Confessions of a Beer Chick

Posted by Angie Rayfield May 26, 2007

I used to drink beer only as a last resort, when the money ran out before the month did. It didn’t matter what kind, because it’s all nasty. (I suppose drinking Mickey’s or Buckhorn could account for that.) I didn’t know the difference between a lager, an ale, a stout or a porter. I didn’t even know they existed!

You’d think I’d have been a beer drinker if only for the memories associated with beer. It seemed like such an adult drink. There was always a six-pack of Budweiser in our refrigerator, and my brother and I would fight over who would take one to Dad when he got home. And I envied my older cousins when they were allowed to have a beer with the grown-ups. I could hardly wait to be a grown-up, too.

But the problem is, even after I was old enough to drink, I didn’t like beer. I drank cheap wine, cheap whiskey, cheap gin, cheap vodka, but only fell back on cheap beer when I was broke. Even after I got out of school and had a real job, though, I found out that it was a case of champagne taste and beer budget all the way.

Then my brother went to work for a local brewpub. When he was working, I usually ate and drank cheap or even free, as long as I was drinking their beer – and telling other patrons how good it was. But it’s not very convincing if you grimace every time you take a drink, so my brother would toss a dash of Chambord into the palest ale on tap so I wouldn’t make faces.

Eventually, I got curious about the other beers. Luckily, I was with true beer fanatics, who felt it was their mission to enlighten the rest of us. They didn’t mind when I asked questions. Is there really a difference between those beers? Why are they different colors? Why does the porter taste like used motor oil? My gurus patiently answered them all.

More importantly, they encouraged me to taste and compare beers, and therein lies the secret of becoming a beer chick. There are so many varieties that it’s hard to imagine that it would be impossible to find something you like. Many restaurants now feature micro-brews, macro-brews, and local brewers, making it easy to try something new. Most beer bars and brew pubs are glad to let you try a taster glass or two.

Make friends with the bartenders. A good bartender is a fantastic resource; he or she will be able to find out what you like and make suggestions. And good beers are relatively inexpensive. A six-pack is not a budget breaker. If you hate the idea of wasting a beer you don’t like, find some friends and arrange a swap – trading out a few bottles makes it even easier to try something new.

Since discovering the pleasures of beer, you won’t open my refrigerator without finding a six-pack. Or two. But while I’m a micro-brew fan, I’m not a beer snob, happy only with obscure libations. That beer might well be Budweiser, although it could be Boulevard or Flat Tire. But it won’t be Buckhorn.