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A Misfit's Reflection on the World Around Him and Something About Beer.

Friday, February 24, 2012

A Most Distinguished Lover of Ales; also... Chainsaw Beer?

So, it’s been awhile since my post about Morrissey and his favorite Beer… and I have yet to confirm directly from the singer what his favorite Beer is… anyway, I thought about who else in my geekworldparadigm I could do some research on and find out what their favorite Beer (or style) was.
 
Tolkien's famous "Bird and Baby" haunt.
           
I made myself a list of who I wanted to discover this fact about, and the best info I got (without spending hours hunting tiny details from a plethora of sources) was in relation to JRR Tolkien. While I found no definitive answer it was still fair to infer, from what I read about his “Beer and Beowulf Sessions” and from his own writings, that Tolkien’s preferred beverages were likely to be Porters or, more broadly, English Ales. (here's a blog post devoted to Tolkien's love of Beer.)

Photo/Article: http://www.geekosystem.com
I discovered during this research that Studio Ghibli has its own Beer: Kaze no Tani, available at the Ghibli Museum. I love the labeling. This Amber Ale pays Homage first and foremost to “Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind”, with visual references also to other Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli films. You know, right, that I love these movies?

Apparently, according to answers he gave during a press interview session, Bruce Campbell “…gave up beer... I was only using it to wash my tequila down.” Maybe I’ll brew a Bruce Campbell inspired Beer with Tequila thrown somewhere into the process… and Chainsaw Bar and ChainLubricant.



Is it easy to discover these Beer preferences? Not unless you have the opportunity to ask these people personally or hang with them enough to notice their drinking tendencies, at which point the triviality of posting it to a blog becomes kind of pointless, eh? “Hey, Sam, I just blogged about what Beer you like best.” Sam: “Uh, why?” “Um, dunno, I guess…” If I spent hours poring over a long list of published articles and reports about the people who inspire and entertain me, I could probably discover a lot more… but that means hours on end of repetitive biographical information, filmographies/discographies, and irrelevant social media references that I don’t need to see. Really.

Most media reports about well-known folk merely mention a type of alcoholic beverage being consumed (beer, wine, whiskey, etc.) but rarely the type or brand. Particularly Beer, however, as it is still seen by the general public as a beverage for average Joe with no complexity, sophistication, or culinary value… ah, (sigh), to each their own, eh? People who drink what is now widely referred to as Craft Beer are often seen as “Elitists” and “Snobs” and tend to be dismissed as inconsequential fad followers. I guess I belong to this group.

So, for now I think I have sated my interest in “What Beers my Favorite Famous Folk Drink”, and if I discover something cool… I’ll mention it. Don’t expect me to go too far out of my way to look it up.

Cheers!

 
From Brewpublic: Slayer's Kerry King with a Ninkasi Sleigh'r Alt