Welcome to Litsy!

You're meeting friends at that new bar in town and you're looking forward to a night of social unwinding after a crazy week at work. You've also realized that you've become a creature of habit, tending to default to your usual short list of go-to drinks for no other reason than simple comfort and familiarity. But forget comfort and familiarity. You want a little adventure in your life. And why not? With nearly 2,900 breweries (and counting) and more than 500 artisanal distillers (likely to reach 1,000 by 2017) in the United States, there are more choices than ever on tap and behind the bar. So many, that you're a little bit intimidated. But throughout the course of a year you can learn to impress your friends and earn the respect of your local publican by enhancing your bar smarts and becoming a pub savant with The Year of Drinking Adventurously, a guide to getting out of your liquid comfort zone once a week for a year. Each of the 52 chapters features the story behind a unique beer, spirit, or cocktail, designed to broaden your drinking horizons. Some correspond with specific seasons or holidays, encouraging readers to forget the million-dollar-marketing-supported "conventional wisdom" and drink against the grain. It's Cinco de Mayo? There's much more to celebration than Corona and shots of cheap tequila. St. Patrick's Day? Do you really want to be the 700th person of the evening to order a Guinness or a Jameson on the rocks? In addition to the background and little-known facts behind the road-less-traveled libations, The Year of Drinking Adventurously also features recipes for cocktails made from spirits, as well as food pairing suggestions for beers when it's time to entertain or just enjoy a quiet, relaxing night at home. The Year of Drinking Adventurously takes the social cross drinker on a journey into the exciting and unknown--one week at a time.