It seems that every time a craft brewery closes, all of the Chicken Little’s scream that the sky is falling.

They’re sure that there’s an imaginary bubble that’s going to burst. Never mind that these same yahoos have been crying the same thing for a decade, this time they’re sure that they’re right, until next time.

Bubble, Bubble, Who’s Got The Bubble.

To believe this, you first have to buy into the premise that a bubble exists. Think back to the .Com boom and subsequent bust.

However, I think it more closely resembles the comedy boom of the late 80’s into the mid 90’s.

Now, That’s Not Funny!

With cable becoming more prevalent in the late 80’s, more comedians were getting airtime. While this allowed some great comics to emerge, it also let some on the mediocre side get 15 minutes of fame that they might not have deserved.

The Comedy Channel became Comedy Central and stand-ups were everywhere. Originally, comedy clubs were only in large markets, then we saw them pop up in medium, even small markets.

Although it was fun, even funny, while it lasted, many of these markets just couldn’t bring in A-LIST comics and eventually people quit paying way too much to see average talent.

Are You Picking Up What I’m Putting Down?

Yeah, are you following that meander?

Eventually most of these clubs shut down, but was it a bubble bursting?

I think it was more of a market correction. At first you were excited to see comics come to town, until you realized that they weren’t very good.

What About The Beer?

Average comics, average beer … And sometimes the water rises to the top until people realize that they’re not getting the cream. Many towns, probably even the one that I live in, can’t sustain all of the craft breweries that are opening. I’m sure at some point, one or two, or maybe more, will close their doors. But, is that a bubble bursting? Or is it just the market taking care of itself?

Oh, who knows!

I don’t think that the sky is falling, but sometimes it clouds up, sometimes it rains, sometimes there’s a storm and sometimes, well you get the point.

Forget The Bubble And Order A Beer!

Quit crying wolf already! If you want to stop some imaginary bubble, go to your favorite watering hole as often as you can. Talk to the owners, the brewers, talk to your friends, share the breweries social media posts. Shout it from the rooftops. Do whatever you have to do, except whine, piss and moan about a bubble that doesn’t exist.

I Hate To Sound Cliche, But …

You are the change! If you want your breweries to keep their doors open, get out and support them!

No Bubbles, Just Beer!

Like it or not, whether we want them to or not, some breweries will close until your market has what it can sustain.

So, until then, do what I do, get out and spread the love. Visit them all while you can. Remember, the beer you save may be your own.

I Am The Beer Whisperer

Beervangelist, Prolific Beer Drinker

Purveyor Of Wisdom and …

All Around Good Guy!

Howdy Doo Buckaroos and how the heck are you?

Yes, I did “Borrow” the title from Styx, “Too Much Time On My Hands”, for the other beer/music geeks out there.

But … That’s what we did. We went to the bar, met friends, had a few drinks, and we’d shoot the shit.

Anyway …

I’m the 4th of 5 kids in my family and our upbringing was a tad unusual and what might be described today as Extreme Free Range Parenting. It was the 70’s in Southern Ca. after all. Oddly enough, for most of the decade it was legal for kids to be brought into bars, and my brothers, sisters and myself logged more bar time as minors than many throughout there entire adult lives. I’d like to say that I’m exaggerating for effect, but I’m really not!

So, we inhaled a lot of smoke and heard a lot of salty language, ate a lot of beef jerky and cheese corn and drank gallons of Coke! Though I wasn’t born in a bar, saloon, tavern, lounge or pub, you could say that I was born to be in one. However, of the 5 of us, I’m the only one that truly feels at home in a pub. I’ve certainly logged a lot of bar hours over the years.

At 54, I can tell you that drinking habits change over the years, I do a lot less chugging and shooting as an aging beer/whiskey enthusiast. As a craft beer geek, I spend more time admiring the pour, and checking the nose than I did as a younger drinker.

We certainly see a lot less mom and pop bars and more chains, that and social media and damn near everyone carrying a smart phone or other device, bar etiquette has changed.

There was a time that you would go to the pub to socialize. Now folks go to pub and do the exact same thing that they’d be doing in their living rooms. Instead of talking to their friends, they have to check in their beverage into the multitudes of sites just itching to give them a virtual pat on the back or imaginary ribbon.

It’s not just the patrons that have changed though. Service is not the same overall that it once was. Efficiency is stressed over friendliness. You’d become a regular, get to know the bartender, tip well, and you’d get a better pour or maybe even a free drink. Now with everything computerized and measured, that’s unlikely. Also, it seems many bartenders can make a 100 different flavored martinis, but most seem to have the inability to smile and have the personality of a rock and I’m not talking about the friendlier pet rock.

It seems that we’re all missing the point. We’re going out to the taprooms and brewpubs, but we’re waisting the experience on social media rather than just experiencing it. We’re virtually living instead of living.

I’m certainly as guilty of this as anybody. I’ve gone into pubs and ordered my brew, stopped to take a picture, do a video and be completely oblivious to my surroundings.

The technology is enjoyable and can enhance our lives, if we don’t let it take over our lives.

So, order your beer, check it in if you must, but don’t neglect the friends you came in with, are meeting, or might meet if you just put your damn phone down!

I Am The Beer Whisperer

Beervangelist, Prolific Beer Drinker

Purveyor Of Wisdom and …

All Around Good Guy!

It’s a cold, drizzly, freezing rain, sleet and snow kind of day in the Ozarks as I write this article.

Home from work, dinner cooked and eaten and it’s just bbbrrr outside. So, now in my comfy and warm jammies, watching the boob tube with the ol‘ ball and chain(don’t tell her I said that), I’m thinking that it’s time for a beer!

Ah, but settling in for knocking a few back is more complicated than you might think

It requires all the thought and finesse in making a good mix tape.

You see, I can’t start with Mother’s Materfamilias, an 11% Imperial Stout aged in multi spirit barrels. No, no, no, you can’t shoot your wad too early, your evening would be over. This ain’t a wham bam thank you ma’am kind of night.

You can’t start too weak either, it has to pique your interest, but not lay too heavy on you.

Now, you don’t have to decide right now how many that you’re going to have, you just have to commit to see where the night takes you.

Where the night takes you, indeed!

Alright, now that you’re all in, let’s do this thing!

Let’s be clear, I’m not talking about getting drunk or, as my dad used to say, tying one on, I’m talking about enjoying a few beers.

How many is a few you ask? Well, more than 2, or I would have said a couple of beers. As I’m on my first beer as I write this portion, I’m thinking possibly four, but at least 3.

Alrighty then, you made it through beer one and you’re feeling good about yourself. The magic elixir is starting to work, you’ve got that little wry smile on your face and you just said something witty and charming to your significant other, but where do you from here?

You have to kick it up, but how far? We’re not ready for that barrel aged masterpiece yet, and to steal from Nigel Tufnel, it’s not time to take it to 11 yet. Let’s say you started with a 3 or 4, I’d say ratchet it up to about a 7.

I mean, enough horsepower to turn that wry smile into a full-on grin, but not so much as to turn you into Bozo the Clown.

Okay, now you’ve committed to beer 2 and a little more ABV, you’re about half way through and really feeling good about yourself. Don’t worry, not yet anyway, you’re a pro.

You came through like a trooper and now beer 3 is calling your name. So, which way to go? Well, just like a good mix tape, take it down just a bit, but not too much.

For the sake of argument, let’s say you started at 5%, jumped to 7%, I’d say meet in the middle at 6 ish%. And now you’re ready to go.

Relax, you’re doing fine. You got through the first two, you’ve made perfect beer choices, you’re a rockstar, so drink with Gusto! Well, medium gusto anyway, I mean, we’re not chugging here, but we’re not nursing either.

Now on to beer #4! You’ve got a slight buzz, but it looks good on you. We’ve decided to call it a night on this one, so let’s make it a big one. Yeah, that’s right. That aforementioned barrel aged beauty.

Okay, I know some of you studs and studettes can get through 10- 12 in an evening, and this has all been done a little tongue in cheek, but the truth is, at my age, at this stage in my life, I’m quite content drinking 4 quality brews while watching TV with the wife.

However, that doesn’t make my theory any less valid. That being, picking the perfect beer is like making the perfect mix tape. The right choices will make your evening. The wrong choices, well, at best will give you indigestion and at worst, well a porcelain bus you’ll be a drivin’!

At the risk of being redundant …

I Am The Beer Whisperer

Beervangelist, Prolific Beer Drinker

Purveyor Of Wisdom and …

All Around Good Guy!

Or more aptly titled, a nice whiskey served neat alongside a fine beer.

I Am The Beer Whisperer, Beervangelist, Prolific Beer Drinker, Purveyor Of Wisdom and … All Around Good Guy!

However, I’m also the Whiskey Whisperer. Sometimes my alter egos duke it out, but sometimes they’re simpatico and hold hands around the campfire singing, “Kumbaya”, this is one of those times.

The Pairing: KC Style

As I write this, it’s the day before the AFC Championship game between the KC Chiefs and the New England Patriots. I should also point out that I’m writing this from Springfield Mo.

As it so happens, I have a Boulevard Whiskey Barrel Stout and J Riegers Kansas City Whiskey, so it just seemed appropriate the pair the two.

The Beer

Boulevard Brewing(KC Mo) Whiskey Barrel Stout. She’s 11.8% 32 IBU’s, no kidding! The nose alone is intoxicating! Chocolate, caramel, vanilla, and the slightest notion of coffee highlight the nose.

The roasted barley shines with flavors of deep, dark malted chocolate, caramel, molasses, creamy vanilla with toasted oak and a slightly warming finish, letting you know that yes, yes there was a whiskey barrel involved.

The Whiskey

Oh yes, the whiskey! J Riegers Kansas City Whiskey, a 92 proof whiskey that they say uses their signature blend of corn, malt & rye.

The nose is warming with an even mix of caramel, vanilla & cinnamon. You may also feel hints of dark fruit and I also detected just a touch of apple.

Although the nose was caramel, the flavors are rich, nutty toffee with hazelnut accents. The spicy rye is exquisite, heading to the finish with toasted oak and cinnamon spice.

The 92 proof is warming, but it never quite gets too hot, it’s one of my personal favorites.

Two Great Tastes That Taste Great Together!

I know not everyone digs the beer/whiskey pairing, but I think those of us that do, just get it!

You may have noticed similar aromas and flavors from the beer to the whiskey. That’s part of why these two work together, but the other part is the slight differences in the two are what brings them together.

Like chocolate and peanut butter, the right beer paired with the right whiskey just works, they not only taste great together, it’s libation for the soul. To borrow from the legendary Duke Robillard, Are You Soulful Baby? If you’ve got the stones, grab your beer du jour with a like-minded whiskey and free your soul, baby!

             Lord Have Mercy, the “Whalez Bruh” Are Back!

“Whalez, Bruh” that annoying craft beer phrase that makes me cringe every time I hear it. I’ve joked that the next time I hear it I just may take a hostage, but I’m not sure if I’m joking anymore.

As much as I’d love to blame millennials and hipsters, as I’m relatively certain that it was a hipster that coined the phrase, I’ve heard folks my age(50’s) utter this nonsense.

Used to describe a hard to find and/or special release beer, typically pricey and usually high in abv and overused by the pretentious, anyone not full of themselves would never say anything so ridiculous.

These cockroach like creatures usually skulk in pairs or packs, huddling at the end of the bar, pretentiously making fun of non craft beer drinkers and anyone they don’t deem as socially relevant as they are.

Fear not my friends, though they are obnoxious and convinced of their own superiority, they are relatively harmless as they are more afraid of you than you are of them.

But, be vigilant, the sole purpose of their existence is to make your drinking experience a miserable one, so you’ll be as miserable as they are on the inside.

     Don’t Fear The Beer!

Yes friends, don’t let these pathetic creatures stop you from enjoying a special beer any way that you like. They’ll insult your glassware, the way you drink, heck maybe even the way you ordered the beer. Fire back if you like, wit isn’t typically their strong suit, but it’s best to just ignore their ignorance as it’s attention that they crave.

Beer, even craft beer was meant to be accessible, ALL CRAFT BEER, so don’t let these chucklenuts convince you otherwise.

As summer turns to fall, they’ll become more brazen and crawl out from the rocks they’ve been hiding under. So don’t be afraid to go out to your favorite pub, taproom or beer store, but beware, they’ll be skulking around every corner just looking for happy beer drinkers to make miserable.

Just remember, they have no power unless you give it to them. So … choose your brew and order with confidence, raise your glass, smile and nod at the “Bruh’s” at the end of the bar with a self assurance sure to make them cower and mutter to themselves.

   I Am The Beer Whisperer

Beervangelist, Prolific Beer Drinker

 Purveyor of Wisdom and …

 All Around Good Guy!

*No Bruh’s were hurt in the writing of this article

Life is serious, beer shouldn’t be!

   HOT AUGUST NIGHTS!

(A nod to Neil Diamond)

   Beers Of Summer!

(A nod to Don Henley)

Okay, of course you can drink any beer, any time of year, the Beer Police  won’t show up and arrest you for drinking a summer beer after Labor Day. However, your beer snob friends may mock you endlessly.

So … Let’s talk about a few styles that just taste better during the summer.

    The Shandy, Radler, Gose, Berliner Weisse 

It took me a little bit to warm up to the Gose and the Berliner Weisse, but I finally got there. The bright citrus and tart finish make both styles ideal for summer drinking. I will admit however that I’ve had couple that made my sphincter pucker!

The Shandy and Radler are similar, the idea being to cut with fruit juice or pop to lower abv for a low alcohol drink that’s smooth and refreshing. For a bit it seemed like Leinenkugels had cornered the market on the Shandy, but we’re seeing a rise in craft breweries doing either a shandy or Radler. Although traditionally they’re under 4% abv, most craft styles hover between 4 and 4.5%.

  Lager, Pilsner, Kolsch and Hefeweizen

Although “Lager” encompasses many beer styles, here I’m referring to the lighter side, a Helles or American style Lager. These styles are crisp, clean and refreshing when done right. The beer you want after a hard days work, or mowing the lawn or … hell, anytime you’re just damn thirsty!

Many American craft breweries have also brought back the classic Pilsner with some doing German or Czech style and a few just improving on or doing a pre-prohibition American style Pilsner.

I personally have been loving the resurgence of the Pilsner, crisp and clean, big bready malts, herbal, spicy hops, they don’t get more refreshing than a perfectly executed Pilsner.

Ah, the Kolsch, that chameleon lager/ale hybrid of a beer. Typically a little more body than most American style lagers, fruity in the middle, but finishing crisp, clean and refreshing in classic lager fashion.

Banana, Clove, cloudy, yeasty, of course I’m describing the Hefeweizen!

The elder sibling to the American craft wheat, bigger and bolder with the aforementioned notes, yet smooth and approachable.

Now of course there are many more styles for summer drinking, the Saison and Grisette, IPA’s by the dozen, the New England or Hazy, West Coast, session etc …

And if I were write about them all we’d be here through winter, so I picked a handful to write about and post a few pictures.

However, remember that no matter the season or what your town beer snob says, always drink what you like.

Drink craft beer with love, drink with passion and drink with appreciation.

 I AM TOM THE BEER WHISPERER

  BEERVANGELIST, PROLIFIC BEER DRINKER

  PURVEYOR Of WISDOM and …

  ALL AROUND GOOD GUY!

             CHEERS!