One year blogging!🥳who would have guessed!?
Hello guys!
We reached the first-year mark! More precisely, last Sunday, the first of November, was when the blog went live last year. I think no one would guess that we could survive the first year with some very interesting numbers. I shared some insights on Instagram, and I am still very surprised and proud of reaching 31 countries with our 34 posts about beer. Looking back, I realized that many other things were achieved during this year, and I couldn’t resist wrapping them up for you.
Maybe some people won’t remember, but I started writing here to bring some dynamism to my studies toward becoming a beer judge of the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). To silence the procrastinator inside me, I took my first beer certification: the ‘Level 2 Award in Beer’ by the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET). That gave me a lot of structure to further dive into and study beer styles with more depth. Only in March did I take the BJCP exam, and the results that came out in August brought us to this great milestone — still not 100%. My goal was to become a Certified beer judge, and for now, I am only a Recognized beer judge. Basically, I need to exercise my judging skills a bit more and earn experience points within the BJCP community. Just a matter of time!
During this year, I also did the first BrewVenture. It was two weeks fully focused on exploring beer places and connecting closely with amazing breweries and beers. I passed through Prague, Pilsen, Nuremberg, and Bamberg — four cities in two countries absolutely rooted in beer history. Great memories and a goal of doing at least one new BrewVenture per year. As I am writing these lines, the most likely destination for the second BrewVenture will be Brazil. After hosting a great Brazilian tasting session here in Thessaloniki with beers from the Manipueira Project, my spark to explore Brazil from a more beer-focused perspective is on fire. And, of course, it’s time to see my family again!
Highlights of the first BrewVenture. Starting with the delicious Czech Dark Lager from U Flecku (Left). Followed by the unforgettable Pilsner Urquell poured direct from the wood maturation vessel at Pilsen. The beauty of the ‘Rotbier’ in Nuremberg to the smokiness of Schlenkerla at Bamberg (Right). Great moments!
To put a cherry on top of our one-year cake, October was a month of consolidation for the BrewVentures Beer Experiences project. As I just mentioned, we kicked off the month with a great Brazilian beer tasting at our dear The Hoppy Pub, in the heart of Thessaloniki. It was my first experience hosting a tasting, and I loved it. It was an honor to introduce people to the Manipueira Project and their unique beers showcasing the Brazilian Terroir. For those not familiar, the Manipueira Project is a national initiative in Brazil that produces beers fermented only with microorganisms present in cassava (manioc). It is inspired by ‘Cauim’, a native indigenous drink also from Brazil. These beers present a truly singular profile that impressed the people at our tasting — even experienced mixed-fermentation and wild beer drinkers. We are now working on the next edition, not only of the Brazilian Venture tasting but also of other tasting themes.
Finally, October also brought the formalization of BrewVentures Beer Experience as a business here in Greece. Opening a company is always challenging, but doing so in a different country where you don’t really understand the local language is a whole new level. But we did it! Now, beyond being a blogger, I am also a proud business founder. In the end, I knew that opening the business was just a matter of time. I had been in contact with a local accountant since July, and we were just waiting for the right moment to avoid unnecessary costs. Still, it’s a whole new beginning and a whole new perspective that need to be put together for BrewVentures to be sustainable. I’ll share some insights about that in the next post — stay tuned.
That’s it! One year, some achievements that strengthen my beer knowledge but, above all, my commitment to beer; a huge desire to keep exploring the beer world; and a company created! Not bad! I hope you guys keep following our journey because we truly believe we have tons of good things ahead. See you next time! Cheers! 🍻
