Quality Beers

I have to admit that unlike most people I know, I was not a fan of beer. At least not what most people drink. I tried all the usuals: Coors, Budweiser, Corona, Miller, etc. I didn’t like a single one, so I just figured that I didn’t like beer. I was wrong. My friend James Person introduced me to Chimay, a Belgian Trappist Ale brewed by the monks at the Scourmont Abby. Honestly, the Chimay Blue is still my favorite beer.

What I learned was that, like wine, scotch, or food in general, you can’t just “not like” beer. There are just too many varieties out there that taste so different. You just have to find what beers you like. At first I just tried a few craft beers (again, usually recommended by James) and found that what I didn’t like was light beers. By light, I mean that I don’t like light colored or light flavored beers. I like something with a strong, deep, and full flavor and that usually comes from a darker colored ale.

Not too long ago I decided to clarify that by trying some more beers and keeping track of what I liked and why. I started when I was out in Oklahoma visiting my parents. I tried everyone’s favorites, which included Corona, Miller High Life, and something else (that I just can’t remember). None of them were any good at all. As a whole they had very little flavor and fell quite flat. I asked my brother-in-law to go get me some good beer, and listed a few that I liked, but he couldn’t find any of them. As it turns out, Oklahoma has some strangely strict rules about alcohol content in beer.

When I got back from Oklahoma I went to Bevmo and grabbed some assorted craft beers, and have quite enjoyed trying them all and figuring out what I like and what I don’t. So far I know that I’m not only fond of darker fuller beers, but I also very much like bitter beers (not a big surprise as I’m a huge coffee fan and prefer dark bitter coffees) and definitely enjoy the flowery depth that strong hops add to a beer.

Anyway, all that to say that I’m going to start reviewing some of the beers that I drink here. I’m not a pro, so don’t expect to see twelve paragraphs on each beer, but I’ve learned a little and find it interesting and hope you will too.