Sharing beer is awesome! but....

In all seriousness, why is everyone acting like bombers are these massive beers that cannot be had in a single sitting? It's only 22 oz, that's not even two normal sized beers.

Anyways regarding the question at hand...always. To be honest I don't think I have ever "shared" or split a single beer with anyone. If I get multiple bottles of really good / rare stuff I always hook my dad up using my extras. For example, traded for a couple cans of Heady not long ago so I brought two over to his place for us to each have one. I do that pretty oftenextras with him but that's about it really. None of my friends are into beer the way that I am. They don't drink crap beer by any means but none of them would be appreciative of what they were drinking nor have any idea what the rarity or quality of it is.

 

Drinking King Henry solo over the course of 3 hours on my first father's day was one of the best beer drinking experiences I've ever had.

 

Obviously you know your friends better than I do, but I can't help but wonder why it is that they wouldn't appreciate your beer if they already "don't drink crap beer?" At one point weren't you in their shoes, a beer drinker that wanted something better than BMC? How did you come appreciate these other beers if you were never exposed to them?

 

I've got no problem drinking alone. Most of my friends aren't craft drinkers. I've got a couple neighbors who are into it a bit, but don't know them that well, although I shared a bomber with one of them when he was having a very bad day.
I wished a 22 oz bomber could satisfy my beer session, but it doesn't. Last night I had a Simtra bomber, followed by three Sculpins, then a Palate Wrecker to complete the evening. Kind of a typical day, which I think isn't too healthy. Tonight I think I'm going to do back to back Simtra bombers and see what happens from there!

 

I honestly got myself into it. I don't even remember how it really started. I think I made a gradual transition in college from your frat beers (coors, bud, natty) into stuff that is probably regarded as pure shit on here but at the time I was like, "holy shit this is good" (Leinenkugel, magic hat, some great lakes core beers). Then I started getting into GL seasonals and slowly just started buying whatever new and interesting looking beer I could find at local shops. I have one buddy who I would say is heavily into good craft beer but he only drinks stouts and porters which I hardly ever drink so there is really no mutual interest. Eventually I made an account on here and that opened my eyes to beer I never even knew existed. If I opened up a Pliny right now and tried pouring it for my friends, they would look at the bottle and go "what the hell is this?" They would have no idea. Actually, I did hook up one of my best friends with a bottle of Pliny not too long ago cause I already had one. He was in CO and we both opened ours at the same time and had a virtual tasting session through text messaging and he said "tastes like Ranger to me" (New Belgium).

Like I said though, other than a few FFF bombers, a pliny, and maybe a lips of faith or two...I haven't had any bombers really. I drink from 12 oz bottles 99.5% of the time I would say and when I get more than one of something good I always bring it to my dad. In the last few weeks alone I think I shared extras of Heady Topper, Breakfast Stout, Hopslam, Nugget Nectar, Hop Juju, Alpha King, Gumballhead, and Robert the Bruce. I also got him hooked up with some Zombie Dust last night. As I said though, thats the only form of sharing I really get involved with....extras as opposed to sharing a single bottle.

As for the rest of my friends, they are still mostly in the Leinenkugel / Great Lakes / Magic Hat stage.

 

My buddies and I have gotten ourselves into a situation where our cellars are overflowing with a backlog of beer for specific tastings that we've planned...but we can't seem to get together often enough to get through the beer.

Been thinking I might have to take matters into my own hands sooner or later...

 

Perhaps some of your friends are ready to make the leap out of the Leinenkugel/Magic Hat stage, just as you once did.

 

Perhaps you are correct. However, I would imagine most of you that share good stuff with friends get the favor returned. This would not be the case for me. It would mostly be a charity event of me forking over my hard earned money (which I don't have much of) so they can drink up all my good stuff. It's not like they are going to come to me next week and split a bottle of BCBS with me. They might throw me a Sam Adams next time we have a little shindig at someones house lol.

 

I don't have any problem taking down bombers by myself if it's nothing too crazy/rare/high alcohol, but for the "bigger" beers, I usually share those.

But the last big one I took down alone would be 2012 Bruery Fruet last June on my birthday. Wife was out of town, I had bought that beer a year to the day prior, and decided to treat myself on my birthday. I took it up on the roof with a snifter and enjoyed the nice summer night. It had aged quite nicely and was a delicious experience.

Getting off the roof after that...let's just say I took it very slow.

 

Small, very small, price to pay if they do in fact get hooked. Plus a beer for a beer with friends is a great trade off IMO. I moved away from all my friends who enjoy great beer. You should help your friends out and not expect to have favors returned. They seem to be repaid in spades when you least expect it.

 

Perfectly worded.

 

i only share my really good beer with friends

or strangers waiting on line for Great Taste tickets

or strangers waiting on line at the Great Taste

or strangers waiting to buy beer at releases

or friends of friends

 

last one i did was a founders RIS but usually share with my girlfriend. she's recently acquired somewhat of a taste for some stouts, especially founders breakfast, but usually for bombers, she'll have a small glass and that will be enough. the rest gets left for me, so it's not a bad situation to be in.

 

I just feel like money is a huge aspect in this scenario. Would I love to share with people, yes. Mostly for the benefit of being able to discuss the beer with others who have had it. Can I afford to do it, no. I'm not rolling around in cash. Just got out of the military and just graduated college this past fall. Still looking for an entry level job so my pockets are thin. If I fork over $15 for a really good bomber or a six pack, I need to make the most out of my money and savor it. If I was making bank (not even bank really, just enough to have excess funds) I would be more more wanting to share with everyone because I would have a different mindset of "this is no big deal, I will just grab some more when I have the chance." Usually, well at least in my current situation, this is not the case. I grab a four pack of Hop JuJu and I basically know that that is the only four pack I will probably be able to buy of it for the foreseeable future.

 

If it's something new or a larger format (20oz+) beer I always share with my craft beer loving wife. It is what it is.

 

I completely agree. I seldom get whaley stuff so when it comes around, I keep it. I have a few friends that truly appreciate great beer AND the great lengths/expense it often takes to get them and I share with them. I also buy for them when I come across hard-to-find beers. They do the same for me.

I also have friends who like good beer but only buy what's readily available at the grocery store (i.e. New Belgium, Devil's Backbone, Sam Adams, Foothills, etc). I have no issue with that but on the same token I'm not gonna hand over one of my only Bitter Valentine's or Bourbon County's knowing they'll never reciprocate nor appreciate what I gave them. I always let people try what I'm drinking though. If they like it that much, they'll go hunt it down and if that converts them into a friend that reciprocates then we're all happy!

 

Back in the good old days when I could wake up early and get in line for some Kate the Great bottles (fuck off scratch tickets!), I would buy as much as I was allowed to. I would always drink one on my own when it was fresh, and then share the remaining with friends that couldn't get it over the following year or two. When I only got 1 from the scratch tickets, I drank it myself. When they went to the smaller bottles, I didn't even bother with the tickets and just drank it on tap.

 

Don't drink large format (over 500ml) bottles by myself too often, but some exceptions have included:

Smuttynose S'muttonator, Scotch Ale and Baltic Porter
various Belgian styles (import and domestic)—Cuvée Van der Keizer Blauw, La Fin du Monde, GI Sofie, etc
Stone Ruination and Arrogant Bastard

I've got big bottles of Old Ruffian and Maudite cellaring at the moment. To share or drank solo? TBD.

 

22 oz. of beer isn't a big deal, particularly if you have food and take your time.

I also don't bring bottles to a tasting of something I haven't tried myself.

Yup if I get only one thing of something special, it goes all in one place as soon as possible.

My belly.

 

Cantillons. I don't like to share my sours. Don't judge me.