I read Stully’s post KC Beer Scouts the other day and it really started turning the gears in my head. I had thought about beer this way a while back but had just kind of moved past it and not really worried about it. But I think it’s time for a change. Time to start going back to the roots of beer and enjoying it for what it is.
Luckily I’ve never been as involved in the hoarding, collecting, trading, and cellaring as Stully mentions and a lot of other beer advocates are. But whenever I go to a new bar or liquor store, I will always grab something I’ve never had before. Even if I know I’m not going to like it, even if it’s too expensive, or if it’s way higher ABV than I want at the moment.
I’ve always said this and I’m going to continue saying it, I’m not a beer connoisseur. I don’t like it when people call me that, it definitely doesn’t fit me. I like beer, I appreciate it, and I’m enthusiastic about it. I like to try new beers and experience them. I am a beer enthusiast. But even with this mentality, I find myself trying beers just to tell other people that I have tried them and feel better about watching my unique beers tried on Untappd go up.
Now obviously there isn’t anything wrong with trying new beers, it’s always probably going to be one of my favorite aspects of beer. But what I need to do is focus on beers I’m going to enjoy, because that’s the purpose of beer. Beer is meant to be enjoyed with friends, family, and that random guy at the bar you sat next to. Beer is an art form that allows brewers to create masterpieces for their customers. Beer is a science experiment to discover new combinations of flavors. Beer is a social experience that friends and strangers can bond over.
Hopefully going forward I’ll be able to appreciate more the beers that I get to try and I hope everyone around me does too. I hope that I’m able to share these experiences with old friends and make some new ones along the journey.
