January is a slow month on the farm. (Slow in farmer-speak, mind you. There are still tractors to be worked on, cattle to care for, and fences to mend, but hey…that’s easy, right?)
We’ve been using the extra time to sip on some whiskey and stout and stare into the fire. It’s a high-quality way to pass the time. We highly recommend it. Not only does it help you unwind, but it also allows for reflection, rumination, a whole reevaluation of how life is going and if that’s the actual direction you want it to go.
It also, occasionally, provides for some meaningful insights. That’s what happened to us this year. We were just sitting in front of the fire, enjoying a couple of craft beverages when - boom! - just like lightning, we realized…
New Year’s Resolutions don’t have to be boring.
Who made that rule anyway? Why does everyone talk about going to the gym, losing weight, eating better, and reducing spending? Why can’t a New Year’s resolution be a commitment to hide in the coat closet and scare the bejeezus out of a family member monthly? Or to order dessert more often when you go out to eat? Or to take more sip-and-paint classes, excel only at the sipping part, but still gleefully hang your artwork in the garage for your cars to admire, no matter how bad they are??
We also realized during our fireplace staring, that fun resolutions can also often do good, in which case you get all the smug satisfaction of doing something right, along with the joy of just having fun.
So, if you’re looking for a few New Year’s Resolutions that don’t involve working out or keeping your house cleaner, we’ve drawn up a list of craft beverage-inspired suggestions for you. Support local businesses, invest in the local economy, and try all sorts of new tasty libations. Win, win, and win.
Crafty Commitments for 2024
Try every beer that your local brewery brews over the course of this year - even those that aren’t your typical style. You might discover a new favorite!
Go to a distillery with a friend. Read the cocktail menu without talking. When drinks come, each of you orders, then… drinks what the other person ordered. Repeat monthly. Expand your horizons…or maybe test your friendships!
Commit to petting every dog you see on a brewery patio. (With permission, of course!) Enjoy that oxytocin in tail-wagging form!
Pick a local spirit that you love. Learn to create one absolutely stellar cocktail with it. Make that your signature drink for the year and take it to all the parties.
Commit to attending at least one brewery event that you wouldn’t, usually. Trivia, running club, stitch ‘n’ bitch…something new that sounds like a good time!
Leave a new positive Google review each month. Got a series of breweries, distilleries, or other small businesses that you frequent regularly? Give a glowing Google review for one each month. A little love goes a long way for small businesses.
Be a new brewery/distillery superfan! Keep tabs on new craft beverage joints scheduled to open in your area, then visit them (frequently) as soon as they do. It takes a lot to start a small business and every bit of support helps!
Try monthly mixology. Purchase some local spirits and research a new cocktail recipe each month. It’s okay if they’re easy…as long as they’re tasty!
9. Buy the right glasses for different types of beer and spirits and learn how to use them. Still sipping whiskey out of that old coffee cup you inherited from grandma? Get a tulip-shaped whiskey glass and learn how it changes the experience.
10. Cook with craft: beer isn’t just for brats. Stout chocolate cake, beer cheese soup, honey, and ale chicken sliders. The craft beer-inspired recipes are endless…and you can sip while you simmer, confident that you’re supporting small business and filling your belly!
These were just the first 10 craft-inspired resolutions we came up with this week. We’re sure there’s more. Have some good ones? Send them our way!
Suddenly, this resolution thing seems so much more manageable…
Cheers to the New Year!
—Olander Farms and Root Shoot Malting
