What was your gateway craft beer?

Pete's Wicked Ale was the first beer that made me think there were better options out there.

SNPA changed everything though. The flavor and aroma completely blew me away.

Stone IPA really started my love for hops. I couldn't believe how bitter it seemed at the time. This beer has also really stood the test of time for me as well as I still drink it quite often.

Victory Prima Pils made me realize a hop head could really enjoy a pils. It's become my go to warm weather beer now (especially since it's canned).

There are other important ones as well, but these 4 immediately came to mind.

 

A couple of years ago, I was having supper out on a warm April day, and asked what they had for "dark beers". They suggested an Odell Mountain Standard, and it was great, had two. I went to find some at the local liquor stores and my first craft revelation; some beers are seasonal. I finally found some the following November, got it home - and it was terribly bitter. Second craft beer revelation; beers change with age - the one I had the previous April had been out of season, and aging had muted the bitterness. While searching for this beer, I discovered all of the places in town selling craft, and got a good look at how many craft beers existed. From there I started trying beers and figured out the dark beers I liked were specifically stouts, and about that time I found the BA site and you guys. I call Odell Mountain Standard my gateway because in the act of hunting it, I got into craft.

 

Hate the brewery, hate the owners and everything about the company now, but Sunking Weemac got me started on craft beer. There was a major boom of Sunking in the local market and everyone loved it including myself until they got greedy and started evading taxes and making unethical business decisions. Long story short I wouldnt piss on the building if it was on fire now. But that beer opened the door for me.

 

I started by going to my local brewery that had just opened because I wanted to see what other kinds of beer was all about. I had not done any research beforehand so I chose a pale ale (Arcadia brews mostly English-style ales, so the hops were a bit muted) because it sounded like a middle-of-the-road choice. It worked and I was hooked.

 

What got me into good beer, I would have to say my sadness for what was out there. Each and every big beer guy is just the same idea in a different colored can. Not matter what I drank it was just a watery version of the next guys beer. After some time I thought wow this is sad, there is no life left in this stuff, it has gotten to the point where now they are just focused on cutting carbs out and playing to the crazy exercise nuts than making good beer.
Then I realized how many good breweries were local and easy to get to. Then I realized they are canning their beers and offering growlers (This is back in early days when it was not as big as now). Finally I understood that good beer did exist, it was made by guys who loved it, who drank it, who put their life into it. That was the day I never looked back, that was the day I said no to bad watery beer from guys trying to pretend their brand is what is King or what is cool. Now I enjoy more choice than ever, I can drink a new beer almost daily without and end in site, and guess what, never a watery one anymore.
Cheers to craft beer for making beer good again, exciting again, for making it real again!

 

My friend from college moved up to Boston right after college in 1992 and took a job as a staff accountant for Boston Beer Co. Went up to visit and of course one of the fringe benefits was free beer to take home. He had several cases of Boston Lager and Boston Ale in his apt. waiting for myself and others to have for free all weekend. I recall the beer tasting pretty good, but it was very harsh and difficult for me to have several of them in a row (being 22, still had the mindset of drinking lots of beer for hours on end to get drunk).

 

Pete's Wicked Ale! A friend insisted that I try it and when I did I was amazed! But I can't seem to remember who it was so good me about it!!!!

 

I was into good beer since the beginning, so there was no real eye opener. Still, whatever Merchant du Vin imported always seemed to be a cut above the rest. My first beer for 'special occasions ' came from them - Aass Bock, so I gotta go with that one.

 

For American craft beer, I'll go with Pete's Wicked Ale

 

Can't say I had any epiphany moment, just drank imports until stuff like Sam Adams and Sierra Nevada began showing up. I have traveled a good bit and 25-30 years ago started making a point of seeking out brewpubs where I visited. Those places introduced me to batch crafted, unfiltered, unpasteurized, fresh beer and that broadened my horizons considerably.

 

My friend kept talking up and drinking Oberon when we'd go for drinks after softball. I finally tried it one week, and I was hooked on microbrewed beer. I was already drinking Smithwick's and Guinness, which were still considered adventurous among my group of friends. We did have a guy drinking Hacker-Pshorr, and he was seen as way out there. Good times, and I'm glad to have been exposed to Oberon, which is still one of my favorite summer beers.

 

Was at a bar in Rhode Island watching the world cup with some of my friends college buddies and I saw the Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA tap handle. I had no idea what IPA was or DFH. I was a Sam Adams drinker up to that point. I loved it. It was a completely new experience.

I went to my local beverage center when I got home looking for it and they had it so I bought a couple sixers. Them shortly after I joined BA. And then I tired Flower Power. And so on and so forth.

 

In 88 or 89 took a road trip to visit a bud in Boston. He said let's go visit this brewery, they give you a free beer after the tour.
Took me to this crappy area (South side?) and we toured Sam Adams. After the tour, Jim Koch himself talked with us while we were drinking our free pint, then brought put a 6 pack of some new special beer. Was talking about the new beer (forget what it was), and my buddy and I grabbed a couple bottles and cracked them open,. Koch looked at us, and said something like, "well, those weren't supposed to be opened, but now that they are, what do you think?"

After so many kegs of Bud, Bud Light, and Coors Lite at Penn State, that Sam Adams was a real treat!

 

No particular story but Magic Hat #9 was the first beer I ever really liked.

 

I tried a few Sam Adams in high school just because I saw the commercials and was curious, so that opened me up to the idea that there is better beer than cheap macros. But I went off to college and forgot about good beer and just drank whatever was cheapest. Luckily my sophomore year I ended up living in a house with a guy who knew a thing or two about good beer and introduced me to good beer. The first was Old Rasputin Imperial Stout. Been an Imperial Stout fan ever since. That guy ended up being one of my best friends and a groomsman at my wedding. Coincidence? I think not.

 

Somebody gave me half of a German beer, that I've forgotten , that let me know that there actually was good beer. This, maybe? https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/142/1944/
It wasn't anything I could find at the time, but I kept trying things. Occasionally I had something, such as Moosehead, or Saranac Pale Ale, that I liked , if in the right mood, but nothing I wanted regularly.
Then Ommegang's first offerings hit the local grocery chain, in '97 or '98. I tried all 4, &.... wow ...that IS goooD!. Don't remember which one was first, but I do remember liking Rare Vos just a tad more than the other 3 (Hennepin,Witte, & Abbey Ale (dubbel)) . Went from there.

 

I think for me it was Founders Porter. I had had porters before but nothing like that! Which led me to Dirty Bastard, Curmudgeon, and others. For awhile, my kids said I should buy stock in Founders. But those beers led me to others in the same styles and the rest is history. And to think that happened one Saturday when I stopped in my local store to buy a bottle of wine!

 

Arrogant Bastard. First consumed when I was a younger lad in 2002! Drinking this beer was basically a testament to your manhood back then. We were generally under the impression that drinking a whole 22oz grew hair on your chest!