As we (or at least those of us who doggedly stick to analog date keepers) poise to toss our old calendar in the recycling bin and replace it with a new collection of 12 wildlife scenes / political posters / car photos /  half-naked women to adorn our wall, it is the natural time for the year in review and year-ahead features.

In my print/radio columns I only did one such year-end piece – Planet S Magazine (which you can read here). The combination of timing and mood short-circuited the others. Plus I think if it becomes a thing every year it gets kind of boring. The Planet S article, naturally, focuses on Saskatchewan, thus it is heavy on Paddock Wood’s accomplishments, some Great Western, and my personal disappointment at the continued lack of a decent Saskatoon brewpub and the failure of brew-on-premises to offer beer services. I also toss in some hopes for Saskatchewanians’ beer year to come.

However, the Planet S piece offers a broader observation I would like to briefly discuss here. In all, I found 2011 to be rather quiet. 2009 and 2010 were actually pretty busy years, both on the industry side with mergers and sales-exploding new releases, and on the craft beer side with the beer dinner’s arrival in the mainstream and a renewed interest in creativity and experimentation from Canadian brewers. In contrst, as I thought back over 2011, I mostly found the gradual development of the same trends started in previous years. I continue to think Canadian – and in particular Prairie – craft brewers are upping their game, both in terms of creativity and range of beer produces and in the overall quality of their product. I also find that beer is slowly becoming a more respectable beverage – more people seem to have some basic knowledge of it and more are willing to consider it a legitimate option for more refined situations.

But neither trend is new, nor were the advancements this year particularly quantum in their nature. 2011 was the year of steady progress. Even the big boys failed to offer any earth-shattering news. No big mergers or takeovers. Their new product releases generally fizzled (which is likely a good thing). Fairly quiet all told. I know there were some interesting stories – the release of the Beer Gods Series, the kerfuffle over Minhas’ practices, the opening of Craft Beer Market in Calgary, the creation of Molson’s Six Pints Division, and so on. But none are in and of themselves highlight reel material.

Hence the real lack of enthusiasm on my part for year in review columns. In addition, I come up a bit shy on predictions for the new year as well. I am fully expecting some corporate shake-up among the multinational brewers, but not sure who or what it will mean. Lots and lots of new beer will be released, and I eagerly await them all, but I couldn’t tell you whether any will be that special beer. Yes, there is the arrival of West-v to Canada in the coming months, but that has been news for a couple of months now, so is hardly a “prediction”.

Maybe on the predicting front, I am just being lazy. If I pulled out my Magic 8 ball I might find all signs point to beer. But, alas, I am a busy man and haven’t had time. My lost opportunity to crow in 12 months time about how smart I am, and your loss (maybe) at not being able to read another post on what 2012 has to hold.

So for now, enjoy the last couple days of 2011, select an appropriate midnight beer for New Year’s Eve, and I will see you bright and early in the new year (as in Monday…).

Happy new year!