Astoria Trip...part deux

If I had a son..which I don't...I would sit him down and say to him "Son, your now 14, it's time to learn about beer." Again, I don't have children, so no reason to notify the law.
Recently, I have been re-examining the beers that got our fathers, and grandfathers drunk. Rainier, Olympia, and Heidelburg (R.I.P).
In a society that is flooded with quality micro brews, with styles ranging from farmhouse to Belgian, it is easy to forget what Northwest beer was, and, dare I say, should be.
Maybe the salt air and clear cuts have clouded my thoughts, but I think there is a reason to appreciate our beer history.
If you close your eyes, and pop open a Rainier, you can smell the saw dust off of the misery whip. Sadly, if you twist off a cap of Full Sail Brewmaster's Reserve, you may only be able to smell the wax off of a California transplant's skis.
Side note, I think Full Sail sucks.
But even the best, Organic, fresh hopped, green certified, limited release, and hand numbered brew can't invoke the feel, and true reason we all live in the Pacific NW. Or, at least why I do.
I sat around our fire this past weekend, drinking a shit load of Rainier. I stunk like campfire, could smell the salt air, and, hiding my Sierra Club membership card, kinda wanted to cut down a tree.
And, I loved it.
I still love the variety of craft beer here. And, have given a lot of financial support to prove it.
But.......
Grab a Olympia and a chainsaw...
Pop open a Rainier, and beat up a hippie....
By god, be proud to be a North westerner, and know what it means.
Hint: It doesn't mean you know where the best martini bar in the Pearl is.

Know the history, know the heritage.
Know your history, know your heritage.

And, don't drink an Oly tallboy because it's cool. Drink it, enjoy it, and realize the meaning of it. Sure, it's not made in Tumwater anymore, but, god dammit, it used to be.
Know why the brewery blocks in the Pearl are called the brewery blocks before you go to Henry's to order the newest Imperial IPA, or some assholes version of the latest cocktail.
Embrace where you live, it's ok.