Goose Island vs Rolling Rock

Sam Adams Summer Ale still holds the slot for my favorite summertime beer. At this moment, I am enjoying a Goose Island seasonal brew and I have to admit even though I've never been a fan of the Goose Island brews, the Summertime one is o.k., so I tend to purchase this one every once in awhile. Plus the name "summertime" just says it all. In the past I always seemed to gravitate towards Pete's Wicked Summer Brew, but for some odd reason they are no longer making it, or at least I can't find it anywhere- I don't understand. Whatever. The fact that Sam Adams is brewed in Boston makes drinking it even better; gotta love Boston...I just realized I started this post on August 2 and today's date is August 22. I wasn't quite sure where I was actually going with the piece back then which is probably why I dropped it, but after some much needed time away I feel I have a different perspective on this whole "summer " beer thing. I purchased a six pack of Goose Island Summer Brew yesterday, but it was only because I had just gotten back from my summer vacation and was feeling quite angry, very sad and wanted some of that summer feel back. Wild Oats didn't have, or has ever had any Sam Adams Summer brew in stock, which is why I instinctively grabbed the Rolling Rock- strictly out of comfort. Then I noticed the Goose Island on the bottom shelf and the word "SUMMERTIME" standing out like a neon sign. I paused and stared at it for a second. At that moment, I honestly felt that if I chose the Goose Island instead of the Rolling Rock, I would be unfaithful to the part of myself that's ready to disconnect from the light and simple way of life; or the way I've been so used to living. Thinking back on it, this mini epiphany seemed like it should have paralyzed me at the time, but I was just trying to decide what beer to buy so I didn't really think anymore of it. I knew I wasn't ready to "get back to work" or re-enter an existence that has become so methodical- not yet, my summer wasn't over, even though the vacation was. It's so depressing to think that within days or weeks all of the summer brews will be wiped from the shelves and the "Octoberfest" brews will soon rule the refrigerated section. I hate that day almost as much as I love the one when I go into the store in April or May and see the Summer brews sitting there just screaming the season is coming. That has got to be the best day of the year, at least in calendar world. So anyway, here I sit in Chicago with my Goose Island Summer brew at the end of August dreading the thought of heading back to the 8:30-5 gig and falling into the daily routine, fearful I'll become too comfortable again. In my opinion, Sam Adams is the superior beer but as I say that, I'm not drinking it; so I ask myself what that says about what's going on here. Well, for starters it says Wild Oats sucks for beer, but more importantly I think what I understand is that on a much larger scale my life is not exactly where I want it to be and I'm moving at a snails pace in order to get there. I'm not necessarily talking location here more than I'm thinking about fulfillment and actually attempting to make things happen instead of hanging out- waiting for them to. The fact that I actually stand in front of the beer cooler and imagine myself engulfed in the summer sun or frozen from the winter arctic or totally zone out with the thought of a safe -regular existence just by gazing at the different labels is all just too much and actually a little silly. So I'll continue to drink whatever summer brew is available until it is no longer and hold on to that feeling of bliss for as long as I can, then it's back to stability and the ever so solid Rolling Rock. I remember where I originally thought I would be going with this subject but now it seems so trivial. I just wanted to write about how great I think the summer brews are and how they totally embody the season. I guess I got a little distracted-but that's the point.