Pursuit of Hoppiness

Thomas Jefferson, keeping in line with his political ideals defined before his day by John Locke, wrote of natural rights.  Natural rights for mankind was a fairly radical notion given that the monarch in Britain defined his or her power and authority from "divine right."  God ordained it.  In writing the "Declaration of Independence," Jefferson had the audacity to say that all of mankind held rights "endowed by their creator," those being "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."  These rights were "unalienable," meaning the crown nor any form of government could not stand in their way.

The Average Guy takes rights such as these seriously to the point that if I were sitting at Jefferson's side at that point in history, I'd say, "Hey Tommy, consider this to the old list, 'the pursuit of hoppiness.'"* Thomas, it is worth pointing out, was a wine person and credited with the creation of American wines by grafting wine branches from France and taking them to Monticello.  So it is logical then that he would have gladly taken craft beer as a worthy pursuit.

Hops were substituted as a key ingredient in beer by the Germans about 500 years ago.... so says Bill Hardy, master brewer and grand proprietor of the Yellow House Canyon Brew Supply store in Lubbock.  As he notes, it took the place of some rather unseemly ingredients, and as the Germans hold the ingredients into what can define a beverage as a "beer," hops have become that main ingredient.  Hops give it the "bitterness" factor and, as some claim, the mellowing factor of a beer (it's not just the alcohol).

Pale ales are beers dedicated to hops.  The IPA, the current rage, is an especially hoppy beer that measures high on the hops' richter scale, called the IBU.  Pale ales in general have a high hope factor.  Two that Average Guy has tried recently are Shiner's Wild Hare Pale Ale and Mirror Pond Pale Ale.

Shiner is so proud of its Wild Hare that it has a website dedicated strictly to it.  Not a fan of overly hopped beers myself, I did enjoy the Wild Hare as it toned down the hoppy tradition of a pale ale as you can see in the specifications of its beer.  Mirror Pond has a distinguished hoppy flavor beyond my taste buds, but I think the fan of a pale ale and its hops will enjoy it.  Shiner calls its pale ale a "classic American pale ale" while Mirror Pond, brewed in Idaho at the Deschutes Brewery, refers to itself as a classic northwest pale ale. 

Neither come close to the rabid hops of an IPA which I tend to avoid, but I will give in eventually in order  to provide you with wise words of counsel when it comes to beers. 

Try either of these two beers if they are available.  Remember, it is a God-given right when it comes to the "pursuit of hoppiness" in 'Merica, by gawd.

*Editor's note - It is worth pointing out that Pursuit of Hoppiness is a beer brewed by the Grand Teton Brewery in Victor, Idaho which I learned as I was typing this.  This is meant as an acknowledgement of their trademark and not a review of their beer.