As time moves on so does one’s outlook

Three years ago, I was asked by the editor of my local paper to pen a monthly article on wine. She knew of my involvement in the Virginia wine industry and thought a lifestyle column on the subject would be of interest to her readers. I had never written commercially and embraced the offer; today, I have written for numerous state newspapers and magazines.

Almost simultaneous to my first columns, a friend suggested I create a website—which he offered to build—to archive my work and share with a larger audience. To date, I have posted 151 stories, short and long, focused mostly on wine.

But a feeling began emerging as I approached my thirty-six month of blogging. I began to run out of steam. I found it difficult to plow ground I had covered before. Yes, new Virginia wineries were opening almost every week and interesting owners and winemakers still made for fertile editorial ground.

Subject matter was not the issue. Ebbing passion was.

As I would hover over my keyboard, my mind would increasingly drift to other subject matter. Here and there I began to contribute articles for publication unrelated to wine. I knew it was time to evolve. This post launches that shift.

One subject I found intriguing was homebrewing. In 1979, it became legal to brew beer at home (legal home winemaking dates to the repeal of Prohibition in 1933.) Craft beer shares many of the same components of boutique wines. The variety is endless; and the aromas, tastes and food pairing possibilities offer enjoyment similar to wine.

In the wine industry, a common refrain heard at harvest time is, “It takes a lot of beer to make great wine,”referring to the beverage of choice for many hard working cellar employees. It is estimated there are one million homebrewers in the US today. I’ve written on the evolution of craft brewing.

But beer is just one of many interests. I am not shifting from wine to a beer centric theme. I will explore the people, places and events of the Old Dominion and most subject matter—except politics—will be fair game. And yes, I will continue to write on wine whenever an interesting story attracts me.

For those who have followed my writing, I thank you and ask that you continue to drop by from time to time to see what’s on my mind. To all readers, I suggest if there is a story that you believe has merit, let me know.

A blank Word document now sits before me. I can’t wait to get started.