I JUST LEFT THE GRAND OPENING OF THE REINCARNATED CHAMPAIGN VELVET BREWERY. AMONGST OTHER THINGS TONIGHT, I TALKED TO MIKE MCCORMICK AND ASKED HIM TO JOIN THE GROUP AND I FORWARDED HIM THE INFO WHICH SHOULD ENABLE HIM TO ACCESS THE SITE.

I ALSO WANT TO APPOLOGIZE FOR SUGGESTING THAT MIKE MAY BE BURIED IN ANTIQUE RECORDS AND MIGHT NOT BE IN THE CURRENT CENTURY WHEN IN FACT HE WENT INTO THE ELECTRONIC AGE A LONG TIME AND AT A MUCH GREATER EXPENSE THAN I DID. SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT ALL THAT KNOWLEDGE COULDN'T HAVE JUST BEEN IN HIS HEAD.

HOPE HE CHOOSES TO JOIN US.

WHILE AT THE OPENING AT 9TH AND POPLAR, ADJACENT TO MOGGER'S, BUT IN THE SAME BUILDING, I PURCHASED A COMMEMORATIVE BOTTLE OF CV #74 WITH A CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY (MIKE M. COULD NOT EXPLAIN TO ME THE VALUE OF SAID CERTIFICATE) FOR THE GRAND OPENING PRICE OF $20. I EXPECT THIS TO BE ONE ON MANY ITEMS THAT WILL EVENTUALLY BE PONDERED OVER BY HEIRS WHICH WILL CAUSE THE QUESTION TO BE ASKED, "WHY WOULD HE HAVE SPENT MONEY ON THAT" AND THE ANSWER IS, THAT "HE SPENT MANY DOLLARS WHICH DID NOT FIT THE CRITERIA OF A LOGICAL PURCHASE, BUT THAT HE FIGURED THAT SOME PURCHASES EVEN IF QUESTIONABLE, WOULD HAVE
MORE LOGIC THAN A TATOO, JEWELRY IN THE TONGUE (OOH, HURTS TO THINK OF THAT) OR SEVERAL OTHER THINGS THAT SEEM TO BE IN FASHION TODAY AND BESIDES THAT, IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA AT THE TIME."

THERE ALSO IS A FLAW IN MY OPINION OF THE LOGIC OF OTHERS WHO CHOOSE TO JUMP OUT OF PERFECTLY GOOD AIRPLANES.

DOESN'T MEAN ALL THESE THINGS ARE BAD FOR OTHERS, BUT NOT FOR ME.

IF I HAVE MISPELLED ANYTHING, PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT MY NORMAL SPELLCHECKER DOESN'T APPEAR TO WORK ON THIS SITE AND THAT I HAVE HAD ONE OR MORE OF THE WONDERFUL BREWS BEING CELEBRATED TONIGHT.

DEAN BRANSON

In reference to Dean's message about the Grand Opening of the old CV
Brewery, I thought you might enjoy the following:

---------------
The following is taken from a book I recently picked up in a used
bookstore in Columbia, TN. The title of the book is "The Wabash Valley
Remembers 1787 - 1938" and put out by the Terre Haute Northwest
Territory Celebration Committee. Not being a prolific writer like so
many others, I am quoting verbatim from the book…
-----------------------------

The Terre Haute Brewery

The fall of 1859 marked the birth of another business enterprise for
Terre Haute. Here in this struggling little city, located on the Banks
of the Wabash, rose the Terre Haute Brewery, with an annual capacity to
brew 5,600 barrels of Champagne Velvet Beer - truly a delight to all who
partook of its goodness.

Soon the word got around. The superior quality of this famous brew
increased its fame by leaps and bounds, so that in 1888 new additions
were necessary, increasing the size and capacity of the brewery four
times.

Just before prohibition, the Terre Haute Brewery was rated as one of
the seven leading breweries in the United States.

A National calamity wiped out this prospering business in 1918 and it
stood idle until repeal in 1934------

Mr. Oscar Baur, one of Terre Haute's native sons (Rose Polytechnic Class
of 1887), saw an opportunity to reestablish the grand old name of Terre
Haute as one of the brewing centers of the world.

So, suiting action to the word, he reorganized the Terre Haute Brewing
Company, actively directing the purchasing of new equipment, installing
it and erecting modern buildings, so that when beer came back he was
ready again to meet the public demand for a superior beverage.

Mr. Baur's keen business acumen and his faculty for selecting expert
talent to head the various departments is ably demonstrated by the rapid
strides of progress made in the sales of Champagne Velvet Beer.

Today (1938) in 31 states, as in Terre Haute, Champagne Velvet Beer is
known as The Nation's Flavor-rite Drink. Terre Haute is indeed fortunate
to have such a long established institution as one of its major
industries.