How far in advance do you start putting thought into, and making plans for your next session? How much do you like prepared control vs. play it by ear? What are the variables that form what your next one will be like? Cheers!
I definitely think about it during the day, but the beautiful thing about keeping a selection of beer in your fridge is you can choose what to drink depending on what mood you're in. There have been countless times where I've been excited to drink and review say a barleywine or sour I've been saving but when the night came around I found myself wanting something a bit more easy drinking. The variables are basically a) what do I have on hand that I've been meaning to drink or is there something I really want to pick up, b) do I want to review a new beer or just enjoy something without any hassle, c) what styles have I been craving or been meaning to drink more of, d) do I have more of that beer (i.e. is it a special release bomber or a homebrewed APA) and e) are there beers in my fridge like IPAs that I need to drink right away if I want to enjoy them at their peak?
One thing I always consider, particularly with high ABV beers, and even more particularly high ABV bombers, is that I know I won't need to go anywhere. I wait until it is late enough that everyone is settled in for the night and I won't be called upon to drive anywhere.
If it's a night that's going to involve anything more than a 12 oz bottle, I plan around that. Depending on if it's something my boyfriend is able/willing to split with me, I might just have that bomber and be done for the night. If I don't have any big bottles on hand, I just pull some random stuff out of the fridge. I try to keep a variety of styles cold at all times so I can go where the night takes me.
I plan enough to alternate beers. One lighter beer, like a wheat or wit, followed by a nice porter or stout. I also have one higher abv RIS, barleywine, etc., on hand. From the end of August through Christmas I replace the lighter beers with pumpkin ales. I do deviate and drink whatever some of the time.
I usually tend to go with the flow. Everyone once in a while on a Monday I'll think to myself "I can't wait to drink xx on Friday." Most of the time too I'll stop after 1-2 so there's no need for too much planning.
Ya I think about it all day. All day. Even what glass sometimes. If it's something special , (Hopslam, enjoy by, or a bomber of something just as world class) I try to drink it early in the evening so I can savor it. If I get home at midnight and I don't have time I'll grab something just always available and easy like a sucks or grapefruit sculpin, Ruination 2 etc.. or something of the latter. Lunchtime beers I try to stick to one 7% or under like a Lagunitas ipa or real recently Mango even keel and Otra vez almost every other day.
It pretty much starts with which beer goes with dinner....from there it just depends on how early I have to get up...
Thinking about where I can find some enjoy by 4/20/16 tomorrow , I posted it under beer releases yesterday but it got deleted.
I usually go for what I'm in the mood for and really feel like drinking. I make sure I ate and drank water beforehand, and try to cleanse my palate of all food as much as possible. I make sure no other food or drinks are accompanied with, when reviewing a new beer anyway. I usually start thinking about the next beer after lunch or close to when I'm going to start drinking, maybe even days before if I really planned a drink.
I'll plan out sessions (3-5 beers) at work for that night and sometimes put together a 4-5 day schedule if I'm trying to drink down a full fridge and/or have reviews to do. I also have a running New Beer Sunday roster that could stretch for almost two months right now (my "cellar" space is filled up). I keep a pretty full fridge with at least five and often up 10-12 different styles represented. My preference is to drink multiple styles per session, even if it's just a two-beer session. I also always keep either a four- or six-pack of pilsener, American pale ale/IPA/DIPA (four-pack), gose or oud bruin/Flemish red in the fridge as my go-to "closer." All of those styles work great for me as a finishing beer to a session, and it drives me crazy when I can't find one. Needless to say, I think about what I'm going to drink in the future *a lot*.
I often think about my first beer throughout the day (usually something new or special). After I drink one, I just see how I feel, go with the flow, take it as it comes, and roll with the punches.
If I'm going to have more than a few I just make sure I don't need to drive anywhere and that I have some lower abv beers ready.
I did it last night. I picked up a six of Neshaminy Creeks Hefeweizen in celebration of a new job starting soon knowing id be up all night drinking.
