The limitations of satire.

Thanks to RC for this link to a perfectly reasonable article about the concept of "best." It follows a recent conversation with a specialty package store clerk, who told me that someone had driven two hours to procure a bottle of rare and highly rated beer.

In certain significant senses, both of these examples illustrate that Craft Beer Nation is in fine, ruddy health.

However, we need to recognize that there are occasions when the excesses of beer geekdom are so very surreal as to render satire entirely impotent. After all, satire relies on a sense of perspective for its effectiveness. When no one's wearing clothes, the emperor's nudity no longer bears noting.

Is this really the best beer in America?, by Jim Galligan (MSNBC)

 ... Depending where you live, you should be able to find most everything on the Brewers Association list, but it might require a beer trade or two to get your hands on many of the beers from the RateBeer or Beer Advocate lists.