Andy, kudos to you on your break from beer. I think the key, as you point out, is not letting an indulgence get control of you, and doing it mindfully. I had kind of an opposite streak, drinking beer and running every day for three years:

How I increased productivity with beer and running

But from that experience, I had a similar epiphany to yours. If you do something with a clear goal and purpose in mind, rather than just letting it happen to you, great things can result.