Warning: This post is about alcohol. If you struggle to drink with moderation or suffer from addiction, know that you are not alone. Please skip this post and join us back here next week. We’ll be waiting for you. If you need help, check out this website. May the Lord bless and strengthen you, friend.
“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is Freedom, in water there is bacteria.” – Quote (disputed but still fun!) inscribed on wall of 1747 Pub, Annapolis, Maryland
Beer is one of the great loves of my life. As such, I want to return to this theme maybe a bit too regularly on Into The Blue, but first it seemed right and good to me to put down in a few words my general thoughts on the subject.
Moderation is key. As I’m getting older, I have to be more and more cautious around beer. I’ve been so good to beer, but it seems to want to make me fat and sap my health. It can float like a butterfly and sting like a bee, too, if you aren’t careful.
Still, I love beer. It’s one of God’s great gifts. I once heard a country song that said: “God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy.” That seems pretty accurate.
Now, I’m kind of hesitant to dive further into this theme, well, because my wonderful Mom is my only paid subscriber, but what can you do? Life is about risk. I love you, Mom! Here goes.
My relationship to beer got off to an inauspicious start. I started drinking it when I was underage (sorry, Mom!) and before I was prepared to appreciate what it really had to offer. So, I knew there was a special joy to beer earlier than legally I should have, but I had the terrible misconception that beer was about quantity rather than quality.
I might have persisted indefinitely on this path, most certainly to my ruin, if not for a series of wonderfully providential events.
First and most importantly, I met my amazing wife. My then great desire for beer was replaced almost magically by my great desire for her. She steadied me out. She met needs in me that I was wrongly seeking to satisfy in beer. She still does. She is definitely way more awesome than beer.
Second, I had the great good fortune to be posted in Germany in the Army, where I quickly discovered that the beer I had been drinking Stateside was swill. The Germans make real beer. And as an aside, if you really want to savor the flavors German beer has to offer, don’t slug it at Oktoberfest until you pass out on the tent floor.
In three years there, I became an aficionado of quality over quantity (okay, with an occasional beer fest exception), of the artistry the Germans bring to beer after centuries of commitment to pure ingredients and excellence in their craft. Pilsner, helles, festbier, Märzen, Kölsch, bocks, rauchbier, the list just goes on (I’m not a big fan of weissbiers, but that is just personal preference; I still recommend them). Plus, we were able to head into then Czechoslovakia and discover the heavenly Bohemian pilsners (Note: pilsner was invented in Plzen, Czech Republic).
Third, when I returned to the States in the mid-1990’s, the craft beer movement was beginning to take root. This was like manna from heaven to me. What are now called West Coast or Classic IPAs (India Pale Ale) captured my heart, but the movement has exploded over the decades. The amount of styles and experimentation is mind-blowing. I find pure delight in the artistry, creativity, and excellence of so many small brewers all over the country today (and now overseas too). Their passion is inspiring.
Finally, the crown jewel was living in Brussels, Belgium. If you don’t know, Belgium is the mecca of beer artistry. After you start drinking Belgian beer, it is frankly hard for anything else to compare. I’m not even going to try listing all the styles. I’ll just say that I am hopelessly enamored of them, but especially the trappist and abbey ales, lambics, and gueuze. I am tempted to worship Westvleteren and Westmalle beers as deities. These are rich and strong ales made by monks, bursting with flavors; they demand to be treated with proper respect—truly the best beers in the world.
So, if I might sum up, beer is awesome (but not nearly as awesome as God and your loved ones). If you are able, find great joy in beer, but only in moderation. There are true artists all over making beer masterpieces. It follows that it is a tragedy to drink low quality beer (unless, of course, this is what you love, in which case please enjoy!). Instead, why not savor some masterpieces in good company and enjoy the craftsmanship. Take your time to discover which styles and makers you really like. If you just hate the taste of beer, consider wine, cider, or the many other such wonders. And finally, dear Belgium, many beermakers have done nobly, but you excel them all.
A Short Meditation
Bless the Lord, O my soul!
O LORD my God, you are very great!...
You cause the grass to grow for the livestock
and plants for man to cultivate,
that he may bring forth food from the earth
and wine to gladden the heart of man,
oil to make his face shine
and bread to strengthen man’s heart.
God wants beer and other spirits to gladden our hearts, in the right context. As we receive it with joy and gratitude among friends and family, he delights with us (consider John 2:1-12). As with all his good gifts, though, if we cannot use it without abusing it, he calls on us to abstain (Proverbs 23:29-35) and also to be mindful toward our friends who think differently or struggle (Romans 14:21).
Un Petit Aperçu
Voici quelques principes clés que j’ai appris au fil des ans sur la bière:
Tout d’abord, la bière est géniale. Ceci dit, elle ne sera jamais aussi incroyable que Dieu et tes proches. Dans cet esprit, j’espère que tu prendras une grande plaisir à la bière, mais bien sûr seulement avec modération.
Ensuite, nous vivons peut-être la meilleure époque de l’histoire de la bière. Il y a des véritables brasseurs-artistes partout dans le monde, y compris bien entendu en Belgique mais aussi en France et au Québec. Il y a une véritable explosion de créativité et de qualité artistique dans le monde de la bière.
En plus, je t’encourage à déguster certaines de ces bières avec des amis. Je recommanderais vivement que tu explores de la bière pour découvrir quelques styles et quelques brasseries que tu aimes. Mais bien sûr, si tu détestes le goût de la bière, ce n’est pas grave. Il y a aussi des vins, des cidres, des cocktails et d’autres spiritueux á explorer.
Enfin, chère Belgique, de nombreux brasseurs ont fait preuve de noblesse, mais vous les surpassez tous.
Santé!
Μία Περίληψη
Εδώ είναι μερικές βασικές αρχές που έχω μάθει για την μπύρα:
Πρώτον, η μπύρα είναι φοβερή! Ωστόσο, βεβαίως δεν θα είναι ποτέ τόσο υπέροχο όσο ο Θεός και τααγαπημένα σου πρόσωπα. Έχοντας αυτό κατά νου, ελπίζω να βρεις μεγάλη χαρά στην μπύρα, αλλά μόνο μεμέτρο.
Δεύτερον, ίσως ζούμε στο απόγειο της ιστορίας της μπύρας. Υπάρχουν ζυθοποιοί στην Ελλάδα και σε όλο τονκόσμο που είναι αληθινοί καλλιτέχνες. Φτιάχνουν μπύρες που πραγματικά είναι αριστουργήματα.
Τρίτον, σ’ ενθαρρύνω να απολαύσεις μερικές από αυτές τις μπύρες με φίλους. Να εξερευνήσεις διαφορετικές μπύρες για να ανακαλύψεις ποια στυλ και ποιες μάρκες σου αρέσουν. Αν δεν σου αρέσει καθόλου η μπύρα, δενπειράζει. Μην ανησυχείς! Υπάρχουν αλλά καταπληκτικά ποτά όπως το κρασί και τα κοκτέιλ.
Τέλος, αγαπητέ Βέλγιο, πολλοί παραγωγοί μπύρας τα κατάφεραν καλά, αλλά εσύ τους υπερέχεις όλους.
Στην υγειά μας!