3 Months & Growing Strong

Well it has been just over 3 months since coming here and I celebrated in true Andy fashion. I didn't announce to anyone that I was drinking for my 3 month stint anniversary it just kinda happened. I could talk about all the things I've done and learnt about myself but I'm going to talk about beer & whiskey, not in a way I would have done 3 months ago either.

I don't know where to even begin so I'll just tumble off the tallest point and freestyle while approaching the metaphorical sidewalk and see where that gets us.

On a side note my first ever alcoholic drink in America was a Car Bomb and I relived it yesterday when a customer bought 10 instead of 9 at the bar. I have mastered the art of top bombing now!

Back to tallest point and taking a huge step, infact, a huge leap. My beer knowledge was minimal walking into the job, my beer life was Carling Culture intersped with Leffe & Peroni when money permitted, being a stingy student and all. My evolution truly began in the primordial ooze of The Old Toad.

I started off hitting the lagers and pilsners like Warsteiner, Brooklyn (still my favorite lager) and I think it may have been Troegs (excuse lack of um laut) Sunshine Pils. I slowly moved on to Ommegang Witte, which is still a guilty pleasure that I have and indulge now and again. This took me into Heffe-Weizen, mainly Franziskaner (Gotta love that banana taste it kicks up). Then slipping into pale ales from the likes of Ithaca and Sierra Nevada

Now this is where I went through a faze of drinking everything I could to get a good taste for beer and try and sophisticate my palette. What I do remember is that I discovered some of my favorite beers through this phase:

Victory Prima Pils

Dogfish 60 & 90 minute (120 was too crazy for me)

Ithaca Flower Power

Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout

Guinness, a new appreciation for it rather than discovery.

Delerium Tremens

Stone Ruination

Hop Wallop

I'm sure there are many more but I cannot think of them right now.

So my beer taste is still expanding but so is my interest in whiskey. I have a lot less to say about whiskey as I feel I do not know enough yet, but give it time. I do know that The Glenlivet 18 years rocks my world in terms of flavor, smoothness and general well rounded finish.

Before signing off I would like to share this site with you, it has great content and external links for anyone interested in craft beer and beer in general. Mark Tichenor pointed me in the direction, a regular customer and someone who I can call a friend. Mark loves his beer and to share his knowledge and some of his beer enthusiasm rubs off on me and makes me push my beer comfort zone. Best thing Mark has brought into taste is a beer called Pretty Things I think, my knowledge of it is terrible, cannot remember the style for love nor money just know I love it.

Anywho I'm rambling now.

'nuff said.