My ideal beer life...

Guess that if I lived in Brussels, with lots of money, not needing to work, I'd probably have not only my ideal beer life but my ideal life: Eating Godiva and Drinking Cantillon everyday.

 

I think Austin COULD be the BEER CAPITOL OF THE WORLD if it weren't for the goddamn TABC (Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission).

There's a lot of advantages to being the largest market in the CENTER of the country. We already see a lot of East/West crossover... it's just the Texas government's insistence of charging for licensing of each and every brewery (regardless of the amount of beer be it 1 keg for a beer festival or full distribution), label approval for every beer/wine/spirit, and inane laws like the fact that you have to choose to either be a brewpub with on-site sales only (no distribution) or a brewery with off-site sales only (no brewpub).

And this is better than it was thanks to Jester King's lawsuit... don't even get me started on the dark ages before 2012 when any beer over 5.1% had to be labeled "ALE IN TX" and god forbid if you put the word "BEER" on that... well, beer. Instant rejection from state distribution.

So, in conclusion. My ideal beer life would happen if the Texas Legislature goes into session next year, castrates the TABC of power, and opens the free market to beer. Imagine the benefits to consumers, the increased revenues from taxes for the State, and the financial benefits to brewers around the country that will cause the craft beer scene to grow even more, and expansion of brewpubs that right now have no venue to expand. Win win, my friends!

 

the ideal BEER life would be living at the Orval monastary... probably not ideal for a great SEX lif however...

 

Live on the closest farmstead to Hill Farmstead. I could never drink anything else and be happy. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be my ideal life, since I would prefer to be somewhat near civilization.

 

Ticking the world.

 

I would love to live 5 minutes from Cantillon and about an one hour drive from the Struise Brouwers/Westvleteren... Oh wait, I allready do!

But if real dreaming is allowed...
I would just like to see Alan moving his brewery to Ghent and start brewing some fine HOTD over here ^^

 

My practical dream: Finally do the leg work and buy a bike. Living in Portland is awesome for beer; but I mostly limit myself by my desire to walk to places rather than drive. With a bike I can easily hit all those slightly out of reach places that I don't visit nearly enough (e.g. Cascade, HotD, Commons, Apex, etc.) and my local beer life would be complete.

My fantasy dream: Have Founders and Bells distribute to OR (I'm fine if New Holland also comes along for the ride). I dream of FBS every day; it's not healthy.

 

Learn to brew a proper lambic and to blend them well enough so I would not miss any of the Belgian labels I now enjoy, and can't afford, nor find. Would be nice to open fine gueuzes with friends, and know not just that I can afford to open as many as I'd like to, but that I both brewed and blended them.

 

My ideal beer life.... Owning my own successful craft brewery and also have a 1bbl. setup within the brewery to brew what I wanted when I wanted.

 

I'd like to tick 'em all. Or at least the 3k+ beers on my wants list.