A Hops and Chops Night Out

Guess what??? Last week Mr. Chops and I were invited to a regularly scheduled meeting of the oldest beer club in New England! Many beer brewing heavy hitters were there. The night was peppered with lively banter, biting sarcasm, sharp wit and many insightful observations on beer. We tasted a bunch of different beers, mostly brewed by people in attendance. It was fascinating to compare beers of the same style brewed with different yeasts or the same beer brewed by two different people or under slightly different conditions. There was also a very lively discussion regarding the Brooklyn-Schneider hopfen weiss, the Schneider-Brooklyn hopfen weiss, and the clone brew brewed by an attendee designed after the same recipe. I am sure Hans-Peter Drexler's and Garret Oliver's ears were burning! In the end, I can't decide what was more fun- meeting all the characters present, or getting a chance to discuss beer with such a knowledgeable and accomplished group of beer enthusiasts.