I was labouring yesterday for 9 hours doing a residential move, and was lucky enough to have a client that was sympathetic to our work and was giving us beer towards the end of the job as a show of appreciation (and this was not her only good quality). Doing a hard day's work on a warm and humid day really brought the thirst on, and when we were finishing, a beer like Boag's Draught went down an absolute treat. there is something about drinking a beer like that in that situation that makes you feel like it is the best beer you have ever had. I had someone ask me the best beer i ever had last week, and was completely stunned by it. It is good to think about good beers you have tried, but very difficult to say which is the best. The more i think about it, the more it is the experience that the beer is with you in that i think tends to push your judgement one way or the other. I will always remember the first time i had Guinness, and while it was from a uni bar on St Patrick's Day 1999 (so probably didn't taste that great), when I think of Guinness I think of that moment. While on Guinness, I actually think the best one i ever had was in a place called Pontoon in Ireland that I stayed with the Taylor's at when I was there. the sun was going down over the still lake, and the people really knew how the pour a good pint of it. Good people, good place, good pint. I will also remember the worst pint of Guinness I ever had, which actually came in a schooner glass, was done in a single pour with head coming over the sides of the glass. I don't think I have ever gone back to that pub in Newy. the beer didn't taste bad, it just didn't have a taste.
Still, it is funny, having that bottle of Boag's yesterday gave me a similar feeling to when i have had great beers, and reaffirmed the situational aspect beer has. I realise with the seasons and food, there are beers to accompany them with, and hope I continue to improve in this aspect of situational drinking to enhance the tasting experience. And I realise with the experiences I have had with Guinness, this is my favourite beer, even if it may not be 'the best'.
Beefy
2 comments:
Good call Beef...One of my favourite beer memories is when my old man told me to go and grab and beer from the fridge for the first time... twas barmy summers night in Brunswick, the cicaders were singing away and for half an hour we sat on the Veranda and bonded over a VB!! ordinary beer but twas the occasion that did it for me.
great story mate. I remember the first time i tasted beer. i was a VB too, and i was about 6-7. my dad gave me a taste after a hot day doing a working bee at my primary school. and remember not really liking it that much. well, at least some things don't change. i guess i remember the bad beers as well as the good. Hope you got in Berlin alright mate.
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