I’ve made it a personal goal to try as many creative, innovative small local businesses as I can during this pandemic lockdown.

I’m living on my own and raising a teen daughter with a salary that doesn’t leave much extra — especially when you count in the fact that my dentist quoted me a price for my crown using my husband’s insurance when we’ve been separated for almost a year and I’ve been off his insurance for six months. My insurance has no coverage for such procedures and I owe almost $900. And the tooth isn’t even right.

But I’m veering wildly off topic.

I saw on Facebook— oh, evil, evil Facebook— that Two Rivers Brewing Company less than 2 miles away is offering free delivery. Two Rivers, in that beautiful old building (Mount Vernon) only a few blocks from my office. Two Rivers, home of the magnificent peanut butter/bacon/seasoned cabbage cheeseburger.

I didn’t intend to order beer. I was looking at the menu, selected the Bankers Brown Ale in the Growlette (32 ounce reusable glass bottle) for $11.25 and a $10 lager crowler (32 ounces in a big can). I thought I saw that if you ordered by 8 pm they delivered on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

I hit the button and the web site said it’d be at my house in 30 minutes. They called in 15 and said they were on their way.

Beer? To my door?

The man delivering it had a nice black zipper Two Rivers Sweatshirt, gloves and a mask and he brought me the beer.

Nice and cold.

And I poured a glass of the Bankers Brown Ale which is reminiscent of my all-time favorite beer—Samuel Smith Organic Chocolate Stout.

Now I can order pizza and beer. One should arrive hot, the other cold.