A Beergeek’s Case of FOMO

By jakob stammler
November 21, 2019

Due to my background in Tech and Finance, I originally associated the so-called phenomenon of FOMO (fear of missing out) with cryptocurrencies.

 It describes one’s fear of missing out on the financial gains of the next Bitcoin after yet another crypto hits the market. It’s very easy to get sucked into it and rapidly turns into what I would call a gambling euphoria. When you strike gold, or more literally buy the right crypto, you feel like you’ve succeeded. After I saw many cryptos plummet and once the initial hype has ended I was no longer really interested in that part of today’s world, as my attention has turned to my love of craft beer. While the product has changed the phenomenon of FOMO didn’t disappear but merged into an intensified fear of missing out on the next limited beer resembling what I would call the existential crisis of every beer geek.

 

While I am writing this blog entry I am currently sitting on the plane to Berlin for the infamous Brewdog AGM hosted for the first time at DogTap Berlin, formerly known as Stone Brewing’s tap house. Tomorrow the festivities start with a Tap Takeover by UK’s finest Northern Monk Brewery before on Saturday finally the AGM kicks off with over 84 different Brewdog beers and several guest breweries including BRLO, Fuerst Wiacek, Fierce, To Ol, Amundsen, Stone, and more. You could call this the weekend of every craft beer lover’s dreams, and I haven’t even mentioned all the high quality beer bars in and around Berlin which I will visit also.

  

However deep inside of me I have a disturbing feeling of not being fully satisfied, because during this weekend the beer bar in my hometown hosts for one of the rare times a Tap Takeover and Meet the Brewer Event with Gypsy Hill brewery. Not only will I not manage to be there, but I will also miss out on the bottle release of the very limited bottles Gypsy Hill brought with them. What one might call spoiled or unthankful for his opportunity in berlin, I would call a typical case of FOMO, every beer lover has experienced at once in his lifetime.

You might be tempted to say “no”, but let’s be honest with ourselves, who of you hasn’t once skipped a meeting or some chores to queue for the next beer only not to miss out on the glorified brew? Who of you hasn’t envied friends currently residing at a craft beer festival anywhere in the world? Or who of you isn’t guilty of going to his favorite beer bar just because you saw on Untappd that they have a new beer on tap which you “oh so desperately” need to taste because your friend or the ratings on Untappd say “it’s the best DIPA I’ve ever had”.

FOMO is as real as it gets in the beer scene but that is not necessarily only bad. It is through these situations above that I had the chance to get to know many beer lovers who had the same feeling, meet very interesting brewers and taste some of the best beers, because well “you deserved it”. It’s that feeling of accomplishment when you can share a can of your hard-fought beer with your other beer enthusiasts. So let’s not fight our urge, but indulge delicately in it. But don’t forget fellow beer geeks, at the end of the day there’s always more beer in the future which you don’t want to miss out, so maybe skip one of the brews for once to have one more the next day.

Cheers!

FOMO

beer-fill