Beer Log: A start. Jan. 2012

Beer Log: Since Summer 2011, I began to take photographs of the beers I drank in an effort to keep some sort of record of the new things I was trying. My memory is simply too faulty to rely on for any accuracy. With the encouragement of family and friends, I began taking notes on everything I drank beginning in late January, 2012. So, I now have a backlog of beer journal entries. Instead of releasing them all at once, I'm going to intersperse my reminiscences about how my relationship with beer originated and evolved with installments from my recent beer adventures. Enjoy!

I'll begin with:

Jan. 27, 2012. Today’s adventure. The local Whole Foods on Blossom Hill has one of the best beer selections I’ve come across. It’s so well thought out and put together that I’ve made a point of getting to know the beer guy, Brian. He still doesn’t know my name, but he does know me on sight and is always willing to take some time describing the latest acquisitions and relating some of his recent beer adventures. He had, perhaps, the greatest job ever. To do his job, he has to go to brewers and beer festivals to sample recent creations. What an amazing job requirement. And he is extraordinary at what he does. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of beers and brewers. I have yet to stump him with any place I’ve gone or some of the rarer things I’ve gotten to try. So, after a trip to Portland and visiting Deschutes, I came back raving about their Mirror Mirror Barley Wine. He’d had it. When I mentioned Oakshire’s Espresso Stout, he’d had it and described the brewer’s resume. So, I still try to find some way to find something he hasn’t tried or hasn’t come across, but so far, no luck.

Anyway, back to the Whole Foods story. Today, the store had a 20% off the entire beer selection sale. I was the proverbial kid in the candy store. But, as the selection is amazing and many of the beers very expensive for me, I tried to be selective. The problem lies in how to strike the balance between trying new selections and defaulting to old favorites. Rough decisions, but, what a morning.

So, I ended up with: Dogfish Head’s Palo Santo Marron; Lagunitas’ Red Ale; North Coast’s Old Stock Ale; Pliny the Elder; Russian River’s Temptation; New Belgium’s Mole; He’Brew Jewbelation 15; Devil’s Canyon Full Boar Scotch Ale; Rogue’s Chocolate Stout; Nectar’s Xantus; Speakeasy’s Double Daddy; Ballast Point Sculpin IPA; Firestone XV; The Bruery’s Four Calling Birds.

Great haul! But, so many that while I wanted to get them, I started to add up what I’d committed to and realized that I really should limit my spending somewhat. So, while I meant to try something from Green Flash, I didn’t. I also want to explore more of the other San Diego brewers, Stone, Ballast Point, Port. Oh, well. I also didn’t get the other Dogfish Head I have had my eye on, the Chicory Stout. I also couldn’t pull the trigger on some of the more expensive selections. But, let the sampling begin!