200

200. What does that mean? A prequel to a Gerard Butler movie? The number of laps in the Indy 500? Rosie O'Donnell's weight when she was 14? All good guesses, but not applicable for this entry. For me, 200 is a milestone. Two years of focus and hard work. Two years of beer drinking. Yes, after a little over two years, I finally did it. I made it into the Ring of Honor.

Let me fill you in. In Downtown Kansas City, there's a bar called the "Flying Saucer". Based down in Texas, there are fewer than 15 of these places across the country. They are beer bars. At any one time, they have over 200 beers available. Not only domestic stuff, but the best from around the world. A good chunk of those are on tap. They are somehow able to get really good and really rare stuff on a regular basis. Racer X from Bear Republic in California. Cask conditioned Hop Slam from Bell's in Michigan. Trappistes Rochfort 10 from Belgium. Good stuff! Anyway, they have a program where if you try 200 different beers (no more than three per day), you get your own personalized plate on the wall. My big day was May 13, 2010. My after lunch beer for #200 was a Westmalle Dubbel.

Serving me my 200th was the lovely Casey...

So, a week and a half later, I had my plate unveiling party on a Saturday Night. I was asked to come to the bar, actually, get on top of the bar, with one of the manager's where my exploits were announced to the teeming masses. Thankfully, I was not asked to do any "Coyote Ugly" moves while on top of the bar.

Next, it was off to pull the shroud from the plate. First I needed to stop and get the accolades from the fan club...

So here it is. I'm the 108th person at this Flying saucer to enter the club. I'm actually in a pretty good spot. I'm along the main wall on the west side out in the open.

A final thanks to the person who probably has served me more beers at the Saucer than anyone else. Thanks Lani!