I grew up in a Taiwanese household of a “restaurant family”. Like many other cultures, food and beverage play a large role in our traditions and customs, as well as our day-to-day life. Our family has always enjoyed traveling to visit other countries and learn about their customs, but most of all, to eat. My parents have always encouraged us to try new foods and flavors, and to cook for ourselves to further develop our appreciation of food. I developed a love for microbrewed beers while living in Atlanta, GA during college. Local beer festivals there introduced me to the vast array of different beers that had so much flavor and character compared even to the “imported” beers that are so widely available (i.e. Heineken, Corona). I loved the variety of flavors and have been trying to expand my knowledge of beers ever since. I became a BJCP (Beer Judge Certification Program) judge in 2006. I do love wine as well, but generally feel that beer is under-appreciated as a beverage to have with good meals or fine dining. So after some time of exploring and experimenting, I realized that I needed a way to document some of the things that I discover about food, drink, and myself.
