Transition to Craft

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is always a good place to start at.

 

I've always called Sam Adams the marijuana of beer. It's the gateway beer that gets people into trying real craft beer.

 

Whatever your favourite beers are to drink. That way you can better articulate what you like about them.

I don't subscribe to the sours/quads for wine drinkers, something "easy" for BMC drinker recommendations - my experience has been there's often little correlation between what someone likes to drink usually, and what craft beer piques their interest

 

Sam boston lager was the first for me; its still really good too.

 

SN was my gateway into craft 14 years ago after a brief stint in Cali. Dales PA, Founders PA and a whole lot of others will fit the bill for BMC buddies.

 

Fat Tire, easy to get people drinking that... not really a favorite of mine, pretty bland IMO.

I think canned craft beer make good candidates, as long as it is something that isn't offensive such as a wheat ale, amber ale, etc...

 

Firestone Walker Pale 31

 

That's what I call Dreadnaught and Pliny the Elder...

Because really, they taste like marujuana.

 

In addition to Boston Lager, I'd try a Pils. Looks like you should have Victory and North Coast in GA, so Prima Pils and Scrimshaw could work well.

 

It really depends on the people involved, and what their tastes are. Hop-forward beers can drive away at least as many people as they lure in - I know in my case, SNPA kept me firmly in the land of "Guinness and Smithwick's are as crafty as I'll go" until I encountered a good porter and Vienna lager (and I still think SNPA is undrinkably hoppy over a decade of craft beer later).

If they might like yeast flavors, go with an approachable Belgian style, like a Hoegaarden, or with a good hefeweizen like Weihenstephaner or Ayinger. If they may be into malt, go the Sam Adams Boston Lager, Great Lakes Eliot Ness, or similar beer route. If they might be into hops, the pale ale approach should work, and if that's a bit too forward for them, a good pilsner may get the job done.

 

Beer is very much about perception. I say get some kind of IPA, make up some extraordinary story behind it that caters to their interests, and i bet they'll like it.

 

You'd be surprised at what some people like. I don't subscribe to the "give them something that closely resembles what they already like". I prefer "give them something that blows their mind". If you give them something and say "this tastes like budweiser" when it doesn't taste like budweiser they will be disappointed. If you give them a Narwhal or a Breakfast stout.... well they've probably never tasted anything like that before.

 

My first craft brew experience was Oaked AB, I couldn't believe what I was tasting. I say give them what you like so you can guide them better, if they truly like the TASTE of beer in general I think they'll be open and receptive.

 

Well OP is in GA, I'm originally from SC so I would say go with a SweetWater 420 or New Belgium Fat Tire. There is always Yuengling as well which is usually an easy transition for most beer drinkers. Although I wouldn't call it as crafty as other brands it could put the notion in people's mind that there is something better out there. Which (don't kick me out of the forums) also goes for beers like Blue Moon that claim to be craft while large manufacturers make them. I must say that Blue Moon has a mixed 12 that could at least show people that there are different styles out there and they are available to everyone year round. I'm ok with any beer that shows people the light even if they must start with "fake" craft beer.

 

Simple. Whatever you give them, tell them it's a Budweiser/Coors product and have an empty bottle or can of something crafty they really do produce at the ready. After they've had it, if they decide they like it [usually because it's from a company they trust], tell them what it really is, show the real bottle or can and see if they still like it. If so, you have a convert. If not, give up. They'll never see the light.

 

When I was still drinking coors light, I remember trying IPAs and loving them. I don't get the 'too bitter' thing people sometimes talk about. That's like saying, sure, date girls - but just ugly ones at first... don't get ahead of yourself...

 

You're not going to convert anyone that isn't open to it already.

Most of the BMC drinkers I know are so aligned with ONE specific brand they won't even switch to a competitor's brand in the BMC arena (i.e. my Bud Light friend won't touch Miller Lite), much less any kind of craft beer. It's almost akin to having a favorite football team - they're not beer drinkers, they're BUD LIGHT drinkers. This isn't always the case of course, but I notice it a lot.

SO, I usually show up with whatever I'm drinking for the night and enjoy my "hoppy, weird, sissy, dark and pretentious" beer quietly. If someone is interested enough, they'll ask and I'll share.

 

My father in law is slowly coming along. He likes to "make his own mixtures"--he fills a glass with 3/4 amstel light and splashes in some crappy stout like Guinness. Pick a beer thats low in ABV too--he is afraid that all craft beers are like 8% alcohol.

 

Rogue hazelnut brown. it looks scary but is very approachable.