Is there anything nicer than the pairing of a smooth typewriter and smooth beer? Well, probably there are a few things. But none of them came to mind on this particular afternoon! Let’s look at an overlooked Brother typewriter, and enjoy a big, beautiful NEIPA.
Brother 300T Typewriter
This typewriter was interesting to me for a few reasons. Brothers are typically very reliable and durable, and because this machine was in such nice cosmetic condition I was confident that it would work. But also, it was unusual. Some Brother models are omnipresent, like the Charger 11. Others, like some of the JP-7 variants, have a very recognizable plastic body shape. The shape and compact form factor of this typewriter seemed very different from any other Brother I had come across.
Looking into the Typewriter Database there doesn’t appear to be a lot to go on as far as this model is concerned. Only a single Brother 300 is present at the time of my writing. That one is listed as manufactured in 1975. There is an excellent article on the TWDB that breaks down the logic of Brother’s serial numbering scheme, and based on that I suspect that both the 300 in the DB and my 300T were manufactured in 1973.
I wondered why is this model designated the 300T, and this is where the TWDB is such a great resource. From the pictures I could very quickly see the addition of a single, red key marked Tab. There’s no tab setting mechanism, however, so the tab is just jumping ahead a set number of spaces each time.
As you can see in the typecast above my pristine-looking 300T isn’t performing as perfectly as it looks. I will need to spend some time looking into the adjustment of the a key and get it aligned. That is a pretty minor issue, though, and there is an awful lot to recommend this typewriter.
Ultra-portables are probably my favorite typewriters. I love that I can have them packed away, beside my desk or under it, that I can take them with me. As you can see from many of the photos I take for this blog, I love typing outside. I’m not taking a 50-lb standard machine with me to do that! But now as my collection is growing to include Skyriters, a Hermes Rocket, and a few others, this is becoming a bit of a crowded category. At some point I feel I will decide on a few favorites and let the rest go. The Brother 300T is definitely a contender, though.
Third Moon’s Double Bloodbath IPA
Third Moon out of Milton, Ontario appeared on this blog in 2020. They are one of my favorite breweries, constantly putting out exciting, adventurous, and very big new styles of beer. I would rank them among the very best brewers of IPAs and stouts, but particularly the very strongest of those styles.
This beer certainly falls into the big & strong category, it is an imperial IPA, or sometimes called a double IPA. Its alcohol content is listed as 9.1%. They describe it as a NEIPA – New England-style. These are typically hazy beers, and are not as overpoweringly bitter as traditional IPAs. NEIPAs are usually described as having citrus overtones, or being “juicy.”
Double Bloodbath is just an incredible example of a double IPA. It has a gorgeous, silky mouthfeel. It does have the presence of citrus that is associated with the style, but it is a little subdued, nicely subtle. Overall it is incredibly balanced, and so delicious.
It drinks very, very easily and totally hides its high alcohol content. So this is definitely a drink to sip at, although I found I had to remind myself of this!
Another aspect of Third Moon’s beer releases that I really enjoy and admire is their use of artwork. The artwork for, I believe, all of their labels is done by the artist yardwolves, and as can be seen here, it is often dark and gothic. I think it’s great, and I love that they have stuck with such a consistent vision for the last several years.
Until next time, sip carefully and type often!
Typewriters and Beer 