January 2012 the month in review

2012 is off to a good start.  I enjoyed 34 new beers this month bringing my total to 1,133 different beers since I started keeping track in 2007.  I also hit a milestone at my favorite beer bar, World of Beer-UCF.  As a loyalty club member I've logged in 250 different beers which entitles me to my name on a plaque at the bar and a polo shirt, or a hoodie.  A pretty good deal, you spend $1,200+ and get a shirt.  LOL! 

I was all over the board on the new brews, 26 different types according to Beer Advocate website. The greatest number of any individual style was three Belgian Strong Pale Ales.  I also enjoyed my first beer brewed in Israel, Gold Star, a Munich Dunkel Lager.  

My favorites for the month were Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye IPA, Samuel Adams The Vixen Chocolate Chili Bock, and Fusion VII from Lagunitas Brewing Company.

Tonight is Wednesday and my regular after work meeting with a few colleagues at World of Beer, so I'm sure I'll get February off to a good start with at least two new beers.

Cheers!

What is a beer geek?

There are many different definitions of a "geek".  One that I found on Wikipedia, states "A person with a devotion to something in a way that places him or her outside the mainstream."  I like this definition as it relates to me calling myself a beer geek.  Things that make me a beer geek:

1. Keeping a list of every new beer that I drink
2. Taking a picture of each new beer and posting it on face book
3. Before trying a new restaurant checking their website to see if they offer any craft beer
4. Spending hours on line surfing brewery websites, beer blogs, and other assorted beer sites
5. Brewing my own beer at home
6. Using evernotes (great Iphone app) to keep a list of beers so I don't accidentally repeat one
7. Wondering about the specifics of the ingredients of the beer that I'm drinking; yeast, hops, malt bill

I'm enthusiastic about beer and brewing.  I want to know all there is to know about beer and brewing.  It's not enough to drink beer and enjoy it, I have to know the details of what I am drinking.  I need to know the style, where it was brewed, and other details that most people don't consider.  Before becoming a beer geek, I could just enjoy drinking a beer without a thought about it other than was it cold enough. 

I see being a beer geek a positive, unlike a beer snob, which is negative.  A beer snob looks down on people who don't drink "good beer".  A beer geek informs people about all of the flavorful beer choices that are available and makes a recommendation.  I'll admit to acting like a snob a few times with my friends,  busting their chops about drinking Miller Lite or whatever.  So here I am, four years into my beer journey having a growing list of beers enjoyed that is currently at 1,128.  The funny thing is, I am always looking forward to the next one....

Cheers!

A new year, a new blog....

I've been thinking about doing this blog for a long time.  I finally convinced myself that the only way to get started was to set a date and do it.  Ready or not, here I come.