Welcome to 2018! The previous year proved to be a wee-bit tumultuous, and the craft beer industry was not immune to the chaos. But now we can put 2017 behind us and take hold of the one characteristic all New Years provide — a fresh start.

I think everyone deserves a beer year to remember. We hope that by sharing our New Beer Resolutions, we might help guide you towards a path to beervana in 2018.

Don’t Forget About Those Taprooms!

Less “whales,” less fests, more taprooms & flagship exploration. (Matt Powers)

Learn to love flights again—you get a much better understanding of what a brewery can offer. (Taylor Laabs)

Chris & Sylvia Hollands and Constance Del Rio put it more simply: “Go to more breweries.”

Try New Things & Take Notes

Trying a new beer (almost) every time I go out somewhere. It is always so easy to stick to the go-to’s and hyped up ones, but for 2018 I want to continue to expand my personal beer diary and venture out of my standard choices. (Spencer Mapes)

(Read: Why I Stopped Rating Beers on Untappd)

Truly give sours a try and keep track of what I enjoy most. (Pam Catoe)

Explore more ancient or classic beer styles. (Tristan Chan)

Give A Beer a Second Chance

Rediscover hops. I got away from that this year. It’s still okay to IPA (and APA). (Matt Powers)

Revisit beers that I’ve enjoyed or disliked in the past and see how my taste buds my have changed (Chea Franz)

Revisit old favorites. It’s exciting to try new beers and new breweries, but this year I want to make an effort to buy more of my old favorites and visit some of those go-to breweries that I haven’t been to in a while. (Nate Custard)

Revisit local breweries I haven’t visited in a while. (Tristan Chan)

“Go back and enjoy the beers/breweries that fueled my passion for craft beer.” And, “whether at a bar or picking up a six-pack at the distributor, don’t force my selection just so I always get a distinct check-in on Untappd. Every beer I have doesn’t have to be something that I never tried before.” (Kurt Bevilacqua)

There’s No Rest For the Thirsty

Susan Engebretson notes, “2017 was the year of new beer fatigue. 2018 will be the year of ordering a sample of a crazy new beer, but also ordering a full pour or buying a six pack of established and consistent beers like Tank 7, Craft Lager, Golden Monkey or Old Rasputin. And by that list, 2018 will be the year of high ABV beers 🙂 ”

“Support ‘Local’ As Much as Possible.” ~Chea Franz

Karl Kalinkewicz wants to “Spend less time hunting down beers in far away lands and enjoying the local flavors more.

And Jared Hardy added, “I want to be on first name basis with the beer-tenders.”

(Read: Creature Comforts’ Get Comfortable Campaign Aims to Make an Impact on Athens)

Jessica Spengler agrees. She wants to “continue to explore the massive beer culture that is West Michigan—including visiting the area breweries I haven’t seen, getting to know more brewers and other beer loving folks, and just generally being more involved in the beer brewing community.”

Anna Scott is ready “explore more craft beer around the Bay Area (because I’ve only lived in California for 3 months) and get more involved in the industry around California. From events, writing, volunteering & drinking!

Kara Loo adds, “Support local—not only by drinking from good, local breweries, but also supporting community events, charity fundraisers, and seeking out more local brewery establishments owned by women and/or minorities!

Drink ULTRA Local

Kurt Bevilacqua wants to homebrew more than he did in 2017. Justin Carter wants to start homebrewing for the first time, “including growing my hops.”

Of Course, “Local” is Where You Pay Your Tab

Go to the Burbs: Hannah Carlson wants to expand her local horizons:  “I have lots of go-to breweries in Seattle—which is where I live. That said, there are plenty of new breweries popping up in the burbs. Goal is to get outta town and explore more outside of the city.

Go to New England: Camping and beer trip in New England. Visit some of the well-respected breweries in the region, stock up on cans, and hit the woods for some bonding time with nature! (Kurt Bevilacqua)

Go to Denver: ‘We need to get back to Great American Beer Fest (GABF) this year!’ (Chris & Sylvia Hollands)

Stray from Denver: “Do less during GABF” and “Attend a major out of state festival.” (Tristan Chan, Denver resident)

Go to any good beer city:  If Justin Carter isn’t brewing, he wants to “travel to more beer cities.”

Sharing is Caring

Share a beer with more people! i.e. bottle shares, introducing someone to a new beer & socializing (Anna Scott)

Host more bottle shares! I’ve had some of the best conversations, and tried some of the best beers, from getting together with other beer lovers. I need to do it more often. (Hannah Carlson)

Beer Is For Drinking, Not Saving

Quit cellaring!! Enjoy the beer for what it is and live in the moment. Cellaring is cool and all, but beer is meant to be enjoyed, shared and consumed! (Anna Scott)

Cut way back on cellaring beer and focus on enjoying the beer as I get it. I’m going to be very specific about what I decide to cellar. (Pam Catoe)

(Read: Why I’m Done Cellaring Beer—An Update)

“Stop holding on to specific beers I bought for ‘special occasion’ or that ‘right time’ and just drink them,” says Kurt Bevilacqua. “The right time is always the present moment. I mean…

….You can make any occasion special with the right brew! 

 

99 Bottles of Beer On the Wall

Actually making a dent in my cellar. Already held one, but hosting more drink my beer parties. No seriously, don’t bring beer—it isn’t a Share. (Christopher Wallner)

Oh, Right. We Write

Write more beer showcases / reviews. (Joe Easton)

Continue to focus on women in beer and get creative with articles, education and events on the subject. Pink Boots baby! (Pam Catoe)

Don’t be a D**k

Chea Franz has one we should all follow:

When conversing with someone who isn’t familiar with craft beer or doesn’t understand the importance of craft beer, have a thoughtful and engaging conversation rather than going on the attack. There’s no greater way to turn off someone from crossing over then by appearing to be a know-it-all.

Don’t Be A Snob

ABV Agnostic: Don’t discount a beer if it’s under 5% ABV, big things come in small packages. (Taylor Laabs)

Don’t be… Well, Um, Whatever This Is

Dress up like Farva and drink six Schlitz’s. (Niel Stender)

“The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.”
― Plutarch

Become a Cicerone. I’ve been wanting to for years. I think I’m going to buckle down this year and get it done. (Jessica Spengler)

Play around with the beer/food fusion by exploring and understanding pairings better (Sarah Boisen )

Learn more about the brewing process (Constance Del Rio and Chris & Sylvia Hollands)

Read more, specifically more about beer (Justin Carter)

(More: Beer & Book Club Stories)

Not only drink more beer but read more books about beer which will then encourage more beer drinking. It’s a wonderful but vicious cycle. (Chea Franz)

Research the large craft breweries (Sierra Nevada, Sam Adams, New Belgium, Stone) and understand their history/growth (Joe Easton)

Follow the Beer Trail

Do a ride along with a craft beer distributor. (Chris & Sylvia Hollands)

If it’s Good Enough for Belgium, it’s Good Enough for Us

Delve deeply into Lambics, coolship brewing and other centuries-old traditional styles  (Matt Powers)

Exploring the light side of life: sours, saisons, radlers, wheatsm, goses. I branched out a little from my amber and brown ales last year in day-to-day drinking and really enjoyed them. (Danny King)

Learn more about Belgian beers and try them, as well. (Joe Easton)

Or, just go there, right?  “Finally commit, book that flight, and make the journey to Belgium.” (Kurt Bevilacqua)

Drink More

Drink More Stouts!! (Constance Del Rio)

Drink as many barrel-aged farmhouse ales and saisons as humanly possible, and to pair them with delicious meals and cheeses. (Karl Kalinkewicz)

Drink Less

Jeremy Fuerst stated, “I consumed over 8700 ounces of beer in 2017. My goal is to halve that in 2018. With decreased intake…

 

…I intend to savor every drop all the more.”

 

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