Once

So I was drinking a beer that would never be seen again. The last cask from a gyle by a brewer committed to never repeating a recipe. And it was a great tasty beer. And it made me ask two questions of myself.

Was I sad in knowing that once it was gone, it was gone forever?

If I'd known this was the last cask in existence, would I have travelled here especially to taste it?

The answers; no. And no.

In the moment, the beer was great. I'd never taste it again, but I'd always remember how I savoured every last drop. And hope that the next one-off they brew betters even this one. So I can experience yet another great moment.

The beer's uniqueness was supplemental to, not responsible for, the moment's greatness. When beer gets to the level of "One cask only! Don't miss out!" or "Bottles only on sale today!", scarcity and hype are in danger of outweighing aroma and flavour as sales drivers.



Now go listen to Pearl Jam