interesting, but sad trend

I'm all for it if those beers are flavorful. I would thoroughly enjoy being able to put down a bunch of brews and not be out of commission (while still getting a lot of flavor).

 

Drink what you like- but there are plenty of great (and classic) beers in that middle range (always will be), and the pendulum seems to be swinging even more in that direction lately. No need to get turned off completely.

 

That's not entirely correct. I've had some very tasty high ABV beers and other high ABV beers that just taste like a boozy mess that might mellow out with age. There's some low on flavor lower ABV session beers, but also plenty of session beers with great flavor.

 

So agree with this statement! Sometimes you just gotta wait to enjoy that higher abv brew. It's especially no fun in popping the top on a bomber of some great IRS and knowing you won't be able to enjoy it; you either have to guzzle it down or leave it in the fridge to go flat.

 

It doesn't bother me. I don't buy my beer to make anyone happy but myself. I like imperial stouts. I don't like watered down milk stouts. If they start getting the flavor of a Parabola in a 6% beer, I'll buy it.

 

I buy more higher ABV beers because most can be kept for a couple years and there is no need to drink them right away. With a lot of lowers, you have to put them in the fridge and drink them within a couple months (or sooner with IPAs). Also, I've noticed a lot of the lowers I like taste very similar. More variety and complexity with the higher ABV stuff, as others have mentioned.

 

Had to creep your review after reading that mind-blowing comment! To each his own, but ...

1.) If your Oberon was CLEAR and had no head or lacing, there was something wrong with the batch.
2.) If the mouth feel was thin, you got a bad batch or something.

I admit Oberon isn't the *BEST* beer in the world, but it sounds like you got hosed..

 

It is possible. Maybe I'll grab a bottle and give it another shot. Last night I opened a bottle of Alchemy Hour and it was disgusting. And I like that beer, and I can think of a few other cases of this with other beers. I've had my fair share of experiences with bad batches/bottles.

 

........ I don't know what to say to that.

 

I wish I could find some more brewers experimenting with the flavor profile of Berliners. Delicious style and usually sub 5%, all day!!!!

 

Honestly, I don't pay attention to abv until I get home, usually after my first sip. I buy based on the style I like, reviews, and word of mouth. There have been a couple of beers that I probably wont buy again because it was too boozy. I think that this trend is just a side effect of flavor driven selection. The abv can be a pleasant surprise though.

 

I do!: They are fools!

 

I had a german N/A and compared it to a german pilsner, they didn't taste much different to be honest. After a pint of >6% if I wanted another I would definitely grab an Einbecker

 

Same with me. Makes me wonder how many beers I've given shitty ratings to just because the beer was old, infected, etc.

 

It's getting to the time of year where I want to be able to drink all night. That means locals like Philly Pale Ale, Brawler, and Prima Pils. I'll save the high ABV stuff for the cold weather when I don't want to be out late.

 

Thank you for giving the rest of us in the dregs of the Mid-Atlantic a chance at some RR.

 

Personally, I don't care about ABV. HOWEVER, I tend to gravitate toward Stouts, Quads, Belgian Strong Darks, Bourbon Barrel Aged, etc, all of which tend to have higher ABV. I just look for the complexity of flavors. Good beers come in all shapes and sizes. I just grab what I'm craving at the moment!

 

At 3.5% ABV, I was blown away by how much flavor was packed into Shorts Prolonged Enjoyment

 

So other people drinking high ABV beers makes you drink less craft beer? Confused...

 

This! I usually buy mixed singles and go by the style or how interesting it looks, and I don't notice the ABV until I log it as a "had" later on. I tend to mostly get ones that are fairly high, but that's completely accidental.