Though I am writing this, it’s my wife’s idea. January always kills taproom business, while Friday and Saturday aren’t terrible the month as a whole is a loss. The temptation to save money and close for the month I heard uttered by more than one owner. Of course bartenders would suffer of no fault of their own. I have even heard the canning staff at a local brewery participating and to my mind that’s negligent, to not be sampling what your packaging. Some people want to step back, I completely relate. I understand the need for moderation and that’s actually the key to the counter proposal.

If you took a day off each week throughout the year it would total 52 days, 21 more days than January. If you took a second day off the impact would be even greater and it wouldn’t impact your local brewery, bottle shop or bar as much.

Part of the success of course is the memetic tone of the words ‘Dry January’. But this practice could be incorporated with the proposal…

Moist Mondays, because you really may want a drink after those January Mondays. Or given to the modern reaction to the word moist another word may be necessary.

If you spoke German you might consider Dry Dienstag (Tuesday). or maybe Temperate Tuesday.

Wetless Wednesday anyone?

Thirsty Thursday has been a long standing tradition.

Free Fridays?

And the weekend offers a plethora of options.

Consider it to help support your local establishment. What’s your favorite idea from the above or perhaps you have suggestion of your own?

It’s been a rough year for craft. Brewer’s Association estimates the industry is down over 5%. We lost some big and fairly well established names Rogue, 21st Amendment, and Seattle’s  Pike’s Pub. Here in the Carolinas it seems every week someone is announcing a closure. Every case is different but lease renewal increases, reduced consumer spending, or simple aging out with no successor are all being cited. It used to be common that if a brewery made it past the first three years it would make it, but obviously those days are gone.

So what’s next? What will 2026 bring us?

I don’t know, but I’d like to stay engaged in the beer world and so this website is my plan for 2026. Write about the beer and people who make it special. I hope you’ll join me for the ride.