"Never go into a bar in Belgium and order 'a beer'. In fact, never do it anywhere." (Michael Jackson. No, not that Michael Jackson ,but the author of "The Beer Hunter")
Like many young English men, I grew up knowing that there were two kinds of beer - bitter and lager.
Like many English students, I was taught that what mattered when it came to beer was quantity not quality. The zenith of the beer experience was the pint of something unobjectionable downed rapidly, followed by several others to keep it company.
There was another world - a world of old men with beards and strange dark concoctions, but it was about as relevant and alluring as trainspotting.
Then I secured a posting to Belgium with Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service. My departing team presented me with one of Mr Jackson's books. My eyes were opened and my odyssey began. Even the grottiest Belgian supermarket contained untold riches. From Belgium I discovered the wonderful Belgian-influenced beers of the USA. Then the burgeoning variety closer to home in England and Scotland.
So when a group of friends and I started going camping with our sons every year, I was able to bring some interesting beers to the campfire and talk about them - initially with more passion than knowledge, but it drove me to research a bit so I could talk something other than complete nonsense.
I am no professional, no guru. Everything I am going to write will be based on other peoples' expertise. But I hope to make it accessible and fun, and encourage you all to try stuff and understand the history behind it.