So this time last year, I talked about how I had started drinking more craft beers.

When I wrote that last post, I had only begun keeping track of what I was drinking on Untappd. Even though I had drank several beers before that, I only had started tracking and therefore only had 5 beers listed.

A year later? I’ve tried 260 unique beers.

Before I go into more detail let me add a few disclaimers/clarifications.

1. I am a Christian and am strong in my faith. But I do not believe drinking to be a sin unless you are constantly abusing it. You can completely disagree with me but that is my personal stance.
2. While I may have tried a large number of beers that does not necessarily mean I am drinking full pints every single time. A large amount of these are samples, tasters, or flights…which ties into….
3. Even though it is a large number, many of these have come from sampling with friends or at tastings where the price is FREE to try many varieties of beers from different breweries.
4. One does not want a beer belly so I work out and run to stay healthy.

That being said…

One year later, I’ve learned A LOT more about beer. This time last year I had 5 beers on my Untappd profile including TWO Blue Moons. Last year, I would have told you I liked Blue Moon and beers that taste like that. Now I can’t even drink a Blue Moon anymore just for the taste of it. I don’t mind trying out their seasonals but why drink the regular stuff when there’s so many other delicious beers to try out?

It’s funny that growing up I thought that if you drank any amount of beer, you’d instantly get drunk. But I’ve learned that it’s completely possible to drink and try out several different types of beers and not get wasted. While there are people who will abuse alcohol (just like you can abuse anything), it’s not something I’m looking to do. I don’t get drunk and I know my limits.

My favorite thing to do now is going to Total Wine or Wegmans and create my own 6 pack. That way I can try out different beers and never have to get the same one twice. It can also be a lot cheaper to do this than going out and getting a flight of beers. Of course, some beers may only be available on tap and taste better that way. So it’s really your call. Also, creating a 6 pack for someone is a great present idea. I have given these as Christmas presents and received one as a birthday present. It’s fun for the person picking out the beers and exciting for the one receiving the.

I’ve also been to four beer tasting classes at Total Wine and they were a ton of fun.

I went on my own because I couldn’t find anyone else to do it with me and even though I was out of my comfort zone, I had a blast. There’s food and the atmosphere is really fun. I got to try all these different types of beer AND learn more about them. Two were brewery based where we got to try beers specific to that brewery and learn from the brewmaster about the history of the brewery and the process of making the beers. The other two were themed: fall beers (ie pumpkins, Oktoberfests, etc) and then stronger beers (beers over 8% ABV). This is perfect for someone like me who wants to know more about beer without having to commit to buying a whole bottle or pint. I assume this is like a wine tasting but since we all know I don’t drink wine, I’m so glad that this exists as well.

I’ve been doing things like researching breweries around the area (and there A LOT) and taking tours when I can. There’s a lot of local beers I liked to try as well as many just in our state alone. I like going out with my friends and just sampling beers with everyone. It’s a ton of fun for everyone to get their own flight and everyone have a taste of them. 

And like I said previously, I’m using Untappd A LOT. I will admit that I’ve started to become a badge fanatic. I like using the app because it helps me keep track of what beers I’ve drank and what kinds of beers I like. Also if I’m going to drink, I might as well get something for it, right? So yeah badges are slightly addictive. I like tasting different beers and don’t really like trying the same thing more than once. Even though there are badges for doing that, I still cannot bring myself to get a six pack or continuously order the same beer. (Again feel free to friend me on there!)

I really like drinking different types of beer and I’m totally enjoying learning more about what I like and don’t like. Types of beers I really enjoy now are witbiers, Belgian Blonde/Goldens, saisons, hefeweizens, fruit beers, meads, radlers, hard ciders, and pumpkin beers. This doesn’t mean I like EVERY single beer in these categories but at least now I know what to look for when I go out.

That being said, for whatever reason, I get a lot of flack and teasing whenever I order beers. I mentioned this last week but again maybe it’s just the group of friends I have or maybe I’m just weird in general but every time I get a flight of beers, it happens. My beers tend to be lighter in color, usually on the lower ABV level, and generally more fruity or less bitter. I’m not a heavy hops fan so I tend to stay away from the bitter IPAs and I don’t really like the flavor of most stouts or porters. However, I don’t mind trying them because sometimes I do find surprises and end up discovering beers that I thought I’d hate but ended up enjoying very much.

I never judge anyone else on what they order (though if you refuse to try new things and have only drank the same old domestic beers, I might give you a look) and I never would make fun of someone for what they like or don’t like. And yet…I cannot figure out why people keep doing this to me. I could spend a long time trying to figure this out. Is there something wrong with me because I don’t like specific kinds of beer and like others? Am I doing something wrong?

It’s hilarious because I got called a beer snob because I like (and know) all different types of beer now. Please. I am the furthest thing from a beer snob. I have actively and frequently seen people who judge people’s tastes in beer. I’m not one of those people at all. Again, if you want to drink only Miller Lite, it’s your choice. I’m just sad because you won’t try something new but I am like that about all things in life when you get stuck in your comfort zone.

There are many things I still don’t know yet about beer. I am FAR from being knowledgeable about this topic. There’s so much to learn and to be honest, I don’t have enough time to spend really teaching myself about this subject. But I’m learning as I go and picking up what I can. There’s still SO MANY beers for me to try out that basically it’s never going to end. I know for me, I’m proud of myself for learning something new and seeing my growth in a year.