What's your beer buying strategy?

I live in Pennsylvania where you have to purchase beer by the case or larger bottle as they come from the brewery, unless the beer is being sold in a place with a bar (higher unit price). I generally buy variety packs of locals and beers with a good reputation. I will occasionally buy a case with only one type of beer that I know I really like. I tend to stay away from bombers as they are a total ripoff.

 

1. Stuff I haven't had before
2. Standbys.

If I see whales I nab them, but most of the time I'm just looking for things I haven't had before and want to try.

 

I go to my preferred beer store every Thursday to shop for the weekend and 90% of the time there are at least one or two new beers on the shelf, so I buy sixers of those. Then on a Friday I'll buy a new bomber or maybe just something I want that I've already had. I try to find beer I haven't tried most of the time.

 

Check this out...

1) Jump in the car and drive to the store.
2) Go in said store.
3) Pick out some delicious beverages.
4) Go to the cash wrap.
5) Pull out my money clip.
6) Swipe my check card like it's never been swiped before.
7) Sign and smile.
8) Run out of the store laughing like I won the lottery.

How's that for strategy?

 

Personal whalez > seasonals/limiteds > beers I haven't tried yet > favorites

Within new beers, I get whatever I feel in the mood for. Some trips it's all high %abv bombers and BA stuff, other times it's a lot of session beers and IPAs and such.

 

Find something I haven't had
Buy it
Drink it
???
Profit

 

I have a rotation/short list of taste brews in mind


I check dates and buy the freshest I find

 

I generally try to keep it local, or at least regional (New York, PA), which for me is Southern Tier, Saranac, and lately Victory. Sierra Nevada being the occasional exception. I also shop by price, I rarely buy bombers (although the 3 Ommegang's I bought myself for Christmas were positively delightful!) and try to keep the 6 packs to under $10. Saranac and Sierra Nevada are always a good value and I found a bottle shop that sells Southern Tier six packs reasonably.

 

Step 1: See Beer I want
Step 2: Buy it
Step 3: Drink it
Step 4: Repeat

 

I walk into the store, choose my selection. Take it to the counter and hand the clerk money get my change and leave. Then go home and drink it.

 

Walk into store, ask the guy what he has behind the counter. Drool. Put the slippery when wet sign down. Go to shelves buy more than intended and go home without any guilt.

 

Stouts and porters baby. Or anything thats in season and tickles my fancy

 

I separate into mouth pour or butt chug

 

Remarkable strategy. But what the hell is a cash wrap?

 

haha, the cashier, sorry I've worked a little retail in the past...

 

I just look for stuff I haven't had before, unless I'm looking for something particular to pair with a meal I'm planning.

 

the roadmap and description isn't big enough to fit in this room.... and involves a lot of mutually assured desctruction.

 

Que people telling you you should give those new releases to customers and never drink any yourself.

 

I buy to support my drinking habits. I always start my sessions with IPA's, so my fridge always needs some of those. I then follow with Stouts, Barleywines, Wee Heavy's and Dubbels.

I have a rotating group of 5-7 IPA's I like, so I always have those. I usually buy and cellar enough Founders Imperial Stout, Bigfoot & Dirty/Backwoods Bastard to take care of my night caps.

If I'm having a party I pick up more sessionable beers like Two Brothers Sidekick or All Day IPA.

I always pick up Oktoberfests and random seasonals that interest me. I rarely buy bombers and don't chase whales. I just saw Surly Darkness at my shop today for $21.99 a bottle. I've never had it and can easily afford it, but no beer is worth that much to me. I picked up a 4 pack of FIS instead for 11.99. 2x a quality beer at half the price. Darkness may be slightly better, but it's not that much better.

 

I can go in the store with something in mind, but usually end up staring at the beer for 40+ minutes before finally picking something. It doesn't help I have 2 stores with an awesome selection