Rootser's Blind Date sends two strangers out for food and drinks on Rooster's tab all in hopes of finding a match. 

Name: Brendan 
Hometown: Bristle, England 
Current Job: Software Architect
Zodiac Sign: Aquarius 
Pets: No
First Concert: Steely Dan  
What’s your type:  Bombshell 
Deal Breakers: Bad breath 
How would your friends describe you: Asshole 
Guilty Pleasure: DMT
Celebrity Crush: Natalie Portman 
Do you want kids or no kids: Yes, with the right person. 

Name: Lindsey 

Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Current Job: Sales for a cannabis wholesale company

Zodiac Sign: Libra

Pets: I just put a deposit on a golden retriever puppy.

First Concert: Backstreet Boys 

What’s your type: Tall, funny, into sports. Personality and sense of humor. 

Deal Breakers: Someone who isn’t close to their family. Judgmental.

How would your friends describe you: Outgoing. They would think I’m funny. Always doing something. 

Guilty Pleasure: Trashy TV

Celebrity Crush: Aaron Rodgers 

Do you want kids or no kids: Yeah, one day.

The daters arrive at Avery just before the county’s level red lockdown goes into effect. What better way to deal with the prospectus of a lockdown than by sharing a couple beers with a potential quarantine buddy? Over Hazy IPAs and White Rascals, the daters ease into the night. We check in to see how things are going and what the first impressions are like.  

How would you describe your dating life?  
B: Generally disappointing with the occasional spritz of excitement which are disappointing in the end. 
L: I think that COVID slowed me down. 

Where do you usually meet girls/guys?
B: Pre-COVID: concerts. I like to dance. Post-COVID: Hinge, and the Rooster. 
L: Concerts, bars, airports… 

How has COVID affected your dating life? 
B: It’s awkward and hard to date.  
L: Going on dates to indoor places is not responsible and it’s awkward to show up with a mask on. So overall it’s just weird. 

Do you have any weird dating stories? 
B: Yes…
L: I got cat-fished straight up. He was 5’4” and he said he was 6’. Then he said his favorite food was cream cheese and he talked about cream cheese for 30 minutes and what recipes are good. I learned a lot about cream cheese that night. 

What were you thinking before the date? 
B: I was thinking there’s an 8% chance this will go well. 
L: I thought my coworkers were joking. Then I thought I don’t want to do this. 

Did you get any advice from your friends?
B: Yes, and I did the opposite. 
L: No, I didn’t talk too much about it. 

What does the ideal partner look like? 
B: Adventurous, exciting, down to try DMT.
L: Someone who’s adventurous, open-minded, funny and kind-hearted. 

How are the first impressions? 
B: Wow, what a knockout. 
L: He’s nice. Seems really smart. Seems really worldly. 

What was the first thing you noticed about them? 
B: Her red sweater. 
L: His accent. I lived in London for a year. 

Are you attracted to your date? 
B: I can’t keep my enthusiasm down. 
L: He’s a good looking man. 

What’s the toughest part about dating?
B: Having faith that the process will work. 
L: When your goals don’t align. 

Round 2: 

The stage is set. Two attractive people, great beer and good company, what could go wrong? Well, quite a lot actually. After the daters finish their food, we pull them aside to see if the flames are flying … 

How was dinner? 
B: The chicken wings were fucking amazing. Hannah is one of the best waitresses in the world. 
L: Love the waitress and the wings were delicious. 

What are you two talking about? 
B: She was telling me about her favorite tampon and I was like why are you telling me this? 
L:  He thinks I’m a Republican because of my red sweater. He asked me how my parents voted.

Has the date gotten better or worse? 
B: Better. The beer is going down easier. 
L: Better? I think he’s looser. He’s less nervous. 

What’s something interesting you’ve learned about your date? 
B: She has great strength. 
L: He’s really close with his sister. He doesn’t like to watch sports but he plays them all. 

What’s something you have in common? 
B: If the universe fell apart, and we were both electrons and protons, we might come together. 
L: We like live music. 

Where do you see differences? 
B: We don’t have too many differences. 
L: There are a few…

On a scale of 0-5 how’s the chemistry?
B: 4
L: 3.785

Where do you want the night to go? 
B: Probably just go home. 
L: Enjoy some good Avery beer on the last day before everything shuts down with good company.

 

Round 3:

Beer is the great equalizer but this date is having some ups and downs. It’s time for us to leave, hope the daters the best and check in the next day to see if anything blossomed from the soil of love. 

What happened after Rooster left? 
B: Nothing. It wasn’t an exciting ending. 
L: I wasn’t feeling it. So I went home. 

Did Rooster find a match? 
B: No, but she’s a cool girl. 
L: Not really, but a good friend. 

Overall how was it? 
B: I think Lindsey is a wonderful single person who I wish well in her search for love. 
L: It was an experience. I’d like a redemption date. 

What would you have done differently? 
B: I wish I took more drugs. 
L: Not said, “there you go.” He keeps correcting me when I say that. 

Would you go on a second date with them? 
B: Of course. 
L: There’s a pandemic happening so yes, when it’s socially safe. 

Is there anything you want to end on? 
B: A couple of shots. 
L: I was bamboozled. 

 

Conclusion: 
You win some, you lose some, and others you just want to forget about. Lindsey needs a redemption date and Brendan needs more shots — and we need a cold shower and a pint of whiskey. If it wasn’t for Avery providing an amazing atmosphere and experience, who knows where this date would have gone. Dating during COVID truly is tough but it can be done. We look forward to the next Rooster blind date. 

Favorites From The Menu
Fried Chicken Sammy $16
Bacon, cheddar cheese, mix greens, tomato, ranch, brioche bun
Smoked Wings $11
Eight wings, mojo barbecue, ranch, celery 
Das Pretzel $8
Nacho cheese