I'm Thankful For Craft Beer

Tis the season for turkey, football, family, blog posts about thanksgiving, and most of all, being thankful. Despite all of my irritations, frustrations, agitations, and other “ations” that don’t need to be expounded upon in this forum, I have it pretty good. There are several, if not plentiful, items on my list to give thanks for, but today, I’m going to focus on just one. Spoiler alert – its beer.

In any language.

Craft beer to be precise. Yes, I know it comes as a shock that this post about being thankful for beer doesn't include the likes of the yellow, fizzy, American mass-produced industrial swill beers, which will remain nameless… if this isn't your first day, you already know my feelings toward those punks. So as I launch into this list of reasons why I’m thankful for craft beer, I do so under the premise that I’m talking about properly made from proper ingredients… beer. American Craft Beer.

So here is the list, in no particular order, of the reasons I am thankful for Craft Beer:

Nor does one care about such nonsense.

1) It tastes great! Not in a 1990s era beer commercial “less filling, tastes great” kind of way, but in a way that can be appreciated. There are so many flavors at work in your average pint of properly made craft beer, it’s almost impossible to pay them all enough attention and truly appreciate them – but trying to do so is half the battle. All together, they are sublime, and when you try to break them apart on your palate, the unique qualities of each shine through. And if you understand what they are and where they come from, they become even better.

2) Versatility! If you drink bad beer, you know of two or three styles of beer. Probably light and dark, which aren't actually styles at all. In reality, there are dozens of beer styles out there that most American beer drinkers have never experienced. They are all different, and they are all wonderful. And with so much diversity, how can you not be captivated?

Yo!

3) Science!!! Just like Jesse Pinkman trying to keep up with Walter White in the lab, the science behind craft beer can be overwhelming, but learning about how it works unlocks a whole new level of appreciation. Plus, there is always something new to learn. If you take the time to immerse yourself in the science, craft beer becomes a hobby, and maybe even a passion.

4) Social Drinking! Don’t have enough friends in your life? Or maybe the friends you have are not of the caliber you would prefer. Becoming a craft beer drinker is a free ticket to a world full of nice people who want to hang out with you! And the more “nerdy” you allow yourself to be with beer, the cooler you will be with these people. Boom – instant friends. Like you’re the high school quarterback… sort of.

5) Okay fine… it makes you feel good. It’s true. And unlike sub-par beers, craft beer usually packs a higher payload of alcohol, so you get drunker on fewer beers – which equals money saved and fewer calories in the long run. Not a bad deal.

6) Health benefits! That’s right, I said benefits! Studies have shown that craft beer has vitamins, nutrients, amino acids, and all kinds of other stuff in it that is good for us, which has been linked to reduced risk of heart failure, lower cholesterol, lower stress, etc. Big beer, on the other hand, doesn't contain these things, as the ingredients they use are of lesser quality and quantity, and more often than not, the good stuff is filtered out in the name of saving money and marketing.

Fascinating.

7) Cool activities! Beer is so much more than bars and man caves – in the craft beer world, we hang out at breweries and brew pubs, where we get to interact with other beer people (see number 3), as well as the brewers themselves. We also get to learn more about the process (see number 2) and see it all in real life. Fascinating. There’s also beer tastings, beer pairings, tap takeovers, etc.

8) Food! Craft beer goes with food better than wine goes with food, and has become a game unto itself. Beer pairings, whether at restaurants or in the comfort of your own home, are very interesting and social ways to learn, drink, and be merry. Plus, it’s delicious! Everybody wins.

9) Merch! Swag! Craft beer-related items like shirts, hats, glassware, signs, etc. So many different things to fill your very own basement bar with and show off to your friends.

10) Cool label art! Big beer, for as hard as they try in the marketing world, has boring labels and boring names for their beer. In the craft community, we pride ourselves on clever names and cool labels, not only from a marketing standpoint, but because we can.

11) ‘Murica! Craft beer is made in America! It’s a source of pride to know that your country now makes the best beer in the world, even though we are still best known for that big beer crap (some of which isn’t even an American company anymore). Plus, if you drink your local brewery’s beer, there’s even more pride in it because you’re supporting your local small businesses and keeping your money in the local economy. Everything you want, nothing you don’t.

12) You can make it yourself! Many of the things I've mentioned already lead you to the day when you decide that you want to learn to make beer and become a home brewer. Even though the processes that commercial craft breweries use are obviously on a much grander scale, they are essentially the same processes. Which means you can recreate your favorites in your own home, or get adventurous and come up with your own recipes. Then, your house will be the one where everyone wants to hang out… instant friends. It’s the circle of life.

This could be your basement, where your new cooler friends hang out with you and drink your beer.

Anyways, I’m sure I've left some out some things, but this list is pretty good. Feel free to add to my list in the comments. And remember – drink craft beer this Thanksgiving. You deserve it.

For more reading, like what craft beer you should serve with your Thanksgiving dinner, click here. If you want to read about how beer fits in to the history of Thanksgiving, click here.

Here’s to craft-brewed happiness… Cheers!