GCPB Blog: 1 Year Anniversary

Today marks the one year anniversary of Great Canadian Pubs and Beer blog and it seems like just yesterday when I was contemplating if I should write a blog or not.

I often get asked by other media outlets or curious beer drinkers why I started this blog, and the answer is I don't really know. I know that I had just returned from Halifax to my native province and was searching the web for some information about different Ontario pubs. When I realized that there were/are only a handful of beer blogs with limited pub information in Ontario, a light bulb went off in my head and the rest is history. I have a serious affliction with pubs and through that I have developed a palate that craves quality beers, I guess I just wanted to share my experiences.I don't know too much about computers, but setting up the site was pretty easy. I have thought of creating a website and directing this blog to the url, but like I said, I don't know too much about computers and frankly I don't really have the time.

My goal when I first started out was to try to post five times a week, and for the most part I have reached that. Blogging takes up time. When I write about a pub I usually spend a good 2 hours sitting and chatting with the pub's staff or owners. When I write about a brewery I go straight to the source, talk to the brewer and the staff and try to remember everything that happened in order to prepare a post. The blog has opened many doors for me as well. Getting out to the numerous beer dinners, festivals, new beer launch parties, LCBO tastings and more, is time consuming but loads of fun and educational.

I have learned a lot over the past year about the pub industry, the beer industry and everything in between. I hope I have shared some useful information with you that has been both beneficial and entertaining. It has been a blast. I think the part I most enjoy is the emails I receive from readers, here and abroad, asking me for my recommendations when their visiting a particular city or recommending a new pub for me to try (I wish I could visit them all). I've received emails from people in Ireland who are visiting Halifax on a cruise ship and want to know which places to visit. An interesting email came from Scotland asking for a list of Toronto pubs that he could drink Ontario craft beer in. I have even met some of these people over a couple of pints once that make it to Toronto. In Newfoundland I met up with a reader (Frank) who I brought along to tour the YellowBelly Brewery before it opened, and he made my day when he drove me to the airport afterwards. This is the most rewarding part of doing this.

So, where do I go from here? Nowhere. I'll keep getting up every morning and try to come up with something to post, covering beer events and pub visits. I do know that I'll be introducing more contest's, doing more brewery profiles and hopefully reviving the "meet the brewer/sales rep/marketing etc." series I had started. And who knows, I might even get a website.

So thank you to all you readers out there that have supported this blog since its creation 1 year ago. Also, thank you to all the hospitable pub owners, brewery owners, brewers and everyone else in industry that has supported me and my efforts of bringing you the tales of the craft beer and pub scene.

Steam Whistle has graciously provided some swag that I would love to give away to faithful readers, so stay tuned for another post with details.

Cheers,
Troy Burtch

Picture borrowed from JOELX blog.