Coming down after a "whale"

I have a hard time getting up to drink a "whale" now. Anymore, I just want to drink my local Pils, or something like Funkwerks Saison, or Saison Dupont. Those are the beers I always want to drink more of...

 

I have a friend who will take days off for some of the hyped releases. He's been with his company for 10+ years, and has plenty of time to use. When Alchemist was doing the quarterly truck releases, he'd go for those, some of the Lawson's farmer's market releases and so on, Treehouse, Allagash and so on. Anytime he takes road trips he plans it around breweries passing by. Believe me he's not rich, but beer and brewerania is his main hobby, no wife/kids. For most of us, we'll target certain releases, certain brewers and hit those as time and money allows.

 

Now that I'm at a "family starting" age and cross roads, I keep noticing this statement more and more. Everyone around me goes "you spent $20 for a bottle?", well... yeah. I don't have three little mouths to feed, and a family health insurance bill to pay, or fixing the pipe that busted in your house. Not to say I enjoy paying $20 for a bottle, but figure why not while I don't have all those extra expenses.

 

First of all, the bolded mentality is frustrating. Who cares how long someone has been going to a brewery's releases? Your following two sentences though are spot on. Nobody is entitled to anything. I can't stand the ass-hats that look at people like they don't belong somewhere just because they haven't seen them at every other previous release.

Regarding the rest ... @cavedave is right. You're going to piss off a certain demographic regardless of when the releases are done. However, why does one assume that if someone can make it to a weekday release that they have no job or are too rich? I have a pretty flexible full-time job such that I can maneuver my work schedule to fit around a specific release if it's something I really want to attend. Or I can utilize some vacation time. I would bet that a lot of folks that attend these releases are in a similar boat.

Regardless, this has absolutely nothing to do with the subject of the thread. On the topic, I don't really make a big deal out of drinking big beers ... I don't wait for any special occasion or even special company. Just drink them when I feel like it. This makes the 'comedown' that you speak of basically non-existent. Like others have said, I will typically go back to drinking lighter, more standard beers after drinking something big and will typically enjoy those almost just as much.

 

Great, beer has turned into the cocaine of the 2010's. Hey, can you hook me up with a whale, bro.

 

This topic just seems so silly to me... I have my share of "whalez" and will drink whatever afterward and enjoy it just as I would any other time. Most of the time, those "whalez" are overhyped and something I don't need to drink again (unless crossed it's path *easily*)... So yeah... lol

 

You're being sarcastic I hope . . .

 

Serious as a heart attack.

 

I save my 'best" beers for tough days. The same is true for my best bacon. If I have a day that goes sideways, I come home and bake up my bacon that costs too much and enjoy it with my beer that costs too much- it grounds me every time. Not because both are exquisitely delicious, but because it grounds me knowing that there are folks committed to making bacon and beer that can soothe the mind, soul, nose and tongue and that gives me perspective on my life while also allowing me to indulge in two of my favorite pleasures in life. That will never get old!

 

what's the bacon ?

 

Whales. Ok, after drinking so many great IPAs over the years mere good isn't good enough now. So I switched styles, I'm now into Pils and Lagers. I'll still drink a great IPA, but the mediocre I just pass on.

 

Whale bacon, duh.

 

Now that's rare.

 

Everything is relative. Whales taste good because you are used to drinking all the other regular fish in the sea. If all you drink is whales, none of them will taste special.

 

As the old whalez adage goes, 'tis better to have drunk and lost then to never have drunk at all.

 

Why would you want to come back? How much money you got? Get a great job and you can drink all that shit for life.

 

Try a new beer of a completely different style from you whale. Don't compare it you your newfound favorite. Try to appreciate it for its own merits. List 3-4 things you think make this beer a good one.

Most importantly, be glad you found your whale ( many never find theirs.)

 

+1 to switching styles. I find that, while I have trouble drinking more mediocre IPAs (perhaps I am spoiled in NE?), I never have a problem drinking any random assortment of bottles I pull from the German or Polish section in my liquor store. Definitely an enjoyable about-face.