Beer Samizdat - The Return of a Beer Blogger

I recommend a new "old" beer blog, Beer Samizdat, for your beer reading enjoyment   It is the latest beer blog from Jay H., the former author of Hedonist Beer Jive and current writer of Hedonist Jive.  I began reading Hedonist Beer Jive at least five years ago, and thought it was not only one of the best beer blogs around, it was also some of best writing on beer, in any format, period.   I'd include Aaron Goldfarb's Vice Blog and The Beer Nut from Ireland in this category, too.  You can keep the Beaumonts, Hieronymus, and Brysons, give my Jay, Aaron and the Beer Nut.  Not only are they good, honest and entertaining writers, they are beholden to no one but their readers, and the beer.

Jay has a Manifesto for Beer Samizdat where he not only explains the Samizdat name, but proclaims his blog's purpose.  Point six in his Manifesto struck me in particular:

6.  I will not make up smells nor flavors in the course of reviewing a beer. If you ever see me pretending that a beer smells or tastes of “freshly-baked sourdough banana/walnut bread”, or spouting any lie equally appalling, you have permission to stop reading the blog at once.

I don't always agree with Jay's reviews (he's not a fan of Pliny the Elder, considered heresy in Beer Geekdom), although I agree far more often than not.   I am looking forward to Jay updating his top 75 beers, so I can see what beers I should be trying.  I also recommend reading Jay's Hedonist Jive blog where he discusses music, books, film among various topics.  He has an opinion, so be prepared, but he encourages respectful debate.  As the craft beer world expands from a small circle of beer geeks to mainstream acceptance, it will need chroniclers like Beer Samizdat, and hopefully this blog, pointing out the ridiculous and keeping it in line.