Capt John a ferry operator!?!

So the local ferry operators did not want to lease the govt built ferries. Now what?

Enter Capt John Brandi, Entrepreneur Extraordinaire, and he has a plan for the idle boats.

This should be interesting to follow, and the local operators respond.

John is a friend of mine, while humorous this is an April fools joke. The Ferry's are paid for with federal highway funds for the St Thomas to St John route. There are a lot of strings attached to these kind of grants. Like business plans, budgets, insurance, maintenance, you know run dem like a business. This doesn't really fit into the current Ferry Program so the new boats sit parked and idle. You know 7 million dollars give or take of tax dollars while they ferry companies "negotiate" a more favorable deal. For my two cents they should put their operation out for bid with all the required stipulations and see who comes to the top. You know run on time, maintain the boats, treat people well, take care of the boats. Pilot them like you know what your doing.
Now that's a real April Fools joke.
Jay

hmmmmm, holds 250 adults and no kids.....all heading to White Bay on Saturdays and Sundays.....we'll plan our White Bay trips for weekdays <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

Are you serious? 250 people descending on White Bay each Saturday and Sunday from one boat. Glad to know which days not to go.

Now thats karma for you after my free Presidente post, heeheeee <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" /> thanks Tom!!! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/jester.gif" alt="" />

I could not resist. I figured it was late enough that folks had forgotten the day. If you read to the bottom and clicked the link it let you in on the secret.

Speaking of Presidente have you found a place in VA that sells it?

Tom, aren't you going to be at the beach to beach swim in May on St John? We are going to be there.

Last year I asked wholefoods if they could special order it for me and they said it's not available in Va? I have found it in Maryland and Delaware and grab a case when I see it. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

You bet! My sweetie is up before 5am swimming her heart out before work so she is ready.

Me I rise closer to 7 and take a shower and then practice my towel boy skills.

Both of us will be ready to go come May 24th.

Hope to see you there!

When I tried to get some at Total Wine, I was told that the process they use in making the Pilsner causes it to go through a second process which I did not understand, but this process puts it in a different category by VA Law. It could be sold in ABC stores, but they do not want to mess with it. Not sure if that is true or not but VA has some weird damn laws when it comes to the vices of life. It is only beer and 5% ALC.

great one!

Presidente? Different category by VA Law? That's bad data. It's just an adjunct continental-style pilsner, no different from Heineken or Stella. Plenty of great VA lager beer available - Lost Rhino, Starr Hill, Devils Backbone. If you're in NoVa, the Mad Fox Kolsh is going to hit pretty darn close or better, in my not so humble opinion.

I love the islands, but that's not the place I go for great beer. But it has everything else.

Cheers, RickG

I will follow up with the dude. I am in out of there a lot - wine is my passion not beer.

But it was something about where most pilsners do a cold brew, Presidente actually freezes the beer at some point, which constitutes a form of distilling in the eyes of VA law.

I will get the exact reason and report back soon! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" />

Freeze distillation is a Federal prohibition You can sell freeze distilled beer that is imported. Lots of other crazy Federal laws, and the states have their own take, and in some states like MD the counties get to play too.

Premium/Reyes has the franchise for Presidente distribution in VA - (703) 227-1200. You can search here http://www.abc.virginia.gov/tmtax/dis_fran_desig.jsp

There are a lot of reasons the beer may not be available. But, you can't buy it in VA unless Premium supplies it.

Cheers, RickG

Well I pulled the string a little further. I called Premium and they dropped it a while back. They told me to contact another place which I did and they said no there was no Presidente to be sold in Virginia but could not tell me why. Brushing up on my Spanish I went to CERVECERIA NACIONAL DOMINICANA CXA page and found the only US sales are in the following:

Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
Pennsylvania
RI
Tennessee
Washington DC

I also found the fractional freezing is how they use to make applejack back in the day and some states consider it distilling (held over from prohibition days), but I have found nothing that likes the Presidente and Virginia

....Washington DC.... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/thinks.gif" alt="" /> We were known to make a couple of trips across a bridge into DC in our days in the Northern Virginia area... <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Smile.gif" alt="" />

Yep, I can see DC from my back porch, sort of. But, go across the bridge for Presidente? That's a journey of love. While you're there, grab a pint from one of the four local DC breweries, or the additional five inside the Beltway. Cheers!!

Cheers, RickG

RickG, haven't been to the pub yet, but I see Mad Fox will be available at many Nats games this season! <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />

Yep, our beer is already on site and ready to pour.

http://madfoxbrewing.com/drink-mad-fox-beers-nationals-park-season

Cheers, RickG

<img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/toast.gif" alt="" />According to our local mega-outlet, Presidente is maxed out production-wise. There isn't enough to go around. They were sold to Inbev recently, and Inbev is too greedy to leave money on the table, so there may be hope.