BEER SWAP LOCKOUT?

WELCOME BACK, NFL!

The return of the NFL Season, brings with it some Beer Swap controversy. The Philadelphia Eagles will play the New York (whatever you do, do not punt to DeSean Jackson) Giants in the New (but still smelly) Meadowlands on November 20, 2011 at 8:20 p.m. As is tradition from the time of the Swap Founding Fathers, the Beer Swap shall "thus teketh place on the date and time aforesaid."

However, there are voices of dissent.

Unnamed sources have advised me that some of unwashed Swap masses believe that the Event is better placed after Thanksgiving and closer to Christmas. Still others complain that the imbibing is better placed in an afternoon game.

I for one believe in tradition and am prepared to lock out any who disagree. (Don't be fooled, although the "bevridges" (sic) will be consumed at my parent's house, I still have a key and will literally lock you out.)

In the interest of negotiation (ala President Barry O and the debt cieling), I am willing to offer a compromise and allow you to have the chance to vote and agree with me.

Your choices are:

1) November 20, 2011 at 8:20 p.m. (Eagles @ Giants); or

2) December 11, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. (Eagles @ Dolphins).

Voting will remain open until midnight on Friday, August 5, 2011. Please email me with your vote.

EAGLES RECORD @ THE BEER SWAP

For those of you asked, the Eagles all time record during the Beer Swap is 4 wins and 2 losses. The results are as follows:



November 20, 2005 Giants 27 Eagles 17

December 17, 2006 Eagles 36 Giants 22

December 9, 2007 Giants 16 Eagles 13

December 7, 2008 Eagles 20 Giants 14

December 13, 2009 Eagles 45 Giants 38

December 19, 2010 Eagles 38 Giants 31 (The Miracle at the New Meadowlands)

MIRACLE AT THE BEER SWAP!

2010 CHAMPION & FINAL SCORING

FINAL SCORING:

1) Troegs Pale Ale: 76.16667
2) River Horse Hop Hazard: 74.65000
3) Sierra Nevada Pale Ale: 67.13333
4) Hop Mountain Pale Ale: 65.31667
5) Steelhead Pale Ale: 64.46667
6) Liberty Ale: 62.78333
7) Doggie Style Pale Ale: 61.63333
8) Stone Pale Ale: 56.76667
9) Sam Adams Pale Ale: 56.33333
10) Yards Pale Ale: 51.56667
11) Pennsylvania Pale Ale: 50.41667

SWAP 2010 IS SUNDAY!

THE BEER SWAP IS ON FOR SUNDAY. THE EAGLES-GIANTS GAME STARTS @ 1:00 P.M. TASTING/VOTING/SCORING WILL OCCUR THROUGHOUT THE GAME. PLEASE EMAIL ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

IF YOU HAVE NOT CALLED YOUR BEER IN, PLEASE DO SO TOMORROW. WE HAVE TO FINALIZE THE BALLOTS.

2010 Scoring System

The Rules Committee has met and has decided to slighly modify the scoring system. Voting will still be on the same categories and same scales (Taste: (1-10)/Label: (1-5)/Name: (1-5) and Cap (1-3). The higher the number, the better it is. The tweaking comes in the calculation.



We will then weight the scores as follows: Taste (75%) Label (10%) Name (10%) and Cap (5%).



If you really, really care, here is an example: If you get a perfect score in every category, the raw score would be 10-5-5-3. The weighted score would be 7.5, 1, 1, .5 for a total score of 10. If you get the worst score in each category, the raw score would be 1-1-1-1. The weighted score would be .75, .2, .2, and .16667 for an awful score of 1.31667.



This is closer to the system going way back to the frozen tundra of Beer Swap Year 1 and encourages good taste and creativity.



We love to make things complicated!

INTERVIEW WITH THE REIGNING CHAMP

We caught up with the reigning champion of the Beer Swap, Josh Findlay, to see if being a first-time champion has had any impact on his preparation for this year's event.

Beer Swap: You finally got the monkey off your back and got a chance to sip for the first time from the Lombeerdi Trophy. Did that have any impact on your approach this year?

Josh F.: After taking home the title for the first time, I had to ask myself some difficult questions. Most important was "Do I want to defend my title, or do I want go out on top and walk away." I also asked myself “Do I really want to go through the vigorous months of taste testing and late nights and hangovers?”

Then I remembered the story of the Joshua from the Torah. You know, everyone knows that Moses led the Hebrews out of Israel, but it was Joshua who got them home. So then I knew I had to come back to defend and bring the trophy back home!