Share your "Beer Nerd Alert!" stories.

Apologies if this sort of experience thread is already out there. I admittedly didn't search prior to posting. Just wanted to share a story/warm and fuzzy I had today.

My wife and I were on our way to take our little one to a park and then maybe hit up a local brewery patio for drink on the way home. As it happened the little one fell asleep in the car and we thought why don't we go over to a patio where we can have drink and let her sleep (i.e the patio and the parking lot are next to each other). Yahtzee Side Project has the perfect set up. Bonus they just release their side brand barleywine, Shared Sulla Terra. While my wife doesn't like booze barrel aged beers she was open to letting me sit and have a bottle while she had a few NEIPAs.

There was an older gentleman already perched outside smoking a cigar and having a bottle to himself. After sitting for a few minutes debating the finer points of parenting between ourselves (it had been a particularly difficult day of no naps and not using the potty) a couple of older couples occupied the benches next to us. They were drinking a couple of pours from the bar but no bottles split between them. Notably the best stuff at SP that day was bottle only, the Sulla Terra, a few things on the vintage list. It became clear these were out of towners enjoying their time in St Louis. They pointed out he difference between the IPAs and other SP offerings in their glasses and the stout looking bottles I and the other gentleman were drinking. While I try really hard to let each person enjoy what they want to enjoy (I still remember my early days of beer drinking, where I'd order a Heineken and feel like I knew something the rest of the people at the bar didn't), but I do often think to myself when I'm at SP, "Don't you know what your missing on the bottle list?!?!?!". My favorite/best beer memories are those where I wandered in somewhere and found something special (thinking about the serendipity that was my first flight of Abraxas variants). Anyway, they seemed to know beer but not "know beer" (this is the snob in me). They asked about the Sulla Terra, what was it, how much abv, etc. I offered them a taste (the plastic water cups where just on the other side of the patio after all). They seemed to find it pleasurable and I was able to give them a couple of recommendations for other places in town based upon their preferences (stouts over NEIPAs, sorry Narrow Gauge).

Moral of the story is: I have been trying really hard of late to enjoy the experience of a beer over the beer itself. I am finally in a place where I can enjoy a $40+ bottle of beer without having to give plasma for a month or sell my beard clippings for wigs. I've had so many friendly people offer me pours/tastes from their bottle in line or while sitting at the bar it feels nice to do the same once in while. More than the beers I've had, the conversations over those beers, the time and place, are things I always remember better. I left today (fussy toddler in tow) but having enjoyed the experience (and those folks' experience) more than I expected when I sat down.

Just thought I would share and see if anyone else has warm and fuzzy beer nerd experiences to share.

Cheers!

 

The interaction itself was probably minimally interesting but getting to share something you're excited about, appreciated or not, is nice. It's fun to turn others on to something they may have otherwise been ignorant of it. Or, again, having the means, being able to share something someone else may not be able to. God knows I've eyes those tables of lined up Derivation bottles enviously in the past and thought WHY CANT THOSE ALL BE MINE!!!

 

No, I guess my point in short was about the experience of sharing a beer vs. the alternative. Its admittedly a long winded story so I may have missed my initial intent in sharing it. I've just enjoyed sharing beers, whales or otherwise more than the best beer I've ever had alone (and I've had a lot sitting on my couch alone). Its cool to have others share what you're passionate about. (As I think about it maybe this last thought was the real point).

PS I think they enjoyed their beers.

 

Good point. Probably just talking myself down from the regular thought while I'm sitting at Side Project of "What are you doing drinking that glass of wine, guest tap or pour that's been on tap for three months when you've got a chance to have a bottle of something that sells out in a day or two??!!"

Enjoy what you like, I'll try to keep doing the same.

Maybe a better thread title would be 'In Search of that Whale or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Experience.