- Benjamin Franklin
The quote above is what Mr. Franklin originally wrote, but over the years, eventually turned into: "Beer, a constant proof that God loves us, and loves to see us happy." Franklin was fond of just about any type of libation, so while this was not his exact quote, I'm sure he believed it to be true as well.
It's been awhile since I've posted to this blog, and I decided it was time to provide a bit of background information about myself, and why I have a passion for beer.
In The Beginning...
I was a straight-edge kid. I went to all the concerts, put big X's on my hands, and generally thought drinking was stupid. I was raised in a Baptist church, and never saw alcohol in any family member's house. None of my friends drank, and I lived in a dry county. Not drinking was pretty easy.
I remember going on a trip overseas with my family, and meeting a group of three women, one of whom referred to herself as a beer connoisseur. I had never heard of this. Beer was a plebeian's drink, right? How could one be a connoisseur of Bud Light? I had much to learn, but that was the first time I met an intellectual adult that had a deep appreciation for beer.
Fast Forward
A few years have past, and I'm off at Baylor University... Still not drinking. (Again, a Baptist school with fairly strict anti-drinking rules, so pretty easy to not drink.) I remember on my 21st birthday, my aunt took me out to lunch, and apologized for not buying me a drink. I told her I didn't care because I didn't drink anyway. I tell people these stories now, and they look at me like I'm an alien. Who waits until after they are 21 to drink? Well, I did.
It wasn't for a few more months before I decided to see what all the fuss was about. I had met several new friends in the fraternity I joined, and a some of them invited me to a weekly "Beer Garden" they attended. These were all good guys. Responsible, intelligent, and they weren't interested in pushing beer on me. If I was going to try it, this was the best, safe scenario. The first beer I remember tasting and thinking, "this isn't bad," was Coors original. And yes, now I'd pass on it, but then it wasn't half bad. After that, I tried some pretty typical beers... Rolling Rock, Budweiser, Celis White, and Shiner Bock. At one point, I remember trying Sam Adams Boston Lager, and hating it. Looking back, I just wasn't ready for that quite yet. For the time being, Shiner Bock was all that interested me, and I didn't even like it enough to be a "fan." It was just good enough.
Marriage Is Punishment For Shoplifting In Some Countries
So then I get married in 2003. A few years have passed, and my preferences really haven't changed much. My selections are usually either Michelob Ultra (watching the calories) or Ziegenbock. I liked Ziegenbock better than Shiner Bock because it had a slightly sweeter flavor. That was my extent of beer knowledge at the time. It wouldn't be for a few more years, when my wife and I were in London, that I had my beer epiphany. Visiting a local Belgian restaurant named, Belgo, I was presented a beer list that was overwhelming. I told the waiter I liked amber beers, and he said, "I have just the beer for you." What he brought me was a game-changer. It was called Pauwel Kwak, and it was the kickoff to my beer games for years to come. It smelled fantastic, the color was great, and the taste was perfect. On top of that? The glass! Coming from a marketing background, this had to be one of the best presentations I had ever seen of beer.
Church and Beer
A year or two later, my wife and I decided to book a vacation to Belgium. Best trip ever. It is a beautiful country with fantastic food and the best beers anywhere. And yes, this decision was made based heavily on that restaurant in London. I had the opportunity to try many beers, tour several breweries, and even meet the brewmaster of the Bosteels Brewery, which makes Pauwel Kwak. (For more, see www.bosteelsbrewery.com)
There was something interesting I learned while there, and from a heavy-conscience bible-belt kid, this was quite bizarre. Many of the breweries in Belgium are tied to the churches... Some of them are right next door! Monks brew the beer, and sell it to help raise money for the church. An example of this is Chimay, which is a Trappist brewer.
About Trappist Beer (Wikipedia)
In 1997, eight Trappist abbeys—six from Belgium (Orval, Chimay, Westvleteren, Rochefort, Westmalle and Achel), one from the Netherlands (Koningshoeven) and one from Germany (Mariawald) - founded the International Trappist Association (ITA) to prevent non-Trappist commercial companies from abusing the Trappist name. This private association created a logo that is assigned to goods (cheese, beer, wine, etc.) that respect precise production criteria. For the beers, these criteria are the following:
- The beer must be brewed within the walls of a Trappist abbey, by or under control of Trappist monks.
- The brewery, the choices of brewing, and the commercial orientations must obviously depend on the monastic community.
- The economic purpose of the brewery must be directed toward assistance and not toward financial profit.
This was all news to me. I had never heard of anything like this. And the thing that I found even more fascinating... Trappist beers were some of the best tasting beers I have ever had (and still are). Can you imagine American breweries functioning like this?
Belgian Beers Are Great. American Beers Are Crap.
So I was really excited about all of these new Belgian beers I had discovered, and I tried to introduce them to as many people as I could, because I didn't want them to be stuck drinking bad beer. I had a Belgian beer party, I had Belgian beer nights at the house, I begged the local beer store to carry more Belgian beers... I was a Belgian beer snob.
That is, until I gave craft breweries a shot.
My wife and I were invited to go to a Saturday tour of Saint Arnold Brewery in Houston, TX. This was really my first experience with craft brews. Fortunately, their Christmas Ale was in season, because that is a delicious beer. Since that time, I've grown to be a pretty big fan of craft beers. My favorites include Saint Arnold Christmas Ale, Spring Bock, Oktoberfest, and their Divine Reserve series is typically great. In fact, when the Divine Reserve beers hit shelves, it is like Cabbage Patch Kids in the 80's. Just a heads-up... Divine Reserve 12 is rumored to hit shelves in April of 2012. Be ready.
I've had the pleasure of also visiting Southern Star Brewery in Conroe, TX. I'm a fan of their Bombshell Blonde, Buried Hatchet Stout, and their seasonal Le Mort Vivant.
On a recent trip to California, I was able to go by the Russian River Brewery, makers of Pliny the Elder, with fellow blogger, Bradford. While the Pliny was a bit hoppy for my taste, they did have some tasty brews on tap.
And Speaking Of Taps
So here I am now, a great appreciator of beers, both local and abroad. Some may call me a connoisseur, but I am still learning. I suppose brewing would be the next step, but honestly, I just don't have the time or patience... And since my neighbor home-brews, I'll just enjoy his for now. I did recently build a "keezer." In case this is a new term for you, I converted a chest freezer into a keg-dispensing refrigerator. So far, I've had Saint Arnold Santo, Spring Bock, and Southern Star Le Mort Vivant on tap, because let's face it, tap beer is better.
So this is the story of my beer hobby. I hope this helps she'd a little light on why I review beers the way I do, and why you may or may not agree with my opinions.
Prost!
Cooper
