In 2007, Ferguson, the Ampersand, and I released a beer newsletter entitled "The Beer Guys." This was the introduction:
"Volume 1, Issue 1" of "The Beer Guys"
"Beer is the oldest beverage in the history of humanity. Yeah, people drank from streams and squeezed udders before beer existed, but beer was the first liquid drink that was created by man specifically to quench thirst and be enjoyed. It came as a byproduct of making bread, which any history teacher will tell you was essential for the establishment of permanent human settlements. Large numbers of people were staying in one place, and they all had to do something after toiling all day at mundane specialized jobs. In addition to being a relatively clean beverage that provided nutrients lost in a sedentary diet, beer was a vehicle to building campfire relationships during all-too-necessary periods of relaxation. Common experiences, concerns, and jokes were shared, and this bound men together for the inevitable trials of inter-urban warfare. Campfire stories laid the foundations for all of human literature, with direct descendants found in the Greek epic, or the Viking saga. Consuming beer brought men together in a manner that facilitated the development of human organization and culture. So, when you sip your beer in a friendly and comfortable environment, surrounded by all good people who understand you, remember that you are taking part in one of the oldest aspects of civilization; so much so that calling it a tradition would be an understatement. Flee the noisy frat house and the dingy, lonely watering hole for a place where you can share your cares, feelings, and joys with your fellow man and receive the same. Beer always allows room for those who are open to understanding its mystique. As long as you are telling stories and bonding together with a grain brew in your hands, your spirits are but one breath away from the cornerstone of what makes us truly human."
~Matt Kelley
The Ampersand in
"Gudger & Ferguson's"
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