40 Years in Beer (Book III), Part 93: Beer, circus, and the Great NABC vs. Big Red Liquors War of 2003

Previously: 40 Years in Beer (Book III), Part 92: Pentecostal pews, beer judging exams and Bixology (2001-2003). I’ve always found solace in tales of heroic struggle against overwhelming odds, even when defeat is inevitable, although one always holds out hope of ultimate redemption owing to the undisputed righteousness of the cause. The preceding emphatically fails to describe the comic-opera cadence of The Great NABC Vs. Big Red Liquors War of 2003, in which we misbehaved a little, and the response was far out of proportion to the transgression. Is the war over now? I think so. The conflict probably concluded when I left NABC, but truthfully, I never cared a jot about Big Red Liquors, before or after. I’ve no idea which persons or conglomerates own the chain now, or whether the ownership is local, multinational or intergalactic. In retrospect, as specifically addressing the Big Red Liquors “festival” on that idiotic April day in Bloomington in 2003, I take responsibility for my own shortcomings as a manager. One of my people took the lead in instigating the kerfuffle (if you know, you know; I won’t mention his name because flattering sociopaths isn’t something I enjoy doing). I ignored it. Obviously, I shouldn’t have. Just the same,...Read more