Session #94 – My Role in Beer
It’s been quite some time since I actively participated in The Session — 39 of the Beer Blogging Fridays have come and gone over that long period.
I had always enjoyed taking part in past events, but things come up, life keeps a person busy and, frankly, there weren’t many topics over the years that even remotely piqued my interest. I wasn’t even going to do anything with #94, hosted by DING, but the longer I thought about his topic, the more I questioned my own “role in the beer ‘scene’.”
I may write a “blog” but I wouldn’t consider myself a beer blogger. Hunting down some elusive craft release while standing in line for hours and then writing about it later on this site never appealed to me. I loathe that I am unable to purchase more than one bottle of a brew that used fill my fridge/cellar years ago. I have never waxed poetic about beer. It certainly interests me, of course, but I have never had deep thoughts about where the industry is going or how a product has changed my life.
The Barley Blog was — selfishly — just created back in December of 2006 for myself. It was and is way to keep track of beers I enjoyed and those I didn’t.
In the past eight years, I’d like to think that it has remained that way. Yes, more press releases come my way as a conduit for breweries to announce new products and I am lucky enough to have a bottle or two sent my way for review. But, I am not an expert. I am not an influencer of peoples tastes. And, honestly, believing that I am would be pretentious and self-absorbed.
Beer is my drink of choice. I don’t care if it’s a locally brewed Scotch Ale or a conglomerate-owned IPA, I drink what I like — because it tastes good. I’m just a dude that likes to drink a combination of malts, hops, yeast and water.
Plain. And. Simple.