Beer-losophy by Monty Haltiner
Oh, the places Huell go.
Since the birth of my passionate love of brewing, there has been one commandment whose engraving into my granite guidelines has not worn, make your beers extraordinary.
My first foray with Mr Beer was an extract Porter kit to which I added peaches. Just the consonance of the name Peach Porter ensured me in my brewing ignorance and arrogance that the beer would be special.
When I decided to make it grain, I leap frogged pale ale and tumbled into IPA, of course late hop additions weren’t enough to satisfy my erroneous beer engineering and I found myself adding black pepper, star anise, Thai basil or other exotic ingredients. I wanted to be cutting edge without learning how to make simple beer well.
I found a calling in the salty sour Gose and festive holiday stouts but still failed to grasp the subtleties ginger and Belgian yeast bring to beer. I tried to improve my brewing techniques without
understanding beer.
Now I find myself a stranger in a strange land, preparing to make a SMASH beer. The paltry four ingredients harken back to the puritanical German Reinheitsgebot. This beer could be the true Full Monty in my repertoire, baring all my brewing processes and mistakes with no lofty flavors to hide flaws or lay blame upon.
Stepping out of my shadow, with one hand timidly searching for something to hold onto while the other hand relinquishes it death grip on self perception, I hope to find grace smiling upon me.