I like to talk. Well, sometimes. When I'm with people that enjoy not only drinking a good beer, but talking about it too, I never seem to tire.

THE SESSION #139 BEER BLOGGING FRIDAY The Session, a.k.a. Beer Blogging Friday, is an opportunity once a month for beer bloggers from around the world to get together and write from their own unique perspective on a single topic. Each month, a different beer blogger hosts the Session, chooses a topic and creates a round-up listing all of the participants, along with a short pithy critique of each entry. 

The founders of the event, Jay Brooks and Stan Hieronymous, state that it is “an opportunity once a month for beer bloggers from around the world to get together and write from their own unique perspective on a single topic.”

The host for The Session #138 was William Vanderburgh at Craft Beer in San Diego. The theme for this month was Beer and the Good Life.

Beer Talk & Writing

In August, I attended the Beer Bloggers & Writers Conference in Virginia. The name has become more contemporary to Beer Now to better reflect the increasingly progressive ways (podcasting, social media, video blogs) people are communicating about beer.

People that know me, understand that I like to talk about beer. Some might call it obsessive. But that really depends on the company you find yourself. While in the real world I may talk about beer more than the average person, at the conference I was surrounded by kindred spirits — and I loved it. I certainly will provide more insight into that week in future journal entries.

It seems many people that know me associate me with beer. Many conversations begin with, "Any good beers lately?" Or, "Have you been to (fill in the blank) brewery?" And to be honest I don't mind having such a reputation. I enjoy sharing my experiences, knowledge, and beer. I do give away a lot of beer to friends so to expand their experiences as well. Often the favor is reciprocated. 

Sometimes I wonder if I speak beer too much. I can change the subject — I have knowledge on many topics and am well read. At least I think so. And sometimes when I meet someone, I'm hoping they want to talk beer. I may even intentionally direct a conversation that way to see what response I get.

I've discovered that beer people will find each other. The subject just comes up in conversation and then the relationship has a foundation from which to build.

And that brings me back to the Beer Bloggers & Writers Conference (BBC). This was my first BBC and I didn't know what to expect. I soon learned that these were my people. We all had something in common and all had something to share. We were learning together.

Beer Reflections

I'd like to reflect on a few of the suggested topics for our monthly theme, Beer and the Good Life. 

What does enjoying beer mean to you? — Taking a pause from a busy life to enjoy the simple pleasure of drinking a beer is to allow a small celebration of life. Life stopping to smell the roses but in our case, citra hops. Whether is a solitary moment, with a friend or with a group. A beer is more than just a drink.

Good beer, good food, good books, good friends — these are the things that make a good life — Such a basic need, or is it a want? If you have these, then life is pretty good. Of course, there is shelter and a comfortable place to sleep. Many people may not know a good beer when it is presented to them. "Make mine a Bud Light". Or know that potato chips are not a health food. And it has been said that there is no difference between someone that won't read and someone that can but doesn't. Count your blessings if you are in the former group. If you find yourself at a great brewpub with a good friend, discussing the finer points of Pete Brown's Miracle Brew, you have reached the pinnacle of Maslow's hierarchy of needs.

You could do other things with your time/money — That is not a fair question. Of course, there are other things I could do with my time than sit in a pub drinking a beer. Or spending half my salary on a beer release from a brewery in Northern Virginia. But why?

Is it wrong to spend it on beer instead of something else — See thoughts on beer, food, books and friends above.

How does writing about beer, or talking about beer with friends, enhance your life — There are a group of guys that get together from our church — usually once a month, at least that's the plan — and enjoy each others company, share a beer, someone brings a message to share and lead a discussion. Sometimes we'll have a bonfire, or a slideshow or just talk for hours. I like to bring special beers from my collection or a bottle I'd like to share some special knowledge or experience.

Final Thoughts

These are a few of my muses on beer and the good life. Let me know if you share any of these thoughts or anything that is on your mind. Please share this journal entry on social media and leave comments below.

Cheers!