This article marks my first post in a series of columns about Madison craft beer. An avid beer enthusiast for a while now, I’ve founded and operated a beer blog with a few friends for over a year and couldn’t be more excited to have this opportunity to write exclusively about Madison’s best beer, bars and brewpubs. However, before I jump into the heart of the craft beer scene surrounding UW-Madison, I want to take the time to tell you why I love writing about beer in the first place.
For me it starts with a simple idea: beer is not just a beverage, beer is art.
From its naming, to the label, to the brewing, to the bottling, hell, even the pour, every element of what takes a bag of barley and hops, some water and yeast, and brings it to your glass is about so much more than a factory line and a super-bowl advertisement. Instead it’s about creativity, passion, determination and a love for brewing, drinking and more importantly sharing beer. When I look at a brand new bottle, I pop the cap like a baseball fan at opening day. I allow the sudsy gold, amber, nut-brown or black-as-night liquid to fill my glass, and I see the clouds of foam rise, fall, and breathe like a living representation of its crafters. Each new beer is more than an experience; it is an adventure and a mystery. After all, who knows what that first sip will offer? No two beers are the same, and every brew is a learning experience for its consumer.
However, my questionably alcoholic obsession with the heavenly hop and beloved barley beverage is more than a simple appreciation of art. I like art, but I love beer. So, why do I absolutely adore the almighty ale?
Because beer is not just about the look, feel, smell, or taste of that perfect pint, and it’s certainly not just about getting a little too tipsy: Beer is about people.
Beer is about the memories that it has the power to create. When I think about Westvleteren 12, the so-called “best beer in the world,” I don’t think caramel, fig, raison, toffee and vanilla. I don’t even ponder the legendary monks of Brouwerij St. Sixtus who have been carefully crafting the holy grail of beers for ages. Instead, I think about that three-hour walk through the beautiful streets of Stockholm with my uncle, desperately searching for any bottle we could get our hands on.
When I think about Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout, I don’t think buttery bourbon, coffee and dark chocolate malts, I instead remember my dad calling me at 8 a.m. to tell me that he was waiting in front of the liquor store with my mom and grandparents to smuggle out as many bottles possible in consideration of that strict “one per customer” rule.
When I think about Bells Two Hearted Ale, I don’t think about those fresh citrus hops, I think about meeting a girl that has so much in common with me that it’s almost hard to believe. I recall that sunburnt summer day in August, splitting a pitcher at the terrace while thinking that this will likely become a new senior year tradition. Seriously, I don’t think I’ll be capable of ordering that beer without invoking a subtle recollecting smile for a long, long time.
This is why I LOVE craft beer, because each ale carries a web of memories, experiences and people that hold more value than any little bottle ever could in itself. For this reason, I insist that the passion for beer ought not only to be experienced but shared. By expressing my fascination with the barley beverage to those around me, I have convinced my family and countless friends to appreciate the world of bold, bubbly brews, and I hope if you’re reading this you will too. Because honestly, craft beer brings people together, and there are few things in this world more important than that.
Have questions, comments or suggestions for Niko? E-mail him at ivanovic@wisc.edu.
