Excellent news last week with the email from Neal Stewart, Director of Marketing with Flying Dog Brewery of Denver Colorado that they are putting up the prize for the next contest here at A Good Beer Blog. You will be pleased to learn that I bartered for swag on behalf of the winner and can report that the prize this go around is a presentation pack of Wild Dog Gonzo Imperial Porter, a t-shirt and a hat to be forwarded from the brewery upon selection. Excellent.
So what is the challenge? I've latched on the word "gonzo" for this one. You know, when I were but a country lad back in the 1970s, the art of Ralph Steadman that now graces every Flying Dog bottle regularly appeared in Rolling Stone often along with the works of Hunter S. Thompson, called the creator of gonzo journalism. It also infused that classic movie that I first saw as a high-school geek at the drive-in in 1980, WHere the Buffalo Roam. Come to think of it, that's the last time I saw it.
So, what I would like is 100 words or less (or more) in an essay (or haiku or photo or pottery) on what "gonzo" means to you now, for you and your beer. Is it how you brew? Is it how you hit all the craft beer festivals? Is it a goal we see off there on the horizon and never reach ourselves? Is it the god you pray to daily? I think it is only appropriate to note that there cannot be any real rules in relation to the submissions. Do what you like, submit it by 4 pm eastern standard time on 10 August 2007 [Ed.: OK, blame the men in suits about the whole calendar thing]. The best submission wins it all and the prize will be winged to you from Flying Dog.
You got questions? We have comments posting power so send them in. And have a look here for past contests.






Comments
Dave Selden - July 17, 2007 1:54 am
Not as awesome as your prize, but just as I pushed submit, your contest came through on my RSS reader, so I thought you might be interested in our mini-contest over on the left coast:
http://www.bsbrewing.com/blog/?p=249
Dave
Alan - July 17, 2007 8:26 am
That is a good t-shirt. I'd have t-shirts if I wasn't so lazy.
Stonch - July 17, 2007 8:44 am
I have only ever heard of the word "gonzo" in the context of pornography, so I think I'd best not enter!
ALan - July 17, 2007 8:55 am
I would have thought that would be a strong attribute to bring to the question.
Bill Johnson - July 27, 2007 7:10 am
The word "gonzo" brings to mind a feeling of quiet contempt for the system and those who choose to push the rules down our throats. It would be more enjoyable to ease a cool Flying Dog down my gullet and sit back with some of Hunter's works and listen to some hot blues. Sort of keeps the gonzo feeling alive, knowing that I'm doing my part to be anti-establishment.
Cheers
Alan - July 27, 2007 9:06 am
Bill! You have just made the first entry in the Gonzo competition through a description of your performance art piece entitled "Gonzo With Lawn Chair" - excellent.