AK in Duluth

I get up around 9 and do some pottering. Before checking at 11. Which is when Todd of Good Word is picking me up.

When he hasn't arrived by 11:20 I start getting paranoid. Did I give him the address of the right hotel? I quickly fire up my laptop and see an email from him. He's been delayed by traffic.

I shouldn’t really be surprised. The roads in Atlanta always seem to be clogged. Even on Sunday, which it is today.

We have a good chat on the way to Duluth. Which takes a while as the traffic is still bad. Is it just me, or is traffic in US cities continually worsening? Or is it just because I so rarely travel on motorways? I try not to pay much attention to the cars weaving around us.

I go straight to the brewery while Todd drops off my luggage at the hotel.

Arse parked at the bar, I order an AK. One which Todd has brewed to go with the event tonight. It's rather nice and quite bitter. (The recipe is in my book "AK! History of a Light Bitter"). I like it enough to get a second. And a third.

I really like the Good Word taproom. With its massive windows and high ceiling, it’s wonderfully bright and airy. Today it’s bustling with brunchers.

After a while I get some food: two eggs and bacon. Served separately. So, sort of a breakfast. After another beer or two, I walk over to my hotel for a bit of a rest. I want to be at my best for tonight.

It’s not far. Just across the little park stretching out in front of the city hall. The weather is pretty hot, though. And the sun blazing down. Leaving me pretty warm by the time I get to the hotel. Despite being luggage-free.

I retrieve my bags and retreat to my room. Which is enormous.

The hotel is far nicer than yesterday’s. Though I’m also only here for one night. My first three nights are all in different hotels. Not perfect, but unavoidable.

I wander back to the brewery a little after 5 PM. Things are supposed to kick off at 5:30. There’s no projector and screen, which is a bit of a problem. Meaning it’s just me talking, with no visuals. Not perfect.

There are also diners sitting nearby. Which is a bit weird. Not sure what they make of my spiel about English Light Bitter.

Considering the circumstances, it goes pretty well. Not a huge crowd, but they mostly seem to be professional brewers. Including Mitch Steele. With whom I have a brief chat.

Book sales go pretty well, considering the size of the crowd. I shift ten books. Half “AK!”, half “Vintage Beer”. Dolores will be pleased. Let’s hope sales at my other events go equally as well.

I sit outside with Todd and his family. I drink more beer and eat some food (chicken livers). It’s not the largest meal. Rather nice, though. According to Todd, that’s what I ordered last time I was here.

After we've eaten, Todd asks:

"Do you like bourbon?"

"Yes."

He disappears and brings us both back a measure of Eagle Rare. It's rather nice. When I tell him how much Andrew likes bourbon, he gives me a bottle to take home.

I don't make it too late, heading back to my hotel at 9 PM. Where whisky awaits me. And hurries me to sleep.




Good Word Brewing
3085 Main St,
Duluth,
GA 30096.
https://goodwordbrewing.com/