Consecration

This posting is a special one as it is for a beer I have saved for a special occasion. I have seen Consecration many times in stores over the last 6 months and I have put off purchasing it for unknown and unspoken reasons. The bottle I had today was purchased earlier this week and is probably ounce for ounce the most expensive beer I have ever purchased. Unwittingly but poetically, I found out while preparing this posting that the beer I had today was bottled precisely one year ago! It was brewed on March 25, 2009 according to the bottle log on the Russian River site and bottled on February 12, 2010. Consecration is brewed by Russian River Brewing in Santa Rosa, California.

Consecration has a definition on the bottle: 1. the act of dedication to the service and worship of a deity. 2. the act of giving the sacramental character to the Eucharistic elements of bread and wine.

You may be wondering what the special occasion is that I have waited for...well today (and this week) I experienced several firsts...my first Catholic mass, my first meeting of many of Carmen's family, the first burial I have attended, the first death of a friend I have experienced... Such solemn occasions these have been... All of this has been prompted by the early passing of my future brother-in-law, Anthony. Anthony battled brain cancer for 6 years and I was only really able to share in the last few months of that battle. I have known Anthony for over 2 years and known of him for nearly three years but I had not taken advantage of or seized many moments with him during that period. I know that is a feeling everyone who knows someone who dies too young (41 years young) has but I attempted to make the most of my time that I had in an admittedly late fashion beginning in December just prior to his hospitalization for pneumonia.
Today was the date of his memorial mass and reception. My distinct lack of religious background didn't take away from the service today with the words shared by those who participated as well as those who have shared their thoughts and memories about Anthony on my other blog being so strongly felt and appreciated. I have continued to spend a great deal of my time this week and I am sure I will continue going forward, thinking about Anthony and getting to know him through reflection on all of the moments I spent with him as well as through the many stories and experiences I have heard and continue to hear from his family and friends.
For example, after Anthony's burial ceremony on Thursday - to sit around the table with his family as I have been so privileged to do numerous times for family dinners it was painfully obvious that Anthony wasn't there physically yet I felt his presence was imminently there. This feeling came through the telling of stories both about Anthony as well as the ones we had all previously heard from him as the "official storyteller" for specific tales. What occurred was a recollection of Anthony's words coming from some of those who heard the stories told the most over the years and these compilations, though not the same as Anthony would do, did fit the purpose of doing him and his memory justice.


Having read and re-shared stories from friends of Anthony's that mentioned his passion and enjoyment of beer, I felt even more as though I missed a great opportunity to share experiences with Anthony. Though I continue to share my beer experiences here on this blog I will look forward to the many beer experiences I will have in the future during which, I will think of Anthony. A parting example I will share is the day in January that Anthony's friend Greg Jensen shared a story of some of their college mischief including the "tradition" of drinking Olde English 800, I stopped on my way home and picked up a large can and had it that evening.


Here is a Beer Advocate review and a RateBeer review.