Photo: flickr.com/photos/kt/
Running a 4 minute mile, writing a New York Times Best Seller, climbing Mount Everest. All commendable life achievements.
In the beer world, however, there are certain accomplishments where you can really leave your mark.
At the very least, a great ongoing goal is to drink craft beer every chance you get. For those with loftier aspirations, read on for 15 achievements that will make you an ultimate beer geek:
- Become a certified beer judge
- After that, attain the rank of Grand Master Beer Judge
- Try every one of the Beer Advocate Top 100 Beers on Planet Earth
- If that’s too lofty a goal, try the RateBeer Top 50
- Pass the exam to become a Certified Beer Server
- Once you’re a beer server, go for the gold and become a Certified or Master Cicerone
- Try every style in the Brewers Association Beer Style Guidelines
- Start a beer blog, heh
- Try BrewDog’s 32% Tactical Nuclear Penguin
- If the Nuclear Penguin is too light, try your hand at their 41% Sink the Bismark
- Win the Wynkoop Brewing Drinker of the Year Award
- Try a beer from each of the 7 Trappist monk breweries
- Attend the Great American Beer Fest in Denver, CO
- Build a beer cellar that rivals that of Dr. Bill Sysak
- Attend a limited beer release event, like Dark Lord Day or Kate the Great Day
Bonus Round! Homebrewers Have Dreams Too.
Think I’d forget about you, homebrewers? That’s silly, considering I’m a brewer myself. Here are 5 achievements that brewers can strive for:
- Earn a medal at a competition and eventually medal at the National Homebrew Competition
- Brew every style in the BJCP Guidelines, using the book Brewing Classic Styles for recipes if you need them
- Graduate from the Siebel Institute’s Advanced Homebrewing Program
- How many batches can you make in a year? Can you reach the federal limitation of 100 gallons?
- Quit homebrewing and become a professional ; )
Have you accomplished any of these beer achievements? Which ones are you aiming for?
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{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Great post, Billy, and certainly a worthy list of goals for the beer geek. Unfortunately for me, I’ve only done #8 and I’m partially through #3, #4 and #7 although its purely through happenstance!
.-= Scott-TheBrewClub´s last blog ..Helios Ale – Victory Brewing Company =-.
I love number 12 and will make that my next goal. And with homebrewing I hope to break 100 gallons one day. THAT WOULD BE AWESOME!
Great post. You give us something to strive for
@Scott Thanks man. I’m right there with you in the ones that you’ve done, and like you, it’s purely coincidental. Can’t wait to check #13 off the list though this fall. You should too!
@Serge #12 is attractive isn’t it? It’s also not too hard. I’m going to go for it too. Let’s keep in touch about where we’re at. With homebrewing, I don’t think I’ll be breaking the law this year, but hopefully next year ; )
Hey Billy,
Nice list. The legal limit for two or more adults in a household is 200 gallons though, so if you want to aim high, and have a roommate/significant other… gotta go big.
That being said, I hit 65 gallons by early April, but I had to shut down the brewery to relocate for a job!
Tough list though, I’ve only got 8-10 of the combined list goin’ on there.