Are we spoiled in 2019?

We are spoiled, pure and simple. In one way or another, I've been deeply involved with how beer has evolved in my particular market. Travel and an international presence both provided a demand for products from many places. There was an implicit desire for new beers after Pop the Cap raised the limit to well beyond 6%. The beers we see now are amazing, but I really do think some retailers have taken on too much inventory for the demand of varied flavors. In my mind a well selected offering of great international beers is always a good strategy.

 

I for one have never been remorseful about being spoiled. If one feels that way they could stick to MBC ?

 

Didn't read the OP, but the answer is "Yes". About pretty much everything. I mean have you heard about history...

 

It’s unfortunate that I suffer from the freshness disease, I wish I didn’t.

In a perfect world we’d have unlimited beers in any style 30 days old. Looking at hoppy beers we’re over saturated to hell and back, some really great beers are dying on the shelf.

I haven’t a clue here, it’s great and it’s a fucking mess all in one stroke, it has been. I’m not much on experimentation, and at $12 a six it’s tough. You go single shelf and age bites you in the ass. So I go to whatever comfort beer works for me in my area, I suspect I’m not alone.

 

That is what I like about PNW, you're getting practically all the styles brewed to the best standards locally (WA/OR)

 

Of course we are. Never have we had so much choice, truly a golden age of beer. If you don't think so, just remember the 1970's.

 

So true, I remember like it was yesterday when Sculpin was the #1 Rate beer on here.

 

FYP

 

We're super-spoiled. If you're in any type of medium to large metro area these days then your choice on what to purchase craft wise is staggering. Some threads I just ignore if they're too extreme-complaint heavy

 

SHUSH!!!!!

 

Incredibly spoiled.

 

Have we reached Germany/Belgium status?

 

Really?

As one of those "Older BAs", I don't know a single person that "celebrates the days when there were fewer beers, fewer breweries".

In fact, most of us "older BA's" celebrate witnessing and participating in the transformation of limited choice and beer deserts into the beer renaissance we live into today.

Many of us have spent decades, helping to transform people's perceptions of beer, one palate at a time

Honestly, this premise sounds like some serious misinformation to me.

 

Yes, but only because I finally found a local brewery I can buy kegs direct from within days of release. There is no turning back. It makes everything else taste like a shelf turds.

Even the brew pubs and tap rooms have lost their appeal since most don’t clean their lines, glassware, etc. or have the freshest beer.

I’m ruined.

 

Word.

As the kids say.

Wait. Do the kids still say word?

Us "old" BA's aren't all too hip.

 

Yes, Akron specifically.

 

Many folks just like to complain.

If every brewery made only beer styles these folks like, they'd complain that they all aren't of the same excellent quality.

If they only made beer styles these folks like and they were all made the same excellent quality, these folks would complain they aren't made traditionally enough.

If they made only styles these folks like, all to the same excellent quality standards, with both traditional and modern takes on it, they'd complain they aren't all equally fresh enough.

If they made only styles these folks like, all to the same excellent quality standards, both tradtitional and modern takes, all of them fresh and in the fridge at the store, these folks would complain that brewers don't innovate enough.

Some folks just like to complain

 

When you've been around long enough you tend to get the opposite of spoiled. After a few rounds of seeing things come and go, and the regret that goes along with not taking advantage while you could, you don't take anything for granted any more. And you get a much better handle on how to balance things out in the long run.

 

I genuinely don’t meant the following facetiously.

If what floats your boat is being able to try single dry hopped, ddh, tdh NEIPAs, with or without lactose, some with wheat, some oats, some spelt, some a combo, some with citra, or mosaic, or galaxy, or motueka, or medusa, or any number of new sexy hops, perhaps with fruit additions, perhaps with a sour element. Or if you like big stouts, barrel aged or not, with any combo of peppers, chocolate, coffee, cinnamon, coconut, almonds, pecans, caramel, doughnuts etc - then yes we are totally spoiled. Here in NYC (as I’m sure is the case all over the country) there are a seemingly endless number of local breweries churning our their takes on the above. Perhaps they also do a kolsch that’s hopped with citra and topped off with guava to mix things up. So in that sense there is so much on offer.

But outside of that segment are we spoiled? Again using NYC as an example - the international and non-vogue style selections have completely dried up. Several of the larger stores who used to have a very wide selection have gone out of business. Smaller more curated places predominantly selling the stuff above have taken their place. Places like Whole Foods have downsized. There are a couple of outlier semi-local breweries that buck the trend and focus on other styles. But they’re far from ubiquitous. There’s probably a 10:1 ratio at best, and as is the trend these days mostly sell direct from the brewery. It’s hard to find a bar with more than one or two sub 6-7% options.

So the answer for me is that it depends.

Perfect world for me would be a situation where I can buy direct from the new breweries what’s on offer in 2019, with the store selection that more reflects things a few years ago