So, why do I drink beer? Probably the best way to figure that out is to start from the beginning. My reasons have evolved immensely over the years, as has my palate, from my very first beer to the new beer I tried today.
From what I recall, my first sip of beer was a product from Milwaukee in a golden can. It was at a large family function in Wisconsin (hence the WI beer). All my relatives that were old enough were drinking it, so I asked my dad for a sip. All I remember of the taste was bitter, bubbly, and that I didn’t like it at all. Needless to say, I went back to my sugary Mt. Dew.
Why didn’t I like it? My guess is that I still hadn’t expanded my young palate from sweet to bitter. I bet if I had a chance to try a fruity beer, I may have loved it. Either way, I was never interested in beer till many years later.
My next most memorable time drinking beer, where I actually enjoyed it, was when I tried Sierra Nevada. I sipped the popular pale, and some other style with a blue label that no longer exists. Unlike all other beer I had in the past, they tasted fresh, citrusy, and also had a new odd flavor to me: hops. I had never experienced strong hoppy flavors before. I didn’t even know what hops were until that day. Even after tasting Sierra Nevada, I still hadn’t quite jumped on the craft beer band wagon. I was too busy with school to pay close attention. During my final years of college, I had my chance to experience darker craft beers and German beers. I still remember drinking my first Doppelbock by Paulner Salvator with a close friend who was really into beer. My mouth exploded with the malty, big, sweet molasses and fruity tones. That was the day I decided I had to learn what this whole beer thing was about.
After that day, my friend and I would regularly go to a local craft beer store and each buy mixed 6 packs of random cool looking beer from all over the world. We would sit down and try to figure out what each style of beer meant, and what it tasted like. We were so enamored with beer, that we started brewing our own.
My beer knowledge has come a long way since my first beer. My likes and dislikes have changed. I have even learned how to make custom brews. All this passion has brought me to where I am today, and I hope to carry it on into the future. With the exponential growth of craft beer, I often wonder how I can keep up with the times. Yet I know the same passion for my first favorite beer will keep me going with all my new favorites, and carry me into the future of beer.
So, why do I drink beer? To experience something new each time I put my lips to a glass.
Cheers!
Pete
