The Nose Knows

Yesterday I was at happy hour with some friends.  I had started with a cocktail, but decided to switch to beer.  I ordered a Dogfish Midas Touch, which is an ancient ale with hints of honey and other old stuff (according to the label).  I was about to start drinking it when a friend of mine yelled at me. 

"Drink that out of a glass," he chided.

"I'm good with the bottle," I replied.  Really, I'm not too good for the bottle.

Apparently the bottle is too good for the beer, though.  I learned that in order to fully enjoy the beer my nose needs to be included.

According to the Trappist Punks website, the human nose can detect thousands of distinct smells but the human mouth can only detect five or at most six tastes.  Yes, the mouth is a slacker, but also only allows a beer drinker to just scratch the surface of the complex flavors that been masters strive to achieve.  The nose knows how to enjoy beer fully, but it can't do its job if it can smell the beer.  And it can't smell the beer if it's trapped in a long neck bottle.

So it turns out that I am too good for the bottle.  From here on out it's glasses for me, if at all possible.

Is it 5:00 yet?