Puritan Pub

This should be a no brainer, you shouldn’t drive a car, steam roller or 747 if you’ve been drinking. I would add to that list any correspondence to your wife from another city.

Now I can’t prove that the following letter was written under the influence; we need to keep in mind that it has been translated from German into English. We shouldn’t forget that is was written nearly 500 years ago and idioms and terms of endearment have evolved since then. We should also keep in mind, however, that this was Dr. Luther. When the church needed a stubborn, pig headed wild boar to rescue the Gospel, God in his mercy and providence sent Dr. Martin Luther - he was no diplomat, he was far from irenic but he was the man for the moment.

The following is a revealing letter describing his love of good beer, good wine and his good woman, Katie - his brewster, his pretty lady… his lord?

To my kind, dear lord, Lady Catherine von Bora, Mrs. Doctor Luther, at Wittenberg

Grace and peace in Christ! Dear Sir Katie! I know of nothing to write to you since Master Philip, together with the others, is coming home. I have to remain here longer for the devout Sovereign’s sake. You might wonder how long I shall remain here, or how you might set me free. I think that Master Francis will set me free, just as I freed him—but not so soon.

Yesterday I drank something which did not agree with me, so that I had to sing: If I don’t drink well I have to suffer, and [yet] I do like to do it. I said to myself what good wine and beer I have at home, and also [what] a pretty lady or (should I say) lord. You would do well to ship the whole cellar full of my wine and a bottle of your beer to me here, as soon as you are able; otherwise I will not be able to return home because of the new beer.

With this I commend you to God, together with our young ones and all the members of our household. Amen.

July 29, 1534
The Man whom you Love
Martin Luther, Doctor

Innis & Gunn is brewed in Scotland and is an English style Pale Ale .

Before I begin I just want a few things on the record. First, I’m not a beer or whiskey tasting professional and would never pretend to be and second, take what I’m posting as a friendly suggestion and nothing more. I’m not a whiskey or beer snob, just a guy who likes good tasting [insert beverage here] like the rest of you.

A couple of years ago I accidentally picked up a bottle of blended Scotch whiskey by Grant’s called “Ale Cask Reserve.” It was whiskey that had been aged in ale casks taking hints of the ale to flavor the whiskey, to sum it up in a word it’s AMAZING! Ever since then I’ve been interested in the cross flavorings produced by adding a shade of one or the other through the aging process and enjoy tasting the exchange of flavors produced. This mistake [or act of Divine Providence] has opened up a flavour filled world, and eventually to a wonderful tasting beer called “Innis & Gunn.”

I love everything about this beer from its amber brown color to the light lacey head it leaves in the glass after sipping. The almost palatable smell is sweet and of light smoke, wood and malt. Very complex. I always remember to inhale deeply before I sip. One review describes its nose as “fire, incense” and “vanilla, pears” which only points out how distinct and intricate this beer truly is. As the honey color liquid crosses your lips you’ll notice it’s surprisingly light in carbonation and very, very smooth. You can definitely taste the oak casks it was aged in. At first bitingly strong it mellows out into a caramel or toffee, maybe even butterscotch? I can’t put my finger on it. It’s easy to drink and a real treat. Innis & Gunn is expensive costing me, when I can get it, $3.25 a bottle but worth every cent.

There is no doubt this is a strong beer weighting in at 6.6%, full of body and attitude, the whiskey drinker will feel at home with a few of these in the cellar. A warning goes out to the average drinker, drinking average brew: You might find the whiskey hint a bit of a challenge but overall it is a smooth and clean drinking ale, and slightly deceptive. The alcohol level is high and will creep up on you.

http://www.innisandgunn.com/

Jason

I will give you a brief testimony of my launch into Beer Snobbery. I grew up in mildly fundamentalist denominations, wherein it was a great sin to be frowned upon when imbibing oneself with an “adult” beverage. I, myself, fell sway to this thinking in my early days of fiery devotion to the much misperceived notions of holiness and separation found in most fundamentalist circles.

For what it’s worth, I hold many of my former fellows church members and many of the ministers of my early days in high esteem, and no doubt believe that, in many ways, they are much holier men than myself. Nonetheless, I believe them to be adamantly wrong and verging on pharisaical hypocrisy in regard to the Christian’s participation with things indifferent.

So, back to the story. When I embraced the Doctrines of Grace, I began to see the vast amount of inconsistencies in my other practices. One of those being the denouncement of any type of alcoholic consumption. Not long thereafter, I repented of this error, and whilst remaining a teetotaler myself, did not seek to bind others’ consciences concerning the matter. My experience with alcohol early in life was very minuscule, but the few exposures I did have to it, I remember well.

I recall a humorous story that happened years upon years earlier, wherein there was some sweet strawberry wine at my grandmother’s house. I was not yet five years old, and I remember saying to my Dad, “Daddy, can I have some of that kool aid?” He graciously agreed. Now, I don’t know if I was unusually hyper that day, and he was seeking to help me wind down and possibly take a nap, but I remember that small glass of kool aid being the most delightfully refreshing sort I had up to that point of my young life. I sure “felt” happy about it .

Another instance I recall was going to dinner with my dad’s side of the family one time, and tasting my cousin’s beer. I was probably around seven or eight years old. Anyway, I distinctly remember the restaurant being shaped in a boat like fashion, so I’m pretty sure this was sea-food. I remember not liking the taste of that beer. It smelled badly too. Other things I recall that gave me a negative impression of Beer were the countless times of going to Ball Games wherein men who lacked class would imbibe to the point of drunkenness and ruin the spectating for everyone.

Well, as of several years ago, understanding my new found liberty in Christ, I began to indulge a bit with the consumption of alcoholic beverages. I remember having a few strawberry daiquiris and trying some of the various coolers out there: Mike’s Hard Lemonade, Zima, Jack Daniel’s Country Cocktails, etc. I particularly liked the Smirnoff Ice beverage (at that time). I stayed away from beer because of bad experiences I’d had around it.

Finally, I branched out and tried some MGD (Miller Genuine Draft). Yes, I know, it’s pretty sad. I cut my beer loving teeth on MGD. I was not a beer snob, but I don’t know if I was a beer slob either. For example, I didn’t care for Budweiser, Bud, Miller Lite, Coors, etc. MGD seemed to be my beer of choice, but it was all due to lack of exposure. I didn’t know what an Ale was! I didn’t know what a dark beer was. I was severely limited! All that changed when I began to have the courage to drink … in public (GASP!).

Yes, I was at this favorite little Mexican joint of mine and MGD was not available. I panicked. Would I resort to Miller Lite, or Budweiser?! MAY IT NEVER BE SO!!!! There was something on draft that I didn’t recognize. To be honest, I wasn’t even sure it was a beer. The server said, “It’s Amber Bock. It’s a dark beer.” Alas! my relationship with a decent beer began! Since that first Michelob Amber Bock, to my remembrance, I’ve not paid for a cheap lite lager or beer. Amber Bock only got me started.

I think I have now been cured of my beer slobbery, whereas before I sneered and scoffed at the beer snobs that so arrogantly disdained my choices on a certain Message Board at which I frequently posted. Now, I join them. I call all the cheep beers and lagers “expensive water.” Every time I’m out I implore those who drink such to repent and move on to better, darker, more flavorful beers. I beg them to not spend money on water! O! the injustice! I think the love of “expensive water” around my parts is a cultural thing.

Many around my parts drink for the express purpose of getting drunk. Thus, they don’t care the means by which they get themselves to such a drunken stupor. So they indulge (if it can be called that) in garbagy drinks that render them foolish, rude, and obscene. To them, a weekend is not good unless it’s spent in drunken revelry that they can’t even rightly remember. This is a problem, of course.

It is my opinion that if one would began to appreciate the darker, classier beers, they would appreciate the taste more than the effect. Don’t misunderstand me, there will still be a nice effect; however, the fun in enjoying a beer is also derived from appreciating its taste. I’ve gone from Amber Bock to other exciting beers of repute. Now, I still have a lot of growing to do, but I am quite limited due to my geographic constraints. So the selections of beer that I remember, and to which I can give my hearty approval are as follows:

New Castle Brown Ale (my favorite!), New Beglium Fat Tire, New Belgium 1554, McCewan’s Scotch Ale, Ayinger Celebrators, Michelob Amber Bock, Shiner Bock, Guinness, etc.

Please remember this 13th Century Law from the City of Augsburg:

• The selling of bad beer is a crime against Christian love. — Law, the City of Augsburg, 13th Century