Remembrance ~ Beer Geek Style

So I’m sitting in my La-Z-Boy last night drinking a Terrapin Rye Squared and re-watching the first Fire Bike episode from American Chopper Season 1 (on DVD). As it always does, my mind turned to beer. This year, 2010, marks nine years after the tragedy of September 11, 2001 and this year of 2010 on September 11th the Treasure Coast will be hosting its 3rd Annual Beer Fest. Some may call it sacrilege, insulting, dishonorable and so forth, but I think I’d call it just right. Last year on September 11th 2009, I was in Chicago attending my Professional Beer Styles and Tasting course at the Siebel Institute of Technology and World Brewing Academy. In honest admittance, it didn’t hit me the significance of what day it was until one of my classmates mentioned it in the early morning hours. We all held a moment of silence…and then life went on and we resumed our beery studies. Personally, I can’t think of a better way to honor the lives of those lost that day, those still suffering, and those still struggling than by living my life to the best of my beery ability. I will never forget, but neither will I wallow in one place. It is because I live in the lovingly dysfunctional USofA that I am freely able to put these feelings of mine on paper and online for all to read and ruminate on. A freedom hundreds of millions the world over do not enjoy.

Life is what I make of it.

For as long as mankind has been consciously cognizant, we have communed around beer. As I did once before in the Windy City, so too shall I commune this year with my fellow women and men of the Treasure Coast. My hearth. My heart. My home. To you, to me, to all may good will and community prosper. With glass in hand, arms entwined, and smiles adorned, Prosit!

(an original written work by Kristyn Lier. plagiarism is not tolerated)