2019 - Polk's Thoughts and Hopes

With 2018 starting it's fade to black, I return to my tradition and look forward to what the coming year may bring for Ontario Craft beer. I have no inside knowledge, nor am I by any means an expert on anything but my own palate and observations, I am just a guy who really loves the community and of course, the beer. 
  The following thoughts are perhaps best described as hopes, dreams and a little reality as the calendar surges forward and craft beer grows and matures along with us as consumers.
 Predictions, thoughts and a little look into the mirror as we begin 2019.
1. All beer is Local
  Well of course it is Polk, everything is local somewhere. While this is facetious but factual, the point I have come to make is that it will become even more hyper localised as we go forward. with the exception of the strong regional breweries (Great Lakes, Muskoka, Amsterdam, et all), the future of the smaller, nano and micro breweries will be in serving their communities and the surrounding environs with both liquid and social refreshment. Not a large economic concern but rather a smaller, more sensitive to the seasons and the ebb and flow of the population around them, these breweries will do well to serve as both touristy beer destinations and hubs of local activity. From hosting their own events to bringing in civic organizations for fundraising nights, these breweries will do well serving the immediate area around them, encompassing small town bars and restaurants with an eye to the bottom line as many will have to stay small to maximize profit but perhaps also provide a nice life for the owners/brewers and a dedicated staff.

2. It's in the Mail
  While a nice chunk, about 20%, of Ontario Craft brewers offer online sales and home delivery through Canada Post, the majority have yet to seize on this excellent resource for getting their beer into the hands of consumers far away. Part of the problem is the need to build the website to handle the ordering, which without an in-house option could be an expense not worth its creation. packaging and what to offer online are core questions as well as what the market will bear when it comes to the dreaded shipping charges. Minimum orders or even a lack of interest in the product outside of the immediate environs will also be deal breakers for many small brewers. As with the LCBO or Beer Store, the online sales provide a secondary revenue stream which can provide much needed income to an out of the way stop. The larger brewers who have extensive listings at the provincial level stay away from this, with a few exceptions like Sawdust City and my own hometown Collective Arts, simply because I imagine they just can't justify the need to add to an already heavy sales schedule. Perhaps I am reaching but I see a continuing rise of online sales with the most sought after and unique offerings driving those brewers profits higher and leading to an even larger footprint without the traditional sales plan.

3. Your Unique and I want You
  The rise of the Whale is always part of any expansion of great craft beer. Some magical genius with hops and barley hits the jackpot with their ability to create the next big thing and people all over are clamouring for it. Be it a far away location from the big urban centres, a small production or just the sheer purchasing of
a brewery's fans who scoop up every release in copious amounts whenever a new or returning favourite hits the fridge. While the envy will always be there for some, the larger population of craft beer drinkers nod their heads and then go to their local favourite for what they would tell you is great beer no one knows about. These highly regarded and much sought after beers come from all sizes of brewer and will make for special road trips and beer mail but at some point, if people can't get your beer, they will move on to what they can.

4. Craft Beer Stores
  The holy grail and be all, end all for enthusiasts is the belief that someday we will get "our own" beer stores filled with every imaginable release from all the best Ontario craft brewers. While someday this may be true and we can all rejoice at the prospect of knowledgeable staff selling beer at the proper temps with glassware and pairing advice, I wouldn't hold my breath. The best bet is a consortium, like the Ontario Craft Brewers association and their members getting a few licences to open boutique stores. These would most likely be located in already busy urban markets and despite a wish from some, the LCBO will continue to administer the sale of beer within the province. Cross selling or regional stores would be a little easier to fathom as most brewers have fairly friendly and close relationships with their close by neighbouring breweries and this could be a much more doable option. But for the near future, it is the Grocery store and LCBO which will continue to be the only outlets outside of the brewers walls where people can physically pick up the product.
  But still we dream and hope...soon.
5. The Haze Craze Continues or The Chronicles of Dank
  Every year I say it is going to be a resurgence of lagers and pilsners with low ABV beers coming in hard...and every year I am still surrounded by the love and search for big old juicy, hazy and tropical dank hop bombs. While the mass market still is dominated by Bud Lights and the like, most of the people I know who drink craft beer are either in search of the latest New England style IPA or something of the like. Hazy is a descriptor but it is the soft citrus pithy bitterness to go with that dank pine that brings the most joy to those who love them. The other side of that coin is my dark and slow sipping friends who pursue barley wines, bourbon, rum or cognac barrelled beauties to enjoy and warm the sub cockles of their hearts with. No doubt the market exists for crispy bois and clean pils but make no mistake that the ever growing craft beer world is still deep in the grips of all the hops.
  The Haze remains the same.
6. How deep is our love?
  With around 300 brick and mortar breweries operating in Ontario and even more in various stages of planning, this province of 10 million plus people is either under or over saturated depending on who you listen too. Peak Craft beer, to steal a phrase, is perhaps the biggest fear for anyone thinking of getting into the game and wondering if there is room at the tap handle. While I have already talked about the hyper-local focus of a lot of new brewers in Point 1 today, I see trouble for some places as the knowledge and sheer number of consumers rise. We have begun to see people turn from beer that isn't good, not well thought out or rushed to market. There will always be a segment that will never be critical of anything for fear of upsetting their local brewer, but if we are to continue to see expansion on par with what the last 3 years have seen we need to begin thinking and buying with an eye to supporting those who are making it worth our dollars.
7. A Larger Tent
  While this one probably needs a deeper look and is something I promise to do as the year moves on, I would be remiss if I didn't talk about why it is important for us to make a bigger door and be far more sensitive and inclusive when it comes to craft beer.
Just as we wish to be part of drinking something that is different and better than when we drank Coors or Molson Canadian, we must also look at how we welcome those who seek to make the world itself better. While I am not really qualified to talk about diversity or inclusivity, I feel like I have to continue to push the envelope and help or encourage those whose voices are being raised and need to be heard. We want craft beer to be a place where everyone feels like they belong and that begins with standing up for what is right and being an ally to those who seek that truth. I think 2019 will continue to see people try to open doors and make craft beer the truly special place we see it can be. But the work remains and vigilance will be needed to keep those who seek to muffle or silence criticism and serious conversation about change. Arm in arm we go forward and that will be our strength.
  A good place to start is with my friend Ren over at Beer.Diversity., the good ladies at The Society of Beer Drinking Ladies or even Hamilton's own Iron Beer Maidens. Look for local groups and breweries who are doing things right and support them with your dollars and your voice.
8. Buy-Outs, Sell-Outs
  For the most part, since Mill Street sold to Ab-Inbev in 2015, the Ontario Craft beer scene has been relatively quiet when it comes to "selling out". Whether it is a lack of options or just people standing firm on sub par offers, it has been a peaceful period when it comes to the mergers and acquisitions of our favourite breweries. With the exception of a few contract LCBO SKU buys made by Lost Craft, the odd purchase of Grand River by Magnotta and All or Nothing taking on Trafalgar, there has been little action. I am sure some sniffing around has been done and who knows, this year may see a shocking purchase but in my heart, I can't see it being anyone but the few "lifestyle" brands who always seem to be looking for a big payday anyway. Ace Hill continues to defy my predictions of being a perfect fit for Molson/Coors and perhaps it is the coming attempts at cannabis related beer that has the big boys focus.
  The craft beer portion of the market approaches somewhat of 10% and that has to have someone's attention but perhaps I'm still tilting at windmills here...
9. Do you like my #beerselfie?
  While I know I am often a social media tidal wave and live very much every day out in the open, there is a rising tide of new and more talented photographers, writers and video lovers out there who just need a little encouragement to join our cause. I continue to help push them forward and despite the fact that there are a few who wish they alone could be the "voice" of craft beer, the truth is many voices are needed to help raise the chorus and that in numbers we truly have strength.
  Every picture or story about craft beer helps to widen our reach and as more people join us, we can help craft the narrative. We can start to control the future and ensure that the vision of  a better world with craft beer leading the way happens. 
  Not everything of course is hunky-dory when it somes to social media and craft beer. Some still use sex to sell and achieve followers/likes, some try to court controversy for the sake of controversy and we all need to be aware of beer shaming our friends and family online and in real life.
The boobs, butts and muscle crowd will always exist in any form of media, so it is up to each person to decide what they feel is right for them.
Being an asshole about beer or anything only goes so far and while I too can fall into the trap of negative vibes, I will do my best to try to be more Beer Positive myself in 2019.
And finally, let us do what we can to help reduce beer shaming as the year goes on. Sure we want more of those around us to join us in enjoying the amazing things we are getting, but making fun of or calling them out for making poor choices when it comes to their beer only reduces the likelihood that they will ever feel comfortable trying something new. We all started somewhere and maybe we would do good to remember that. Be a guide and a friend, not a gatekeeper who sneers at those they feel are beneath them. Expand the love and make it easy for folks to feel comfortable joining the community and you will see us grow.


  There you go my friends, 9 things I think could happen or that we can work at to make better in the coming 365 days. I'll be doing my best to help spread the Gospel according to Craft and hope you will join me as we delve headlong into what is sure to another year of beautiful beer, new friends and experiences that will help shape the stories we tell when once again we gather to look back.

Cheers!
Polk

Polk's 5 Stages of Craft Beer Life

  

  We've come a long way as beer drinkers the last few years and as our ranks steadily grow and our palates change with them, I look back on how we've come to be where we are in 5 stages. Now, granted, these are sort of simplified and reflect my personal journey in beer but I have no doubt you will see part of yourself in each one.  The pride we have in what we put into our glasses now comes from a place of our beer birth drinking macro lagers, the toe dipping exploration of the different styles, becoming a full on convert and then a hard core preacher and judge of what other people drink before finally reaching the nirvana of understanding that acceptance is the key to all.

  Like I said, simple, but a trip every craft beer drinker has taken in one form or another. Some are taking different ways to get there, but understanding that the path to enjoying life and indeed, your beer is never ending and being open to that kind of growth and change will make it an enjoyable one for all of us.

1. Denial
  In the beginning, there were lagers and ales. Perhaps we stole a sip from our father's bottle or a relative gave us a drink and laughed when we made a face at the bitter, sharp flavour we were unaccustomed to. For so many of us, our very first experience with beer isn't something we even remember and we move to those teenage years where intoxication is the only goal, flavour a far off consideration compared to the thrill of scoring a case and getting drunk at a bush party or in someone's basement.
  My own first experiences with beer were as a side to the whisky I chose for its "cool" factor and ability to get me hammered quick. Beer was what we drank once we were good and liquored up. This changed as I started to get older and beer transformed into a more social drink, still trying to get drunk, but finding hard liquor not as much fun once I hit my 20's.
  All through this, craft beer wasn't really on the radar, but as the scene was shifting and as local and imported choices of different styles made their way to the liquor store, we would deny ever wanting such weird stuff, touting the "Real men drink real beer" mantra and shutting down any conversation of trying a fruity, dark or any other beer that wasn't straight up beer.

  To be sure, Sleeman's Honey brown and the occasional British dark ale would sneak in when that one friend would make you try it, but for the most part, we just ignored the existence of any choice and kept on with whatever was our traditional and known choice...but things were about to change.

2. Exploration

  It begins without thought or foresight. Maybe you were at a friends house and out of your regular beer. Perhaps you found yourself at a party or a bar and someone just bought you a beer and you didn't want to be rude. Or maybe you just got curious and finally decided to see what the hell the fuss was all about. All of these or 100 other reasons could be how you started to explore the wider world of beer, but at some point you stopped caring about just getting hammered on the same old stuff and reached for the unknown.

  Today we take for granted the myriad of options and 260 plus craft breweries with taprooms and educated staff to help us try new things. Not so long ago, none of this existed and the tiny craft and import section at the local liquor store was like an exotic wasteland you went into unprepared and unarmed. For me, it began with a few "Guy's Nights" parties when the ladies would be away and we would have Beer around the World themes, each guy bringing a dozen beers not from our normal purchases and sharing them together. We'd still get drunk but once in awhile we would stumble across a new beer that caught our attention. This would be added to the rotation as a special beer and while our macro lager, 24 buying days were not done, the need to find new flavours and seek out interesting things for Untappd started to take hold and we were off. It became almost a contest to see who could find the most new beers and this tepid, toe in the water exploration soon led to the next stage, which sets the rocket alight and we ascend to new heights.

3. Conversion

  For a lot of us, the craft beer revolution was a slow build, a gradual addition here or there of a few new beers or styles as we still drank macro lagers. As the time went on and we began to visit more breweries and connect with like minded folks in real life and online, we started to feel part of something special, something unique and that appeals to anyone. We start to actively look for ways to get new beers into our glasses, we start to plan trips and meals around finding new breweries and places to go. We begin to feel like the money we spend on that 24 of Coors Light every week is being wasted as we eschew it more and more for a craft choice. The basic lager sits in the fridge longer each time, getting drank only when everything else had run out.

It becomes a bit of an obsession and as the macros fade into the background, slowly disappearing from our fridges, we turn and find ourselves becoming acolytes and preachers of a new gospel of a church made of hops and barley.  Eventually, you buy your last case of macro beer and something changes inside, you feel the burn of a fire you want to spread and you turn to the world, alight with energy and a new way to live.

4. Evangelical

  There comes a time for almost every craft beer drinker when you feel the pull of a need to share your love. You post pictures online, perhaps write about what you taste and then share that with the world. You bring a mixed dozen of your favourite craft beers to a party because you cant drink that 'macro swill'. You start to talk about your friends beer choices and deride them if they still drink Blue or Coors or any other non craft beer. You rail against Big Beer buying your favourite craft brewery and swear you will never buy any of their beer again because they sold out. You engage in lengthy debates about government policy and grants to help the industry grow and dream of cracking a higher percentage of the market. You check dates on your cans obsessively and post rants about pseudo craft and forget about one fundamental fact that helped drive you into craft beer in the first place...fun.
  You wanted beer to be fun and it has become a zero sum game of getting that latest, hard to get release and mocking what your friends and family drink. You start to feel like you've lost something on this particular Road to Damascus and begin to come down from your mountain top, enlightened and educated but also with a vision of the future and taking a new path, one of being a true lover of beer and of those times we have to enjoy each other.

5. Acceptance
  The final stage, the one hardest to reach for many Craft beer lovers, is this one. Learning to accept and let people drink what they like can be a difficult path to find, grown over with the sure knowledge that we know a better way and should shout it from the roof tops. Becoming an advocate and an acolyte are two very different things and as I've moved through these stages, it became easy to tap that righteous anger and superior feeling you get when you first fall in love to try to push the needle and force others to see the world as you do. It is easy to slam a fist on the table and openly mock people and their beer choices, forgetting that at one time, we too held fast to our macro lagers, not knowing what the future held.
  We started to drink better beer because it was fun to do. We went to events, visited breweries and met interesting people who had the same interest because we found it ourselves. Sure, we followed others who came before us, but the decision was ours. We sometimes forget that this journey started with one sip of one beer that made you stop and wonder what was happening. We lost sight of the joy felt at finding a new flavour or style that helped shape who we are now. We seek to recapture that moment so many times, we forget that everything was supposed to be about enjoying life, not judging others or chasing things to posses them.
  Be an advocate, an ambassador and a voice of passion. But approach every moment with joy and not scorn. Let light in where there is darkness when asked but be not the scowl of judgement on what other people drink. Give suggestions, share and be open to new things yourself. Be honest and let stand your opinion, with the knowledge that all of our palates are different and no one responds to mockery with acceptance.
  The end game is always to enjoy our beer without being an asshole about it. Pour, sip and ponder life while spending time with people you love. Respect the choices of others and always make room in your fridge for different things. Life is too short and often too hard to let that kind of stress in when it comes to beer.
  Have fun and be cool.

Cheers!
Polk


 

Do we have a Problem?

  Tap takeovers, festivals, special releases and events of that nature have been exploding in the last year as Craft Beer in Ontario hits new highs in sales and prominence. We can find something happening almost every night if we look around and it is hard to miss out on anything our friends go to. But is there an underlying problem that we are ignoring and covering up by claiming we are drinking better beer? Do we have a quiet issue that remains unacknowledged because the community doesn't want to talk about it? I'm probably the last guy who should discuss excessive consumption but maybe I'm the perfect one to do just that.
  As chronicled in my Truth in May and the follow up, 150 - The Real Truth in May, I tracked every beer I drank for a month and was shocked at just how much I had consumed. It was far more than I had envisioned and in the next few months, I took greater care to slow down and consume less, not stopping, but definitely no where near that much. As I look around my social media, I notice there are an awful lot of folks who are just like me, posting one or more beers every day and being fine with it. We got this under control we say, no drunken stupidity coming out of here and look at how I don't drink a dozen MGD's anymore. But is it all a shaky premise built on a façade that is at best pretty loose with the facts.
  Reading back on those two posts, I can see a distinct chip on my shoulder as I tried to justify a really ridiculous amount of beer for anyone in a month. Regardless of your situation in life, 5 beers a day isn't a thing you should be okay with. Last night I had just one and it was a little weird, I kept wondering if I should just have another to take the edge off the day, troubling as that thought was. It took a bit more discipline to keep myself from heading outside and another round.  I was honestly struggling with it and as I look at my friends, in real life and online, I know many of them are in the same boat, consuming almost daily with a wink and a nod about sharing our love of this community. But perhaps we are missing the bigger, more shady picture that is developing.
  Addiction is very real and I have no doubt that it plays a large factor in what some of us are doing. Chasing that darkness is perhaps not at the forefront any more but is drinking two huge ABV barley wines really different from pounding a sixer of macro lager? I would have to argue no and am the prime example of how we justify a few pints a day by talking about it and posting a picture on social media. I have no doubt that I have a need for beer, I think about it way more than I should and although I don't let it interfere in my work life, anything after hours is fair game. Frequent day drinking is something we joke about, but I see it often enough to wonder what is really going on.
 We know what beer does, regardless of its' origins and to try to be cute about why we drink is part of the problem. We want to engage other people, go and do fun things with our friends and try the new and exciting creations of our favourite craft brewers. But I have begun to wonder if this pursuit of the pint allows some of us to be alcoholics with a good cover; I can take great pictures and put words to them as well as talk to anyone about my love of beer but do I use that to allow me to drink more than I should? Is there a rush when you get "likes" or comments on your latest post? Do we begin to create things so we can get more people following along and gain some sort of prominence in the craft beer world? People are paying actual money for fake followers to help promote their "brand", which boggles my mind. The end game is always personal promotion but once again are we overlooking our addiction for the false feeling of being on the inside. Everyone always wants to know the scoop on new releases or special things their local brewer is up to and being part of what is now the cool thing has it's own feeling of superiority and exclusivity. For most of us, we are just regular working stiffs, so getting to feel like we matter and have a stake in this burgeoning world gives us something that may be missing from our everyday lives. We cannot overlook the factor getting access to things others can't plays into all this. It's human nature to want to feel special and when you become a grown up that is something that rarely happens. Being a craft beer fan allows us to join a unique club, one that is growing everyday.
  The long term impact of Craft beer is mostly positive. Smaller breweries are more involved at a local level in community work and it is pretty awesome to be making new friends as an adult through sharing our favourite thing. They provide jobs, fun experiences and a chance to explore things we could never have imagined from our beer. But it should not cloud over the very real addiction and mental health issues that still are with us because it is, at the very end, alcohol. The dangers exist no matter the way in which it is made and some people cannot help but over consume because of their personal mental health issues.
 This is not to say that there isn't an inherent difference with Craft Beer, I believe there is something that can help us to curb our consumption when we really start to experience each beer for what it is. My concern is that some of us are getting our fill and then going over the top without seeing a problem. I don't come home to a fridge filled with macro lagers and want to get hammered. It's become a more nuanced approach to consumption and I believe in some way that this community has helped me to change and grow in my personal approach to my beer. I just think it's time to have the conversation and make sure we listen when someone needs help. I know I have problems with limits and will take care to continue to work on myself, but I also know that my world is indeed different than it was just 2 years ago. I can have just one beer and not feel angry. I don't actively try to get drunk to hide from my problems and want to be a better person who is engaged in life and not slurring his way into an early grave. Should I quit drinking altogether? I honestly don't know, I hope I have grown enough to recognize the nature of every beer I drink and my relationship to it. But the question persists.
  I don't have all the answers, but I know it's time we stopped pretending there isn't a problem. I want us to be a better community of drinkers and help those who need it. So think about what your consuming and try to make moderation part of your evening, the beer tastes better when you take it one at a time.


Polk

An Odd Morning

Driving home from work and I was looking forward, as is usual for me, to a few pints in the Grotto with the next day being my first off in a week. I had missed many dinners with the late nights and overtime but since we don't have kids, it didn't really impact us that much. Kat and I spend a few hours together and then she heads to bed while I stay up a little later for some quality time alone with a beer to settle my mind. I started thinking about how different our life would be with kids, how the hell people afford them and what I would be doing if we did have them. I pretty sure I'd be different too and chances are I would but I also started to wonder about what I want to do with the back half of my life.
  Life without kids isn't really something people like to talk about. Some give their time to charitable and community organisations. Others concentrate on their extended families, becoming integral to nieces and nephews and involved in their lives to contribute something. I thought about some of these things, but my work schedule sees me home long after most everything that would like my help or on the weekends when I almost never am off. It crossed my mind to go back to coaching but in reality, with my schedule I would miss almost every game and practice, rendering me at best an ineffective assistant who would be missing 80 percent of the time.
  So where does that leave me? I ponder what I am doing, working so hard and despite the financial rewards, do I need to pursue money for the sake of money? When you have children, your focus obviously shifts to making sure they have a better life than you did. You strive to give them the best you can and  sacrifice to ensure that happens. I don't have to do that, the only people I have to worry about is Kathryn and myself if you get right down to it. I love my extended and immediate family but through the combination of lifestyle, work and just plain neglect, I have become a peripheral member at best. I wish them only the best things, but I am not involved enough to be considered anything but a member in name only it feels sometime. Perhaps as we get older, things will change with a little more effort on both sides.
  I used to be involved in all sorts of family events, hosting and planning them because I wanted to ensure a strong bond and a history of family traditions for my future children. Not having them means that any tradition becomes moot after I die, perhaps the memory of what I did carried for a generation but then I become a picture in an album that eventually finds its way to that dusty attic. A little dark but not untrue. I can tell stories of long ago relatives, but do the children of my cousins and brothers know them? How long before they are left to the past and a world that goes on regardless? Its a weird way to look at life I will agree, but it's where I am right now.  The best thing about writing down my thoughts is to help me see what is bothering me and when I am finished, they tend to recede to the past.
 With holiday season approaching, I become more introspective about what they mean and how I want to deal with them. Thanksgiving has long been avoided, along with easter, because they never felt like fun. Having to choose which side to go to makes it a minefield and I am not even going to get into Christmas, that mess isn't made better by hosting. I see nothing of value in forced bonhomie with anyone and since we really don't celebrate any of them with the verve of those around us, I am always left with nothing to say when we get together. We don't exchange gifts or have anything near a traditional holiday. It isn't necessary to perpetuate the myths of the santa or the rush of presents and family time when it is just two people, we buy the stuff we need and occasionally what we want when we can afford it. Just because it's December doesn't mean we suddenly have more money for things we don't need. So not being part of that and stepping out of the larger family gift giving takes us further afield. It's not the season of my youth obviously and while I do enjoy the trappings of the season, the specials on TV, the beer and the food, I cannot get excited about something I no longer participate in. I don't hate Christmas or anything like that, it's just different for me now and I don't know if I like that or not.
 It's not a "pity party" as one wonderful member of my family said of my work last week, I just write what I am thinking to help me understand it. None of this is ever intended to ask for sympathy, it is and has always been a way for me to convey my feelings, work out the problems I am having and maybe help someone who is suffering in silence to realise that they are not alone. I don't want anyone to think I hate my life or how it has turned out. I write because it works for me, no one has to read it if it bothers them, I would never want that. My social life has shrunk but thanks to my online friends I can always find someone to talk to and that has added value to my life that I can't measure. Do I want to go out more? Sure I do and I hope we will as my work life returns to a more normal pace.
  It is easy to become inward looking when you don't have to look outward and you see the march of time ending with your own demise. I get a little maudlin when I realise all this comes to an end when I go and no one carries on the lessons I would teach. But it isn't all doom and gloom, I intend to squeeze every moment of enjoyment I can out of whatever time I have left. I will do what I want to and make decisions about my life that enhance it wherever I can. It's been a weird way to arrive at this conclusion, but that is what this process has always been for me. Write and understand my own mind, it's taken me far and I don't want to stop now. The depression and low feelings are a thing of the past and it is though this medium that I have found peace with who I am. I'll be as surprised as you where this all ends up,

150 - The Real Truth in May

150.

  The number of beers I drank during the Truth in May was just that...almost 5 per day. That seem like a lot to you? Because it seems like way more than I thought I consumed when I set out to document what was a craft beer lover who maybe tipped back a few more than the average person. I didn't or couldn't imagine that as the final number because I was convinced I was having one or two most nights with the occasional evening of 5 or 6. What I found was as the month went on that most were 4 or 5 and some came in at 9...even with sharing, that many beers more than once in a blue moon is troubling to say the least.

Beer No 1 just after midnight on May 1st

  I only had one evening where I would say I chased the darkness and given that it was at the Albino Rhino beer fest with a whole whack of my friends, I have no issue with that particular day, even though it topped at least 12 pints all in. We were sharing beers and having a great time doing it, nights like that are few and far between for me, so I again am okay with it.

A Rhino and a Polkaroo!

  The other ones though are the ones I want to talk about here.

  I like beer, that is pretty easy to see. I've always liked it, for different reasons, but historically for how it made me feel and as a social lubricant. When I fell into craft beer, it opened my eyes to what I was really doing with my macro loving overindulgence and I could feel the brakes come on and my consumption plummeted. I went from 3 or 4 24's a week to a much lower count, albeit with higher alcohol contents and bigger formats. But I wasn't getting hammered every night and that was something really positive. That continued through to the Truth in May, I still drank less than I used to but more than I thought I did.

Posted 3 times during the Month. A slow sipper I usually kept to myself.

  One thing about my consumption that I have struggled with has been that I didn't feel I was drinking for the wrong reasons. I was enjoying every sip, writing and talking to my virtual and real life friends and doing all the stuff I had to do in my normal, non beer

life. I went to work every day, did my chores at home, went out a few times when the budget allowed it and generally lived my life in a positive and mindful manner. So how to bring that together with the fact that by any definition my drinking is both binge and alcoholic in nature when I don't feel that way personally. Craft beer and the community of people I have met have brought me much happiness and a renewed sense of purpose. Writing about beer every time I drank one and finding a picture was challenging but fun and I was glad to share the boring, mundane late night pint as much as that special edition Imperial IPA that I go all out to showcase. Am I making excuses to deflect from the fact that I drank 150 beers in a month and cannot stop on my own accord? I hope not and that is why its taken me a week to finally sit down and start to comprehend what it all means.

One of my favourite beers from May. So good.

  I started this post 6 times, each one different and none giving me satisfaction. That you are reading this means I found my voice and it both soothes and troubles me. To any normal person I am an alcoholic, a high functioning one, but still alcohol dependant. I cannot dispute that fact, I want to have a few beers every day but not to the detriment of my necessary tasks. I could not imagine drinking before work or getting smashed every night. It doesn't fit in with my life now but I do want that new or favourite beer and I enjoy writing about them several times a day. I discovered that it was those validations from social media that were driving a lot of my drinking. I always drank 4 or 5 a night but would save a few to post the next day so I could spread them out over a longer period. So I didn't drink more to post it, I merely posted it when I drank it and saw the truth in pictures every day. It bothered me a bit but didn't stop me in the least. That I didn't drink too much was always my argument and with every beer that went on Instagram, that façade was crumbling.

  Working in the service industry for 30 plus years certainly drives a good part of my love of beer and its' calming nature. I do not love what I do but it pays well and I am far past the age where I search for validation from my employment. When you're a blue collar working man, you care about doing a good job for a salary that pays the bills and maybe a little extra. I work to live but I do not live to work. Let me win the lottery and I will be the same guy but way happier. So my drinking is a reflection of a life in service to others and a way to let go of the anger that must be reined in when people treat you like a piece of furniture. Abuse of service people is a whole other topic and the stories I have from the trenches would make you question your humanity. People are good but the ones who we often spend the most time dealing with would make a teetotaller drink...a lot.

A few new breweries opened in Hamilton during the Month. Merit was first.


  Another large and usually quiet reason I do what I do is that we don't have any children. While we wish we did, and honestly every few days I wonder if we gave up too soon, the fact is that after work, I have absolutely zero responsibilities. I have to do my household maintenance and cook the occasional meal, but in terms of things I must do, there is nothing. I don't give in to familial guilt about things and without children we don't get invited to or feel comfortable attending many of the kid centric events that surround people with large families. Our friends are now largely craft beer folk so events we do with them tend to exacerbate rather than alleviate my consumption. But the very simple fact that when I have done what I need to for survival, I am free to do or not do anything I want. It is freeing, a little selfish and the truth in my life. So I have to admit that it is a large part why I can enjoy so many beverages, especially on my days off. Mow the lawn, clean the house, do a little laundry and then the rest of the day is mine. I can't apologize for a life that I stumbled into and I have no doubts that if there were children in our lives, I would not be doing the things I do now. At least, I can hope.

Fairweather Brewing in Hamilton opened just before the end of May.

  So with this long and meandering piece have I learned anything about what last month meant to me? I think so, I understand that my child free lifestyle has allowed me to claim a future that is focused on myself and those I choose to let in my life. My work schedule of long shifts, working most weekends and with the public leaves me feeling a need for a few pints after a long day, no harm in that on my part. I like the way 2 or 3 drinks make me feel and the release they give me, but I don't want to escape into the blackness that I used to chase. I understand that drinking 5 beers a day is not normal, not necessarily healthy or productive, but I see no reason to stop. I will make a better effort to find something to occupy my time but creating art with beer pictures and getting to tell stories of my life are important to me and my mental health. I am a caring and loyal person but I guard my free time jealously and plan for days when  I have almost no interaction with other people because I can. I feel a lot of sadness that I will never be someone's dad and want nothing more than to see that change, but it will not. I will work harder in my job, more hours, stress and I will be fine with that because it will give me the money and freedom to do the things I want when I am not there. I do not hate my life. I only get one, so I value every moment and day.

Beer #150 for the Month.

 Do I drink too much was the question I asked and the answer is way more complicated than I could have imagined. Yes, by every conventional standard, I do qualify as a heavy drinker. Clinically I am an alcoholic and if labels make people happy, feel free to call me that. Do I crave beer at the expense of living my life and doing the things that I need to do? Not at all and the knowledge that I have the ability to limit what I consume is something I probably need to spend more time on. I love my family and friends and want them to be happy and successful but because my path is now non traditional and child free, I will have to find out where that leads me. I do drink too much but in my life, that's what I do. I was for many years a person who put everyone else first and while I have wonderful memories, I plan that the second half of my (hopefully) long life is when I learn to say no and live a little more for me. The craft beer revolution has found me a way to express myself that I thought was lost forever and given me opportunities for adventures I didn't know existed. My own personal evolution as the Drunk Polkaroo has given me a platform from which to help others and myself. I want to think I learned something but the real truth from May is that I am having a good time and with everything else in the world feeling like it is headed to hell in a handbasket, my enjoying 5 beers a night and talking about them is the least worrying thing in my life.

  So thank you to everyone who followed along, hung out for a few pints during the month or dropped in from time to time to see where I was. It wasn't my intention to drink 150 beers in a month, but having done so, I must accept what it says about my life. I wish I could say I will drink less, but I will never lie to you my friends, Let's just say I am more aware of what is going into my glass and I am looking forward to a bright future with tales and great times with more of you.

Raise your glass and your standards,
One Beer at a time.

Cheers!

Polk


The Numbers from the Truth in May
76 Different Breweries.
(W means I worked that day, O means Day off)
1st - 5 W
2nd - 4 O
3rd  - 4 W
4th - 4 O
5th - 1 W
6th - 2 W
7th - 2 W
8th - 6 W
9th - 4  O
10th - 3 W
11th - 7 O
12th - 4 W
13th - 4 W
14th - 3 W
15th - 5 W
16th - 4 W
17th - 4 W
18th - 6 W
19th - 4 W
20th - 6 W
21st - 4 W
22nd - 9 O
23rd - 7 O
24th -  2 W
25th - 5 O
26th - 3 W
27th - 12 O
28th - 3 W
29th - 5 W
30th - 8 O
31st - 9 W

5 Years Ago - Rock Bottom and A Way Out

"I just hope you don't end up homeless."
  Actual words said to me 5 years ago by a CRA agent while my business and personal life were crumbling down around me. Said with a serious tone and some malice, she was scathing in attacking my undeniable failure and her hope for my own personal downfall. The funny part to me then was that I thought 'Why would I be homeless? I have a family that loves me and I am pretty sure someone would take me in if I truly lost everything.' I look back at her words now and chuckle because she wanted me scared and I was so lost in the haze of having been embarrassed publicly by my failing and subjecting myself to being treated like a giant loser for doing so, fear was taking a backseat to numbness.
  I took the only lifeline I could see and used (what I thought) was the one skill I had, being a low paid fry cook who wasn't worthy of any happiness, let alone hope. At the very depths of my despair, I heard her words ringing in my ears as I struggled working 70 hours a week just to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table. I was turning 40 in less than a year and I had just lost everything I had worked over a decade to build, life was bleak, dark and empty. Clinging to the only route I had out of this self created mess was getting shitty drunk on cheap beer every night when I got home around midnight, rarely having a day off and even then, spending it cramming Brava light one after the other until the fear was quieted. The absolute of my end was that I would never again be happy, let alone ambitious enough to try to make life better...deeper I went.
  The treatment of a failure who has to subject himself to the reminder of his downfall was in my face every day and I was constantly put down and forced to accept that I was only worthy because I could stand in place for 16 hours a day and hate myself for everything I had become. It was wearing me down, minute by minute I was losing parts of my soul, my sanity and my life. And then the break came that gave me a glimmer of hope for something better. The last thing I expected was to reach rock bottom and find a hand come out to help me up, but when it came I felt the first breathe of hope enter my lungs in months.
  A friend of Kat's had a family cottage and with our constant struggle to even live, she offered it to us for a few days in August of 2013, gratis, no strings attached and we jumped at it. Money would be tight in the coming weeks if we went, but it turned out that 4 days at somewhere not around here was not only necessary, it literally turned out to be the place that saved my life. 
  I had been intermittently applying to other jobs, not with much hope given my many years of self employment and low self worth, but the spark was there, I just had to believe. While at work on my last day before we left for our mini vacation, I received a call from a prospective employer and actually did the phone interview just before my long shift started...was this the one?
 Later that day, I received another call asking if I could come in for an interview that week and even with the 45 minute drive from the cottage, something told me to take the chance. I was nervous and with almost no experience in what to say or do on a job interview, I went in with the best thing I could bring, my open and honest way of speaking the simple truths of life. I talked of my skills in building teams, helping people realise their potential and of course, my dream of starting over and growing with an established and well known company that had a bright future. I was done trying to hold on to who I was before and it must have come through because even before I left the parking lot after the interview, I got another call to come back the next day for a 2nd one. Driving back to the cottage, I could feel a weight coming off my shoulders, my head clearing. We celebrated a bit that night and the next day felt like a step out of the grave, a sliver of hope. I once again went in with a positive demeanour and felt good as I left to return to the oddest vacation I'd ever had. We heard nothing on our final day at the cottage and tried to just enjoy our brief respite from the darkness that awaited us at home. It was a quiet time, my mind racing but unable to process if there actually was a way up and out from the hell I had created, Kat sensed it and didn't push too hard. We both were hoping against all odds that something, anything would swing our way and gives us one more shot at a life without the weight of the past dragging it down.
  Coming back to the house and hearing my phone ring that Friday before I headed back into work was like a choir singing to my heart. An offer was made and while I was staring a 40 hour work weekend, I was never happier. Accepting and planning to say goodbye to the people who had helped keep my head above water was all I could think of as I worked away the next few days, waiting to sign the papers before handing in my resignation. I felt light and happy and when I finally put my signature on the line and shook my new employer's hand, it truly gave me a second shot at a life I thought long gone. My immediate superior at my then job had become a good friend and when I told him I had found a new job, he was elated for me. He had watched me slowly drowning and knew my only way up was out. Good bye came fast and hard that week and while I was grateful that they had taken me in and given me a space, I knew I didn't belong there anymore. New feelings of having some worth could be felt as I drove home after my last late night shift as a fry cook and the new day and job were starting only hours later. I was definitely a little scared at starting over, sad to say good bye to something I had been involved with since my early 20's and a little choked up because I still couldn't believe anything had gone my way.
  The road to my recovery from those dark days was far from over, many valleys came before the sun broke through darkness and life still had a lot to teach me about humility and patience. But that all was at least in front of me, hope had come back to my life and that alone made this the first step in becoming a better man, one day at a time.
  4 years later and I can still feel those butterflies, my world is brighter and the future keeps showing me promise of amazing things to come. I'd love to meet that woman again just so I could tell her that despite her assurances of my imminent destruction, I'm not only surviving, I am living a life with purpose and love.
  Keep on keeping on and the world may just give you what you need when you least expect it. The new chapter begins when you finally open you heart to what can be. I did and now there is no limit to where I can go. Trust me, I've been there.


Polk

My Beer Philosophy - How I got here.

So many choices I could have made better.

To be honest, I am probably not qualified as an expert on anything...except how to screw up your life in 10 drinks or less. Long a blind consumer of the cheapest beer I could get my hands on, I will always be the first to admit my knowledge of the craft beer industry, scene or whatever we choose to call it is growing by leaps and bounds but still pretty new and generally positive due to my recent conversion and what it has done for my life. While embarking on the Truth in May (check it here) to examine what I actually consume seems like a silly idea to some, to me it speaks to a past that never goes away and a darkness that could return every time I open the beer fridge.

My Beer fridge not so many years ago.

 The real truth about macro beers for a lot of us, for myself at least, is that they scare us. They scare us with their tasteless, easy drinking consumability. They scare us with their overwhelming presence and cheaper prices. But most of all they scare us because it is so easy to slip into sweet oblivion without ever having to stop to consider the what you're drinking.

A good night?

  When I would get home from work or finish my chores around the house, that first sip of PBR, Coors Light or Old Mil would signal my brain that we were done for the day and it was time to chase the night. Did I ever pause to taste my beer? Hell no, that was for hipsters and douche bags. Just drink your beer and then get another. They all tasted the same and for years that what was what I wanted. 

50 Selfie

Uniformity and consistency is one thing Big Beer learned early and made their hallmark. A Molson Canadian tastes the same every damn time, anywhere in the world. An admirable trait in any food or beverage business and it has led to huge profits and global domination by the few Multinational giants that control most of our beer consumption. I am not an economist, but when selling a product like beer, consumer confidence in said product is paramount to repeat purchases. And for years I did exactly that. Pursuing the most drunk for my buck became my goal and it led me to some pretty bad beer, even by macro standards. Brava Light was literally as close to tasting like nothing while getting me drunk as I could find. It was not unusual to find myself 3/4 deep into a 24 several nights a week. Drinking them so fast that I would grab 2 or 3 out of the fridge at a time because I could down them before they warmed up and I didn't want to have to get up every 5 minutes. Be it any other brand, I followed the same suit and rarely considered what went into my glass. For a lot of people this is still true and they often view craft beer just as I used to. But the times they are a changin'.

My beer fridge game is much better now...in my opinion anyway.

  As I became more immersed in the world of small batch (and not so small batch) craft beer, I discovered flavours I never considered, styles I didn't know existed and friends I couldn't have imagined meeting. Leaving macro lagers behind at first seemed like an impossibility because I couldn't let go of that comforting numbness they provided. As I pursued even more and different beers, I found that I didn't need those "filler" beers as often and eventually phased them out altogether. I still have to check myself to not slip back into bad behaviour, even with better beer the darkness flirts along the edges of my consciousness. But the conversation of what is craft, what is macro and why it matters continues to rear up from time to time.
  I watched a few online discussions this week and that is what has prompted this from me today. I am a guy who goes out of his way to try and be a positive voice in a world that can be negative far too often. I give every beer a chance and when I don't like one, I usually just don't post it or give it a second thought. I don't drink macro lagers because I no longer enjoy them and what they represent to my life. I struggled early in my journey into craft to not fall into the criticizing of other people's beer choices but found myself judging them nonetheless. I never wanted to be a guy who did that and it has taken some effort on my part to remember that in the end, beer is supposed to be about fun and bringing happiness to our lives. Be a nerd not a snob has become my favourite saying and while I will make an effort to actually show beers I try that perhaps are not up to my personal standards of flavour and the like (looking at you Freedom 35), I want to make sure I don't discount someone because they like Blue. I have learned to separate the beer from the drinker, lose the stereotypes and give people a chance.

I couldn't have appreciated this even a couple of years ago.

  So I will leave the definition of what craft beer is up to the experts. I know what I like and feel that many people are in the same frame of mind. We want to buy local, supporting friends and family in our communities in the process. We want to try new and different style and flavours in our beers and we want it to be better. But we also want a consistent, well made product and that sometimes is the problem with craft beer. With the burgeoning (200+) amount of Craft brewers in Ontario alone, there is bound to be some duds. Will the marketplace ultimately weed out the pretenders? I think so, but it will be up to us, the beer buying public, to vote and support with our dollars the future we want to see in this or any other jurisdiction. I will continue to do my part to spread the gospel of drinking better and more mindfully and hope to use my love of craft beer to bring more people with me. I hope to remain your humble and honest friend in this endeavour and want nothing more than to keep meeting really good people and talking about our favourite or not so favourite beers. I am an open book with most of my life and I think that is why I am able to help show the regular side of the brave new world we are living in when it comes to beer. I love it when people reach out and ask me about a beer or brewery and I will try to connect them with someone who has the answers if I do not. I want to be part of the future that craft beer has come to represent to the regular beer drinking guys and gals of the world and hope to continue to share my life while I do it. So if you want to drink PBR, do it, make yourself happy and be damned the haters. But if you think its time for a change and want to start your own trip into a pretty amazing place, I am more than happy to show you around.


Raise your glass and your standards,
One Beer at a time!


Cheers!


Polk

500 Days

Cheers to 500 more!

  On November 21st, 2015 I did not have a beer.

  This was the last time that happened and now 500 days have come and gone with at least one pint in my glass.

  I'm not sure if I need a meeting or another beer.
  In those 500 days, I have written 1197 Instagram reviews, recorded 148 YouTube videos, composed 149 (now 150) blog posts and tried well over 1500 new craft beers. More importantly, I have met some truly amazing people that have brought much joy to my life. I wrote about making it an entire year last November (Has it been a Year Already?) and the sentiments still ring true another 135 days later. We have travelled to many new cities in search of great beer, seeing Quebec City for the first time is a prime example of that and become part of a community I didn't even know existed. 

Quebec City Taberbnac Beer Saint Crew

I never imagined that as I passed 40 I would be making so many new friends and getting to live a little of my dream of being a writer. People I would never have met in ten lifetimes have become dear friends and I am inspired daily by them.

With the OG Beer Saints in Durham

 It wasn't a goal to keep going every day past December 31st, 2016 and I gave some serious thought to doing the whole "Dry January" thing as I woke up on the 1st of this year clear headed for the first time in over 25 years. I admire the people that can have that kind of discipline and who are able to resist the temptations a delicious craft beer offers. I let the idea percolate again after my birthday week trip to 50 breweries around the province. Maybe just a day or a week without a beer wouldn't be so bad, I have a lot of great pictures and reviews just waiting to publish and could keep right on posting on social media without missing a step. I took a moment and stepped outside myself to look at where I was in my life and what not having a beer would do for me.  I considered if I needed the beer or just wanted it. Did it still have the power it used to over me or was I truly past the need to bury my problems behind an alcoholic haze.

Always a good day when I spend it with this lady.

 There are many nights I come home stressed to the very limits of my ability to deal with life. Work, family and the everyday worries of millions of people give rise to all manner of coping mechanisms and mine was always drinking. So where I used to come crashing through the door and within minutes be knee deep into a six pack of Brava Light or Pabst, I found myself resisting the urge to have a beer at all. Partly because I don't drink macro pounders anymore but also because I no longer view beer as a way to escape from my life. I purposely will settle into my chair and close my eyes to think and let go of whatever is bothering me. I may turn to writing down the issue so I can work it out through my own rambling style of communication. There are literally dozens of posts not published but merely written so I could let go of the problem that was troubling me and causing the return of my demons. It is only after I feel at peace that I will head to the fridge for, most often, my only beer of the day. This is what really happens here most nights. I know many people think I get hammered every day and I'll admit, it is very tempting sometimes to slip back into that comfortable numbness that used to envelope me as my mind slowly devolved into the darkness. But I do not want to find myself staring up at the ceiling surrounded by empty reminders of a night I drank to forget. I don't want to run from my problems, I've learned they just follow you anyway. The ability to understand why I drank so much allows me to identify and stop that behaviour more often now. Do I slip up sometimes? Rarely and becoming even closer to non existent. I don't want to miss out on the people who are a part of our lives and places we are getting to go. Being blackout drunk doesn't mean you had fun, it means you missed out on everything that happened.

A highlight I'll never forget. Brew day at Great Lakes!

   Craft just isn't better beer, it is a better way of life. So while perhaps I may or may not have a beer tomorrow or the next day, it is now my choice and not that of a man who was scared of his own mind. Clouding the "could have been's" and making it worse by getting drunk has lost its appeal despite the appearance of a non stop party on Social media. The beer I choose to drink now is for enjoying, savouring and exploring. It is a vehicle to a new and different way of life that still is evolving and changing as we go. I am grateful for all the new friends who embrace what I do and encourage me to pursue my dreams, no matter how crazy they seem. The people who read my posts, watch my videos or just hang out and talk  in real life are the real treasure I have gained in the last 500 days and that is what matters most.

One more because Kathryn is always making me look better!

 Thanks for hanging around and know that I am always and forever just a regular guy who wants to enjoy his time on this planet with some great friends, awesome beer and maybe the odd road trip. It's always a good day when you can wake up and not have to worry about what happened the night before. This train is just leaving the station and I don't want to miss a moment.

Raise your glass and your standards,
One beer at a time!


Cheers!


Polk

Share your love of beer anyway you want.

 

  When I first started writing and reviewing Craft beer, I had no idea what I was doing. The flavours were new to me and I would research and agonize over every thing I said. I wanted to describe what I was tasting but lacked the knowledge to find just what that was. So I took to the internet and sites such as Beer Advocate, Rate Beer and of course, Untappd. I would drink my beer and read the reviews of other people, acquiring the descriptions of what it was I was tasting and training my palate to find them each time. It took a lot of trial and error, experimenting with actual citrus fruits, dark chocolate, black coffee and other foods to grasp the notes in my beer. It was that kind of insatiable quest for information that helped me to pursue the path I have.  I try to learn more every day because it is in knowing that we can understand not just the beer, but why we drink it and what it can say about us.

  Many people have written me and asked how to get started or to ask questions about my reviews or larger journey. I always love to talk beer and life with anyone who takes the time to ask and it is a real pleasure to help people discover their own specific voice.

 My advice to anyone who wants to review or share their views on craft beer is to do what makes you happy, be open to new things and don't be a snob.  

 Want to write in depth, critical reviews? Do that. Why not go get the proper Ciccerone or Prud'homme training and become the master of beer.

  Want to share what beer you're drinking in a fun and less informative way? Do that and speak with enthusiasm about everything you do.

  Just want to be part of the larger craft community but don't want to get into rating or describing your beer? Do that, share your pics on social media and just be yourself.

  My point is always the same, do what brings you joy, not to please anyone else. I get the odd person who criticizes my flavour description or rating but I don't let that interfere in my process. I taste what I taste and so do you. Beer ratings are highly subjective and while many people don't do it, I will continue because that is what I like to do. Don't feel pressure to rate a beer 1 to 5 or 10 or 100, in the end it only matters if you liked it or didn't. Someone challenges what you taste, tough on them, it is your beer, your palate and you taste what you do. I am always open to an honest discussion about my rating, tasting or love/hate for a beer. If someone wants to have a genuine talk and help bring me information, I am all for it and you should be too. But there is nothing that I tune out quicker than negative or angry people.

  At the end of the day, it is just beer. Great beer, but still just a beer nonetheless. I do wax poetic on the subject and feel an affinity for the industry because it has truly changed my life. But you should never feel like your review or sharing of your thoughts or pics doesn't matter. It is a community that thrives when there are more voices, more stories and more opportunities to learn and grow.

  So take that picture of your beer on the table while you watch TV, head outside and get arty if you want or just drink it, it's really up to you. Sharing your beer and thoughts on social media is a great way to meet new people, it encourages you to find new and different beers, explore the local breweries for the latest releases and become part of something that is bigger than you are. I love it when someone is just starting out and they connect with me, I want to be the voice of happiness and encouragement for anyone who is brave enough to share a piece of who they are and if you follow along on my Facebook page (click here), you will see that I am constantly sharing the blogs, videos and reviews of other people. I am a firm believer in the people of Craft beer and am overjoyed to help them spread their voice to a wider audience.

  There are those who have an opposite view, looking only to themselves and leaving the wider community in the background, insisting on their own perfection or omniscience as the only beer writer/reviewer that matters. I see this and know that not only are they setting themselves up to be left behind but they are missing out on all the amazing people in the craft beer world. My life has been made infinitely better because I share so much of who I am. I believe in being humble, open and friendly because that is what I want in return. One of my favourite beer writers, Ben Johnson, told me to always be honest and that is exactly what I try to do. Give people an unblemished account of your beer experience and they can see that right away. Be not afraid to say what you mean, but try to be a good person about it. Negativity, sexism and anger only bring more of the same into your life and while I have made mistakes, I recognize, apologize and change with the acquisition of more knowledge. Grow, learn and always give the best you have to anything you share.

  It is the beer that brings so many people of different background and lifestyles together under one hoppy roof and I have met people and done things I couldn't even imagine. So if you're thinking of starting a blog, video, Instagram account or any other social media to share your love of craft beer, I encourage you to do it.

  Don't do it because you think you'll make money, get famous or are better than anyone else. Do it because you love great beer, the folks who drink it and the people who make it. Give a little of yourself to this wonderful community and it will come back tenfold.

  Below is a list of some of 20 of the writers and beer reviewers I love to follow and share. There are literally hundreds of great people but I wanted to keep it short, so my apologies to anyone I missed. Check them out, follow along and then join the craft beer world yourself, it's such a great place to be!

Beer Writer - Website (2 other social media)

Ben Johnson - Ben's Beer Blog (Facebook, Twitter)

Crystal Luxmore, Tara Luxmore, Erica Campbell - The Beer Sisters (Facebook, YouTube)

Adam Kemp - The Brew Head (Facebook, YouTube)

Robin Leblanc - The Thirsty Wench (Twitter)

Jordan St. John - Saint John's Wort (Twitter)

Don Redmond - Brew Ha Ha (Twitter)

Mike Burton, Matthew Renda, Beth Hughes - The Bottomless Pint (Twitter (Mike, Matthew, Beth)

Glenn Hendry - IPA Tales (Twitter)

Steven Beaumont - Beaumont Drinks (Twitter)

Chad McGee - The Albino Rhino (Facebook, YouTube)

Tiffany Martin - The Travelling Pint (Facebook, YouTube)

Christophe Paquette, Max Monet - Hops & Bros (Facebook, YouTube)

Paul Meloff - Paul the Beer Guy (Facebook, Twitter)

Some of my Instagram friends who are just killing it with their photos and reviews -

Phil C. - Keltic Devil

Sean A. - Moonstone Brewer

Brett H. - I Find Beer Enjoyable

Southern Ontario Beer Boys

Michael K. - Michael Kras

Ryan, Nathan, Dave - RND Blast

Robin C. - Beer Core Droid

 

There are so many more, have a look around and you will find your own favourites.

Raise your glass and your standards,

One Beer at a time.

Cheers!

Polk