The Day I Fell in Love . . . with Craft Beer – 5:00 Fridays

Today’s guest post is from Shane. I met him at Ignite Durham last week, where we were both presenters. I spoke about how not to be a dorky parent. Shane spoke about North Carolina craft beer. He’s clearly not a dorky parent. Come to think of it, I’m not even sure if Shane is a parent. Well, if he’s not yet, he’s not going to be a dorky one. I can assure you of that. His passionate, informative talk about how craft beer can add revenue to our state moved me. Truly. And not just because I like beer. Let me be clear, I like good beer. The urine sample liquid gold that I drank in college is not what I’m talking about.

May I present…drum roll, please…Shane!

It’s that time of year when people tend to reminisce about former lovers, first kisses, romantic encounters, etc. Valentine’s Day has a way of doing that.

So here is my story of a first encounter that started an over 25-year romance with . . . craft beer. It’s an epic story full of international intrigue, illegal activities, covert operations, and self-discovery.
Ok, basically it occurred during a fraternity rush when some guys got me into an Irish bar with a fake ID and I had my first pint of Guinness. And the Irish bar was in Omaha, Nebraska.  So, really, the international part is . . . well, the Guinness itself, I guess.

But there really was a moment of self-discovery that night. You see, these fraternity guys thought they would play a joke on me. They knew that my vast beer palette consisted of a wide variety of tastes such as Coors Light, Schaefer, Miller, and – in lean times – Plain Label.

Do you remember Plain Label beer? This was absolute swill. It came in a white can with “BEER” printed on it in black letters. And the font would make today’s design nerds curl up in a fetal position. In my hometown Plain Label was brewed by Falstaff.  Do you remember Falstaff? Anyway, I’m getting off topic here.

So these fraternity guys ordered a Guinness for me and when it arrived I looked at the pint glass quizzically then looked at the BMOC’s grinning at me, daring me to drink it. I mustered up all the strength and courage I could and took a meager sip.

Then I took another one.

Then a gulp.

Now, two things usually occur when someone drinks their first Guinness. Both of them involve some kind of statement like “Wow! I never new beer could taste like this!” I was with a good friend when he had his first taste of Guinness. He spit it out on the ground. He is a life-long devotee of Coors Light. Maybe Budweiser for special occasions. But me, at this Irish bar in Omaha?  I fell instantly in love. I never knew beer could taste like this.

Guinness opened my eyes to the far-superior world of international beers. I dove into British beers like Newcastle and Fullers. I searched for German lagers from Spaten and Paulaner. I loved the Czechs’ Pilsner Urquell (still do). At the time the terms “craft beer” and “micro-brewery” weren’t generally known.  And it took awhile for the United States to catch up in the quality beer market with foreign imports.

But it’s a completely different story today. Craft brewers in the United States are clearly making the best beers in the world. The quality and variety of beers made in this country has flourished over the past 10 years alone. Today there are over 1600 craft breweries in the US and over half the population lives within 10 miles of one.

Which brings us back to the love affair that started over 25 years ago. Today’s micro-brewers – I won’t name names – that would take a series of posts – have a passion and dedication to their craft that shows in the product they make. And passion and dedication are the keys to a long-lasting romance.

So tell me dear readers, what are your favorite craft beers? I’m making a list and checking it twice.