Place: Ale House Pub & Eatery

Event: Gonzaga vs. BYU basketball

Number of TVs: Approximately 20

Neck-strain: 10 percent

Food devoured: Texas Straws

Made with: Jalapeños

Cooking technique: Fried

Goes well with: Beer

Cost: $6.50

Happy Hour cost: $3.25

Savings: Half off

Leftover money: Buys more beer

Number of beer taps to choose from: 64

I'm fortunate enough to be married to a Gonzaga alumni, and was even more fortunate to relish in his excitement as the Zags approached potential Sweet Sixteen glory during March Madness. Last week we enjoyed some time at the Ale House while watching a match-up between Gonzaga and BYU.

"F***ing Mormons!" screamed a neighboring table as BYU teammates scored two points after two points after two points. Our eyes were glued to the Ale House's multiple large televisions as we realized the impending doom looming over Gonzaga's basketball team. 

"See all those taps on the wall?" asked Mr. DeRosa. "There's ONE keg in the back."

That's the ongoing joke, created years ago by the ultimate Mr. DeRosa (my father-in-law). It still makes us giggle as though we haven't heard it hundreds of times already. I sipped my Silver City Ridgetop Red after chuckling like a teenager as I always do when hearing that joke.

(Sidenote: I have yet to taste a beer from Silver City Brewery that I didn't like.)

With my back to the door, I had only two basketball game viewing options: look right or look left. All the TVs in front of me were tuned to sporting events, which surprised me seeing as how we had bribed our server Chris with a crisp $100 bill to change all the TVs to an educational PBS show or Oprah.

Just kidding. We're too poor to have crisp $100 bills on hand.

"So, if all of the 64 taps here at the Ale House come from one keg, how does mine taste and look so different from yours?" I asked Mr. DeRosa.

"Food coloring," he answered.

Ah yes, of course, food coloring.

Regardless of whatever the hell I was drinking, it was the Ale House, those deliciously addicting Texas Straws, multiple televisions and our server Chris that made everything worthwhile. 

The only thing I regret is not finding out what's really behind that wall of 64 taps. 

In due time, my friends. In due time...

[Ale House Pub & Eatery, 2122 Mildred W., Tacoma, 253.565.9367]