A perfect pairing for hops lovers

On Sunday evening, my wife Kris and I enjoyed one of our favorite meals - a delicious pork tenderloin stuffed with spinach, feta cheese, and basil pesto, topped with herbed diced tomatoes. Kris is a phenomenal cook, so this is just one of many excellent meals that are mainstays in our dining rotation. On the side, we had rice pilaf, although parmesan risotto also goes great with the pork.

I knew that a crisp beer with a big hop profile would stand up to the rich and bold array of the flavors in the meal. So I chose Stone IPA to enjoy with dinner, and it was a very good decision. Stone IPA is a world-class IPA with huge citrus, grapefruit and pine hop flavors - my favorite type of IPA. The hop flavors cut through richness of the feta, pesto and pork, and provided a clean finish to each delicious bite. I savored every bite and sip to the very end.

Any top-notch American IPA with a similar hop profile, such as Odell and Avery, would do just fine paired with this meal. Other beer styles I would suggest to try with it include a Belgian IPA, trippel, golden ale or saison.

Welcome Beer Lovers!

Mmmmmm.....Craft Beer.....

For those who know me well, starting this blog is long overdue. Put simply,  exploring craft beer has been a passion of mine for virtually all of my adult life. I've created this blog to share with others my passion, knowledge, musings, and opinions on pretty much everything craft beer.

So what started me down this path so many years ago? I think it was a combination of friends introducing me to a wide variety of craft beers and styles in my college years, and a palate that was ready to be shaped and molded to appreciate such intriguing flavors. When I graduated from Michigan State and moved to Cheyenne at age 22, I was excited to discover the Colorado craft beer scene with a completely open mind. I was like a sponge, quickly soaking up knowledge and appreciation of all the different beers and styles I experienced.

I've homebrewed a bit as well, which has also given me an understanding and appreciation of the ingredients and process of brewing. On my honeymoon in 2011, I was lucky enough to experience the beer cultures of Belgium and Germany, arguably the two most historic and amazing beer cultures in the world.

What you, as an interested reader, can expect to find on this blog: Posts about brewery or taproom experiences, beer reviews, beer bar reviews, and anything else I may want to share with you. In exchange, I'd love your feedback or comments, and for you to share this with anyone else who may be interested.

I'm of the belief that life is too short to drink crappy beer. Sure, drink what you like, but why limit yourself to what you know? The craft brewing revolution is upon us, and local and regional breweries everywhere are giving us choices and selection of styles we've never had before. Not on this scale, at least. So read along as I discuss Everything Craft Beer!