Friday, April 5, 2013

The Session #74- Finding Beer Balance

This month's issue of The Session is brought to you by This is Why I'm Drunk, with the capable at the helm:
@BryanDRoth

April’s topic is “Finding Beer Balance.” It’s a discussion I hope will offer a variety of responses as people consider their interests outside of finding the perfect pint.

Is beer your vice? Is beer your reward? Does beer really have to be either? Do you find lifestyle balance through work, hobbies, family or maybe even “Dry Days” like David Bascombe? There are a variety of ways to find balance.

Beer and the industry has definitely become somewhat of a hobby to me. Not necessarily finding the perfect pint, the next great beer, but rather the people that are involved in brewing such beer. It all stems from sitting at Max's Taphouse with a friend and chatting with others sitting near. Meeting one person, which leads to another, which leads to another and eventually at some point I met Steve Jones of Oliver Ales, Brian Strumke of Stillwater and others. To see that they love beer, and love what they produce (and it isn't just a job) made me appreciate what was in the glass in front of me. But let me get back to the topic:

Outside of beer, I feel that I have very typical interests. I have played many sports: soccer/basketball/baseball in high school, soccer in college, and soccer/slowpitch softball/flag football/dodgeball our of college. Not to mention the million times we picked up some random sport to try it out. I still run up and down the basketball court for 1.5 hours every Wednesday. Being active was excuse for grabbing a beer (after I turned 21 of course). It doesn't matter what it is, I'll try it (beer or sport).

The #1 thing that keeps me active happens to be a 24 lb monster that roams my house every day from 8am -9pm.  This 1.5 year old tornado is probably the coolest person on the Earth. Our devoted time has paid off, as she has helped me lose 20 pounds (even though I wasn't looking to lose weight, she made us chase her when she went for the dog food).  She has created reasons for us to get out of the house, go for walks, and meet new people.  Babies and dogs are the social catalyst that could keep a world running.

So there it is, sports and a baby. My hobbies and life.

There she is, the Tornado.