Not your dad’s beer
Written by Daniel Mutter, Sep 19, 2011, 0 Comments
What comes to mind when you hear the word beer? If you asked me this question a few years ago I would have probably responded with disgust.
Over time, I developed a taste for beer and would have happily drink more than a few of the common lagers available at any local bar. Natural Light, Miller High Life, Budweiser and Coors are just a few of the major brands that people commonly find themselves drinking.
Eventually, I began growing tired of the same old flavorless, foul smelling, mass-produced beers that I had grown accustomed to. It was around that time that I tried my first craft beer and suddenly my world changed. It was like going from Velveeta to Brie, from box wine to fine bottled vintage.
For the first time in my life, beer was more than just a lightly flavored, carbonated beverage. It was an experience—a cornucopia of smells, flavors and textures that I never thought was possible. The common lager became an afterthought after indulging in stouts, heffes, dunkels and India pale ales.
As I became familiarized with the diverse world of craft beer, I actively began to seek out bars that could quench my thirst for adventure. What I found was an entirely new culture of people who loved beer as much as I did. Over the last year alone, St. Petersburg has exploded with bars that specifically offer craft beer.
At a regular town bar you come to expect the same liquors, mixers, and common beers that you would find anywhere else. At craft beer bars, however, patrons enjoy a new experience every time. Like wine, each beer has a range of different ingredients, treatments and preparations. One beer may taste of cloves and toffee, while another may have hints of dark espresso and banana bread. Some beers are dark enough to block out sunlight, while others you can see right through.
Everyone I have met at craft beer bars are friendly and happy to talk about their own love for crafts. The craft beer adventure brings together a group of people as diverse as the beers that they drink.
So next time you go out for a night on the town, resist the same old labels and try being adventurous. What’s the worst that could happen? You might just like it—you definitely aren’t the only one.
Photo by Daniel Mutter
