Do I dare? Simon posted his list just now but I am starting to think that Simon is a far braver beer blogger than I will ever be. Sure you might say that I run the wiki thing but I did it out of guilt for a slightly mean spirited post and thought it would disprove my knee jerk reaction to one page of The Oxford Companion To Beer. Surprise.
So, following Simon's lead, what would my list of "forgive me, Father, for I have sinned in thinking my evil dark thoughts" look like:
♦ those who do not call it black bitter, the only sensible name proposed for the stuff;
♦ self-re-tweeters who bleg "please RT" as well... except maybe where a kitten dies if you don't;
♦ brewers who add the $1.57 or so it costs to put the beer in swing top or caged cork so that they can pocket a "swank tax" of another $1.57 of your money;
♦ bloggers who actually post every one of those PR emails that everyone gets but no one else posts because we all know that everyone gets them and/or no one cares;
♦ CAMRA fanatics both pro and con;
♦ Users the word "haters" instead of thought in response;
♦ The very suggestion that we do not like beer in significant part because of the cheery buzz;
♦ Anyone who suggests what should not be written and who should not write about beer;
♦ The use of utter false phoney baloney history to add another "swank tax"; and
♦ beer gurus, beer experts, beer celebrities and, worst of all, self-appointed celebrity beer expert gurus.
I still think that Simon's list is way better. But that was cathartic even if largely hypocritical. Far better than a best of 2011 list. Though I might do that tomorrow.