If
liking beer was all it took for me to start this blog, I would have done so
years ago. People don’t excel at
something because they find they “like” it, they do so because they have found
passion for it. We all love a good drink,
whether it’s a light spring Kolsh or slightly Smokey Scotch ale, everybody can
find something to suit their palate.
There may be equally as many flavors and styles that don’t appeal to
many people. But even if you find the
bitterness of hops offensive or many malt porters to be too rich, if we choose
to study beer for what it is, we may discover our true passions and foster an
appreciation for brewing as a practice.
Growing
up on a small farm in western Michigan gave me a deep appreciation for local
agriculture. Beer is perhaps the
greatest historically significant agricultural product. If you have come to view beer as a drink
reserved for phrat boys I would challenge you to join me in cultivating an understanding
of the unique processes involved in producing beer. As we learn, you may find you will gain a vocabulary
greater than even the most sophisticated wine drinkers. I have had my hands in almost every facet of
the craft beer industry, from working on a hop farm, to germinating grain for
malt, to shadowing master brewers, and I can tell you that there is no process
so attuned to the given course of nature as brewing.
The Craft beer industry is full of wonderful people who
do incredible work. They are extremely
collaborative and want to share their work with those who are interested. I admire the passions of the craft brewing
community and want to thank them for helping me to find mine. I hope that this blog will serve as a window
for some of Michigan’s great minds in brewing, distilling, agriculture and art
to share their experience and passion with the rest of us.
Cheers, The Grand Brewer
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