The Birth Of Beer Blasphemy

I am a beer lover. I am not a beer snob.

I have been a homebrewer for the last 24 years. Occasionally, I have a bad batch or a beer with a strange flavor. I never said that I was a perfect Homebrewer. Usually the best of my beers are much like the perfect crime. The only evidence that I brewed and brewed well is the empty bottles.

I have been through some training as a beer taster/judge with some organizations in years past where one is surrounded by snobs and elitist beer drinkers. I find that there is definitely a place for the person with the impeccable taste to choose the absolute pedigreed beer and make his or her opinion known about such beers with their books and articles.

With all the effort in the last 20 years to make beer a more wholesome, tastier, quality beverage for the American public, I find that there is indeed some rather well packaged swill making the rounds. I have friends and family that enjoy beer based on its buzz appeal. Don't get me wrong. I do not put these people down. They have the right to enjoy their brew of choice.

The point that I am trying badly to make here is that there are a lot of accepted beliefs when it comes to beer and beer drinking. There are also quite a few opinions that people gather when they go out to try a beer or when they read about the beer in an article or magazine. Everyone takes the ratings of beers so seriously. I feel that there is a need to change this.

First of all: Let's compare apples to apples for once. Why should a light beer be compared with a pale ale just because the reviewer is simply too lazy to group an opinion to one area of beer. Why give me a light beer opinion when you drink hefeweizen?
I will rate beers against their peers and try to focus on their attributes in language that you will enjoy.

I will give you no opinions from other peoples ratings. These will be mine and they will be detailed as much as possible. I want you to know my true opinion. I am not going to give you a pile of regurgitated crap and call it valid.

I will give you the city the beer came from and the price if possible.

I will not tell you that I prefer another beer but for your own good I am reviewing this beer etc. etc.

I will not try to sound like Michael Jackson or any other beer reviewing snob. No offense Michael, but you are too wrapped up in Belgium and some of that stuff is swill. I Like the Lindemanns Peche however.

Okay, Let's get on with it!