How old were you when you got into craft?

I'll be thirty in a month. I was 22 when I got a job at a liquor store and drank In Heat Wheat by Flying Dog, simply because of the connection with Hunter S. Thompson. I was blown away. Before that, Newcastle, Bass, and Wexford were my "extreme" beers. It's been an uphill adventure ever since.

 

Made my first visit to Goose Island in 1988 at the ripe old age of 25.

 

The week I turned 21. I was so pumped to be able to go to the grocery store and pick up different 6-packs I had never heard of before.

 

Had arrogant bastard when I was 18(29 now) at a bar I was playing a show at. If you're underage you're supposed to stand outside until you play but no one told me to leave when I walked in with a guitar, In fact maybe over the next 100 shows from 18-20 no bar told me to leave if I walked in with my band who were all 21 or older. I didn't like it much, didn't hate it, but Strong ales and old ales are one of my favorite styles now.

 

11

 

16, I started to get sick of all the ice beer and 40s of cheap malt liquor. Then I found boulevard wheat and the rest is history.

 

Sometime after I graduated from college and gained the funds necessary to pursue better quality beer from what I had been drinking previously.

 

Drank my first craft beer at 14 years old.

Started homebrewing at 19; worked at a homebrew supply store until I was 20, and got hired as a brewer's apprentice one month before I turned 21 years old, started Sixpoint at 25.

Craft Rules Everything Around Me.

 

30 years old and I started with craft beer. I was a non-drinker prior to that point.

 

I was a late bloomer. At the ripe old age of 22, I kinda figured that I would drink Sam Adams, Guinness or Harp over Bud, Miller or Coors if I could afford it. However at about 26 is when I considered myself a true advocate of better beer. And a few years later, I found this site and it's been all downhill since then.

 

i was 21 but it was only a few weeks before i turned 22. i'm 23 now and love craft beer. with a little over 1 year under my belt i look forward to a long, semi-prosperous, and totally-enjoyable future with it.

 

Well that is a crazy damn story. Now if every 14 year old drinker could grow up and brew me some 4Beans, the world would be a better place. Bless you, and your innovative love for the java and the beers.

 

Get the money, dolla, dolla bill ya'all

24 when I tried stepping away from BMC. About 30 when I fully converted to good beer. 34 now.

 

I was always a 50/50 switch hitter from '81 to '86, usually due to funds, but there definitely was a breaking point where I didn't go back to Budweiser and the like again. That puts me at about 22, although we didn't call it 'craft' at the time.

 

I think I was 21 when I started drinking "crafty" beer (ie Blue Moon). Less than year later I was pounding Arrogant Bastards and IIPAs like a champ. Haha.

Cheers.

 

I was in my late 20's when I had my first SN Pale Ale and I didn't like it much, I had tried Shiner a few years earlier and liked that more (not sure if that's craft) and of course the what ever else was on sale, I just like trying new things. The first beer that I liked that I think was craft was Pete's Wicked Ale but I don't make any more I never liked New Castle though. Does any one know of a good alternative?

 

I am 27. Got into craft at 19.

 

4 year ago when a friend gave me Surly Five for my 31st birthday.

 

I was drinking Sam Smiths Oatmeal Stout on Dead lots in the early 90's. Does that count? Then moved to Pete's and Sierra Neveda Pale Ales. Obviously much has evolved since then but I've been drinking quality beer for a very long time. So I guess the answer is 18.