An End. A Beginning.

2013 was a paramount year for me. I had challenges in my personal life and challenges in my professional life that forced me to consider how I would spend the rest of my life. I began thinking what changes I would make in the coming year. I'm never one for subtlety, so radical changes they shall be!

It's a new year and a new beginning. I had decided some time back that I would return to one of my favorite hobbies from my youth: brewing beer (adult youth, of course). I enjoyed brewing beer with my buddy Ken and imbibing in the fruits of our labor. I brewed beer on my own for a little while and had fun experimenting with different styles. Secretly, I've always wanted to make a go at starting and operating my own craft brewery, but it seemed too daunting and cost prohibitive. That is, until now.

Thanks to the changes in my life and trends in the marketplace, the ability to focus on starting a brewery seems more achievable than ever. And I so desperately need the change. Never mind the tens of thousands of home brewers out there who want to do the same thing. I say, "do it!" The market will support what the market will support. Craft beer patrons love the variety and social atmosphere craft breweries promote.

Look at it like this: We have a cultural tradition of socializing and bonding over food and drink. What is the first thing the host asks you when you're at his house for a visit, BBQ, or dinner? What do you look forward to doing when meeting friends and colleagues after work? Why do we have expressions like "any given Sunday"? These are all opportunities to slow down and treat ourselves to something special, like a good craft beer. These are not times to hurry through. These are times to savor.

At least, that's how I look at it.

My main motivation has come from The Hess Brewing Odyssey blog written by Hess Brewing co-founder Mike Skubic. In it, he details the path to establishing San Diego's first nanobrewery and demonstrates that a good product, planning, and lots of hard work will get your there. I get excited just thinking about it.

Mike Hess was able to navigate his way through the throngs of California governmental bureaucracy to open a nanobrewery on a shoestring budget. They created a roadmap that the rest of us can follow, if we're willing. I'm willing. And in long steeped tradition, I'm blogging about it too.

These are the chronicles of my journey to start Dog Beach Brewery. With the right amount of luck on my side, I hope to be delivering delightful pints of craft beer to thirsty patrons in our tasting room in a year from now.