23 December 2011

Friday Belt: T & A with Lord Chet

173 Years of Tradition - $19 a case

I first sampled Lord Chesterfield Ale by Yuengling back in 1985. It was introduced to me by a fellow park ranger at Valley Forge and I became a fan before I knew what hops even were. It's hoppy but not like an IPA. Crisp. Drinkable as all get out. I'm having one with Herr's Old Bay Potato Chips right now. Masses of red Old Bay are seeping between the keys of my laptop. Who cares. 'Tis the season...

There was talk of Yuengling from the PA guys when I served time at Ft Bragg -- Home of the Airborne and the cultural arm pit of North Carolina. Beer in NC was about as Wonder Bread as it could get. Bud, Miller, Stroh's. I'm falling asleep just thinking about it. The PA guys had their own language. Most of 'em were from Southeastern PA. "Pottsville, you bet!" Maceko would yell. Mace went on to OCS and was commissioned in the Infantry. A solid guy, Mace.


Like most of the boys from PA, they were who they said they were. One guy came back from a friend's funeral in Lancaster with a '72 red Cadillac convertible that was left to to him by the deceased. He knew it was a piece of shit. Told me it was a piece of shit. But if you told him it was a piece of shit... he'd take your head off, then your arms and he wouldn't stop until he was chewing your heel.


Today, I'm happy to say many of my friends are from Pee A, and I'm even happier I can secure a case of Chet for $19. That's a steal. While the hip suck on PBR, compare their tatts and sigh with resignation that everyone is hopping on their wagon -- Try the hops from Cascade via the Lord -- I don't think the Hip'll make it here for another year or two.


Turnbull & Asser, 50 East 57th Street, NYC

The one place you will not find the Hip is Turnbull & Asser. While working in London 20 years ago, the 20-something fashion plates would turn up their nose at contrasting (white) collars and cuffs. "Old fogey, mate. What are you? 50?" Well, yes. 20 years later. This is home to serious sartorial savvy. No Red Wings here. This is serious ass dressing and unlike Lord Chet, it don't come cheap.


Vintage T&A from the 1940s

But you do get what you pay for. Impeccable tradition, value and quality. Are you paying $150 for an alpha (S,M,L,XL) shirt with unmatched stripes yoke to sleeve and made in some place you can't pronounce? Yes? Then you need to have your head examined. Turnbull & Asser offer custom belts...with one hole. I love that idea. One. Hole. Very understated.


The, "How Much Beer Are You Drinking Belt."

I fell for this belt during my last visit at the new store in New York. I wish this was around when I was 25 with a 30" waist. Not that I could afford it then...or now. I'll tell you this...if I keep drinking Lord Chesterfield I'm never wearing this belt.

18 comments:

randall said...

Nice. I'm heading to PA tomorrow morning. I'll have to secure case to drink throughout the day.

In case I don't get to it before 2012, thanks for all the entertainment throughout the year.

tintin said...

Randall- Hope you like it. I suppose if drink a case in a day it won't matter much if you like or not -- But I hope you do. And thanks for the thanks.

M.Lane said...

I love LCA. Other than my beloved Leinenkugel's, Yeungling is my favorite brewer.

Merry Christmas and a very Tradly New Year to you!

ML
mlanesepic.blogspot.com

Lou B said...

Herr's Old Bay chips...I can taste them now. Rare as hen's teeth in my small town. The Utz version are pretty good, too.

As randall wrote, thanks for your posts!

Trailer Trad said...

Lord Chesterfield. The noble, neglected Yuengling brew. Heck yeah!

JKG said...

Tintin: Just wanted to wish you a restful weekend and a peaceful holiday season. Since tripping over your blog about eight months ago, I've done some digging into the archives and try to stay even with the new stuff. You've shown a lot and told much more -- oftener in the spaces than in the type. Thanks for keeping it going; I look forward to what's to come.

All the best.

gentleman mac said...

Merry Christmas to you and yours, tintin!

Anonymous said...

Yessir! Chesterfield is where it's at. . While a fan of more obscure and high end beers I smuggle the hard to procure Chesterfield from PA by the case back to NC as my "go to" cheap beer. It's great! Merry XMas.

ann said...

I too am a Yeungling fan. I can get it on tap for 2 bucks a pop where I play golf & they allow me to drive around in a silly cart whacking at balls for hours, chugging the stuff. Wonder if they have the Lord Chesterfield? Must check that out.

Tintin, have a wonderful holiday. I enjoy reading your blog tremendously, as well as your regular readers comments (where's Uncle Loony been?) But it's you I come back for every day. Great story's! Thanks for all the effort.

David V said...

A one hole belt! I could wear it-maybe-once or twice a year.

Anywho, Merry Christmas.

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas, trad

Anonymous said...

Merry Christmas Tin. I'm a fan of the brew as well. Well, I'm also from Phila... That's another story.

Merry Christmas, and to add to the fanfare, I enjoy reading the blog as well.

--Matthew

Anonymous said...

Merry Xmas Tintin

I have truly and thoroughly enjoyed your wit, humor and most importantly, a philosophy of life.
Going beneath the surface is what matters most to me, and the insight about clothes and their place in our culture and tradition are priceless.

All the best...

Fred Wille

tintin said...

M Lane- I would suspect no better loyalty to MN. Are you gonna go sailing today?

Lou B - Herrs or Utz. It's still 5 pounds a bag. Are Troyer Chips still around?

Trailer Trad- Try mixing half Chesterfield to half their Porter for the classic Yuengling half and half.

JKG - Thanks. I'll
and . I swear. Happy Christmas.

Mac- Same to you, Mac.

Anon 22:12- I hear it's available in SC but not NC. That ain't right.

Ann- I wonder where Looney went as well. They come. They go. I guess it's a lot like the Devils Playground here. Happy holidays.

David V- Good point. I was always a fan of adjustable belts. 10 inches either way.

Anon 12:49- Merry Christmas, anon.

Matthew- You can't help you're from Philadelphia. Just like people can't help they were born in Rapid City.

Fred- What can I say except you have great insight and taste. Merry Christmas.

JKG said...

Yuk yuk yuk.

dublin said...

Love the belt, so pretty.

Main Line Sportsman said...

Porter and Lord C...1/2 & 1/2...sound advice to that reader. I love Yuengling...always have...guess it is my Southeast PA roots...take the brewery tour some time...wonderful...and there is a Cabela's nearby as a bonus!

Anonymous said...

If you love Chetty, you can friend him on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/LordChesterfield, and join the Chesterfield Society www.chesterfieldsociety.com