I was elated yesterday when I received the following letter from The Olde Bryan Inn, which was established in 1773, and just may be the oldest bar in the country (by measure of building age, anyway):
Dear Gabe,
We have great news, your mug named “The Draft Shaft II” has arrived at the bar. Thank you for joining The Olde Bryan Inn Mug Club.
Looking forward to meeting you and hope you enjoy the company of our friends and staff members.
Sincerely,
(Signature)
Mary-Ann
You see, the OBI bar has all these steel mugs hanging above it, and anyone lucky enough to have the honor — I once heard that the waiting list was five years long — gets for his or her personal use with each visit to the bar or restaurant one of those mugs, personally engraved. One of those mugs now (quite literally) has my name on it. My mug is called The Draft Shaft II because it is the official descendant of The Draft Shaft, my less glamorous Vassar-era mug (and senior yearbook photo companion).
I eagerly await the breaking in of The Draft Shaft II. It works out because not only does the OBI have good beer, but it consistently offers some of the best food in town for reasonable prices, so it happens to be one of my favorite establishments. The beauty of the place, architecturally and historically, is an added bonus. The Draft Shaft II is just one more reason to visit.
