We're back in the Session!

Andrew and I have done a poor job of keeping up with the first Friday blogging carnival known as The Session, Stan's gathering of beer bloggers to chat about a single theme. I can blame it on being busy, which is part true, or I can just blame it on Andrew, he's the young and energetic "tech-savy" guy who moves much faster through these crazy technology gizmos than me. But I really should just blame laziness and then you would have the truth!

This month the theme is brought to us by Rob DeNunzio of PFIFF and he has picked Drinking anti-seasonally.

He writes: “Think of this as the unorthodox cousin of such topics as ‘beer and food’ and ‘beer and music.’ Beer and weather, perhaps? More like beer despite the weather, I guess. Cracking open a Guinness on the beach, finishing a day of yardwork with a Speedway Stout, or whatever else you do that raises an eyebrow (again, beer-related, please), do us all a favor an take a few moments to share your non-conformist tale.”

So when thinking what to share with y'all I pondered the dark beer at the pool idea or hefeweizen at Christmas time, but instead of weather related, I thought I'd share with you two social situations where I choose to NOT drink beer. Yes, I am often called a snob, but I feel like I only have so many beers to drink in this life, why waste them on beer that I don't care for just for the sake of drinking beer.

The first situation is at Wrigley Field to watch my beloved Cubs. No beer at the Ballpark? You must not be American! It's the fourth of July today, you know??!! Well, it just so happens that Old Style is not my favorite beer. And at 7 bucks, it REALLY is not my favorite beer. Do not get me wrong, I have quaffed the suds and still will, especially when someone is running for the beer. But I'd say one or two over the three plus hour game is more than I want. Gimme a soda and a kosher dog and I'm set. When I first started going to games you could get Goose Island in the outdoor food deck, but now you get the AWESOME selection of import beers like Corona, Corona light, Heineken, Heineken Light, St. Pauli Girl, Tecate, Sol, Amstel Light, yada yada yada. I know, I'm a beer snob. However, my friends at Goose Island are just a block away for pre and post game festivities and Murphy's Bleachers behind the stadium has a great selection of craft beers. No American light lagers at the game please. (On an ironic note, I was fortunate enough to judge American Light Lagers at the GABF lsst year-Go Old Milwaukee Light!)

The second social situation is the wedding, of which I just returned from. Ah, the keg of light beer. The bottle of Ultra. It's free man! Yeah, well I'll pass. Now, are there a couple of wines over on the bar? You have Tanqueray or Stoli? Now we're talking. The wedding I just returned from was at a winery. No light beer to be had. That was livin' man.

So, this is starting to fringe on location and situation affecting not only drinking decisions but the enjoyability of said adult beverage. Something that I think has been touched on in The Session(the idea of environment playing a part in the experience). Sure, the ball park does make Old Style Light taste just a bit better, even if you have peanut shards floating on top. And celebrating the marriage of two young people can be enjoyed over a cold light lager. But why should it be? I'll choose another fermented beverage if I have the chance. Otherwise, get me to the town that serves craft beer at the ballpark, and for gosh sakes, if I'm on the wedding list, get a little beer with flavor...please.