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1 Year and Lots of Beers!

I think about beer headerIt’s been 1 year since I posted my first blurb: ” Welcome to my beer blog.  I hope you’ll find my site enjoyable and informative.  My goal is to provide a space for the advancement of beer culture that is approachable, friendly and most of all, fun. Cheers!”  That’s it.  That was the entirety of  my very first post on June 1, 2012.

I recently reviewed my first month of blogging and realized I’d posted some good stuff that is still regularly viewed (A link to June 2012’s archive).  It’s also been 6 months since I posted my last “blog introspection.”  The first 6 months were eventful, to say the least.  The second 6 months have been equally fun filled.  And I realize I did a 6 month post, but a 1 year anniversary is a big deal and I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished in the last year (I’ll only be posting celebration posts on full year anniversaries from now on, I promise)!

First, Lets look at some stats! (What blogger doesn’t like looking at their numbers, and that’s where I started the 6 month post).

In 1 year, I think about beer has had over 26,500 views. That’s an additional 19,000 views in the 2nd 6 months.  Those views have come from 6 continents and 102 countries (penguins still don’t like my beer blog).

The top 5 countries have remained the same as they were 6 months ago, and in the same order:

  1. United States
  2. Canada
  3. Belgium
  4. United Kingdom
  5. Netherlands

Although, Belgium briefly took the #2 spot before Canada came charging back.

My most popular post: How to build a beer travel case.

My most popular review: Brunehaut Bio Blonde.

My favorite project: The Brewing Monks: A Brief History of the Trappist Order and Monastic Brewing, The Brewing Monks: The Eight Trappist Breweries (Part 1) & (Part 2)

Oddest views: Iraq, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Jordan.

Country I didn’t know existed until someone there viewed my blog: Reunion (It’s an island just east of Madagascar that’s still a part of France).

Months 6-12

I started the new phase of I think about beer sometime during the last 6 months.  I changed my blog’s appearance.  I’d quickly outgrown the the format I’d started with and needed something with more flexibility.  Now, as part of that change, I’m constantly working to update my older posts so they look good in the new format (obviously I still have a lot to do).

I stared a new feature called “Q & Ale” where I answer readers’ questions or inquiries that I encounter in my life as a beer professional (If you’d like to ask a beer question, please use the contact me links posted in several spots around the blog).

One of the highlights of the last 6 months was being featured in Serious Eats “Ask A Cicerone” segment.  So far, there are 3 segments up with potentially 2 more to come.  It was a great honor to participate in this with 28 other Certified Cicerones®.  Hopefully I’ll have a chance to meet some of these talented people!

Additionally, I’m creating my own graphics for use on my blog. I created the header logo, the “Q & Ale” logo, and the Trappist logo I’ve been using on the Trappist history posts.  It’s been fun learning new skills to further make this space my own.

Celebration!

I think about beer
(Your dapper host at ithinkaboutbeer.com)

One year is special!  I’ve made it a full 365 days posting something consistently.  In that time, I’ve had a lot of fun researching various beery topics.  To celebrate a year of hard work, I’ll be opening and reviewing some special beers from my cellar.  I will open: one of the bottles of Brouwerij Boon Vat no. 44 I recently acquired, one of the bottles of Westvleteren 12 I brought home from Belgium, something from a new brewery, and something old from the back of my cellar.  To cap it off, I’ll be traveling to Colorado where I’ll attend the Avery Sour Festival and visit: Crooked Stave Brewing, Prost Brewing, New Belgium Brewing, Odell’s Brewing, and Funkwerks Brewing (if any Coloradans want to meet up for a beer, drop me a note at the Contact Me link here or at the top of the blog).

BE WARNED COLORADO!  ALL YOUR BEERS ARE BELONG TO ME!

But most importantly, I want to thank all the people who have visited my small corner of the beer-o-sphere and made this project so much fun.

Cheers to the first year!  And here’s to many more!

14 thoughts on “1 Year and Lots of Beers!

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