Your story[/url:i72ckahn] sounds similar to my father's when we left England for Ireland in 1990. He's been gasping for good beer ever since. Thankfully the Porterhouse took care of a lot of his needs when we discovered it. Also, I tend to brew hoppy ales which seems to take the edge of his craving.
I think quite a number of us though we were the only homebrewers in the country until we stumbled upon the various forms this community has taken. I was amazed when I found a thread about brewing on Boards.