Beer in the Garden of Good

Beer in the Garden of Good

I like beer. I don’t drink it that often, but it’s relatively cheap and has a flavor and texture that goes well with things like pizza, Mexican food and burgers. There have been some good micro brews from Utah, but the alcohol content is usually too low to provide much of a kick. When I moved to California in 1998, I figured I could just get by with my macro favorites and call it a day. One of my favorite pizza joints on 9th and Irving used to do a $1 beer night and a few of those set me up nicely for my walk back home to 4th and Irving. My first beer snob experience happened later that summer. I just didn’t get the anti-macro brew vibe against the likes Miller beer or Budweiser. People treated beer as if it was wine.

A few work parties later, I discovered Pacifico and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, both institutions at San Francisco bars and restaurants. Then I had Chimay, a poshy beer with a cork and price to match. Made by Belgian trappist monks, it’s a lovely beer. And the Belgians know their shit when it comes to beer.

In Amsterdam, I had a couple of good beers, Hoegaarden (which I can get at the state liquor store here!) and Barbar, both Belgian. I like the lighter, almost lager beers for their subtle taste. Imagine my surprise when I discovered Barbar has 8% alcohol. That is roughly double that of beer in Utah. After a couple Barbars, I took this photo:

Barbar!

So all of that, just for a photo. Still. Good beer is good beer.