Advice for New BeerAdvocates

Drink all German, all the time.

On a less sarcastic note: Embrace the 'Mix-a-Six' pack. Some of my most beloved brews found their way into my regular lineup after saying 'Ahh…what the hell.' Digging for gems can be just as rewarding as finding one!

 

That's really funny that you use Lagunitas as your example of a brewery that you didn't like until Sucks and Brown Shugga came out because I was exactly the same way with them. Haven't tried everything they have, but had quite a few and they're the only two that are not just good, but awesome in my opinion. Epic Brewing Co. is the same way for me; some are really good, but the bad ones are bad!

 

Hahahahahahahah.

 

I sometimes worry that I'm this guy - I've also got one foot in the trading quicksand - but you know what? I'm enjoying the hell out of it, so I can't bring myself to regret the money I've spent, or the premature cellar I've started to build.

So if I may go against the grain I'm seeing about 'don't rush, don't get too deep into this hobby too quick', I'd like to throw my 2 cents in and say Don't worry about doing things differently - enjoy the ride.

 

I'm also worried about becoming that guy. I don't have the cash to truly reach that level (thank goodness!), but I see photos and videos of people's massive cellars (masochism? yes.) and get incredibly envious and want to go out and buy everything.

 

The biggest thing I learned the past year while enjoying many different beers and styles is to give yourself a break between beers of different styles when enjoying them the same day. For example I had a Summit Oatmeal stout the other day and it was awesome! Just had it finished when a buddy stopped by with a sixer of Hopslam which I had never had before, so we cracked a few open and I absolutely hated it. It was bitter as could be and I thought how overrated that beer was. I tried my 2nd Hopslam two days later as my first beer and it was smooth and sweet, no bitterness at all, loved it. Moral to the story....having a sweet chocolate oatmeal stout before a DIPA vastly changed the flavor of the 2nd beer in a very negative way. If I'm having multiple beers in a short time period I'm sticking with same beer or at least a similar style from now on, lesson learned.

 

Couldnt agree more. Im useless for smell, taste, top notes and finishing flavors. I just know when something tastes bad, ok, or good, according to my personal palate.

 

For this site I advise going to the reviews and checking the reviews of beers you have enjoyed, and find an experienced reviewer who has similar taste to your own, and who reviews a lot of beer. For me that guy is BEERchitect. If you are looking for info on a beer before buying it, having a trusted reviewer in your pocket is so helpful.

 

Things sometimes get pretty snarky around here, but to me, the humor that oozes out all of this banter makes this place fun and meaningful.

 

I couldn't agree more with this method...I have a few "trusted reviewers" that I use as a reference. It has come in handy more than once.

 

This is very valid and "qualified" precisely because you are a newcomer, so it is great to see you share your experience.

The biggest thing for me (long-time good beer drinker but relatively new BA) was the patience piece as others have well-stated. If I followed my usual dive in the deep end approach, I would be buried in beer by now. And I would probably be doing the Gregory Peck Captain Ahab thing hunting walez...(shit, if THAT isn't showing my age). A hobby should relieve stress, not add to it. If beer becomes a task with set goals and associated stress, it might as well be work.

Keeping an open mind is also important, whether it is about individual brews, a brewery, or a style. You can't really prejudge a beer or a brewery based on other people's taste buds. You can get a general idea of what to expect from a beer and a pretty good opinion of whether a brewer puts out high quality beverages. That said, just because a beer/brewer is highly regarded doesn't mean YOU will like it and vice versa.

 

Don't get into trading beers too soon. There are enough good beers in your area (unless you live in a beer wastland), plus trading can get expensive.

 

dont hit the trade forums iso pliny the younger

 

If you're planning to drink more than 3 or 4 beers in a night AND you're getting a mixed-6, go ahead and buy a 6-pack of something you like too. It's hard to appreciate complex beers or notice the subtleties in others when you're already 3 or 4 deep. Start with 1 or 2 that you really want to "taste" and then kick back with something you know you'll enjoy once you begin to exhaust your palate.

 

• It's really tempting to start ticking off the BA Top 250, but I wouldn't do it.
  
  
• I'd actually look at the individual styles and try to drink the beers with the most ratings in each category. When something has a lot of ratings it's usually easy to get, and that usually means it's a pretty successful example of the style as a result. The Beers of Fame list is also a great place to look.
  
  
• Don't neglect the classics from Europe. Know that they're not always fresh over here and that no matter what kind of distribution you might get, there's no substitute for trying them at the source.
  
  
• It's really easy to think that all big beers are good or that all good beers are big. Neither is true.
  
  
• Aging beer is a hot topic. Don't get caught up in it. I highly recommend trying some older vintages to see if it works for you. If you're sensitive to oxidation, you might be wasting beers by not drinking them now. At the same time, some beers taste like kerosene if you drink them too soon. Do some research before keeping beers for too long.

 

Keep in mind that Everyones palate is different. Just because someone tells you a beer is amazing, doesn't mean you have to enjoy it. Or that your wrong for disagreeing. Most of the time if a beer has a rating on here over or around an 88-90 I fucks with it. But everyone once in a while I'll try a hyped up highly rated brew and not enjoy it (hop ranch). Who cares? Relax, and enjoy the ride!

 

Ooh and tip your bartenders at your local beer bar. %15 doesn't cut it anymore

 

Start with the beers that have a good reputation in your area, good distribution and a reasonable price. Try all the classic’s first and get acquainted with them. Many of these beers represent the true height of brewing, don’t start of chasing all those rare & expensive beers. If you start there, you will burn a lot of cash & without an appreciation for the basics you will just wind up trying to chase more and more extreme stuff & you will wind up getting disappointed. There are already too many people out there who have hundreds of bottles of rare beers but cannot appreciate Rochefort, Dupont Saison or Schlenkerla. As far as the rare stuff is concerned, don’t worry to much about if, when you have around for a while, you will eventually get to try a lot of those beers. A lot of them are great but none of them are great enough to burn all your money & time just to have closet full of them.

 

Moral of the story: you'll regret brushing your teeth right before drinking a big glass of orange juice. I totally agree and will add that food can make a huge difference in how a particular beer tastes. I can't get enough hops, but can't stand drinking an IPA with pizza/italian food. (IMHO: IPAs pair well with cheese, spicy Asian food, and chocolate chip cookies)

 

Last but not least....beer should never be drunk from the bottle or can if possible. I will admit that this was a revelation for me as for 20 years I had never poured a beer into a glass, never saw the point. Now it is a must and I now am recognizing the importance of even using the correct style of glass, not just using a pint glass exclusively.
I love my tulip and snifter!