What's with the Ugly Mug?

You may have been startled to see that horrifically ugly image on the bottle of Stickenjab as this page opened above. Some (most notably those on the left of the political spectrum) have postulated that it's none other than GWB. But it isn't.

Here's the story. A few years back, when Tom Baker had Heavyweight Brewing running on all 12 cylinders, he collaborated with the NJ Ass'n of Beerwriters--NJAB, for short--on a special beer. It was an alt and a stickebier (secret, usually shared by brewers only within the fraternity), and combining its name and the name of the organization that helped him brew it resulted in Stickenjab. The beer, while brewed, received many highly favorable reviews from the many malt mavens who tasted it.

Tom was seeking ideas for an appropriate label for this master brew, and I offered to don some pugilistic attire and pose for a picture. Bill Coleman, cartoon-meister par excellence from ASN drew the caricature that graces the label from the photograph. There are those wiseguys who say it's not a caricature at all, and it more accurately reflects my actual looks than the original photo. But they're either drunks or good-looking women in their 20's and 30's.

Heavyweight Brewing filled a very special niche in the beer world, developing an excellent reputation for big, creative beers (and a devoted, if not rabid, clientele), but has since passed into history, though Tom and his delightful wife Peggy are back in business in Philadelphia,
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Anyway, that's the story of the pic on the bottle. I'm told that unopened bottles of Stickenjab are fetching amazing prices on E-bay (the most recent bid being upwards of, um, $6,000,000), so if you're lucky enough to come across one, snap it up. In a few months , you'll be able to use the proceeds from it to buy a tank of gas for your Hybrid. Empty bottles in superb condition fetch slightly less--about $1.89.

Happy Mothers' Day to all those moms who keep the world running on a somewhat even keel. That reminds me; I have to go out and get my missus a gift.

Weedwhackers are on sale at Home Depot.

Cheers!

PS: She loved the gift and is using it as you read this.