Fill My Cup: Psalm 73 and Beck's Oktoberfest

Fill My Cup is a weekly Bible and Beer review where I share notes from a Scripture passage and a critical review of a featured beer. May this series spark discourse, reflection, and promote new learning about craft beer and the Bible. I invite you to engage with me--share your thoughts, comments, and your musings!

Good News

The more I seek God and dig into the Word, the more I come to certain understandings about who I am and who God is. These epiphanies have led me to a place of gratitude and reflection. I'm thankful that God shares His truth through the Word. This passage from Psalm 73 underscores how important it is that we continue to seek and study the life applications that are found in Scripture, because the truth is: we are flawed.

We are flawed. You are flawed. I am flawed. Even when I'm at my best, I sometimes make some of my worst decisions. It's always a struggle not to give in to certain desires of the flesh and heart. Desires like potato chips. There may not be a better snack ever created.  They're deliciously greasy, salty, and flat out unhealthy. I am fully aware of the facts around potato chips, and yet I can't stay away. They pair well with everything. Literally--I can't think of a scenario that potato chips can't complement. While, I am being somewhat facetious, I think you get the point.

"My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." While we know that we can't count on our own strength because failure people fail all the time, God's strength is guaranteed and everlasting. I recall being in high school as a new Christian. I had this newfound faith in Christ and had experienced an internal transformation that I couldn't fully explain or describe, but nothing else around me was all that different. I had the same friends, same plans, same habits. I was constantly struggling to navigate how to reconcile who I was becoming in Christ and who I was and had been up until that point. I failed countless times. Reverted to old behaviors. Gave in to old pleasures. But God's strength was unwavering, and no matter how many times I messed up, I was able to set my sights back on Him and try again.

I am thankful that God's strength and love is constant. He is our portion forever. He'll always satisfy. He's always going to be enough.

Craft Brews

Now that we are in full swing of the Fall season, there are plenty of choices when it comes to seasonal beer. Beck's beer isn't one that I would typically buy or praise. It's owned by Anheuser-Busch and comes in a green bottle. That's two red flags (and one is usually enough to keep my money in my wallet). Nonetheless, I found this at a local store for $12.99/12-pack and, at just over a dollar a beer, I thought I'd give it an honest try.

The beer pours a clear copper color with a decent head. Malt aromas and caramel notes with some subtle spices are easily detected on the nose. It's a pretty nice aroma. The taste follows suit: light bodied with malt characteristics up front, followed by a smooth caramel sweetness. The finish includes a touch of fall spices and a bready aftertaste. As the beer warms, I pick up some hop dryness as well.

Beck's Oktoberfest isn't as bad as I thought. It's light and easy to drink. Living in Florida, it's a nice alternative to some of the heavier and sweeter Marzens, but it lacks on overall flavor and complexity. It's a nice bargain beer, but won't knock your socks off.

As the saying goes, "You get what you pay for."