RC: having "special" beers too often

I would agree with this. It seems like a rarity when I am buying beers I used to love like Two-Hearted or SNPA. I am trying to change that, however, special beers tend to be expensive.

 

Every brew is a special little occasion, whether its my first time trying it or the last of a case. It's an opportunity to take a moment to savor, sip, and just enjoy a brief moment where I'm not thinking about finances, work, school, the kids, or anything else. Every brew is a respite from the day-to-day; a holiday from the grind; a chance to incorporate something special into a quiet moment or a celebratory gathering, no matter if it's a limited once-and-its-gone release or a year-round staple.

TL;DR. No. I value every beer I get my grubby hands on.

 

If rareness and hunting are what you are looking for then yes, certain beer will become less speicial. I value other things, so beer that is special, always feels special.

 

brew your own

 

What are some examples of beers this applies to for you? Like you're crushing way too much KBBS these days, or are you talking about something that used to be harder to find that's now everywhere (like Sculpin or Speedway Stout)?

 

"RC"? "Signed"?
...Man, I'm just watching the world pass me by...


...Sorry.

 

I have a fairly large universe of beers that I consider special and just rotate the stock frequently and also mix in new stuff or things that I haven't had in a long time so I am rarely bored. When I am, I just drive to Wisconsin and fill up on stuff I can't buy in Minnesota.

 

Pliny used to be the biggest treat for me and when I was able to get a couple I would have to decide when to drink them and never more than one a day. At Christmas went to Russian River and bought a case also picked up 6 more here and there. Came home with 30 of them and they were no longer special as I was in a rush to drink them while they were fresh. So now I am going out of my way to try new beers and avoid beers like Pliny for awhile.

 

For me is that I need to buy some beers that aren't 10%+ ABV. I open my fridge and all is see is IIPA's, BW's and BA stouts!

 

Funny you bring this up, cause just last night when I got home from work I was thinking about something very similar while drinking a Hangar 24 Pugachev's Cobra. I get home from work after midnight, and my routine is have one beer while reading a book and go to bed. Last night I got home and all that was in my fridge was Abyss, Surly Seviin, Pugachev's Cobra, and a Rahr Tenth Anniversary. So I had a quick conversation with myself, save or drink? I am really into my routine, but when I get home I usually have a Devestator or a Java Stout, so not small beers, but definitely not 18% that cost waaaaay more. But the talk I had with myself came down to, how special is a "special" beer if you don't drink it? The one catch was that much of the time these beers are special because I share them with friends, so last night I chose the beer I new my wife wouldn't like and went at it. Pugachev's Cobra and a Guardians of the Galaxy graphic novel. It was a good end to a long week.

 

That'd be pretty much the same here. I try to save these/not have them every day. Sometimes it works, and sometimes not.

 

To me the more you have of something it becomes routine and losses that specialness. I had this happen with a local high-end steak house. I had only been once or twice and thought it was the best steak I’d ever had. Then luck would have it I took a new job where different vendors would take us out to the steak house once a month if not more often. It was still a good steak, but after a while it lost its wow factor. I’d even pass on going every now and then as it was no big deal and I’d be back again. Fast forward to another job change and I have only been once in the last 5 years. That one time, best damn steak ever and you realize just how good you had it.

 

<insert the obligatory "You can send any of those beers you don't want anymore to me" post here>

 

Change your buying habits. I dont need, nor do I even want to drink BA beers more than once or twice a month.
I buy 2 Sucuba's, 2 Parabolas, a couple 4 packs of Bourbon County, a Black Xantus and Big Bad Baptist here and there throughout the year and thats it for the year for barrel aged beers. They're still special to me everytime.

 

Start drinking nothing but bud light and corona for a couple weeks and watch as your appreciation grows