … er, story:

In a small Texas town, (Mt. Vernon) Drummond’s bar began construction on a new building to increase their business. The local Baptist church started a campaign to block the bar from opening with petitions and prayers. Work progressed right up till the week before opening when lightning struck the bar and it burned to the ground.

The church folks were rather smug in their outlook after that, until the bar owner sued the church on the grounds that the church was ultimately responsible for the demise of his building, either through direct or indirect actions or means.

The church vehemently denied all responsibility or any connection to the building’s demise in its reply to the court.

As the case made its way into court, the judge looked over the paperwork. At the hearing he commented, “I don’t know how I’m going to decide this, but as it appears from the paperwork, we have a bar owner who believes in the power of prayer, and an entire church congregation that does not.”

Saturday Toast To Don Younger

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There’s at least one more worldwide toast to Portland Publican Don Younger. This one is set to take place at 5:00 p.m. YLT (your local time) on Saturday, February 26. It was organized by Phil Farrel, who you probably will recognize as “The Rubber Chicken Man.”

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Phil Farrell

Phil gave me a flier about the toast during SF Beer Week, and I’ve gotten several e-mails about the toast now, so I figured I should help spread the word, too. The BA’s CraftBeer.com also mentions it in a post by Celebrator publisher Tom Dalldorf entitled A Toast To: Don Younger 1941-2011.

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Don raising a pint with Jonathan and Robin Surratt during GABF in 2007. On Saturday we should all do likewise.

R.I.P. Don Younger 1941-2011

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I just heard that Don Younger, owner of the Horse Brass in Portland, passed away last night around 12:30 a.m. He will be greatly missed. The craft beer community has lost one of its earliest and most ardent supporters, and a great friend to so many of us. Here’s to you, Don.

I just spoke to Lisa Morrison, who was up very late, first at the Hospital and then out with friends toasting and celebrating Don Younger’s life. Though nothing definite has been decided, it’s likely there will be a charity wake at some point soon. One story she told me seemed to sum it up best. There was a parade of visitors at the hospital going in, one at a time, to visit Don, and the nurse asked who Don was, to which Lisa replied “he was our Messiah.” Amen.

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Don Younger 1941-2011

Below is an interview Tom Dalldorf of the Celebrator Beer News did along with Lisa Morrison for the 30th anniversary of the Horse Brass.

Beer In Art #114: Sam Rigling’s Crying In His Beer

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art-beer
This week’s work of art is by American artist Sam Rigling, who it appears is from around Shreveport, Louisiana. The title of the painting is Crying in His Beer.”

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There’s not much information about Rigling, or the painting. The Fine Frame Gallery has the following:

Many of Rigling’s paintings exhibit an undercurrent of humor depicting small fragments of the “human comedy.” Scenes in his paintings often depict bar scenes, conversation or parties. He has participated in many one-man and group shows, winning many honors and fans. Galleries throughout North America have represented Sam. Fine Frame Gallery has been selling his work for over 15 years and is pleased to represent such a fine artist. His paintings are in collections in Canada, the U.S., Japan, and Europe.

And here’s one of his many paintings depicting scenes in bars, this one’s titled One For the Road.

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You can see a few more of Rigling’s paintings at the Fine Frame Gallery and Nader’s Gallery.

Don Younger In Hospital

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Don Younger, owner of the Horse Brass in Portland, has been the subject of numerous rumors today throughout the Twitterverse. I wanted to find out what’s really going on so I called a friend in Portland who’s close to the situation, and here’s what I’ve learned.

Don fell last week and broke his shoulder, and was taken to the hospital. Because of numerous medications he’d been on and the health of his lungs, doctors have him on a respirator and are keeping him for observation. The prognosis does not appear favorable and there apparently isn’t much that the doctors can do except watch, and wait, at least for now. Don’s a tough customer, and has as strong a will as anyone I’ve known, so I’m hoping that will see him through this. It looks like we should know more in the next few hours or days.

Please join me in sending your prayers and positive thoughts Don’s way. Drink a toast to Don’s health. I’ll update this as new information becomes available.

UPDATE: John Foyston has more information up at the Oregonian.

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Don with my son Porter when he was a toddler at the Rogue Alehouse in San Francisco.

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Don sharing a beer with me and Tom Dalldorf at the Celebrator offices a number of years ago.

Brickskeller Re-Opens As “Bier Baron”

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The Brickskeller is now re-opened, only a week after it changed hands. The original name was reported to be “Rock Creek,” but according to D.C.’s Young & Hungry blog, that name was already taken and eventually they settled on the “Bier Baron” as the new name. A new canopy sign won’t be up until Friday, followed by more improvements and, presumably, a new website in the coming weeks.

New owner Megan Merrifield expects to “have 500 different beers, and every one of them, without question, will be available.” 350 were bequeathed by Dave and Diane Alexander and the rest will be sourced by Merrifield and her new crew, a few of which are employees who worked for the Brickskeller.

Local TV station, Channel 9 News Now, also has a short video report: