Bent Paddle Brewing is one of the many new locally-owned breweries in Duluth and in Minnesota. I had a pint of their IPA when we went to Sir Benedict's for pasta and drinks tonight.
The first server I said "Canoe give me a Bent Paddle" to when I ordered it was so busy with doing three things at once that she didn't even notice. The second server threw back his head in laughter and repeated it to another server. The owner, Antonino Coppola, also enjoyed the pun. I don't know if this is original with me, but I hope I am one of the very first.
The Bent Paddle I was served was an IPA (India Pale Ale) with a strong but not overwhelming bitterness. I think I might be ordering it in the future over a brown ale from another regional brewer.
This incident also is another of the two degrees of separation that one often finds in Duluth. We know the parents of one of the owners of Bent Paddle Brewing.