A brief history of beer, according to me

During my recent excursions, Shahida took me to a local German bar in Edinburgh. You might be asking yourself:

"But why would she take you  to a GERMAN bar in SCOTLAND when you live in Germany?"

Which is a fair question. However, it actually had nothing to do with the German beers offered. It was, rather, the Belgian beers that drew us to this cozy little bar outside the city center. 

But to really understand why this would be an important event on our schedule for the week, you have to know a little about my history with beer. 

My first beer was handed to me at a small party when I was 15 or so. But (and you'll be proud of me, mom) I took one sip then poured the rest out under the table (did I mention we were outside?). My relationship with beer over the next 5 years would stay pretty much the same... umm... because I didn't drink before I was 21...(?)

When I spent my year in Zürich, Shahida and I quickly bonded over our mutual dislike of beer. However, as is usually the case, beer was painfully cheaper than cocktails, and in Zürich cocktails are reaaaaaaaally expensive. So we embarked on a common journey to find a beer we both could enjoy. 

Luckily we had the help of some very experienced beer-drinkers. One being our Belgian friend Wim. (No, that's not Wim in the picture, but that's a poster of some popular Belgian beers he brought back to aid in our Belgian beer education). 

So despite being so close to Germany and all the beer it offers, Shahida and I spent our time in Switzerland learning that the best Chimay is the blue kind, to be careful when nearing the end of a Kwak, and to never EVER accept a beer that has not been served in the correct glass. 

In recent years I have become a self-proclaimed beer-snob. Now, in all honesty, it's not actually because I know a whole lot about beer, just that I have grown to like the more "unusual" flavors (really really bitter, for example). And I also refuse to drink, for lack of a more tasteful expression, shitty beer. 

Since my "beer education" I have ventured out from Belgian beers and learned to really appreciate (and perhaps this can be credited to my year with Terrapin) the relatively recent phenomenon of the American micro-brewery. And, of course, now that I'm actually in Germany, I'm finally giving those a go too! 

But, of course, when it comes to Shahida and I, whether 2 years or 2 days ago, we have to reminisce the good ol' days with a delicious Belgian beer [or two].

<-------- 2008 in Zürich

Last week in Edinburgh -------->