Back to the beginning

Craft beers seem like they are everywhere nowadays. Even the simplest looking corner bar in Milwaukee has New Glarus Spotted Cow or some crap like Stella Artois on tap. I remember a time when that wasn't so. I call it college.

One year I recall coming home for the summer. I went out with a good friend to the bars. He said I should try something different. A beer called Sprecher. The Special Amber was brewed in true German style. I did and thought it was ok. It was a lot stronger than the Miller products I was drinking. The Black Bavarian? Ugh! I wasn't going near it.

Back in that day there was no New Glarus around these parts. No Lakefront. No Horny Goat. No nothing. Sprecher was your introduction to what would be called craft beers. Thank God that changed.

There was a period of time that I had stopped drinking Sprecher Special Amber. I thought the quality had dropped off a bit. It tasted too bitter and not malty enough. It seems that they have gotten back to making a better product. I enjoyed a number of ambers last night. They went down well.

I am a fan of their doppelbock and the hefe weiss. I am happy to put the Special Amber back on the list. Thanks Sprecher.