Gusto Busto

After reading the KC Beer Blog recap of a Schlitz event at Harry's Country Club, I decided to check out a similar event at the Red X in Riverside, MO, this afternoon. I showed up about 10 minutes after the scheduled 2:30 start and was greeted by this:

That would be a table with about 6 bottles of Schlitz on ice, some display 6-packs and a bunch of plastic cups normally reserved for free food samples at Sam's Club. I waited around a bit, checking out the selection of beers for something I wanted to try, and hoping something would develop other than the sausagefest of desperate men looking for a free beer fix that was materializing before me. Eventually some guys in Schlitz jackets, who are known as Gusto Guys, showed up with some local talent in retro skank outfits.

Rather than the free pints handed out at Harry's Country Club, the folks in attendence were treated to limited shots of the new old formula Schlitz beer. Red X management made sure at one point to tell the Schlitz girls to only pour as people come up so people don't just keep drinking the samples. Overall, the event was pretty awful. I got a sticker, bottle opener and talked to somebody about becoming a Gusto Guy and getting free Schlitz.

There were also no parking issues at the Red X due to Schlitz cars. Having a huge parking lot, I imagined this stop would be the best place for them to spread the cars out for people to look at. Schlitz and/or Red X did not feel the same way.

This flaming PT Cruiser was the only hotrod in the parking lot before and after I left the location. If there is one thing Riverside has displayed to me, it's an affinity for PT Cruizers with cheap graphics. I'm thinking it might belong to the gentlemen with the Confederate Flag bandana and braided goatee who posed for a picture with the Schlitz girls. If not, it was probably the guy in the motorized cart who had one of the girls bring him over some samples.

The final event in KC is going on right now at Dirk's Bar off of I-29 & Barry Road. If you went or plan on going, hopefully you can score some free pints outside of a grocery store setting. I will be spending the rest of my evening enjoying the O'Fallon variety pack I picked up.