Tough Topic: What Matters To Readers

I am five months into this blogging odyssey and readership is now over 800 readers a month.  The blog has covered a lot of ground.  One thing I have felt lacking is commenters.  There are a few who seem to chime in from time to time, and those of you who do, thank for your participation.  The Binny's post had a great deal of commentary as well.  My goal is to make a comprehensive site for beer education.  What do you want to read?  What do you want to learn?  I want to make this a site for my readers.  I am asking you to please comment more at least on this post and give me a suggestion of something I could write about.

Also, this site is ad supported.  If you see an advertisement to the right or below this post and it interest you please, support my sponsors.

Come on, let me here some thoughts, some ideas, and things you want to know!

Month in Review: January 2011

This has been a great month for the blog with readership climbing above 750 readers a month for the first time.  This month's top read posts were:

1. My Binny's Beverage Depot review - a look at the chain as a whole.
2. My review of Backdraft Brown by Hook & Ladder fueled by the brewery placing my review on their Facebook page.
3. A commentary on breweries and social media.

Thank you for reading and please keep coming back as I have a great deal planned for this blog.

Glassware: The Shaker Pint

Almost every home has a shaker pint.  The glass was originally designed for use with a metal cup  to act as a cocktail shaker.  You can see the shaker pint in use as it was originally designed at any bar featuring one of those pesky mixologists.  The shaker pint does little for beer.  The glass dissipates rather than concentrates aromas.  However, I will say it is better to get the beer in this glass than stay in a bottle which is a fact often overlooked.

The shaker pint has become the herpes of beer glasses because they are cheap.  They are easy to produce, stack well, clean well and easy to drink from.  This glass was adopted by craft brewers at some point in the 1980's and just stuck.  Many breweries sell souvenir versions of shaker pints, and collecting them can become quite a hobby.  I have an every growing collection of these that has taken over the dining room.

I recommend using a shaker pint for the following beers:

• Anytime all you have is this glass
• American Light Lager
• American Amber Ale
• American Red Ale
• American Wheat Ale
• American Amber Lager

Store Review: Binny's Beverage Depot (Chain)

I thought I would give a quick overview of Binny's Beverage Depot.  Binny's controls the majority of beer sales in the Chicago region.  Binny's became the top dog after buying up Sam's, their main competition.  Writing a review of Binny's is like like trying to sum up every beer you ever drank in one post, there are just too many stores to lump together.  Binny's has a number of locations which you can find here.

The locations vary in selection and quality, and I want to say up front I have not visited all the locations.  I find the downtown location too difficult to navigate the skinny aisles, lots of people and a parking lot that makes you feel like a contortionist.  The other locations offer better parking and selections.  When you are buying several cases at a time parking is critical.  I find Anthony Gerdt of the the Glen Ellyn location to be the most helpful.  The beer manager at North Avenue is also pretty good, and the guy out in Downers Grove knows some obscure brewery reps resulting in some good choices.  The South Loop location has a bar which can score you a taste before you buy.

Most chains have a great deal of consistency.  Locations are normally similar and so are the policies.  However, each Binny's seems to be physically laid out completely different so if you decide to swing into an unfamiliar location it may take a moment to get your bearings.  Additionally, and I wrote about this before, Binny's cannot come up with a corporate policy on reserving beer.  It completely depends on who you talk to at the store.

One of my biggest issues with Binny's is the complete lack of customer service from a corporate perspective.  Yes, they have their stars.  Some managers and stock clerks know how to treat a customer, but calling a store with a question will likely yield little help.  Ordering a beer for pickup through their website is a mixed bag.  The selection is often outdated.  I understand if a beer sold out that morning, but often summer beers are listed in the middle of winter as "in stock."  Additionally, on more than one occasion I have put together a larger order (5-10) cases and showed up to find several of the beers unavailable at the location I am picking it up from.  I always place my orders 7-10 days in advance of my pick-up.  Why if they have delivery trucks running around do I need to go to two or three stores to get what I need?

My second major issue with Binny's is if your not talking to the "beer manager" your screwed.  The staff often does not know what is on the shelves.  Just this week I asked the General Manager at the Skokie store for Hoptimum.  She dutifully looked around the store for it, and eventually asked another manager.  He said "oh that beer has not been released."  It has been released and other stores have already sold out.  However, they did suggest Atomium however.

Finally, why is beer treated different than wine?  Wine drinkers get case discounts.  They also get a rebate of 2% on $500 in wine purchases.  This is the most offensive thing about Binny's.  Beer moves better than wine.  I have been told the North Avenue location can move beer like nowhere else in the Midwest.  Why should I be treated differently?

Think I am not fair to them?  Then I challenge Binny's to answer in the comments why they cannot get their act together.  The questions are:

1. What is your reservation policy on beer?
2. Why is beer ineligible for a case discount?
3. Why can't beer earn points like wine?

Beer Review: Walker's Reserve-Robust Porter by Firestone Walker

Walker's Reserve, Anniversary 14, Double Jack

At last week's release party at Piece Brewery in Chicago, Firestone Walker treated everyone to samples of three beers, the Walker's Reserve, Anniversary 14 and Double Jack.  All the samples were excellent.   Customers were offered the chance to buy a half pint and keep the glass for an extra dollar.  Well, knowing me and glassware and especially considering the glass had a "FW" nucleation point, I sprang for it.

Walker's Reserve

I like most about Walker's Reserve- Robust Porter is it is a "reserve" and a porter.  So often a reserves or special edition beer is an intense IPA or a barrel age stout.  It seems like no one comes out with a special release porter and it is good to see the style receive recognition.

Tasting Notes:
Walker's Reserve- Robust Porter poured a dark brown into a half pint glass with a moderate tan head.  A sweet aroma with chocolate and coffee give way to a creamy flavorful beer.  A drinkable porter at 5.9% ABV, and if I didn't have to work the next morning I would have stayed for another.

Memory Lane: Making Friends

After my run in with Garrett Oliver (see here) I delved into craft beer with no end in sight.  I used to scrape together enough change to go to Goose Island for a beer.  After I got to know the bartenders they would occasionally let a free one would slide my way.  I do not think Beer Bitch knew how often I went and I am scared to tell her.  I was pretty broke, but I found a place I could call home.  Goose became a place I could sit and talk and not worry.

As my finances improved I started to go to their beer academies.  I made regular pilgrimages there for years until Wil left.  After he left it was never the same.  Prices went up, pours were smaller, and quality began to suffer.  However, for the years I went I made a number of friends.  I can not tell you how ingrained the craft beer circle has become in my life.  I frequently get together with people I met at Goose and will always fondly look upon my time there fondly.

How has craft beer made an impact in your life?

Tough Topic: Breweries & Social Media

I have been intrigued by how different breweries have reacted to my blog posts.  By far I would say most breweries have no clue I am here.  That is fine with me.  I understand I am not on everyone's radar.  I often wonder what makes the cut.  Great Divide retweets or shoots off a "thanks" for the review to many bloggers on their Twitter feed, yet I have never received an acknowledgement.  What does Great Divide use as a metric to decide how they warrant a response?  Others such as Hook & Ladder often post a comment and promote a blog post of mine.  On my birthday Sierra Nevada started following me.  I think this is smart.  For one it shows an appreciation of someone promoting your product and an acknowledgement goes along way.

Recently I received backlash from a brewery.  I counted Metropolitan Brewing among my Twitter followers and assumed they read this blog on a frequent basis.  The day I published my review of Metropolitan I no longer could count them as a Twitter follower.  They de-linked me within hours of posting.  I know they saw the review, and I did not feel it was a bad review.  I gave an honest review of a two-year old brewery with a lot of potential.  Did I call them out on their issues?  Yes!  I am not their cheerleader.  I am a reviewer, and my commentary was not harsh.  Most of the problems I listed were either solved or easily solved, and I finished my post by telling readers to go buy their beer.  You can see my harsher posts here, here and here and Metropolitan's review was nowhere close to harsh.

By flat out disavowing my blog instead of just ignoring it Metropolitan annoyed me.  Actually, they pissed me off.  I stocked up on their beer to start doing beer reviews to further promote their products.  Social media counts as free marketing and by taking a passive aggressive stance Metropolitan lost out on marketing.  I am one of the few people I know who think Metropolitan will be successful.    With marketing skills like this maybe I am wrong and they will fail.

Breweries market mostly to a crowd that skews to the young and technologically savvy.  They need to embrace the social media world and not make snap decisions.  If a brewery feels a comment is not fair they should respond to it.  Engage the market and address what issue a consumer has, or at least ignore it.

Glassware: Nucleation Points

Laser Etched AB Logo

A growing number of glassware have a etching in the bottom of the glass.  These etchings provide a nucleation point.  A nucleation point creates a spot where bubbles can form.  Once these bubbles form they rise to the surface and break.  The process can be beneficial to beer because the bubbles breaking release more aroma.  If given the option to purchase a glass with a nucleation point I would recommend it.

Nucleation etchings come in a variety of shapes from simple to fun.  The bottom of the Samuel Adams new glass has a simple ring while New Belgium has a Bicycle and Anheuser-Busch (AB) has their logo in a tasting glass.  Many people get to the bottom of the glass and comment on how cool it looks but have no idea what that is doing for their beer.

You can tell if the mark on the bottom of the glass is just decoration or beneficial relatively easily.  All you need to do is pour a lighter colored beer and look for a stream of bubbles.  The stream will be pretty obvious and should last until the beer is gone or flat.  Why you would leave a beer out so long it ended up flat is beyond me!

Brewery Review: Firestone Walker

I would like to welcome Firestone Walker to Illinois.  Tonight at Piece from 6:00 to 8:00 Firestone Walker will be holding a release party.  You should expect samples of Anniversary 14, Double Jack IPA and Walker's Reserve Porter to be served.

Firestone Walker is a formidable entry into the Chicago market.  It was the winner of the GABF Brewery of the Year in both 2003 and 2007. Firestone Walker also regularly brings home several medals, most notably for their pale ales.  The book 1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die (1001 (Universe)) lists the Anniversary Ale, Double Barrel Pale Ale and Union Jack IPA as must tries.

I have only really had the chance to try one of their beers, Anniversary 14, and a sample of a few others.  I look forward to being able to try more  to write a true brewery review.

Beer Review: D.O.R.I.S. The Destroyer by Hoppin' Frog

Once again, thank you to my mother who picks Hoppin' Frog up from the brewery.  You would be a momma's  boy too if your mom stocked your fridge with craft beer.  It was leftover from Christmas, but I kept it cold and brought it back to Chicago to keep me warm.

Tasting Notes:
This double imperial stout poured black with the consistency of motor oil.  A nervous sniff revealed aromas of hops, chocolate and coffee coming from a very thin deep brown head.  With almost no carbonation it still had a full mouthfeel covering the tongue with the same coffee, chocolate and hops as the nose.  At 10.5% ABV this beer lets you know who is the boss and the intense flavor makes sure you can  handle only one bottle of this.  To be honest, I am not sure my taste buds recovered the next morning.

Memory Lane: Garret Oliver Made Me Feel Awesome

A few months after that Wheatmiser I discussed last week I was broke and out of work.  I saw an advertisement in the free newspaper about a beer and cheese pairing at Binny's Beverage, a local liquor store.  The featured speaker was Garrett Oliver.  I cannot honestly remember if the event was $5 or $10, but I was so broke I discussed the expense of going with Beer Bitch and really debating the value of it. I took the train and walked the last mile to avoid the cost of a bus transfer.

If you have ever seen Mr. Oliver he always shows up in the blazer with a Brooklyn Brewery logo and I thought great I spent my life savings to hear a pretentious SOB hear himself talk.  Then he opened his mouth, and well, he is anything but my first thought.  What followed was a great speech and explanation of five beer and cheese pairings.  He explained everything to us in a building block format to make sure we comprehended the concept from beginning to end.  Without that lecture I might never of become the beer blogger I am today.  People asked questions and he never turned one down.  I asked him what basic concepts I should know as someone who is just starting to pair beer and food.

At the end of the event Beer Bitch came to pick me up.  I begged her to let me buy a six pack or two of Brooklyn to take home.  As I was deciding what to buy, the brewery rep came and got me.  She said "Mr. Oliver would like to talk to you."  Seriously I was dumbfounded this highly accomplished brewer wants to talk to scrawny poor little me?  I went over and he asked me my name, told me to keep asking the right questions, and gave me an autographed copy of his book, The Brewmaster's Table: Discovering the Pleasures of Real Beer with Real Food.  This was a rough time in my life and the validation he gave me can not be put into words.  By this point in my life I had backpacked through mountains, earned multiple diplomas many with honors accolades, amongst a host of accomplishments my mother could rattle off, but I felt so unsuccessful back then this one act brightened my world.

I have spoken to Garrett Oliver a few times since then.  He does not rember me from that day, and I do not expect him to.  I do remember him and what he did for me.  In repayment to him could you do me a favor and buy his book? 

Tough Topic: Value

There are many heads in a production facility.  You not only have a brewer, but you also have accountants, marketers, CEOs and a host of other titles.  Larger organizations like Brooklyn Brewery has more heads and smaller places like Metropolitan has a couple people wearing five hats a piece.  A brewery, no matter how larger cannot forget the consumer needs to see value in your beer.  I like Brooklyn's Black Chocolate Stout.  Last year I did not buy any as I perceived it to be too pricey.  This year I saw a 4-pack for $6.99.  At seven bucks I saw value.  In fact, I wondered why they did not package it in a 6-pack for $11, although 4-packs are a sort of marketing gimmick.  Likewise, Metropolitan is retailing their beer for about $10 a 6-pack.  As a consumer we can walk into a store and see this is worth it.  Both of these are decent values for what you get.  Metropolitan is right in line with many other craft brewers, and Brooklyn priced theirs at an incredible price.

On the other hand, a lot of breweries have gotten caught up in charging higher prices.  They argue hop shortages and supplier cost issues.  The list goes on and on, but it results in a talented brewer making a good product that no one is buying because it just isn't worth it.  The people wearing all the other hats have been so focused on the money the lost their craft values.

I would like to ask the brewers and all the people out there to take a look at the operation.  Are you doing what you can to provide value?  If the answer is no or if your revenues are declining maybe you need to go stand in a mirror for awhile. 

Glassware: The Basic Rules

The most basic rule to drinking beer is get it out of the bottle.  I do not care if you drink beer from a mason jar, a shaker pint or martini glass.  Pouring beer will create a head.  Even if this head vanishes instantly it creates aromas.  The majority of taste is derived from aroma.  Now if you do not care to taste your beer I recommend buying Natty Light; it is much cheaper and can be drank from the can.  The only exception to this is outdoor activities that may not permit drinking from a glass, but I do have a plastic pint glass if I need one.

Rinser Tray

The second rule is that the glass must be beer clean.  I think if you are intelligent enough to read this then you understand the hygiene requirements.  What you likely do not understand is how your dishwasher is ruining your beer.  Never ever put beer glasses in a dishwasher.  It is evil.  A dishwasher will leave a thin film on the glass and inhibit the head from forming.  I know you are all thinking about those bar dishwashing machines.  These machines are designed for a bar setting and in a good beer bar there is almost always a rinser tray.  This rinse will remove what film is left and properly condition the glass.

Store Review: Andersonville Wine & Spirits

Andersonville Wine & Spirits is located at the intersection of Foster and Clark on Chicago's northside, and open late for those last second booze runs.  The store is small and the windows along Foster are plastered with posters for various craft and imported beers.  This is one of those stores with a little bit of everything.  Whether you need a bottle of wine for a dinner party, liquor or beer this place has options.  The beer is kept in two sections.  One wall of the place is nothing but cooler with cold bombers, single bottles and six packs.  If you go all the way to the back and down a short ramp you get to the full beer selection.

Andersonville Wine & Spirits normally carries a solid selection.  I can usually find local options like Metropolitan, Goose Island, Two Brothers and Three Floyds there.  However, I can often find Belgian imports, Dogfish Head,  and Great Lakes to name a few.  Their prices are a dollar or two higher than some other operations like Binny's, but your paying  the for convenience of a neighborhood store.  Furthermore, it is always good karma to support a neighborhood business.

The staff is friendly, but layout is not always conducive to finding things.  With there seemingly always three people on duty here they will quickly grab what you need.  Finally, if a guy follows you to the back of the store and seems to stare at you, don't worry they do that to everyone.

Beer Review: Smoked Baltic Porter by Great Divide Brewing Co.

If you have not figured it out by now, Great Divide is on my list of favorite breweries.  Coincidentally BBQ is one of my favorite dishes.  When I saw this beer on the shelf I knew I needed to buy it because smoking a hunk of meat was in my near future.

Tasting Notes:

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a becker glass.  I had a lot of foam issues on my pour and again on my second pour.  I found this odd since most of the Beer Advocate reviewers reported lack of head as a problem.  It had smoke and chocolate aromas, but not as smokey as I wanted.  The smoke and chocolate carried through on the tongue with the addition of strong coffee.  Moderate carbonation and a medium mouthfeel along with the intensity of the flavors make this a tough beer to order multiples of but solid to go with BBQ.

Memory Lane: The Best Beer I Ever Had

Since my first trip to Goose Island I asked Beer Bitch to take me back each time I came to town.  Sometimes she caved; sometimes she didn't.  I ended up finishing my degree and moved to Chicago to be with her.  I have a day job that requires an exam.  When that was done I headed to Goose Island, and I ordered a Brew 2000 Wheatmiser.  To this day I swear this beer was the best beer I ever had in my life.  It was over this beer I reflected on a bachelors degree, a graduate degree, a move away from family and friends to be with Beer Bitch, the toughest test of my life, and searching for a job.  Sadly it was during this beer my mother called to tell me we lost my Great-Grandmother.  I look back on this beer and am amazed at the joy, pain, excitement, fear and sadness that was all summed up while drinking a solitary beer.

How about you?  Whats the best beer you ever had?

Changing Brewers Might Not Always Be A Bad Idea

Over the last several months both Goose Island and Rock Bottom in Chicago changed their head brewpub brewers.  One brewery approached the change in a manner designed to keep customers happy.  The other brewery lacked discipline and control and failed to provide a the quality that loyal customers could expect.    

Rock Bottom lost Pete Crowley who wanted to go out on his own, and Goose Island transfered Wil Turner to their production facility.  Rock Bottom replaced a highly regarded brewer with a well regarded and experienced brewer, Chris Rafferty.  Goose Island replaced their brewer with a man who lacked the resume and the experience of the man he replaced.  While new Goose Island head brewer Jared Rouben is a smart man and does know how to make beer; he is not realistically in the same ballpark as his predecessor.

When Rafferty came to Chicago he made what I feel is an unusual move.  He knew a good beer when he saw it and did not tweak every recipe.  For instance, at Flossmoor Brewing Company their signature Pullman Brown Ale has been changed with each brewer.  However, Rafferty is not tweaking the Chicago Gold, Line Drive Light, and a few others.  He is putting his stamp on the place by introducing some of his own recipes.   This does include an excellent Pilsner.

On the other hand, the beers at Goose Island never quite tasted the same.  Maybe the recipes have been tweaked, the lines went bad or something else happened.  No one I know seems to enjoy the beer as much.  To much changed so fast that loyal customers could not come in and drink or eat something familiar.  People who enjoy craft beer enjoy two things: innovation and consistency.  While Goose went with innovation, the consistent beers people drank every year just were not there or not like people remembered them.  I know I take a hard line on Goose Island in many of my posts, but I feel like they have gone down the path of maximizing profits at the expense of stupid customers who do not know the difference.

At Flossmoor Brewing Co., the ownership had an audit done by a previous brewer and his recommendation was to revert back to the old recipes used by several brewers ago for the Great Eight.  I appreciate the  throw back to tradition , but I think it handcuffs the current brewers options as well as an inability to evolve with customer tastes.  A mass produced Budweiser today should taste like a Budweiser from forty years ago.  Craft beer is in large part about evolution.  The quality of ingredients and customer tastes are constantly evolving to the next level.  By sticking with a static recipe the owners of Flossmoor will likely be left in the dust.

From a standpoint of owners managing brewers I find it somewhat odd that Rock Bottom a national operation seems to be doing a better job than locally owned and managed operations.  Brewpubs can be the heart of a community, and being sensitive to the community is what matters.  If you make good beer they will come.  Management in these establishments need to learn a hands-off approach when it comes to beer.

A reminder of who makes our beer.

This weekend take a minute to see who makes our special beers.

Glassware: It's Important

Glasses From My Collection

All too often people drink beer from a can, bottle or wrong glass.  By having the proper glass you will reward yourself with a much better beer experience.

Glassware has a variety of implications in drinking beer. First, is smell. You taste more with your nose than your tongue, and you can't smell from a bottle. Second, a visual inspection of the beer lets you know what your drinking.  You can see the color, head carbonation etc.  If there is something wrong with the beer here is where you get your first clue.  Finally, a glass can make you feel special.  Look at some of the above glasses.  Do they not look like fun to drink from?

Brewery Review: Metropolitan Brewing Co.

Metropolitan Brewing in Chicago is the brainchild of Doug and Tracy Hurst.  While most craft beer operations focus on ales, Metropolitan focuses on lagers and I have heard of no plan to offer ales.  Their website even states that there are zero plans to ever make an IPA.   Last time I took a tour there Tracy recounted how they came to the conclusion to make lager. Doug, while studying at Siebel Institute of Technology, was in Germany completing his classwork and called Tracy telling her about the amazing lagers there.  He was so blown away he found his life purpose.  To be honest when I first heard about their brewery I laughed.  I did not think anyone could make a living selling lagers.  I was wrong and have no problem admitting it.  Metropolitan makes excellent beers and they have become my go to brewery for lagers.

The craft beer market has very few lagers on shelves and I personally have not come across any other lager only operations.  In the past I would get people started on craft beer by using Goose Island's 312, but I would struggle to explain what a Urban Wheat Ale is.  I find it much easier to hand them a Krankshaft or Flywheel and tell friends that it is a lager just like Bud Light.  My friends and family have been much more accepting of this because they think they are getting the same taste.  They quickly learn that not all lagers are the same and craft lager packs a flavor punch.

I know some of you had issues with Metropolitan staying consistent with their beer and scattered reports of off flavors when they first opened.  I am happy to report those issues have disappeared.  Metropolitan has been churning out three lagers on a consistent basis: Krankshaft, Flywheel Bright Lager, and Dynamo with a seasonal named I-Beam Alt.  A fourth beer Iron Works recently received bottle label approval from the feds and it appears to be a tweaked version of the I-Beam Alt.

Metropolitan offers public tours of their brewery.  Check out their website for details.  The tours cost a nominal $5 and include tasting.  This is pretty typical for Chicago area breweries and is a fair price.  Be warned it is hot in the summer and cold in winter as they lack a solid HVAC system.  Retail operations are somewhat constrained at their location.  My understanding is the city has some complicated zoning rules that makes their space industrial, but not retail.  (If it was retail I would of walked over and bought a glass by now.)

Doug and Tracy lack the inflated ego you see in some operations.  They seem to be letting distribution be dictated by where there is desire for lagers which is good.  Additionally, they have a stated desire to remain a Midwest phenomenon.  Metropolitan's beers are not intended to age so finding markets that allow quick turnover is key.  

At times they struggled with supply issues.  As of my last tour (Summer 2010) they were exploring the purchase of additional fermenters which should help solve the problem.  However, most breweries would consider not being able to keep up with demand a good thing.  I would also like to see Tracy out of brewing and on the road.  I want to be clear I do not doubt in her ability to work as a brewer, but Tracy would make an excellent brand manager.  If the hop tattoos do not give it away, her personality clearly conveys that she is passionate about beer.  If she could focus on Metropolitan's brand and get craft beer drinkers enthused about lagers who knows what this little place could do.

Metropolitan will likely be around for a long time, and if you have not already tried their beer go grab a six pack.

Beer Review: Backdraft Brown by Hook & Ladder

A few months ago I wrote about a flank steak I marinated in Backdraft Brown.  If you missed that post check it out here.  Backdraft Brown is brewed by Hook & Ladder Brewing Co. in Maryland.  While many breweries do charitable work or sponsorships, Hook & Ladder has pledged a penny from each pint and a quarter from each case to burned firefighters and other burn victims.  The brewery is run by two brothers.  One of the brothers is a firefighter, and clearly wanted to stay connected to his roots.  The brothers even brew near where they grew up.

Tasting Notes:
Poured a dark brown into a shaker pint with a nice off-white head.  Backdraft Brown has a nutty aroma with notes of caramel and roast.  Additionally, there was a hop aroma which is not always prevalent in brown ales.  Flavors of malt chocolate and a slight hint of smoke come from this light bodied beer.  It is an easy drinking beer that is not overpowering allowing you more than one.

Pairing Suggestion: Steak

Memory Lane: My First Craft Beer

I do not know if it was the holidays or the fact that I am getting older, but I decided to write a series of posts about memorable moments in my craft beer life.  Some of these moments where sad, others happy.  The posts are not meant to be a sob story, but rather a reflection on how craft beer and the community that exists formed me into a psychotic beer snob with a blog.

My first brush with craft beer was at a now defunct Thirsty Dog brewpub.  I cannot remember why we went out, but I was with my older cousin.  I ordered a Raspberry Leghumper.  I can understand if your laughing at my 21-year-old self right now.  I was not a fan of strong beers and figured the raspberry would take the edge off, and leghumper sounded funny.  I remember liking the beer, but thought a place like Thirsty Dog was a rarity.  I had no clue microbreweries existed all over the place.  I went back to drinking Coors Light and then Bud Light, although I mocked people at college parties who served Natty Light.

A few years went by and Beer Bitch and I parted ways for graduate school.  Knowing I wasn't happy about being in a long distance relationship she tried to find fun stuff to do when I visited her in Chicago.  So she took me to Goose Island.  She told me she heard about this sampler thing where I could try a whole bunch of beer in little glasses.  We had a waitress whose name escapes me, but I know she worked as their trainer serving and was very knowledgeable.  She made a few suggestions and it was love at first sip.  For a couple years after that I would keep Honkers Ale on hand and split time between it and Bud Light.  I wanted more craft beer, but just did not have the money.  Goose became this inexplicable force in my life and provided  the backdrop for the most pivotal moments in my life.

Everybody has a first craft beer.  When was your first?

Welcome To A New Year

Hopefully you notice the new layout.  If your having problems seeing text or anything else please feel free to leave me a comment.    If you are on Twitter you should check out my the new layout over there http://twitter.com/verysmallbeer and don't forget to follow me.

As you can see above, I have also added a beer index.  You can use that list to see what I have reviewed and link directly to the article.  I will try to keep it alphabetized to make things easy on you.

Posts will follow a weekly pattern with each day having a theme.  The schedule is as follows:

• Next Monday "Tough Topics" will return.
• On Tuesday a short series of posts focused on craft beer memories will debut and run for about a month.  
• Wednesday will feature beer reviews.
• Each Thursday I will be taking a look at the businesses that make, sell and serve beer.
• Friday will have a series of topics on entertaining with beer.  The first few months will cover glassware and serving issues followed by recipes and parings etc.
• Saturday and Sunday will be kind of a hodgepodge of topics that do not make it into the regular weeks posts.  However, some weekends I may not post at all, because well I'm drinking beer.

I have written several weeks worth of posts for some of these topics so I am confident I will be able to keep up.

Please feel free to drop me a line in the comments section to add your thoughts to a particular post.  I hope you all have enjoyed what has been posted in the past and enjoy what the future brings.  Happy New Year!