Drinking is personal.

  My relationship with alcohol is more complicated than anything else I've encountered in my life, because at the end of it all, it's really about my own internal struggle and conflict with how I live and what kind of reality I see every day. The past is hazy, I leaned hard into the mind altering, carefree way that a couple of beers could make you feel, nobody loved the 2 or 3 beer buzz more than I...nobody. I didn't want to get obliterated every night, my addiction was far less insidious and in front of me in a way that I wanted to escape but still seem in control. Just enough alcohol to numb, not enough to become a problem for anyone but myself. And without the health issues I encountered last fall, I don't see how I would have interrupted that pattern without some form of intervention, from the outside or within.

 I always say that nobody know more about how to diet and exercise than a fat guy, we know the stats and what we need to do, we just can't find the will or the way to do it...but baby, do we know the cheap, expensive and everything in between about it. Same goes for drunks. I can see through different, sober, eyes now, even though I always knew the problem existed. I watch how much everyone else seems to drink now, and know that I probably drank at least as much and probably more. Until you step back, you don't see how many you're putting back in a week, they all blur together into a mash of everything is okay...until the day it isn't.  

  We glamorize the new releases and beer fests, ignoring the underlying social and health issues associated with our favourite thing outside of paying homage to fallen pals and urging the "moderation" crew as long as it doesn't impact the bottom line. We don't want to talk about the societal issues, health ramifications and mental health problems associated with alcohol, we just want to see pretty reels and pictures about community and having a good time. We know deep in our souls that everything on social media is seen through a foggy lens of false perfection, all the while claiming authenticity and good times. I live in this world, it is my window and my door, the only way I feel like I belong anywhere is when I exist there and it is exhausting. The break I forced myself to take from most of it during my initial recovery was freeing in a way, but I still find myself drawn back into its orbit because I don't know what else to do or where I should go. I like talking about beer and how it feels, even the non-alcoholic ones have a way of giving you a break from the world, where you can focus on what's in your glass instead of the growing dystopia that seems to be gaining momentum around the globe. I know so many folks want beer and other alcohol based communities to be free of politics and a place for everyone, but as we have seen and heard for so long, the more things change, the more they stay the same when it comes to our problems and our inclinations. Is it wrong for people to want an escape? A place where the biggest problem is a beer style they don't like or an off flavour killing the lager vibe? The gathering of like minded individuals, who's political leanings may or may not be aligned, is possible, as long as no one rocks the boat or makes it weird. But making it weird means making it better. Making it weird for the majority means everyone can feel weird together. 

But what do I know, I'm a drunk...

Polk

September 29th, 2025

Desperately Seeking Better (NA) Beer

  I often wonder how to rate or judge non-alcoholic beers and then communicate in a way that people who are looking for NA options can understand.  Realistically, the depth of the field isn't the best and there is a wild chasm between great and good, even more so between mid and bad. I guess it's a young(ish) industry that will need some time to really find its legs, if it can be profitable enough to force quality to the forefront and not just an add on to entice the DD to stick around so everyone can have a few more Pints before heading home with a six pack or two. Even some of the breweries that are entirely focused on making NA beers can have terrible products side by side with some really fine offerings. The lack of quality control, coupled with an uneducated and/or desperate consumer base has made for a rush to market for a lot of things and an acceptance of that's just how things are...but I think there is a real opportunity as we move forward in the Sober and Sober adjacent community if we call out poorly conceived, off style and badly executed pints and raise awareness and help promote good, on point stuff.

  There has always been an element to talking about craft beer on social media that doesn't want to rock the boat. They don't want to criticize a bad beer, they don't want to be seen as not part of helping to grow the community and promote local businesses. While all taste is truly subjective, off flavours and just plain bad beer is pretty evident when you find it. I'm not talking about a style you don't personally like, I'm talking about things that don't come as advertised on the can or that are riddled with off flavours and imperfections. Brewing beer is art plus science and a dedication to consistency and a commitment to only releasing a quality product. Accepting any less is not helping to grow anything, it only allows bad actors and bad faith to become ingrained in the industry and makes anyone who's dipping their toe in the water to see what all the fuss has been about feel like it's not worth the time or money spent to switch over from macros. I've seen great and innovative breweries fall by the wayside and loose their mojo, all the while being praised for making beer that should never have left the bright tanks. It can be disheartening at the best of times, but at least there are so many options available that avoiding shitty beer can be done with a little research and wise spending.

  The problem that has arisen as I've now crossed over to the other side of the ABV is that the options are severely limited at a local level and a lot of folks are not going to order beer online for delivery without being able to be assured that what they're getting is good and well, drinkable. What we find in most stores and the local LCBO's is limited by a ridiculous amount of macro sameness. It seems to be similar no matter which part of our monopoly riddled, oligarch driven grocery sector you shop at, familiar, big brand names pop up again and again. There are some good ones to be found in the Non-alcoholic section of the drinks aisle, but the rotation and selection remains very static, without fail the same things and usually only in 4 or 6 packs, from place to place. 

  The largest deterrent to growth in this industry, however, remains the issue of taste, perhaps the biggest roadblock for so many people who may be open to jumping on the sober(ish) bandwagon as we find the years adding up and the beers piling on. There is little control or accountability for poor quality, bad tasting beers and for far too many brewers, the public's low expectations have allowed a lot of them to release sub par products because that is what they can get away with. As with everything I've encountered in my decade of talking about craft beer, education and worthy products are the key to growing any segment of the community. We've seen the rise of the Hazy IPA side by side with barrel focused, funk beers and Lager only breweries delivering amazing things. Despite some consternation, the truth is there has never been a better selection of styles in the LCBO and while the IPA tends to still be the focus of a lot of people, there truly is something for everyone if you look around. This is partially true for non-alcoholic brews as well, although on a far smaller and less available scale. Breweries like Harmon's, Perth, Bellwoods, Big Spruce, Nickel Brook, One for the Road and Left Field (just to name a few) have delivered some truly amazing things, lagers, sours and stouts to yes, even IPAs. They bring things that still taste and feel like real beer for those of us who have chosen or have had chosen for us a sober lifestyle (or a semi-sober one, who am I to judge). I know a lot of folks think that if you can't or won't drink beer then you should just drink something else, but when I find really well made NA offerings, it warms my (slightly broken but recovering) heart that I don't have to give up on the things I enjoy entirely. I know without the alcohol, many people wouldn't drink, but what I've found over the last 5 months and 120 plus non-alcoholic beers and ciders is that I don't need it as much as I thought I did and I've found some incredible, go-to pints that leave me feeling whole again. 

  But what we cannot and should not accept is less than good products. We need to be more vigilant and demanding when it comes to NA beers. Do not accept that they can't be as full and flavourful as their regular strength counterparts or that it is inherent that off or weird flavours are just acceptable. I've tasted so many good things, I know it is possible to do. But there is a huge gap in our knowledge, a chasm of culture that we are trying to bridge with experimentation and learning. The only way we can see the kind of growth necessary to sustain and inspire breweries to deliver quality non-alcoholic options is to reward the ones doing it and spread the word about inadequate or poor tasting releases that shouldn't see the light of day. Just because someone okayed a beer to be sent out does not mean we have to accept it. Your dollars speak volumes about what you are wiling to accept. At any time that is true, and even more so in the current economic and political climate.

  I'll continue my crusade and exploration. I'll continue to advocate for better options and better quality in non-alcoholic beers, spirits and mixed drinks. I'll promise to always be honest, as I have always been, about what's in my glass every day.  I'll seek out everything I can get my hands on and share it with you, the good, the bad and the ugly. I know for a lot of people, switching to NA products isn't always an easy choice, but we should hope that it can be made easier by showcasing and spreading the word about what to buy and what to avoid.  

  It's been a wild ride and it's just getting started.

  See y'all out there.

Sober (mostly),

Polk

April 7th, 2025

Looking for a Place to Happen - Seeking Sober Spaces

 

 I've been on a lot of beer runs in the last 35 years, maybe just to the Beer Store in the beginning, but after 2015 we stepped it up in a big way, culminating in cross province, week long jaunts that left my fridge bulging and my glass overflowing with the new and interesting things Ontario had to offer. We've done multi day road trips, driving hundreds of kilometers in search of pints to explore and met countless people like ourselves along the way. Sometimes it was just popping into one of the nearby breweries for a bite and a beer, the simple pleasure of belonging to a community that supports the hopes and dreams of local small businesses and hoping to do our small part to help spread the good word. I love a solid beer run and this last weekend was perhaps the worst, most depressing one I've ever taken and it illustrates a real problem the sober or non-alcoholic beer world has when it comes to helping folks crossover or drink a little less if that's what they're after.

  For the last couple of months, I've been getting deliveries of non-alcoholic beer from a fantastic service, Designated Drinks (Check them out here) has really shown the wide range of what's available across Canada when it comes to this category and they will continue to be my go to when it comes to seeking new and interesting things to talk about.

But...

  Getting a beer delivery does not replace a beer run, visiting a taproom or wandering the fridge at the local LCBO. It brings, with ease, many selections to your door and while this is a boon to all of us seeking sober pours, I must admit to longing for that jump in the car and head off down the road moment we used to have when it came to grabbing some new beers. There aren't many options for a sober third space and while some breweries have NA offerings, good ones that aren't more than a cheap knock-off of something they toss on the menu for the DD are not as easy to find. The culture of raising a glass with your friends is missing, the fluid conversation and excitement of new and returning beers, old favourites and solid stand-bys doesn't exist and this past Sunday illustrated that writ large for me as we travelled across town in search of something new.

  I had yet to put in my monthly order for Designated Drinks and by Sunday morning, I figured we could augment the beer fridge until it arrived with a stop at a couple grocery stores and maybe the best LCBO in the province (located on Osler Road in Dundas). Surely they would have enough of an offering to satisfy my cravings and while I found a few things, for the most point it reminded me of the vast and empty wasteland we have when it comes to the non-alcoholic beer line-up around us. The same drab macro 6 packs, lots of NA Euro lagers and store brand knock-offs that often resemble bad homebrew beers crammed into a tiny section of the drinks wall, unrefrigerated of course and inspiring no one. The LCBO was almost worse, a reminder that we are indeed not like we used to be and with nowhere else to go, I headed home with a couple of shabby Joe's to add to the fridge, an embarrassment of emptiness not worth the gas money or effort to acquire. There was no joy in seeking them out, only a resigned indifference of a cold world, quietly slipping from any hint of community or camaraderie and into the night without a smile. 

  Now maybe I'm being a tad melodramatic, I have been known to be given to theatrics from time to time, but the truth is, I could not find inspiration or illumination at any of these corporately controlled stops, there is no excitement or anticipation in an experience that cannot be shared and is often one made only out of necessity, not out of inspiration. Giving people options is a good way to grow your business, there are some really fine non-alcoholic beers being made here in Ontario, but for most people, as is true with craft beer, access is the key to that growth. As I have already said, we do not have third spaces for the NA crowd, there exists no taproom to seek out or exciting new thing to explore. We do not get the anticipation at a returning favourite beer, nor do we feel joined in a communal raising of the glass at events we used to love to attend. Whether you're sober by choice, by necessity or just because, it means you have to adjust your expectations of not only what's in your glass, but also of what your experiences and memories will be...although, to be fair, at least we can remember them all now...

  All of this isn't to mean that all is lost. Delivery services like DD and Sober Sips (which has a storefront in Barrie), among other start-ups, have truly expanded access to a wide variety of alternatives to the boozy booze and I am eternally grateful for their existence and work at trying to help grow with the sober community. I will continue to use their services and steer other people to them when they are seeking the stuff I talk about on social media. What all of this boils down to is a need for more actual places for us to gather and feel that sense of community craft beer had brought us. A feeling that we belonged to something special and that we were all connected in the very best way, seeking a good time and a break from an increasingly chaotic world. While I can no longer imbibe with impunity, many can't take a drink at all, we still want to find a place to be part of that larger world. It can be lonely, for even the best of us, as we revisit fond memories of days gone by and nights full of friends and amazing beers. You wonder if you'll ever feel that type of connection and joy again and until we figure a way to do it, or some inspired individual gathers enough courage to create it, we will have to keep making our own, wherever we can. 

Stay sober, my friends.

\

Polk

Match 31, 2025

What would you miss? Sober in Craft Beer...

  What do you think you'd miss?

  If they told you that you could never drink again or if you choose to give it up, for whatever reasons you have. What would you miss the most about craft beer in particular? Besides the warm and fuzzy feeling the alcohol gives you, what things do you think would disappear from your life that would leave a gap where your happy place used to be.

  I have given this a lot of thought since September, obviously my own circumstance and subsequent sober(ish) life caused me to make some radical lifestyle changes that remain ongoing and with various degrees of success. I haven't really been an active participant in a lot of beer events or even going out for a beer with someone in a couple of years, but I did begin to wonder what it would be like for someone who was more involved, more socially connected to the community and all it entails.

  When I first came back to social media in December, I was overwhelmed with comments and messages, much like when I talked about my experience as my heart went haywire in the late fall, so many folks reached out and I felt good knowing I still had a place to feel part of. Because I have been a solo drinker for the last couple of years, I didn't feel I was missing out on Beer fests, taprooms or sharing pints with friends. My situation was what it was and as I've got my legs under me, I've mostly been back to where I was before, albeit with 80% non-alcoholic beers and only a sprinkling of real pints every week. 

  What hit me this week was how would this affect a newly sober person who was an active member of the craft beer community, someone who did events, went to festivals and met up with other folks for beers. How would it affect someone who had a weekly meet up with pals to share beers or did road trips to breweries for fun and to meet online friends in real life. There would be a loss of community no matter the kind words and well wishes of their friends, in real life or online. The very real truth is that life does go on without us, even for the best of reasons, when you step back from something that was such a large part of who you are, it hits you a little different when everyone else moves on without you.

  I was not sure I wanted to write this whole thing, lest it be taken in the wrong way. There is no fault here, only the truth that whether we have to step back voluntarily or by a healthy choice, part of that means not being part of what was any more. I am incredibly lucky that I still can maintain an online community, despite my switch to mostly non alcoholic options, people in craft beer can be very kind when the road gets bumpy for one of our own and this helps a whole lot. But if I was one who went out and was deeply involved, I wonder how I'd be feeling every weekend when my new normal didn't include those aforementioned activities. It would be a little overwhelming and would only add to an already stressful time I would imagine. It's part of why it's so difficult to go sober, to separate yourself from the good times that feel warm and boozy because you can't be that person anymore. Change isn't easy, but letting go of alcohol seems particularly difficult, addiction or not. We've formed friendships with a basis of craft beer that have developed into something greater than the pint glass. We've built a spirit of being part of something bigger than ourselves and that is difficult to find in this world that is increasingly isolating and inward looking. 

  Part of what I try to do with getting after all these non alcoholic beers and spirits is to help normalize and spread the word that there are more options than most people know about, even if that trip is filled with more duds than I was used to in my regular beer drinking days. While it isn't always something available at every taproom or event, I hope we can make it easier to access and be seen as part of the community rather than a weird or special thing hidden on the bottom shelf of the fridge. Making good non alcoholic beer isn't easy, but from my experience and the sheer amount of people sending me messages about their own life changes and the difficulties contained therein, I know the market is growing and where the money goes, so goes the beer. 

  As a (somewhat) reformed drunk, I hope to help other folks on their own sober trips, whatever that may entail for them, to find a way to stay in touch and involved. I do also understand that there are some who cannot be around any kind of alcohol at all and stepping away entirely for their own mental or physical health is their only choice. Can there be sober beer events? An NA beer fest, more places that give space to such ideas and options, places where your choice of beverage isn't the odd one, but a way to find a new community to share experiences and friendships with? Does this exist and if not, do we have the collective will and more importantly, the buying power, to make it happen? I know there are folks out there more motivated and smarter than me working on finding such solutions. There is a lot of money to be made as a certain age of beer drinker begins to feel the years and needs something a little healthier while still wanting to feel like they belong.

  It's right there, just waiting to become reality...

  Take care of yourselves, you're the only you we got.

Polk

02/10/2025

Beer's the Thing - Tuesday Thoughts

 

My entry into drinking craft beer came rather late in life, well after my 40th birthday to be precise and as such, I cycled through the phases of being a toe-dipper, supporter, enthusiast and zealot to slowly arrive at my current state of calm indifference to what is in anyone else's glass. I remember being so damned determined to snuff out any macro beer love when I saw it and there are still times when I slip into that comfortable robe of self importance about what I'm drinking and what someone isn't. But those times are becoming fewer and fewer as I slide toward my 50s and the calm knowledge that at the end, it isn't about what is in your glass but rather the person holding it that matters the most. Being a kind person who makes time for what is right and truly important is far more a real picture of who you are than whether you drink craft beer or not. Would I rather everyone joined me at a local taproom to experience the difference a quality craft beer can make to their life? Yes, but not at the expense of judging them because of what beer they choose to drink.
  I think the kind of snobbery that pervades most craft beer folk online isn't an intentional attack on anyone who doesn't follow suit, it is rather a response to being perceived as part of an exclusive club that makes them feel a little special in a mundane world. Who doesn't want to feel cool or different while being part of something that isn't that far out of the mainstream. Beer remains a social lubricant regardless of its origin but with craft or independent beer, we get that cache of moving past what our parents drank and setting a new path. Some are trying to forge businesses, make contacts and find a way to make their now hobby pay them later and give them the freedom from the 40+ hours a week at the behest of others. Some just want to share and expand their own friend base, meeting like minded folks and partaking in brewery events put on by the brewers themselves or by an increasingly entrepreneurial Craft beer experience creators like the IGBrewCrew and tour groups around the regions.
  It has become apparent that there is indeed a divide though, between those who have been around craft beer 5 or more years and those who are recently coming to see the light. Even between social media platforms there is a massive disconnect about what is happening around this growing community. Instagram tends to lean heavy into lightness and praise, fostering a tight knit and often resulting in many real life friendships that have transcended race, culture, work and class, Twitter on the other hand is full of the more veteran contributers to the narrative of the craft and can be quite a bit more volatile, even angry when it comes to what is happening in the land of hops and barley. As an outsider, yet somehow a member of both groups (I tend to stay home and drink in peace 99% of the time), I see it first hand at any event that crosses the invisible boundaries between the two. The recent discussion of Influencers and free beer/tickets to events from craft brewers was a big deal to us but no one outside of our little corner of the beer world cares a lick. I have received many a beer gratis and tickets to events that far outnumber my ability or desire to attend hit my inbox, but it has almost never been with any strings attached. To be honest, maybe 2 times in all my 4 years writing about beer have I been asked to write something specific or have the brewery review what I was going to say before I posted it, both times I politely declined to even talk about said product.
  The culture of what is a growing part of Craft beer and the clash with those who helped usher it all in will eventually settle itself out as one continues to expand and grow along with the number of breweries who can draw in more people with an eye to supporting local businesses. The connections that the boots on the ground brewers can make with people are a huge part of what draws people in and will help keep them dialed in. They might not drink much craft outside of the few that are close to their home, but they will be fiercely loyal to a fault.
Life finds a way, I need a beer and we still have work to do.


Cheers!
Polk

The Front Porch

When I was a kid, we played outside, a lot. My mom would shoo us out on warm summer days, cool fall or snowing winter ones and we'd head off on adventures not possible today. We wandered all over the neighbourhood, climbed trees and played in places we thought only we knew about. Riding our bikes everywhere with lunches tucked into our back packs, we would return home dirty and tired but oh so happy with stories and excitement from a day of freedom. We had the life but little did we know that there were always eyes on us and our parents knew where we were more than we thought.
 Growing up in the late 70's and early 80's was a time when people still sat on their front porches and neighbours looked out for each other and their own with the same care. We didn't hide in our yards like today, closed off and independent of the world. We were connected to those around us by a network of phones, open doors and hellos. The people who lived next to you were an extension of your parents and you were respectful of them just because. We would feel like we ruled the neighbourhood and felt safe without even knowing it.
  I think back to those days and wonder if that transition from sitting out front to the secluded fenced-in back yard has done some real harm to how we live our lives. I feel less connected to my current town and I've lived here longer than anywhere else in my life. When we first moved in I tried to emulate the memories of my youth and sat on the front porch most days after work, trying to connect with the people around me. I'd say hello to the neighbours as they hurried from their cars to the front doors of their homes, busy with their lives and routines. I found the street empty most days, despite the presence of young families, most stayed in their yards or at structured play at an indoor play place. Kids don't wander free despite the fact that the world around us, at least theoretically, has never been safer. Connected by cell phone, we should be encouraging more outside time not less. As the years went on, I would spend fewer nights out front and the ubiquitous back deck was built. I love what my Grotto has become, the refuge from the world and a place of great happiness for me, but I still lament the passing of that community feeling the front porch gave us.
  We didn't know that as we rode around the streets of East Hamilton the network of Mom's, Granny's and others at home was at work. Looking for fun, we would spin around the school yard, creek and fields, having fun and creating our own worlds wherever we went. From building forts to racing down dangerously steep hills, we didn't think anyone was watching and were thrilled to be so free. But the reality is that we were always just one door away from help if trouble arose, you knew who you could run to when you needed it. It's probably a bit of nostalgia but a whole lot of reality as we see the elaborate yards people have built, hiding and cocooning away from the world. We don't reach out like we used to, no one would dare dream discipline or yell at kids today like was done when I was young. You knew if you did something wrong and got caught by the neighbour, your parents would come down on you with a vengeance. We had a connection that belied anything but giving a shit about where you lived. They did it because it was right and made the world a better place.
  I'm not sure when it all went south, but I know in my heart that part of the transformation was the building of monster houses with tiny backyards that were almost all deck. High fences to keep out prying eyes, we turned inward at the expense of community and we are poorer for it. I wish I could say if we had kids I would be different but I am probably kidding myself because that infection of perceived danger has made its' way into my life as well. I have become the guy who comes home, gets comfy and lives for the routine life lived in the yard. Devoid of a connection, our world has shrunk and we are poorer for it.
 I am sure there are great neighbourhoods out there, awesome neighbours who hang out and have fun, but in the larger picture, this is becoming an anomaly. I observe how people interact and see the closed doors and fences becoming more prevalent not less. We trust fewer people and hold closer the small nuclear family, leaving the world to others. Scared by the media and perceived threats, the leash of childhood freedom has been choked back to the yard and other supervised places, never to return. It makes me sad and I don't know what to do about it.
  Can we ever go back? Am I just pining for "the Good Old days"? Or am I really seeing the future as it is. Have we retreated to our castles, drawn the bridge and filled the moat. Protecting kids from harm is what we say, but are we depriving them of experiences that would help them grow as people by hiding from the world and not being part of the larger community. I wave to everyone I meet and say hello, I have long been taught to make the small talk required to build friendship and that came from how I was raised. We wanted to know our neighbours because they were part of our lives, celebrating the highs and coming together for support when things weren't so good. Is it different now? Ithink it is and I know we are lessened because of it. Maybe it's time I start sitting on the front stoop again, at least then I'm trying to do something positive and maybe I'll make a new friend or two. See you out there, stop in for a coffee, I've got the time.


Polk

This is Us, Craft Beer Edition.

 

Way back in the summer of 2015 when I first started writing about beer, it was for fun. I had no agenda, idea or coherent plan. I didn't set out to do anything special or create content. I didn't think it would lead to adventures, friendships and yes, the occasional free beer. Although on the latter I always thought (and still do) that if I got one it would be the coolest thing ever. I started it simply as a way to share what I was drinking with my friends as well as show that despite the troubles I was in at the time financially and personally, I was still alive and doing well.
  In December of that year, I did my first Beer Advent calendar and began to take a little more care in my photos and descriptions. I enjoyed thinking about what I was drinking and with some encouragement from friends, I put a little more effort into my words. I began the blog and videos to add to the initial Instagram page because it was fun. It was a way to express myself even more and as anyone who follows along here, it has turned into a personal journey as well as a beer one. Revealing parts of my life that I had hidden away helped to heal old wounds and bring up emotions I hadn't felt in years. It helped me connect with people on another level and despite some trepidation at the nature of what I was revealing, it was cathartic and did my soul some good.
  While craft beer is always my main focus, I began to see how the platform I was on could do some good for other people. I talked about depression, infertility, starting over and alcohol abuse to name just a few. I believe in being honest about everything I write and I think that's why I have made so many great connections over the last 2 years. People who drink good beer are, for the most part, good people. I've encountered few folks I wouldn't want to share a pint with and for this guy, that's the very golden pot at the end of the Rainbow.

  I see new craft beer focused accounts and people all the time popping up on social media. Groups of friends are getting together to share a page and even more great beer. Some stunning photography and creative video clips are showing up and it is only helping to promote the community even more. The enthusiasm of many of the newcomers is infectious and the friendships you see being made are awesome, all because we love great beer. But not everyone is doing it for the right reasons or in an honest and straightforward way.
  Within any community there will be people who want to exploit and lie their way to a position of prominence. Whether it is to make themselves feel important or for financial gain, it matters not. Paying for followers, acting like you're better than everyone else and generally shilling for free shit is not what the majority of craft beer drinkers stand for and when I see it, I want to call it out. I don't understand what makes a person pay actual money to get fake followers, fake friends and ultimately a fake life. I do what I do because it is who I am. The Drunk Polkaroo was a persona I created as a joke on my stupid drunken days and the promises I would make when I was snackered to do things with people and then flake on when I was sober. I didn't plan out a "brand" or target breweries with promises of increasing their business. For myself and most of the others who share our pics and stories on social media, we do it for fun, to connect with like minded folk and maybe share a pint in  real life. Phony accounts run by someone with an agenda or a marketing plan is, in my opinion, the opposite of what the majority of us do. We share our pics and stories because we care about the beer, genuinely want to meet people and enjoy being part of something that allows us to interact with the small businesses we support.

  The community of craft beer is at its core a place where we make friends, real or virtual, enjoy the creativity and design of the breweries we love and the people we follow. It has grown so much in such a short amount of time that I can hardly believe it. New styles of beer and amazing takes on traditional ones keep us hoping for a trade or beer saint gift with others. Road trips mean an opportunity to meet up in person and share a pint with those we've become such good friends with online. Being able to communicate our finds and what is new at our local breweries sparks conversation and inspires us to want to visit. We do it with pride and want the beer world to know about the latest release from places near to our hearts. We post old favourites because we love them and enjoy them regularly. But most of all, we just want to share a little bit of our life, the good and bad sometimes, with the world. We want to be part of something bigger than us and we have found that in beer. Stay true to yourself, always share honestly and keep those photos, stories and videos coming, they bring a smile to my face every single day. And remember to always Raise your glass and your standards, One beer at a time.

Cheers!


Polk