Craft beer culture is practically a religion in some circles, and the good word is spreadin’ faster and faster in recent years. It used to be when you went to your local brewery, it was akin to church and you’d see the same congregants week after week (if not day to day). There’s a written code, and then there are the unwritten rules, both for the actual process of brewing and more generally for how to act for established members and newcomers alike.
It was one of those mornings where you hear the theme from 2001: Space Odyssey in your head; promise, trepidation, and excitement all rolled into one emotion. Last weekend, Cigar City Brewing hosted their 7th Annual Hunahpu's Day, and it definitely lived up to the massive amounts of hype that surrounds it.
To the uninitiated, Hunahpu's Day might sound like some kind of Hawaiian new year's celebration or Mayan ritual. But to craft beer lovers across the country, it means only one thing: The annual release of one of Cigar City Brewing's rarest and most delicious beers.
It all started with this painting... Hanging at the Vagabond, my stomping grounds at the time back in 2010, I stopped in the middle of the dance floor and stood staring at it. It was only for 5 minutes tops, but in the middle of a crowded room with music bumping, that's a long time; eventually I moved on but I found myself circling through the backyard and main room before landing back in front of it again. I couldn't help myself, there wasn't a price listed but something in my gut pushed me to see if it was in the realm of possibility for me to own this. So I found out from one of my friends that worked at the club, who's the artist, are they here? "Her name's Kazilla, she should be around here somewhere."