Beer And Conversation With Pigweed And Crowhill

The boys drink and review Pigweed's homebrew clone of Steady Eddy IPA, then discuss a novella from John Steinbeck as part of their "shortcut to the classics" series. After a brief biographical review of Steinbeck, the boys discuss the basic story, then their impressions of the book and its characters. The novel begins with a description of Cannery Row in Monterey, California, during the Great Depression. The row is a small, tight-knit community centered around sardine canneries, inhabited by colorful characters. Most of the story centers around Doc, a marine biologist, and Mack and the boys, who are collection of good-natured ne'er-do-wells.

P&C drink and review Crowhill’s homebrewed Tavern Ale, then discuss evolution.  They start with a quick review of Darwin and his times and how scientists were slowly coming to the realization that the origin of the earth and life spanned a far longer time span than the Bible seemed to allow.  There are still a lot of things we don’t know about our history, but there are some things we know for sure.  * The earth is old.  * Life is old (maybe a billion years).  * Most creatures that have lived have gone extinct.  * Creatures have changed over time.  * Evolution seems to explain certain things about modern biology.  Other things remain debatable, such as the question of what drives the changes. Modern evolutionary theory seems to be struggling with this question right now. P&C have their doubts about the modern consensus that random genetic mutation is the stuff of evolution.  P&C try to work through the issues, balancing philosophy, science, and common sense.

The boys drink and review Perni Haze IPA from Wicked Weed Brewing, then discuss Trump’s options for a running mate.  Trump is faced with a unique challenge because he can only serve one more term, so whoever he picks is likely to be the presidential nominee for 2028, and that person could potentially serve for eight years.  Christi Noem – P&C think she’s probably torpedoed her chances by writing in her memoir about shooting her dog.  Elise Stephanik – An unknown quantity to P&C. Not willing to recommend.  Vivek Ramaswammy – He was an early favorite of P&C, but his performance in the debates moved him down the list. He would make a great cabinet official.  Kari Lake – Seems to have gone off the edge a bit.  Tulsi Gabbard – P&C like her, but the fact that she’s been a Democrat for so long makes her too much of a long shot.  Marjory Taylor Green – She’s good as a firebrand / bomb thrower, and that role suits her, but she has no place in the White House.  Greg Abbott – Does he even want this job?

The boys drink and review Sunshine Pilsner and Springtime Lager (both by Troeggs) while they discuss beer styles.  There are only two main categories of beer: lagers and ales. They are distinguished by the type of yeast used (not by color or strength). Lagers use a bottom-fermenting yeast that ferment at lower temperatures while ales use a top-fermenting yeast that ferment at slightly higher temperatures.  Lagers tend to be more crisp in flavor while ales tend to have more complex flavors.  Generally speaking we think of light-colored beers when we think of lagers, but there are dark lagers like a bock or a schwartz beer, and there are dark-ish lagers like Octoberfest or Dunkel. Lagers take longer to ferment.  Ales tend to be quick-fermenting beers that can be ready to drink in a week or two. Historically, ales were served at cellar temperature. (Warm by U.S. standards.)  Most modern craft beers are ales.  Some of the contrasts that make up the various beer styles are …  * Ale vs. lager  * Dark vs. light  * M

The boys drink and review Tsingtao beer, then discuss the threat posed by modern China. China is deliberately undermining America. They don't even hide it. And we don't seem to do anything about it. There are many ways to defeat an enemy. According to Sun Tzu, the wisest approach is to defeat them without fighting them. How are they doing this? * They sow division * They discourage people from joining the military * They poison us with TikTok * They get our youth addicted to fentanyl * They're encouraging people to hate the U.S. government * They encourage campus radicals * They encourage everything that undermines the family China is also challenging us overseas with their belt and road initiative. They steal our technology, and require U.S. businesses who deal in China to share technology. The PRC has publicly declared that they consider every aspect of our infrastructure as fair game. And what do we do? We let millions of people spill over our border.

P&C drink and review a Wee Heavy from Belhaven brewery, then discuss Pearl Davis and her opinions on men’s rights. The boys first heard about Pearl when The Daily Wire’s Andrew Klavan and Michael Knowles interviewed her. She’s an anti-feminist but also somewhat anti-traditionalist. Pearl tries to focus on reality – the facts on the ground – rather than coming from a particular ideological viewpoint. From Pearl’s perspective, marriage is a raw deal for men. Here are some quotes from Pearl, to give you a feel for her point of view. “Women can’t be criticized on the internet” If a man says a woman isn’t wife material, is he allowed to have that opinion? Traditional conservatives believe in holding men accountable. A man can’t be broke. He has to take care of his family. He has to stay in shape. When women do something wrong, it’s always because they were lied to. It’s always because of feminism. Why is it that when women do something wrong it’s always somebody else’s fault? “Women like to be

The boys drink and review Chocolate Cherry Stout by Firestone Walker Brewing, then discuss an alternative history book about the evolution of humans.  In this view of human evolution, a different group of humans – the Floyds – took over Beringia and then migrated into America. When Columbus came to the Americas, he didn’t find Homo Sapiens. He found the Floyds.  The book starts by introducing us to this alternative modern life, where modern man and this other version of man are living side by side. We learn the history – from Beringia until the conflict with Columbus.  First contact took place in Florida, which is why they’re called “Floros,” politely, or “Floyds,” derogatively.  The Floros are very compact and strong, and very useful in close-in fighting. They were captured en masse and taken to Europe to serve as infantry in everybody’s armies.  They integrated into society to some extent, but remained second-class citizens.  Once warfare modernized, and close-in fighting was not prized to the same extent

P&C drink and review Experimental Black IPA from Bell’s, then discuss Christian Nationalism.  First, what the heck is Christian Nationalism? Pigweed started with three theories.  An invention of the left to denigrate patriotic Christians.  It’s a real movement that is way overdue if we’re going to save this great nation.  It’s a real movement that is a threat to religious liberty and will transform America into a theocracy.  Were Christian nationalists behind Jan. 6, and do they want to create something like The Handmaid’s Tale? That’s what the left wants us to believe.  The opposite is the case. The left is trying to eliminate the influence of Christianity. The Amy Coney Barrett nomination process showed that clearly. We’ve come to the point that being a sincere believer might disqualify you from public office.  Four separate Supreme Court cases – that have never been overturned – say that the United States is a Christian nation.  What does that mean? Is it contrary to pluralism? Does it mean th

P&C drink and review Hell or High Watermelon from 21st Amendment Brewery, then, with special guest Longinus, discuss the cost of professional sports.  Why are we, in the words of Pigweed, willing to spend so much money to watch grown men play children’s games?   But that’s not to the point. The boys are focused on the cost of a baseball or football game. Why has it increased so much? Is it worth it?  From 1970 to the present – in today’s dollars – the cost for a family of four to attend a baseball game is about 4x. Who pays this, and why?  Along with this increase in prices, we have an increase in coverage. When Pigweed was a lad, there was one, one-hour show on sports. Now, we have several 24x7 sports stations talking about sports all year long.  There’s also the moral question. In a world that can’t decide what a woman is, sports provides some clear guidelines. The player is either in or out. The ball is in the strike zone or it’s not.  Another angle – people can’t sit quietly with their own thoughts. T

The boys drink and review Pigweed's homebrew Irish Stout, then invite John Wayne Jew onto the show to speak about the month in woke (at about 4:00). The silliness of woke-ism is almost unbelievable. P&C and their special guest discuss some of the obvious lunacies, including the following. Some Canadian police recently encouraged residents to leave their car keys outside so thieves can steal cars without any violent confrontation. After the destruction of the Key bridge in Baltimore, some wokesters want a name chance, since Francis Scott Key doesn't meet modern moral standards. A Democratic representative says black should be exempt from taxation to make up for past injustices. NPR hired 50 new interns. Only 5 of them were white males. On the positive side, some companies are pulling back on DEI and other woke policies, but it's not clear if that's a significant trend.

P&C drink and review Cru Cab IPA from Big Truck brewery, then invite special guest Longinus to help them discuss a novella by Marquez. This is part of P&C's on-going "shortcut to the classics" series. The book is written by an old man about an old man who is reflecting on his life. On his 90th birthday, the unnamed protagonist -- who is a confirmed bachelor and frequent patron of brothels -- wanted to give himself a night of wild love with an adolescent virgin. The book is about his reminiscenses, but mostly about his relationship with this one girl. The protagonist has lived 90 years with no love in his life, but now, at the end, he falls madly in love with a very young girl, with whom he doesn't have sex. The book presents some deep reflections on love, sex, passion, and jealousy. In one sense, it's a very raunchy and disturbing book, with difficult themes. In another sense, it's an interesting commentary on love.

The boys drink and review Crimson Crue red ale from Dogfish Head brewery, then discuss apocalyptic religions -- specifically the JWs and the SDAs. The two groups have points in common and some important distinctions. Both groups are rooted in the Millerite movement and some disappointing predictions about the end of the world. They both * believe in one God, * are somewhat obsessed with the Book of Revelation, * have some odd views about what happens to the soul at death, * believe the Bible is inspired and infallible, and * are (or can be) a touch cultic. The distinctions are more important. The JWs are not Christians, in the sense that they do not believe in the Trinity. SDAs do. 7th Day Adventists also have a better understanding of salvation, and several other things. SDAs have some interesting distinctions -- like their insistence on a Saturday Sabbath, and their reliance on the prophecies of Ellen G. White -- but they are Christians.

The boys drink and review Super Thick Pastry Stout from Old Mother Brewing in Frederick, Maryland, then discuss the Big 5 personality characteristics. There are a lot of personality tests out there, like Myers Briggs and the Enneagram. Those aren't as solidly based in science as the Big Five. You can remember the Big Five with with of two acrostics, OCEAN or CANOE. They are ... The Big Five personality traits, also known as the Five Factor Model (FFM), are a widely accepted framework for understanding human personality. They represent broad dimensions of individual differences in personality. Here's a brief explanation of each: Openness to Experience features characteristics such as imagination, insight, and a broad range of interests. Individuals high in openness are often curious about the world and other people, eager to learn new things, and open to new experiences, including unconventional ideas or novel solutions. They tend to be creative and appreciative of art and beauty. Conscientiousness

The boys drink and review Planetary hazy IPA from the Ministry of Brewing, then discuss the decline of religion in the west. The boys review some of the stats on the decline in church attendance, the rise of the "nones," and how religion has less and less influence on western civilization. But there are some important elements of society that are heavily and positively influenced by religion. Many science-minded people think it's good that religion is in decline. The so-called "new atheists" say we can craft a new morality based on reason. Is that really working? This aligns with the the ideas of the enlightenment -- that reason could replace religion. But does that work? Richard Dawkins recently revealed that he was a "cultural Christian." Is that all we have? The P&C show has frequently discussed an evolutionary psychology explanation for religion. Societies with religion edged out those without. There's a quote attributed to Chesterton that says "when m

The boys drink and review Tmave Pivo, a Czech Dark Lager by Ten Eyck brewing. 54% of people in America think the government has too much power. Does the federal government do too much? Is it too big? Government debt has been a problem for a while, but recently it has spiked to almost unbelievable levels. Is this a good thing? How do we stop it? What is the federal government supposed to do, and how does that match with what the federal government actually does? There are some things the government does -- and spends money on -- that have no justification in the constitution. The Ben Franklin players finish the show with a dramatic reading.

The boys drink and review Giant Flaming Zombie Polar Bear Double IPA by Atlas Brewing, then discuss Frank Herbert's Dune and J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. Which one is better? Where are they similar, and where are they different? Dune is a great work of science fiction and the Lord of the Rings is a great work of fantasy. They have a lot of things in common, including a medieval fee, knights, castles, great houses, wizard-like characters, and immense, involved world building. There are strong differences as well. Dune looks to the future while the LOTR looks to the past, and has more of a nostalgic feel. Dune is technological, but in the LOTR, it's usually the bad guys who use technology. The LOTR has a much clearer moral universe, with more differentiation between the good guys and the bad guys. It's not exactly clear who the good guys are in Dune. Tolkien was a devout Catholic, and the LOTR is infused with a religious sensibility, even though there is not actual religion in the bo

The boys drink and review Big Red Norm Red Ale from Denizen's Brewing, then discuss speed dating. Imagine that a friend drags you into speed dating. What would you do? First, you have to decide what your intentions are. But given that, what questions can you ask to find out if the woman is nuts? What are the deal-breaker questions? Tattoos? Drinking? (Not drinking?) Weed? The questions you ask in speed dating might focus on sussing out a few issues, such as ... * How boring they are * Their interests * Personality * Neuroticism * Intelligence There's not much time. How would you prioritize your questions? Man of the week: All the Planet Fitness members who are leaving.

The boys drink and review Delicious IPA from Stone's Brewing, then try to work through the confusing world of gender and the horrible legacy of gender theory. Isn't "gender" about language? How did it come to describe people's sexuality? Enter John Money, the disgusting pervert who is the father of gender theory. He promoted the idea that gender is not connected with sex, and that gender is malleable. He coined the terms gender role and sexual orientation. Money was behind the tragedy of David Reimer, who after a horrible accident during a circumcision lost his entire penis. Money convinced the parents to raise the boy as a girl. It was a catastrophe, but it became the proof -- among sexologists and perverts -- that sex was just a social construct, and that if you raise a boy as a girl, he'll be a girl. It didn't work out that way and it ruined poor David's life. He never took to his female "identity," and eventually committed suicide. We're coming to a po

The boys drink and review Crowhill's homebrewed Viking Stout, then catch up on recent news with electric vehicles. There has been concern about fires and EVs. They burn hot, and it's hard to put them out. With some experience behind us now, while there are still concerns, it's not as bad as feared. EVs are still mostly a luxury item. They're great as a second car, but they can't completely replace gasoline vehicles. They don't work well in the cold. They take a long time to charge. There aren't enough charging stations. They don't have enough range. It would be a disaster if people tried to evacuate Florida in EVs. Home charging is not an option for people who live in apartments, or otherwise don't have access to home charging options. Government goals for EV production and adoption have been way too optimistic. After a solid flood of early adopters, demand has softened considerably. EVs are not as green as people expect. They usually get their power from coal. The mat

The boys drink and review O'Hara's Nitro Irish Red, then discuss Tucker's trip to Moscow and his chat with Putin. When only one side of a story can be told, you can be sure you're not hearing the whole truth. It makes sense to try to hear the other side. According to some, Putin is the devil and you can't say anything nice about him or give him any platform. (Even though the same critics were jealous that they didn't get the interview.) Putin begins the interview with a half hour of his perspective on Russian history, but they eventually get into some interesting Q&A about Ukraine and other issues. Some of Putin's claims were absurd, such as blaming Poland for WWII. But there were other details about possible peace deals to end the Ukraine war that we don't hear about much in the U.S. After the interview, Tucker went on a tour of Moscow and said some very stupid things about grocery stores and subway stations in Russia. That undercut the significance of the interview a