How do you source beers?

I think trading is probably your best bet if there's something rare you're dying to try. I am a big fan of road trips, but my days of hunting down whales are about over. These days I'm more likely to "source" new beers from a local taproom with a hundred (give or take) taps and a rotating selection of domestics and imports.

 

Find a store that specializes in stocking more "crafty" beers. Those places will usually post new inventory on Facebook.

What out of state beers are you looking for? If you dont mind me asking. Depending on the beer they'll sell out unless your there within a few hours of the announced release its crazy and for likely inflated prices.

 

I’m a little confused by the OP. If you are new to craft beer in the Chicago market you should be kept busy on local stuff for at least a good 2 or 3 years. It’s impossible to keep up with everything rotated into Binny’s from the 50+ Chicagoland breweries let alone Midwest, national or international breweries. Are there specific beers you are trying to find? Or styles or brewers? If you are looking for hyped beer just know that often times the difference between them and more easily available beers is often times minuscule
or subtle enough to be disappointed by the effort of the hunt.

 

Do U even FOBAB, bro?

 

This. If you just limit yourself to the Chicago and surrounding area breweries. Your wallet won't be able keep up. At least you don't like IPA's, and all that. Cos. You'd be broke, cos we also have Omega yeast. Which has exploded the possibilities of those things.
For your barrel aged interests. Chicago has some of the better programs in the country. So, at least until spring. You're in luck, and it's a good idea you track down some of what Revolutions barrel aging program has been up to.

 

Hope your wallet is large.

Enjoy

 

You can send me as much is/was, goldfinger, sundial, and dust and I’ll trade you gratitude

 

Festival of Barrel Aged Beers
It’s a fest in the fall that takes place on UIC campus in Chicago. If you want barrel aged stouts, this is the place to sample.

 

I've come to the realization that if my local beer distributor doesn't have it, then I either have to try to brew it myself or go without it.
Around here, Shangy's in Emmaus, is a beer emporium, they have so many beers not available anywhere else, but it's a 45-60 min drive each way for me. That's too far for me nowadays, plus I'll probably spend my mortgage in that place.
I've gotten 50l kegs of Jenlain Bière de Garde & Paulaner Salvator there in the past. I mean, the selection of kegs & cases is just mind blowing!
Ah, to be 21 again.
To be honest, most hyped up beers are a let down once you finally get to try them anyway, although there are exceptions.
If I really wanted something specific, I'd try to order it online, but I hate to pay the shipping and handling fees.

 

If you spend all your time in that one aisle. Yes. And it will reek like a huge fart for the last hour of the session.
Fobab is taxing, and also pretty eye opening for what barrels can do with beer if you venture outside of the general topic of barrel aged stouts. Just be prepared to be goggle eyed.

 

Your deep dive in BA stouts will have you paying well more than $15 a bottle.

Enjoy

 

Beyond tavour and trading, if you're targeting certain beers many breweries do online releases for their most sought out stouts. You can try to score them on line and then you can get a proxy to ship them to you

 

Most of the beers I get are from stores locally, other than when I make occasional trips out of state and buy things there. Get some other ones from friends who give some to me too which helps. Order some from out out of state but it helps that Ohio allows a good bit of shipping here too surprisingly. I'm not a trader so that limits what I can get overall, but I really don't have any complaints about what I can get around here although most people want (myself inlcuded) what they can't get in their areas.