George Will, and maybe you should too

What Does Beer Mean?

Columnist George Will writes in his Washington Post column today that the governor of Michigan has a multi-faceted plan for the recovery of that city. A small part will be played by clearing vacant lots and growing hops. Will goes on to explain: "This grain is used to make beer, and microbreweries make, or at least often accompany, urban gentrification."

A first reaction:

Dear Mr. Will,

As I'm sure you've heard by now, hops isn't a grain. So how about a teachable moment here-maybe it might be fun to head out to the Goose Island brewery in Lincoln Park and try a glass of their Matilda Ale. Notice that lovely little bitterness as you swallow? The one that lingers on your palate for a minute or two? That's a sensation imparted by hops, the lovely climbing vine.

Enjoy,  Lynn

A second reaction:

Here's a confirmed eccentric- Cubs fan, conservative- who doesn't know much about beer but has picked up an an important part of its cultural significance. Microbreweries gentrify. Yes they do. And they also humanize, delight and provide employment.
You can't say the same thing about soda bottlers, pizza parlors or take-out restaurants. What is it about beer that inspires positive change? Could it just be the simple fact of some beer tasting very good? Could it be that pleasure-as my man Epicurus would have it-is a good thing and good attracts good?
Further study is called for.

A third reaction:

Maybe we all should head out to Goose Island and try a Matilda. Styrian and Saaz and robust maltiness all punctuated by a lyrical spiciness to give a sensation of elegance more than power.  I envy Mr. Will his first sip.

Beer is Serious Stuff

Beer is, at its best, a philosophers’ drink: it stimulates sensitive souls to ask questions without arousing the arrogance that might lead them to easy answers. 

Although we seem to have forgotten it, beer is worth your attention because it can be delightful, but it's also worth a moment's thought because it's been  important in the daily lives of many people and cultures for centuries.

For instance: outside of the wine growing countries of the Mediterranean, most adults in Europe drank beer all day and every day. Both water and milk were potentially dangerous. Beer and wine were both purified as they were made. So up until the seventeenth century, people-men, women and children drank some alcoholic beverage: wine, cider or beer. They woke up with it and they went to bed with it. These drinks didn’t contain as much alcohol as modern wines and beers, but everyone, mom, dad, the kids, the priest and the king were consuming alcohol all the time. Consider that life spans were short and that society was patriarchal. That meant that most of the world’s business was run by relatively young men who had a bit of a buzz on. In that light, does European history start to make a bit more sense? Does it help you understand bizarre events like the Crusades or the Hundred Years War? If the crew of folks who surrounded you at the pub last night had been in charge, would things have been any different?

Press the rewind button, more questions. When the first agriculturalists settled down to tend and harvest cereals, were they interested in baking bread or in brewing beer? Did the shift from home-brewing to industrial production of beer diminish the economic rôle of women in European society? 

It turns out that this beer is pretty serious stuff and for further confirmation, see the video below:






Still thirsty? Check out the Short Course in Beer at http://bit.ly/shortbeer