Beer == Energy

Last night, at yet another Brussels bar, Beer Mania -- home to 400 Belgian artisanal beers -- a Frenchman once again gave me an excuse to write about beer on my blog. Upon learning that I am a journalist, he set about convincing me to write an article on Beer Mania. I write about energy and transportation, I said, I'm a serious writer. But beer equals energy, he said. True, I said. I had not eaten anything in ten or so hours so the three beers in my system were indeed sustaining me.

Oregon's backyard biofuels movement -- those fanatics who gather their own used cooking grease to formulate biodiesel in their backyards and garages -- has been compared to Oregon's ardor for basement micro brews. And on my visit to the SeQuential production facility in Salem last spring I met a biodiesel production manager who had, in fact, managed a brewery for several years before accepting his current position. So the link between beer and energy isn't so far-fetched.

Sure, I said, I'll write about Beer Mania.