40 Years in Beer (Book II, Part 42): Barr built the bar, and the Guinness began pouring
Barr at his bar; winter of ’92-’93, after we annexed the adjoining suite and installed the strange window. Previously: 40 Years in Beer (Book II, Part 41): Just a singer in a rock and roll band (1992). And so it came to pass that during high summer of 1992, I finally clocked in for full-time duty at Rich O’s BBQ. My lifelong friend Barrie “Barr” Ottersbach came with power tools and built the bar, and I swept up his sawdust. We bought an ancient but functional three-tap keg box, cleaned and serviced and painted it, found a source for the needed nitro mix, and scored imperial pint glasses. A keg of Guinness was tapped, debuting on Tuesday, September 29. It surely was the first one in the history of Floyd County, given that our wholesaler was compelled to learn how to order kegs for the establishment of inventory. Guinness was followed a few weeks later by Carlsberg golden lager; the “third tap” came later. Guinness on tap was tantamount to our ribbon-cutting ceremony, and soon enough I was zipping down the other side of the roller coaster, round and round, up and down, all the way until 2018. — I’d already become accustomed to well-meaning naysayers...Read more