Jan. 3, 2002

At the World of Beer this month, Stephen Beaumont writes: "Inspired by the 'What I've Learned' features in the January issue of Esquire Magazine, I've decided to forgo the traditional 'Year in Beer' review this month and instead present a story modelled after these thoughtful Esquire features."

He offers a great list that makes you smile and makes you think. Here are a few excerpts. Clicking over to read the whole list is well worth your time.

- Contrary to what some people think, there really is such a thing as bad beer. I've sampled a bunch of them.

- Bad beer and boring beer are two completely different things, although both are best avoided.

- Beer drinkers have been duped by mass marketing into the belief that it makes sense to drink only one brand of beer. In truth, brand loyalty in beer makes no more sense than 'vegetable loyalty' in food. Can you imagine it? "No thanks, I'll pass on the mashed potatoes, carrots, bread and roast beef. Me, I'm strictly a broccoli man."

- People who don't think that beer and chocolate go together have never tried a piece of flourless chocolate cake with a glass of Rochefort 8.

- Anyone can drink beer, but it takes intelligence to enjoy beer.

...and one more thought
That January 2002 issue of Esquire contains 56 pages of wisdom from heroes, billionaires, geniuses, screwups, visionaries, and legends -- including Homer Simpson. We couldn't resist just one excerpt from Homer:

When that guy turned water into wine, he obviously wasn't thinking of us Duff drinkers.

This also comes from Stephen Beaumont, who sent this note from Paris (yes, we feel just as bad for him as you do): "Discovered last night that Trois Monts pairs very well with canut cheese, although a Cantillon might have been even better. (Canut is very barnyard-ish.)"

Michael Jackson writes:

The label shows a white shark, presumably in Humboldt Bay. I was expecting a bear, from the Redwood Forest. A fairytale bear might enjoy this sweetish interpretation of a Belgian "white" wheat beer. Fresh lemon-curd aroma and palate. Very citric indeed. Creamy fine yeast haze. Fine bead. Smooth, lightly dry finish, with some herbal notes. "Secret blend of Humboldt herbs," according to the label. The same smooth sweetish house character as in this brewery's Downtown Brown.

ARROGANT BASTARD ALE
Brewed by Stone Brewing in California

Roger Protz writes:

My wife thinks it was specifically brewed for me. I tell her they had another beer writer in mind. See how easy it is to start a fight with a beer with such a name? The label tells me I probably won't like it. I struggled not to, all the way through a big pint bottle, but, god-dammit, it's brilliant. A glorious burnished copper color leads to big roasted malt and vinous fruit aroma, with bitter hedgerow fruits in the mouth balanced by a big prickle of hops, and a long finish dominated by sweet malt and a delicious hint of citrus fruit. Great with blue cheese: looking for a fight?