John Foyston is My Hero

John got the call: "Mr. Foyston, president on line one." Not Dubya, Klaus, Vaclav Klaus.

So the president of the Czech Republic walks into this pub...no, really: that's why the Chevy Suburbans and the grim faced Secret Service guys were parked in front of the BridgePort brewpub earlier this week -- President Vaclav Klaus and crew were inside having a pint.

"The pub manager came into my office and said, 'Karl, drop what you're doing --- the president of the Czech Republic is on his way,' " said BridgePort brewmaster Karl Ockert after the Monday visit. "I said, 'Go on, Bob, I'm busy, I've got things to do.' I just knew it was one of his jokes."

The entire tale is a must-read, but I will excerpt one final bit because it is too delicious to ignore:

Brewmaster Ockert led them through a couple of taster trays of BridgePort ales and they chose a beer unique to the Northwest, Hop Harvest, which is made with hops fresh from the field, not dried and processed. "This is a most unusual beer," said ambassador Kolar as he took a pull from his imperial pint. "We believe that beer is more than just a drink --- it is medicine, and not just for the body but for the soul."

President Klaus agreed: "To do something in space is irrelevant," he said, raising a glass to Ockert, "but to make good beer, that is something."

Hats off, John. You rock.