So it's a new year. I'm sure you've heard something about it. I think it was on the news or something. Anno Domini Two Thousand and "Thirsteen" may only be a week or so old, but beer, especially craft beer, has already made the news.
Whether it be the sale of a bottle of the White House home brew, the "Craft" vs. "Crafty" discussion, the NY Times article on the brewsade's advance in my home state of New Jersey or the many reports on the undeniable and exciting growth of the segment over the last 12 months, it's an exciting time to be involved with craft beer.
It's also a time for resolutions. What's yours? I'm hoping it's beer related. Mine? Glad you asked. I'm going to be a good craft beer soldier this year. I'm going to try more beers. More new beers. More beers that are not in my wheelhouse. Don't get me wrong. I love new beer. I just looked at my Untappd check-ins from 2012 and if exclude the seasonal beers (tasted for science reasons) it's clear I drank a lot of new beer, and furthermore that I am a lover of the hop. IPAs, double IPAs and pale ales dominate my charts.
Therefore, for the coming twelve months I vow to try more daring ales, sours, lagers, witbier, saisons, bitters, Biere de Garde, dunkels, doppelbocks, stouts, porters, marzens, maibocks and other beer-type libations with reckless abandon! I won't be afraid of those brews without snarky hop-related names...you know who you are.
As of today I am 175 distinct beers away from hitting the 1,000 mark on Untappd. My plan is to make at least 75 of those beers something I wouldn't necessarily seek out. I'm leaving my comfort zone, and I present the same challenge to you. Make it a year of "new". New beer. New beer friends. New beer places. Now get out there and do your thing. I know you can do it.
So look out craft beer world. I'm coming for you...and I'm thirsty!
Join the brewsade...it's 20"thirsteen"!
Cheers!
- Zach
