Five years ago I was given a gift that changed my life.  A packet of basil seeds and a copy of Jamie Oliver’s Jamie at Home (a book built around cooking with seasonal ingredients).  Never before did I think that I could grow my own food or that the three meals I consume each day had anything to do with the season.   Not that I didn’t understand where food came from, I had just never given it much thought beyond farmer – grocer – plate.

Growing food and cooking with the seasons connected me to the world in a way I had previously never known.  I felt as if I was part of a secret club centuries old.  I was joining a group of people that know how to survive, who own their lives and love living.

Food is far more than fuel for the day.  Food connects tough times and need to abundance and celebration.  Food forces us to slow down.  It connects us with the world and with our friends and families.

Anyone who has worked a vegetable garden understands Thanksgiving as an important celebration.  After months of hard work the earth produces an abundance of food – often times more food than can be stored over the winter.  After toiling all summer, Thanksgiving is a time to stop and celebrate life.  When blessed with abundance, feast, be generous and joyful.  Life is something to be Thankful for and is worthy of celebration.

After watching the basil seeds grow into fragrant basil leaves, my life changed.  I see the world in a new way – the world is set up in a way where an individual can contribute to the outcome of their life.  We can grow things: whether its food, ideas, businesses or friendships – we can make a difference in our lives.  I began making beer and drinking better beer, I explored new foods and learned about how food culture continues to shape the world.  I am now a passionate eater and life long beer fanatic.  Dinner is a daily celebration in my house.  Life is worth living well.

I started writing this blog with Chris because I thought it would be fun, and it is.  My goal was to get free beer, which was quickly achieved.  This blog is about far more than free beer.  The craft beer renaissance is important and I want to be a part of it.  It was not long ago that beer was brewed by individuals in houses and was a vital food staple.  We no longer need beer as a mainstay in our diet, but the culture that surrounds beer cannot be lost.

Mass marketing and mass production has changed beer culture.  It has successfully disconnected beer from the field and replaced it with a factory.  Craft beer is changing this.  Good beer is an important part of the world’s ever-changing food culture.  Good food, and with it good beer, can changes lives.

Life should never be unappreciated nor should it be taken too seriously.  The same rings true with beer.  This is why I love good beer.

Cheers,

Erik