My 30 Day No Beer Challenge

Date September 2, 2011

I read a lot of other beer blogs, and I’ve known that from time to time, people will give up beer for a period of time for one reason or another.  Some guys give up beer for Lent.  Some give up beer so they can kick ass a little better!

Still others give up beer to reset their palate or to just see if they can survive a month or so without beer – or maybe just to test themselves to see if there is a little problem.

30 day no beer challenge

For me, its a combination of things.  Lose some weight, test my will, save a little money and put it toward diapers.  (For my baby, not me!)

Well, its not Lent, and I’m not really a religious person either, but I do enjoy good beer and so it will be a test of faith to go without!  I could certainly work toward kicking more ass like Peter did when he gave up beer for a bit, and I think its also good to just let the palate rest for awhile.  Our own Bob the Brit has suggested doing that from time-to-time.  My palate has been abused with so many Imperial Stouts this Summer, it could certainly use a little break!

And then there’s the weight.  I know, I know.  Calories in greater than calories burned = weight gain.  Sure, exercise more, eat less, and have a beer in moderation.  Well, that’s all and good but as much as I try I can not commit to a exercise routine that produces results, so I’m focusing on the intake part of the equation.  Also unfortunate is that my employer won’t let me drink at work, so by the time I get to enjoy something in the evening, its much too late to burn it off.  So, while I don’t blame beer for all the extra pounds, its not a help either!

Now, before you go and make all sorts of assumptions, my typical weekly beer consumption is probably one per day.  So, at the end of a week, there might be 6 or 7 bottles in the recycle bin.  Some weeks are more.  (Some weeks are a lot more.)  But on average its about one per day.

Beer_Bottles

Not mine but close.

That’s not bad, and it should be balanced by cutting out other foods that are actually horrible.  And I have.  I just think giving up on beer for September is something to try.  I’m hoping that it will speed up some weight-loss gains I’ve been making, reset my palate in time for all the awesome Fall seasonal beers, and also I’m going to see if I can actually do it.  30 days without a single beer.  Can you?

So, for the month of September, I won’t be doing any beer reviews here at The Brew Club.  (This likely makes you happy anyway!)  I’ll make a topical beer-related posts here and there, but nothing about my impressions on any particular beer because I won’t be drinking any.  🙂

In my place, we’ll have the ever-capable Bob the Brit and Lee take over the month of September while I go and torture myself.  I’ll check in weekly I think with a little update to confess if I’m still meeting my beer abstinence goals or not.  I’ll even post my weight for all to point and laugh, or perhaps to help motivate me.

As I write this, I’m 209.6 lbs and my goal is 200 lbs or whatever it is by October 1.  One month without beer.

When I make the 30 days without beer goal, I’m going to go and buy a Sam Adams Fall variety pack and a four-pack of DFH Punkin’ ASAP.  Laugh or whatever, but I LOVE the Pumpkin Ale in there, as well as the Octoberfest, Black Lager, and even to a degree the Irish Red and Boston Lager.  All fine beers.  If I can find me an Autumn Maple from The Bruery, I’ll have that first.  (Hmmm.  Sounds like I have a plan to put all the weight back on too!)

That’ll be October 1st, which starts the best outdoor beer drinking month in the Northeast USA. Period.

Damn this is going to be tough!  Ever try it?  Why? How did you do?  Care to join me on a dry September?  Didn’t think so smarty pants!

14 Responses to “My 30 Day No Beer Challenge”

  1. michael reinhardt said:

    Scott,

    Good luck. Nate and I both know exactly what this is like and feel your commitment and pain. It is rewarding when you know you’ve accomplished it though. Keep us updated.

  2. Mike - MikeLovesBeer.com said:

    My brother and a few other friends did this before and they said they gained the weight right back once they started again.

  3. Scott-TheBrewClub said:

    Thanks! The weight is part of it, I almost fully expect to have it back by Thanksgiving, its more of a test of willpower.

  4. Billy Broas said:

    I think you can do it. Will you be drinking other forms of alcohol? A while back I didn’t go cold turkey, but drastically cut down my beer consumption for a month and instead just had a glass of red wine here and there. Better for the belly and I admit it, I do love wine. Good luck!

  5. The Professor said:

    Good luck with your beer rest. I’ve done it quite a few times over the last 40 years…usually to reset the palate and I suppose more often than I would like to admit for weight control.
    However, besides whatever benefit you derive from the abstinence period, the best part of the process is the first sip when it’s all over. And from my experience, the longer I stayed away from the stuff, the better it tasted later (and interestingly, it also reset my internal meter of how much to drink. Each time I resumed, I found myself consuming considerably less and savoring/enjoying it much more.
    It’s a win/win.

  6. Bob the Brit said:

    Sounds like a good idea mate, but I’ve just filled my beer fridge with Golden Ales from British brewers to review through September!

    Maybe October, or November…

  7. Scott-TheBrewClub said:

    @Billy – Nope, I don’t drink anything alcoholic besides beer, so its a cold turkey situation. Thanks for the support though!

    @The Professor – Very interesting benefit I hadn’t considered! That first beer after a month is going to be sweeeeeeeet!

    @Bob – I’d never take you away from your research! Carry on then! 🙂

  8. Nate - BreweryReviewery.com said:

    Good luck Scott you are a better man and I. I’m looking forward to reading the reflection on this experiment.

  9. Scott-TheBrewClub said:

    @Nate – thanks for the support! It should be interesting, and so far I’m holding up well one day in!

  10. Mike-TristateBeerBlog said:

    Scott, Good luck with abstaining from beer! You’re a better man than I. Keep us posted so that we of weaker constitutions can find out what it’s like.

  11. Prof Sudz said:

    Good luck with taking some time away from the game. And I agree about the Sam Adams, I tend to like most of the beers they put out in their seasonal packs.

    I’m not a huge fan of their oddly named Octoberfest, but the others are all really tasty.

    And I think like most things, if you take some time away from beer, you’ll get some extra enjoyment out of them when the time is right again.

    Cheers!

  12. Scott-TheBrewClub said:

    @Mike – Thanks for the support! So far, I’m holding up, but I’ve only just begun! I’ll do a ‘lil update each week to keep me honest!

    @Prof Sudz – I’m thinking you are right – absence makes the heart grow fonder and all that! Hmmm. See, I like the SA Octpberfest, odd spelling and all! I’m thinking of switching it to the Victory Festbier instead. Well, I have a month to decide!

    Thanks for the comments!

  13. Lee said:

    Good luck Scott. I call Passover “the worst eight days of the year.” No beer! Instead, I drink Mogan David or Manischewitz wine! In all seriousness, I had a lingering sinus infection last winter and was unable to drink beer for over six weeks. Beer can make me sneeze. The first beer consumed, Post Road Pumpkin Ale, tasted wonderful. Make that first beer a good one!

  14. Scott-TheBrewClub said:

    @Lee – thanks! If you can do it for 6 weeks, i should be able to do it for four!

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