The Corruption

I grew up in the Washington D.C. area on both the Maryland and Virginia side.  As a kid we often took trips or even field trips to The Mall (not the shopping mall people) and as such, I grew up thinking that all museums were free.

I was also a frequent visitor of the National Zoo where we I remember seeing Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing, the two Giant Pandas.  They had a fabulous living space that was located right near one of the entrances to the Zoo.  You couldn't miss them...and you never wanted to.

Photo taken from nationalzoo.giantpandazoo.com

These two Giant Pandas were gifted to the United States by the government of China following President Richard Nixon's visit in 1972. As a way to say thank you, we sent China a pair of musk oxen.  Fair trade?  Probably not, but you can decide that for yourself. 

Anyway, Ling-Ling died in December 1992, at which time she was the longest-lived giant panda in captivity outside China. I was 10 years old and I remember crying when I heard the news on t.v.  It wasn't that I loved Panda bears that much but rather I think a reflection of how often we went to the National Zoo and saw them playing together there.  After Ling-Ling died, Hsing-Hsing remained at the National Zoo alone.  He lived until November 1999 (age 28) when he was euthanized by zookeepers due to kidney failure.

Thanks to a beer exchange with some friends (ok, technically they are my sister's friends...but since they swap beer with us, I think it's safe to qualify them as our friends too) in Northern Virginia, we recently received a whole box of bootleg liquid goodness.

Prior to receiving this box, I had not experienced any of the D.C. area brews or breweries for myself because 1) I was underage when I lived there, 2) I was usually pretty broke in college and 3) I only drank Natty Light or Milwaukee's Beast at frat parties (...generally straight from the tap).

The Corruption India Pale Ale (6.5%)
DC Brau Brewing Company
Washington D.C.