Hey an Anniversary or Something

One year ago today, I stepped into a local pub and ordered my first real craft beer.

 It was Kwak, which admittedly I ordered simply because of the glass it is served in. I wasn't a huge fan of the flavor at the time - as it was much more intense than the coors lite, guiness, and blue moon I was used to having. However, over time my taste for more flavorful beers grew and I began trying more and more unique brews.

What have I done since then? Tried many different beers from many different American and European craft breweries, discovered great beer and food pairings, learned proper pouring methods, found out which glassware enhances which types of beer, attended a few beer tastings, became interested in home brewing, and much much more. It really is an interesting culture that is growing and becoming more and more popular with my generation. Now, I know not everyone knows that there is more to beer than light lager, and can actually stand up against wine when it comes to flavors, aromas, and types. If you want to break past that light lager stereotype, and educate yourself on the world of beer, there are a few links you should take a look at on BeerAdvocate.

Beer Styles
Of course, you should read this one. Learn more about what you are drinking. Each link leads to a list of all reviewed beers that fall under that style.

Proper Glassware
Guess what - beer shouldn't always get poured into a pint glass or mug. Different styles become enhanced with different glassware. (I should probably post a picture of my glass collection sometime in the future to show how varied each type can be)

Perfect Pouring
Yes, there is a correct method to pouring beer into a glass from a bottle or can.

Freshness
Beer may last for a long time, and can even be cellared for a few years - under correct conditions, that is. Make sure the beer you are buying is kept at its freshest.

Skunking
Going along with freshness is knowing when your beer has become "skunked". Learn more at that link.

History of American Beer
A timeline showing the evolution of the beer market in America. Not the most in depth, but it gives a good overview of the history of brewing in the states.

I am still learning a lot myself, even a year in to this culture. Now that you newbies out there have some reading material, why not pop open a beer and learn a bit?

Bourbon County Coffee Stout

 This picture is about as blurry as I felt after drinking it

Let me start by saying I'm not a huge fan of Bourbon County Stout.

Now, I know some of you might be thinking such outrageous things like "heresy!" or "blasphemy!" or even "I kinda agree I guess". Don't get me wrong, it is enjoyable, but lets just say its not the first thing on my shopping list. If I am going to drink some, I can't have more than a few ounces before I lose my taste for it. It just doesn't have much drinkability.

Bourbon County Coffee Stout, on the contrary, was phenominal.

To be honest, it wasn't much like a Bourbon County, it was more like a coffee stout with a touch of Bourbon County Stout thrown in it. There were hints of the BCS taste, but overall it was a different beer. First off, it smelled a lot like coffee beans. The aroma was really pleasing. No noticeable bitterness to it, so I can only assume it was really low in IBUs. It had a very creamy, malty, coffee taste.

I really can't think of anything else to really say about it. Try it, if you can. It is a specialty from Goose Island, and is pretty hard to find. You can buy a 22oz bottle from the Goose Island Brewpub for the low low price of $30. Or, you can just go to Binny's and buy it for $12.99(reportedly, at least). Assuming you can find it, that is. The Plainfield Binny's sold out on Dark Lord Day. I guess you could call this Goose Island's Dark Lord. It sure seemed to be just about as popular.