From the Beer Writer: Many are the fans of the beers at East Village brewpub, Monkey Paw Pub & Brewery. And many are the beers of that divey-but-divine spot. But few are the opportunity for those fans to take those beers home in bottles, making the chance to get Monkey Paw Thank You! Double IPA in 22-ounce glass something of an early Christmas present. At first-blush, being able to buy a beer doesn’t seem all that special, but owner Scot Blair is essentially giving this beer away, charging a miniscule $4 a-bottle, which he says is just enough to cover the costs of brewing and packaging the hop-heavy (read: expensive-to-produce) beer. Its the celebrated local publican’s way of saying thank-you to those who have supported Monkey Paw over the past five years, a milestone he will officially celebrate tomorrow, Saturday, November 19, when Thank You! and holiday imperial-stout Santa’s Pet Monkey go on-sale to the public at Monkey Paw. Adding to the value (I’d say collectability, but holding onto a fresh IPA is San Diego sacrilege) is the fact these are some of the last beers that will be produced by Monkey Paw’s popular head brewer, Cosimo Sorrentino, who recently announced his impending departure from the business at year’s end. Rather than toasting all that could have been had he stayed, might I suggest toasting all that he and Blair accomplished in conjunction with the craft-beer fans they are extending their gratitude toward with this pair of releases.
From the Brewer: “In English, ‘thank you’ derives from ‘think’. It used to mean, ‘I will remember what you did for me.’ Everyday people thank us for what we do as brewers and publicans and every time I want to say, ‘No, thank you.’ I’m stoked every day to have my job and to be part of this community. That only happens when hundreds of people choose to spend their hard-earned money on our beers and/or in our establishments. Thank You! double IPA is our way to say, ‘I have and will continue to remember what you do for us.’ We have made a beer in the style of Muriqui and Gibbon Back, and bottled it two days before the release with a message to ‘Drink this now!’ Selling the beer for $4 per-bottle out the brewery door covers our costs and keeps it legal, but otherwise results in no profit. This one is for the conscious beer drinkers!”—Cosimo Sorrentino, Head Brewer, Monkey Paw Pub & Brewery