Ignoring a beer based on widespread availability: Unwise

no but I have pass over many because of prices. I know what styles I love. I know what I dislike. I would drink all the rest if there was enough money....

 

Yeah, looking for rare stuff is kinda overrated. There is a lot of good beer that's available just about everywhere, you just have to know what you like.

 

Yes, ten Fidy. I t resembles a can of motor oil and when I finally bought it I was sorry that I had walked on by so many times.

 

I used to pass over Sierra Nevada brews all the time because of how readily available they are, but now I look forward to just about every variety they produce. Damn good beers if you ask me.

 

Absolutely. Some of the best beers in the whole country are surprisingly common. Check out the "Beers of Fame" for tons of great beers that should be (mostly) available: http://beeradvocate.com/lists/fame

 

I always find if funny/sad when people who are "craft beer aficionados" don't get around to drinking widely available locals a year or two after they started drinking craft.

 

Ratings and rarity does not mean the best. Glad you found that out.

Go check the top 10 rated beers, drink all of them and see if they are the best things you've ever tasted. Maybe some are, but I highly doubt your top 10 would be the exact same.

 

+1
If you focus on this list http://beeradvocate.com/lists/top
more than you focus on this list http://beeradvocate.com/lists/fame
you are doing it wrong, IMO.

 

Same here. I haven't had a SN brew that wasn't delicious. Last new one I tried was Kellerweis...delicious hefeweisen.

 

what's even funny to me, is when i try a beer i thought would hate, but find out i was wrong. its usually fruit type beers. i found that some days i just have to give it a go, no matter what. those finds are always enlightening to me, quite to my surprise! its funny how many times i am wrong, lol

 

Yep, I love Kellerweis. And of course, Celebration Ale is now hitting shelves...one of my favorite winter/holiday seasonals.

 

Nope.

However, I regularly ignore hard to get beers in favor of ones that are readily available.

 

They won't have rarity flavors in them, and therefore I won't be able to taste those or taste the 90-something score on BA.

 

Sometimes, I go to the store to look for a limited release, give up and buy something that's available all year long.

 

I actually tend to do the exact opposite. I'm very hesitant to purchase more limited beers, often needing to do some research before pulling the trigger. I'll buy a readily available beer with no second thought at all. This is for two reasons:

- A 'craft' beer that enjoys mass distribution has to be at least slightly above average. If it wasn't, craft drinkers wouldn't be purchasing it and the brewery wouldn't be able to afford to distribute it on that scale. This only pertains to 'craft' since those who drink these types of brews care about taste.

- Price

 

I still have not tried Trois Pistoles. Not because I assume it is no good, but because I can always get it next time (there are a number of these beers that I am slowly going through). I figure once I am tired of catching up with the BA Speedways of the world--and in between finding them--I'll grab one of these great easy to find beers to enjoy. And I do, I just like trying new things. Don't drink enough beer to do both consistently.

 

I am more the opposite and ignore most special releases and one offs and walk out with my New Glarus, Lagunitas, Two Hearted and all the other beers that are world class and just sitting on the on the shelf... Whoever decided the 4 packs and bombers that you have to track down are better then the beers just sitting there is an idiot.

 

Also, not available to me in Florida, but tried a couple easy to find Karl Strauss brews while in San Diego and thought they were absolutely awesome. They were Red Trolley and their pale ale (forget what it is called). People definitely seem to be taking those for granted out that way given their ratings.