by Laurel Harrison
Personally, I’m a big fan of mash-ups. Ramen burritos, that one mash-up episode of Glee, you name it. I think that a lot of fun can come out of combining two already-great things and making them into one GIANT fantastic thing – please see macaroni and cheese or breakfast burritos for reference.
For this reason, the yoga and beer trend intrigued me when it came on the scene. I like yoga. You already know that I like beer. So what’s not to like about the combination of the two? I wasn’t sure how it would feel to have a pint in that “super-clean-just-finished-stretching” afterglow, but I was 100% ready to give it a shot.
The Beer Yogis, led by the fabulous Mikki and Melissa, are currently traveling the West Coast on their 2017 Road Trip, bringing beer and yoga to the masses. I had the chance to take their class this weekend at Yolo Brewing in West Sac during their Sacramento stop of the tour.
The yoga class itself was held before the brewery opened in the production space behind the taproom. Surrounded by the hum of equipment and oddly comforting smell of brewing beer, we got onto our mats for a one-hour yoga party. Mikki and Melissa clearly know the ropes – they had a microphone (for talking over the equipment), perfectly chosen music and an awesome flow. I’ve taken yoga on and off throughout the years, and it felt so good to get back on the mat with two pros leading the group.
After the class, we all got to choose our beer (I went with the Oktoberfest, a personal favorite from Yolo) and had the chance to stay around and chat. I loved it that Melissa and Mikki made the effort to come and talk to every person who practiced that day, making it feel like a full community event and experience, not just a one-and-done yoga class. I got to ask them both some fun questions about their practice, their love for beer, and themselves!
Favorite style of beer?
Melissa: Anything barrel-aged.
Mikki: Hoppy doubles.
Favorite Yoga Pose:
Melissa: The transitions between poses. (I can confirm – she was great at this!)
Mikki: Downward dog as an overall go-to, especially when they’ve been on the road.
Favorite brewery ever visited:
Both: The Chicago Lagunitas brewery, where they’ve taught on their Beer Yogi road trips.
I was especially interested on their take on the commercialization of yoga – did they think that it was a bad thing to approach yoga as a purely physical work out? Is there something lost in approaching yoga through unconventional settings (like a brewery)? Both Mikki and Melissa responded that they believe that anything that gets someone on the mat is a positive. Even if you start yoga for the workout aspect, your practice can transform as you grow and the more mental elements will begin to transfer to your lifestyle as you continue. I appreciated hearing this point of view from two yogis themselves, and completely agree that whatever gets you on the mat (especially a beer) is a great way to go. Mikki and Melissa both attested that they see new people trying yoga in their classes because of the beer aspect, and I think that’s awesome.
Whether you end your practice with a stout or an IPA, yoga and beer is a mash-up I can definitely get behind. Huge thanks to the Beer Yogis for introducing me to this wonderful practice, and I’m keeping my eye out for the next time they’re in town.
If you want to learn more about The Beer Yogis (and see when they’ll be in your town) see their website and tour schedule here!
Ben Pederson says
I’ve been wanting to try this for so long. You could even mix it up and try Wine Pilates or Whiskey Cross fit! Definetly gave me Ideas!
SacFoodies Team says
We agree, Ben! The fitness foodie trend has endless creative opportunities! If you end up finding Wine Pilates, let us know 🙂 – SacFoodies Team