The history of Chuck, so far

In 2012, on a tour of Belgium with a group of fellow cyclists, I was fortunate enough to visit one of brewing’s holiest sites, the abbey of Saint Sixtus of Westvleteren in Flanders. Some 30 monks live here, praying, meditating and producing Westvleteren 12, a Trappist ale that’s widely considered the best beer in the world. That tasting was certainly the apex so far in a beer-chasing journey that began in 1965, shortly after I graduated from high school in Belleville, Ill. Though Budweiser and Busch were the dominant beers in that market, I also often quaffed such regional brands as Stag, Falstaff and Sterling during a couple of “Animal House” style years in college. Then, in 1968, I enlisted in the Air Force and over the next eight years served in munitions supply and sampled beers in a variety of locales – including Coors, Hamm’s and Olympia in Colorado; Pearl and Lone Star in Texas;  and Tiger, 33, Singhai and San Miguel at several bases in Southeast Asia. When the Craft Beer Revolution began, I enlisted in that as well. Those experiences prepared me for my dream assignment – “dean” of Brew U, a monthly feature in the Savannah Morning News that discussed, sampled and recommended distinctive styles and varieties of craft beer. Sadly, after a run of a couple of years, someone at corporate apparently realized, “OMG, we’re paying this guy to drink beer,” and that gig came to a end. Still, I love to talk about beer, and can often be found standing in the aisle at Habersham Beverage, or leaning on the counter at The Beer Growler, pondering the ever-increasing choices that are now available. Questions? Comments? Drop me a line at cyclechuck@comcast.net.