As all of you who listen to the show are no doubt aware: I enjoy beer. I enjoy it as a crafted thing in much the same way I would enjoy a pastry or a well-brewed cup of coffee. Without being overly vague, I do not consider beer a means to an end.

Furthermore, I have recently read some criticism about the growing trend of the beer geek/nerd/snob to review beer. The critic stated that the average joe may not be qualified to present an informed opinion regarding every single beer he drinks. (my use of male pronouns has reasoning behind it, i.e. sexism in the world of beer, which is perhaps the subject of a separate post.) I’ve never considered myself an expert beer reviewer, but it is definitely something I enjoy doing and have featured on the blog previously.

So I guess I’m writing this say I’m just now sure. Does this criticism have merit? ABSOLUTELY. Does that mean I shouldn’t review beer anymore? Maybe. But I enjoy it, I quite likely know more than most and, importantly, I try to present myself and the brews I enjoy fairly, so perhaps it’s not that bad? My own personal goal is to endeavor to become someone who is unequivocally qualified to speak about beer, which basically means learning a bit more about chemistry, for which I will likely use the following resource: beer sensory science.

Therefore, the post that immediately follows this one will likely be the last beer I review for a while (but just a little while, all I need is a bit more learning). I only present this specific beer review because it’s one of my favorite beers and I want people to be aware of it. Plus it’s one of my favorite reviws that I’ve written. And finally, I’d rather link to my own blog than Beer Advocate, which, while being a website I enjoy and rely on immensely, doesn’t necessarily present the kind of beer culture I’d often like to see myself associated with.