The Ultimate Mystery

How does it look?
How does it smell?
How does it taste?
How does it feel?
How does it sound?

Yes, of course, the ultimate mystery is beer!

Is it served in a tall clear glass, shining like golden wheat fields beneath a white fluffy head? Or, is it rich, hazed amber, in a regular pint glass, with a necklace of foam wrapped around the perimeter? Lift it to your nose, close your eyes, and take it in. Focus. Is it crisp with a balanced floral aroma, tingling with fruity esters? Or, is it rich and malty with alcohol sweetness and a tiny suggestion of oak? How does it taste? Take in a hearty mouthful. Is it rich and earthy, or light and quaffable? Soak it all in, letting the experience persist long into the finish. How does it feel? Is there warming from the alcohol? A lingering sweetness? Bitterness? Open your eyes. Was it satisfying? Are you thirsty for more? Is your glass empty? Can you still stand?

I hope so! The mystery has only begun. What was in the grist? What was the mash temp? What makes this beer so different from all the others? Who was the brewer? When, where, how, why was it brewed? What the hell was he doing with underwear on his head?

The brewer doesn't care if you know the answer to these. He doesn't mind telling you, usually. But, he only cares that you drink happily, heavily, and are left wanting more...that the mystery persists with accelerating intensity in each new glass, with each new ingredient, and each new undergarment blinding him from the water's edge.

With that, a toast to beer, the ultimate mystery.