Budget Life

Drinking good beer on a budget isn't always easy and when you are a guy who loves to try new and different ones all the time, it can get downright difficult. I will admit this is a very first world problem and do not wish to diminish the struggles myself or anyone else has in their life when it comes to money and survival but this isn't about that, it is about how I spend what money I budget and still enjoy many different beers.
 Contrary to popular belief, I don't receive much in the way of free beer. I have had the occasional brewery send me a beer or two, sometimes it is people who I have met online or in real life that give the gift of beer to me. But that isn't a weekly or even monthly occurrence and while I treasure anything someone sends me, I don't rely on the largesse of others to explore beer. I buy the majority of what you see me consume either at the breweries themselves or the LCBO. It pains me sometimes to receive a beer saint gift because at the end of the day, I don't have the means to return the favour, no matter how much I want to.

Last year's Tabernac Craft Beer haul from my Eastern Beer Saint friends

  Years of poor financial decisions left me almost broken and with a very bleak future staring me in the face. For far too long, I spent money on what I wanted and damn the bills. Even repeated warnings, final warnings and actual disconnections didn't scare me, I just kept blindly throwing money everywhere without regard to anyone or thing. While I have documented how craft beer has helped me control my over indulgent lifestyle, I rarely touch upon how it has changed my life when it comes to money. In order to try so many new beers and make sure the bills are paid, I had to do something most people do automatically, make a budget. But not just any pre fab program or idea would work and it took a few years of trial and error, slip ups and mistakes to finally arrive at a workable plan that has me less worried about the hydro bill and more concerned with living my life.

Issues man...

  To achieve this I had to get myself back to even on all my bills and then plan out the entire year, with some flexibility for emergencies, to make sure the utilities, mortgage, and other necessary things were always up to date and even a little ahead. I tracked years back on the bills and laid out a reasonable bi weekly amount that went to each and every one of them. Looking at an entire year of Hydro bills, for example, led me to see that $130 a pay to them meant I would always be in the black when the bill came due without wondering how I would be able to pay the entire thing. I did this with all the bills and began every payday with a few moments reviewing and then paying a certain amount to each bill. It was scary at first because my bank account would dwindle so fast but the money left was truly ours to spend and not borrowing from stuff that really needed to come first. I am still digging my way out of my poor decisions in the past but the light at the end of the tunnel is just over a year away and I am chugging along with the plan that has got me this far.

It was cheap and got me drunk, not my best choice.

 For the most part, I only buy 1 or 2 of any new beer that I find. Would I like to have 6 or 10 to try and then share/trade with my beer pals? Of course, but with a very limited budget, I had to make choices that respect the course I have found to bring me back to where I need to be. So I keep track of who has sent me something and when there is a little room in the budget, I try to return the favour. But I am indebted to those folks who just send Beer Saint gifts with no demand for a return, your karma is growing and one day I will show my thanks properly. The beer fridge is mostly full of whatever is new at the LCBO or the odd trip to a brewery, stuff friends give me and the rare thing sent from a brewery themselves. I am so lucky to get things from my friends in the industry and believe me I know how awesome any beer mail can be. So a big thank you to anyone who does this wonderfully thoughtful thing and I acknowledge my debt to you.

Durham Beer Saints Bottle share

  Respecting my budget and buying new beers leaves me with some cash left for a few favourites and regular craft beers to have when I just want a beer. These are usually purchased at the Liquor store and given that my free time is limited, like most people, that's where I am forced to do most of my shopping. Grocery stores are getting better with their craft offerings and as they see the sales and demand grow, hopefully it will continue to expand their selections. There is little doubt in my mind that without my turn to better beer, I would still be living paycheque to 4 days before paycheque and I will always continue to sing the praises of our local and not so local craft brewers for all the good they have brought into my life. I choose my regular beers based on knowing their quality, cost and what style I am feeling. There are many options for all price ranges and stuff like Great Lakes Canuck Pale or Collective Arts Ransack the Universe still provide the most bang for your buck and deliver great flavour. Look around at your local LCBO and breweries, they are sure to have something to fit your budget and taste. I have learned to let go of not being able to get every release I want. Given the sheer amount of breweries in Ontario that is a good approach because there is no way I could afford to buy every beer that comes out. Even when it comes to the ones that I really do want when I see them posted on social media, I remind myself that what is important is to contribute what I can to the cause and be joyful that my fridge has so many amazing things already. I wish I had an unlimited budget and the time to get the beer I want, but I have finally come to a point in my life when I accept what is and embrace what I have. I have learned to appreciate what is in my glass without worrying about what is in someone else's. I hope to be able to keep sharing when I can afford it and when the tide of my life has fully turned for the good, I will make it my mission to do more. Keep sharing and let's never doubt that this community is pretty damn amazing.

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

Cheers!
Polk

 

The Evolution of Mindful Drinking

When I started this blog in December, I had little idea where it would take me. I was doing daily reviews on Instagram, trying to write something here every day, beer related or not, and attempting to regain my life. My depression and anxiety had reached fever pitch and I was grabbing at anything I could to help pull me out of that morass. I wasn't fully conscious of what I was doing, I only knew my life could be better and I wanted good beer to be part of that.

What has happened in the last five months has astounded this cynical old man.

It has been with a concentrated effort that I banished macro lagers from my life. Acquiring and trying new craft beers has become such a joy in my life that it is the anticipation of getting new beer that I look forward to more so than the consumption. I love the first sip of my brew every day, regardless of style, and it often takes me a little longer to choose a beer because of what I have come to think of as the Polkaroo Doctrine of Mindful Drinking (PDMD). It's a bit of a joke for me to label what I do as such, but inside my little acronym happy life is a real truth for anyone who wants to slow down and enjoy beer without giving in to over-consumption and alcohol abuse.

It started with trying to chronicle what flavours and textures I was getting from each new beer and keep track of what I was drinking. It has evolved into a way for me to express myself on a larger platform, bring my life into focus and meet new friends. It usually takes from 10 minutes to an hour to choose what I will be drinking on any given night. Without the release of downing 10 or 12 beers a night, I needed a way to slow down and this is the first step. Once I pick my beer, I need to figure out my picture. Since my main review platform is Instagram, the visual is as important as the words that accompany it. Before I pour a beer, I usually read up on it, the brewery that makes it or something that jumps out at me about it. It has lead me down some interesting paths, from history to microbiology. It also helps me to understand what I'm tasting, as my palate wasn't the most impressive when I started. I will try any style of beer and do my level best to find something to appreciate about it.

I always write my review as I make my way through the beer. Sometimes it can change as it warms up, so take your time. Part of becoming more present is simply sitting and exploring what makes each beer a unique experience. Most nights I have time for only 2 beers and without a fridge full of empty flavour macro lagers, I don't seek the darkness anymore. The light of good craft beer has found me and I am a better person because of it. Finding something to write about along with the beer is the best way for me to keep myself present and not slide back to the ways of the past.

I know not everyone wants to put so much effort into describing and capturing their beer. What works for me isn't necessarily the best plan for all beer drinkers. But elements of what I do can be applied to any situation and help you gain control of your experience. I do believe that an app like Untappd or Beer Advocate is essential to the process and would encourage you to get one of them. I personally like Untappd because of its easy to use interface, but whatever you use, make it count. Rating your beer and making some short comments on what you're tasting will be beneficial to helping you slow down and enjoy every beer. Mindless cramming of macro beers brings nothing but emptiness and we deserve better. I always try to pair my beer with what I am doing and you should consider what you are after before you pop the top or crack the can. Look, smell and sip is a good way to begin. I think you can see that gulping a well crafted beer is pointless if you are truly trying to experience life in a more mindful way, so sipping and tasting is the way to go. Subtle changes in the beer often appear as it warms up and this can be how you make your way to being more present with your beer.

It seems so simple to me now, but it has taken almost three years for me to reach a point that I feel comfortable in my own skin again. The abuse of beer was part of the downfall that I experienced when I almost lost everything. I used it to escape from the walls crashing down around me and that only made things worse. I have been baptized in the fires of macro lager hell and come out the other side preaching the gospel of what great craft beer can do. Without it, I am not sure I would be here today to write this. I'm not being facetious. It exists in my mind the path I could have taken and it is lonely, cold and dark. So while PDMD (Copyright pending, haha) is funny, it also means so much to who I am becoming. There is no way I would be going out, meeting up with new beer friends or planning new adventures without it. So it is with happiness and gratitude to those who make such wonderful beer that I encourage you to support your local small breweries. Go visit them, try new beers and open yourself up to the possibilities of where  your imagination can take you. Be present, mindful and aware of everything in your life and use beer to enhance it, not hide from it.

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

Cheers!