Beer friends are the best friends

By Paul McGuire

Some of you may know me from when I regularly posted on my blog, San Diego Hop Addict, where I wrote about local breweries as they opened and reviewed breweries I visited during my travels outside of San Diego. My original goal was to help steer people to the best IPAs in town. Later, I started seeking out the best lagers. While I no longer blog, I still share about my beer adventures via my Instagram account, @sdhopaddict. 

When I set out to experience and write about beer, I knew I would encounter great ales and lagers, but what I didn’t expect were the amazing relationships I would build along the way. As we prepare for the national day of giving thanks, I would like to tell you about some of the friends I am thankful to have made through a shared passion for craft beer.

Brian Beagle 

A well known advocate for local breweries and former host of The Indie Beer Show podcast, Brian was one of the first people I met through San Diego Beer Friends. He and his wife, Andrea, are two of the nicest people I know, and have taught me so much over the years about friendship and giving back to the community. I remember his early holiday parties at Societe Brewing in Kearny Mesa, where he would collect food for the San Diego Food Bank. I also attended an anniversary party celebrating his Sore Eye Sports blog where he shared a keg of beer he’d helped brew. I think of that special occasion whenever I use the commemorative glassware from the event, which is often.

One year, a group camping trip ended up with many fewer people than expected because of a rain storm, but a few of us still came out as scheduled. It was just me, Brian, Andrea and some local brewery folks, including Pat and Val Mcilhenney, with whom I had my first-ever conversations and shared a special bottle of beer from De Garde that I’d brought along. It ended up being a special weekend that I’ll never forget, and not just because I woke up atop a mostly-deflated air mattress (ouch).

Brian is behind my love for Normal Heights’ Blind Lady Ale House. We have met up at Mcilhenney Brewing in Alpine and enjoy getting together for brunch on the weekends. Though I don’t see him in-person as often as I’d like, whenever I do it’s as if no time has passed. 

Terry Bunch (AKA: The Beer Alien)

Terry is one of the closest friends I have made through beer. He has been involved in the industry for many years through his website, Beer Alien. I met him at another friend’s Halloween party and we have kept in touch ever since, even after he moved to Las Vegas, where he’s watched the impressive growth of their craft-beer scene. 

On top of beer we share a love of heavy metal, and talk regularly about new albums and various concerts we’ve attended. We also share a love of travel. He still comes to San Diego a few times a year, and we hit up breweries or take in Comic-Con or other events. We’ve also met up in Vegas, where he’s taken me to some of his favorite local breweries. 

Terry recently moved to Milwaukee, and I hope to visit him there and explore that city’s beer scene with him. Fortunately, a friendship like the ours can remain strong even at a long distance.

Michael Cardoza 

Some of my first memories with Michael are of going to his birthday parties, where I hung out with the local brewers and bartenders he knows. Most years he opened a magnum of Russian River Brewing’s Consecration, a high-alcohol sour ale that requires a party to share.

Over the years we have celebrated together in many other ways, including regular visits to The Lost Abbey’s downtown taproom, The Church, and more recently, Sunday afternoon visits to Bock in South Park. Michael is usually accompanied by his wife, Rebecca, with whom I always discuss what I’ve been reading of late.

If you ever meet Michael, you will remember his welcoming personality. He was one of the people who taught me how important it is to build relationships with brewery staff at your favorite places. He showed me the little things they appreciate beyond simply tipping well. Things like sharing beers from his travels outside of San Diego and bringing in home-baked cookies, all of which help forge next-level relationships.

I could add many more people here. As the saying goes: beer people are good people. And beer friends are the best friends.

Let this observation of some of the friends I’ve made inspire you to message some of your friends and tell them how much you appreciate their presence in your life. Perhaps it will lead to you organizing some get-togethers with them during the holidays. After all, recognizing and being with those we care for and appreciate is what this time of year is all about.