Day 3 Colorado Beer Trip

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Saturday, May 23rd, 2009 Our day begins as we rise on our terms. I can’t remember the last time I slept in, and it feels good. We get down to the free breakfast lounge just as they’re closing up at 9am. We got plenty to eat as they were very accommodating despite our tardiness. We finished up, brushed our teeth, checked out and hit the road. First stop was a coffee shop on the other side of town, Catalyst Coffee. Now, the only reason we’re heading to this place is because I heard of the awesome tap list. You’re scratching your head thinking, tap list, at a coffee shop? It’s true, the other half of this place is a tap room. Tap Room @ Catalyst as it’s know, offers local artwork, live music, fine wines and a generous selection of world class beers. The taps at Catalyst feature a nice selection of local Fort Collins beers such as New Belgium and Odell as well as some top notch regional and national beers. I remember seeing Stone, Russian River, Dogfish Head and BearRepublic while we were there. I had heard that they had the evasive Racer X on tap but I wasn’t holding out faith that I would get any. Sure enough, upon arriving at 9:30 we saw the Tap Room hours posted on the door… open at 4pm. Oh well, we went in and ordered some coffee and found some comfy seats to lounge in. I saw some computers over on one side and thought I would check Facebook, BeerAdvocate, etc, while I had some time to kill. Someone from the adjacent room greeted me warmly and I turned and realized I was looking into the taproom. We exchanged pleasantries and I told her I was disappointed that I couldn’t try some Racer X. She looked at me straight faced and said, “Oh you can get beer here anytime, just order if from the barista”. Are you freakin kidding me??? A double IPA at ten in the morning? Why not! It looked like the three ladies in the tap room were setting up for a musical show, but they also seemed genuinely interested in talking beer with us. I didn’t want to intrude but they didn’t seem like they wanted us to leave either. I felt very fortunate to be sitting in the Tap Room (six hours before opening) enjoying one of the country’s best double IPAs talking beer with whom I found out later were the new owners. After a great conversation, a great beer and a great cup of coffee we were off to our next brewery tour. Thanks to Dru and Cynthia and everyone for a wonderful, memorable trip to The Tap Room @ Catalyst! I highly recommend checking it out if you're ever in the area.

After Catalyst and before heading south we had to check out one of the most popular breweries in the US right now… New Belgium Brewing Company. I must have confused a phone call to Coors with one to New Belgium because I didn’t think you needed a reservation for their tour. I was so wrong. By the time we got there at straight up 11am the next available tour was 1:30. We needed to be on the road by 12:30 so we had to settle for some samples in the tap room. Free beer is never a bad second prize. We were instructed to find a seat and a “waiter” would come by with a menu. We chose which four we wanted to try and he returned quickly with them. I was really disappointed to have missed the tour but we got to spend more time in the tap room. They really cram you in and we were forced to meet our neighbors, a couple from Denver, fortunately they were pretty cool. The four of us conversed and consumed and had a nice time. My favorites were the Abbey Ale (wonderful bouquet in the nose) and the Biere de Mars was uniquely delicious. I wish it were more readily available around here. This was the one place I forgot to take notes so I am lacking in the descriptions. Before we knew it, it was 12:30 and we needed to get on the road. Next stop Longmont, Colorado.

We exited the freeway at the Longmont exit and made a pit stop at Mickey D’s. It was going to be a long day and we wanted to pile on a good base for cheap. Plus, someone really had to pee! Two QPCs later and we snaked our way into the city. Longmont is home to both Lefthand Brewing and Oskar Blues. Unfortunately we wouldn't have time for Lefthand. I surveyed Beer Advocates before the trip as to which Oskar Blues location to visit and there really wasn’t an overwhelming consensus between Lyons (the original brewpub) and Longmont (production facility). We chose Longmont simply because it was right on the way to Denver. Built literally right inside the brewing facility is the tasting room which they call The Tasty Weasel. Having just opened in February we were pretty excited. We arrived around 2pm and it was pretty much empty. It was nice because we had the place to ourselves and had the complete attention of the bartender. She was very helpful answering questions. We found out where the names Ten Fidy and Gordon came from. There were some other folks out in the brewing area which we found out later were from Nordeast Minneapolis. Gotta give a shoutout to Jameson and his wife and their newborn (what’s her name?). Everything here was mighty tasty. Many of these beers we can get across the border in Hudson, but it was great to get them on draft and straight from the brewery. We enjoyed Dale’s of course and his friend Gordon. Mama’s Little Yella Pils, Ten Fidy, Old Chub and Barrel Aged Ten Fidy. Which one was my favorite? If you guessed the Barrel Aged Ten Fidy you’d be right on (and you’d probably been reading my other blogs). I’m told they also use Stranahan’s Whiskey barrels and they make some dang fine beers. As a fan of the hops, Gordon was of course amazing and I have always been a big fan of their Scottish Ale Old Chub. Yum and double yum.

During our visit we were encouraged at anytime to go wander around the brewing area which we did. They have a basketball hoop and a batting cage set up for break time. They ride bikes around the brewery to get from one end to the other; it’s a really fun scene in there. And the guys working were really friendly. I asked one guy if he liked where he worked and he said “Yah, it’s a brewery, what’s not to like?” he continued “of course it is still hard work. The novelty does wear off, but it’s still a great place to work.” I replied, “Hey, people come to watch you work, that’s gotta be cool. No one comes to my office to watch me work”. He nodded in agreement as he threw another palate of empty cans on the bottling… er, well, canning line. A couple of other young gentlemen were working the rear end of the line, taking the full six-packs from the ring machine and stacking them onto palates. There was a guardrail at the end so the six-packs didn’t fall off the back. They offered, “Sometimes this guard slips out and we lose a couple. It’s unfortunate because whatever falls on the ground we have to take home. Oops”. I’m sure they’d used that line a hundred times before but I got a kick out of it. It just goes to show how much these guys really enjoy their job. Because they can…

Day 2 Colorado Beer Trip

Friday, May 22nd, 2009 We get on the road relatively early. The coffee at the hotel was pretty crappy (seriously, I wasn't thinking about the coffee's proximity to the toilet when I wrote this - I just laughed at my own unintended joke ha ha). So, about as quickly as we got on the freeway we get off. Guided by the towering golden arches we followed our eyes to better coffee. We got our coffee (black, no McLattes for us) and off we went. Anyone who’s made this trip knows there ain’t much to look at in Nebraska. Eventually we made it into Wyoming and then Cheyenne where we took a left and headed to Fort Collins. We were pleasantly reminded that we gained an hour somewhere near North Platte so we arrived earlier than expected. We checked into our hotel, freshened up and headed to brewery number one, Odell!

Being from Minnesota we’re not accustomed to breweries selling beer like bars. We didn’t get there in time for the tour but were able to walk right up, order some beers, sit down, drink, repeat. We got two different samplers, one was house beers and the other was some specialty brews. There were so many that were so good, they really know what they’re doing at this place. The Cascadian Dark Ale had a nice American hop aroma and complex flavors including toasted and roasted malts. The Rocky Mountain Goat Red Ale was very hoppy, had a creamy head and nice amber reddish color. The hops were the star of this show. The Cutthroat Porter was also very good with the right combination of dark and delicious malts providing some great melanoidin flavors. Like I expected, I enjoyed the Odell IPA I had heard so much raving about. In this day and age it seems IPAs have to be “Imperialized” or “doubled” to be exciting. It’s nice to have a straight up IPA knock one out of the park. Very bitter and full of flavor, I had to pick up a sixer of this to take home.

One of the more comical moments of the afternoon occurred when we tasted the Cherry Stout. I picked it up and gave it a little sniff. I couldn’t swirl it to wake up the aromas because it was filled all the way to the top. I said “I’m not getting any cherry in the nose”. Carolyn took it from me and proceeded to inhale, but only after she had submerged her nose in the overfilled glass. She came up for air in a bit of a panic… “I breathed it in, I breathed it in!” Not knowing what to do, I told her to blow her nose which I assumed meant a napkin and maybe a trip to the ladies room. Well, during her hastened non-thinking state she just turned and blew between us. Inky liquid splattered everywhere; her leg, my leg, the vinyl booth seat. That seemed to do the trick alright. I couldn't resist, I had to say "Looks like you got some cherry in the nose". All we could do was laugh. It was probably to most idiotic scene ever made and it all happened so fast. I didn’t dare look around to see who was watching us. After we got cleaned up and the samplers were finished I tried the Buffalo Bourbon Stout. This was fantastic. I’ve recently been getting into the whiskey barrel aged beers lately. I like them more subtle than over the top and this was just that. A great rocky head and its opaque jet black color complimented this big bodied malty monster perfectly. At 10% and a lot of day ahead of us, I was both glad and sad that I only ordered a half pint. We wandered the grounds for a little while, taking in the fresh Front Range air and really enjoyed ourselves.

Literally right down the street was another local brewery, Fort Collins Brewing Company. We didn’t spend a whole lot of time here, Carolyn cut herself off since she was driving and she was getting bored drinking just water. The (Billy the) Kidd Lager was nice. It was a Schwarzbier but had more fruity esters than I expected. This dark beer was spot on in color and drank nicely. The other two beers I enjoyed here were also dark. The first, their Double Chocolate Stout, was an Imperial Stout. Nice roasted and chocolate malt undertones as well as a subtle sweetness. Exceptional compromise between the hop and chocolate in the aroma, very nice. And finally, the Barrel Licked Bock. Yum another barrel aged beer. This is their Doppelbock aged 12 months in Whiskey barrels from Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey in Denver. This beer packs a punch of superb maltiness and terrific whiskey flavors and aromas. My mouth is watering for it again. Their “single” Chocolate Stout and Rauchbier were also pleasant on the palate. But, after seven hours in the car we were wiped out so we headed back to the hotel to catch a few Z’s before supper.

After a well deserved (IMO) late afternoon nap we awoke a little famished. So it didn’t take us long to get ready and head out to CooperSmith’s. This place was a neat little venue in the bustling downtown area. It was the end of the school year for Colorado State so the town was busy with students and parents alike. It was a nice vibe. CooperSmith’s is unique in that it’s separated into two areas with a sidewalk and patio between. The Pubside and the Poolside. Both serve food and fresh brews, but the Pubside was more restaurant-like and the Poolside was more bar/pool hall. We ate in the restaurant and sampled some nice beers. I liked the Not Brown Ale (“not” a typo), very dark, sweet and malty. It reminded me of Bell’s Best Brown. I also enjoyed the Horsetooth Stout which was opaque, thick and oatmeal smooth. I also enjoyed the Sitzman’s Steam although this one was made with Cascade hops (one of my favorite), instead of the typical woody Northern Brewer variety. It was a nice twist. Very mellow and easy drinking. The food stood out as well. I ordered the Mesa Verde Burger which consisted of a large green chili, roasted and peeled, placed atop the meat. On top of that was a generous topping of pepperjack cheese and chipotle bbq sauce. Mmmmm, mmmm, is your mouth watering yet? I definitely will be trying to replicate this at home. I don’t think I’ve ever been so full in my life. Downtown is a really neat busy area full of energy. We took a stroll for about a block or two before retiring for the evening.

Colorado Beer Trip – Great Hotel

Okay, no beer highlights here, just wanted to comment on our first night’s hotel. The Downtown Omaha EconoLodge is in a great location and was a great price. I’m thinking this was more of an extended stay hotel than anything else. It seemed like some people had gotten pretty comfortable there. But on that note, we too were comfortable. I love me a King-sized bed and it was comfy. I am wondering however, if they got their furniture from the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas. Now let’s get this straight, this EconoLodge (and none others that I know of) does not have an Asian theme, but I am pretty sure that this is the exact same bed and chest of drawers that we had in our room during my bachelor party in Vegas.

I was also very surprised and pleased that before we arrived, they somehow seemed to secure my Grandpa’s recliner and place it in our room before we got there. I thought that was a nice personal touch. Finally, It was very convenient to have the coffee maker within arms reach of the toilet. This was especially helpful when we woke up late and needed to get on the road. It was nice to be able to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak. This place also included free breakfast which is always a plus. We were able to fill up on frosted flakes, yogurt, various juices and a banana all while listing to two old guys passing a cell phone back and forth trying to direct a third to their current location. Pretty hilarious, especially when you're dealing with two cities in two States separated by a river.



Only seven hours to Fort Collins, on the road again…

Day 1 Colorado Beer Trip (continued)

Thursday, May 21st, 2009 After the drive from Minneapolis to Des Moines, the Omaha leg of the trip seemed like a breeze. A short two hours after leaving El Bait Shop and we were already approaching the Council Bluffs/Omaha area. Before the sun went down I wanted to check out the Old Market. I had spent quite a few afternoons in the Old Market when a buddy of mine was at Creighton Dental School. I used to go down every summer for the College World Series and I was always impressed with the Old Market. This part of downtown is Omaha’s trendy hot spot. Old warehouses tastefully refinished into gift shops, retailers, bars and restaurants. Of these old buildings, one of them is a renovated firehouse, and creates some pretty tasty beers. The Upstream Brewing Co, from firehouse to brewhouse. The atmosphere is comfortable, very clean and straight lines, almost like you’re in a chain restaurant but with the charming wait staff of an independent. We bellied up to the bar and were treated the way first timers should be treated. Very friendly bartenders, offering to help in anyway possible but not intrusive, hasty or forceful. I knew what I wanted… the sampler, duh. We were brought two tall glasses of water without even asking. I like a place that does that. Too many times water seems like an inconvenience than a service.

No fancy rack for their sampler, just a laminated placemat with descriptions of the beer to be placed on it. Thirteen mini Pilsner glasses to be exact. “Oh how cute”, Carolyn exclaimed! I won’t go into detail on all of them but rather just the more memorable ones. The Dundee Export Scotch Ale was very pleasant. Plenty of malt and a nice easy drinking smoky finish; hints of sweet caramel set this one apart. It was also fun to taste the Blackstone Stout along side the cask version of the same beer. Both were nice and roasty with big body but the cask version was more complex. I was picking up a hint of oak and maybe some bourbon. It definitely seemed barrel aged to me, but the bartended assured me it was not. The only differences are serving temperature, the cask version isn't on nitro and the cask version was dry hopped. I enjoyed them both but more so the cask version. Another couple of beers really stood out. The Oatmeal Cookie Beer and the Blue Mystic Saison. The cookie beer was toasty, creamy, malty, biscuity and all around delicious. The Saison was brewed with ginger which added a nice refreshing twist. This saison was very citrusy already and the ginger added that piney something extra. It's not overpowering, I may not have even noticed it if I wasn't looking for it. It was very subtle but very welcome. After finally finishing them all plus lots of water we headed out. The guy next to us at the bar ordered a flourless chocolate cake and we almost pulled the trigger. Bartender said it would go nicely with a Stout/Raspberry Ale fusion. I bet it would.

We quickly checked into our hotel, dumped our bags and headed for the Crescent Moon Ale House. Omaha is pretty much a beer desert. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy visiting Omaha. There are many fun places to go have a beer, but if it’s a fine selection of craft beer you're looking for, your options are slim. There is one place, however, dubbed “Beer Corner USA” that should satisfy all of your desires. The corner of 36th and Farnam streets plays host to a wealth of beer imbibing opportunities. Under the confines of one roof you will find a Tap House with a wonderful selection, a German Bar with all your favorite German imports, a Belgian Beer Bar and a liquor store with a name all too inviting, Beertopia. What more could you ask for? We could have spent a lot of time and a lot of money on this little corner. It’s probably a good thing the seven hour drive looming the next morning was in the front of my mind or we would have. It was ten o’clock on Thursday night and the place was packed! While researching this trip I had read an article online about bartender Chris Bettini at the Crescent Moon. This guy has a mad passion for beer. We were lucky enough to have him taking care of us during our visit. I told him I was looking for Lucky Bucket, a brewery that I heard two stories about earlier in the day. I woke that morning having never heard of Lucky Bucky and by 10 PM, I had heard two people in two different States talking about it. In Des Moines, Mike from Court Ave had mentioned that Zac Triemert, former brewer at Upstream, ventured off to start his own brewery, Lucky Bucket. He said that I should seek it out while in Omaha. Then, while sitting in Upstream I overheard a bar manager talking about “our side project” Lucky Bucket. I obviously don’t have the whole story but I was intrigued nonetheless.

Crescent Moon had Lucky Bucket’s Pre-Prohibition lager on tap so I gave it a whirl. It was good, no wow factor, but very drinkable. I thought it was a rich creamy fruity lager, if there ever was such a thing. Of course I had tasted 25 beers already that day so my palate was pretty fatigued. I certainly had no problem finishing it. I would love to have another shot at this one. Later I tried the Ska Nefarious Ten Pin Imperial Porter. I had heard about this one and was eager to try it. I knew we weren’t going to make it to Durango while in Colorado so I didn’t find any problem drinking it here. Mmmmmm, this was superb. Thick as tar but drank like silk. A lot of smooth creaminess behind this big bold roasty fella. I even got some alcoholic heat. At 8% it isn’t huge, but it ain’t no slouch either. I had to stop after this one. We had some crazy folks take a picture of us in front of the mural on the wall. This picture (not pictured) looked fine when we took it, but when we got home it was all blurry. Funny how clear everything is when viewed through beer goggles. Ha ha… and off we went into the Nefarious Nebraska night.

Day 1 Colorado Beer Trip

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Thursday, May 21st, 2009 Again, due to my limited vacation days this year, I was forced to work a half day on Thursday morning. Not ideal, but doable. The clock struck 11:00 and we were off! Or so we thought. We fought the Marq2 construction downtown and finally made it to 35W. Remember that TV commercial where everyone is tailgating and having a good time and then they pan out and you realize they are all on the freeway? Well this was just like that except without the barbeque grills, beers and happy people. I knew there was major construction on 35W south and should have avoided it altogether but I wasn’t thinking. Half an hour behind schedule and the Civic was finally in 5th gear.

We made some time up on the road and arrived in Des Moines at 2:45. First stop was at The Court Avenue Brewing Co (or CABCO). Most people were still working so when we walked in it was pretty quiet. Naturally we sauntered over to a table by the glass separating the brewery from the dining room. As I did throughout most of this trip I started with the sampler. This was about the coolest (and heaviest) sampler rack as I had ever seen. It seems that about as much creativity as goes into the beer goes into how various brewpubs serve their samples and this was no exception. See picture. I usually sample beers from lightest to darkest in color with the exception of really hoppy beers. They usually do a number on my taste buds so I save those for last. I really enjoyed all of the beers I tried as each of them was unique and all its own. So many times I’ve been to brewpubs and besides color they were all really similar. Not here. I especially enjoyed the Belgian White (Wit). It was brewed with Curacao orange peel and it really added a nice citrusy punch, very refreshing. We got to speak with brewer Mike Gauthier later and he mentioned it was much sweeter than previous versions and more so than he likes it. I thought it was great but would love to try a drier version someday. I also enjoyed the Kaplan Hat Hefeweizen. More clove than banana than most American Hefes and a nice grainy malt backbone. It was a very clear beer so I asked if it was the Krystal style… no, just nicely flocculating yeast. That might also explain the unique yeast flavor characteristics. I really enjoyed talking with the brewer and learning some of the joys as well as the challenges of being a brewer in a brewpub. He talked about the pressures of keeping production up with demand; a constant battle between brewer and bar manger. He also talked about how frustrating antiquated beers laws can be. For example, in Iowa you can’t brew beer stronger than 6.2% ABV but you can sell it stronger. So it’s hard to compete with the Belgian Beer bar down the street which often has beers on tap 15% or higher. After visiting for a while he took off for the bar rather quickly. I assumed there was a question that needed addressing or something, but no… he went up to grab a specialty beer. 21st Amendment Ale. This brew named in honor of the Volstead Act is their Rye Pale Ale aged in rye whiskey barrels from Iowa distiller Templeton Rye Whiskey. A 2008 barrel aged beer festival Silver medal winner. What a barrel aged treat, the whiskey really shines through. Low in carbonation and very smooth. One of my favorites on the trip. Had a great time at CABCO but alas, on to the next!


Thanks to the great crowd of beer gurus on BeerAdvocate I was introduced to a beer bar in Des Moines with over 100 beers on tap, El Bait Shop! It’s located right by the Iowa Cubs stadium and there was game that evening so it was beginning to get busy. This biker bar (think spandex not chaps) boasts one hundred and five beers on tap. How do you decide? I went with a recommendation and tried the Rogue Imperial Pilsner and I really liked it. It was high in alcohol, very fruity in aroma, clover and honey and a rich powerful noble hop aroma blurring the line between floral and spicy. Mmm I could drink a few of these. The last beer I tried when we were there was Raccoon River’s IPA. Raccoon River is another brewpub in downtown Des Moines that didn’t quite make our short list. I was happy to get the chance to try one of their beers but was disappointed once I did. It could have been old, but it seemed very dumbed down. The hops had all faded and the malt presence was a bit more than it should have been. I also detected a little butter. Oh well, it would take more than a diacetylic amber to bring me down. This eclectic place was really comfortable, the taps were just begging for the camera and the food was awesome. I am a big supporter of the “When in Rome” menu theory* so I had to try El Garlic Bait Burger. This minced garlic infused burger topped with American and Gouda cheeses and barbeque sauce melted in my mouth AND in my hands. What a delectable gooey mess, yum. We finished our beers, licked our fingers, polished off every last crinkle cut french fry and hit the road. Omaha or bust!

BEER THIS! DA

*If there is an item on the menu that features the establishment’s name I tend to lean toward it. When in El Bait Shop, do the El Bait Burger.

ROAD TRIP! Tasting beers to Colorado and back.

On June 8th I begin my studies with the American Brewers Guild. That will consist of ten hours of lecture per week plus another six hours of studying for 29 weeks. Add that to my full-time job and a second part-time job and any free time will disappear. I thought I should have one last hurrah before going underground for the next seven months and a beer trip sounded good. While both my vacation days and budget are limited this year we decided to take a road trip and do it over the Memorial Day weekend. Colorado is definitely a beer Mecca so it was off to the Centennial State.

Our trip included stops in Des Moines and Omaha along the way followed by stops in Fort Collins, Longmont, Denver and Golden. The itinerary included a couple of stops in Boulder and Lyons as well but due to some rescheduling we weren’t able to make it. Missing Boudler was disappointing but that just means we’ll have to go back.

We had a lot of great beers – I tasted 105 different beers in all. We had a lot of good laughs – Carolyn even had beer coming out her nose at one point. We made a bunch of new friends and even got to catch up with some old ones. We met some great people in the brewing and beer bar business and had about as great a trip as we could have imagined.

Inspired by another beer blog I follow (Thanks Kris and Mag), in the coming days I will be blogging in more detail about our daily visits to the local beer scene. Check back soon and often.

DA

Convert This!

I’ve read various blogs recently arguing Craft Beer vs. Macro Beer. The argument is never about which is better, but always about why craft beer is better than macrobrewed (mass produced) beer. For the most part I’ve stayed out of this like I do most debates. My Mom is nearly full blooded Norwegian which makes me nearly half and we Scandinavians like to avoid conflict. If you keep your mouth shut, it can’t get you in trouble. However, I feel it’s time to comment, especially since this week is American Craft Beer Week.

How do I feel?

My feelings on the matter are simple… if you like the way it tastes, drink it. The problem is that I am confident many people think Bud, Miller and Coors products taste good. Are they wrong? Not necessarily. Do I think they taste good? No, but I also don’t think they taste bad either. In fact I don’t think they taste much at all. But just because I don’t think they taste good doesn’t mean they can’t taste good to someone else. But what if that’s all they knew? I believe a conversion to craft beer enjoyment begins with a little education and some good old fashioned persistence. How many of you liked the taste of beer the first time you had it? I certainly didn’t and I would bet a majority of you didn’t either. I learned to like it though. As they say, it’s an acquired taste. Some younger drinkers are lucky to have started with craft beers but many of us older guys did not. But that doesn’t mean we’re a lost cause. Why did we start drinking light lagers in the first place? Certainly not because they tasted good. For a long time in this country that was all that was available. And if Light American Lagers are all you know (like me until I was 24) chances are you’re not going to go into a bar or liquor store and buy anything else.

I remember my junior year of college. I was just barely legal. Not a rookie beer drinker by any means, but turning legal means going to bars and making your own decisions on what to drink. One evening I ordered a Sam Adams. Holy crap did that taste horrible. I didn’t know what it was that I was tasting but it wasn’t beer. I even remember buying one for a friend on her 21st birthday as a joke. Sadly I went back to old reliable. I wish I hadn’t given up on old Sammy so easily. More importantly, I wish I would have had a friend to tell me what it was I was tasting, that is was normal, in fact intentional and to tell me that people actually enjoy that flavor. I would have become a craft beer drinker a lot sooner if someone had educated me and told me it was okay to explore those flavors.

Well, I didn’t have to wait long. Three short years later my family took a trip to England. I was forced by some pretty persistent (and evidently brilliant) uncles to drink what the locals drink… and I fell in love. By that time, the American Craft Beer scene was nearly 20 years strong and I had no idea what I was missing. When I came back state-side my beer life made an about-face and I have never looked back. My uncles introduced me and educated me on the wonders of different beer flavors. While many of the beers I drank in jolly old England are not available here in the States, I began seeking out beers that compared to them (in my rookie palate’s opinion). Eventually the evil Sam Adams became my best friend.

Although the craft beer scene was long past the infancy stage in 2000 it was still rare to find anything but macros or common imports on the majority of restaurants tap lists. Sadly this is still the case in many places, but it is getting much better. We are lucky here in the Twin Cities to have a local brewery like Summit. Most places around town have Summit’s flagship beer Extra Pale Ale on tap and it’s a pretty dang good beer. For me my go-to beers when dining out became Summit EPA and Sam Adams Boston Lager. Now here’s where it gets interesting. For a while I actually thought that Sam and Summit tasted “pretty much the same”. Many of us know that this is most certainly not the case but at that point that’s what I perceived. Eventually my palate matured as I tried new things. As my tongue became barraged with new flavors, bitterness, sweetness, spiciness, roastiness, etc it actually got more refined. I was able to perceive and identify new flavors and distinguish similar beers from each other. And I’ll tell you what, my friends, there is nothing more exiting than that. I remember the first California Common I tried. Gross! What is that stinky rotten cheese aroma? And what’s that bitter/tart flavor? That can’t be healthy! Well as things progressed I learned that those were Northern Brewer hops, a defining character of this style. “Stinky cheese” and “tart” became “woodsy” and “rustic”. Once I knew they were intentional and unique I became more open minded and began enjoying the complexities that set this style of beer apart from others.

I challenge you.

Let’s back up a little bit and follow the progression of Sam Adams in my life. For the first thirteen years Sam Adams was around I had never heard of it. First time I tried it I hated it. Tried it again and again and I started to enjoy it, but still compared it to every other hoppy “dark” beer. Eventually it became individually unique and even more enjoyable. So I challenge you today, in the spirit of American Craft Beer week, convert a friend or two. It’s not an overnight conversion but you just might be the person to flip the switch and redirect a friend down the ride of their life. I’m not sure if craft beer sales will ever equal (or heaven forbid exceed) macro beer sales, but it’s worth a shot. We have a wonderful opportunity here to start, or I should say continue, a revolution. Light Lager lovers are curable and I truly believe that craft beer drinkers are irreversible. Convert someone today!