I think everyone can agree that quarantine has done a number on mental health and social life. And for me, moving across the ocean to a different country (that was still in full lockdown) where I didn’t know anyone really, in a different time zone (aka couldn’t just make a random call whenever I wanted) definitely amplified the feeling of separation and isolation. Thankfully there’s the internet which makes the world feel a little smaller and helps with staying in touch.

Like most people, things like Zoom & Facetime have become an essential part of daily life, for me personally, it’s made voice lessons possible despite restrictions and time zones. However what I found myself missing most was actual casual socialization… impromptu chats over coffee or lunch and random conversations at the pub between friends. I don’t know about anyone else, but some of the best ideas and conversations I’ve ever had, happened at the pub. So when my friend Shiora told me about the Lockdown Survival Kit from Brewdog, and asked if I wanted to go through it together, it was an easy choice. Another reason to hang out online with one of my good friends and discuss beer on a daily basis… um, yes please!

What originally began as something just for fun while hanging turned into something far more meaningful than either of ever expected… and thus Beer O’Clock was born. What started as chats about the beer of the day, quickly started to feel more like we were trying a new beer at a pub and debating about how we felt about it, and whether we’d want to drink it again. And as silly as that sounds on paper (or looks on a screen), it was a huge mental turning point, because as great as it is to catch up with people, even via video, the conversations don’t always have the same quality and instructiveness as they do in person. And that was one of the things I missed most from the lockdown restrictions, quarantine and even due to time zones.

Honestly we both had so much fun & enjoyed the beer so much that we both decided to order a second pack and do it again! And this time around, I decided I would blog about it and share my thoughts on the 24 unique beers in this pack. Funny story, before this, I would not have said I was much of an IPA fan at all, but after this I have a new found appreciation for them, and discovered that I REALLY like hazy IPAs. Also these are UK IPAs so they’re also not over the top hoppy like many of the ones in the States, but proof that people’s tastes can change, even almost overnight.

A little background on Shiora (as he goes by on the internet). He and I met about two years ago on Twitch when he joined Mr. G’s moderator team. He’s UK based, so the time difference wasn’t too bad (6 hours). We started talking & hanging out a lot more last year when everyone started working from home. We also started playing games together (like World of Warship) and nowadays since we’re in the same time zone, you can find us hanging out pretty much daily… modding for Gibbins, chatting, gaming and/or watching shows together (again thank goodness for the power of technology). He has easily become one of my closest friends (and I don’t say that just because he’s fixed my computer on multiple occasions). Since we hang out so much, we often finish each other’s sentences and it’s become a running joke that we share a brain. Unfortunately due to lockdown we haven’t been able to meet up yet but it’s definitely going to happen before my time in the UK is over!

Now that you have a little background on how Beer O’Clock started and my online partner in crime, stay tuned as we work our way through Brewdog’s Lockdown Survival Pack!