Preface

This is not the book that I thought it was going to be.

Some while ago I started writing a book with the word “God” in the title. It wasn't really about beer. It wasn't really about God. It was rather more to do with me. Call it what you will. Midlife crisis? Narcissism? Writing therapy?

Whichever it was, or whether it was something entirely different, it clearly wasn't the right book. And, yet, there was a message in that manuscript that I felt I needed to put into the world.

Which is when Kirk Jensen called. I had worked with him on my first beer book.^[1] I told him that I had a manuscript that was fundamentally autobiographical. I said it was part beer, part spirituality. I said I was feeling uncertain about it. He was keen to see what might evolve from the idea.

Which is how we arrived at what you have in your hands. It is indeed a book about beer, albeit perhaps one that comes to the subject from a somewhat unusual, even obtuse angle. And yet, egotistically perhaps, it is also a somewhat personal perspective. To a large extent I have employed endnotes to collect many of these nostalgic ramblings, so that they do not detract from the hoped-for flow of the main text. However, perhaps the perusal of those notes might just strike a chord with the reader. The endnotes are also intended as a repository of other facts, figures, and clarifications (and I see that I have already used my first endnote). I do realize that many people studiously avoid endnotes, but I really do encourage you to read mine, for there is more than the occasional take-home message there. And some of them may even make you smile.

People often ask me how I find the time to write so much.^[2] The answer is that, of course, I enjoy it, and that is nine parts of achieving anything. The other reason of course is that I am blessed—not to have talent, but rather to have the most beautiful wife, Diane. I have known her since February 12, 1972, and we have been married since October 9, 1976.^[3] she is the heart of our growing family in every respect. Without her I would not be who I am today, she is the one who should really write a book about God.

In writing this book I am grateful to a number of people, not least Kirk Jensen for his steady and forthright guidance. I also acknowledge Larry Nelson, the indefatigable editor of the Brewers Guardian, in whose pages over the years I have developed many of the ideas that are built upon in this book.