I should probably make a public confession. Brett Kavanaugh and I have something in common. We both like beer. Fortunately for me, all commonality ends there. But I am man enough to admit that I like beer. I always have. Both of you boys know this fact. I am writing a short series about three more ways to have fun…when you are older. The first blog was about traveling the world. Last week was about enjoying a great hot cup of coffee. In this post, I will explain why great beer is the best way to end the day.
Let me start with a caveat
Some of you reading this blog will not like the content. You are against drinking in any form. I am okay with your perspective. Alcohol is the root of many problems in our society. Drunk driving is completely unacceptable, especially given all the alternatives that are available nowadays. Alcoholism is a real issue for many to include family and friends of mine. By writing about beer I am in no way endorsing a drunken lifestyle. No one likes a mean drunk. Abstinence is the best answer for many, but I am also mature enough to understand that one can drink alcohol and still be a responsible adult. If drinking alcohol bothers you, please do not read further.
Beer is proof God loves us and wants us to be happy
Benjamin Franklin
I drank cheap (awful) beer when I was young
Gavin – I drank really cheap beer when I was your age. So did my friends. None of us had much money so we suffered accordingly. Milwaukee’s best was the usual choice along with another swill such as Schaefer. Cheap beer tastes awful. Don’t let anyone try to convince you otherwise. They are lying, just like we did back in the day. Avoid cheap beer at all costs. Your taste buds, stomach, and digestive tract will thank you later. Trust me.
Not all beers are created equal
I have been fortunate enough to do a fair bit of traveling. These trips offered me the opportunity to sample beers from many countries. Based on my small sample set I can declare to you that not all beer is created equally. Many beers are expensive and awful which is criminal. Others are only decent and not worth the time to drink. The good news is that several countries figured out a way to brew great tasting beer. According to one
- Germany
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
- Canada
- United States
- The Netherlands
- Ireland
- England
- Scotland
- Austria
I don’t know enough about all ten, so I am going to concentrate on just three – Germany, Belgium, and the good old USA. All three are world-class for different reasons.
German beer is the best in the world
I learned to appreciate German beer while visiting and living there. I was stationed in Bavaria for four years while serving in the US Army. I sampled many German beers over the years. Too many to list here. Bottom line – Germans make the best beer in the world. Their taste is unmatched. The main reason is quality. Germany strictly enforces purity laws for their beers called the Reinheitsgebot. German beer can be made with only four ingredients – water, malt, hops, and yeast. No rice, no corn, or funky ingredients. For heaven’s sake – absolutely no preservatives. As a result, German beer is predictably fresh tasting. For the record, my favorite German style beer is Hefeweizen – made with active yeast. Wunderbar!
Belgian beer offers the greatest variety
I have visited Belgium several times. It is a hidden gem in Northern Europe. Belgians brew great beer. They experiment a lot and are willing to try just about any ingredients to include a lot of fruits and syrups. The number of choices is almost unlimited. Belgians are known for making strong beer that is tasty. It is a difficult thing to do. You can taste the alcohol in most strong beers. Not true with Belgium beers. In fact, they can be somewhat dangerous since they are easy to drink. Are Belgian beers as good as German beers? Not quite, but they are really close. Belgians say that the Germans make boring beer. The Germans say that the Belgium beer is weird. They are both correct. They both taste awesome.
Many American craft beers are excellent
American beers have improved exponentially with the craft beer movement. No longer is the US a laughing stock when it comes to beer. I have sampled plenty. Several are great, many are good, and some are pretty bad. I am pleased to see many American craft beers cranking out high-quality beer these days. Some of my favorites include Sierra Nevada, Oskar Blues, New Belgium, Dogfish, Anchor, and Allagash. Northern Virginia is home to many excellent breweries to include Dirt Farm, Old Bust Head, Port City, Old Ox, Aslin, Quattro Goomba, Old Ox, Dynasty, Tin Cannon, Solace, House 6, Crooked Run, Heritage, and Lost Rhino. My favorite local brewery is Lake Anne Brew House. It is near my house and serves excellent beer with a lakefront view.
I like collecting beer coasters
One thing I do while traveling is to collect beer coasters. They are a no-cost memento. Also, coasters are useful at home. They help keep glasses from staining your furniture. It probably sounds dorky, but I also use coasters for wall decorations. Once I collect enough from a country, I frame them. Great way to commemorate good times while on vacation in Europe.
I also enjoy collecting beer glasses
In case you did not already figure it out I own a fair number of beer glasses. I enjoy collecting them. They are a low-cost memento. I don’t like spending a lot of money on trinkets, especially ones that are never used. My general rule is that I will buy a glass the first time I visit a brewery. I estimate that I frequent a new brewery each month. My small collection continues to grow as the years roll by. I added about a dozen more this year.
Jopen may be the best small brewery in the world
I will finish this blog with three opinions. First, the best small brewery I have visited is called Jopen. It is located in a small town in Holland called Haarlem. I was there this summer. The owners converted a church into a brewery. It is beautiful. They use an old recipe for their beer. It is excellent. It includes a full-service restaurant. The food was best I have ever eaten at a brewery. If you go to Holland I recommend a visit. It is well worth it.
Guinness is the best beer in the world
Second opinion. My favorite beer is Guinness. Hands down. No contest. It is the perfect beer. In fact, if you go to Ireland and order a beer they will pour you a Guinness. It is that good, especially in Ireland. I was able to visit Dublin this year. One stop during my stay was the Guinness Storehouse. If you are ever in Dublin you should go. They give a great tour with samples afterward. It is one of my favorite memories from 2018. Drinking Guinness at the Storehouse in Dublin watching the sunset with my girlfriend. It does not get much better than that. Slainte!
I never drink light beer
Last opinion. Light beer is really popular these days. I do not understand why. It does not taste good. It is basically watered down beer. I refuse to drink it. If you cannot afford the calories, then don’t drink beer, or start working out. Cheers!