Barley Poet - Polk on Polk

It was always supposed to be about the beer.


It was never really about the beer.


  Life took many turns in the last 3 years as I took on the mantle of the Drunk Polkaroo and began sharing what I was putting in my glass with the world. It started as a lark and now I find myself on the precipice of a life I'm not sure I understand with the direction unknown.
  Almost from the beginning I started to share what I was doing or thinking as I drank my latest find. Little stories, props and asides made for a better time for me as I began to slow down and explore my past and my own demons that remained with me all these years. The beer was a way to communicate my emotions and thoughts, whether anyone read them or not. To put down and shine a light on some of my darkest moments as well as celebrating some of my triumphs was exhilarating, still is to be honest, and on I went.   Videos came next and finally Twitter, which despite many peoples warnings, has been where I have truly found my voice. The blog has slowed down a little in the last couple of months, but I probably still write somewhere around a couple of thousand words a day between all the other places I express myself. Not to take away from what I do here, it has a place and a time and that will be a little more frequent as I move on with the next steps of this walk about the world.
  I recently started to ponder why I bothered to do any of this at all. So many of my social media friends move in and out of regular posting, time constraints, kids and jobs get in the way and I think to a large extent, the sheer number of people doing the same thing has taken the shine of being one of a few away from the whole enterprise. It's not easy to cut through the noise and feel like you are actually connecting with people when the voices start to blend together and you feel like you've lost your way. Perhaps I read too much, but I have noticed things and paused to wonder why I have continued to do exactly what I do, without respite for almost 1000 days in a row.
  I like to think I make a difference for some people but I am not naive enough to think I move the meter on beer sales one iota with a pretty picture on Instagram or a funny (to me) video on YouTube. (Follow along here if that's your kind of thing : Pints with Polk )
   What I hope is that I have been able to affect is opening up the conversation on depression, anxiety, alcohol abuse and a host of other subjects I am constantly talking about in any post when the fire strikes me.
 It was never really about the beer at the end of it all, the beer was merely the vehicle I drive to find out where I'm headed next. I don't have a plan or even a clear agenda when I buy beer and talk about it. Coming home, I just grab something out of the fridge and have at it while I let the day ruminate in my mind. I talk of flavours and give my rating but in between all that, I leave a little of my soul online and with it, my only legacy. No children means when I'm gone and those few who knew me in this time, I am no more. But with my digital footprint, I will at least exist a little longer, maybe even helping someone long after I am gone.
  The videos give me a little glimpse into where I was when I made each one, some quick and simple, others drawn out with a message I wasn't sure I had when I started. I see myself and know that I exist, right here and now.  Putting myself in my photos recently just because I was feeling the need to be there, to see that I had that moment and outside of the inevitable slog of trying to keep the 50 hour workweek from dragging me down that I was still and truly Polk.
  I don't think I will ever stop writing now, it has become too integral to my everyday routine. Not everything sees the light of day and I will lean a little hard on the poetry because it has given me new light in my work. I enjoy thinking about every beer and where it fits on the style guide I have created from well over 3000 beers in a little under 3 years. My rating system is mine alone and I love it for what it gives me, despite the many misgivings I have about it. I will continue to make videos almost every day when I can, I rather enjoy the camera and watching them back, it means I'm never drinking alone.
 Instagram (link) will always hold a special place in my heart and as the streak nears 1000 days, I look forward to continuing to appreciate the wonderful art being created by beer lovers everywhere on this app. There is a more communal feel to the beers and I like to see the friendships online blossom as people seek out new beers and travel around having meetups and trades. It's a beautiful thing.
  Twitter (link) is where I spend most of my online creativity now, it is a rocket ship that I love to ride and see where it takes me. It has become a stream of conscious for me as I engage myself with mental health, workplace and life problems and of course, the ever present beer in hand. Poetry has become a huge part of my everyday life and rarely do I go more than a few hours without some kind of randomly worded rhyme coming from my fingers. Not all of them are what I would call winners, but I'll stand by them as genuine and truly from my heart.
  The whole enterprise is driven by my love of great beer, the people who drink it and those who work in the industry. You have all played some part in making me who I am now and I thank you for sticking around this long, as I do tend to go on a bit when inspired. I am not going anywhere, changing anything except that I will always follow my muse wherever it takes me and that will be perhaps the best thing to come.


Stay tuned, as long as I'm here, I'll be out there!


Cheers!


Polk

Serious Polk
Barley Poet

 

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

 

When you're the Beer Guy

I would like to think if you've been following along on Instagram, Facebook or YouTube, you know I am just regular guy who was headed down the path of an early grave thanks to his penchant for over consuming macro lager and throwing his life away by hiding behind getting hammered all the time.
That was until I met my saviour in Craft Beer and its wonderfully varied styles, flavours and textures. I have become far more present in my own life and it may sound odd, but drinking better beer has been the key catalyst in that transformation. Look back on my earlier posts for some of how I have worked good beer into helping me slow down and appreciate what I have in my glass.
But today I wanted to address being known as the "Beer Guy" (or Gal) to your friends is all about.

When you are known as the "Beer Guy" in your circle of  friends it is a cool responsibility.  But it comes with a host of things you should be careful of. I always try and respect my friends choices in beer and keep these things in mind when talking about beer with them.

1. Don't be a jerk about beer. Remember just because you drink craft beer, it doesn't mean your better than your pal who loves Coors. It's nice to offer a craft beer to someone, but perhaps it is the time spent with your loved ones and not their choice in beer that is important.

2. Take a moment and consider what your friends really asked you. Did they just want a beer recommendation? Ask a few questions and then give them one or two ideas, not a laundry list of hard to find beers that require travel documents.

3. Invite your friends to come along when you go to a brewery. Nothing was better than sharing my love of all the people who make Craft Beer than bringing my pals along and introducing them to the world of fresh beer and brewery specials.

4. Share your haul. If you want someone to appreciate the different styles of beer that you can rhapsodize on for hours (don't do that), get an extra tall boy or bottle and share it with a buddy. Split a growler or bomber and talk about what your getting from it. You might be surprised at what someone else thinks about your favourite beer.

5. Try something new with someone. I am guilty of wanting to try new beers by myself a lot of the time. It is just part of my work on being a better and more present person. I write about every beer I try, whether I publish it or not,  because that is what helps me slow down and consider the beer as opposed to just getting drunk for no reason. Having said that, I am trying to branch out and share new brews with my friends when I have them for the first time as well and it is a great experience to share a look with a pal when you both discover something amazing.

I was inspired by award winning beer blogger Ben Johnson's article Let's Stop Beersplaining. Check it out, he nails what can go wrong if your putting yourself above anyone else when it comes to your beer. I often find myself getting lost for hours reading all the different beer blogs and it is those that have gone before me who continue to help make my day brighter.

It's a thin line between being a promoter of great Ontario Craft Beer or your own local breweries and being an ass. I catch myself sometimes when I get going about beer with non beer drinking people because I don't just want to be just a Beer Guy. Life is better with great beer, but don't be only about the hops and barley. Try and expand your horizons a little. read, go for walk, watch a movie or just hang out sometimes and riff on life's little joys.
I will continue to explore what great beer can do for my life and I will always share those experiences with you on Drunkpolkaroo.com. For now it is a link to my Facebook page, but I imagine something grander in the near future. Stay tuned!
Cheers!