New Year’s Resolutions
How many people actually keep their new year’s resolutions for a year? Not many, I reckon. Most years, I haven’t even tried to make resolutions. You can’t fail if you don’t try, right? I have enjoyed beer for ages, but only started to really appreciate it in late 2010. Coming to the close of the year, I decided I would track all of the different beers I try from January 1, 2011 onwards.
This resolution got me out to the Liquor and Beer stores, always looking for ones I haven’t tried. I started trying different styles of beers and noting the differences between styles. This search elevated my appreciation even further. I was at the mall and found myself browsing through a bookstore. There was a tiny section on beer, most of the limited selection being books listing different beers and the breweries that make them. I found a book, The Naked Pint, written by Christina Perozzi and Hallie Beaune, two female beer aficionados, based in California. I read about the different styles of beers and learned much that I didn’t know about my drink of choice.
There was a section in the back of the book about home brewing, and this interested me greatly. I read all I could about home brewing before trying my first batch this past April, two Cooper’s Real Ale extract kits brewed together to boost the potency. After aging, it was surprisingly good (at least to what I thought it would taste like), and I haven’t looked back. Up to date, I have brewed 4 batches (the latest – a pumpkin ale – was a throw-away due to fruit flies ruining the batch).
The next step I thought I would take would be to review the commercial beers I drink, as well as document my ventures in home brewing. My domain had been sitting dormant for some time, so I thought I would buy some hosting, and set up a blog.
While not many people may find or read this blog, that is ok with me as I am writing it mainly for myself; to reflect upon it years from now, to see how my appreciation for beer has matured. If you do end up reading this blog, I would love to hear your comments.
As for my resolution, I have so far kept with it. And my quest for knowledge is continuing strongly as well. I recently subscribed to Brew Your Own magazine, and am currently reading both How to Brew by John Palmer and Tasting Beer by Randy Mosher. Hopefully this blog will last as well – for my own sake – and not end up on the back burner, only to be forgotten like so many other of my web projects!
Cheers!