Delirium Tremens

Before we get to the beer, allow me a follow-up to the Tiger post. The news of the true severity of his knee injury is just amazing. Not only is he already the best in the world, but he won this tournament in dramatic fashion while being in a physical condition which necessitates surgery. Wow. Now that he'll have that surgery, golf instantly becomes unwatchable. Unless you're an avid golf fan, every story line becomes less inspiring, every putt less exciting.

Good buddy and blog muse Colin shares his thoughts on Tiger on his blog, Robots in Disguise. Despite being typically eloquent I strongly disagree with his conclusions. It is readily apparent Tiger approaches the game with a workman like demeanor. Each shot is a carefully calculated swing derived from hours and hours of practice in similar situations. Despite this, he is always seen smiling. Maybe he's got a goofy grin because he knows he's the best, or because he's married to one of the hottest women alive. His enjoyment, however, doesn't come across as disdain, but more just genuine happiness. Images of him and Rocco laughing while the stroll down the fairway in what should be a tense playoff will stick with my from the US Open. Colin's critique applies quite aptly to a great athlete like Kobe Bryant, who can be hated in part because of his talent, but also because he carries himself like a cocky asshole.

The elation we see in the other golfers Colin mentions is a function of their role. This is likely the media, as anyone who is not Tiger assumes the role of the lovable/chain-smoking/talented-yet-unappreciated underdog. I would wager these guys are just as competitive and focused as Tiger, but portrayed slightly differently. This can especially be seen in the post-victory celebration of players. How different is the reaction of Justin Leonard or Mickelson than Tigers? If you were to show the reactions to someone that doesn't know who any of those guys are (a Martian?), you would easily guess they were all just as happy. To pretend we understand what is going on in Tiger's head is foolish. While he does expect to win, he nonetheless enjoys it.

These thoughts were brought to you by Delirium Tremens, an excellent beer I had before but wanted to drink again while paying a bit more attention to what I was drinking. The name is derived from a delirium induced from a withdrawal of alcohol, referred to as the Jitterbug in the 20's. What better name for a beer or a more apt way to continue the blog?! Named "Best Beer in the World" in the 1998 World Beer Championships, Derlirium is brewed in Belgium.
The beer poured perfectly with a perfectly honey-golden color. The pour was easy, yet a decent sized head was present that lasted for a very long time. The beer is slightly cloudy with a significant amount of residue (kinda looks gross, but if I were in a bar I'd never know...). A strong smell of alcohol precedes a great taste. You can definitely taste the alcohol in this 8.5% beer. The taste is not as prevalent while the beer is my mouth, but most certainly lingers after. However, it's a beer I can drink early and often. This must be done carefully though, because it's high alcohol content makes it dangerous to order late into the evening at a bar, this much I know to be true.