Saying ‘Hello’ to Craft Beer
A Beer Fest near the Ocean… what’s better?
Oh… Hello there again.
Fancy seeing you back. I appreciate the visit.
So… where did we leave off? Oh yes. Rome. 2016. It's funny how when you embark on a big trip sometimes you just know that it's going to be an amazing trip. OR - if there is a big event like a concert or a day at the beach… that anticipation… can make it a self fulfilling prophecy. The best kind. Which is awesome. Having a good mindset is always a good thing to have because who knows… the Universe might just respond to your good vibes. And if you don’t believe that… believe that other people know when you are happy and excited… because they do. That's just knowing how to read a person. Is that person truly happy right now? It should be fairly obvious. I know we are getting into some metaphysics here… and I’ll leave it here for now… but I do believe it's possible to have endless perfect days. We just gotta dial in.
Well. Now that that little fun thought experience is over… let's talk about today’s topic. Introducing people to Craft Beer. I know you were expecting Rome 2016… but I can throw some curveballs every once in a while. And trust me… we will be getting back to that trip. But this is something that’s really fun and is an absolute blast to do. PLUS - I’ve been fortunate enough to introduce many people to the joys and dare I say… wonders of the ‘golden nectar that has transcended the gruel that our ancestors were partaking in over 10,000 years ago’… Craft Beer. The general consensus among people about 10 years ago or so was… Sours. For the Craft Beer virgins out there… a Sour beer is a beer that is specifically brewed with the intent to be sour, tart and/or acidic… but still delicious. (Trust me… find a Lambic from Belgium and drink it. It will change your life. Just don’t get Duchesse de Bourgogne. Bleh.) I was about to go down a rabbit hole explaining everything about sours… but let's just leave it at this. I’ll dive deeper into this when I regale you about my trip to Belgium and my experience at the world-renown Cantillon Brewery.
A delightful lambic from Cantillon @ Lambicus Bar in Barcelona
Anywhoooo... back to it. Getting skeptical people onto the CHOO CHOO train that is Craft Beer… is FUN. First… start with Sours. It's the closest you can get to something that really straddles the line between a beer and say… a wine or a tart drink of your choosing. Once people understand that there is complexity to the beverage… the interest is piqued and you should have someone that has opened their mind to the enjoyable experience of Craft Beer. If you don’t have access to a sour - that style is currently not as popular as it was 10 years ago - try a hazy IPA. BUT… I do say BUT… please make sure it's not a Dank Piney West Coast Hazy… because if it is…
You. Will. Lose. That. Person. To. The. Joys. Of. Craft. Beer. Forever.
Some people… and maybe I should rephrase that… maybe a good amount of people… don’t like that aggressive-in-your-face-piney-dank flavor that some of my West Coast brethren favor. And that's okay. Shoot - Creamsicle beers… meh. Not for me. See? It's okay for people to not like everything. I get it. But let me forewarn you right now… Hazy IPAs are and have been on a streak for a hot minute and so you should be prepared to see a good amount of them out in the world. So make sure when you are choosing your Hazy IPA for your friend… choose wisely and initially stay away from the overall piney variety. The popularity of the style has honestly reached its high point and I can see a turn is about to happen in the Craft Beer world. What will be that new beer or beer style? Where will it come from? What will supplant the juggernaut of the Hazy IPA? I know not. Or perhaps I do? Who knows… :-p
A beautiful example of a Hazy - Wayfinder Brewing
Thank you for the read. I always do love seeing your beautiful face. Please don’t be a stranger. I’m kinda on a hot streak right now… so… stick around. Who knows what these fingers will pump out next? HINT: It's the secret recipe to THE latest secret underground nitty gritty beer style that will flip the beer world on its head! Its ingredients have been a secret up until now… but for you… here are some of them: Flor Sherry WLP700 Yeast from White Labs + Basque Kveik Yeast + Spelt. I can’t reveal anything else or I may wind up drowning in a Foeder. Actually… please ask me what the remaining ingredients are… swimming in a Foeder filled with a delicious and effervescent tart ale does sound nice. The drowning part… not so much.
Adios!
