Short frock, long jerkin

2025

Under the duke's decree, all stout created in the town of Pondmore is now officially Pondmorian stout.

Adjacent towns are rising to prominence for their performing arts and mastery of craftsmanship— and the duke would rather die on his own sword than get left behind in the dust. Thus: Pondmore shall become the beer capital of the region, inviting tourism, acclaim, and wealth...

Meanwhile, Abalone's home microbrewery enterprise and underground farmer's market network gets the attention of the hamlet's building and lot code compliance office. He refuses to comply with all the paperwork and permits he needs to acquire to become a licensed pondmorian brewmaster. It's too much of an effort, and all that just so he can pursue his hobby? He could care less about the purported authenticity of his product. It's the principle of the thing.

Things get a bit tangled when the no-nonsense and humorless Maxim from the Pondmore Business Permits and Licensing Department pays him a visit, threatening to slap him with spurious "violations". But through their tense negotiations, Abalone learns that Maxim has a soft heart under all that flintiness, and that maybe love can bloom even on an illegal beer brewing operation.

Published in Lucky Pocket Press’ Knapsack Magazine Vol. 2: Butter