Believe this or not, but I swear that it is all true. I received an international emergency call from Dublin Ireland this week.

Settle down and just listen.

Where was I . . . . ah yes, the Emergency Phone call from the Guinness Brewery, of all places.

After exchanging pleasantries, I had to cut things a bit short and get to the point. You know how the Irish tend to beat around the bush until your fenced in and have no choice but to agree.

If you are not familiar with the National Sport of Ireland, just know that if an Irishman keeps asking you certain questions, that you must agree with, as all seems reasonable and pleasant.

Know. deep in your heart, with each time you agree, you are one step closer to agreeing with something you would never agree to in the first place.

Tink on that for a moment or two or three or four, let it sink in.

Knowing the game, having lost the game many a time, I interrupted the desperate man on the other end of the line with a simple: "What's the problem. And how can I help?"

See that is how you end the game without being rude.

After a long pause, the man from Guinness began to speak in a low and almost trembling voice.

"As far as we can tell it started in Munster with a fella who goes by the name @ablaze. I mean what sort of mother names her child @ablaze. Then it spread to Connacht, like the Black Plague itself, casting a dark shadow across our troubled land. So far the good folk of Leinster remain loyal to our cause yet we fear dis nonsense will spread."

"What the plague is you talking about?"

"What the hell is "dry January"? I asked, having never heard of this latest plague upon mankind.

"They stop drinking in January! Not a single drop! We brewed it but these damn fools just stop drinking for the entire Month! Now the kegs are full and we have nowhere to put all the beer. If something does not change soon we will be pouring the Guinness in the Liffey!"

The @handofzara paused for a bit trying to process within my feeble mind the very concept of an Irishman who would not drink a single drop of Guinness for an entire Month, let alone an entire day . . . come to tink of it not for a single hour.

What has happened to the Sons of Erin? Deep within, my very soul a single phrase did rise, Ireland has called and the @handofzara shall answer!

"This is beyond the Phaile! We shall bring these Wild Irish to Heal! Death or the Drink!"

"Saints begorrah, nay, you Yanks are always going too far, always droning folk just because you can't have your way. We have had enough troubles in these Lands of Ours, for anyting so drastic as that. All I'ms asking is that you might see your way clear as to have a Guinness this #beersaturday, so as we don't ave to pour the kegs down the drain." The man from Dublin did reply.

"First of all, who are you calling Yank? See here, in my neck of the woods, them thar is fighting words. Seeing as I am Rebel born and Rebel Raised. You do recall the name "Rebel", for it is a name that shall never degrade. In fact I do do recall that "Rebel" is what my Forefathers called in the year of '98."

"Secondly, if all you was asking is for me to drink a Guinness, then all you had to do is ask. " The @handofzara did reply.

BEER NAME: Draught Stout
STYLE: Stout
BREWER: Guinness Brewery Dublin, Ireland
ABV: 4.2%
APPEARANCE: dark, pours with a healthy head
AROMA: malts
TASTE: smooth sweet malts, hint of coffee
MOUTHFEEL: medium body, carbonates well with a lingering finish

Great beer, and a needlessly long post caused by an Emergency phone call from Ireland.

If you have read my little screed thus far, well God Bless You!

I have a little #beersaturday tradition of asking a a Trivia Question.

The first person to answer correctly in the COMMENTS wins a BEER TOKEN.

QUESTION: Ireland has Four Provinces, in this post I mentioned three of the Provinces. What is the Fourth Province of Ireland?

Good Luck, and I will see y'all next #beersaturday.

Slainte!

PS: @ablaze seeing as I am guarding the keg, you might be tinking about a dry February.