Rare

For those of you not up to date with the current beer scene, I'll let you in on a little secret... it is all about stocking your cellar with limited release, barrel-aged, high ABV beers, with prices that could have bought you a decent pair of shoes or an hour-long thai massage. Sure, we may be straying away from the trend of drinking quality accessible beers at reasonable prices, to trading for four year old barley-wines at 11% ABV to complete a vertical (collecting the beer, usually only released once a year, and then opening the collection at one time to compare each year), but that is the fun of the game!! Being able to flaunt your spreadsheet of rare cellared beers only to be opened on a special occasion, or a really bad day, is part of the commitment to joining the 'beer community'. Don't get me wrong, a good beer is a good beer, regardless of price, style, or brewery. Just because there is a lot of hype, the beer is hard to get, and probably cost more than my dinner, does not mean it is going to be worth the trouble either, but maybe it is! I'll take my chances and drink the $50 bottle of Bourbon County Stout 'Rare' . The perfect way to end/begin a Saturday night if you ask me.

We have not had time to go on any fun beer trips lately, but don't worry, we have been drinking plenty of tasty brews. Austin is a great trader, sending local California beers to people across the country that he has met through the beer forum Beer Advocate, in return for equally good beers that are not distributed to our area. Last night we enjoyed a Cantillon Rose De Gambrinus after our hike in Malibu. We decided if a Tsunami was going to hit, we were going be high up on the mountain watching it. Thankfully, my Aunt and Uncle, who live in Japan, were not effected by the Tsunami, but my thoughts go out to all of those that were!

Wishing my parents a happy weekend in Charleston celebrating the final payment of our house (yes, I plan on inheriting it in the future, and I am grateful they went ahead and paid it off before that day!) In all seriousness, I am very happy for them and glad they are able to spend the weekend somewhere fun. I wish I was with them, drinking some local beers of course!

In other news, Austin is off to visit his brothers in Boston and New York City next weekend for a week during his spring break. I am meeting him for a few days in NYC. I am very excited to eat at his brother and sister-and-law's restaurant Peels. Thanks again, Preston and Ginger, for letting us stay at y'alls house. I am sure I will have lots of fun events, beer and non-beer related, to blog about. Until then, I've got Rare on my mind.