Brew In Review: First Post

The first question I’ve been encountering when mentioning to others that I am starting a beer blog has been “What’s the first beer you will review?”. As a result, I’ve had pre-game jitters when it comes to writing my first post. Should my reviews be lengthy? Short? Should I comprise a system of my own for reviewing and ranking beers I consume? What if someone doesn’t agree with my taste? What if I change my mind about a beer later? What I’ve come to realize is that this blog will be a shoot-from-the-hip reaction I have to beers I drink, as well as beer as it relates to media and culture. And of course I’ll be writing about beer I am brewing.

Choosing the first beer to review was easy. I decided to go ahead and review the first beer I had on tap – New Belgium’s Fat Tire. I used to love Fat Tire, so much so that I had a grand plan of plastering Fat Tire labels striped from bottles over my entire living room wall. Naturally, this like many drinking ideas, failed to come to fruition.

However, for years my love of Fat Tire prevailed, remaining my go to choice for beer (aside from an occasional tryst with 1554). Somewhere along the way though, Fat Tire and I lost touch, went on separate paths. I following a passion for exploring and tasting new beers, and Fat Tire, well,migrated into cans. For the purpose of getting me to follow through with the blog idea, John purchased a 22oz bottle of Fat Tire for my to review. The beer poured a hearty yellow with a nice white head. Both the initial smell and taste were fruity and slightly sour. And that right there is is probably the reason for the lapse in our friendship. Fat Tire has a slight lingering Belgium beer taste, that I just fail to appreciate in my amber ales. But then again, it is “New Belgium Brewing” and “Fat Tire” is named after a road trip through Belgium. So the disinterest lies in my current tastes and wishes for beers. And New Belgium Brewing Co.’s Fat Tire amber aleis a beer to take at face value.