Another Glass of Grace
Give up beer for Lent? I've never really understood that one. If you drink to excess, or if beer otherwise hinders your relationship with God, sure. But to give it up like one gives up candy? That, I don't understand. Beer is a path to truth. When we drink, the ego shrinks and we stop seeing things through the distorting prism of self. When the prism breaks apart, we see things as they really are, and we see that they are good. Because they are created by the Good. Of course, excess beer can bring about a more severe distorting prism, but if you avoid the excess, I'm not sure why a person would want to give up such grace-filled serum for 40 days. If Lenten beer abstention works for you, that's all that counts, but for me, I need a few beers or glasses of wine now and then. It helps get me focused properly. Without it, life is too intense. And "focus" and "intensity" aren't the same thing. In fact, in this context, they're opposites. * * * * * * * Barley Rising. Another reason not to give up beer for Lent: By the time you get back into the drinking games, beer prices will have risen. Well, not really, but they are going to start rising next year due to increased barley costs. Russia, Canada, and Australia have had barley crop disasters. Barley is already the second-biggest cost, after labor, for some brewers, so the increased cost will be felt. My advice: Drink to excess now, until you're forced to join AA. Spend 2012 (the long-dreaded 2012) in de-tox, away from the crashing world economy. When you come out, you'll feel better and the world economy should have started to recover for real from its debt-fueled debacle. * * * * * * * Entrepreneurship at its Best. Filling customer needs and wants: The rise of the nanobrewery. It's a neat story. Guys are starting their own business, one barrel at a time. The guy featured in this story is trying to get his business off the ground with little debt and lots of elbow grease: He does everything himself and by hand, including delivering the sixtel kegs in his yellow Jeep. He even makes the tap handles, using unfinished chair legs. His stuff is apparently pretty good. Demand is already out-stripping supply, and I'm guessing it's a common story. Nanobreweries are popping up like dandelions across the United States, and I doubt people would be doing it if the pursuit wasn't awfully satisfying somehow. And let's face it, profits are what satisfy most people. I think it's a great thing, and I'm stunned that the state liquor control laws aren't doing a more Fascistic job of squelching 'em. I'm not sure what Michigan says about nanobreweries, but I bet the licensing process takes at least a year.
