Fitting Beers for Inauguration Day

Whether you voted for Obama or not, whether Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, or etc., I don't think anyone denies this year's Inauguration Day is a historic event. And judging by the record crowds Washington, D.C. is expecting for Tuesday, everyone wants to get in on the celebration. President Bush had to declare a state of emergency to help cover the costs! Well, I'm declaring a state of beer-mergency (achem.) to figure out the perfect Inauguration Day beer. Let's see what we got...

Back in September, I wrote a post on Sixpoint Craft Ale's Hop Obama beer. At that time, I stated, "If Barack Obama wins the presidency, I'm guessing we might see [Hop Obama] for another four years."

Well, maybe those running the Brooklyn-based brewery should have heeded my advice: Sixpoint stopped making the beer after Election Day, and now patrons seeking to celebrate the big-O's big day have created a mini-madness to figure out who still stocks the brew. A few bars with serious foresight stashed their last remaining kegs for Election Day. And some, according to the NY Daily News, plan on charging a pretty penny for it.

Despite being Sixpoint's fastest-selling beer ever, it looks like this "Obama" is actually heading the way of George W. Bush: Don't expect it back anytime soon. With some savvy Google searching, New Yorkers can figure out where to go to get the last gulp of Hop Obama, but for the rest of us, don't dismay: We have options.

If you live in Chicago, Piece Brewery & Pizzeria will be serving up their InaugurAle. The president-elect even put in a special request to have the beer sent to D.C. for Inauguration Day, but the deal was axed after determining only bottles could be accepted (Piece's InaugurAle strictly comes on draught).

However, Barack could still get an InaugurAle in our country's capital, assuming he suspends his home-state bias. Turns out Washington, D.C.'s Capitol City Brewing Company has had their own InaugurAle on tap since shortly after the election. Not to be outdone, St. Louis brewer Schlafly will also be offering up an InaugurAle at a special election night event. Jeez. Once Obama gets in office, hopefully he'll create a Senate Subcommittee to sort all these InaugurAles out!

But going back to inauguration central itself, The Washington Post also reports another local brewer, the District Chop House & Brewery, has their Barack Bock all ready to go. The Post also posits that drinking Hawaiian beer may be in order as a tribute to Obama's birth state. Try Primo or Kona they suggest.

Let's try not to let the pressure of picking that perfect Inauguration Day beer get to us, though. Be creative. Plenty of more generically presidential beers are also available like the popular Ale to the Chief from the Avery Brewing Company or Diamond Bear's Presidential IPA. Or maybe a simple Pabst Blue Ribbon is in order: It's financially-friendly for these economically trying times and the red, white and blue can seems patriotic enough for me.

Is your local brewer serving up any Obama or Inauguration Day-themed beers? What beer would you suggest for Tuesday the 20th? Or maybe you already know what you plan on celebrating with. Fill me in!