Timbiqui Dark (beverage)
Sarna News
Considered the favorite constitutional among mercenaries, Timbiqui Dark was arguably the most well known prestige beer in the Inner Sphere and beyond.[1][2][3]
Background[edit]
Apparently produced as far back as the Star League era[4] by the Raasch Brewhaus on Timbiqui[5] for Timbiqui Spirits, Timbiqui Dark was a wildly popular prestige beer among mercenary troops across the Inner Sphere,[1] the cadets of famed Nagelring on Tharkad,[6] and famous sports bars like Thor's Shieldhall on the Game World of Solaris VII.[7]
Not merely popular in the Lyran Commonwealth, Timbiqui Dark was a much desired import beer across the Inner Sphere, including the Federated Suns,[8] Capellan Confederation,[9] Republic of the Sphere,[10] and even far-flung Periphery states[11] such as the Magistracy of Canopus.[12] As of 3152, according to Cyrilla Jamist of Club Zero-Zero, it was the most popular beer in the Sphere's anti-spinward half.[13] With Timbiqui's position along the Lyran-Free Worlds League border, whenever the planet has been raided or traded hands such as briefly during the Fourth Succession War, most parties avoided where possible damaging the brewery and its famous beer.[14]
Timbiqui Dark even had a cult following among the warriors of the Clans, prompting Clan Diamond Shark to make a generous offer for an exclusive license to import the beverage into Clan space.[2] [3] Most notably the return of Natasha Kerensky and the capture and adoption of Inner Sphere warriors such as Phelan Kell and Ragnar Magnusson would bring the beer to the attention of ilKhan Ulric Kerensky himself on 17 April 3052 on Lothan, the ilKhan liking the taste so much he casually mentioned his intent to conquer the world of Timbiqui to secure it.[1][6]
While how this information reached Timbiqui Spirits is unknown, later advertising for Timbiqui Dark has frequently referenced the Clans and specifically ilKhan Kerensky's fondness for the beer in a continuing series of ads that proclaim it to be the "Brew of the ilKhan."[1] Written advertising in MechWarrior Weekly related how the Dirty Pair mercenary unit were apparently able to trade 6,000 crates of the beer to the Wolves Delta Galaxy commander Conal Ward for their freedom on Shaula in 3051,[15] while an extremely popular series of holovid advertisements were filmed with the assistance of then Timbiqui-based Second Crucis Lancers RCT. Though technically against the regulations of the Armed Forces of the Federated Suns and Lyran Alliance Armed Forces, with the Federated Suns unit so neglected following Lyran Succession that it barely received enough supplies to remain operational, Hauptmann General Anne Sung signed a sponsorship deal, painting up a lance of the Second's captured Clan BattleMech to resemble Ulric Kerensky's Golden Keshik for filming purposes.[5]
Timbiqui Dark tasted light and crisp, settling into a mellow finish. The beer had a relatively high alcohol content.[13]
Apocryphal Content
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| This box contains information derived from apocryphal sources, which may not be considered canonical for the BattleTech Universe. |
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The BattleTech video game describes Timbiqui Dark as being brewed with a chocolate malt, producing a medium-bodied beer with low bitterness and a pleasant caramel aroma. |
Gallery[edit]
Bottle of Timbiqui Dark in ice chest from MechWarrior 5: Clans - Wolves of Tukayyid DLC
Notes[edit]
- Timbiqui Dark is featured in MechWarrior 5: Heroes of the Inner Sphere as a procedurally generated Treasure Hunter Cantina item the player may encounter.
References[edit]
- ↑ a b c d Handbook: House Steiner, p. 139: "Economics - Major Industries - Timbiqui Spirits"
- ↑ a b MechWarrior, Third Edition, p. 178: "Society and Culture - Daily Life - Food and Drink"
- ↑ a b Classic BattleTech RPG, p. 178: "Society and Culture - Daily Life - Food and Drink"
- ↑ Era Report: 2750, p. 117: "Era Tracks - Mission Ambush"
- ↑ a b Field Manual: Federated Suns, p. 68: "AFFC Rosters - Crucis Lancers - 2nd Crucis Lancers RCT: Kestrel Lancers"
- ↑ a b Lost Destiny, ch. 27
- ↑ Warrior: En Garde, ch. 5
- ↑ Warrior: Coupé, ch. 23
- ↑ Threads of Ambition, ch. 7
- ↑ By Temptations and By War, ch. 2: "The Campus Cabals"
- ↑ Handbook: Major Periphery States, p. 11: "Introduction"
- ↑ Handbook: Major Periphery States, p. 90: "Magistracy of Canopus - Economy"
- ↑ a b Shrapnel Issue 21: "Voices of the Sphere: What Your Drink Says About You"
- ↑ Technical Readout: Succession Wars, p. 84: "Medium 'Mechs - GLH-1D Galahad"
- ↑ Mercenary's Handbook 3055, p. 111: "Contracts - Breach of Contract - Surrender - Price of Freedom"
Bibliography[edit]
- BattleTech (video game)
- By Temptations and By War
- Classic BattleTech RPG
- Era Report: 2750
- Field Manual: Federated Suns
- Handbook: House Steiner
- Handbook: Major Periphery States
- Lost Destiny (novel)
- MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries (video game)
- MechWarrior, Third Edition
- Shrapnel Issue 21
- Threads of Ambition (novel)
- Warrior: Coupé (novel)
- Warrior: En Garde (novel)