New Year’s Resolutions of a Beer Geek
Well the New Year is here, and I’m in the mood for change. Not change for change’s sake, but change for the better. Here’s how I plan on being a better, more sensible beer nerd in 2011:
1. Spend Less
I spend a lot of money on beer. Too much, I think. So far, my spending has known no regulations, no limits, but I intend to change that in the new year (that cry you hear is a collective gasp from beer shop owners and distributors throughout Northern New Jersey). I need to think it through a bit, but the obvious place to start is setting limits and sticking to them. It’s time for a beer budget. Eww, I don’t like how those words sound together!
2. Drink Less
In order to spend less, I’ll have to drink less. It’s not that I drink a lot, but there are a number of beers I can eliminate from my diet without affecting the pleasure I get from my favorite hobby. There’s the uninspired weekday beer, the beer you actually shouldn’t have at the end of the night but you do anyway, the expensive beer you open even though you’re not in the mood, etc. Lots of areas where less may very well be more, allowing me to enjoy my beers even more when I have them. Plus the bunker is well-stocked; it’s time for a drink-down!
3. Brew More
One way to save a ton of dough is to brew your own beer. Speaking of a ton of dough, that’s what I spent on my ridiculously over-capable brew kettle, so it’d be silly not to get the pot on boil. I’m planning on brewing at least one batch a month, starting with that Two Hearted Pale Ale clone I’ve had since August…
4. Learn More
I’ve spent the last few years filling my head with all sorts of beer facts. But up to this point it has been through drinking, talking, web surfing and some light reading. But this year I want to get more structured about filling in the blanks. I’ll start with reading all those beer books I own but have only pawed through quickly. Cover to cover, so much to discover!
5. Mission GABF
Don and I went to the Great American Beer Festival last year, and I intend on returning this year. Not sure how I’m gonna swing it, but it’s the Super Bowl of beer, and where there’s a will, there has to be a way. Maybe I can use all the money I save from #1, #2, and #3 above. We shall see. But now that I know the lay of the land, there’s so much I want to do there.
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So those are my resolutions for this year. We’ll see how well I do – I’m already a little tired just reading back over the list! I think if I can stick to at least half of these, I’ll be a wiser, richer and more complete geek by the end of 2011, which will be a good thing indeed.
What about you? Any beer or whiskey-related resolutions that revolve around the world’s greatest beverages (not counting that one you made New Year’s Day about NEVER drinking again)? As always, let us know below, and HAPPY NEW YEARS from Don and I!
Meghan Storey, the Brewers Association's Web Editor, has been lucky enough to work in the world of craft beer for the past three years. She holds a degree in Print Journalism from the University of Mississippi, and has recently relocated to Nashville, TN. She loves to introduce friends to new craft beers and food pairings. Since beginning work on CraftBeer.com she can be found adding beer to just about everything she cooks.