How Did You Learn So Much About Craft Beer?

I spend a lot of time here and drink a lot of beer. Don't have nearly as many ticks as a lot of people here but I'm going to continue to try more,

 

I've only met a couple of the guys so far, but hopefully we get a good thing going.

To learn all the hype beers, hot beers, whalez, etc. just stick around here and see what everyone is talking about. It takes awhile to figure things out especially when everyone talks in acronyms. I like to look through the latest haul page as it shows what is around the country that we aren't exposed to in Michigan. What is being released, what we don't get distributed, etc.

There is a LOT of beer in Michigan to try before you even get close to trading. Don't go chasing everything to tick it all away. It can become more about the chase and horde, than it is about the good beer.

 

Just spend a lot (and I mean a lot) of time on beer advocate...research the trade forums (thats a good way to find out new releases), check out other regional forums, but mostly it will just take time, a natural progression we all take...its crazy how far you will come in a year of two of being on this site.

 

I was lucky to have good bartenders. A whole foods opened up next to where I work and when I found out it had a bar, I started going there after work. They gave me good advice and leaned me into styles I wouldn't normally try at that time. At no point did they ever ridicule me, or make me feel like a noob, even though I was one. When I slaughtered the name Lagunitas, they didn't snicker. If they wanted me to try something, and I passed, they would usually bring me a sample over to try, saying you at least have to taste it. So that and what I have learned from my fellow advocates here, and the books I have read has gotten me to where I am now, a poor guy with 2 fridges and an office full of beer, always running around looking for more. Thank ya'll

 

2 years of BeerAdvocate
80+ trades
Constant reading on this site
Bottle shares
Brewery visits
Facebook groups

Knowledge is power!

 

All the previous posters banged it. Reading through the thread and if I missed it, please respectfully disregard my post - a local bottle shop with a solid selection and knowledgeable trustworthy staff would be invaluable. (Same holds true for local craft beer bars.)

 

I learned a ton/became obsessed by trading beers, home brewing, hitting up beer fests, reading books about beer and visiting as many breweries as I could.

 

snob experience from being a cigar smoker and a wine drinker . ground-up experience from being a grower and a connection maker. current experience from extra money to spend and BA.

 

I honestly just went to a few favorite spots and drank all the beers they had on tap, of course not in one sitting. Then I moved to the to-go six packs and got beers I never had. From there I was able to know what I liked and what I wanted to drink next. Besides using Beeradvocate, I also used the Untappd app. It's a great way to keep track of your beer and shows you all the different beers you have drank, currently I'm at 804 different beers. Once you work up your craft beer palate then move on to beer trading to get some brews that you cannot get in your state. I just started trading September 2015 and I've been able to drink some great brews such as Heady Topper, Pliny the Elder, Firestone Walker, Treehouse, Trillium etc...Your wallet and waist line may hate you, but you'll love this craft beer journey. Cheers!

 

drinking, talking, reading. homebrewing. visiting breweries.

 

This website, reading reviews, the style guidelines, the forums especially the ones where our regulars are really debating a style, NBS and @JackHorzempa who will answer my same question every time I ask it .

 

When I was a baby my mom used to breast feed me Guinness

 

Talking to people at breweries, festivals, bar and bottle shops. Homebrewing gave a deeper understanding of the whole process. Coming here and reading, rating, and reviewing what I am having or looking into. This is one of those things that you have to do or experience to learn and understand more about it.

 

Drinking my bank account away.

 

Join an ISO:FT group on FB and people watch pay attention to my beer buzz and beers tree journal

 

Literature

 

This site
Homebrew books
Brew Dogs t.v. show.

 

In order
I was fortunate to have been stationed in Germany and England, and traveled throughout Europe
Started home brewing and hitting up beer fests
Discovered BeerAdvocate
Get got a part-time job at Total Wine
And I drink a lot of different beers and styles