Okay, So I Drink A Lot Of Beer

I mean, I know I do.  Shrug.  I like being on Untappd (FaceBook for beer drinkers); I like being able to keep tabs on my beer-drinking friends, keep up with all the new beers I try, and show off my numbers and stats.

This year, they sent me something new.  My Year in Beer Review.  Buckle in...

In 2018, I had 1549 total beers (probably more, because I don't always check in beers I've had before).  That's an average of about four a day.  Of that 1549, 1499 were new beers...from 574 different breweries.  I have 146 different distinct styles.

To the point that I don't check in beers I've had before, my top 5 most checked in beers were as follows:
4 Pliny the Elders
3 Sip of Sunshines
3 Ursus Premiums (local Romanian beer)
3 7K IPAs, and
3 Citra Ass Downs

That means that I every other beer I checked in I had only one or two of.  Remember that 1499 number.

My five most-checked in styles were IPAs (216), Double IPAs (105), New England IPAs (82), Pale Ales (64), ans Sours (48).  Remember that 146 number.

My top-rated styles (styles I rated above 4.6 (out of 5) were imperial porters, imperial oatmeal stouts, and imperial stouts.  Yep, I love the imperials!

My top five most-checked in breweries were Woods Boss, PilotHouse, Cheluna, Breckenridge, and Odell.  All Colorado. 

My top five most-checked in venues were the GABF (199), SAVOR (121), Two Penguins (a local bar) (53), Gertrude Stein (our house) (49), and Festivus (holiday beer fest) (46).

And I like to drink all over the world - in 369 unique venues, in 29 states/regions, and 9 countries.

As a bonus - since I'm a 12-year old and love badges - I unlocked 850 of them in 2018.

I could've bought a car.  Meh - It's New Brew Thursday!  Cheers!

Pliny The Younger

It's that time of year again - time for the long awaited release of America's most infamous triple... PTY.

Russian River - in Santa Rosa, California - has been brewing the beer since 2005, and its release is an annual shitstorm (even at the brewery itself) because the batch is extremely limited.  No bottles, no full pints.  The beer is served in 10oz snifters for a fairly hefty price.  And yet, folks comb social media portals, pore over local beer event publications, and chat up bar owners to find out when (and if) the beer will be available.  We stand in line for hours that we'll never get back.  And we lord our reward over those who have yet to get their lips on a serving.  Only a few places outside of northern California are treated to the rare bird, and only because bar owners are pals with distributors and the folks at Russian River.

Here in Colorado, there are about 10 places (around the state) that hold release events.

The beer itself is a triple.  And it's almost a true triple IPA with three times the amount of hops as a regular IPA.  It is extremely difficult, time and space consuming, and expensive to make.  Hence, its once-a-year release.

Is it worth it?  Some poo-poo it and say they prefer the double IPA from RR, Pliny the Elder, while others wouldn't miss a chance at it every year.  I guess it's sort of a beer "whale" that's hunted, prized, and notched in our ever-larger beer belly belts.

For me?  I'll be sitting at Freshcraft this afternoon around 3p just so I can get close to the ticket stand that opens at 5p and be ready for the 5:30p tapping.  I'll be slurping the nectar of the Russian River Gods by 5:35p.

Cheers!

Beer And Travel

Two things I love: beer and travel.  It's even better when I can combine the two!

A recent visit to Belgium really overwhelmed.  The sheer number of unimaginably great beers caused several Pepto/Excedrin/coffee/extra water/greasy food mornings.  But it was totally worth it!

Upcoming in March is a trip to New Orleans.  We were there a couple of years ago, but it seems at least three new breweries have opened since then.  Not to mention a need to revisit several good restaurants and tap houses while we're there.

This year we'll also visit Ireland (duh on good beers), France, Portugal, Spain, England, Canada, Africa, Argentina, and Chile.  Soooo many beers.  And I'm willing to volunteer my services to seek out as many new and interesting ones so long as my liver will let me!

Cheers to beer and traveling!