They Just Go Together

A friend of mine came to town recently after a long absence spent in the nether regions of Texas. We immediately scheduled a meeting. I suggested we host a beer sampling, while he countered with a proposed game of Go. So we did both. The vast majority of the game was spent with an English ale - lots of caramel, chocolate and malts. Being a self-labeled beer connoisseur it seemed like the ideal drink to an ideal game. But a creeping feeling told me that something was awry, and before I knew it I was clamoring for a robust green tea. Somehow the ale had been rejected by the board and stones' aesthetic aura, and in its place a sudden inclination for Genmai-cha.

I have never before fallen out of the mood for a beer, or so strongly fallen into the mood for tea.

It is a small detail, and probably an insane one for those without gustatory leanings, but all the same proves how Go can often work on a subconscious level.