My Favorite Sing Along

        I hope you found your inner child and sang along with Zheng Yi, I know I couldn't help myself.

         The Certified Brewmaster Course at VLB-Berlin is an international course.  For months I have been really eager to meet people from around our small world. On Monday morning I jaunted to my first class (I was a little late due to entering a hospital lobby instead of school) and sat down in my assigned seat.  I introduced myself to my neighbors, a Mexican and Spaniard.  As I talked to the Luis, from Las Palmas, Spain, I learned that he had just spent a month in Philadelphia as an apprentice with Andrew Rutherford (the man and brother of Paul Rutherford, my former Head Brewer).  I was astonished that I had to come all the way to Germany, a 6 hour time difference, to meet a brewer who knows some of my fellow bretheren.  Obviously we began exchanging our love for Philly, the brewing scene there, and how Tom Kehoe loves to eat.  On top of that I found out that 3 of the 7 Americans there were from my home state of Colorado.  We already had so much in common.

        Despite this familiarity, I am studying with people from all over the world.  The long list of countries being represented includes: Argentina, Brazil, Guatemala, Turkey, Belgium, Italy, Germany, Panama, Uzbekistan, Korea, Japan, Chile, Austria, Uganda, Mexico, USA, Spain, and the Ukraine.  We all have started to get to know each other and it seems everybody is very interested in learning about the beer culture in different societies, as you can expect can differentiate greatly.  Personally, I find myself spending more and more time with Brazillians.  They are loud, out going, and generally friendly people.  We talk about the differences and similarities in German weather, beer, and women (the latter being the most important).  So far this has already been an incredible experience and there is still much more ahead.  Tschus!