0percentABV

Today is the day my favorite brewery will be opening the doors to its new million dollar brewery and tap house. A mere 2 blocks from my work too. I won't be able to make it though, if ever, unless they decide to make some craft sodas or something. I happy for everyone there, I know a lot them involved and still consider them to be friends, but they'll just have to enjoy this without me.... not that I'll be missed though, I've been out of the scene for close to two years now.

This was the brewery that added fuel to my craft beer addiction. I was a couple years into my experimentation of the, at the time I called, expensive beers. The ones that sat on the shelf all warm for 8 dollars a bottle that I never considered before until I had a new job and extra cash. Then someone introduced me to Chimay. I picked these up every so often, just myself. I eventually started a blog and got to know a few others that were like me and one day someone said a new brewery opened up not too far from where I lived. Went to check it out and it was on for me.

Long story short I thrust myself into the scene. Started to get to know all the connoisseurs and brewers in town. Got some volunteer gigs. Went on beer vacations. It was my new life. My new hobby. I see a lot of guys in their 30's get into the craft beer scene. It's almost like the new pool league, but instead of shooting pool and drinking you're just drinking. Anyways I was into it but it was becoming increasingly clear that it wasn't a hobby anymore, it was an obsession, and not just craft beer, alcohol in general. It was becoming stronger than me and it was the boss now.

Towards the end of my drinking this brewery helped change the law here in MN. Before you couldn't sell beer at a brewery (if you were too big and this brewery became too big), now that was over and the plan was in the works to build a big brewery and tap room and restaurant. I was excited for this applied to all breweries and any new breweries that were to open. The golden age of craft beer in MN was upon us. And here I was, struggling to keep it together. I remember about 4 months prior to my eventual sobriety. I was already knee deep in my failed moderation experiment and went to the unveiling party of the contractor and location. I knew the head brewer and his wife and she knew where I worked and spilled the beans to me where it was going to be, only blocks away. I was stoked but deep down I knew I would not be drinking by then. Why I still carried on? I guess there was part of me that thought if I just tried a few more tricks I would find the secret answer to moderation. Never happened.

Anyways, the drinking ended. People I knew from the scene started to fade away. Some stayed because we connected on more than just beer. I slowly started to lose the desire. I even went to the old brewery a couple months back because during one of their events a band I like came to play. Saw a bunch of old acquaintances, assured them I wasn't drinking, and saw the show and left with no burning urge to drink and frankly I felt as if it strengthened my resolve. I don't need booze to have a good time and I can be around it and still have a good time. However don't expect me to hang out when drinking is involved. Sure, I may be able to resist temptation but I don't care for the drunken company of others and I still know I will never be cured.

So currently at this very moment, 2 blocks away, people are in tents awaiting the grand opening. Somewhere in the back of my head I'm cracking jokes about it. But for some reason I can't dig them up because the days of me being resentful are behind me. I can't drink but really I don't want to anymore. 2 years ago I was waiting for this day. I battled on because not only did I want the buzz but because I still wanted to be part of the scene. I wanted to get done with work and bike over to the brewery for a couple beers. To be part of the brewery gang. I know those people, I was there form the beginning. Sounds foolish now but I seriously kept going because I didn't want to lose that status. But really it's no different that anyone that succumbs to peer pressure. Not that my peers were purposefully pressuring me but I was pressuring myself because, well, status. Status that I now look back on as completely silly. I wasn't cool. I was a bar fly. A brewery fly if you choose.

So have a great grand opening, guys. Maybe I'll swing in for a soda and a sandwich, I hear the menu will be great. But if not then I wish you all the best. Seacrest out...

ScottFromWI

I did most of the same things you did, I was a Mug Club member at one local brewery and proudly had #1 of 99 mugs available when they first started it. That was home base - and I knew all the local and regional breweries, and many of the brewmasters. I was well versed in the language of hops and malt and all the other things that go along with it.

But looking back, it was really just about getting drunk, all the rest was just an excuse to keep doing it.

0percentABV

What better way to convince yourself that you don't have a drinking than calling yourself a connoisseur?

ScottFromWI

I was a connoisseur alright...for the first 3 or 4 beers. Then I picked up a 12 pack of cheap beer on the way home to keep the buzz going until I passed out at night.

0percentABV

Yep. Towards the end I didn't really care. Whatever gave me more bang for my buck. $3.25 gets me a 40 oz of Mickey's? I'll take two.

Carbonized

Used to get quarts of Magnum and King Cobra for 99 cents. Also was a big fan of Mickey's but they were a bit more expensive. Sorta screwed up that malt liquor was cheaper than milk where i was at.

Tang

Thanks for sharing your story. My customers knew me as a craft beer guy and still to this day I get invites to go try the latest local/regional brew. I feel it's like leaving the mafia, they don't want to let you go.