Is There a Heaven For Beer Drinkers?

Well if there is a heaven for beer lovers then it is a magical place where the beer changes to fit each person's individual palate, presenting the perfect taste and consistency for that moment in time. Changing to create the perfect fusion of mood, food, climate and beer. Unfortunately a place serving such a beer does not exist on this lowly planet. There are however places that can only be described as outposts of beer heaven. Places where mere mortals labor in the world of beer to produce or serve the pinnacles of brewing. Beers that exceed all reasonable expectations for beers of that type and leave your mouth dying for another taste. Beers whose flavor and texture leaves a lingering imprint on your mind for years to come. I have been to three such places and many more poor imitations. Yesterday I drove up through the snow in Maine to reach Ebenezer's Pub.

Is there a Holy Grail of Beer? I would say there is not. I mean no two beer drinkers have the same palate. For example, my dad doesn't like heavy beers. He likes good beer. But I have tried several of the mostly highly regarded beers (among the beer drinkers world) on him and he just kinda makes a face and says "Not bad, but not for me." So with him I took a different tack. I have been plying him with the better rated beers in specific types that appeal to him, and this has worked out quite well. However this means that my "Holy Grail" would be nearly undrinkable for my father, and his would just crack my rotation as a refreshing summer beer.

Keeping that in mind, if there was a Holy Grail of beer you would find it at Ebenezer's Pub in Lovell, ME. Chris and Jeni, the proprietors have created a bar that is truly amazing. With 35 taps serving a crazy variety of always great and often incredible beers from around the world. The tap selection is fantastic but it is quite literally overshadowed by the unbelievable bottle selection. Chris has put together an absolutely unparalleled collection of rare and vintage beers. Stuff you just can't find anywhere else.

Well this is the part where I come in. Chris loves beer from a brewery in Santa Rosa, CA, Russian River. (As do I. It is another outpost of beer heaven, but it is one that will have to be addressed in a later post.) I recently made a trip to California and brought back some beer from Russian River. That is not as easy as it sounds, I brought back 19 bottles and they were all wine bottle sized. Bubble wrap and my clothes sufficed to keep them whole in my checked luggage despite my concerns. Both bags were nearly overweight, but not by much and the woman who checked me in didn't look at the scale.

In any case, yesterday I drove up to Ebenezer's to bring Chris the beer I brought across the country for him. And he was stoked. He drooled over the beer for a bit, and then we went into the bar and hung out drinking some of his excellent beer for a few hours. He fired up the deep fryer and we ate a medley of fried chicken parts to soak up the alcohol. Despite that I had to hang out for another hour or so 'til I was good to drive back to Portland through the snow.

We had some Struise Earthmonk, Port Brewing Hop-15, Struise Black Albert, and Lost Abbey Judgment Day.

Another fantastic journey into the woods to visit the man who would guard the Holy Grail of Beer if there was such a thing.