Most true beer aficionados usually end up taking a “Pilgrimage.” This means they’ve gone beyond apprenticeship and journeyman status to a deep understanding of beer. It doesn’t matter (in my observation) whether you are a “Craft Beer” drinker or a “Big Beer” drinker. This person has done their research and understands the beer, both from a style and a production perspective. This concept applies whether or not you are in the beer industry. The Beer Pilgrimage applies to both Professionals and Amateurs.
You can easily recognize them. They are the ones who smell the beer before they take their first sip. Then they talk about it–the style, where it’s made, whether it’s good.
Let’s say, for example, you’ve decided to take your local brewpub’s tour because you get beer at the end. Maybe your “Beer Geek” friend recommended it. Come to find out, they are the aficionado in your group holding up the line. You can’t get your beer because they are asking too many questions. You are witnessing a “Beer Pilgrimage,” or the beginning of one.
Here are the different levels of “Beer Pilgrimages.”
#1 – The “I Love My Beer” Level. This is your Beer Apprentice. They know about their beers, they have the T-Shirt and probably some beer swag. Usually they have a mini-fridge topped up with their favorite beer. If they have a local brewery (that makes their favorite beer), they have taken the tour (if one is available). This is enough for them–they have made their Pilgrimage and can savor it … unless they take it to the next level.
#2 – The “I Know My Beer” Level. This is your Beer Journeyman. Not only do they know about their beers, they know how their beers are made. They’ve read books on it. They know the beer’s history. They focus on a favorite style or styles instead of a beer. They’ve helped their home brew friend make beer and savored the final product. Maybe they have a small beer glass collection.
Their pilgrimage is a multi-stage affair. Stage 1 is the “I Love My Beer” level. Completing that level has brought them to a “questioning” place–maybe the how, what, and why of beer. Stage 2 is the “what and why” stage … they ask questions like: “Why do I like beer? Why do I like that style? What styles are there? What style is my favorite?” Here is where they delve deeper into the journey. They are now committed. They go to more than one “Beer Festival.”
They sample and ponder. Maybe they wear funny hats and forget what they were doing. They realize it might take more journeys. Now is when they think “I want to visit the breweries that make the styles I like.” They are entering Stage 3 — the “How” part of the pilgrimage. In their journey, they meet people who make their own beer (maybe on a brewery tour). By this time, they will have visited at least three breweries. Their new friend invites them over to help brew a batch. They savor the experience and the beer. This is where the “I Know My Beer” pilgrimage ends — the cutoff before someone becomes an aficionado. This is enough for some people. They are content to stop. Some, however, ask what’s involved in brewing their own beer. This moves them into the next level.
#3 – The “I Make My Beer” Level. This level is “Beerman” or “Beerwoman.” To reach this level requires completion of the first two “pilgrimages” (Levels). At the end of the second pilgrimage, questions linger. There are thoughts like “I know I can do this. I can make the beer I want to drink.” Here is where the next pilgrimage truly begins –Stage 1–The purchase of a home brew kit. Some people get stuck in this stage and never complete the pilgrimage. They continue to make beer from a kit. It works for them. They are content to make and drink one or two styles of beer. They share it with their friends.
They may not realize that they are on the cusp of aficionado. How do they make the transition? They go beyond making beer to making good beer, consistently. This is Stage 2 of the pilgrimage. They begin to have a firm grasp on the process from beginning to end. They brew different styles of beer … well. Maybe they make the transition to an all-grain brew set-up. They join a local home brew club. The pinnacle of this stage could be a prize in a home brew competition. Or it could be just the pleasure of knowing you are making great beer. The final Stage in this pilgrimage is a beer-oriented vacation. Without going into detail, just know that there are locations/breweries that are the what/why/how of different styles of beer. To go to one (or more) of these locales and savor the style(s) there is the ultimate “Beer(wo)man” Experience. In completing this final stage, you’ve truly become an “aficionado.” There is, however, one more level.
#4 – The “I Am My Beer” Level. This is the point you become a “Master Beer(wo)man.” This pilgrimage is in two-parts: internal and external.
When you reach the point of “self-actualization” in regards to beer, you have completed the Internal Pilgrimage. This means you’ve attained the complete realization of your potential and have fully developed your abilities and appreciation for life. I will go out on a limb and say few people finish the internal part of this pilgrimage.
The second part — external — is a little easier to complete. Each of the previous three levels have provided the impetus or motivation to take it beyond “aficionado.” You decide you want to be certified (and possible validated) in your knowledge and skills. You become a Certified Beer Judge or a Cicerone. You complete a “beer course” like the one through the Siebel Institute. Maybe you win a medal in the American Homebrewer’s Competition or World Beer Cup. You set the end state for this part of the pilgrimage and completion is when you accomplish it.
No matter at what level you start or stop, the pilgrimage(s) are the most fun part of the beer drinking experience.
Enjoy the journey(s)!
Simply Beer 