As we dive headfirst into the New Year, it seems that two spectrums of goal-setting have emerged within the populace. On one end, we have the Four Peaks Brewing Co. in Tempe, embracing the idea of putting aside those virtuous New Year's resolutions for a night of decadence at their Ditch Your Resolutions Beer Dinner. According to a Phoenix New Times interview, sous chef Brian Graf said with a sly grin that resolutions are "overrated." Their special dinner, scheduled for Wednesday, is all about indulgence with charmingly paired beers and courses designed to urge even the most strong-willed to momentarily abandon their resolve.
Meanwhile, the pragmatists among us might be concerning ourselves more with the sobering reality of family savings in 2025—yes, those fiscal resolutions that dare to defy the magnetic pull of immediate gratification. Some experts have shared their own wisdom on this front, which is pretty handy as many strive to regain or re-evaluate their financial footing post-pandemic. Speaking to WFMZ, Victoria McGruder, a certified public accountant, recommends setting aside time for a "money date"—a review of the past year's income, expenses, and any life changes to better anticipate and plan the year ahead.
The Beer Dinner event, as Four Peaks Brewery Experiential Manager Kasey Montes cheekily conceived, almost acts as counterprogramming to such prudent advice; it is slated just after the notorious "quitter's day"—an informal holiday marking the common falling-off point for New Year's resolutions. Graf also hinted at the uniqueness of the beers selected for this event, explaining that most of their sours require over three years of aging and can't be found outside this context. It’s one night where “every sour that comes out of that [brewery's Sour] room is a true one-off,” Graf told Phoenix New Times.
On the flip side, Rianka Dorsainvil, a certified financial planner, underscores the essentiality of an emergency fund, part of a financial safety net that can give families the leeway they need when unexpected costs arise. It's about having the capacity to "borrow money from ourselves versus a financial institution,” Dorsainvil explained to WFMZ. Whether individuals choose to carefully plan for the year ahead or decide to give in, to just take the night off with a beer in hand, the contrast between these two January traditions is, if nothing else, a testament to the diverse ways people chase contentment in the modern age.
So, as some of us gather our bank statements and set financial targets for a robust 2025, others will joyfully clink glasses filled with Grape and Grain oenobeer and tuck into a dish of braised beef-cheek ragu. It's the human comedy, etched in ledger lines and froth-rimmed pint glasses—a dance between discipline and hedonism, frugality and feast. To each their own in the march towards those personal bests, whether they involve bank balances or beer flights.
