Beer

See also: The Beer Review

Beer is one of the great things in life. There is much to be said on this subject, but first the warning. Beer is like peanut butter. Some people like it, some people don't. Some people might like it if they tried the right kind, other people will never like it. For some people it is poison and should be avoided at all costs. As with peanut butter, it is the ingredient list that makes it dangerous to some. If you are an alcoholic then it is poison for you. Nobody should consume poison.

Beer traces its history back to at least ancient Sumeria where the controlling parties were alloted a certain portion of beer and just to give the illusion of fairness also allocated portions to lesser classes, albeit smaller portions. It is theorized that beer was one of the most important forces causing the development of agriculture and through agriculture all of human culture and society. Some may argue that food is more important than beer, but the beer of that time was unfiltered and high in nutrient content. As such, beer was food and because of the breakdown of sugars even more easily digested than the possible counterparts. Basically they smashed grain and added water and sometimes flavor and gave it time and viola, they had a substance much more appealing than the other possibilities that grain offered for a comparable amount of work.

Yeast of course is what makes bread so special and yeast is also what makes beer. Its this common purpose and ingredient which makes beer so attractive, but left alone in the right circumstances grain cannot not become bread and will become beer.

In the middle ages beer and bread with butter was sufficient to be a meal. Beer was still of course a nutritious substance and butter was more of a lard mix with goodies left over from cooking mixed in. Combine that with whole grain bread and you can see how it could satisfy most of a person's need for nutrition.

Beer has been developed far beyond its beginnings, in some ways it has lost its purpose but in others it far exceeds the drink of yesteryear.

I have this advice: If you think you might like beer but find the common watery variety unappealing try these:

• Guinness - This is a thick very dark beverage with a strong malty flavor and not a lot of bitterness. This is about as thick of a beer as you are likely to find at a local convenience store or pub.
• McEwans Scotch Ale - Just about as dark and malty as Guinness, maybe even maltier but it is a little more mellow and better from the bottle. If you don't like bitter drinks but like rich ones, this might be for you.
• Grasshopper wheat ale - Unfiltered and very tasty, but not dark at all. It is quite good with fish or other light flavored meat dishes or with a salad.
• Warthog - an ugly name, but beautiful beer, it is a darker ale and also very very good (and produced by the same people who make Grasshopper.)
• Bass Pale Ale - This is one of the greats and it will tell you what a pale ale is supposed to taste like. This is a beer that is refreshing and that you won't regret trying. If I have to pick a favorite (and I hope I don't) this one might be it.

"Wait! What does this have to do with religion?" I can almost hear you say. Well, beer is NOT religion but it causes a lot of division in churches. I submit that it is reasonable to consider

1 Corinthians - Chapter 10:

1Cr 10:31 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?

1Cr 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

1Cr 10:32 Give none offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:

Also Romans, Chapter 14:

Rom 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, [but] not to doubtful disputations.

Rom 14:2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

Rom 14:3 Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not; and let not him which eateth not judge him that eateth: for God hath received him.

Rom 14:4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.

Rom 14:5 One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day [alike]. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind.

Rom 14:6 He that regardeth the day, regardeth [it] unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard [it]. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.

... Rom 14:21 [It is] good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor [any thing] whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

Rom 14:22 Hast thou faith? have [it] to thyself before God. Happy [is] he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.

Rom 14:23 And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because [he eateth] not of faith: for whatsoever [is] not of faith is sin.

There are also a variety of verses which allow for some consumption of wine, also alcoholic. None of these verses endorse or even allow for drunkenness but they do seem to indicate that it is not for someone to judge another's spirituality based on what they do or do not eat and drink.

Note that this also does not mean that you are free to drink alcoholic beverages without regard:

1Cr 8:9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that are weak.

If I should feel so compelled I would rather never drink beer again rather than miss the life and blessings which God wants to bless me with.

All that said, I do think that there is a chance that one of these days that Jesus will join me for Bar-B-Que and beer on the beach. Eternity is a long time, and I hope for the chance to enjoy these things with the man who is also God and who made it possible for me to know and be righteous before God. I would not want to presume that I know what is planned for eternity, still, it sounds good to me.