Overwhelmed by hype

I have had these exact same thoughts and I’m sure many others have here as well. After seeking out some of the super hyped beers I wanted to try, I found that most were only marginally better or on par with similar beers that I consider great and have easy access to. I’ve stopped chasing hype and won’t overpay for any beer. It’s definitely not worth it to me.
Trading also adds cost but can be very fun as well. I would go this route if there’s something you really want to try. Overall I wouldn’t buy the hype and just drink what you think are the best examples you have access to.

 

As someone who went out of their way for Treehouse & Trillium, I can say I wouldn't go out of my way again. At this point, we have BKS and Alma Mader, both producing fantastic NE IPAs locally. Couple that with Narrow Gauge shipping within state after COVID (hopefully they continue this), and I can have a fantastic NE IPA in my fridge without ever trying to haggle for a trade or paying a premium for a mule.

Obviously, everyone's situation will be different, and sometimes it is fun to try these Top 250 beers, or the beers people clamor about, but in general, I find the beers don't return the experience you'd expect.

FWIW, a friend and I did a blind tasting between King Jjjuliusss and King OJ Run from Narrow Gauge. Neither of us could detect a difference. I think my only score discrepancy between the two was on looks, with one of them retaining head better. Which one that is, I couldn't tell you, because both of those beers may as well have been from the same can. Somehow one of them trades out at what, $30 value and the other is a no-name. In fact, there for a whole month or more, I could've gotten 4-packs of the latter shipped to my door for less than a single can of King Jjjuliusss. I'm positive there are many more beers like the latter in the US market that would provide the equivalent experience as the sought after hyped beer, without the hassle to acquire.

 

I think you answered your own question...It may even be better. There is no effort to get it and it is certainly cheaper.

Take those hyped beers out of their pretty labels, neat artwork and popular names and they’re beer just like any other beer. That’s just me...have I always felt this way, no, but I have since come to this realization

Edit...just saw your post @Harrison8 and blind tasting beers certainly helped me come to this realization.

 

IMHO, except for very, very few beers, there is likely a local/regional beer that is the equal of the Hypemonsters. Especially in the MurkyIPA, Pastry Stout, and Barrel-aged Stout categories. Honestly, most bourbon barrel stouts taste damn near identical, as do most of the joosey beers. Drink what you can get, and don't sweat it too much.

And, start posting on the New Beer Sunday thread, because then you can join the NBS BIFs, where you'll get to try great brews from all over, in a low stress manner.

 

The hype is hype most often. Great beers are found on the shelf with seasonal rotation plus limited releases keeping things interesting.

 

The answer to the question you are asking depends on where you live. 10-15 years ago in NJ it was worthwhile to put effort into getting beers it’s not anymore. There is a lot of good local breweries and many excellent out of state breweries easy to find in stores now. It could be the same where you live.

 

This is what is great about the current beer situation: you can find great beer almost anywhere! (Even in a centrally isolated part of Texas.) For me, world class beer is an hour or two away, and our one local brewery is pretty good.

We have a new brewery opening this weekend about 10 miles away . We shall see!

 

I may not be the best person to respond here since I never made any undue effort to obtain hyped beer but IMO unless you live in a beer dessert (e.g., West Virginia, other) I would suggest that you can obtain relatively equivalent beers at your local beer retailers. If you don't feel the absolute need to drink a Tree House (or other hyped breweries) beer then just drink what is available to you locally. If you do feel the absolute need to drink a Tree House (or other) beer than I suppose if you have the financial means go for it.

Cheers!

 

Texas is a very BIG state so I am not sure what equates to centrally isolated but I can report there are a lot of breweries in Hill Country producing very good - excellent beers. How widely they are distributed I do not know (e.g., state wide distribution?).

Cheers to Hill Country beers!!

@PatKorn

 

Someone is making someone better and fresher near you. The effort is not worth it.

Beer will come to you. A few years ago I would have either had to trade or go to nowhere Iowa to get TG. Now it sits on the shelf places I have gone.

Don’t rush it. Enjoy the surprise and drink local.

 

Yeah Texas is massive. I flew into Austin, drove 9 hrs (80+mph whole way) out to Big Bend National Park /Terilingua area. Once you get past Hill Country, you are in the great wide open. Driving from Ft Stockton down to Terilingua I think we passed like 1 car every 15 miles on average. Crazy, remoteness (no cell service for much of the drive as well. Craft Beer dessert in the dessert that’s for sure. But for 3 days off the grid...it was amazing, everyone should visit that area of SW Texas at some point to appreciate how remote and beautiful some places in the US are.

 

I think beer is too vague of a description. Depends on the style. I assume you were referring to IPAs. For IPAs and some stouts I think there is the problem you described. The hype is real. I think there still are certain IPAs and stouts that are worth seeking out and not widely available. A lot of the great ones are still not widely or mass produced.
As for beer in general, I've found some of the best lagers and other styles widely distributed. I'd be far less pressed to chase down a lager than an IPA or stout. Some of the best lagers I've found have been local or macro-produced lagers. On the other hand, I'll still chase down an IPA or stout if the reputation warrants it.

 

I think to some of the pastry boy hype-chasers this is actually the end goal.

 

Little by little the need to trade and travel for great beer has become unnecessary. Fifteen years ago this wasn't true. Now world class examples of almost every style I enjoy are easily available Most areas of the country now are like this. Soon, I predict, most of the "hyped" breweries that have folks travel, trade, and buy grey market will be trying to distro, as more and more folks realize equally great beer is easily available.

 

After years of traveling, searching, seeking, sampling, swapping and trading I find myself underwhelmed by hype.

 

I see what you did there.