Time machine: you're in a craft beer bar, and its 1995. What do you drink?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by SCW, Jul 24, 2015.

?

You've been transported to July 1995 and these are the most popular styles. Which one do you go for?

Poll closed Oct 22, 2015.
  1. 1. Vienna Lager - e.g. Samuel Adams Boston Lager

    77 vote(s)
    11.3%
  2. 2. German Hefeweizen - Paulaner HefeWeizen, Hacker-Pschorr

    102 vote(s)
    14.9%
  3. 3. West Coast Amber - e.g. Mac and Jack's African Amber, Alaskan Amber, Boont Amber

    24 vote(s)
    3.5%
  4. 4. Brown Ale - e.g. Pete's Wicked Ale

    82 vote(s)
    12.0%
  5. 5. American Hefeweizen - e.g. Widmer Hefe, Pyramid Hefe

    22 vote(s)
    3.2%
  6. 6. Belgian Style - e.g. New Belgium Abbey, Celis White

    29 vote(s)
    4.2%
  7. 7. Smoked Beer - e.g. Alaskan Smoked Porter

    38 vote(s)
    5.6%
  8. 8. Scotch Ale - e.g. Bert Grant's Scotch Ale

    14 vote(s)
    2.0%
  9. 9. American Pale Ale - e.g. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, Snake River Pale Ale

    280 vote(s)
    41.0%
  10. 10. Lambic - e.g. Liefmann's (Cantillon not widely distributed at the time, so not considered)

    15 vote(s)
    2.2%
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  1. fermentedbarley

    fermentedbarley Savant (1,057) May 22, 2012 New Hampshire

    Sam Adams Lager. Duh.
     
  2. johnInLA

    johnInLA Pooh-Bah (2,286) Jun 12, 2005 California
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    There was no such thing as a "Craft Beer" bar in 1995. The term "Craft Beer" came much later as "Micro Breweries" grew to large to be "Micro" anything. At least in my circles.

    As for whether styles popular in the 1990's will be popular again, I would suggest all styles have there place whether they are the flavor of the month or not. In the 1990's most Americans had no clue what a sour ale was. I remember tastings were people couldn't finish a 3oz taster. It was just to foreign to their understanding of beer.

    I remember hefeweizens being very popular in 1990's. But mostly German hefeweizens. My favorite was Franziskaner.

    As for myself, I remember drinking

    SIerra Neveda: Pale Ale, Porter, Stout
    Anchor: Steam, Liberty, Porter, Foghorn(8oz), Chistmas
    Rouge: Dead Guy, Old Crustation
    Chimay:Blue, Red, White
    Delerium Truimenens
    Sam Smith Oatmeal stout

    There were more but that's what comes to mind.

    As for whether I would go into a 1990 retro bar? Probably not. I prefer to look forward rather backward.
     
  3. Brolo75

    Brolo75 Initiate (0) Aug 10, 2013 California
    Deactivated

    Twenty years ago I was chugging Buds straight out of the can even though I had tried Sierra Nevada Pale Ale in '94-95 and I found it too bitter. Somewhere around this time I tried Redhook ESB and really enjoyed it, as well as Guinness, Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout and a local brewery that is no longer around that served 7th Street Oatmeal Stout. Growlers of 7th Street Oatmeal stout were $6 back then! I thought it was a great deal, 64 ounces (if I remember correctly) of great tasting local beer for $6!
     
  4. cyrushire

    cyrushire Initiate (0) May 25, 2012 Florida

    Henry Weinhards I think.
     
  5. JaefromLA

    JaefromLA Initiate (0) May 19, 2015 California

    I would never opt for less variety. Now is better, my memory isn't that bad.
     
    russpowell likes this.
  6. ivorycannon

    ivorycannon Initiate (0) Feb 21, 2013 Indiana

    Drank a ton of Bass back in the day. Harassed for trying new beers by my friends. especially Imports. MERICA!:grinning:
     
    russpowell likes this.
  7. JaefromLA

    JaefromLA Initiate (0) May 19, 2015 California

    But really though, most of the microbrewery drinkers I hung out with in the 90s would agree on a tap list like this.
    Snpa
    Bigfoot
    Petes
    Petes strawberry blonde
    guiness
    Newcastle
    Henry weinhards
    and a shit load of Sam adams.

    that's what most people drank in the early to mid 90s, at least around where I grew up.
     
    russpowell likes this.
  8. russpowell

    russpowell Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,256) May 24, 2005 Arkansas
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    My problem with Bass is I knew what the cask version tasted like, kind of like going from filet to headcheese...
     
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  9. ivorycannon

    ivorycannon Initiate (0) Feb 21, 2013 Indiana

    Exactly! Is it just me or over the years Bass developed, How do I describe the this? Kinda a wax like flavor. It changed!
     
  10. HorseheadsHophead

    HorseheadsHophead Grand Pooh-Bah (3,708) Sep 15, 2014 Colorado
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Tough call between SABL and SNPA, as I love both beers, but I decided to go with SNPA.
     
  11. russpowell

    russpowell Grand High Pooh-Bah (7,256) May 24, 2005 Arkansas
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Been a long time for me. I think I ticked early on here & have never revisted it. I think they may have actually made that under license in the states for a while, but I may be confusing it with Whitbread...
     
    ivorycannon likes this.
  12. ManforallSaisons

    ManforallSaisons Maven (1,480) Mar 20, 2008 Belgium

    Sorry if already said b/c I can't get through 4 more screens (at least with out getting thirsty/weepy). My memory of that time in DC and Boston (I'm sure it was different out west, but we did have Anchor, obviously SN, Mendocino, Grant's...) is there were lots of English-style stouts, porters and barleywines out there. For sure my night out would hit at least one. It seemed like every brewpub also had much more correct-to-the-English-style PAs and IPA, more like Bass than Bell. I think that's about where the market was then, around my stompin' grounds.
     
  13. costanzo_mike

    costanzo_mike Pooh-Bah (2,848) Jul 17, 2014 Massachusetts
    Pooh-Bah Society

    I think I'd go with that Alaskan Smoked Porter. Get the night started off right
     
  14. Boverhof3

    Boverhof3 Initiate (0) Dec 25, 2006 Michigan

    Sadly it was Zima for me in 1995.
     
    DarthVorador and russpowell like this.
  15. ramay86

    ramay86 Initiate (0) Jul 30, 2014 Minnesota

    I would leave.
     
  16. Dandrewjohn

    Dandrewjohn Zealot (575) Apr 13, 2013 Texas

    20 years ago, I was only dimly aware of craft beer, having been raised on Coors. I would consider a pale ale to be a good intro to craft beers; German lagers as well. A little later, I fell in love with St. Arnold Amber. Fortunately, my tastes have broadened a lot since then.
     
    #196 Dandrewjohn, Jul 26, 2015
    Last edited: Jul 26, 2015
  17. HeartofMiami

    HeartofMiami Pooh-Bah (2,233) Sep 20, 2014 Florida
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    I think I was actually drinking this in 1995
    [​IMG]
     
    DarthVorador and russpowell like this.
  18. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,181) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Society

    While you are your friends may not have been using the terminology of “craft beer” in the mid-90s that terminology was in usage since the mid-80’s.

    Below is something I posted in a past thread:

    “The origin of the term “craft brewery” was discussed in this thread: http://www.beeradvocate.com/community/threads/when-was-micro-brew-renamed-craft-beer.5835/

    You will read that @jesskidden opines that the beer author Vince Cottone should be credited for the popularization of this term (circa 1986).”

    Cheers!
     
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  19. mccorvey

    mccorvey Initiate (0) Dec 3, 2013 North Carolina

    I think this was my favorit beer back then.....

    [​IMG]

    Followed by....

    [​IMG]
    and

    [​IMG]

    (might have been a couple of years later, I can't remember for sure)
     
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  20. beerjerk666

    beerjerk666 Grand Pooh-Bah (5,081) Aug 22, 2010 Florida
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    1995, huh? Well, I would have to go with the Pete's Wicked Ale. Used to drink quite a bit of this back then.
     
    russpowell likes this.
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