Has a beer ever made you cry? At an event not long ago, someone told me that a beer once had them in tears – because it was just that good. It made me curious, how a beer could have such a strong emotional impact. So, I asked some beer colleagues around the world if they had ever felt something similar. Here’s what I discovered.

One beer competition director mentioned being sent a box of Pliny the Elder, at the peak of its hype some ten years ago, and that opening this box together with a group of enthusiastic beer lovers was like a near religious experience. Presumably, tough guys like these might not admit to having actual tears in their eyes, but I’m guessing it wasn’t far off by the look on his face when he recalled this profound memory.

Another friend in the beer world shared that while beers might not bring him to tears, some have given him a feeling of euphoria; he felt honoured to have drunk them. That’s true appreciation to me, not only of outstanding flavour but also of the hard work by the brewer – something that beer drinkers are not always aware of. Let’s not forget the craft in brewing.

Talking of hard-working brewers, the founder of an award-winning brewery told me that the very first beer they released had him in tears. It was a sense of accomplishment, rather than it being an extraordinary beer, he said. This brewer’s humble pride, I can recognise. In fact, I had a similar sensation when my first article was published; it felt like a personal victory – I’m really doing this, I’m going all in on freelance writing. Or brewing, in my comrade’s case.

And then, all of a sudden, I remembered. One particular beer at Belgian Beer Weekend in September last year made a mark. It was a fantastic beer by Lindemans, served in an elegant flute glass. To set the scene: it was a sunny day at one of the world’s best beer festivals, and I had already had a few beers in the company of a great friend. Life was good. And well…I had a bit of a moment. Did I cry? Maybe. Or at least, I experienced utter beer happiness.

Malin Norman Booking.com

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