Tim’s Path to Craft Beer
Family Background
Growing up my dad was a Keystone Light kinda guy. He always drank cans and he always had a koozie.
As the years went by, he slowly shifted to Miller Light bottles. Maybe it was a sign that we were moving from middle class to upper middle class. Maybe he just learned that beer could have a least of semblance of flavor.
It’s important to note that while my dad still drinks Miller Light, he does own a Mother’s growler and is a fan of Three Blind Mice. We’ll take the small victories wherever we can.
Turning 21
My first beer on my 21st birthday was a Miller Light. In a classic American story, my father’s tastes became my own. I bought a 6 pack of Miller that week and just assumed I would always have a 6 in my fridge.
A close friend of mine turned my on to Michelob Amber Bock, and the seed for drinking better beer (however slightly) was born.
The First Craft Beer
With over 6 months of beer drinking under my belt, fall was turning to winter. I’m not sure where I had my first Winter Grind, but it must have been The Outland. I wasn’t a coffee drinker, so I was shocked by how much I liked Winter Grind. It was rich and deep in a way that I didn’t know beer could be. The flavor was outstanding.
Drinking a Winter Grind today still leaves me with nostalgic feelings from that first winter of craft beer.
Dive into Dark
After Winter Grind was no longer available, I started drinking Three Blind Mice. Then I tried the different Porters and Stouts I could find. Founder’s Porter became a staple in my fridge.
I once again found myself in a place where I thought I was a certain type of beer drinker. I like dark beer. I was cautious of hops. Who wants something that bitter anyway?
Summer Beers
I know it’s silly, but my friends and I were really into O’Fallon Weach in the summer. This desire for a refreshing but flavorful summer beer lead us straight to Sandy Wheat. This is still one of my favorite beers that Mother’s makes. It also made me realize that hops aren’t an enemy, but a fair maiden to court.
You know where my experimentation with hops lead me to next… Lil’ Helper became a gateway to IPAs. It’s truly a magical thing to be able to get an IPA on tap almost anywhere in town before the style became popular. A solid 7% APV meant that two beers at dinner left you much happier than your buddies drinking Bud Light.
All Craft Beer
After you catch the IPA bug, all craft beer opens up to you. I dove into everything Mother’s put out, trying every single bomber I found at the Derby. I was excited each time a new other was announced.
I also started trying some of the incredible breweries that we get distributed in Springfield. Odell, Boulevard, Schlafly, Stone, Unibroue, Founders, Bells, and the list goes on.
Mother’s Matters
I was lucky to find craft beer in a town that tends to be behind the cultural trends of seemingly cooler places. Mother’s opened it’s doors a little less than a year before I came of age. They are the reason I found craft beer. I still support them to this day. I try every new beer. I’ll spend a Saturday afternoon at the tasting room. I talk to my friends about their new packaging or about the upcoming events they are hosting. Mother’s matters to me in a way that I didn’t realize when I started this short project.
I love craft beer. I love Mother’s Brewing Company.
Mother’s Allstars
Super Doozy
My favorite Mother’s beer by far. I love big IPAs, and I love a hint of oak in my big IPAs even more.
Di’Lila
A little hop, little wheat, little tea, and a lot of booze. Awesome.
Raspberry Three Blind Mice
Another big and well balanced beer. Sweet raspberry mixes perfectly with Mother’s well known boozy brown.
Winter Grind
The beer that started it all for me. Lot’s of coffee flavor bursting through every sip.
My test photo to be a Mother’s Beer Model – 2013
I kid. A candid shot from a show at The High Life.
