Twenty years

(I thought it was today, but it turns out it was yesterday.)

Twenty years ago, January 3, 1992, I started keeping notes on the beers I've tasted.

The first beer: Blitzen Barleywine, from the defunct La Jolla Brewing Company in California.

The notes in their entirety: "Light barleywine — good." OK, not the pinnacle of eloquence, but it was a start.

I remember this trip well; there was an annular solar eclipse at sunset on January 4, and I drove from San Leandro down to San Diego to see it.

(Click the picture to see the whole spectacular scene. Photo credit: biggestoffreds.)

I managed to visit a few more breweries along the way:

• La Jolla Brewing, La Jolla
• Callahan's Pub and Brewery, San Diego
• Red Kettle Brewing, Encinitas
• Pacific Beach Brewhouse, Pacific Beach

Twenty years. I think this calls for a beer.