New Beers Resolutions

As we limp towards the new year, we here at the New School are trying to stay optimistic. With 2020 being such a disappointment in every way, many of the New School’s contributors didn’t have the experiences we would have liked to with beer. With heavy beer in hand, we are looking to 2021 to make up for lost time and make some new beers resolutions.

FIND MORE FLAVORFUL LOW ABV BEERS

“As a new dad who has to be ready to step in whenever the little guy needs me, my new beers resolution is to seek out interesting, flavorful low ABV beers more often. And not just lagers. I'm thinking 4.5% and below. I've enjoyed a few in the past year or two, but I'm going to look for them more deliberately in 2021.”

- Ben Keene, Seattle based Author of The Great Northeast Brewery Tour and a contributor to The Oxford Companion to Beer.

BRING BEER EVENTS BACK BETTER THAN EVER

“One of the many things we lost in 2020 were beer festivals. Though some of these large events were on the ropes already, they still have an undeniable draw whether they are big or small, they bring the community together and are an integral part of what makes the industry great. You can enjoy great beers at home, but it’s the social factor that makes this a great industry. In 2021, we possibly have an opportunity to not only just have beer events again but to improve them. To do that, people are probably going to have to pay more for a better experience that includes less crowds, more comfortability, less lines, more online pre-purchased tickets and beer lists, pay by phone, better coverage, more appealing visually. Perhaps people will be more open to paying to attend sessions with limited sizes and no tokens, rather than a come one come all approach with no limits and long lines. I hope that I can be apart of that rejuvenation of this vital part of our industry.”

- Ezra Johnson-Greenough, founder of New School Beer and an event organizer.

VISIT ATLEAST 5 NEW BREWERIES

“My New Years resolution is to visit at least five new breweries. Two at the top of my list: Aslan Brewing Company out of Bellingham, Washington. Their beer is fantastic, and I hope to catch up with my cousin Keith over a delicious pint. Another is Skål Beer Hall in Seattle, Washington’s ballard neighborhood. I was a kick starter contributor because I love their scandinavian vibe that is such a perfect fit for the area where my norwegian family hails from. “

- Heidi Howard, a Bend, Oregon based contributor to the New School and Bend Source magazine.

TRAVEL FOR BEER AGAIN

"For many of us, 2020 was the year we were robbed. We were robbed of friends, of family, of the experiences that enrich our lives and add meaning. We weren't robbed of everything, necessarily; many of us still had jobs, a home, food on the table, beer in the fridge. But we were robbed of casually being able to pick up travel just about anywhere, of going across international borders, of seeing family and friends far away, of gathering with friends indoors, bar seat to bar seat at our favorite watering holes.

So for the coming year, 2021, let's resolve to get back what has been taken away. It won't happen overnight, and it will take several months, but it's looking more likely that something we can take back some of what we once took for granted. Personally, this means going far and wide once again, collecting a passport stamp or two along the way, and enjoying that aspect of life once again. Because ... I was robbed.

I was robbed of celebrating a cousin's wedding. I was robbed of celebrating 85 turns around the sun with an uncle and cousins. I was robbed of sessions at some of Germany and Belgium's most legendary watering holes. I wasn't the only one robbed. A whole country was robbed of experiences, of being able to cross its own borders safely, to leave the country with carefree abandon, to enjoy much of what the world had to offer, and I was one of the robbed. So for 2021, as soon as it's feasible, I'm going to make the effort to experience some of the world outside of the USA again, to see family, to see friends, and yes, circumstances permitting, to visit and indulge in some of the world's great beer drinking venues.

I might be fortunate to have relatives who live in Germany near Cologne and Düsseldorf. That leaves the potential for a serious session of hearty food and beer at Cologne's legendary Lommerzheim pub, on the east bank of the Rhine. Lommi, as it's known to its regulars, ran for years as a classic scruffy old-style neighborhood pub. The owner and his small staff had their own way of doing business, circulating through the room, and dispensing little cylindrical glasses of Kölsch to those who had the presence of mind to pay attention and be ready for a full one. Lommi nearly went the way of too many old things when its owner passed away in 2005, but the city's Päffgen brewery stepped in and saved this venerable old tavern from extinction. A crowd still gathers before the doors just before opening time, and it remains one of the busiest in the city, and a metal sculpture in the beer garden pays homage to the late owner, Hans Lommerzheim. Lommi's owner was legendary for his fair and equitable treatment of all who drank and ate in his pub; the story is told that President Bill Clinton wanted to eat at this restaurant, back when there was major economic summit in Cologne. The owner declined: no special treatment if his regular customers couldn't also get a table.

A session at Düsseldorf's equally legendary Uerige brewery and tavern will also be on the agenda. The tradition-steeped brewery is probably the city's most renowned, balanced hoppy amber goodness served in half-pint glasses, and all that's need for fresh fills is a nod of the head, a quick "ja, bitte." Clement weather means lots of people outside, but there's plenty of room inside, where a rambling warren of rooms each offer their own style and atmosphere. Sit inside the main bar where the kegs are rolled in, hoisted, and tapped, but whatever you do, stay out of the way. Beer is serious business here, and the bar is constantly busy, pouring beers by gravity into glass after glass, awaiting waitstaff to whisk them away to thirsty patrons ready for their next pour.

There will likely be a side trip to Bamberg, one of the globe's holy grails of beer culture, for sessions indulging in the notoriously smoky (and delicious) Schlenkerla Rauchbier. Other of the city's great venues will also be on the agenda, not least including the excellent Café Abseits, one of Germany's best beer bars, and then the walking circuit through town to sample wares at Fässla, Mahr's, Keesmann, Klosterbräu, Sternla (the city's newest brewery), and a trip out to the countryside for some of the excellent small-town breweries.

The other thwarted major event was in Belgium, at 3 Fonteinen's lambic brewery and taproom, the Lambic-O-Droom. The brewery holds a major open-doors event annually, and was forced to significantly scale back the event in 2020. What with the general ban on Yanks entering the EU (and much of the rest of the world; never has an American passport been of so little value), there were fewer foreigners than usual. If we're lucky and able to go there this year, this will most certainly deserve to be on the travel itinerary.”

- Don Scheidt, Portland-based contributor and former writer for Celebrator Beer Magazine.

REDISCOVER MORE CLASSIC FLAGSHIPS

“If you're like me and find yourself grabbing new releases from local breweries every week, you know that the current beer landscape is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, there has never been a more exciting time to be a craft beer drinker as breweries consistently push boundaries in terms of hops and adjuncts to maximize flavors. On the other hand, strolling through an endless stream of new releases on Instagram - many of which are over the top hazys, sours and pastry stouts - may have you itching for a return to the basics. Amidst this exciting and occasionally overwhelming beer landscape, it can feel like a respite to reach for a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and appreciate the timeless balance and perfection, or pop open a New Belgium Fat Tire and marvel at its roastiness while wondering why few breweries even both with amber ales these days. There's something to be said for now classic beers - the flagships that put many pioneering craft breweries on the map - yet it's easy to forget about them in the current landscape of constant new releases. Sipping on these flagships and classics can be a reflective experience, reminding you why you fell in love with craft beer in the first place while also letting you appreciate beers that are not aiming to annihilate your palette. Most of these beers are also readily available ("shelfies") and substantially more affordable than the latest 4-pack, and that definitely isn't a bad thing. In 2021, I plan to remind myself to drink more classic and flagship beers and reacquaint myself with many of the beers that at one point blew my mind.”

- Neil Ferguson, a journalist, music writer, editor, and marketer based in Portland, Oregon.

TRY MORE CRAFT MALTSTERS

"Lavender-smoked malt?" I asked. "Yup," my friend said. He'd just ordered ten pounds from Sugar Creek Malt, a new maltster based in Lebanon, Indiana. Their website touts the existence of a "Såinnhus," a Nordic-style maltings that utilizes traditional technique and local materials. Nowhere are "tropical hops" mentioned, so it's not conventionally exciting. However, my "New Beers Resolution" is to go with the grain. My malty passions grew beyond Crisp and Weyermann when I met Seth Klann and tasted beer brewed with Mecca Grade Estate Malt. Seth's still on the cutting edge, planting out a proprietary barley breed to evince the terroir of high desert Madras soil.

As a homebrewer, braiding flavors into a staple recipe is my kind of satisfaction; tinkering with all the bits is my kind of fun. So, I resolve to seek out new malts as my wallet allows, to support the "smalltsters" in their passionate voyages on capitalist seas. To taste North Carolina and Indiana and Colorado in my pint. And I'll probably rope a few of you into it, too.”

- Aaron Brussat, our Eugene, OR-based contributor and former editor of Northwest Brewing News. Follow his homebrewing and adventures at BeerStone.com.

BE MORE PREPARED FOR DRINKING IN THE ELEMENTS

“To always bring my outdoor drinking gear with me. A backpack or other type of bag that holds a kit should always be with me in order to drink outside in most conditions. The reduction of indoor dining and the desire to still safely socialize for limited amounts of time or drink a draft only beer doesn't have to be uncomfortable.

Several friends have helped practice cold weather, outdoor drinking and dining for the last few months. It's been fun learning what to bring to make outside hang time fun. Having a kit ready to go makes it even easier for impromptu outings. The outdoor drinking items vary from season to season and can really take a load off your host. A full water bottle, hand sanitizer and extra mask are the building blocks.

The winter, "go bag," has a blanket, hat, hand warmers and extra socks. Customize the bag to your needs. Some outdoor drinkers bring a hot water bottle and extra layers for when the sun goes down.

The past summer allowed for great outdoor drinking, but I think I used more sunscreen than any other year of my life. Besides sunscreen, extra water and sunglasses go in the bag. A few people I know bring their own cups, bandana as a sweatband and personal fan.

Whether you are outside at a brewery with no heaters, at a craft beer bar with no cover, or a friend's driveway for a cellar dip, you can take a few minutes to make your drinking experience better.”

- Nicole Kasten, industry veteran and consultant.