How have your preferences for beers evolved?

Yes, like the others on here I started drinking AAL's. Every so often we'd feel fancy and buy some "dark beer" like Amberbock or Dos Equis. I don't think Double IPA's were a thing back in the early 00's, but I'm sure I wouldn't have liked it. I thought Bud was too bitter!

My tastes are still evolving, but maybe slowing down? I haven't gotten on board with pastry beers or lacto-IPA's or anything like that. I stopped at sours.

 

Yup, that's the Van Winkle I bagged. I put my name in on a liquor store raffle, where the first entry picked gets to buy their first or second choice of many different mid-range bourbons, at a premium - stuff that never hits the shelf. I listed the Van Winkle as my only choice, and luckily I got first draw out of 75 people. List price is $79.99, but it never goes for that, and their premium price is $125. I could have gotten $1,200 to $1,500+ on the gray market, but I bought it to drink, so I cracked it with family at Christmas.

The manager said he was second draw, and he was hoping I wouldn't show up to claim it, then he would have gotten it. He looked bummed. Now I'd like to land a 15yr, 20yr, or 23yr Pappy's. I'll have to keep an eye out for the others you mentioned. I got my Blanton's by asking about it at my favorite liquor store where I know the owners. They sold me one they had in the back. I should ask them about Pappy's....

 

Evolve? Not really. I still prefer my malt forward beers (porters, stouts, scottish ales, etc.), but if I go more than a couple of weeks with out an IPA, I'm looking for one. Ales will always be my preference over a lager or pilsner, but if the beer is good, I don't care what the style is...I'm drinking it.

However, as I'm getting older, I can see starting to drink less higher ABV beers than I do today. Less evolution than the march of time...

 

I started by sneaking sips from my father's canned beers, mostly Falstaff and occasionally Narragansett. I enjoyed the former, it was malty and slightly sweet without much hop presence, but I found the latter to be too bitter. When I came of age, I turned to small pitchers of Michelob Dark at a local pizzaria. Then came the first wave of craft beers, mainly Sam Adam's, and some good imports, Samuel Smith's of England, Aase and Ringness of Scandanavia. A couple of breweries in Portland, Maine, brewed some excellent English style beers under the influence of Michael Jackson. Music wasn't his only gig. Over time I drifted away to more fuller bodied brews, such as I stouts from Ireland and Australia. After moving to Minnesota, I discovered Surly Bender and Coffee Bender. But Furious and Abresive didn't appeal to me as much as Wee Heavys and stouts did.
In 2017 I discovered Dogfish Head 90 Minute IIPA. I had flirted previously with Arrogant Bastard and Evil Twin Molotov Cocktail, two strongly hopped Ales in the West Coast style, and Damn, they were good.

I now cleave to IPAs, especially New England styles. I find most Russian Imperial stouts and Baltic porters to be just too sweet. With some notable exceptions. To wit, Surly Darkness and Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout.

 

Back around 1965 i had my firt sip of Miller High Life, the Champagne of Bottled Beers and I loved it. Unfortunately being 8 years old it was tough to come by except when fishing with Dad. 10 years later I discovered German beer and also loved them. A few years later I married a French woman and her dad taught me to love Belgian beers. 11 years later I started homebrewing and loved it. 30 years later I pretty much still love beer. My favorites have changed over the years, not always in predictable patterns. I had a brief fling with barrel aged stouts, Belgian quads, triple Imperial West Coast IPAs, etc, but I always come back to what tastes like good old beer.