ABV preferences

I'm a dipso and don't really give a shit about ABV so long as it tastes good.

I mean, I'm less likely to reach for a higher ABV beer if it's getting later in the evening and I've got shit to do the next day, but otherwise any and everything is fair game.

 

My preferred style, Brown Ales range from 4.5 to 5.5 ABV however lately I have been on a revisit macro brew IPAs that I have tried in the past few years before I started reviewing.
These beers range from 6.5 to 7.5 ABV. Two Browns or one IPAs per weeknight based on 12-oz. portions. On weekends, all bets are off.

The point is it depends on the style and the occasion.

 

The low ABV scene is better today than it was a few years ago here in my part of the world, but it's a slow crawl both in number of beers and in how low the ABVs are. Most of ours are sours. And for the ones that aren't I'd say it's a full percentage point higher here in the States vs. what I found during my trip to England this spring. So much great beer there in the 3.3-4.1% range, which here in the USA it's closer to 4.5-5%.

Fortunately for me our American brewers are mastering pilseners (IMO) and often keeping those beers' ABVs below 5%. And I love AALs and even Lone Star Light (3.85% ABV and not a bad grain bomb as grain bombs go).

I'm trying to maintain hope for a better and truer session beer scene here in America. It only takes drinking one good mild or bitter to fall in love with them, and more people than ever are willing to try them. I'm sure the cost-profit ratio sucks considering how much malt they require, but I still think a brewery here and a brewery there is going to find success selling good ones -- like Yards' Brawler.

 

Around 8.5, except of course for BA stouts.

 

I prefer 7% or lower. I will try if sharing with friends other beers and take smaller pours, but like others I think my time at the higher abvs is coming to an end. I'm trying to not have any higher abv beers at my house, but am still going through some older stock that has accumulated. It is also hard sometimes to say no when you see certain beers at the store but I'm getting better.

I realize that beer such as a Bruery Black Tuesday tastes good but these beers that are 15%+ don't really appeal to me.

 

A couple of historic notes about US beer and ABV, from the beginning of the "Craft Era", in M. Jackson's The Pocket Guide to Beer [1st US ed -1982]:

Jackson would have known of Anchor's Old Foghorn Barleywine at +8% abv by '82, but it wasn't mentioned in that first ed. - likely because it was not yet a regular release or commonly available (esp. outside CA), in part, likely because of ATF's problems with the "barley wine" terminology.

 

6,5% - 9,5%

 

Really looking forward to Bells Arabicadabra coming out again in October, one of the best coffee stouts, 55 IBU and only 5.5% ABV.

 

5% for pils and hefe, 6-7% for IPAs and farmhouse, and 9-12% for stouts and barleywines. That's about 95% of what I drink right there. I'm falling into a delicious rut as I get older.

 

7-8.5% seems to be my sweetspot for ipas and iipas which I drink most often. Prairie BA stouts around 11-14% when I want something to sip on for an extended time. Anything less than 5% and I may as well flavor my water

 

I tend to be all over the map with ABV enjoyment. That first beer after hard day of work, thirsty, hungry pre-dinner, generally low ABV tastes best and/or a nice IPA 8% or less.

Splitting firewood / removing snow and coming in to rest by the fire and having a 12% barleywine or BA stout...that's quite nice as well.

For me, there is a time and place for all great beers.

 

Seems like most of the best NEIPA makers have a sweet spot @ around 8%.

 

Around or less than 7% is what I prefer.

 

Anything above a 7% Im interested in, but I think the sweet spot is 9% to 12%

 

I have no specific abv guideline, just the general "lower." Lower is better. But it depends on the style. 4% to 6% is best for most styles, as long as the flavor and mouthfeel don't suffer for it. Even with IPAs, (my favorite style) I prefer them under 7% if possible. I rarely ever buy triple IPAs anymore and even double IPAs are becoming more infrequent. 9% is the point in which I become more hesitant to try and buy.
The only styles I specifically like somewhat strong are tripels, quads, barleywines, imperial stouts, and the like--in which the high abv is an important characteristic of the style.

 

drinking 3+, 4.5-6%
drinking 1-2, 6-7.5%

I rarely buy anything outside of the 4.5-7.5% range

 

IPAs 6-7
Everyday stouts 5-7
Imperials over 9
Hefes 4-6

 

Used to love dipas 8-9.5%

Threshold over the years has changed

Pilsners 4.2-5.3
Ipas 6.5-7.2
Dipas 7.3-8
Stouts 6.5-8.5
Imperial beasts no real limit
Oktoberfests. Nothing above 6% lots of places go fancy with ABV herenn

Goses or sours. Closest to 4.2% some creep to 5.5% level. Uhh.

Lately been seeing alot of dipas sit at 8%. Thinking thats the new norm. Love it. FBS at 8.3% is my normal stout limit. 6.5% oatmeal stouts are real nice too. Can't seem to get behind Guinness at 4. Something all too often.

 

5-12%

 

Because I choose not to be overweight, I stay below 5% as often and as much as possible. When you work in that range for long enough you don't want to leave it, and your preferences change to suit that range.

4 months ago I began my journey backwards down the ABV ladder in order to prepare for spinal surgery (today I am 7 days post-op). I've basically stopped drinking ale and my German import purchases have dominated my fridge - alongside AlpenFlo and Saranac Haus Lager (my house beer).

I went from 170 lbs to 149 lbs. I drink beer 4 days a week.