I was just talking to Troika Brodsky over at Schlafly. As regular Post-Dispatch readers might know, I have a side gig with the paper writing monthly about beer.

I’ve now got a picture of the fun politically-minded tap handles that the microbrewer made for the vice-presidential debate. The brewer, for the night of the debate, played host to a watch party at the downtown Tap Room and renamed four of its familiar beers.

See them to the right: Baracktoberfest (Octoberfest/Marzen), McCain’s Maverick APA (Dry-hopped American Pale Ale), Hefebiden (Hefeweizen) and Palin Ale (Pale Ale).

A brief appearance of political tap handles at the Schlafly Tap Room.

Brodsky also made posters for each of the beers with slogans for each beer. The Octoberfest has “a distinctly hopeful aftertaste.” The APA claims “a maverick-like dose of hop bitterness.” The Hefeweizen should be served “with a strong foreign policy background.” The Pale Ale comes with a Palin speech punctuated by her proclaiming “Schlafly beer is absolutely delicious.”

The beer company is also planning a limited release of T-shirts featuring the Baracktoberfest and the Palin Ale logo. The shirts will carry “Please vote responsibly” admonition as well as headman Tom Schlafly’s signature below disclaimer: “I’m Tom Schafly and I approve this beverage.”

There’s no partisan intent here, said Brodsky, but Palin’s T gets the nod over McCain’s because of the successful play on words.

(Though purely from the standpoint of a reviewer, my favorite of the four beers is hands-down the APA.)

Copies of some of the tap handles are down at the Royale on Kingshighway Blvd just south of Arsenal St and Riley’s Pub at Arsenal St and Arkansas Ave.