Cheers! - from Colorado

[kilt4beer]

Hello Brothers,

My name is Alex. I live in Pueblo. Colorado. As my forum name suggests, I starting wearing the kilt for beer. Please let me explain... I work for a beer brewery. I am a "Brewery Rep". I sell craft beer to bars, restaurants, liquor stores, etc.

One facet of my job is attending beer festivals. I started this job late last Summer and the festival "season" was winding down. The Daddy of all beer festivals (outside of Octoberfest in Munich) is The Great American Beer Festival in Denver, Colorado. The brewery I work for brews a Scottish style ale. It is very honored at the festival (it has won more medals than any other Colorado brewery). So... in honor of the Scottish ale and in keeping with the festival attitude, I decided to wear a kilt to the festival.

I am of Italian and German descent and have ZERO Scottish blood. My wife scoffed (by the way, that was a great thread). However, she eventually supported me halfheartedly. You see, she has some Scottish / Irish blood and thinks one must have that ancestry to have any business wearing a kilt.

I did my research and purchased a Stillwater, weathered Mackenzie tartan standard with a fur sporran, black hose, flashes, kilt pin, and a thick leather belt with buckle. It was a big hit. I felt like a million bucks and fell in love with kilting.

The kilt has been mothballed for the past few months. However, I am attending 2 festivals this weekend. So, I got the kilt back out and was making sure everything was in place for the coming Spring festivals. Then I thought... hmmm, perhaps I should get a less formal and simpler look for outdoor Summer festivals. So, I did some internet research and read many reviews and feedback from this site. Thank you for all of your help!

I have decided to get a universal taratan (hunting) Sport Kilt without buckles, add pockets, belt loops, and fringe and wear it without a sporran but a thick belt. I'll be "working" these festivals - carrying kegs, setting up tents, pouring beer, getting a lot of beer poured on me, loading and unloading trucks and spending all day in the sun and often in bad weather. So, I figure the Sport Kilt with a pair of sandals will get the job done nicely, in style, and comfortably.

So, I know the purists will scoff, the XMTS community will embrace, my wife will continue to roll her eyes. And me... well... I'll just raise another pint to my new brothers! Cheers to the Kilters of the world!

[McClef]

from South Wales UK!

[BoldHighlander]

...from the far nw corner of Washington state!

[Chas]

Hello Alex,

Welcome to XMarks from the other side of the world in Norfolk, England.

Regards

Chas

[Spartan Tartan]

from Oklahoma City!!!

[Young Modern]

Welcome Alex from New Scotland,enjoy and Cheers

[Nighthawk]

There seem to be a lot of us! Look in the Meetup section- I'm trying to organize a kilt night in the Springs for March 11- night before the St. Patrick's Day parade!

[Riverkilt]

Welcome, not scoffing - but do think you'd make a much better business impression in a hand sewn kilt. Something to consider.

[chewse]

Welcome aboard Alex. I grew up in the Denver area and greatly miss the mild summers.

[kilt4beer]

There seem to be a lot of us! Look in the Meetup section- I'm trying to organize a kilt night in the Springs for March 11- night before the St. Patrick's Day parade!

Thanks for the tip. I'll check it out.

As I was lurking here I saw quite a few Colorado folks. The place I work (the brewery) has a very nice tasting room. It might make a great location for a kilt gathering. I'll check out some of the organized events and see what the template is and maybe organize my own.

Thanks for the warm welcome.