Beer plans for 2019

Serious? I wish I weren't so afraid of flying.

 

Late on the bandwagon as always, I plan on going to Vermont and possibly Massachusetts this year. I've never had Tree House or Trillium, which bothers me greatly. However, to be perfectly honest, I'm just as interested in Vermont breweries as Tree House. I want to get my hands on Hill Farmstead, The Alchemist, more Burlington Beer Co., Foam, Zero Gravity, Lost Nation, etc. But both of these states are within a day's drive from me, so I might actually be able to attain these goals this year.

P.S. Fun fact about me: I have little to no interest in trading for beer. I figure we've reached a point in craft beer in which we're probably able to find local or semi-local breweries anywhere that are just as good as anywhere else. Sure, I've never had Tree House, Trillium, or Hill Farmstead, but I can find Burlington Beer Co., LIC Beer Project, Mikkeller, Sloop, Barrier, Carton, and many other hyped breweries in local supermarkets nowadays--and I prefer that to the dogged pursuit of nigh-unattainable beers.
Plus, I live within driving distance of New England. If I ever have the money and gumption, I always can just go get Tree House, Trillium, Alchemist, Hill Farmstead, Foam, Lamplighter, etc., beers myself!

 

For what's its worth you're right.

These days you can often find incredible local beers that no longer require the drive to other cities. I have had Tree House, great brewery, but not Trillium, but guess what, I lose no sleep over it.

Since you are from New York, I visited a place called Barrier Brewing in East Rockaway a while back , They had a very good IPA and Pilsner on tap. I will visit them again if I find myself in the area.

Hype = bias, trust your judgement. We have never had so much great local beer at our disposal.

 

Less beer, more whiskey.

That's the plan for now, but plans change.

 

I plan on another beerventure to Vermont with the focus on quality versus quantity. I have done it enough to where I am very efficient at it. I think it's time to add Maine to the agenda this year. Other than that it's the same old stuff. Drink less, lose weight, exercise..... I'll give it a month or so.

 

Visit more local operations. The Orlando area might not be that much of a hotbed but there are plenty of decent places to try out.

Need to drink some more imports - plenty I haven't tried.

Do more reviews - I have done 250 but my personal log has over 500 entries.

Balance out my beer-wine-spirits consumption.

Mostly just enjoy the ride - life is far to short to worry about beer!

 

Get back to London and immerse myself in cask culture. Same goal as every year.....

 

Drink beer and revisit beers!

 

Realistic goal: Take a road trip up north to the new Russian River Windsor location.

Not so realistic goal: Visit Belgium once again and revisit some old favorite beery places that I've previously been to, and finally go to some others that I've wanted to visit but haven't yet.

 

1. Homebrew more, perhaps 1X per month.
2. Drink more 4-6% ABV Stouts and Porters.
3. Drink more Lager. (It is seriously underrated)
4. I did my first ever trade in December 2018. Hope to do more in 2019.
5. Visit more local breweries. It’s a crime how few I’ve visited considering how many great ones there are in my city.
6. Make more friends who are fellow beer enthusiasts to partake in bar outings and bottle shares.

 

I'd like to top 100 breweries visited (I'm at 82). In that, I'd like to visit the Richmond breweries. I'd like to get out to Sapwood to see what @OldSock is doing. Just gotta find the time.

 

Might quit for this month. Quit for a while last year because I was sick and I did not miss anything.

Drink less is always good. I average 2.5 beers a day. Like to look to 1-1.5 on average.

Want to get back on my bike and get in shape.

Enjoy life more

Enjoy

 

Drinking less, and building up a good stock of ageing beers. I've got a spare closet that if cleaned out would be perfect for beer storage.

 

As always, travel. It expands the mind.

Pondering two...

Portland to Salem and the Oregon coast.
A Cubs game somewhere. Did Cincy last year. Great, great beer in Cincy. Maybe Philly but WAF is iffy.
Miami and the road to Key West next winter.
10 days in Amsterdam but that’d be a repeat.




“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” Mark Twain

 

To finally trade my ‘15, ‘16 & ‘17 Mexican Cake. I’ve been off trading for a long time, but I gotta get rid of these

 

Drink less bullshit ('new' beers that I dont necessarily enjoy or would drink again), drink more "tried and true" type beers.

Ive been doing this since the middle of December and the beer drinking experience for me has been far more enjoyable as a result.

 

• Continue my new brewery visit quest
• Purchase more wisely in the stores (read the reviews damn-it)
• Review more, rate (click) less
• "Every stylle needs a chance" or something like that
• Trash the beers that suck. Too many out there, survival of the fittest
• Visit my local brewery more regularly (unless they start to suck)

 

More beer trips. This month will be NW Arkansas. February will be Abita Springs. This Summer will be Vermont. This Fall will be GABF. And to have a few more bottle shares with friends.