Hello world! Welcome to the PLCB Users Group!
Many of you computer geeks out there in cocktail land will find some humor in the name of this blog. If you didn't spend the 80s staring into a monochrome CRT, you might need an explanation:
Years ago, before the Internet was officially named "The Internet", enthusiastic owners of then-novel personal computers formed local clubs called users groups. These groups would meet regularly to exchange news and ideas and share advice for getting the most out of their PCs. Joining a users group was often the best way to get help solving problems, because then, as now, computer manufacturers did not tend to provide very good technical support, at least not for free. Today, online forums and mailing lists have largely supplanted users groups, as the 24/7 availability and geographic reach of the Internet provide more immediate gratification than toting three-ring binders and boxes of floppies down to a basement meeting room at the Methodist church every other Wednesday.
These days, my hobbies are no longer in the realm of mysterious software crashes and configuration errors, but instead the tedium and frustration of locating and purchasing ingredients for craft and classic cocktails in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Juices, syrups and bitters can be tracked down with some effort, but to purchase wines and spirits, there is no other choice but to learn the arcane ways of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, whose state-owned liquor stores are the only legal source of wines and spirits.
In this blog I'll be posting advice on how to get the most out of the PLCB, particularly the overly-complicated special-order (SLO) system, and regular updates on changes to the product selection. Hopefully this will encourage more individuals and licensees to purchase items by SLO. I'll also post hints on where to find non-alcoholic cocktail ingredients in Pittsburgh, and maybe some suggestions on how to survive if you're forced to leave your kitchen and order a drink at a local bar.
Many of you computer geeks out there in cocktail land will find some humor in the name of this blog. If you didn't spend the 80s staring into a monochrome CRT, you might need an explanation:
Years ago, before the Internet was officially named "The Internet", enthusiastic owners of then-novel personal computers formed local clubs called users groups. These groups would meet regularly to exchange news and ideas and share advice for getting the most out of their PCs. Joining a users group was often the best way to get help solving problems, because then, as now, computer manufacturers did not tend to provide very good technical support, at least not for free. Today, online forums and mailing lists have largely supplanted users groups, as the 24/7 availability and geographic reach of the Internet provide more immediate gratification than toting three-ring binders and boxes of floppies down to a basement meeting room at the Methodist church every other Wednesday.
These days, my hobbies are no longer in the realm of mysterious software crashes and configuration errors, but instead the tedium and frustration of locating and purchasing ingredients for craft and classic cocktails in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Juices, syrups and bitters can be tracked down with some effort, but to purchase wines and spirits, there is no other choice but to learn the arcane ways of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, whose state-owned liquor stores are the only legal source of wines and spirits.
In this blog I'll be posting advice on how to get the most out of the PLCB, particularly the overly-complicated special-order (SLO) system, and regular updates on changes to the product selection. Hopefully this will encourage more individuals and licensees to purchase items by SLO. I'll also post hints on where to find non-alcoholic cocktail ingredients in Pittsburgh, and maybe some suggestions on how to survive if you're forced to leave your kitchen and order a drink at a local bar.
