How did you get into craft scene?

My son was in his late teens and early twenties. Said he "was liking the beer." I thought ;"I had better keep up or fall behind." =)

 

My curiosity started building last July when I began reading about dogfish head's recreation of ancient beers. In my search for Midas Touch (which I really didnt like) I started looking into beer websites and different beer styles. Long story short I purchased a Founders Breakfst Stout and I am on my way.

 

My at the time girlfriend bought me a Christmas gift pack of Weihenstephaner that included the glass. She is now my wife...

 

peer pressure in high school

 

Ecstasy was my gateway drug to craft beer.

 

parents took me to Deutschland when I was 17, been downhill (in a good way) ever since

 

For me, it started out with a Samuel Adams Boston Lager. I had been a heavy Keystone Light drinker before that and I still remember taking that first sip of Boston Lager. I thought it was swill at first, but then I came around to it and it got me into some other brews from Samuel Adams and I branched out from there. Very thankful for that first drink!

 

I've always liked beer, drank mostly the usual stuff (Bud, Miller, Coors, etc) and once in a while tried some imported (Heineken, Bass). Then a few years ago some friends invited me to go to the Michigan Winter Beerfest in Grand Rapids. I tried a bunch of beers there and became aware of the beer scene. I was amazed at how big it is (number of breweries and styles of beer). But most importantly, how much better tasting these craft beers were. You could say my beer world went from black & white to technicolor that day. Since then I've attended more beerfests, read about beers on BA and have a "cellar" of some stouts. There's no going back.

 

In college, about 20 years ago I had a friend who introduced me to Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, tried it, hated it, and never touched it again (I will drink it now). Then I tried Redhook ESB, found it more pleasant than SNPA. I also drank from a local brewery in my city, Riverside Brewing Company. Their Seventh Street Stout got me hooked on stouts. I recently began to acquire a taste for IPA, but stouts (some porters) still reign in my fridge! Guinness Extra Stout was my drink for years until about three years ago I began drinking craft stouts.

 

I am also a stout lover, I have never tried Scotch ale, is the taste similar to a stout or porter?

 

While in college the apartment I lived in was just across the street from an Old Chicago restaurant. I kept seeing there beer list and them promoting this "world beer tour" so I gave it a shot. I distinctly remember trying a Flying Dog In Heat Wheat and thinking it was horrible. I kept going back though and trying more and more and eventually realized how flavorful craft beer was.

 

bige90. It's all his fault. Or maybe I should really say thank you!!!

 

Old Chicago was my entry as well. My girlfriend (now wife) lived about a mile from one so we would head there weekly and I would try something new every time off the world beer tour. I would just go in alphabetical order each time I was in so I could remember what I had tried, this was 2000-2001, been into it ever since.

 

2002.

Though I didn't review beer until 2007.

Anyway, it was mixed sixers of Magic Hat (when they still....gasp...gave a shit about making good beer) and growlers of Rock Art Ridgerunner/Midnight Madness/IPA that really got me on the path that I'm on.

 

In college, some neighbors were drinking something from Columbus Brewing Co. and were in a sharing mood. It probably came along with wanting to buy things, eat and drink things, and participate in things more locally rather than globally. Once you decide "Hey, I'm going to support people right here where I live"...it's not too hard to realize pretty quickly that it all tastes much better because it IS actually better or it's the same quality but better because of the local love.

 

Organically through my long and loving relationship with beer. For me it was never a moment. I drank craft alongside BMC and imports through the 90s

 

cyber bullying

 

Always liked beer pretty well but usually preferred wine until I started homebrewing. At that point, I wanted to sample more and varied beers to see which style I would make next. I enjoy homebrewing, but getting into the whole craft beer scene has been even more fun than making beer.

 

Living 5 minutes from victory, I started going there after they opened. First time I had hopdevil it was all over!