Peel the Label – Making Up for Lost Styles

It can be easy to fall into a beer buying rut. Whether you are chasing the latest releases or even just supporting your local brewery in trying times. But in this time of transition from one president to the next, from one season to the next, from one holiday to the next, this marks a good time to pause and consider the beer selection you have made in the last eleven months and how you can change in the final month.

It would be better to keep everything mixed up year round but especially this year, without taster trays or travel, 16oz IPA cans have taken over. Right now there is one bottle in my beer fridge. ONE. I am as guilty as the next person.

What have you not had a lot of this year? Use December as your testing ground. For me, barrel-ages beers have been in shorter supply. For you, it might be sours or Belgian beers. Whatever style has been missed, rectify that situation. Maybe, ask for that style of beer for a Christmas present.

Peel the Label is an infrequent series with no photos or links. Just opinion.

Beer Thug

I have to admit that I have never heard of BeerThugLife until I saw this PIECE in the L.A. Times. As I read the article, I was torn about it. I bet I would like Edgar Preciado as many people say they do and I like that the paper is highlighting people that don’t fit the stereotypical independent beer fan (i.e. me).

But man I am not a fan of the whole “chug it” mindset even for humor, or to make a point. Granted it is probably better than turning the can into trades across the country but I see it as such a waste of both time (waiting in line and later filming and uploading) as well as just not appreciating the beer. And how is one chug any different from the other? Not my type of entertainment and it is telling that that type of video is what gets a response on social media.

On the other hand, if it gets a new crowd into craft beer then I an easily live with it and if Preciado can leverage this into being able to bring a brewery to an area of L.A. that is under-served, then more power to him. I will certainly write about his brewery, I just won’t chug. His beers and all beers deserve more than that.