In my defense, I was sick (that’s Airborne in the glass), but that hadn’t stopped me before. I knew I was coming down with something, and ended up leaving work at noon (which I never do) to sleep on the couch. I had a big trip coming up, and knew I needed to be prepared.
My wife told me to open a beer, and she’d finish it. “Great,” I said, as I drifted off to sleep for the 14th time that day. Teamwork is what makes a marriage successful.
I think you can see where this is going … I woke the next morning feeling a lot better, but it wasn’t until I was seated on the airplane that I realized my mistake – I failed to drink a beer on December 23rd, thus ending my quest to drink 999 different beers in 999 consecutive days.
I made it 356 days without missing a beer. I tried some great beers, and I tried some horrible beers. It’s been a ton of fun. But I can’t help feeling disappointed.
The question is, “What’s next?” I’ve been sticking to the old regimen since that fateful oversight, and I had a new beer on December 24, 25 … right up to today (Imperial Boont Amber, if you’re wondering). I tried some brand new beers in the midwest, which is where I was headed.
I think I’ll keep on posting new beer reviews, and try to do so on a daily basis (yep, still catching up!), but I think, according to my own self-imposed rules, I’ve failed in my quest.
But really, it’s not like I was trying to invent cold fusion or cure cancer. It’s beer, right?
What do you think? Where should the blog go from here?
I haven’t been following your reviews until now, but from the looks of your tagline, you might be able to cheat your rules and review two in one day.
Posted on January 2, 2011 at 10:34 PM.
Your major motion picture deal starring merryl Streep is probably shot. I: say you should have another beer.
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 12:58 AM.
I tweeted my response, but in case it was overlooked:
Change the tag line to “999 beers in 1000 days”
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 9:40 AM.
“Where should the blog go from here?”
As they say in the Badger state: Forward.
In classical Indian painting, the artist (always anonymous) was supposed to leave a tiny flaw–a blurry line, a spot, a spatter. It represented the flaws that mark humanity and made it distinct from the divine.
You have freed yourself from a fussy conceit and are now set to launch unfettered in the next six hundred and whatever reviews. It’s a blog, not heaven. More importantly, it’s a beer blog. Who will even notice?
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 9:42 AM.
I have been reading regularly and I didn’t even know that you were seriously trying to drink a beer every single day over 999 days. I am impressed you made it that far. A little hiccup. Continue on with the good work.
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 11:38 AM.
Keep going! Seriously, so you missed a day or two? Better to keep going than give up. We can just add an asterisk:
999 beers in 999 days *
* where 999 days = 1000 days
Or something funny like that.
Failure is boring. Commitment is interesting.
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 12:41 PM.
Listen to Jeff! Word on the street says he has experience with beer.
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 3:47 PM.
Forward, forward, forward! Your beer reviews are great. Don’t give up on them.
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 5:18 PM.
Just edit the rules. You can still drink 999 beers in 999 days. Honestly, what you are doing is great. It takes dedication like you have to help show what an amazing variety of beer exists out there. Keep it up. I can’t wait to read your 999th review.
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 8:36 PM.
Well, okay! I guess I have my marching … er, drinking orders. Now, where’s that well-stocked beer fridge?
Posted on January 3, 2011 at 8:37 PM.
Good man.
Posted on January 5, 2011 at 8:25 AM.