Happy Trails Charlie P

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On the occasion of the retirement of Charlie Papazian,

President, Brewers Association, Boulder, CO – 1/19/19

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Charlie P, a teacher, born to brew

Was it a vision, a seed, something special that he knew?

He pursued his passion, he blazed a trail

Turning corners, never afraid to fail

He pushed ahead, he followed his bliss

Garnering fans who became hip to this

The joy of homebrew, the impassioned apostle

The intense belief, the perpetual hustle

The lack of beer choice created a void

Only bland suds? People were annoyed

A movement got started, it soon became clear

Charlie wasn't alone in liking good beer

Like a sculptor or potter he shaped this thing

Building, honing, 'til it began to sing

A harmonic convergence stronger and stronger

It took on a life of its own, longer and longer

The lake of craft beer filled by those who came first

Building up pressure until the damn burst

The floodgates were open, craft coursed o'er the land

With Charlie born forth by his merry band

Of artists and chancers and people of vision

Striking out on their own through bold decision

Structure came later, there were bumps in the road

Rules were adopted they established a code

The roots were now deep, a foundation to keep

But with money to be made and profits to reap

The waters turned murky, the beers went quirky

Some breweries just quit, went cold turkey

Now it's up to others to carry the load

To uphold Charlie's legacy, keep craft on the road

In quality rooted, independence saluted,

Brewers brewing to what they're best suited

We wish Charlie the best as he signs off from this show

Where he'll wander to next, who can know

Doubtless still spreading the word, beer in hand

With a cheers global friend, whatever the land

Showman, shaman, 40 years of fun

They'll be many more accolades before he's done

If we ask was he really one of the chosen few?

He'll just tell ya to Relax, Don't Worry, Have a Homebrew