Doug wrote:Memoirs of an avid beer drinker:
Discovered alcohol at 21....okay, maybe 14....though I did sneak a Blatz one summer at age 4 from my parents' cooler. The can laid crushed in the grass for decades in the field behind the house. Nobody knew.
No more cheap sneaky booze by 18, started to acquire a taste for what's worth drinking shortly after I earned my drivers license.
Become a connoisseur of cheap champagne the first New Years Eve after I turned 16. Thought I had the world by the b@lls.
Discovered Sam Adams in the early 90's, still before I was legal. Thought it tasted soapy, but figured I was in the wrong and it was an acquired taste. I turned out to be right, wound up loving it.
By age 20, I set out to discover what the beer world had to offer. I knew there was more, a whole other world. Already didn't care for the watery stuff.
Found Beck's at 21, Leinie's, etc. No more sneaking, I was out to explore.
Numerous tasting adventures later, all I can conclude is that it's competitive. Good to see though. The last 15-20 years has been incredible. Every brewer trying to find their niche. That's what we need though, the drive, and to be original.
Cheers fellow Jammers! See ya soon!
Doug
'i beet up your honur studint'
"42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot" SW.
OK Dougie! I thought I'd post my memories of an avid beer drinker: I'm not much into beer these days since I quit playing softball 3 years ago (that's when beer was consumed the most). BUT, I will partake in one when it's hot or it's a neat one on tap. I love the darker beers and will always try something new. I'm not into the "watered down" beers because I feel it's a waste of my time. I like to be able to taste a beer. Sam Adams is one of my favorites and Summit I'll drink too (but that's only because it's my brother's favorite). Speaking of my brother, he once lived in Vail, Colorado and open my eyes to the micro-breweries. Talking about skiing and checking out a micro-brew at an elevated level of land. Meaning, the higher you are in altitude, the quicker you get drunk. I didn't believe this, though. My younger brother was telling me this and I thought, "what does he know?" I was told by him, "you should only have one of those you know 'cuz we still have skiing to do . . . " I wasn't swayed and thought I could have THREE micro-brews 'cuz it tasted so damn good. Needless to say and after stumbling home . . . no more micro-brews after that

Dang, but they were good!
My first beer was "Old Swill" . . . I think it was an Old Milwaukee. After helping put in the pool and digging dirt all day and getting my finger smashed into the truck door, dad thought I worked up a sweat and thought I should have one. I believe I was 9 at the time. Thinking I was cool and loving that dad thought I deserved it, I took a big swig and swallowed. UGH! Bubbly . . . but cool . . . but GROSS! Didn't matter though because later in my teens, that was the easiest to steal out of the cooler. Not too sure why he liked it so much, but my guess because we were poor (according to dad) . . . it was cheap.