Many of you know that, among the many loves of my life, beer, and more specifically good beer ranks pretty high up there. So this was a great weekend for me because it was almost all about beer, or Bier in the German tradition.

The first event was the 2008 Bockfest VIP Fund-raiser (postponed from late February due to snow) where they unveiled of the Rookwood Pottery and Christian Moerlein Brewery's second collaborative effort in Bier Stein making. This years offering depicts the legendary Emperor Frederick "Barbarossa" and a classic street scene from historic over-the-rhine neighborhood in Cincinnati.

The second event on Saturday was the Germania Society's fourth annual Stein Auction which is all about beer, steins and other brewery memorabilia. I have worked closely with George Hibbon to get the auction (which was also delayed due to the snow in February) to happen. The highlight of the auction was the sale of the first of the Barbarossa steins that had been donated to the auction. There also was an incredible wood carving from some unknown artist that had to be part of my collection.

Both are now part of my collection. See more pictures here