The Brohd Trip 4 / Wing-Off 20 – 881 Miles Just To Eat Hot Wings

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines “epic” as “extending beyond the usual or ordinary especially in size or scope.” It also says something and poems but that’s not relevant here. Sounds reminiscent of my life’s motto; ‘if it’s worth doing, it’s worth over-doing.” If you’re willing to get in a vehicle and drive 881 miles just to eat some hot wings, that’s definitely over doing it. If along that route you visit 3 breweries, eat a ton of great food, see a natural wonder of the world and have a fantastic time with some of your best friends, that’s what I would call Epic. I’d also call it;

THE BROHD TRIP
Take the eateries from the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-In’s and Dives,” add in a group of friends like on HBO’s “Entourage” and sparkle it with a dose of Roadside America and you have THE BROHD TRIP. It’s an excuse for a couple of bro’s to get out of town and have some fun driving around this great country of ours eating food, drinking beer and seeing some randomly random stuff.

This wasn’t any old Brohd Trip through. Sure it had all the required elements but this one was different. The Brohd Trip 4, much like Navin R. Johnson, had a special purpose.

In January of 2007, 2 men had an argument over where to get the best hot wings in New York City. The debate grew intense and while an audience watched, they agreed to battle it out, Wing vs. Wing, to see who was right. Some rules were established, some friends were invited and some Wings were eaten. In the end, everyone had so much fun that we decided to do it again, and again and again. Thus, the NYC Wing-Off was born.

This weekend adventure was centered around the anniversary of the Wing-Off. To celebrate 6 years of eating the BEST WINGS IN NYC, we made a trip to the mecca, Buffalo, NY, to see if our tastes live up to the originators. The goal was to have Duff’s Famous Wings face off against the Anchor Bar and see just where to get the best Wings in New York.

One important rule about both the Brohd Trip and the Wing-Off:
NO WOMEN ALLOWED!!

THE BROHD TRIP 4– DAY 1
Friday, January 25, 2013

CC Rentals: NYC Car Rental
http://www.ccrentalnyc.com/
430 W 37th St
New York, NY 10018‎
7:00 pm

The final road tally was 11 attendees so no normal car rental was going to do the trick. We needed a 16 passenger van and there’s no better place to get that in NYC than CC Rentals. We nick named our blue ride “Nessie” and plotted ourselves North-West just as a huge snowstorm was covering the region. Snow be damned, we needed Hot Wings.

Wawa Food Market #116
http://wawa.com
1015 W Main Street,
Stroudsburg, PA 18360
9:09 pm

At this point, a stop at Wawa is practically a must for Brohd Trip. With their Ready-to-Go Snacks, tasty side dishes, refreshing Iced Teas, Fresh Brewed Coffee, delicious Sizzli breakfast sandwiches and of course, the Built-to-Order Hoagies and Sandwiches, it’s a guaranteed win!!! Just walk up to the computer screen and start mashing those hungry little fingers on the touch screen. As you can tell by the photos, ordering is not taking lightly. I high suggest a side of Meatballs to be added to any order.

Empire Brewing Company
http://www.empirebrew.com
120 Walton St
Syracuse, NY 13202
12:30 am (Jan 26, 2103)

After 5.5 hours in a snow storm we were antsy, restless and ready for some fun. Shortly all problems would be solved thanks to the Empire Brewing Company. Unfortunately we got there too late to sample from what I’m told is a great menu of Food. However, the tasty Craft Beers were a flowin and really, that’s all we needed. I’ve drank a lot of Beer. I’ve seen a lot of breweries. I’ve met a lot of brewers. Some might say I am a connoisseur of these things but I would just say that I’m a big fan and one place I am a BIG fan of is the Empire Brewing Company.

The tap room is gorgeous, the Beer is most excellent and you will not find a more talented, friendly, professional and fun brewery owner and brewer than David & Tim from Empire. They treat every person like a friend and every Brew like a work of art. It’s all reflected in their staff who are attentive, smart & fun. From their straight forward Amber & IPA to their boozy but very drinkable Barley Wine to their “Local Grind” Scotch Ale with locally ground Coffee, all and I mean ALL of the Beer is fantastic. I should know, we definitely drank our share of it!

THE BROHD TRIP 4– DAY 2
Saturday, January 26, 2013

The Jefferson Clinton
http://jeffersonclintonhotel.com
416 South Clinton Street
Syracuse, NY 13202
9:26 am

With bellies full of Beer and an early start, I had to drag the Brohd Trippers out of Empire and into a hotel. All the cool kids know, or at least those that have had a pint or 90 at the Empire Brewery, that the best hotel in town is only a block away from the brewery. The Jefferson Clinton has a history dating back to the 1920s is and is an upscale hotel located right in Armory Square. For you Beer fans, book a Dine and Brew package complete with a room as well as a Empire Brewing gift card and growler package!

Rooms come with a complimentary breakfast which is a combination of continental offering along with a made to order Omelet bar. Make sure you carve out part of your day to enjoy. Coffee and Tea are available in the lobby 24 hours day. Now that’s service! The rooms are big, clean, nice, comfortable and if you’re lucky, a little bit Duckie. And that’s how the Brohd Trip acquired a mascot; Duckie Sanchez.

Also, the hotel has a manager named Tim Bacon.

The green-over-red traffic light
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tipperary_Hill
Cross section of Tompkins Street and Milton Avenue
Tipperary Hill, Syracuse, NY
10:30 am

On the far West side of the ‘Cuse, not far from the brewery there’s a neighborhood called Tipperary Hill. Most of the early settlement there was and to this today, remains very Irish. In 1925, as a reaction to anger towards the English, local youths threw stones at traffic light claiming the British Red should not be placed about the Irish Green. Every time the light was repaired, it was stoned and broken again. On St. Patty’s Day of 1928 the local government replaced the light with the green on top, which is how it still stands today.

Duff’s Famous Wings
http://www.duffswings.com
3651 Sheridan Drive
Amherst, NY 14226
1:04 pm

WING-OFF 20 ROUND 1, FIGHT!

A lady by the name of Louise Duffney opened a Gin mill in Amherst, NY in 1946 and in 1969 they served their first order of Hot Wings. Since then Duff’s has gone on to become one of the most popular, sought after and famous Hot Wings in all the land. Since then 7 other Duff’s locations have opened as far away as Texas. It was here, just North of Buffalo that the most epic of all the Wing-Offs would begin.

Even at 1 in the afternoon, the place was packed with Wing fanatics waiting to get their mitts on a bowl of the famous food item. We waited patiently sipping for some, Labatt’s Blue while a few of us went for the Duff’s Microbrew, an American Amber Ale. The place looks like your average pub; black tables, wooden floors, TV showing sports and other than a few decorations, that’s it. Clearly, it’s all about the Wing at Duff’s. I’ve never seen the Wing-Off crew have so much trouble deciding on what to order during an event. Not only were we hungry but we were excited and yet still had two more locations to Wing at. By the 3rd time the waitress came around, the decision was made: 30 Hot & 30 Medium, plus some French Fries.

Only a few moments later the Wings arrived. They were steaming hot, looked great and smelled awesome. I couldn’t believe the moment had arrived. We actually drove to Buffalo just to eat Hot Wings. I thought “seriously, we must be crazy,” and then I took my first bite of a Duff’s Wing. I had to pause just to savor the moment. It was true. It’s all true. The Wings at Duff’s are top notch. They are cooked well and the sauce is perfect, especially the Hot. Both sauces could’ve had a little more heat but that would be nit picking. They could’ve also been cooked just a little bit longer but again, they were awesome.

The Wings at Duff’s in Buffalo are the exact text book definition of what a Buffalo Wing should be and the model of which all other Wings should take a cue.

Nancy Rubins’ “Stainless Steel, Aluminum, Monochrome I, Built to Live Anywhere, at Home Here, 2010–11″ at Albright-Knox Art Gallery
http://www.albrightknox.org
1285 Elmwood Avenue
Buffalo, New York 14222
2:41 pm

Nancy Rubins, born Naples, Texas, is an American sculpter most famous for amassing large objects into a much larger arrangement. One such item, the Stainless Steel, Aluminum, Monochrome I, Built to Live Anywhere, at Home Here, 2010-11, stands a the entrance to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo. It’s also known as “the canoe tree” or “60 canoes on a pole” because that’s what it is. However, we called it “Canoe Tron.”

Rick James’ Grave at the Forest Lawn Cemetery
http://www.forest-lawn.com
1411 Delaware Ave
Buffalo, NY 14209
2:56 pm

On February 1, 1948, one James Ambrose Johnson, Jr was born in Buffalo, NY. 33 years later the song “Super Freak” was released launching the man we know as Rick James into super stardom. The song went on to sell more than 3 million copies and the record spent 3 weeks at #1 on the American Dance Charts. Rick James career was riddled with drug use through the 80s and 90s and he eventually landed him in Jail. In 2004 through a skit we all know and love, Rick James had one final moment in the sun on the Dave Chapelle show. “I’m Rock James Bitch!” was forever cemented in our heads just before the funk super star died later that year of a heart failure. Rick James’ was quoted on that show saying “Cocaine is a hell of a drug” and if you replaced that with “Hot Wings” I think we would agree.

Frank & Teressa’s Anchor Bar
http://www.anchorbar.com
1047 Main Street
Buffalo, NY 14209
3:17 pm

The story of how the first Hot Wing came about has multiple plots but there’s no question, we have Teressa Bellissimo and her husband Frank to thank. In 1935 they opened the now home of the original Buffalo Chicken Wing, the Anchor Bar. The sign, as of Wing-Off 20, states that they’ve sold more than 246 million wings since that first batch. The most believed story is that late one night their son Dominic had some friends show up in the bar and wanting hot food as quickly as possible. Teressa popped into the kitchen fried up some Wings, dipped them in some sauce and there’s been nothing but fame and notoriety since.

The Anchor Bar is huge with multiple rooms, a bar area and even a souvenir store. It looks like what I would call an Urban Roadhouse. There are decorations every where ranging from license plates, motorcycles, classic Beer signs, sports paraphernalia and all other sorts of American bar decore. Once again, the deliberation on how many and what type of Wings to get was not an easy task. We did agree on one thing though, an order of Pizza Logs. I had never heard of these and when I asked Mike and Karl, Buffalo natives, what they were Karl answered “like an Egg Roll but with Pizza inside.” They were very tasty and how the heck these haven’t made it outside of Buffalo is a crime.

We were pretty hungry and agreed it was going to be awhile before we hit the 3rd location and Wing order placed. 50 Hot & 50 Medium. BAM. They came out to the table in almost a blink of an eye which leads me to believe that Teressa’s standards are still being held. The Wings arrived on a large silver tray much like a Pizza would giving them a pretty spectacular presentation. These Wings looked absolutely beautiful and I couldn’t wait to shove a handful of them into my mouth. One bite proved, these Wings earned the hype. The crunch of the skin was a perfect crisp and made for an entirely fantastic Wing bite. However, there just wasn’t enough Sauce on the Wings. If you just like crispy fried Wings, these are your babies but if you also want a really sauced up Wing, you’ll need to ask for more on the side. Which, we actually did and that made for a huge improvement. Neither the Medium nor the Hot had much spice to them. This lead us to ask for the Suicide Sauce because we were seeking some heat. It wasn’t all that hot to be honest.

The Anchor Bar has the most perfectly cooked Hot Wings of all times.

Pearl Street Grill & Brewery / Lofts on Pearl
http://pearlstreetgrill.com/home
https://www.facebook.com/LoftsOnPearl
76 & 92 Pearl St
Buffalo, NY 14206
5:33 pm

If ever there was a perfect hotel for a Brohd Trip, it’s the Lofts on Pearl in Buffalo. Not only are the 2 room suites spacious, clean, comfortable including the working fireplace but most relevantly, it’s connected to the Pearl Street Brewery. Need a little moment to recharge during a Brohd Trip? Take a nap upstairs. Want a moment to get charged up? Go downstairs & drink some fresh Beer at the Brewery! Perfect scenario. While some of the other guys opted for the nap while the rest of us decided to see just how many of the different Beers we would try at the Brewery. My favorite of the bunch was the Street Brawler Stout, a dry Irish style Oatmeal Stout that was nice and malty.

Gabriel’s Gate
http://gabrielsgate.page.tl
145 Allen Street
Buffalo, NY 14201
8:26 pm

Fully charged and charged up, we were ready to get back on the Wing trail. It was time to settle, who has the best Wings in Buffalo. So why Gabriel’s Gate? While the world outside of Buffalo consider Duff’s and Anchor Bar to be the best of the best, it’s always smart to see where the locals eat. Gabriel’s Gate is that place. It’s a small tavern with an interesting array of taxidermy hanging from it’s high ceilings. The place resembles a huntsman lodge and offers seating at a table or the bar. With 15 of us, we had to spread out to fit in. Rumor has it, these are truly the best Wings in Buffalo.

We started off with an order of French Fries and Gravy which made for a fantastic appetizer. Just enough to make us even more hungry. With 160 Wings already in our system, placing an order again became a bit of a challenge. Just as we thought we had figure it out, Mike ran back and said “be sure to order them extra crispy and extra hot.” He lives in Buffalo and loves Wings so we took his advice. How about 20 Medium and 20 extra Hot and extra crispy. No dice. The waitress informed us that they only come one way unless you dare to try to the Suicide Sauce. We assumed this to be what Mike meant so the order became just 20 extra crispy Suicide.

But before that, I threw in a curve ball; I ordered the Burger. I mean after all, we were on the Brohd Trip and this is a Burger blog. The Burgers at Gabriel’s Gate are all 1/2 pound, made of fresh Ground Beef and cooked on the open pit. I asked for the “Ashland Ave,” a Burger simply made with Lettuce, Onion, Tomato & Cheese, served on a Roll. The Bun was a little thicker than I prefer and was cold. Reminded me of the standard Roll you get at a bodega Roll that you get when you order a Bacon, Egg & Cheese. That aside, the Burger had a fantastic char grill flavor. Whomever was manning the kitchen knew what they were doing when they wanted to flavor up this Burger. Kudos as well for using 2 slices of Cheese as not only did the large size call for it but gave the Sandwich an extra savory and creamy kick that made me understand why this Burger is so popular.

8 out of 10 Ounces
-Rev

Then it was here. It was time. The final order of Hot Wings on the most awesomely Epic display of Hot Wing appreciation ever; Wing-Off 20. We started in on the Wings. They weren’t as well done as the Anchor Bar but still cooked very well. There was more than enough Sauce to complement the crispiness and our first thought was that maybe Gabriel’s was able to do be both crispy enough and also with a good Saucing. Then the heat kicked in. Oh my goodness, did it kick in. These Wings were on fire!! With each moment that passed the heat got hotter, the pain got deeper and the intensity raged on. Soon we were grabbing for Blue Cheese, asking for Milk, sopping of Gravy, trying to do whatever it took to cool down our tongues. They were hot, VERY hot but they were also really tasty. I was able to get through 2 of them while JoeC & Austin locked horns into a battle to see who could eat the most. Austin took JoeC with a 6 to 5 victory. After we all finally came down from the endorphin and adrenaline rush, Adam went and asked for the Chef. He came out and told us that when they are making the sauce, the kitchen staff uses both gloves and masks!!! What we eventually found out was that Mike was suggesting we order extra Sauce, not extra Hot.”

The Hot Wings at Gabriel’s Gate are a local favorite for a reason. They are tasty, well made and if you like ’em hot, they’ll show you what hot is all about.

Blue Monk
http://bmbflo.com
727 Elmwood Ave
Buffalo, NY 14222
10:29 pm

Beers. We wanted Beers. Nice, fresh, cold, delicious, well-made, Craft Beers and a wide variety of them. If that’s what you’re looking for in Buffalo, your best bet is the Blue Monk. With more than 25 Beers on tap, 90 in bottles and some cans, it’s guaranteed there is a Beer here you love, you’ve heard of or never even knew existed. It is Buffalo’s Beer Nirvana. There’s a few tables on the 2nd floor landing where you can sit and grab a bite from the beer-centric Food menu.

We weren’t hungry per se, but we had heard tales of legend in regards to the Blue Monk’s “Duck Fat Frites” and house made Sauces. They are Belgian style Fries cooked in Duck Fat and served with your choice of any two sauces; Honey-Cayenne Aioli, Chipotle Bacon Mayo, Roasted Garlic & Sea Salt, Siracha Mayo, Wasabi Aioli, Thai Curry Ketchup, Sambal Aioli & Smoked Chili Aioli. I’m not sure how it happened although I think Patrick sweet talked them but they brought us every single sauce. If I had to pick a favorite, I would say no, that’s impossible because they are all quite unique & delicious. Go back and read the list, without even tasting them, I’m sure you can understand.

Old Pink
http://www.yelp.com/biz/old-pink-buffalo
223 Allen St
Buffalo, NY 14201
12:32 am (Jan 27, 2013)

There’s all kinds of bars in the world: local Taverns, Irish bars, Beer bars, Wine bars, Cocktail bars, fancy Lounges, Gastro Pubs and then there are Dive bars. If you really want to experience the bar culture of a city, find the oldest, most popular Dive Bar and saddle up for a drink. That’s where the best and most fun imbibing happens. In Buffalo, that place is the Old Pink. Expect some loud rock and roll, darts, Beers, shots, some fun loving people and most uniquely, the Old Pink Steak Sandwich. Cooked on an open flame right behind the bar, this Buffalo staple has been served since 1968. When we saw the cook preparing them sans light, in the dark, thick as anything, we had to have one. It’s a NY Strip Steak cooked Medium on a griddle that’s served with secret Seasoning, Onions, Peppers & Cheese on a nice, long White Roll. I don’t know how they pull it off so well or for so cheap a price but it’s an awesome Sandwich to be eating at a rad Dive bar.

Jim’s Steak Out
http://www.jimssteakout.com
194 Allen St (Elmwood Ave)
Buffalo, NY 14201
2:28 am

You have to give Buffalo so serious credit on the Food tip. While the city isn’t devoid of your standard restaurant chains, it’s definitely more penetrated with local eateries. If there’s nothing I appreciate more about a city than it’s Food and if you are a serious eater like I am, go to Buffalo. One such local fave is Jim’s Steakout. With 10 locations, guaranteed you won’t be far from one where you can enjoy one of their popular Hoagies or Tacos. We wanted both.

The top option is the Jim’s Famous Steak Hoagie: a Steak chopped on the grill topped with Fried Onions, Melted Cheese, Lettuce, Tomato, and Jim’s Secret Sauce – all on a toasted Italian Roll. I’m not much for the Rabbit Food on a Steak Sandwich so instead I went Philly style with Cheese, Fried Onions and the Secret Sauce. Was it good? No not at all. IT WAS FREAKING AWESOME! I wouldn’t call it a Philly Cheese Steak, out of respect but if I was a Philly Cheesesteak, I would throw Jim’s Steakout some props for coming up with a delicious variation of one. You have to get this Sandwich. Even though I had eaten all day long, I could’ve eaten another 4 or maybe even 5. As I sit here and write about the Sandwich, it’s kicking up a serious craving for one. Goodonya Buffalo, it’s a winner.

THE BROHD TRIP 4– DAY 3
Sunday, January 27, 2013

Brawler’s Back Alley Deli
http://pearlstreetgrill.com/deli
76 Pearl St
Buffalo, NY 14206
10:46 am

It wasn’t an easy morning to greet but we had a long drive back and had to get rolling. Thankfully the Lofts of Pearl offers an additional more than great suites and a Brew Pub, it also has a Deli. Located just around the corner and underneath the pub, you’ll find the Brawler’s Back Alley Deli. Your stay at the hotel comes with a $5 credit per person which is enough to get a coffee, water and a selection of Breakfast goods including choice of Breakfast Meat, Cheese and Egg on choice of Bread. A little Grease, Water & Caffeine was exactly what we needed to kick start us back into gear.

Niagara Falls – American Side
http://www.niagarafallsstatepark.com
24 Buffalo Avenue
Niagara Falls, NY, 14303
12:19 pm

We were about 15 miles out of town on our way back to NYC when we passed a sign for “Niagara Falls.” It wasn’t in the plan and never was really discussed but we were pretty close to America’s oldest State Park. Just as we were passing the exit I asked everyone “do you guys want to go see Niagara Falls?” It was an instant an unanimous “YES” so we got off on the next exit and high tailed it back to the falls. I’d seen them before but that was in the Summer. The added element of Ice and Snow made them even more beautiful. While it was pretty cold, the views were breathtaking. Due to ice however, some of the viewing areas were restricted. Then, just as we were about to leave a gigantic rainbow appeared right behind us. Super cool.

Arby’s at Scottsville Travel Plaza
http://www.thruway.ny.gov/travelers/travelplazas/tp-scottsville.html
NYS Thruway I-90 EB (MM 366)
Scottsville, NY 14586
2:18 pm

There’s a lot of Food out there. A lot of it, especially on a tolled Highway, is fast food from big named chain restaurants. However none of them are like Arby’s. Whether it’s the hot Roast Beef and Cheddar, the sliced Roasted Turkey, spiced Curly Fries, the signature Arby’s & Horsey Sauces or Jamocha Shakes, Arby’s is an original. When we saw the sign for one at the next rest area, there wasn’t even a discussion to be had, it was happening. After a delicious hot Roast Beef and Cheddar with both Horsey and Arby’s Sauce along with an order of said Curly Fries and we were ready to jump back into the van.

Ithaca Beer Company Taproom
http://ithacabeer.com
122 Ithaca Beer Drive
Ithaca, NY 14850
4:18 pm

We were 45 hours into the Brohd Trip but still had one last awesome location to visit. For this trip to truly live up to it’s Epic potential, the Ithaca Beer Company was a perfect last stop. After much planning, the brewery originally opened in 1998 by Dan Mitchell. Since then they’ve been making fine Beers with a passion towards local and community. As much of the product use to make the Beer or the Food served in their taproom is as locally sourced as possible. Their brand new facility, opened on October 11, 2012 boasting a larger production capability and all new taproom & restaurant.

After a a few samples of tasty fresh Brews we headed into the brewery for a tour. I’ve seen a lot of breweries and this one was noticeably pristine, clean and impressive. After 30 minutes of learning about the process and facility, I could not wait to taste the difference having an Ithaca Flower Power IPA would be when drank as fresh as possible. Wishes were at my command and soon a pint was in my hand. This is a great IPA. It’s really bright, fresh, citrusy with a nice balance of bitterness. The aroma is one of my favorites which also makes tasting the Beer even better. If you’ve ever enjoyed a Flower Power, you’ll definitely want to have one here.

After the tour we took a seat in the taproom. It was time to soak up some Beers and enjoy one last meal before heading back to NYC. We could’ve not plotted a better ending to the Brohd Trip. Everything on the menu is made from ingredients that are as locally sourced as possible. Soon, as they build upon the new property, somethings will even bee grown on site.

We started with a series of Ithaca Beer Co’s wood fired Pizzas. I’ve eaten Pizzas in Detroit. I’ve eaten Pizzas in Chicago. I’ve been eating Pizzas in NYC since 1996 and I’ve even eaten Pizzas in Italy. I think I am qualified to judge a good Pizza and the Pizza at the Ithaca Brewery is outstanding. If they didn’t also make fresh Craft Beer, I would still say it’s worth the drive to eat one of the best Pizza’s I’ve ever had. The Dough is full of flavor and cooked to just that right level of being crusty on the bottom but still soft on the inside. The Tomato Sauce is tangy and Robust, the Cheese is buttery and creamy, the Sausage is spicy and full of flavor and it all comes together in the form of a series of awesome, awesome Pizza. We rifled through several different ones. The Asiago and Margherita are a good place to start but the Sausage and Bacon Pizzas were also great.

I was riding such a huge high from all the good, good Beers, good laughs and good friends that I just had to take it up one more notch before calling it a Brohd Trip. I ordered two Hamburgers. Much like the Pizzas, we divided them up into equal pieces so everyone could try a bite. This Burger is a must. It arrived as ordered, a perfect medium rare. Topped with outstanding crispy and smoky Bacon which Cheese and Lettuce. The overall Sandwich was a littles sweet and a lot of Savory. The seasoning of the Meat was as perfect as the preparation.

If there is better Burger in Ithaca than the one a the Ithaca Beer Company Taproom, or even North of NYC, I’d be shocked. This is worth the drive alone.

9 out 10 Ounces
-Rev

But what about the Wing-Off?!?!

WING -OFF 20: Saturday, January 26, 2013
OFFICIAL WINNER – DECLARED A DRAW!
No lies, the vote was split down the middle between Duff’s and Anchor Bar. The Duff’s Wings had great Sauce and were the text book definition of a Wing. The Anchor Wings were cooked to a perfect Crisp. The Wings at Gabriel’s Gate had great flavor and superior heat. If we could have taken the Wings from Anchor and covered them in the Duff’s Sauce, that would’ve been declared the winner. That’s not how it works so I could you could say the town of Buffalo is the winner because they can have these all the time. If you ask me, the group of us on the Brohd Trip definitely won something.

Exactly 881 miles to eat some Hot Wings. Some might say that’s crazy, some might say that’s stupid but me, I say that’s awesome. I haven’t laughed that hard in ages nor have I eaten that much in ages. It was a pleasure to share it with some of my favorite people on Earth. I have no idea how we are going to top it.

http://bit.ly/brohd4map

Thanks to all my fellow Brohd Trippers and the Wing-Off Crew for all the good times. I’m not sure what made my stomach hurt more, the laughs or all the Food!

A Spartan sized thank you to Dave, Tim and everyone at Empire Brewing Co. You treated us like Kings and we appreciated the extreme hospitality and hook ups. You not only make great Beer, you make great times. Please send the Local Grind and Mai Bock to NYC so I can pour it at Idle Hands Bar!

Karl & Mike – SO good to see you guys and so glad you could join us. Thank you for helping us to plan the fun and get around town.

Allison, Wren, Aaron, Jerin and everyone at Ithaca, Thanks for the tasty Eats, wonderful Beers and friendly reception. You work and are a part of a truly special place.

JD & Brant – you were both missed and spoken of often. Hope you can make the next one.

To the brothers of Brohd Trips past, Leo, Bram, Marc & Mike Fox you missed out but you were not forgotten.

Lastly, to the random moments that made this go above Epic status, we thank you for your unwilling participation:

• Galaxy Quest
• Black & Grey Pants
• Paynoose
• Riskay
• Duckie Sanchez
• The Last Train to Awesome Town
• 5 Different Nachos
• Coffee is For Closers
• Punctured Bologna Flap
• Sweet Log Action
• Boot Throwing
• Texting Marc the Bill
• Broken Bed Shopping
• Mister Brudny Piwo
• Worst Tacos Ever
• Sloppy Joe
• Butt Quack
• What Real Love Looks Like
• The Finger Lakes
• 2 Ska Crew

THE BURGER COUNTQUEST
594 Burgers
January 26 2012 & January 27, 2013