For the longest time, I thought that I was going to conquer the beer world. Maybe you are like this, too. I have to try this, that, that, that, that…to infinity. It used to be a matter of trying every beer I could. But I’ve now learned to be more selective and instinctual about my purchases. I suppose experience has led to my selectivity. At one point, I thought that I would just try out some special releases and a handful of other stuff. However, with all the collaborative brews, special releases, and series type beers that come out from so many breweries, I’ve simply realized that it’s impossible, both financially and synchronically.
When I say I’ve just realized this, really that’s an exaggeration; I’ve known it for some time. But it’s still no less daunting. Honestly, I want to try so much new beer that I need companies to send me their products and people to “buy” us pints. Even then, I don’t know what I’d do. But perhaps this isn’t a bad thing altogether.
Think about it. It used to be that there were so few craft breweries that getting all their stuff and having tried pretty much everything was possible. It’s like pre-Enlightenment thought…you could pretty much know everything there was to know, relatively speaking. Now, knowing everything seems to be a better possibility than trying every beer…not really, of course, but this is hyperbole. But this begs another point.
Isn’t it good that, as bad as we might want to, we can’t try everything? Really, it doesn’t mean that we are being put out. Actually, other people are being put in. Sure, I might not be able to try X beer, but someone else is. Maybe they’ll share it with a macro drinker. I guess what I’m saying is that instead of whining that I’m not able to try something (like I’ve done in the past), I’m going to tell myself that this means craft beer is growing to such a degree that I can’t keep pace. That means market share is being taken from the playground bullies. It also means that our future craft brewery outlook is so bright I’ve got to wear shades. Now I’m throwing my hands up for a different reason.
It is a little like the early days of the printing press. For the first few years all that was printed was the bible. Then the flood gates opened up and we are awash in Barnes and noble and Borders books, Amazon.com and book of the month clubs. We are entering that time when you must be selective. Just as you can’t read everything, so too you can’t taste everything. But somehow just knowing its there is a good feeling!
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It is good. There’s no way I can even scratch the surface of the beers I have in my mental ‘must try’ list. Some are not available locally, some too expensive, and some I just don’t have time for!!!! I think it is a good sign though – there’s enough room for more quality beer. Can’t wait until it happens for you guys. (Hopefully, you’ll distribute to Jersey!)
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@Scott and Don. Knowing is a good feeling. The ultimate inability of drinking them all doesn’t preclude the reality of trying. We can’t wait either, Scott. When it happens, you’ll be trying some whether or not distribution happens in NJ.
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I read all the beer news sites and keep up with what’s coming out, but I know full well that I’ll never taste the majority of these beers. There are so many of them that even if you had the money/time/trading partners to get your hands on all of them, consuming them would certainly qualify you for alcoholic status. I think if you limited yourself to your own state, then maybe you could keep up, although that might still be too much for many states.
Too much variety is a good problem to have! There’s plenty of room for everyone in the market, from the people who hit it big and get international recognition, to your local brewpub that nobody’s heard of. As long as businesses stay profitable, there will continue to be more of them, and we’ll all benefit from their different perspectives.
@Scott, I encourage you to take the words “too expensive” out of your beer vocabulary. I’m not advocating drinking $30 beers daily, but an occasional treat is well worth it. I’ve only had one expensive beer end up in my sink, and many of the rare/obscure/expensive beers have something truly unique to offer.
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@Micheal. Thanks!
@howardf – I know you’re right, and I do treat myself from time-to-time, but not often enough I suppose. Still, its getting a little harder to justify such purchases.
At this stage, I’m more of a ‘value’ craft beer drinker. You won’t find me standing on lines waiting for beers at a brewery, or buying beer on e-bay at crazy prices. Maybe someday, but not right now. But I know what you mean.
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@Howard. That’s exactly what I’m driving at. Instead of being frustrated about what I can’t get and haven’t tried, I’m just wanting to see more and more that I haven’t. That means that the industry is growing and macros are shrinking.
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I love seeing the words “new craft brewery” even if it is somewhere I have never been to and may never visit. I have learned to be happy for the lucky beer geek who has a new experience waiting for them. Then I savor the riches that I have.
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I love seeing it, too. I can’t wait until our names are attached to that phrase.
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[...] planning to drink but it seems like I can’t keep up. I wrote a post a while back about throwing in the towel when it comes to the illusion of trying everything; it simply can’t happen. Now I’m [...]
[...] The whole system is moving at a breakneck speed, although I’m hoping things will just relax a little bit. Actually, I write this because of some craft beer drinkers with whom I’ve come in contact. [...]