What beer style are you most strict with?

Rather with you on the stouts, I'm very picky about them but even if I don't think it's "right" I try to at least enjoy it.
The beers I don't drink enough of (primarily because the vast majority of my beer money is spent on stouts) are west coast style IPAs. I don't think I've ever not enjoyed one, but when I have to choose I tend to buy the stouts.
Oh, to have far more disposable income, I could drink everything I wanted to try and go back to the ones I really liked. But alas.

 

If you don't like Stouts and Porters, but do enjoy smoke and bourbon, why not just have a glass of bourbon and a Winston?

 

Stouts and porters tend to be the styles that I will use to "judge" a new-to-me brewery. I tend to like most stouts/porters I try, but if the brewery can't brew a decent one that suits my tastes, I probably won't be giving them a second chance.

 

Why not combine the two and have an Islay single malt?

 

New England IPAs. Or as we call them around here Hazy IPAs. I'm snobbish with the name even. I've had so many mediocre attempts at this style, that it's rare that I'll drink one from a brewery not named Tree House (or some of the other elite breweries in the style). Before I buy a beer, I'll read reviews to see if the description uses buzz words like, hazy, juicy, etc. and just skip it if I'm not familiar with the brewery. Problem is, there are so many of the mediocre ones on the shelf.

 

American Brown Ale is my style with the strictest expectation and the least availability of quality offerings.

I expect traditional Dark Ales and Dark Lagers to be clear, maybe a little hazy in some cases. I try to give a far review based on style guidelines. I won't "beat up" an ABA (or other styles) for being cloudy; especially if it was brewed in New England, it states hazy or unfiltered on the label or I liked it anyway. My Looks score won't be as high as a equivalent but clear brew.

I'll try any beer once, revisiting depends.

 

Because scotch isn't bourbon.

 

I'll try non-BA Stouts and Barleywines once, but chances are I won't have them again. I strive to rate them based on what they are and try not to deduct for not being BA.

 

This is true, but bourbon doesn't have smoke. However, if you prefer bourbon, you'll need the Winston.

 

I am a big fan of BA stouts, but also enjoy many non barrel-aged stouts. For barleywines, it's a mixed bag for me, with the notable exception of Harvest Ale Matured in Lagavulin Whisky Casks from J.W. Lees.

 

Hazies and AAL’s. The two most common styles yet so many taste like piss.

 

Yeah, most barrel aging and addjunks distract from a good base beer. If the beer can't stand alone, it's not a good beer, and the tricks can cover a lot of flaws for some folks.

 

I'm strict about flavored stouts. If the brewer is touting a particular flavor I damn well want to be able to taste it, whether it be peanut butter, coconut, marshmallow, black cherry, coffee, chocolate, Carolina Reaper, or (in a perfect world) all of the above. Don't tell me it's an Almond Joy bar in a glass unless you're prepared to back it up.

 

The breweries with the most successful lines of add-junk and/or BA beers have a great base beer.

 

This. It's really aggravating when brewers exaggerate flavors. I've had a lot of beers where the brewer claims it's 'loaded with tons of xxxxx' and it can barely be detected - if at all. It's also aggravating when the touted ingredient is completely shaded by another add-junk. Perhaps they skip testing and just 'go for it'.

 

Few breweries make a non-barrel aged/non adjunct porters/stouts these days. I think that’s the actual dilemma. Porters-be more like Everett and Edmund.

 

I think of stouts and porters as generally more forgiving than the other big mainstays (IPAs, pilsners/“lagers”, hefe/wheat, amber) that formed the core brewpub lineup of the ‘90s and on. There’s a lot that can be masked by chocolate malt!
Having had some excellent adjunct lagers I’m even more critical of the swill that passes for beer (“beer,” “beer that tastes like beer,” Pilsners and lagers and anything -lite).

 

WC IPA's and Pilsner's and lately Lagers. Too many of the beers labeled WC IPA's are to my taste more like NE IPA's due to their choice of hops. WC IPA's to me are "C" hops baby! I received a shipment yesterday from Forest and Main of their House Lager, a terrific example of a Lager.

 

HIPAs, not too be confused with HIPPA