Nearly two years ago I sat down in front of my video camera to share my beer collection with others. I had no idea how many people would eventually come to watch my sessions, and how many people would ultimately get something out of it. Including myself! Either through comments, personal messages, or donations, many of you have expressed your appreciation for my work here, and I am forever grateful for that. Having recently reached my 200th unique beer review means that I have shared a great deal of info and have experienced a good amount of beer. But today I find myself at a stopping point for the site. Call it “going out on top” if you will, but for me today marks an end to something I hold very dear to my heart…The Hopry. Please take a moment to watch the above video. I’m happy to receive any comments you may have. And please know that I have deeply enjoyed my (our) time here.
Best Wishes and Cheers!
Mark Starr
Posted by Kevin LaMar on September 12, 2011 at 12:45 AM
This is a sad day for me. I always looked forward to the newsletter and I’d come watch videos for the beers I was interested in (whether I had reviewed them and wanted to see what you thought or whether I was considering making a trade for the beer). I also think you accomplished reviewing a great range of styles, regions, breweries, and beers, and have left a significant mark on the burgeoning world of craft beer.
Thank you so much for sharing your passion with us about craft beer and know that you have inspired many other beer advocates to outwardly promote craft beer and that trickle effect will definitely make a big impact. I’m sure a lot of the videos I never got to I will go back and watch over the next few months.
Thanks again for the huge commitment you made to this effort and I wish you the best in making a similarly large impression in your family life.
Posted by Cara & Louie (@beerpaintings) on September 12, 2011 at 6:12 AM
Ugh… bummer. I was just at the Deschutes Brewery offices the other day, telling them about the best video beer reviewer on the internet.
If something is worth doing – it is worth doing right, so as much as I want to say “Hey…just do one review a month,” I know you’re making the right choice. Websites that just limp along might as well be dead.
I’ve never had any interest in doing video beer reviews, but there is a tiny voice in the back of my head that thinks it would be a good idea to take up The Hopry mantle…kind of like when Batman had his back broken by Bane and Jean-Paul Valley became Batman. But the reality is that this site is (or was) great because of your personality and outlook.
I would also like to echo the more classy sentiments expressed by Kevin LaMar above. Well said, Kevin.
Everything good comes to an end, but mediocrity seems to drag on. I hate so much crap, but I loved this site…
Posted by Eamonn Murphy on September 12, 2011 at 6:41 AM
…Well I’m glad you didn’t use ‘Atmosphere’ to underscore this video! Sadness overload.
Thanks for all the many insightful reviews and tips. Anytime a new video went up it always caused a dumb grin to spread across my face.
Good luck with whatever comes next.
Posted by Brent on September 12, 2011 at 7:46 AM
It’s a sad day for the internets!
Thanks for all your effort Mark. I always waited anxiously for your latest review upload.
Cheers!
Posted by Jamison Moeckel on September 12, 2011 at 8:33 AM
That is a shame, you will be missed.
Posted by Robbie on September 12, 2011 at 9:10 AM
So sad to see you go Mark! Every morning for the past year and a half I would wake up and hope for a new beer review before I had to go to school. Your reviews have increased my love and knowledge of beer greatly. I hope to see another video one day.
Cheers!
-Robbie
Posted by builderofcoalitions on September 12, 2011 at 9:59 AM
Going out on top is the way to go. It was a lot of fun. Good luck with your future plans.
Posted by Big Mike on September 12, 2011 at 10:06 AM
Man…. For the past hour I’ve been trying to think of something poetically memorable and profound to say. All I came up with was ….This fucking blows!!!!
Cheers!
Big Mike
Posted by Rob Derbyshire on September 12, 2011 at 10:29 AM
A sad day for us beer fans but more so I want to say thank you for all your hard work this past two years.
You were one of the reasons I started to film video reviews and when asked why I started doing them I always mentioned you as someone I look up to and wished I was as eloquent as.
Only the other day someone left a comment saying I was like a “British Hopry”. This was a massive compliment to be compared to someone as entertaining and knowledgeable as you.
I may have not comment much but I’ve probably watched most of your videos, I’ve lusted after your amazing selection of bottles in the background and learnt so much. On my website HopZine.com I recently changed my written review style and your written extracts were always a reference point I’d come back to.
The other week me and my wife were looking at houses to buy and one we went to look at had a really nice room, my wife commented “This would be perfect for filming your videos” I thought that I may even have found a setting nearly as cool as yours.
Gushing over, once again a big thanks for your contribution…I’ll miss watching your reviews.
Cheers!
Posted by Barry Grass (@theBGrass) on September 12, 2011 at 11:37 AM
It was a good run. Lots of people are disappointed right now, because that’s what happens when you build up an audience. And you had one, Mark, especially in terms of other video reviewers. TheHopry has made the video beer review world indelibly better. You have a lot to be proud of.
Thanks for your work these past few years. See you in KC sometime.
Posted by Bobby Digital on September 12, 2011 at 12:18 PM
All good things have to come to an end. You had a great run Mark! Hit me up sometime so we can have some beers!
Posted by Nina on September 12, 2011 at 4:33 PM
Hi Mark!
I have only been an occasional user of your website, but the sessions I have watched were very informative for me. I’d like to thank your for all the work you put in and express my interest in coming back to this site to watch the sessions when they become relevant. I am based in Germany and have focused on Belgian beers so far. Therefore most of the american beers you have reviewed are not easily (or not at all) available here. But when an opportunity arises, sites like yours are of great help.
So I am glad to hear that you have decided to keep the site up at least for one more year . Thanks for that as well, and good luck for your future plans!
Posted by Tim Pratt on September 12, 2011 at 4:43 PM
There is only so much awesome that a single website can contain. When the awesome meter goes to full, *poof*.
Thanks for letting me tag along – it was a hell of a run.
Posted by Scott Shrewsberry on September 12, 2011 at 5:27 PM
Sorry to see you go Mark, but I totally understand. Best of luck and I hope to see you post again someday. Thanks for all the great reviews…. they will be a great reference point for me throughout my beer drinking days.
Godspeed.
Scott
Posted by Big Mike on September 12, 2011 at 6:45 PM
Did this really happen???
Posted by Barleywhiner on September 12, 2011 at 7:13 PM
Good luck in the future. Family is important. It won’t be long before your kids won’t want anything to do with you, and then you’ll have plenty of time for beer drinking. Enjoy it while you can, because they grow up really fast.
Posted by Rob on September 12, 2011 at 7:36 PM
Thought I’d give you a shout out and the respect I stongly felt you deserve Mark. Go onto BA and search forum with the phrase:
A sad farewell to the hopry
You will be missed…
Posted by KevSal on September 12, 2011 at 8:47 PM
woa crazy news, very sad day indeed. thanks for all the great info, and passion. your videos helped me out a ton to track down sone great beers. I’m going to miss them a lot.
enjoy your kids, you can only watch them grow once.
cheers!!
Posted by Jon on September 13, 2011 at 1:27 AM
Prost!
Posted by Devon on September 13, 2011 at 9:35 AM
It’ll be sad to see you go, but I understand it had to be done sometime. I’ve appreciated your reviews, opinions, and dedication to craft beer. Most of all, you helped open my eyes to cellaring, as my basement has grown to a 200+ selection,several of which I just had to purchase because of your reviews.
Being a state away (to the north), I’ve been a silent fan of The Hopry when I discovered it over a year ago, as this is my first response. I checked the site almost daily, but never expressed how it made me feel.
I guess this is my way of saying you are a great inspiration and your reviews will be missed. Take care and good luck!
Posted by Chris on September 13, 2011 at 9:42 AM
Mark, thanks so much for all the dedication and hard work that you put into The Hopry. I first visited the site to view the beer cellaring tutorial, and found it to be extremely helpful and informative. I can’t wait to see how my barleywines and imperial stouts turn out with some age on them.
Also, your Hopslam review in particular made me smile and laugh as it mirrored my own experience with the Holy Grail for hopheads. Damn good, isn’t it? Hopefully you can get ahold of The Oracle from Bell’s sometime. It’s fantastic as well, but can be hard to get.
Glad to see you’ll be keeping the site up for a while, and best of luck in your future endeavors. Isn’t it great to be alive in a time with so much great beer all around?
Posted by Fredrik Schmidt (phredrik) on September 13, 2011 at 12:58 PM
Really sad to see this, but I was somehow expecting it.
I love all the work you’ve put into this, and I’ve enjoyed watching your reviews from the very beginning.
To be honest, this was my all time favorite out of all the video reviews on the internet. I really like your humble attitude towards beers, something which would be greatly appreciated from other v-loggers. Not only have you been humble, you’ve been honest, you’ve been friendly and you’ve been very knowing about craft beer. A combination that’s rare amongst video reviewers.
I’ll drink a beer for you tonight.
Thanks for all the good times, Mark. It’s been a wonderful journey.
- Fredrik
Posted by Darren Renna on September 13, 2011 at 4:57 PM
Thank You Mark, it has been very enjoyable to watch your posts, more than once I found myself picking up one of your reviewed beers and enjoying it with you on youtube.
Cheers and best of wishes in your pursuits
Posted by Brian on September 13, 2011 at 6:56 PM
Best of luck to you in the future Mark. I always enjoyed your reviews, and you inspired me to try some great new beers. Take care of your family.
Cheers.
Posted by Leo Daly on September 16, 2011 at 1:49 PM
How sad.
For the last six months I’ve been in South Africa – a country with a sad lack of good beer and a debilitating bandwidth; so no good beers and no internet video streaming. But I’ve checked in all the same, thinking of how nice those beers sound, and have always been impressed with the standard of the site and the personable, nay gentlemanly manner with which you conduct yourself. All the best with everything.
My glass is raised,
Leo
Posted by Big Mike on September 21, 2011 at 1:53 PM
Bored with retirement yet?
Posted by Steve on September 25, 2011 at 1:18 PM
Thanks for every review. Although I just found your blog this summer, I will deeply miss the resource and delivery you provided. Enjoy your time away from the project knowing that you have a legion of followers supporting your decision, yet eagerly awaiting your return!!!
Steve
Posted by Chris H on September 27, 2011 at 11:32 AM
Mark -
Longtime listener, first time commenter. I can’t imagine how much work went into your video reviews, but the rest of us are all better for it. Thanks again for sharing your time, energy and beers with us.
Cheers
Posted by Darrell on September 28, 2011 at 5:21 PM
I can understand Mark, the kids grow up pretty quick so be there as much as possible. Really enjoyed the time & effort it must’ve taken & appreciated your opinions on the various beers. I raise my tulip glass of Ragutiene(see links)to you’n'yours!
http://www.onbeer.org/2011/08/worship-the-beer-gods/
(^local blog^) some of the completed artwork
http://www.bleedingcool.com/2011/07/28/beer-brewed-with-added-steve-rude-artwork/
last review here pretty much nails it…
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/12520/71816
Posted by Big Mike on January 1, 2012 at 4:53 PM
Are you bringing The Hopry back for the New Year??????
Hopry New Year Mark!
Cheers!
Big Mike
Posted by Third Street Brewhouse on July 27, 2012 at 3:03 PM
Good luck to you my man. Cheers!
Posted by Nick on October 30, 2012 at 10:38 AM
You should have called it “Going out on hop.”