Graveyard Post I -- Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

05/12/2024 - 12/02/2024
A terrible misfortune occurred Monday, December 2nd, 2024. Sarah Love's cell phone was tragically lost. Unfortunately, this is where Kenny and Sarah Love stored all their notes on the pretzel reviews. All pretzel posts following the date of May 11th, 2024 were lost in the ether. Some of the locations we can revisit, while sadly other data, like the international posts from Canada, are gone forever. However, Kenny is the keeper of the snapshots, both of the pretzels and adventures; the saving grace is we still have some memories of these lost posts. Below are the stories of the not-so-forgotten Canadian pretzels found in the photos Kenny and Sarah Love had available. 07/07/2024 Phillips Brewing and Malting Co. -- Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

The first pretzel reviewed was at Phillips Brewing and Malting Co., tucked away in a quaint suburb of the city. Kenny and Sarah Love walked to the spot, enjoying the cool weather. It was humorous though, the Canadians kept complaining about the heat wave. Since Kenny and Sarah Love live in Phoenix they can attest the Canadian summer weather was not hot by comparison. Phillips is well known in the area and crafts delicious brews. It is a medium sized venue, long and skinny with a bar to the right as you walk in and tables to the left. The brewery was cozy and had a warm, welcoming vibe. "Pretzel" Menu Description: Fresh baked daily at Yonni's Doughnuts one block up the road on Discovery St. Served with a side of mustard. The pretzel came out with a light-medium brown color and looked very plump. The salt was plentiful and evenly distributed. Grain mustard was the accoutrement that accompanied it. Beer Cheese Dip was sold separately and Kenny and Sarah Love opted to add this menu option after the pretzel arrived. 07/08/2024 The Local -- Victoria, British Colombia, Canada "Beer Cheese Pretzel" Menu Description: jalapeno beer cheese, mustard.

Kenny and Sarah Love were surprised to see an alien staring back at them when the plate arrived from the kitchen. The dark crust was covered in an ample amount of salt. The baked treat came with three sauces. The third sauce pictured is a mystery since there are only two accoutrements listed on the menu. Kenny believes it is an additional helping of the jalapeno beer cheese. Although it is disappointing not to be able to share the final rating of either of these pretzels, Kenny and Sarah Love can attest the experience was exciting just because it was out of the country. It was a lovely vacation and finding two pretzels to try was both challenging and rewarding. Sincerely,

Kenny Muzzey & Sarah Love
Disclaimer: everything in this Graveyard Post is solely based off pictures and memories.

Tombstone Brewing Company -- Arcadia, Phoenix, AZ

 05/11/2024 Sarah Love and Kenny still had some time to kill prior to the opening of the PHX Vintage Market at the Brewery which had unexpectedly been pushed back from the 12 o'clock hour to 4:00 PM. As they sat at the bar in the PHX Beer Co. the idea had been hatched to find another nearby brewery and experience a second pretzel tasting. Kenny and Sarah Love set off exploring for an additional venue. A location nearby in Phoenix was the obvious choice since they were already in the vicinity. After a brief search they had decided upon the Tombstone Brewing Company in Arcadia. From the PHX Beer Co., Sarah Love and Kenny hopped in a Lyft and headed to the brewing company for their additional tasty treat. This location was tucked away near a shopping center off 40th and Thomas. While the brewery is in an area of Phoenix known as Arcadia, their first establishment originated in the famous, or infamous, Tombstone, Arizona. You may recognize the name Tombstone as being associated with the stereotypical "wild west" motif. Located in southeastern Arizona, and what was once home to US Marshall Wyatt Earp, there are a plethora of unique stories about this quaint town and his time served there. The area also hosted the well known gunfight at the O.K. Corral between noble lawmen of the southwest consisting of Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, the brothers Virgil & Morgan Earp and a band of outlaw cowboys. In a nutshell, ironically the gunfight was a brief 30-second shootout over enforcing gun laws leaving three of the lawmen wounded and three cowboys dead. Now, the gunfight is an everlasting symbol of the lawlessness of the old west and a strong juxtaposition between order and chaos.

Meanwhile back in Arcadia, Kenny and Sarah Love sat down in the relaxed open spaced brewery to enjoy their second pretzel tasting of the day. The server was very positive and highly attentive which is always welcomed during any dining experience.
Tombstone Brewing Company -- Arcadia, Phoenix, AZ “Jumbo Bavarian Pretzel” Menu Description: House made beer cheese.

Upon reception of their salted, twisted treat, Sarah Love and Kenny noted the gargantuan pretzel was light brown in color and had a visual appeal that was reminiscent of Snyder's of Hanover's Braided Twists. The buttery snack glistened under the bar lights with a seemingly perfect salt ratio. The tasting went well. The pretzel had a doughy texture that paired well with the house made beer cheese, resembling a light queso with a slight hint of spice. In addition, the simplicity of the yellow mustard provided an excellent complement. 3.0/5.0 Sincerely,

Kenny Muzzey & Sarah Love