Down here in New Orleans, we go to church on Sunday mornings and watch the Saints on Sunday afternoons.  Around this time of year, we give up something as a sacrifice and abstain from meat on Fridays (which is no sacrifice at all in this seafood paradise).  Most people give up something easy, like going out to eat on weeknights.

Let me take a step back.  I think you need to know a little something about me.  I am not a smart man.  Sometimes I do things without thinking it though and really end up regretting it.  Ladies and gentlemen, this is one of those times.  You see, I decided to give up beer for lent.  Man cannot live on bread and water alone, I need some good beer in my life!

So here we stand, over half way through lent, and not a drop of beer has touched my lips.  You know, if nothing else, giving up something you love for 40 days will help you notice the things you take for granted in your life.  It will give you a new perspective and remind you to cherish the things in your life because you never know when you be without.  However, I am not without beer.  It is all around.  Its down at Rouses grocery store, the Avenue Pub, and down at Steins Deli.  And the more you cant have something, the more it calls out to you. Over the past few weeks, I did not stop buying brews.  In fact, I think I have purchased more than I have in the quite some time.  At this point, I have quite the backlog of beers to drink just sitting around mostly taking up room in my kitchen fridge.

Any card carrying guy will tell you that if you drink beer, you need to have a beer fridge.  It’s the most useful appliance a guy can own.  As of last week, I didn’t really have a stockpile of beers to justify to myself the purchase.  I spent the better part of the week on craigslist looking for a small, cheap fridge that I can throw in my shed.  Time after time, they were either cheap, working, or not sold yet (pick two out of the three).  By the time this weekend rolled around, I was fridgeless and had a few more beers looking for a home.  By chance, it was Sam’s weekend in the Beercountant’s household.  So off I went to buy bulk chicken and cokes to last me a lifetime.  While I was perusing 10 pound packages of peanuts I noticed a small appliances section in the middle of the store.  I thought to myself, there is no way that there is an affordable fridge to meet my beer holding needs, but why not take a look.  It couldn’t hurt.  At that time the skies opened up and and a ray of light pointed the way.  Right there in the middle of the aisle sat the perfect vessel to protect and chill my brews.  The Haier 50 can beverage cooler with adjustable racks, temperature control, tempered and tinted glass window, and a cool blue interior light.  Now at this point, the rational accountant in me was gone.  I was just a glob of happiness not worried about online reviews or shopping around for the best price or what the wife will think.  I opened up the floor sample to make sure it could fit my cans, bottles, bombers, and growlers.  Then the next thing I knew, my basket had a box in it as big as the smile on my face. As a side note, I noticed that the beer aisle had the Sam Adam’s IPA Hop-ology 101 cases.  I should have gotten one, as it is filled with IPA’s that Rouses just doesn’t stock.

Fast forward a few hours.  I’m home, the wife didn’t make me take it back, and it turns out the fridge is pretty good at $150.  I set the fridge up in the shed and started loading it up with my beers.

I have a feeling by the time Easter rolls around, there won’t be any more room in the cooler.  I am okay with this.  I’ll keep you posted on any noteworthy hauls I have and once lent is over, the beer reviews will start.