So Many Beers. How to Chose?

I may as well add that I've had great success exchanging beer with other BA members throughout the country, either through BIFs, or whatever; pretty much sending and receiving boxes that represent what the local scenes are like. This way, at least, the beers may be unknown to you, but there's at least some vetting going on. Lot of fun, too!

 

A lot of stuff I’ve seen on BA. My store will list their new arrivals on their website, and they also started posting their six favorites of the week.

Generally I’m not looking for IPA 4-packs that cost over $12, so that narrows it down a bunch. I shop by style and like to have a mix of different types on hand.

Yes, we’re spoiled for choice these days, and sometimes I wish stores carried less so there would be less old beer on the shelves. At the same time, it’s awesome to have so many great beers to choose from these days in a lot of styles, and when you start getting into more esoteric styles you still see a few options.

It’s also worth remembering that taste is so subjective. Almost anything on the shelf is going to have a crowd of people who like it or it wouldn’t be there.

 

I love places like Binny's and Total Wine. I could spend hours just looking at everything and picking out a few things that happen to strike my fancy. I usually go in looking for specific styles, and I always have BA up on my phone for reference.

I guess that didn't help much, did it?

 

Pretty much random and what looks appealing at the moment. Slightly influenced by a certain web site I spend too much time on. Easily swayed by wow never tried anything like that before...

Certain breweries do get priority. Allagash could bleed my wallet dry. Jacks Abby and Springdale, Founders are favorites. Boulevard for some styles. But after that it is pretty much an eclectic assortment of oooo....squirrel...

 

I mainly look for styles I like, which narrows it down a lot. Then from to time something new will catch my eye or I will have a beer or two I've seen/read about and wanted to try but haven't yet.

 

I have three main stores I frequent, and I try to do the rounds at least once a week. I know the stores, so can easily spot anything new. While I've tried 108 of 111 styles, I prefer stouts, porters, quads, and Scottish ales - typically bourbon or rum barrel aged, and most of what I buy are singles of new-to-me beers to review. Within those constraints, I'm lucky to spot one new arrival each trip. More typically, I'll go a few weeks finding nothing, then will find several in one trip.

I do buy packs of favorites for my cellar, but rarely otherwise. I watch a couple of local Facebook group pages where new beers are often announced by the distributors, so I usually know when new things are arriving. Lastly, I've gotten to now the store managers/owners and they will often save things for me if they're limited, often without my asking. Talking to them often reveals info about pending arrivals. So the key is to know the stores, know the management, know what you like, and gather info about new releases.

 

I just love as my wife puts it: “Staring at beer”. I call it “Beer shopping”. Basic rules: Do it solo. Allow plenty of time. Research to have a bit of a plan. And the one I struggle with the most, for shit’s sake, don’t be afraid to try something different, really different.
I check locals, seasonals, fav style, than browse. I realize after reading this thread, I need to get over to the International section more often. I have tried the list thing but that takes the fun and aimless wandering out of my shopping experience.

 

Just the sight of a well stocked beer aisle has a calming effect on me. Just knowing they are all available to me at my choosing. Of course I choose what's freshest which is the closest thing I have to a guideline.

 

I usually have a "list" of beers I'll want to try right then and there, as well as one that involves which stores carry what, prices, etc. Always allow one blank "spot", since there are times I'll go and find something I've been wanting to try for years, but because it wasn't available before, put into "storage". Other times, its just something that catches my attention ("I've GOT to have it"), and sometimes takes priority over everything else, so mood plays a part, too.

 

After many years of both of us drinking almost nothing, my wife was dismayed when I got into craft three years ago. I generally don't take her beer shopping because she's not enthused with my new hobby, but on one occasion when we were on travel I wanted to stop at a regional craft-beer mecca, Casanova Liquor in Hudson, Wisconsin (near Minneapolis/St Paul). Since I was going to be a while in the store getting beers not in distribution at home, she opted to come in. I was surprised when she helped me find stuff on my list, and didn't say anything about craft beer prices, which I hadn't mentioned much.

 

I could not agree with you more here. I truly enjoy a great beer but beer should be complimentary in the context of great friends or an event.

And @cavedave - Your points are equally well taken with the current situation a respite to many years of a few and poor choices.

Enjoying the bonanza of great options and getting past the Instagram/Facebook mentality that seems a bit more pervasive when visiting places is my only hangup. That one is not in Koln.

 

I hit the stores looking for fresh offerings from tried and proven breweries, or look for a style I have not tried from a known brewery, or a favorite style from a new to me brewery.

Then I get back in the car.

Lately I have been visiting local breweries, Revival and Proclamation this past weekend.
The selections are limited but the freshness and quality are pretty much guaranteed.

 

1) Walk into store

2) Find Prima Pils

3) Pick up Prima Pils

4) Walk to register

5) If anything else looks interesting on the way to the register, pick that up, too

6) Walk out of store

 

Really? If there was a Binny's a half hour from me, I'd be there three or four times a week. When I travel east, I plan my overnight stops in cities with a Binny's. I think I prefer them at a safe distance, now that I think about it.

Edit: And another thing: I don't think I'd want anyone else picking out my beer for me any more than I'd want someone else picking out my groceries. Shopping is part of the whole experience. I'm always finding stuff I didn't come for, and that's half the fun.

 

Your point is well taken. I don't want to go back to the dark ages of nothing but AAL either (though no, I'm not quite that old - I was born just before the craft movement began). If the current state of things is a reaction, though, I would say it's an over-reaction that will (and should) rebound a little bit.

And your point about maybe the folks in Koln wanting more choice is well taken as well. That being said, I really like the pub culture that exists both in Britain and Germany, and the sense of community and location that is attached to drinking fresh beer. I wish we had more of that here, and I think we will in the future. By comparison, swapping out-of-date bottles with strangers on the internet seems like a hollow analog (not suggesting that's the point of this site or criticizing anyone).

More to OP's question though, here's my hierarchy for choosing beer, in order of importance:

1. Style I'm currently craving, subject to random changes
2. Quality
3. Freshness
4. Local
5. Ethics of the brewing company

Things that totally don't matter to me, in no particular order:

• Package graphics
• Presence or lack of clever tweets or sexy instagram posts
• Package size (within reason, obviously)
• The amount of rage against the machine that the brewers have
  • Can actually be a negative sometimes - beer is food, not politics
• Super bowl ads

So if I walk into a bottle shop, I'm usually looking for 1-2 styles (usually IPA and lager, to be honest). I'll take the highest quality, freshest beer that is made geographically closest to me, as long as the brewers aren't arseholes.

That being said, I try and drink draft as often as I can. Bottles and cans are a necessary evil, but draught is always my preference. The same hierarchy of choice applies.

 

I buy a lot of local beers, by local I mean beers from the state of NY, not necessarily super close to me. Aside from that, I usually do my seasonal favorites- Oktoberfest/festbiers in the fall, along with wet hop beers, summer goses, winter/spring varieties of stouts.

 

Hey, I've used that technique - although, in recent years it goes like this most often:

1) Walk into store

2) Can't Find Prima Pils

or

1) Walk into store

2) Find Prima Pils

3) Pick up Prima Pils

4) Pull out a bottle* to read "Enjoy By" date - turn sideways, looks for small white type, put on stronger reading glasses...).

5) Find that EB date is long past.

6) Put Prima Pils back on shelf (again )

I use this method - and too often get the same results - for other PA pils from Sly Fox and Neshaminy Creek, as well as NJ's Double Nickel.
____
* The only PP I've found it cans recently have been in Victory mixed packs.

 

Unless it's a special release I just wander and look. And I but what sounds good, pretty simple. I was waiting for a med I was having filled at CVS and stopped in to Lowes to have a beer, yes, my food store has a bar and sells beer and fine. I was having a perfectly mediocre IPA from a non descript local brewery and as I was sitting tree I saw Weistephaner sitting in the case and thought a Hefe would be great. Alas it was Origional, they usually have Hefe but there wasn't even a hole for it on the shelf. Disappointing, so I bought a bottle of Red Zin instead, I wanted a Hefe.