Gaining experience/education in craft beers

I just love how, after more than one thousand different beers, I can still find something that surprises me.

 

I spent the last year working at a really great bottle shop, trying a lot (3000+) of different beer, and talking about beer pretty much all of the time. Some hardcore beer geeks and home brewers come in and feel like hot shots and brag about this and that and how great of a trader/brewer/pallate they are. Lots of people like to make lots of noise - maybe because they need to feel special. I'm beginning to find that kind of behavior extremely unattractive in a person. Nothing spoils my opinion of a brewery worse than a loud, cocky, boisterous head or "assistant" brewer that comes in with a big ego and tries to mow me down.

I'm learning that the most succesful people in this industry, the people that I want to emulate and support, are also the most humble and realistic.

 

I've learned so much about beer through home brewing. In fact, it was an interest in home brewing that got me into craft, not the other way around. I was basically just drinking Long Trail Ale at the time. Since I enjoy making things I love from scratch I got into brewing. From there, I became obsessed with craft.

When all is said and done beer is still just (for the most part) water, malt, hops and yeast. Being a homebrewer I believe you have an unique understanding and perspective on those essential elements.

 

beer is philosophy over everything else. at least i perceive it that way....and feel that it should be that way, we all smell, taste, feel aspects of beer in our own unique way..let's all admit that beer isnt so simple anymore

 

+1 for 'doing'- for me it was not just homebrewing, but cooking, gardening, winemaking, music. The more you experience something on that level, the more you can pick up on nuances in others' work, which brings you up another notch, and it seems that the cycle repeats. I don't know if it ever ends, either- as long as you are honest with yourself about having more to learn and experience . Somehow 'doing it' opens up a door that would probably remain shut any other way- it engages the problem-solving center of the brain, and helps you to look at things from a different point of view.

 

Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

It's definitely not about the 'numbers', that's for sure, and I hope I never lose that personal aspect or emotional connection to approaching beer in general. I've seen a few people who became really jaded and couldn't enjoy anything any more; everything had a "flaw" and received a sneer when you handed it to them. I'd rather go the opposite direction if those were the only two choices, but thankfully they're not- so I'll happily explore all of the other possibilities.

 

Travel.