What beer bloggers actually look like in real life...
Blogs. Beer. Opinions. Discussion.
Am I the only one that thinks that those four things come together in a magical way to create some sort of beer lovers paradise?
Um…no. I’m not. I know this because I’m either a genius, or because there are THOUSANDS of beer fanatics that take to blogging…and that do a far better job at it than I do. So I’m not the only one to think “Hey! All of this just meshes perfectly!”
It’s almost certain that if you’re here on Damn That’s Good Beer! and reading this post, you love beer. And I would also venture as far as to say that an overwhelming amount of those reading this post and these very words right now, are beer bloggers.
You know. People who blog. Blog about beer. Something to do with beer. I like to refer to us all as Beer Bloggin’ Bastards. But that’s just me and my twisted beer obsessed mind.
I’m not going to draw this post out too long (hopefully), because I’m far more curious (actually we all are, not just me) about what YOU have to say than what I have to say. Ya…you right there. I’m looking at you. From that tree outside your window right now.
*Not really looking at you from the tree outside your window. Please don’t bother your local police department with false alarms as they have donuts to eat and teenagers to pull over and harass.
So what am I looking for from you? Why am I trying to elicit a response from you in the first place? Why should you take the time to comment on this post and the issue I’m about to bring up? How many licks does it take to get to the bottom of that tootsie roll pop?
Let’s run through these very quickly and in order, so that you can get to the bottom of this post where the comment box resides. That sly little box that thinks it’s better than anyone else. Why that little son of a….
What am I looking for from you…a fellow Beer Bloggin Bastard?
For the sake of keeping it simple, I’m looking for your response. I’m looking for the reasons, the inner workings of your mind, the motivations, the inspirations, the passions, the true to the core reasons that you started blogging about beer or beer related stuff in the first place. What drives you to blog about beer? Bring your conversations and passions to places like Twitter and other networks? Why?
And please don’t just say “because I like beer.” We know that, and that’s not really a true motivation. 
Why am I trying so hard to elicit a response from you?
Because I work for the CBBIA (Central Beer Bloggers Intelligence Association) and we’re trying to weed out the loyal followers of craft beer and do away with the rest in a systemic fashion.
*If you believe the above statement, please go dress yourself in foil, stand next to some sort of antenna and await the mother ship’s arrival.
But in truth, I’m going for something here that’s only leading up to something bigger that I really believe is going to benefit the entire craft beer and beer blogger community as a whole. It’s not enough that we just blog about beer or beer related stuff every now and then. Don’t worry I’m not aiming at some sort of product release that only costs $99.99 if you order before midnight, or increasing your work load.
That AND the fact that I truly want to know the real reasons, and motivation behind what all of us are most passionate about…beer and great people.
Why YOU really should take a couple of minutes to leave your response below.
Simple. Because you doing so will have a direct impact on the entire craft beer “movement” and community in one way or another.
Firstly, you’re not only giving insight into the inner motivations that have propelled you to go after your passions, but you never know how your words…your story could change someone else’s life.
Secondly, you’re only going to become more known as a human being, not just a robotic blog. You know….you. The real person behind the words, videos, charts, numbers, Twitter account, comments etc. People connect with stories, people connect with passion, people connect with REAL, people connect with PEOPLE. Not websites.
You know this already because you’re a human being. If you’re not a human, and a dog or turtle that can log on to a computer, read, type and talk…please email me at ilyafeynberg@gmail.com because I’ve just found a way to get seriously rich at your expense.
So….
I’ve promised to keep it short, and I’m afraid I might have already gone a bit too long with this.
So beer bloggers everywhere…or even those even remotely interested in beer and starting a blog/site about beer….
RESPOND! COMMENT BELOW!
Pretty please with a cherry on top….The beer fairy will leave you a beer under your pillow if you do. Man how I wish there was actually a beer fairy 
{ 65 comments… read them below or add one }
I blog about beer for two main reasons:
1. I am comfortable and happy drinking a beer and writing about it.
2. I want to write about beer in a way that is unintimidating. I want to encourage people unfamiliar with craft beer to go out and try it.
3. I love meeting other people who love beer. Beer is a universal language.
-Lost
P.S. No one licks to the center of a tootsie pop. Everyone bites it. We should stop fooling ourselves.
Lost recently posted..Bud Light
@Lost
1. That’s awesome! I can easily see that when I visit your blog…which is often! You review them REALLY well. Even if it’s just a Bud Light
2. I’m so glad you said that Josh. As lovers of craft beer, and especially as bloggers, I feel that we have that responsibility. You can’t introduce people into great craft beer as a beer snob either…and we all know on which side you stand there
3. SO TRUE & SO REAL! With the exception of a few nations, beer is prominent in one form (or style) or another. It’s one of the oldest and most popular beverages in the world. That speaks volumes in itself right there. As great as beer is…whether you label it craft or otherwise…it’s still nothing without great people. After all, you can’t make great beer, without great passionate people.
P.S. I just toss it actually…can’t stand those things! Ha!
Thanks for the comment Josh aka Lost! Awesomeness as always!
Ilya
I tried to explain my reasons for starting The Fledgling Brewer blog a little in my very first video post this past week (shameless plug: http://www.fledglingbrewer.com/2010/08/brewers-log-8232010-beer-transfer.html ). To amplify upon that, I’m really enjoying this journey of learning about beer (brewing and drinking); everyone learns differently (there were some things I have found to be a little confusing to learn about homebrewing, for example); and I want to share what wisdom I learn in a way that I think that may be effective for some who come after me. And I’m sure having this blog will help me learn more from others too. On a side note the blog is also a combination of several of my passions: writing, photography, beer/brewing, and film.
@Doug Aka The Fledgling Brewer
First off, great video and great information from that video. I don’t home brew myself….YET….I do hear the space issue A LOT though.
Reading everything you just wrote put a smile on my face. Let me tell you why…
A. You’re not doing this for Adsense pennies or because you expect to appear on Oprah tomorrow (even though that’s entirely possible). You’re doing this because you’re truly enjoying this. You just love beer, love learning and love the people behind it all.
B. You’re completely open to learning from others. You would be surprised how many bloggers (in any industry) think they know it all and completely shut off. The whole point of getting online is to connect with great people and to learn. Not to show case an over inflated ego.
C. Can it really get any better than when you’re in a position to combine all your passions? I think not, and lets face it…beer provides a way to express all those passions.
Thanks for the comment Doug, ALWAYS great to see one from you! Love your knowledge, insight and passion!
Ilya
I think one thing that can be said for anyone who blogs about beer is that they do it because they love it.
But I specifically started doing it because I felt like a bit of a novice who, while wanting to learn more about beer, also felt like sometimes people just want to know what’s good. So I try to blog about what my particular opinion is but with nothing too technical.
That being said, I find the more I blog, the more I get interested in the technical aspects of how it’s brewed, how to recognize specific tastes, etc. So it’ll be interesting to see if my writing changes…I’m still a novice, tho!
Melanie recently posted..Oregon Brewer’s Fest 2010
@Melanie
I have seen those that try and do it (for a short time I might add) for the money. There’s a lot of money in beer. Craft or not, and I’ve seen those try to take advantage of the market like spamming affiliate marketer.
Ok that being said and vented…I VERY MUCH agree with you. Virtually every blogger that I come upon…well…how do I put this…
…You can see the passion that they have for all things beer just bleed through their writing…videos…podcasts etc.
I agree, you can’t put that much work into something that you see little financial benefit from (at first anyway), if you don’t love it or have a passion for it some fashion.
I also couldn’t agree with you more about your last paragraph there! I too was kinda sorta…maybe a little bit…interested in home brewing before I started blogging and meeting other beer lovers. Now I find myself getting more and more interesting in things like home brewing, the technical aspects of brewing, how to grow your own hops, why bottles or cans are made a certain way for that particular beer and so on.
VERY well put Melanie!
I’m willing to bet that not only does your writing change, but that you evolve forward from where you are today…and you’ll be delivering incredible stuff to folks as a result!
Thanks so much for the comment Melanie!
Ilya
The three of us started writing this blog simply because we wanted to write about beer. All of us have some sort of writing background (PR & journalism) and we all love craft beer.
The site’s beginnings were rather simple, we were sitting around one night sampling a few things out Ryan’s cellar – talking and comparing notes – when one of us said, “we should start a beer blog.” And the rest, as we say, is history.
I think we take a pretty straight forward approach to our reviews and try and make things relateable to just about anyone that stumbles across our site. We’ve even tried to branch out a bit into a few feature pieces.
The bottom line is we want to play a role in craft beer evangelism – one happy hour at a time.
@Guys Drinking Beer
That’s an awesome story, and even more incredible I think is that most “how we started” stories start out that way. Just a group of folks that love any one particular thing saying…”you know what…let’s start this thing!”
The writing background and the experience of how to communicate to people shines through on ya’ll blog. I remember thinking on a number of occasion…”these guys keep it simple, sweet and to the point.” Not to mention that you fellas have a serious dose of great content (reviews and otherwise) on the site.
I want to use that finishing line there guys…I’ll accredit it to you guys of course…but that’s just brilliant. I think it evokes far more than just a simple desire. More of a sense of responsibility and community than anything else.
You guys are awesome, keep everything up, great comment that I appreciate more than you know, and congrats to Karl by the way for that appearance on WGN.
Ilya
For me, it’s about 75% love, 25% aspiring career.
Look, you don’t write about beer (or in my case, beer art) without loving it in a freakish way. There’s no way to get rich doing this stuff. But there are people who pay bills by doing it, and that strikes me as a damn good life. Those people, incidentally, also get to meet lots of people I can’t meet, so they learn more about beer, which is part of the reason the job is good.
I care a stupid amount about the artists who get no respect for creating label art. I also love craft beer, and the place beer has in American history. I would have a tougher time writing a blog on art of something I don’t like as much, like cigarettes. So all that stuff plays in, and makes it rewarding even if I never turn this into a book or career.
But that said, if you write a blog, you also have enough of an ego that you want to have your stuff read. I wrote a politics blog for a few years. I was good at it, people seemed to like it, but the readership never took off and I was never able to get over the feeling that I was spending hours for a few dozen or hundred people, and that there was no chance of anyone else ever finding it. Didn’t matter if I was good or bad, there were just a lot of people at that party, and the politics blogging thing was covered.
Then I started writing about beer art (something I’d worked with for a few years) and found that it was easier for me to write about, and that the community who cares about it is small enough that it’s easy to penetrate. Now, if in two years I still have six readers, I’ll know that I’m not very good. And if I am good, there’s a solid chance I’ll have an opportunity to become better known and turn it into a meager living.
In the craft beer world, we can all get in touch with each other and find each others’ writing. And there’s insane variety. At my height, I read about 10 politics sources religiously. I get 50 beer blogs now, find new ones every day, and they all deliver different value. And not ONE of them is a strict ratings site.
This goes under the “meeting beer people” that Lost mentioned above. Trust me, as a former politics writer, it’s nice to be in a writer community on a topic that brings people together, rather than divides them. I was an anti-ideologue who prided himself on not being divisive in my writing; at one point in a campaign, my cousin (who agrees with me!) suggested I commit suicide. Arguing over which DIPA is better just engenders more drinking, not animosity.
Sorry, that was long. It’s Friday. I need a beer.
@Greg
Don’t apologize one bit for the length of that comment! It was brilliant and I loved reading it!
To start with, I like your take on the career/passion factor. One thing I can say with almost complete certainty is that anyone of us here and all over the world would gladly jump at the opportunity of making a living doing what they’re truly passionate about. Is is possible? Extremely. Is it even possible to get rich doing what you love? Extremely. One just can’t afford to be short sighted and traditional minded if they intend to do so. Though that’s another post entirely which I will come back to one day soon I think.
I have a serious amount of respect for what you just wrote in regards to your respect, care and admiration for artists who create label art for example. It’s things such as that drive one on further only allow you to gather a larger circle of great people around you.
The ego bit? I would have to agree. If you yourself don’t find your writing, videos, speeches, ideas, etc of high quality…than why should some one else? An ego…to a certain degree…is a needed attribute, but it can’t guide you, get out of hand, or prevent you from the more important things such as learning, meeting people, and understanding that one actually knows very little in comparison to whats out there in the world.
I can personally relate to a degree with your story and your entry into beer blogging. Somewhat. I’ll have to write or make a video about this one day, but in a nutshell I was doing something well for the last 7 years, but had ZERO love or passion for it…in fact very little interest. I’m actually losing more money now doing what I’m fanatical about…yet more happy. Strange?
“Insane variety” I think is an astonishingly good way to word it and it all goes hand in hand with meeting people and all taking part in our passions. I personally do what I do not to simply engage in the craft beer culture and beer world over all, but to engage with human beings, breweries, etc. It’s nothing with out the people. People make it all happen. The beer, the events, the passion, the great company, and so on…
The way I see it…it’s more about enjoying a great beer with great people, rather than just enjoying a great beer.
Greg, that was an amazing comment. Thank you so much for taking the time out to write it, and sharing your thoughts, opinions, and some history. MUCH appreciated and so awesome!
Ilya
I blog to strengthen my powers as a beer vampire. The more people I convert to craft beer, the better off we will all be. It’s also to meet other beer people outside of where I live, work, and play.
Why the heck did I click on the large version of that picture? BIG MISTAKE!
Billy Broas recently posted..Draw a Picture of Your Beer’s Flavor with this Notebook
Billy:
That comment about vampires is hilarious. I often say on twitter how it sometimes feels like Highlander. The more followers I get, the more powerful I get.
There can only be one!
-Lost
Lost recently posted..Bud Light
@Billy
Dude, I laughed at that comment for awhile! But what happens if we run out of craft beer?
Oh wait…that’s right we make more. It’s not like human blood. Ha!
In all seriousness though, I think your sentence “It’s also to meet other beer people outside of where I live, work, and play.” sums it all up.
I know I sound like a broken record that keeps repeating itself, but the people behind everything we do and everything we love do drink is what makes it all so damn good. Not to mention the people you’ll meet in your own backyard you would have never even known existed!
And I KNEW that some one was bound to click on that picture and see it blown up in detail! I thought it was very fitting to the post though so I bought the license to use it off iStockPhoto. It’s like Borat…but not really….
Thanks for the comment Billy! Always great, and always welcome here!
@Lost
Why do I feel that we’ll be getting into a Bateman vs. Superman debate here soon?
Ilya
@Lost Haha you are the Duncan Macleod of beer my friend. I’ll be Lestat. Can we coexist? Only time will tell.
The beer vampire thing came from one of my first blog posts: http://billybrew.com/beer-vampires
It’s a good metaphor for converting people to craft beer. Once bitten, they need to quench their thirst.
Billy Broas recently posted..Draw a Picture of Your Beer’s Flavor with this Notebook
Well….I guess I could say I love to drink beer, but drinking beer and truly enjoying the craft of beer are two different things. When I try a beer, no matter if I review it or not, I want to learn everything I possibly can about that beer (Where it’s made, what hops/malts, abv, ibu…whatever) and really savor the beer for all it’s worth. The reason I got into blogging is mainly to challenge myself to see what I can do…to see how I can put liquid into words. I wanted to see if I can truly write a quality beer review. Well…the answer is no lol. But seriously, I respect the beer and the people behind it. The craft beer community (Brewers, owners, bloggers, drinkers, we are all the community) is probably just as (if not more) passionate about their product as the wine community (Not knocking wine people…I enjoy a glass every so often) and it’s that same passion that I want to put into my blog. I don’t care if 20 people read it everyday or 200. As long as I’m satisfied at what I put on that page, I’ve done my job, and if anybody enjoys and appreciates what I (or we as bloggers) do, cheers to you!
Steven recently posted..Catching up with Bill Butcher of Port City Brewing
@Steven
Your passion for beer rings loud and clear, and I love your what you’re doing with your blog. The idea behind interviewing, keeping up with, and respecting the local craft brewery or microbrewery etc is just brilliant.
I very easily agree and whole heartily believe that makers of great craft beer are just as and in some cases more passionate and people friendly that those of wine. I don’t knock wine, but I do knock the culture behind wine a bit.
On the numbers thing…
I would go as far as to say that us bloggers…beer or otherwise…far appreciate 20 passionate followers that join the discussion than 200 that simply pass by and are looking for something entirely different. Now that being said, I wouldn’t mind 200,000 passionate daily followers!
I have a serious appreciation for anyone that comes by my blog, and those that take the time to read through everything and leave comments. It’s really touching that some one that you’ve never met in person (at least yet) gives enough of a shit about you to follow you, and give their time to you in the form of a comment.
Thanks for the great comment Steven and the insight! Love your direction…keep it up!
P.S. Just FYI guys, Steven was the first one to head the charge for the soon to be Beer Bloggers Conference Scholarship Fund! Much Respect Steven!
Ilya
Ilya,
1. I like to network with others with a similar interest.
2. I want to support craftbrewers.
3. I want to educate brothers & sisters, if I can, about craftbeer.
4. I enjoy learning about blogging.
5. It is fun talking to craftbeer fans & bloggers.
6. I am a proud beerblogger!
7. I find when I travel, that I seek out quality craftbeer!
Cheers!
Dale (sodakbeer.com)
Dale Miskimins recently posted..Hops!
@Dale
1. Exactly! That whole human element is probably why we do what we do. The bulk of the reason anyway.
2. If you love great craft beer…you love, respect and support the breweries. Local or national. They should support us, and we should support them…only then can we see the changes we want to see in the industry as a whole.
3. There is nothing more enjoyable it seems than watching someone that has never tried anything outside of a Miller Light take to craft beer with pleasure! Love the look on the face that they extend your way that just says “what the hell have I been drinking this entire time?”
4. Learning more technical aspects about blogging is always fun, though I have many nights where I want to break my computer because I can’t get a piece of code to work properly or something.
5. Hell yes it is! And since our culture is far more laid back than say the wino groups, it makes for a great time on and offline. Better offline of course.
6. Here here! Cheers to that!
7. I know how that works first hand! I’m always working in great local beer into all the plans…sometimes those ARE the plans!
Thanks for the organized comment and all your reasons and points! Totally awesome! Can’t wait to meet you for the first time in person at the conference!
Ilya
Here is an excerpt from my interview with KSWBeer.Com:
Beer is one of the many fine beverages that consumes my life. I have an odd obsession, fascination and connection with beer, which is really hard to put into words. Oh, who am I kidding? I’m a writer, words are my thing.
Almost exactly two years ago, I gave up everything I had to pursue my passion for craft beer (and wine) – and I have not looked back since. Almost everything I have done, every person I have met, and every place I have traveled in the past two years has been a result of my relationship with beer. I have made two major cross country moves, one north to south and the other east to west, with several other smaller moves in between. Nothing about my life has any semblance of normalcy.
Outsiders looking in either criticize or revel in my lifestyle choices. Some view my life as complete chaos, and some view it as glamorous.
“Though it be but madness, there is method in it.” – William Shakespeare
No one really knows what goes on in my world, behind closed doors, in the dark deep shadows. And I prefer it to be that way. My personal struggles, all the downfalls and the pain, do not make good topics for fairytale stories.
Craft beer is one of the most important things in my life. I am dedicated to advocating, promoting and educating others about it. As I spend more and more time within the industry, developing stronger relationships and a stronger knowledge base, I hope that I will also become stronger and more powerful. Voice, whether it be spoken or written, is a powerful tool. My goal is to take bigger strides towards increasing the influence and the power of the craft beer voice.
The Beer Wench recently posted..Featured Beer Blogger- STEVIE CALDAROLA
@Ashley aka The Beer Wench
I absolutely LOVED reading that comment and piece from your interview. It’s really relieving in many ways…and in a great way!
What’s so shocking to me personally…is how much I relate to your story, past, and present. It’s almost uncanny. That’s another post entirely, but thank you so much for sharing what you just shared.
Between the moving (literally across the country), the struggles, and the choice to just let everything go in pursuit of your passion…literally everything…is extremely relatable. At least to me it is. I left a 7 year career in online advertising, media buying, affiliate marketing, conversions etc…to just chase what I love. Beer and meeting people. So I founded Damn That’s Good Beer! and KaBoga.Com.
I’m losing plenty of money (at least for now) doing what I truly love doing…and yet the “happy meter” is peaking on high.
I think I can speak for everyone here when I say that you’re a very much needed and loved voice in the entire craft beer community. It might seem insane, but your love for beer…the one that you find so strange, abnormal and unexplainable….shared by others. So your not only in good company, but we understand you well…after all…you’re one of us
.
Thank you so very much for the comment, that interview piece was great, very insightful, and something that at least I (and I presume many others) can directly relate to.
Ilya
Wow.
So first, thanks to everyone who wrote in comments that have really made this board interesting, and thanks to you, Ilya, for hosting this discussion. I for one am very impressed by how much traction this question got.
It seems to me, from reading all these responses, like there’s three elements to this, and which answer you get depends on how one reads the question.
1. The ambition (or Why are YOU a beer blogger?)
This is mostly what the blogger gets out of it, which can be anything from ego boost, new e-friends, career ambitions, or simple record keeping. Most likely, it’s a combination of a few or all of these.
2. The medium (or Why are you a beer BLOGGER?)
This is mostly that you have to love writing and connecting with other people who like writing and your subject. If there were no blogosphere, I’d still be writing, and I imagine that’s true of any good beer blogger. There’s a notable exception here for review and some homebrew blogs, which can be very shorthand and data-oriented; those seem to be less writing and more recording, which those bloggers would almost certainly be doing anyway, because that’s part of their hobby.
Thanks to technology, blogging is different than other forms of writing, and to a certain type of person, the social media tie-in is more rewarding than keeping a notebook or a local column. The highest profile examples of this (Like Ashley Routson and Lee Williams) are professional models for a lot of us, because they’ve made the interactivity an essential part of their writing.
3. The passion (or Why are you a BEER blogger?)
And this one has no real answer, because, like all hobbies, craft beer is something you get into that costs money and delivers only intangible benefits. You just have to love it because something or someone introduced you to it, and it shook your world. Maybe you like the local/artisanal/hidden elements, maybe you just like flavor. But it does seem that, by and large, beer people like each other. There are jerks and snobs, sure, but the community as a whole is full of people that are easy to like, and that definitely seems to be part of any good blogger’s answer to this question.
Hope that makes sense.
Cheers everyone for posting on this! It’s really cool to see the authors of so many blogs I read write about their thought processes.
@Greg
Greg…I have to say this before I go further into my response here.
I love your writing. I seriously do. I might be able to bring some passion and fun to the table, but I sure can’t bring it all to the table in the artful way that you do. You’re incredibly good at what to do…my glass is raised to you!
Ok so…
1. I have a list of about 250 different beer or brewing blogs that I visit on a weekly basis. Yes I said weekly. Told you I loved what I do
Anyway, the point I’m trying to make here is that out of the handful of ambitions that you listed, I can honestly say that only a tiny fraction of them…tiny actually go after it purely as an ego boost. It’s true yes, that many of us end up getting a small ego boost as a result of the work we do and the attention we receive, BUT the vast majority of us do not use it a primary motivation. I would rate meeting new people and becoming a voice that should be heard in our world is the primary motivation, followed by career ambitions and so on. Which I still believe that far too many bloggers think that they can’t really make anything really happen from their passion for craft beer…which I strongly believe is just wrong. I’m talking career wise there.
2. The truly wonderful thing about technology these days is that you don’t have to stick to good ole’ fashion writing when it comes to the blog sphere these days. You have options that range from video, online radio, simply pictures, and more that I can name if I really thought about it.
This is an incredible time that we live and it’s only growing and becoming more popular. Giving us an almost endless amount of tools and mediums to choose from that are STILL growing by the day.
The awesome part about getting online…is that you can build a brand, a reputation, a passionate following, teach others, learn from others, meet new people etc. on the very cheap. Tell me how 15-20 years ago I would have been able to spend $15 a month and meet this many people worldwide and put myself in front of all of them?
It’s hard for me to really start talking about social media, because I have a very hard time stopping. I just get THAT excited about all the opportunity around us on a daily basis. I’ll have to come up with a post about this, but in short…NOTHING…no tool or other medium has given us the ability to just reach out, and make a connection with anyone, anywhere in the world the way that we can today.
Sit back for a moment and think to yourself what this REALLY means to you: I can go on Twitter, and with in seconds search for anyone that has any sort of interest or passion for craft beer…then contact them right then and there and strike a connection.
Almost mind boggling isn’t it?
3. Here’s where I disagree with you on this one tid bit. “costs money and delivers only intangible benefits.”
I can’t disagree with the cost part…that it does and I don’t think one can really argue that effectively. However, the idea that doing what we do typically delivers only intangible benefits…that I do disagree with. Again, this requires another post entirely, but in a few words…one can choose to make something incredibly tangible out what we do. It simply requires an entire different approach and the ability to stray away from the usual mindset.
The rest from that second to last paragraph however, I agree with in full!
Greg, your comments are great, your writing is just a pleasure to read, and I truly appreciate your contribution to this discussion here…more than you’ll ever know.
Ilya
Beer has been part of my life for many years as I’ve gone through a series of career and life changes in my nearly 50 years. I thought I had found my passion about 15 years ago when I became a newspaper journalist.
But as the world of media changed with the Internet, and print journalism began its current death spiral. I became less and less passionate about the business, and for a variety of reasons including burnout, I left my last newspaper job nearly a year ago and struck out on the freelance road. I had worked as an editor for about 10 years and really wanted to get back to writing.
I wish I could say that Road Trips for Beer was my idea, but I was recruited to be in charge of it by someone with a lot more savvy about online enterprises than I have.
However, I did see that it was a great opportunity and impeccable timing. I was itching to find the perfect online niche, and this was it. My appreciation of good beer has become more refined, and the craft beer revolution is roaring. Other than some joint projects with other sites in our network, I have complete autonomy over RTFB and its content.
And my passion has returned. Passion for writing, passion for traveling, passion for interacting with a community who for the most part are intelligent people with a common focus, but who are also individuals. I hope that I provide a helpful service to at least some of them.
Another reason, I suppose, is that I now have the opportunity to put into action some ideas about social media that were not listened to in my last job, where I often butted heads with the old guard who were reluctant to try new things.
Someday, I hope that I can make some money at this – that’s a definite goal – but in the meantime I’m lucky enough to get a little coin from freelancing and have a wife who supports my endeavors and brings home most of the bacon.
Not to mention that I usually work from home and get to be with my young daughter and wife far more often than when I worked at the paper. And really, that’s the best part.
@Gerard
What an awesome comment and an awesome story. I enjoyed reading every word of that comment. Just great. Thank you so much for it!
I find your experience and story particularly interesting and valuable. Being a writer for so many years, seeing first hand what happens when an old company mentality runs into the current age, and then reigniting your passion for the written word later on. Just like everyone else’s comments here it feels REAL. Not some made up story that belongs in the papers (like how I did that)?
I think I speak for everyone when I say that you’re doing an incredible job with Road Trips For Beer. Personally, I love the concept of the site and the driving passion behind it all. Especially since I can personally relate to the subject matter…taking road trips for beer.
I would say that I’m sorry for the experience of having to be a part of and having to watch a sinking ship go down from the deck (the newspaper you worked for), but I also feel as if that experience has give you the knowledge, understanding, foresight, and opportunity that you have right now…today. It’s not simply the idea behind social media that you understand (and understand well I might add!) but the understand that technology has enabled the entire world to function differently…and it is. That is only a virtue my friend.
I’ve noticed one almost constant theme here with my most beer bloggers, and it’s slightly annoying to me but that’s an entirely separate discussion. I’m am of course talking about making money with one’s passion for people, beer and writing. I really see Road Trips For Beer being extremely successful, and I see that same opportunity in so many of the beer bloggers and sites that I come across. But like I said, that’s another topic of discussion all together.
And yes…that last paragraph does seem like THE advantage!
Ilya
I think I should clarify some of my comments on the newspaper industry. Some companies are “getting it” and doing some great things online and with social media. In general, most took too long to embrace the new media, because they are part of a corporate behemoth that doesn’t accept change too quickly and must answer to stockholders.
Though I referred to a “death spiral,” I don’t think newspapers are going away. There are too many still passionate people in the trenches who are working their asses off trying to keep that from happening. Newspapers may not be printed on paper in the not-too-distant future, but they still will be around.
Another side of the coin is that many smart and talented newspaper folks who were cast aside in recent years because of layoffs and newspaper closings are now pursuing their dreams. Some of those dreams involve taking their skills and experience into new media; some have nothing to do with journalism (maybe opening a microbrewery?).
I may get some grief about this, but daily newspapers, though not perfect, remain the main source of reliable information and reporting about what’s happening in the world around us.
I close with a quote, or possible a paraphrase, from a newspaper columnist whose name I can’t recall.
“Saying you don’t need newspapers because you get all your news online is like saying you don’t need farms because you get all your food at the grocery store.”
While I’m looking forward to meeting everyone at the Beer Bloggers Conference in Nov., I’m definitely intrigued by your story, Gerard, and look forward to chatting with you in person. I’m almost 40, come from a newspaper/magazine journalism background and am currently a stay-at-home dad thanks to my wife and a job she loves. I quit what started as a dream job to come home, and frankly I couldn’t be happier now. Kudos to you for following your muse to practice and advance your skills and passions.
Doug Brumley recently posted..My Coincidental New Belgium Kick to Culminate With Nashvilles Clips of Faith Beer & Film Event
Back atcha Doug.
Maybe we could have a newspaper refugee party at BBC10.
Why I’m I a fellow Beer Bloggin Bastard?
Few reasons… I started off by blogging about random stuff – my random stuff then started to follow a few definate themes, one of them seemed to be beer related, so I went with it.
I’m probably one of the more random beer bloggers out there, but I suppose if we were all the same then life would be boring.
So we I’m I a beer blogger? Because I like beer, and I’m kinda a geek… the two seem to come together well in my mind
@Andy
Thanks so much for the comment! I think your comment helps add a slightly different side of things. I like that personally. As you said “If we were all the same then life would be boring.”
I think you show us all the side of many great beer bloggers. The side that just blogs about many interests. In a way, that could be the most pure of them all. You just blog to blog.
And yes…beer and geeks go well together. I think we all consider ourselves beer geeks.
Andy, again thank you so much for the comment! Just added your blog to my list of weekly visits and reading!
Ilya
@Gerard
I’m liking where this conversation is going! Away from beer…but still fun none the less! Is should think about adding a forum perhaps?
Anyway….
Thanks clearing up what you meant in regards to the newspaper industry as a whole.
Yes, it’s true that some companies are “getting it”, but “getting it” doesn’t simply mean perfecting your website, creating a Twitter account, operating a Facebook fan page, and starting a blog. I’ve created businesses online and off for the last 7 years now (not all with success I might add), and if there is one thing that I’ve learned that holds true…constantly….is that you can’t fake giving a shit. Pardon my language (even though I tend to have a foul mouth), but I think it gets the message across very well.
You can have all the social media accounts in the world, all your employee’s Tweeting, writing on peoples walls, commenting on peoples blogs and so on, but if you don’t truly give a shit about what you’re doing…and you don’t know what you’re talking about…people will see right through you.
Humans actually have a pretty fine tuned “bullshit radar” even if most don’t know it. Things have been changing for a while now and still are. It’s no longer the case that you can just pay for some advertising space in a paper, on tv, or online and BAM!…revenue and profit start rolling in just like that. You can’t just go Tweet people with promotional offers, post coupons on people’s Facebook walls, or ask them to buy something from you in a blog post anymore. You can yes, but you won’t get to far. That’s not to say that advertising, or Tweeting directly etc don’t have their place…just not the way they’re done by the VAST majority of companies.
Ok sorry about that part. This doesn’t have much to do with newspapers or the print industry as a whole just the general idea of “getting it” and what it means.
So back to it…
I think that right there might be the most precious gift that the newspaper industry has given us in recent years. With their failure, many passionate and talented people are coming out of the woods and branching out into the world in every direction. No longer bound by old school thinking, a boss to answer to, or things like having to go after stories or topics with the simple goal of boosting ad revenue. No, now they can be of real benefit and value to the world. I love that you brought that up, it’s so very true!
I wouldn’t say you would get grief for it, but I’m sure some would disagree with the idea that newspapers are the main source of reliable information and reporting about what’s happening in the world around us. But that’s the entire purpose of holding a discussion…if everyone agrees it’s just no fun.
All these are separate issues really and perhaps separate posts all together, but in short…I don’t believe that the above statement is true honestly. Especially with the younger generations. And while that quote comparing newspapers and grocery stores holds true for the grocery store…it doesn’t really add up that way for newspapers.
You really don’t need the paper nearly as much today as you did even 10 years ago. I would put my money on the fact that in another 10 years newspapers will be a thing of the past completely as more and more of the population move online or go mobile. However, saying that it’s entirely possible (and is already happening of course) that the big newspaper brands of old and current move with the flow, and save themselves.
The paper today still holds on to some value. I agree with that. But it’s fading quickly and on its way to extinction. Where as the link to farms and grocery stores will remain a constant for some time to come, if not forever.
Again, Gerard thanks for the comment back….love gaining more insight from you and I really appreciate the time you’re taking out to discuss it all! Keep em’ comin’!
P.S. This debate among other will be plenty of fun over some pints in Boulder!
Ilya
Nah, let’s talk about something else over pints.
@Gerard
DONE!
We got off track from beer fast huh?
Ilya
@Billy & @lost
I like the reasoning and connection behind vampires and bringing new people into craft beer. Great one actually!
Though I admit…you two are rather strange
Finding it rather funny though!
Ilya
@Ilya “Though I admit…you two are rather strange”
Yea, no argument there ; )
Billy Broas recently posted..Draw a Picture of Your Beer’s Flavor with this Notebook
I love how huge and sprawling this discussion has become. Vampires? Newspapers? AWESOME. THIS is why I’m a beer bloggin’ bastard.
First, Gerard: Always dug your blog, and I like it even more after reading (and agreeing with) your thoughts on journalism. For all those reasons, I too got out of that field, and for all of the clarified points, I still miss it some days. It’s just a shame the people who run newspapers are generally not getting it, even when their employees and readers do.
Second, @Ilya on the benefits of beer (and all hobbies) being “intangible”: I am interested to hear your full thoughts on this, Ilya. When I say “intangible,” I include some very valuable things like happiness, relationships, and depth of experience. But none of those things are quantifiable. I suppose the writing and analysis is, in a way, a tangible outcome (as a writer, I should say not one I should have undersold), but I suppose I mean that the definition of a hobby, to me, is rarely one that reaps material rewards. You don’t pay bills with a hobby (usually, though as I mentioned I’d love to be able to), or put an addition on your house with it.
Of the vast majority of us into craft beer, we don’t reap that type of reward. Of course, we all would love to open a brewery, write a book, or make a living off of our passion, but the reason we got into it to begin with is mostly compulsion for something we value more than the money we put into it. What we get out of it may be invaluable to us, but it would be tough to trade for food or electricity. Not that we would (or at least, I wouldn’t). But anyway, that’s what I meant by “intangible.”
So, like I said, I’m really interested in why you disagree, and actually really hoping you change my mind on this. What mindset would make the many, many things I get out of beer tangible?
Glad to hear of another ink-stained wretch turned beer blogger, Greg. I dig your blog too – a great niche.
Though we learn never to make assumptions without confirming it, from the theme of your blog I’m guessing you came from the graphic/design part of newspapering?
I know what you mean about missing it some days, but for nostalgia’s sake I heated up a Healthy Choice frozen dinner today in the microwave.
Just like old times!
@Greg
My thoughts exactly on how the discussion about this post has grown the way that it has. It’s incredible, and the chance meeting between Gerard and yourself is proof of the Internets capability to introduce people…that otherwise never would have met 10-20 years ago.
Gerard’s blog is one of my favorites and I follow it constantly. In fact I believe there is a new post that calls for my attention here in just a bit!
Greg, that might be a tough question to simply answer and put into a comment (even though I have unlimited space) and I do see your point and understand it well. What I honestly should have said is that there is far more opportunity and possibility than most bloggers believe that there is. After you brought this up (which bravo for doing so by the way!) I’ve decided to write a whole post about this, which is another reason I don’t want to leave it all here in a comment. It will be coming here very soon though.
Saying though, here’s where you’re 100% right on the ball: “When I say intangible, I include some very valuable things like happiness, relationships, and depth of experience.”
You’re 100% right when you said that those were “Very valuable things”. Granted that I believe that anyone has the chance, the opportunity, and can make the choice to “go big”…but no amount of money and no amount of fame will ever trump the valuable things that you mentioned.
I know this is all seems like I’m beating around the bush here, and that might be true just a little bit, but I promise I’ll have your whole answer coming here very soon!
Ilya
@Gerard,
Nope, I was a pretty straight wordforger. Took some photographs, too, because they paid better, were fun, and generally got me into better events. I have no graphic design ability to speak of, aside from enough photoshop and layout knowledge to drop some copy or create a witty t-shirt. I just like art, and always have.
I will agree, though, that while Healthy Choice has its charms, I don’t miss poverty. Or certain editors.
Never assume because it makes an ASS out of U and ME. Mainly me.
@Greg & Gerard
I can’t say I ever liked Healthy Choice…but I can say that I’ve especially enjoyed reading and thinking about everything that the two of you have written. It’s such a pleasure and frankly a privilege to not only be able to host this…but be in the presence of this.
Thank you guys!
Ilya
Speaking of promoting and supporting the beer blogging community, if you have not yet been featured on my site … please send me an email as I am always looking to share the stories of my fellow bloggers!
Viva la craft beer revolution!
Oh, yeah. The email address = routson@gmail.com
The Beer Wench recently posted..Featured Beer Blogger- STEVIE CALDAROLA
@Ashely aka The Beer Wench
I love the beer blogger interview/profile portion of the site! Keep them coming!
Ilya
I sort of blog about beer I suppose (and baseball…. and other things. Hence title of blog). I do it more than anything just to put all my random thoughts on those subjects in one location. I like to look back on the posts I make (which aren’t all too often unfortunately) and it brings back memories. Specifically with beer, it makes me see what I thought of the beer at the time I wrote about it. And then I can reflect on what I think about it now. And plus, I think writing in general is a good thing to do for anyone. It helps to make you a better articulated person (at least with the writing). In the end….. why blog? Why not?
Rich recently posted..The Ageless Wonder
@Rich
And yet ANOTHER perspective on things! So awesome to see all this!
I have to agree that the taste of a beer changes for me as time goes on, or so it seems. I know it has very little to do with the actual taste, but more to do with the overall experience and memory.
Thank you so much for the comment Rich and lending yet another perspective as to why we beer bloggers blog.
Ilya
I wanted to address the question in two ways, not only why I write, but also why I don’t write. As anyone who has visited my blog (the very few that you are) will notice, I don’t update the blog on a regular basis. I hope that my response below will illustrate the constant push and pull within me that both leads me to write on beer and refrain from writing at the same time.
I will address the why I don’t write question first as it is probably the more intriguing of the two. Why I don’t write or update my blog mainly fall into 2 subcategories:
1. I am not a good writer, far from it. My spelling and grammar are average at best and I am not good at storytelling. Most of my posts, and even this response, are mostly “streams of consciousness” which is okay unless your mind doesn’t focus like mine. Being unable to write down my thoughts in a clear, concise, and interesting way is a major inhibitor to finding the motivation to write.
2. Leading off of that, I drink what I like, but have an inability to accurately describe what I am drinking. I enjoy various flavors and aromas of craft beer, but ask me to describe those flavors and my mind draws a blank. Personally in drinking craft beer I could care less, unfortunately it makes for some pretty boring reading.
The question of why I write is a simpler question to answer as it is derived from the fundamental concept of community, that I think, makes craft beer special. It is a community of all types of people; young, old, male, female, writers, artist, engineers, and business professionals. Craft beer is truly a drink that anyone can enjoy and become part of this wonderful community. I write to share my craft beer experiences with anyone who wants read them. Craft beer is not something that people should keep to themselves, bur rather share with others.
I hope that is what you were looking for.
Cheers!
Ryan,
I’m not a gifted writer either. I am having fun trying to improve my skills and learn. I’m signed up for #BBC10 and really look forward to sharing with the other bloggers. Thanks to Ilya for this discussion!
Dale
D recently posted..Beer Review – Sierra Nevada Summerfest
@Ryan
So as you know, we had a problem getting this comment to submit properly on this damn beer site! See how I did that by the way? Get it? Get it?
As I was figuring out a way to get things to work and considering tossing my laptop outside where I could then proceed to run it over with my truck, I was getting more and more excited about your comment…and the fact that I could tell you that I think that you’re wrong
.
1. Ryan, that’s a mental block that I think most of us have to just get past. I too, am no brilliant writer, and my grammar and spelling isn’t always spot on either. For example, just a couple days back I had @Gerard bring to my attention that I used the wrong spelling of “elicit” in this post (now Gerard is a brilliant writer!) and so I was quick to change that.
Was it a bit embarrassing? Especially since we’re more or less in the writing and speaking “biz”? Sure, a little bit. But I was grateful to get the help and now I’ll remember. If you read through any of my posts, I’m not too shabby…and I’ve read through yours…and their far from being the work of a “bad writer”.
I think many of us try to compare ourselves with the great writers and novelists and in turn cut ourselves short. You don’t need to be a great writer to get a point across, describe a beer you’re enjoying in detail, or tell a story. Just get it to, keep doing it, keep improving and most importantly enjoy yourself. Don’t be too overly critical of yourself. You’re FAR…FAR…from being a bad writer. Trust me, I’ve seen bad writers.
Don’t forget that just like anything else in life, writing is an acquired skill. Yes, it’s true that just like anything else some take to it easier and with more pleasure (they have a natural talent for it), but it’s also a learned skill. Keep writing, keep learning and in the company of great blog writer. I promise you Ryan, you’re very far off from being a poor writer.
2. I feel that my answer for #1 more or less stands in for this one too. Don’t kid yourself…you think that the beer reviewer’s on Ratebeer or Beer Advocate come up with some snazzy, blow your socks off type of writing for their reviews? Not even close
. Get the flavors you notice down, what you think of the beer etc and inject some life into it. It’s actually pretty darn easy! Keep this in mind too, that I’ve read your beer reviews and so have others, and I still don’t see the “bad review” you see in them. They’re rather good. You can always solicit me for help too.
Your closing paragraph there is another reason that I strongly believe that you’re NOT a bad writer. You have a passion for what you do and what you love. You don’t just like craft beer, you like the community behind it, the meaning behind it all, the people from all walks of life and from all over the world that are responsible for making it what it is today. Become a bigger part of it, dwell deeper, writer more, brew more and so on…and I think you’ll start finding things very differently.
Keep at it man, you’re very much a Beer Bloggin’ Bastard and I’ve had your blog bookmarked and part of my weekly blog visit list for a while now!
And a huge thanks for the comment. I truly enjoyed responding to it and it connects with the way that many bloggers feel. Tell me again you’re not a great story teller…you’ve just connecting with many others through your own….pssshhhhh
Ilya
Ryan,
You’re a fine writer. As a an editor, I’ve seen some really bad prose from folks who get PAID to do it, and you have a pretty good grasp of the language.
Cheers!
Thanks for all the responses on my post. I want to hit the shorter two and then I will get to Ilya’s comment.
@D – Thanks for the comment. I wish I could make it out to BBC10. Learning and improving is something that I think all of us strive for, no matter how gifted the person is.
@Gerard – Thanks for the kind words.
@Ilya – We did have some problems getting that up there and I want to thank you for all your help in that regard. This is a great topic and it is great to see such varied responses from everyone.
1) It is that mental block that I was trying to illustrate in my original comment. I feel that it is a mental block that all writer will go through at some point and is the predominant battle that I struggle with while writing my blog. It also comes down to a personal issue that I have, were I hold myself to a higher standard than I expect of others and I expect my writing to reflect that. Truthfully, my writing is not bad, but it is not up to the high standards I set for myself. Unfortunately, that mindset just perpetuates the mental block and is something I work to overcome every time I write.
2)All very good points. The way each person reviews a beer will be different and unique to that person. I just have not found a style that I feel comfortable in. Thanks for the kind words on my reviews. Each one evolves from the last and hopefully they will get better and I will develop that personal style over time.
Craft beer to me is so much more than a drink or hobby to me and from what I have read here, many of you as well. Craft beer truly is a community, I have not seen any animosity or competition amongst beer bloggers. There is so much out there that it feels like we are all just adding to collective information and sharing the passion that we all feel. Craft beer continues to grow as both an industry and a community. As D and Ilya alluded to, all we can do is continue to learn, develop, experience, and share.
Thanks again to everyone.
Why am I a Beer Bloggin’ Bastard?
I would have started earlier if I knew I could call myself that. I have always found that I needed to talk about beers to fully understand what I am getting. (I could drink and appreciate the beer, but when I would talk about them, I wouldn’t know how to express what I was tasting.) After my drinking buddy moved away, I lost my communication about beer to non beer geeks. Putting it into words made it easier. The blog was developed around my life with A Beer in (my) Hand. What I was doing, what I was feeling about the beer. It allowed me to remember what it was about the beer that I liked, and what I didn’t.
Best of all though, would be the other bloggers that I have met, and been able to be in contact with. I feel the best thing about beer bloggers is the lack of rivalry. I actively follow a hundred or so, I know other bloggers that follow just as many. No one gets caught up on number of followers.
I have only had a few major jumps in my readers over the past year and a half, but the people who do read and comment make good points about what I wrote, which means more to me than getting thousands of page views.
I guess I am just looking for a good conversation about beer, and sometimes life. (Much longer than I thought it would be, sorry for rambling.)
JayZeis recently posted..Expectations
@Jay
Then it’s settled! From this day forth…we shall be known as “Beer Bloggin’ Bastards!”
But anyway…
Another great story and perspective! I’m still shocked that so many have so many different reasons for coming into beer blogging. It’s incredible.
I think you story is a great way to come to blogging, and it’s only thanks to modern technology that we can take our interests and passions to the world literally within minutes.
I also agree that there really doesn’t seem to be much of a competitive rivalry between beer bloggers. Even the ones that do it full time and as a career. I think this has a lot to do with the idea that we’re all in this together and we’re all part of the craft beer community and whether or not you make a living of craft beer…you’re all in the same boat.
There is no question on the value of readership either. The discussion that has taken place here on this post for example is far….far…..more valuable to me than 10,000 hits tomorrow that click on Adsense or something (not that I run Adsense). I truly value all of you Beer Bloggin’ Bastards
Ilya
“Beer Bloggin’ Bastards.”
Not to be confused with the “Better Business Bureau.”
Earlier this year I was sitting around drinking a beer and describing my experience, taste, smell, the history of the brewer, style, etc. and my wife said, “you need to start writing this down.”
Part of it, I’m sure, is just because she didn’t want to be the only outlet for my beer passion at home anymore. But some of it was that she saw my passion for homebrewing, craft brewing, beer history, and beer community as a way for me to connect and share with others that have the same interest.
I personally am a Beer Bloggin’ Bastard because I enjoy talking and sharing my knowledge with others. If I write about a topic that someone might read and enjoy then that puts a smile on my face.
I’m pretty one-track minded when it comes to my homebrewing/craft brewing hobby so I have to express myself somehow. Homebrew meetings are only once a month!
And lastly, I think there is a lot of growth to be had in the craft beer community in South Texas. I like being a part of that movement (San Antonio Cerveceros FB – http://www.facebook.com/pages/South-Texas-Beer-Blog/139173406096537#!/sanantoniocerveceros?ref=ts) and I can try and draw some more interest with my blog being regional as well.
Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/pages/South-Texas-Beer-Blog/139173406096537
Blogspot – http://southtexasbeerblog.blogspot.com
Paul Ford recently posted..Great Divide Hercules Double IPA
@Paul
Wow…
Comment after comment and I’m still surprised how different everyone’s story is. This is beyond words at this point.
I think it’s amazing Paul how just one idea can spark everything that you have done so far, and the people that you have met along the way. There are so many reasons that we all do what we do but one constant is that we all share a serious passion for beer, brewing and people. I don’t think that just beer could stand on it’s own without the great people behind it.
Just like a craft brewer we Beer Bloggin’ Bastards all seem to feel all warm and fuzzy when someone else enjoys and values what we’re doing. Just as a craft brewery needs to see and hear people enjoying their beers that they’ve put so much time, effort, passion and knowledge into to feel whole…so do we.
On another note!
George Godfrey of your group actually emailed me a week or so back and we had some great conversation. I’m here in Dallas and travel OFTEN between Austin, Houston, and looks like San Antonio here soon too. I run KaBoga beer meet up groups in Austin, Houston, Dallas and soon all over.
I have added your blog to my list and it’s great to meet another Texas Beerling! Would love to share a few pints with you and everyone in your group here soon!
Ilya
Ilya,
Thanks for the reply and the add! Hope to meet you soon, we talked about sponsoring a Teach and Friend to Homebrew event in November and of course we have a meeting each month.
I also posted the wrong link to the Cerveceros – oops!
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=logo#!/sanantoniocerveceros?ref=ts
@Paul
Didn’t see your comment, sorry about the late response to it. Do let me know when you’ll be having that event in November, I would love to show up and help push it a bit if I can.
Ilya
@Ryan
You know there’s one paragraph in what you wrote the other day that I just liked so much I had to repost it here again
:
“Craft beer to me is so much more than a drink or hobby to me and from what I have read here, many of you as well. Craft beer truly is a community, I have not seen any animosity or competition amongst beer bloggers. There is so much out there that it feels like we are all just adding to collective information and sharing the passion that we all feel. Craft beer continues to grow as both an industry and a community.”
-Ryan Murphy from The Daily Pint
Ilya
-I blog because I love beer.
-I blog because I am from a part of the country where there aren’t many beer blogs.
-I think people are interested in my ridiculous commentary.
-Blogging I think also serves for a good self-journal of beer experiences. As with many blogs people may not read them so you ultimatley blog for yourself.
-I blog because I love beer (did I already say that?)
@B
Ha! I love your comment. Clear cut, to the point and simple. All your reasons in a few lines. Greatness!
- Mmmm beer…
- I’ve noticed that, and I think that’s awesome. You’re in such a great environment for beer though, and you have so many wonderful breweries on the east and New England cost.
- People are always interested in ridiculous commentary. Cough cough…stop looking at me ya’ll…. *rolls eyes*
- It does indeed!
- Mmmmm beer….did I already say that?
Awesome comment Brian, thanks so much for it!
Ilya
Great post and great comments! Originally, we started blogging simply as a way to keep track of beer exchanges @ the office. Later, as I got more interested in learning about beer, The Brew Club developed into a review type of blog.
Others have similar reasons – learning through blogging and hopefully others get something out of it to and perhaps try something they might have not considered as a result.
Scott-TheBrewClub recently posted..Sierra Nevada Tumbler 2010
@Scott
I still can’t get over it even after 61 comments…the reasons are always a bit different for each blogger…but still have so many similarities.
Everyone’s story is just that little bit different, but it seems that the reasons and motivations behind starting a beer blog are all rooted in the same place.
What’s interesting to note I think, is how few of us believe that they can at the very least, pull down some extra $$$ monthly or yearly from their efforts. Hmmmm….I don’t think this should be….
Scott, thanks so much for the comment! We all love hearing people’s start up stories! Stories are truly under rated big time! Thank you!
Ilya
Ilya,
I am a bit late to this thread, but better late than never.
The reasons I became a beer blogger were mainly for the writing, even if I only entertained myself. Two and a half years later for alesfromthecrypt.net , and now on a second beer blog firkinaround.com I have found more enjoyment in sharing my beer knowledge and wry humor with the people I meet in my travels.
Blogging on AFTC came about when I turned 50 and the wife feted me with a surprise party. Friends brought a casket with 50 different beers and I really wanted to write down notes on each one. I am now about 350 reviews into the process; a little poorer in the pocket but happy, never the less. That blog has brought me closer to many in the beer blogging community. I consider them friends I would never have met, otherwise.
My new blog, goes outside that convention and lets me be me without the alter ego of The Grim Reaper of beer. I have only started leaking out snips of it on Twitter and it is rapidly outpacing page hits over my first blog.
So this is all long winded and all, but the point is 1) I am enriching my life in the global village of beer 2) helping to communicate all things beer to anyone that stumbles upon my posts 3) enjoying beer virtually and in person with one of the greatest brother and sisterhoods of beer drinkers.
Cheers! Great thread discussion.
Rick
@Rick
You’re totally right, better late than never and no worries, I don’t consider anyone late to threads. In fact I sincerely thank you for taking the time to read and comment on a slightly older thread.
So on to your comment….
If you haven’t already noticed, I LOVE hearing people’s stories. Everyone has a story that no matter how similar is always just that little bit different. Yours is easily unique and there are a few great things that I want to point out in it.
1. You didn’t go after beer blogging because of anything other than your love for writing and beer. This is easily a constant among many, and so damn good to see. Money, fame etc might be on the list and are perfectly fine to go after, but your main priority is happiness and doing what you want to do and love.
2. You have some seriously great friends if they go out of their time to give you not only beer as a gift, but in a casket that’s based around your image and online personality.
3. Isn’t Twitter wonderful? You just can’t beat the platform and the people that it allows you to communicate with, and meet on a daily basis.
4. I’m so happy and border line giddy to hear you say this; “enriching my life in the global village of beer”. What’s the purpose of doing anything in life if that isn’t the main benefit? Money I like, and trust me I want plenty of it, but it’s far from the core of the pursuit and even further from what actually achieves happiness.
5. BINGO! No other time in history have we had such an incredible opportunity to reach out to the world. The technology and internet platforms available to us today have given anybody anywhere the chance to make an impression, and to change their own lives….not to mention meet people they never would have before. Just incredible!
6. I’ve said it so many damn times and will continue to do so without fail. It’s ALL about the people! Nothing more, nothing less. With out the people involved in craft beer, from the brewers to the drinkers…we have nothing.
Rick thank you so much for your comment and taking the time out to read through everything. AND, keep doing what you’re doing!! Lovin’ it!
Ilya
Ilya,
Rick is one of the (so far) rare breed of people whom I first met on Twitter and then met in real life.
An all-around great guy, and I love his Ales from the Crypt blog because of its creative theme.
Not to mention that he’s one of the stalwarts that went to GABF AND is going to Beer Blogger Conference.
@Gerard,
That’s just awesome! I can’t wait to meet y’all both in November! A few pints are on me!
I actually just added his blog to my weekly reading and visiting list.
Ilya
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