Merrimack, New Hampshire is one of New Hampshire’s wealthier communities. It sits between the cities of Nashua and Manchester, and has a couple of big employers.
It also has some rather odd scenes, these two adjoining businesses. Jared would be so proud…
But I digress. Merrimack’s most famous business is located on a huge property along Route 3, and it’s also a bit of a tourist attraction.
Mr. Duckie and I arrived on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. Our first stop was the lobby, where we found a display that must be the fantasy of nearly any man.
But then we came to something that depressed Mr. Duckie. Once again, his tender years and lack of proper identification was a stumbling block“>stumbling block.
But that’s OK. That wasn’t the real purpose of our visit — these were.
My god, they were impressive. The company’s requirements are very strict — they have to be at least six feet tall at the shoulder, have clean white socks, and a bright, white, shiny face. I only wish I had held off until this weekend, when they have “photo opportunities” with them out in the open, from 1-3 — it’s the first Saturday of each month. Instead, I had to settle for seeing them inside.
The only other reasonable photo I could get was this one.
And they really do have those “socks,” too.
(The following pictures are pretty tasteless, and NSFW. Consider yourself warned.)
But even here, I couldn’t escape politics. A couple images brought me back to a couple of the members of the blogosphere. These pictures just screamed out “David” (from here) and “Kos” (from here) to me.
(OK, it’s safe again, from here to the end.)
It wasn’t just the horses, though. They didn’t just carry the stuff, they hauled wagons around. And they saved one of them, from the 1930’s, and it’s in pristine condition.
I think I’ll go back the first Saturday of October. I’m sure I could persuade them to let Mr. Duckie sit on the back of one of these amazing creatures.
I’m no beer drinker, so we skipped the actual brewery tour. But I’ve always been impressed with Budweiser’s advertising. Twice in the last few years their Super Bowl ads have moved me deeply. This year, with the one of the soldiers going through the airport, still chokes me up a smidgen. And the one from 2002, with the Clydesdales kneeling before the shattered New York skyline, deserves to be listed in the “greatest commercials as short films” hall of fame.
And when I suddenly realized that the home of those Clydesdales was just down the road a ways, we had to go.
I’m no beer drinker, so we skipped the actual brewery tour.
That’s ok, if you had taken the tour and tasted their samples, you’d still not be a beer drinker. 🙂
Did you ask them if you could get the same deal on a
distributorship that Jesse Jackson’s sons got when he
was boycotting the company?
Budweiser caved in to rainbow coalition extortion.
It’s like negotiating with terrorists. Dealing with
them gets you off (for a price) but, collectively,
everybody else winds up enduring much greater
damage in the long run.
I’m no fan of Bud brews, *but*, when served fresh, and properly conditioned, their beers have a certain charm on hot Summer days.
There used to be a micro-brew pub in Merrimack, maybe five minutes away, on the other side of DW Highway (the toll highway). This little retaurant made great beer and served great food, and A-B began pressuring this little upstart the week they opened for business. A mom/pop brew pub would not be tolerated!
Those horses are a wonderful attraction, and you can’t beet the price. Seeing these animals is “free”.
A-B is not a bad attraction on the river.
Can’t stand beer, but it would be fun to go see the horses.
I didn’t even realize there was a brewery in the area.
15 years ago I was a resident of Londonderry, just a stones throw from the brewery. As I was a soccer ref, and the fields at the brewery are just fantastic, I spent many hours in the shadow of the brewery and the stables. After doing the coin toss we always gave the captains the choice of the horses or the hops, lame humor I know but when one is doing their 3rd game of the day any humor will work.
Crytopref, aw as a referee myself I’m jealous.
horses or hops is classic.
If you are ever in San Diego, you can go to Sea World to check out the killer whales, dolphins, penguins, and the (not kidding) Clydesdales.
Must be owned by A-B.