What beer is actually worth trading for?

To me, Double Sunshine and Hair of the Dog Matt have been the most "undeniably" delicious beers I've had (i.e. I feel like their deliciousness-perception should probably be pretty universal). Firestone Walker is both delicious and very reasonably obtainable.

 

surly, other beers, other beers, bourbon county, cantillon, .rar, other beers, more other beers and oh yeah a bunch of other beers and some other beers too.

 

I meant to say specifically Firestone Walker Sucaba

 

If I can hit the next tasting I have few Sucabus and an older Abacus.

 

Bourbon Barrel Plead the 5th is worth it, so are Parabola and Sucaba because those are beers that are absolutely fantastic IMO and you don't have to give up a ton of rare beer to get them. I will perpetually be ISO those beers and a few others.

Other than that, it depends on what you're going after that will determine if it's "worth" it. For me, very few things beat putting together a great tasting with my friends with beers that we've never tried but have heard a lot about. Right now, we're putting together pieces for a crazy Bruery tasting (anyone got an extra Grey Monday laying around?), and though Chocolate Rain may not actually be as good as other beers we've had that were much easier to obtain, the fun is in trying them.

Also, the first time I received a box in a trade (thanks PhineasGage) it actually had extra beer in it! I was hooked at that point, as really nothing can compare to the Christmas morning feeling you get right before you're about to open the box and you're wondering what surprises might be in there for you. I've been blown away by the generosity people have shown in just giving extras. That's what makes trading "worth" the hassle and $$, not whether or not X beer I traded for will actually be better than Y beer that I can get locally.

 

Hybrid?

 

Pipeworks beers
Three Floyd's beers
Hill Farmstead beers
Cantillon beers
Bourbon County varients

All of which you don't have to give up too much to get. FFF and Pipeworks should be pretty easily attainable by offering some New Glarus beers.

 

Fresh Kern River Citra. Most everything else has something equally as fine avail. locally or by ordering.

 

This is the correct answer.

Also, as nobody has mentioned it already, try to find a tasting group in your area so that you can all share your beer wealth. It's alot easier to try a number of new beers this way, and trading is more fun when you know you and your buddies are all excited to try that new beer you just received.

 

I would trade anything I currently have for a bottle of regular Huna. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find anyone willing to part with one for anything I have.

 

I'd argue that Dark Lord is the worst part of Dark Lord Day. The best part is being able to bring some of the top beers from your area and having a 2-day massive bottle share with BA's from all over the country and getting to try a lot of awesome stuff that you now don't have to trade for.

Just my .02...

 

This is more important than anything else said in this thread so far. If you can get 4-6 (or more) people that all share the hobby, not only do you get to all chase down different stuff and share it, but you get to share some awesome beers with friends that enjoy it...and it's always a good time.

 

bcbvs

 

It really depends how big of a deal spending money is to you. If things are tight than perhaps not much is worth expense of shipping but here's some of the beers that I think are amazing and well worth trading for as more than likely nothing in most areas can't replicate

Pliny the elder
Russian river sours
Bruery melange #3
Heady topper
Parabola
Sucaba
Bcbs and variants
Kbs ++++ nothing like it!!
Hunahpu

All I got on the top of my head.
J

 

'worth trading for' is in the eye of the beholder and what you're giving up. for me, personally, there's a lot of beers i've traded for that i would never trade for again. there's beers that i've traded for and desperately want again (or have gone to significant lengths to obtain otherwise). the list is too long to enumerate them all, but i will say that i'm seriously considering trading for another king henry (to drink) despite having had it multiple times and with BCBW coming this fall.

 

Upland Lambics!

 

In what way is it a sucker's game? My first trade was for Heady Topper. So glad I did that. Top 3 beers I've ever had still, and now I drive up there sometimes and to HF. You just need to make sure they're fresh.

I don't trade for IPAs anymore now that I just drive for Heady 8 hours each way occasionally, but still. Alpine IPAs are another good one.

 

Right, but ensuring freshness and good handling when lots of the beer is going to spend hours in the trunk of someone's car, then a week in the back of a truck, is a questionable proposition. I've had fresh, well handled Vermont IPAs; and under those circumstances they are generally quite good (although personally I really can't get into Lawson's). But, they also seem to be among the worst beers in terms of how they hold up if they aren't handled well.

I don't trade for IPAs now that I can walk 8 minutes to get IPAs that are just as good as Heady or Alpine

 

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree because Heady and Abner beat any WC IPA I've had. I do love Enjoy By and Citra, while underwhelming, was still great. As was Nelson. And they seem to hold up for me. Had a growler of Abner that was a few weeks old that was still better than anything the WC or (especially) midwest has ever produced. *before people's heads explode, that's an opinion*

 

Hunahpu is by far the best beer I've traded for