Tasters Three
The Tasters Three is a trio of beer aficionados who have been sampling brews together for nearly twenty years. Jim Blevins (left), A.M. “Butch” Butcher(right), and Jack Story(center) began recording their tastings in 1986. They reached the 1000th beer milestone on Aug. 7, 2004, marking this momentous occasion with, fittingly, a special cave-aged bottle of 2001 Three Philosophers Quadruple by Ommegang Brewery in Cooperstown, NY. Butch (82), Jack (a recent 80) and Jim (81) are all W.W.II veterans who became interested in quality brews as a result of their travels in the service.
They are early members in Tulsa’s FOAM (Fellowship of Oklahoma Ale Makers) and the Homebrewer’s Alliance. While they have independently sampled many more than 1000 beers, only those bottlings which the three long-time friends have sipped together may be tallied. Homebrews and brewpub offerings are not counted. Do they have a favorite beer or style, besides whatever’s cold and in the fridge? Not really.
Their mood, the season, and even the time of day all have a bearing on what they reach for at any given moment. “Just as long as it is a well-made brew. We are non-discriminatory in regards to color, bitterness or country of origin.” But upon reviewing the scores they have bestowed in recent years, Belgians and Belgian-styled products have consistently garnered the highest ratings.
Jim and Butch are Navy vets, while Jack is Air Force. Jack and Butch have been brothers-in-law for 53 years. A desire to learn about home brewing connected Jim with Jack and Butch, after tasting one of Jack’s homebrews at a neighborhood block party. The beers they try come from family and friends who know of their quest for new brews, or from their own travels out of state. They meet at noon on a given Friday, occasionally inviting a guest to partake in the samplings, lunch and lively discussion.
