For my birthday I received a bottle of blue label Chimay Grande Reserve Ale. I was very excited and thankful to get it, but I was even more pleased to know about the thought and debate that went into choosing this particular ale. "Would he like this one? No, not that one, let's get him this one. No, look here. I think this is the one we should get for him."

Two days ago I took this bottle to a little dinner party that I attended with my wife. When I pulled out the bottle and set it on the counter their response was, "Wow, he brought a big bottle of Chimay." Apparently one of our host's friends had just ordered an 8 dollar glass of Chimay when they were already to inebriated to appreciate the quality of the Chimay. Well, there would be little danger of that on this night. In spite of the fact that Chimay Grande Reserve has an ABV content of around 9% there was little chance of taxis taking us home because it was shared with 5 people.

It would be silly for me to say that the Chimay was the hit of the party. The truth is that conversation with good friends was the hit of the party, but the fajitas, salsa, and Chimay certainly didn't hurt.

This, in a round about way brings me to what I think this blog is about. It is not just about the licorice overtones and excellent balance of a great bottle of beer, it is mainly about how great beer can help to make a great party be just a little better. It is about places where we had an incredible glass of ale, and it is about that one time when we were at that out of the way pub and a friend said, "Hey, they have Gordon Biersch!" and we got to try a new great beer.

It seems to me that the quality of the beer is only part of the story. It is my hope that this blog will explore that other part, the part that is sometimes not told. That is why it called Ale Tales.