General Stark's Pub & Grill

Drink It If You Can

megsevents — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 23:36:33 +0000

yummy.

The weather may not be consistent, but the quality of beer in the pub is steady as a rock.

Right now the General Stark’s Pub is home to some of the best and hardest to find craft beers in the state. So come on in, weather or not and try one of these gems for youself! You might even get a face shot!

This week’s Drink It If You Can Recommendation is Steve’s Backyard Red Ale, created in collaboration some of MRG’s finest: Shop Boy and Home-brewer Extraordinaire Steve Robbins, and Naturalist Director and Craft Brew Demigod Sean Lawson.

From the horse’s mouth:

Our first collaboration brewed at Lawson’s Finest in Warren, VT features local homebrewer Steve Robbins, with his talented use of specialty malt, a fine blend of hops, and a generous dose of Green Mountain attitude. This Red Ale is dark ruby hue with a rich malt character, full body and flavor, and has a nice overall balance of toasty grains and hop presence.

From the Brewski Bum:

This is a dang fine beer. It was a delightful treat after a Vermonty day on the slopes. A real easy drinker for something with so much flavor, but it’s lower in ABV than most Lawson’s offerings so you can have another without living the Lawson’s motto too badly (Straight from the Green Mountains to your head.) If you decide to eat with it, pair it with anything from the grill to bring out the richness. Cheers Sean & Steve!

Don’t forget that ManBando will be playing apres in the pub tomorrow! And break out your favorite retro outfits for Roll Back The Clock Day Tuesday, January 31 featuring $3.50 lift tickets, an assortment of demos and the Starline Rhythm Boys in the pub.

Raining Pigs

megsevents — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 01:41:13 +0000

Mad River Glen 1/26/12

First and most importantly let’s all take a quick second to visualize our own versions of an epic powder day at MRG: Oooommmmmmmmmm.

The skiing has been super fun, despite the recent short comings of Ol Man Winter. The impending choose-your-own-weather-adventure could go so many different ways, it seem useless to speculate. Hopefully we’ll get just snow! The stuff that’s coming down right now should fix right to our base and make for some cream cheesy turns if it stays frozen. Unfrozen stuff isn’t supposed to come until later so there’s a chance it does no more harm than a bucket of water on a pig. But fluffer or nutter, we should come out the other other end with a thicker base. That’s gotta count for something right?

And it could rain pigs and the General Stark’s Pub will still be open! Currently we have some kick-booty local brews on tap such as Lawson’s and Fiddlehead. ManBando will be in the pub this Saturday and next Tuesday, Jan 31st is Roll Back the Clock Day with can’t-beat-em ticket prices of $3.50!! There will be all sorts of demos happening, plus the Starline Rhythm Boys will be rockin’ the GSP for apres so be sure to check it out.

Below, our trusty barkeep has some words for you Mugg Clubbers and MC wannabees…

Choice: Do you have a Mugg Club Mug?

Yes – Read Below, then do a snow dance and/or make appropriate sacrifice to Ullr
No, but I’m on the waiting list - Read Below, then do a snow dance and/or make appropriate sacrifice to Ullr
No - Very well then, carry on. Perhaps do a snow dance and/or make appropriate sacrifice to Ullr just for good measure.

So while we absolutely hate being the bad guy and selling off people’s mugs in their absence, the monster that we have created demands that something be done to move the names along through the waitlist queue. The process that we have said we would follow is to insist that the mugs be bought and paid for by Feb vacation (it used to be MLK weekend) or be at risk of being sold to the next waiter on the list. We have not held the line on that policy too well but this year will be the first that we are forced to do exactly that. So spread the word to anyone you know that is a mugg holder ….. straighten out your mug business in Feb or risk losing your hook.

In other amazing pub news we have completed Phase I of our house P.A. install. This included removing 4 other speakers in the pub along w/a bunch of semi-unsightly wiring. In place of said speakers you will notice 2 beautiful JBL P.A. cabinets hanging smartly from the ceiling. They are being powered by a new power amplifier and mixed w/our new mixer, all of which was helped along by some very generous private donations. All of the equipment was tested and installed by Ron Ulrich of SwellSound. Ron is a familiar face around the pub as well as the ski school and his tireless efforts, ideas, and implementation of both were the driving force behind the massive upgrade to the atmosphere in the pub. Please be sure and thank him if you like the way it looks and sounds.

Phase II of the process will allow for further flexibility of our new system including (but not limited to) playing the live band’s music outside on the deck speakers and having powered microphone capabilities throughout the building/outdoor area. All of this in an effort to improve our ability to communicate and interact pleasantly w/out guests. At the risk of repeating myself I implore you to come into the pub, check out the new changes and let us know what you think. And by all means let Ron Ulrich know if you like what you’ve seen or heard (he drinks Heineken). We hope you’ll be as excited as we are about the improvements.

Thanks for playing along.

Your faithful recorder,

Chris

The Bar Is Open

megsevents — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 01:02:04 +0000

You are forgiven if you haven’t made it up to MRG and made a cameo in the General Stark’s Pub yet. But enough is enough. It’s about time you get up here already. Sure, Old Man Winter has been limping along this season, but it’s finally looking like he’s stickin’ around for a while. The skiing isn’t half bad, we’ve got the 2012 Mugg Club mugs in and there’s good beer on tap so it’s time to cut the lame excuses. Come up for some fresh air, a little fun exercise and good times with all your ski buddies here on Stark Mountain.

This Friday is Ski with the Point Day! Grab your ski posse and ski with us for half off! Then come to the pub for a fun apres party with Chad Hollister and the cool kids at the Point – and these guys really know how to have fun! Now you have a great excuse to come check out the new renovations in the Pub!

Wait, what renovations?

Even if you have been up here you may not have noticed all the great work done to the pub this summer! Here’s a recap of things from your trusty Barkeep, Chris.

The Booths: Watch it happen yourself (below) … the end of the stationary booths in the center of the dining room. Michael and Rob did a fabulous job taking them out and Thom refinished the new floor. You hardly notice their absence and the flow in the room, as well as some much-needed versatility is vastly improved. Yay.

The Cushioned Seats were also very well reupholstered by Dana Applebaum! Thanks Dana! They’ve never been more comfortable.

The Windows: Four of the fixed-glass windows in the dining room have been replaced by sliding-frame style windows. They’ll open in springtime & beyond for ventilation. It will be heavenly in the summer. Thank you Stevie & Nate.

The Floor: You may not notice that the floors are now actually carpeted with an indoor/outdoor type of substance. It makes the room FAR less slippery for ski boots …. So far it has been fantastic. We’re watching to see how it holds up under heavy traffic. Thank you Michael.

The Fireplace Room: This is where the biggest and most dramatic improvements were centered. The old, cold ceiling was removed, insulated w/R38 and replaced w/ beautiful T&G wood ceiling. The room is now wired for an overhead chandelier and Doug Macintosh of patrol was kind enough to donate one to us to use while we decide what the best unit to install permanently will be. Thank you Doug! All of the large windows were replaced w/new thermopane glass and the interior trim work in the room is some kind of sight. Be sure and look at the pieces where the wood meets the stone along the side of the fireplace. Beautiful work was done by Tom Clark & Co. getting everything ready right on schedule. Thank you Tom & Brooks! And last but certainly not least the hearth was replaced down to the bottom by MRG’s tireless Jack of Everything Donn Simpson. It looks absolutely gorgeous. Please tell him you think so and buy him a beer. Thank you Donny!

Sound System: We are amidst the process of still another upgrade to the sound equipment in GSP. Through some very generous donations of time and equipment by ROn Ulrich of SwellSound Inc. we will soon replace our overhead speakers w/a more professional setup and allow an in-house sound system to be utilized by bands, speakers, etc. Thank you Ronnie!

Auto-Correct

megsevents — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 01:16:07 +0000

This season I’ve been shaking my fist as much at Ullr as I do at my iPhone’s auto-correct. It’s been the kind of winter that’s been slooooooow to start, [or as my iPhone would say: "It's been the kind of winder that's been sloop to strait."] Thank goodness it looks like at least the weather may be changing, (and by that I mean turning to snow, not auto-corrected.)

With accumulations of at least 3-4 inches and more expected overnight, the decision makers on Mad River Resort Road in Fayston, VT have this to say:

“The plan is to FINALLY open the the main mountain on Friday with skiing off of the Single and the Sunnyside Double. HOWEVER – we may hold off opening the big hill if we get rain mixed in on Friday morning. If we can’t open the main mountain then we’ll go with the Practice Slope tomorrow and crank up the Single and Double on Saturday.”

So basically, come up. Bring your skins just in case. And of course the bar will be open!

Also: if you are in the GSP Mugg Club, be sure to check the newly updated Mugg Club Page to get your marching orders!

In the meantime, check out some good snow-themed auto-corrects:

A Pint and a Half

megsevents — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:48:09 +0000

It’s official. There’s at least a pint and a half of snow on them thar hills and it’s still coming down! A big shout-out to Ullr for making it happen before the New Year!

This from the Powers That Be at MRG:

Our original plan was to open up on Friday with skiing on the Practice Slope and Callie’s Corner Handle Tow. However if we can we will try and open up on Thursday. A call will be made by 8:30 AM once the mountain ops crew has assessed the situation. This plan is as changeable as the weather so please be sure to check back in tomorrow.

Personally, I would plan to get your booty up here in the morning. After an hour of shoveling I can tell you that the snow pack has at least 8″ of light and fluffy melded nicely to an inch or two of wet slop which means this stuff should pack down nicely and make for some good base-building snow, but if you want the fluff, it will probably be first come, first face shots.

Don’t forget you can sign up to get the General Stark’s Pub blog posts conveniently emailed directly to you so you won’t miss a beat – up there on the right…

It’s good to be back!

Stay tuned for an update on Muggs and SKI YA SOON!

We couldn't find a ruler, but figured a pint of Heady Topper* was a good reference tool... and we have several on site in North Fayston. *EDITOR'S NOTE: Heady Topper is currently on our WISHLIST! If we start to actually carry it in the pub, don't worry - we will let you know.

A "real" measurement from Bragg Hill, thank you Dr. Corin Bauer.

Gearing Up…

megsevents — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 17:15:19 +0000

The New Rental Fleet?

Thanksgiving has come and gone, and hopefully that won’t be the same story for the first big dumping of the year! But whether the weather brings snow or shine, the ski bums in the crowd are prepared for anything (you know who you are.)

A crucial part of off-season for any ski bum is getting ready for the next ski-season. This means that we’ve been scanning Steep & Cheap and Whiskey Militia for deals. We elbowed our way through the local Ski & Skate sale for some reusable steals. And we have Backcountry Magazine’s Gear guide right next to our thrown, rolled up, earmarked and clearly noting the items left on our wish list, just in case anyone wants to get us something for Christmas.

But we aren’t the only ones who’ve been gearing up for the ski season. The full-timers up at MRG have been busting out improvements all summer long including a slick new layout (see video below) and new windows for the Pub, a new bridge over Schuss Pass and more. And when snow finally flies enough for the lifts to start spinning, you’ll get to see even more new things on Stark Mountain. Check it out:

The Lark Park – You’ve heard the rumors and they are true. But have no fear – we’re not putting in a new water park or anything like that. Just a little teaching park with some natural features cleverly designed and laboriously constructed by MRG’s Freeskiing Team Coaches. We will have more info and photos for you shortly, but this is going to be a great addition to the mountain.
RAMP Skis – You may have had the opportunity to test these skis out last season, but if you missed it, you’re in luck. This year, MRG has teamed up with RAMP Skis in a bunch of cool ways: They will be a new sponsor for the Triple Crown (which I’m pretty sure means new skis for the winners!) and they will be offering some deals to the MRG Freeskiing Team. They will be doing some Demo Days and there will be couple (that means 2) pairs of demos available to try in our rental shop if you can get there in time. For more details, go harass our very own Ramp Rep and Freeskiing Team Head Coach, also known as That Video Ski Report Guy, Ry Young.
In addition to having the new Ramp demos, our Rental & Repair Shop will also have some sweet new Dynastar skis in our high performance rental fleet. These skis are very cool and will be an awful lot of fun to ski at MRG. Check out this video review and then try them for yourself! There’s also talk of some new Black Diamond tele skis and boots, but I cannot confirm or deny that just yet…
Also new in the R & R, we have Master Boot-Fitter Dave Reed in the shop this season! This means no more complaining about your boots hurting (you know who you are,) because starting on opening day, we will be be offering professional custom insoles and boot-fitting right off the Boardwalk. This is an awesome opportunity for everyone – happy feet make all the difference in the world!
New Staff Coats – Just when you were getting used things, we’ve gone and mixed it up again for you! Thanks to our friends at Mammut, the MRG staff will be looking sharp and staying warm and comfy in awesome new staff jackets. Mammut outfits some of the worlds most daring and accomplished outdoor athletes and we are excited that our staff is now among such company.

A Strict Pre-Season Training Regimen

megsevents — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 03:38:13 +0000

The tracks of a Skiasaurus Grassius

I don’t know about you, but 2011 was kinda rough for the insomniac bloggers behind the General Stark’s Pub Blog. After epidemic season-ending injuries across the mountain, wild floods from spring right into fall and everything in between, we are so completely ready for 2012, we’re gonna party like it’s 1999!

But before we get too ahead of ourselves, we are warming up by getting thoroughly stoked for the snow to fly. And while it’s true, there have been plenty of hungry Skiasaurus Grassiuses on the mountain, eagerly ripping turns on the hoar frost, the ski season as far as the lifts are concerned, isn’t here quite yet.

To pass the time, we are adhering to a strict pre-season training regimen full of hiking, clipping pesky branches out of ski lines, building rails on Lark and of course doing extra reps of pint curls and bear-hugging ski buddies we haven’t seen since March.

And we’re watching ski porn. Lots and lots of ski porn.

Somewhere in there, we’re also making time to update the GSP blog! We’ve just updated the What’s Going On page so get out your iCal or, dare I say, your regular old calendar and enter all the pertinent information required so you know precisely when to call in sick.

Here’s a few places to head to THIS WEEK to find some super fresh ski porn, reunite with your ski posse and maybe even win some sweet swag. (See the trailers, below)

Tuesday, Nov. 15 Savoy Theater, Montpelier SOLITAIRE – The latest installment from the artists at Sweetgrass Productions, this ski flick is not your average bro-brah’s ski porn full of baggy pants and cliff-hucking. These guys take you on a much deeper ski trip, filled with jaw dropping cinematography and insightful commentary that will strike a nerve with anyone who truly loves this sport. With only 50 seats in this Theater, be sure to RSVP with Onion River Sports so you can experience this.
Saturday, Nov 19 The Big Picture, Waitsfield Prime Cut – After 10 years of making ski movies dedicated to promoting skiing in the East, the geniuses behind Meathead Films have mastered the art of getting creative. They bring together a wonderful mix of powdery technical skiing (all shot in the East!) and crazy urban jibbing in one of the most fun ski movies you’ll see this year. Presented by the Flyin’ Ryan Hawks Foundation with Mad River Glen and Sugarbush, not only will you be able to get your stoke on, but there will be drink specials, a booze luge and a give-aways. So if you’re lucky, you might even win a super long Ski The East t-shirt and be the envy of all the jib rats!

Solitaire – Sweetgrass Productions

Prime Cut – Meathead Films

Still Awesome at MRG

megsevents — Thu, 19 May 2011 22:06:13 +0000

If you thought that just ’cause the snow’s all gone, nothing goes on at Mad River Glen, then you are just plain wrong. No, skiing might be seasonal, but our shenanigans last all year long.

And boy oh boy did we start things off with a bang this spring! Remember those booths we had in the bar? Oh, they’re gone. Poof! Check out Mike & Rob’s Smash Job video below and check out photos of the destruction on our Facebook page.

‘Eeek! But WHY!?!’ you screech.

I know, I know – those booths had character. If only they could talk, the stories they would tell! They will always have a special place in my memory, since the bruises on my legs marking their height have pretty much healed. And I’m sure we all will remember nothing but good times and a lot of french fries in those booths. But don’t worry because the new open floor plan is going to be awesome! We will have more room for sitting, more room for moving around, more room for dancing, more room to catch the kids running around before they knock someone over and more room for Amy, Leslie, Melody, Lori, Lisa and all the other lovely bar staff to get you your order in a timely and unspilled fashion. I’m telling you: it’s going to be awesome!

Here’s a quick look at some of the other awesome things going on up here:

Sunday July 3 at MRG

Our first ever Yard Sale! We’ve done some spring cleaning and we are getting rid of a bunch of stuff! We’re selling some of the old Gen. Stark’s Pub bar stools, stuff from the rental & repair shop, things we didn’t even know we had and much, much more. The sale starts at 10 AM so come on up and Shop It If You Can!
Float Building Party We are going to need your help to make our parade float for the 63rd Annual Warren Parade! Come on up and give us a hand, then enjoy outside games, live music and JT”s Famous BBQ! The fun starts at noon and goes until 6pm.

Monday, July 4 in Warren Village

The 63rd Annual Warren Fourth of July Parade – Come support the team in one of the best Independence Day parades around.

Also on the Calendar:

Private Events – Now that we have a lot more flexibility with the Pub’s new open floor plan, we are definitely a great place for your private event! Contact us today if you want more information.
SIPtemberfest – The Best little beer fest around, featuring some of Vermont’s best and hardest-to-find beer all in the awesome fall setting of MRG. (I had to get one more in there…)
Green & Gold – The traditional kick-off to the MRG season. Enjoy foliage rides on America’s Favorite Chairlift. Cost: Lift Rides:$10 for adults, $5 for kids

Of course, for a full listing of MRG goings on, check out the Events Page. And don’t forget, without me, things are only aweso.

Reflections of a Great Season Gone By

megsevents — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 05:15:34 +0000

The end of ski season is always a bummer. Every year it’s a struggle to find the silver lining on the patchwork snow/grass pattern on the hill. There are so many reasons to dislike this time of year that it can be very hard to put a positive spin on putting our skis in the back of the closet. *sigh*

But instead of getting bummed out about spring things like potholes, running out of wiper fluid and yard work, reflect back on what was an awesome ski season at Mad River Glen!

Below I’ve lined up some videos from this year at MRG for your procrastinating pleasure. Check ‘em out, let us know what was your favorite part of the season and start visualizing deep fluffy white epicness for next season!

Thanks for another great season, team! Don’t forget to subscribe to our snarky little Stark’s Pub blog so you can stay up to speed on all our off-season fun-having and SKI YA WHEN THE SNOW FLIES!

-Meg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHH8BxocCgE&feature=channel_video_title

Signs of Spring

megsevents — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 12:24:16 +0000

Up until this past weekend the only signs of Spring that I could see were that the Red Sox were “playing” and my taxes were due. But to look around the mountain, it could have been January with the snow falling, the temps in the 20s and the wall-to-wall snowy carpet on the slopes.

And then it was finally Friday and the sun came out, the temps rose, the skiing was incredible and the Red Sox finally got a W with a home opener win over the Yankees. All was right in the world and it stayed that way pretty much all weekend. Epic corn bumps all over the mountain, bluebird skies and the smell of sunblock in the air, a tiki bar with slushy margaritas, a 2-1 series win for the good guys and a successful online tax-filing session and *voila!* Spring has finally arrived, no doubt about it!

But the flip side to this coin is that the coming of spring also means the inevitable end of the ski season. So now, to answer the big questions you all have:

Will the mountain stay open? We sure hope to! As you are all well aware, we are a very weather-sensitive mountain and even though we have an amazing base for this time of year, we are also staring down the barrel of a truly springy weather forecast. So for at least the time being, we are suspending operations. We do hope to re-open for the weekend if not sooner. Stay-tuned to our web page, facebook posts and twitter feed for day-to-day updates.
Will the Stark’s Pub keep posting these highly entertaining updates on MRG activities after the mountain is closed? YES! We love to talk about all things skiing and MRG-related; even if the lifts aren’t turning, the fun rolls on! During the off-season, MRG is host to a bunch of fun events such as SIPtemberfest and Green and Gold Weekend as well as private weddings and events. So don’t miss a beat – subscribe to our blog and get updates conveniently emailed right to your inbox! (Scroll toward the top of the page, find “Stark’s Pub in you Inbox” on the right.)
Wait – so can I have my own event at MRG this summer? Sure! We’d love to party with you over the summer! Contact us today about using MRG as a venue for your wedding or event, or find out how we can come to you!
Finally, What is the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?