On Tap: Your Friday Drinking Instructions are Feeling Hopeful

(ed note: Kyle has gone into hibernation for a bit, but YFD lives on!)

We open our tale this sunny Friday with a story of Michigan basketball.  At 2:25 today, they'll face off against the Fighting Illini of Illinois.  Of course, you know all of this.  You know that a win cements them in the Field of 68 for the Big Dance.  You also know that Sparty's fighting for their postseason lives after being swept at the hands of YOUR Michigan Wolverines.  

But that's not all that we can be thankful for on this fine Friday.  Perhaps you've been following a little scandal south of the border in That State Down South.  Perhaps you've heard of a guy named Chris Cicero, and why he might be OSU's Ed Martin.  Perhaps you've gotten sick of bickering and investigative reporting and are bored of that weird sport they play with a round football.

Regardless of what you know or what you care about, I've got just the thing for you.  It's a beer so good even Jim Tressel should probably drink a few to "pound" his sorrows away until they grow up.  Or perhaps he could hold them for some "collateral, if you know what I mean".  All right.  Enough with the (deserved) punnery and on with the primary issue of the day:

Your beer of the week is none other than Michigan's own Founders Brewery Kentucky Breakfast Stout.  Readily available at brew houses around the world (it has been sighted in London biermarkets), this combines my favorite two alcohols - beer and bourbon.  Where do I begin with this beer?  It's delicious, that's what.  Thanks to the good folks up in Grand Rapids for this one.

For those of you beer junkies out there, here's the brief rundown.  It's a murky chocolate color (who am I kidding, this sucker is pitch black) with an equally lovely chocolate brown head, and it finishes with hints of bourbon and oaky vanilla.  Unlike other beers which come off too strong with alcohol flavors (a la Fred Jackson about RBs) this one has a very subtle hint of bourbon.  It should be noted, as well, that this beer has a whopping 11.2% ABV.  Hot diggity.  So, it'll be a perfect celebratory drink or an equally perfect, uh, non-celebratory drink?  Enjoy this one slowly, and you'll reap the rewards.  Enjoy this one quickly if the afternoon turns sour.  But really, sip this one, and then save a bottle or two for a celebratory Selection Sunday or an equally depressive manic-drinking binge.

Lucky for me, I don't have to worry about drinking at work when I enjoy this fine brew over a nice warmup to March Madness (which some might say is officially upon us).  So go call in sick, enjoy the rest of your afternoon and some fine Big Ten Basketball (for a pick-me-up, read those emails again).  I'll leave you with this:

I wouldn't mind the game today playing out like that.  Not at all.

Cheers, Michigan Faithful!