Use of the term "420" has become so universally recognized and tossed around so much in the American vernacular that its origins have become somewhat obscure. But the real story about the how and why are likely to emerge this Saturday at Kush over a rare keg of Waldo's Special Ale brought by Lagunitas Brewing Company during the Why Wait? event.
Normally, events related to 4/20 are observed April 20, but this one will begin at 4:19 p.m. the previous day.
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The story behind 4/20 is grounded in cannabis culture and is uniquely American. In the early 1970s, a group of students at San Rafael High School who called themselves the Waldos would meet at the statue of Louis Pasteur on the school campus at 4:20 p.m. to search for a lost patch of cannabis hidden somewhere near the Point Reyes Coast Guard station.
At first, they would use the term "4:20 Louis," but eventually they dropped "Louis." Despite several attempts to find the patch, the Waldos were never able to discover it. But they continued to use the term 4/20 to refer to smoking pot. More than 40 years later, the date April 20, along with the time 4:20, has been almost universally adopted to refer to getting baked on weed.
There won't be any weed-smoking going on at Kush, although it offers a delicious brownie with a nice little dime bag of mint leaves on the side.
According to Lagunitas, Waldo's Special Ale was brewed with the help of some of the original Waldo crew, who have all somehow remained anonymous to this very day.
Waldo's Special Ale is an American Double/Imperial IPA stylethat sits around 84 IBUs and 10.5 percent ABV. A half-barrel keg, about 15 gallons, will be available at Kush April 19.
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