What Was That P.T. Barnum Said?

Ok, a quick show of hands: Who here dislikes IPAs? All right then, handraisers: How many of you are going to the Breaking Bad beers release at Marble on Thursday? Wait, really? All of you?? But, but, you realize that both beers debuting, Heisenberg's Dark Ale and Walt's White Lie, are both IPAs, right? The Heisenberg is a Black IPA, the first of that style that Marble has attempted, and Walt's White Lie is a wheat IPA. Both use plenty of Galaxy hops, a variety that won't have you saying, "Jeez, where's the hop presence?" But that isn't going to scare you away, is it? The name alone will have you and many, many others lining up for a taste of IPAs named after everyone's favorite TV show, Breaking Bad. Why oh why didn't I think of using the Breaking Bad name in any single part of this blog? I could have dozens of viewers by now. And while I want to say I don't really understand people drinking a beer solely because of the name, I know I am guilty of the same thing- I have bought Guy Fieri salsa, Wolfgang Puck soups, Emeril Lagasse mustard, Andy Capp hot fries, Larry the Cable Guy mix with boiling water box of food on clearance at Big Lots...and probably all because of the recognition factor. I don't even like hearing Wolfgang Puck's voice, and I definitely would change the channel on Larry TCG faster than if an Ernest movie came on the TV. Other breweries realize the opportunity to co-brand with the best show to come out of Albuquerque since Dance Dance Dance It's a Teen Thing: both Il Vicino and Kelly's Brewpub will be releasing Breaking Bad beer of their own. And for you IPA haters choking down a glass of Galaxy hop-infused goodness, there's another good reason you bought that beer, as you can purchase an IPA Challenge (August 17 at Marble) ticket for $20, a $5 savings. And for you IPA fans, I hope at least one of you will try to make a black and tan version, or at least mix the two and toast the final season of Breaking Bad.