A Beer Drinking Checklist For 2023

Also: What Am I Doing Here?

Welcome back to Drinking & Thinking! Happy New Year!

I don’t know what beer style will emerge (if any) this year. In fact, I predict NOTHING will. It will get so fucking boring that old styles will get a bump.

Stouts will make a comeback. There. I said it. Remember it. Stouts.

I am drinking this one tonight:

Speaking of what will happen in beer geeking this year…

Beer Drinking Things To Focus On In 2023

• Drinking even MORE West Coast IPAs. I went strong with Westies in 2022 and I don’t see that letting up AT ALL this year. Around these parts, Westies have made a bit of a comeback from the haze craze days and I will continue to support that. #clearbeer

• Trying a seasonal beer in every season. Even if the beer style is not my thing, focusing on, at least having ONE beer that is known for the season. Setting aside the cost of buying one, it can’t hurt, yeah? Tastes change so could end up realizing I like a style that I didn’t before.

• Visiting taprooms a little more. I say only a little more because I am big on having beers at home. But I could use more time in a beer garden AND definately more brewery beer to take home.

• Not opening another beer when already hella sleepy. What good is wasting half a beer and not really enjoying the other half because you’re falling asleep in a chair with your beer next to you? Training to cut myself off.

• Normalizing lunch beers. I feel like 30 years ago, having a beer at lunch (during a workday even), wasn’t a big deal. Why not have ONE (maybe two if you’re low on the alcohols) with your lunch before heading back to work? Tell your boss I said it was okay.

• Drinking water before sessions. Loading up on water and making sure I eat before a drinking session prevents hangover. When I get one, I didn’t do one or both of those things.

Here For You and Me

How can I help you this year? Maybe help isn’t the right way to phrase it. How can I… entertain? Raise your enjoyment of beer drinking and reading newsletters?

Am I making any sense?

I struggle with the focus of this newsletter. What the hell is it?! Why would someone want to read it?

All I know is I love blogging/newsletter writing.

And I love sitting (or standing if I have to) with a good beer next to me.

But what the hell kinda niche is that?!😂

Nobody is searching Google for “Craft Beer blog and newsletter for people that like to relax with beer” - trust me. nobody.

Still, this is the nitch I have been trying to carve out of the Internet.

As I continue figuring out what to do with it and how to build it into a thing, I thank you for sticking around for it.

In the meantime I’ll keep trying the next new WCIPA, and hoping it’s The One. The magical One that we keep searching for.

Good luck to you in 2023! Thanks for the read.

-Mikey

Peace ✌️ Beer 🍻 & Metal 🤘