Today is a milestone of sorts – the end of Week Four (4?). I’m 1/13th of the way through my quest. In a few days it will be one full calendar month since I began and other minor milestone events are lurking. I have likened this undertaking to a marathon, which means I am at the second mile marker. I still have a long ways to go, but I’m feeling good at this point in the race. I’ve hit my stride, my pace is better than expected, and the road ahead looks flat and smooth.
Milestones are not just good points to mark progress and look ahead. They are good places to reflect on the journey made. That reflection may not always be positive, but you can learn so much from the retrospective. What did I learn? How has my life changed? What should or would I do differently?
Fortunately this has been an overwhelmingly positive experience. Well, yes, good point. How can trying 51 different beers be bad? True, some haven’t been all that pleasant to taste, but some have been absolutely outstanding. It has been a lot of fun and I can see this becoming a regular habit for me long after the quest is done. Maybe not 500 different beers a year, but certainly more than a handful as I have done in the past.
On the other hand, I voluntarily purchased 51 different beers at a cost of just under $100 from a retail store that is a forty minute drive away, rate the beers on Ratebeer.com, and write a blog about my adventures. So, this isn't exactly a breeze, either. It has taken commitment and sacrifice and personal effort for no tangible gain other than the experience.
I think what has surprised me the most is the blogging. This is my 21st blog in 28 days. Due to professional and social commitments, I'm not able to write a blog every day, but the irregularity of it all could make it easy to just stop doing it altogether. I could continue the quest with the exception of the blog. I only have one (1?) follower at this point (and I'm married to her), so who would know?
Not to put too fine a point on it, but I would. That would be, well, cheating if I stopped blogging. It was part and parcel of the quest. To shed the most difficult part of the challenge would not be fair. So, the only days I have missed were the days I was not home.
The committed writing of the blog is not the biggest surprise, however. It is the content. I vowed not to make this a simple rehash of my ratings. I wanted to weave personal accounts into the tale of my quest and I think I have achieved that goal beyond expectations. None of the 21 blogs were a singular recounting of the beer tasting. I've written about philosophical and thought-provoking ideas that related to my quest. Think it's easy? Try it sometime. Come up with a new topic (almost) daily that ties into a main theme, but integrates your own beliefs and ideals. Spice it up with a bit of humor, when possible, and try to keep it fresh above all else.
That is what has surprised me the most - that I have done exactly that 21 times in a row. Can I do it for a whole year? I don't know. But, like the marathon, I'm pleased to be at Mile Two and going strong.
Yesterday I was so out of pocket I didn't even have a beer at all. Today, however, I had two, bringing my weekly total to 13 and the overall total to 51, one point four shy of the 10% mark with more than a week to go to reach the 10% mark of days. I am WAY ahead of schedule. I could take a whole week off and still be more or less on track.
Anyway, today I had a really nice hefeweizen from Left Hand Brewing Co. called Haystack Wheat and a decent amber ale from Anderson Valley Brewing Co. called Boont Amber Ale. All things considered, I'd rather have the wheat (whoa, big surprise there, eh?) beer than the amber ale, but either would be fine with me any day of the week. My picks are getting better, but more on that for next time.
Skaal!
Goal...............524.....365
Progress...........51.......28
Remaining......473.....337
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