Ahoy, ye yellow-bellied sapsuckers.
Today is – for reasons that can only be explained by the perfect storm of an overwhelming boredom with cubicle life coupled with the pervasiveness of the internet (and an assist from Dave Barry) – International Talk Like A Pirate Day.
Talk Like A Pirate Day originators
Capn' Slappy and Ol' Chumbucket
It’s a dangerous practice, this novel holiday. Referring to your boss as a lily-livered scallywag is probably not a recipe for a raise. Summoning your local barmaid by calling her a scurvy wench is more likely to get you a slap in the face than a rum punch (for that matter, calling her a barmaid is probably best saved for your next trip to the 19th century).
But then, being a pirate is a dangerous business. So go ahead, borrow this line from the 1922 Charles S. Brooks play Wappin’ Wharf: A Frightful Comedy of Pirates and see where it gets you:
Ain't yer comfertable, settin' on me knee? Shall I shift yer to me stump?
Will it end well? Undoubtedly not.
That is to say, you are on your own. It’s A Fine Day For A Beer cannot be held responsible should you be forced to walk the plank, hang from the hempen halter, or sleep on the couch after engaging in boisterous buccaneer banter.
Should the spirit of the day capture you, however, Brouwerij Van Steenberge’s Piraat is as natural a pairing as there could be. One need not speak Dutch to guess that Piraat translates to “pirate.” The Pirate in this case doesn’t have so colorful a name as Blackbeard, or Red Legs, or Calico Jack. It’s the Belgian yeast that commandeers this ship, lending fruity esters and a peppery spice to this bottle-conditioned strong ale. Pirates’ gold buried under a colossal head of white lace, Piraat is a treasure worth fighting for on this fine day for beer.
