Hello from the Afro

On an average of once a day I hear a customer tell me “Well I’m no connoisseur.” And I tell every single one of them the same thing; “Well as long as you know what you like, that’s all that matters.” And isn’t that the point of it? We don’t go to places we hate to eat, or watch television shows that writing we think is bad. So why do that with what you’re drinking? Now if you figure out what you like and then want to see if you can expand that bubble, or at least figure out what you don’t like, good for you. But don’t think that just because you don’t know that Red Burgundy and Pinot Noir are the same thing or what differentiates Bourbon from Scotch, Irish Whiskey or Rye, you don’t know what you’re doing. Myself and the people in my field of work, or those similar to it, just happen to be lucky in the fact that we are paid to know information about Libations that most people don’t. 

Allow me to introduce myself; My name is Jeremy Dugan. I have worked at a retail Wine store in Signal Hill California called The Wine Country for almost 5 years now. Not only do I work there, I grew up in that store. My Cousin, Randy Kemner, opened it up 22 years ago with the hopes of bringing Specialty Wines, Craft Spirits and, more recently, Craft and Independent Beers to the cities of Long Beach and Signal Hill. And I might be biased on this, but I think he’s been successful in that. I am also the Son of Samantha Dugan. Those of you Booze Blog readers and contributors probably know her as Samantha Sans Dosage. Besides writing an awesome Blog, she has been a backbone of The Wine Country for 20 years. Thanks to the unique circumstances of me growing up in a wine store, I have been able to gain an insight into the world of fermented beverages that I would like to share.  

If I wasn’t lucky enough to work at The Wine Country, I wouldn’t have near as much knowledge as I do now. I would have had an interest in Wine, Beer and Spirits, but my ability to try the amount of Spirits, Wines and Beers that I have would diminish greatly. Same goes for those who are Sommeliers and Cicerones or are studying to be one. Because of their interest and dedication to studying, they are given more chances to try Wines and Beers they normally wouldn’t. And given that some Study Sessions consist of everyone bringing a bottle and trying it, they are able to try more at one time than most folks.

I can’t tell you how the Stock Market works really, I’m not the guy you want to come to when your computer, or any piece of electronic equipment, isn’t working. If you want to talk about Stars and different Galaxies, the architectural beauty of a building, I’m not the dude you call. But if you want to talk about how 2007 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Rieslings are holding up, or how Barrel Aged Gins and Ryes are more Cousins than people think or why Sour Beers cost so dang much, I’m top of the list for that! Since 3,000 BCE humans have shared proofed beverages with each other. And as Libations are shared, so are stories, knowledge and cheer. So allow this to be my shared vase of ale with you. The place where I share my experiences, the things I have learned  and where I spread cheer. Allow me to raise a glass to you, the person reading this and hopefully many more post from Afro on the Rocks. And a toast to the art of Fermentation.