The Session #41: The Inevitable Invincibility of Ideas.

Inspiration is a fluid yet cyclical thing, and it can't be contained. It flows up out of basements, down throats and across borders, and winds up in far-flung places like Central America. Occasionally it ends up on the market and then drips back down into the basement again, to work its magic on someone else's brew kit.

I might have mentioned that the best beer in Costa Rica is the one in our fridge at the moment. True, we don't have a lot of competition. Also the beer was tailor-made, by my wife and I, to suit our own preferences. So naturally it's the best. It's a barrel of bright, golden pale ale with a big fruity Centennial hop nose, moderate bitterness, and dry finish. It's around 4.5% alcohol, a true session beer according to the Brysonian definition.

It's got German pilsener malt and British and American hops. Certain Belgian and British ales inspired its low alcohol and high drinkability. In its conception it were equal parts Taylor's Landlord, Taras Boulba and Sierra Nevada. I'm fairly confident those were all homebrews at one point in time. You can pick out a style category and cram my beer in there if you want to. I certainly won't. (Such a box wouldn't contain inspiration, anyway. It would flow out through the cracks again.)

Hundreds of people will read this post. A bunch of them will be brewers, whether of the home, office or garden variety. At least one of them will get an idea and employ it. Others will get to drink that idea.

Then what will they do with it?

For more info about the Session, see here and here.