Nearly a week into quarantine and I’m tired of digging sour beers out of my cellar. I’m craving something cold, hoppy, and bitter, and I have zero interest in dealing with mobs at the grocery store. So many mom-and-pop shops, bars, and breweries here in the Bay Area need support. It’s hard to pick just one.
I pull up to Ghost Town Brewing in West Oakland and shoot a text to the phone number I was given after paying online. Ghost Town is our local heavy-metal themed brewery known for its IPAs, Lagers, and draft-only Cream Ale called Scumbag. I see Evan Burdt’s head pop out. He smiles and raises his hand, his fingers in the shape of a goat’s horns, when he sees my camera.
Evan and I have been circling each other in the East Bay beer scene for a while. Sometimes I’d try to sell him a guest handle at a local brewpub. Other times we’d run into each other while both trying to sell product to a local craft bar.
I roll my window down, and while keeping a safe distance, he confirms my order: Pils, Helles, and two Hazy IPAs. With his gloved hands, Evan gently places my beers in the front seat next to my disinfectant wipes. I wish him and the rest of the staff good luck, and to stay safe.
It’s 2020, and Evan and I have both landed at gigs we love. Unfortunately, both of our employers (as well as untold thousands of small businesses around the world) are having to pivot on a dime to survive. Our state and federal authorities are quickly loosening regulations on alcohol sales to allow curbside pickup. I worry it won’t be enough. Tomorrow I have a phone call with my boss to brainstorm how we, too, may be able to stay afloat in these choppy waters.
