ABV - Which Way Have You Gone?

8% seems to be my sweet spot.

 

As far as regular drinking beer outside of my usual reviews; I tend to sway to buying regulars around 6% or lower. But there have been some exceptions lately.

 

I look at ABV more as a caution label than something that determines my purchasing habits. I honestly don't even look at it in the liquor store anymore. I just think about what I want to taste, what I can afford and what might not be there next time I stop by.

I find it much more useful at the bar when I see something I want to try, but realize it is 12% and know I have to drive home.

 

Depends on if I have to work tomorrow....

 

Most beers I drink are in the 6-9% range. I used to average something like 5-7%

 

Go to sippers are normally 5-7. But whalez are whalez bro.

 

I choose the former just because the majority of beers I buy are "double" this or "imperial" that, but really, I agree with @wordemupg. I drink way more high-abv beers when it's cold, but when it's hot, I tend to drink more lighter beers.

 

As an IPA and DIPA fan, I have indulged the 4.5-9.0abv spectrum. As I have learned about, and experimented with more heavier beers(Belgians, etc.) I would say that I have gone a little more towards the higher ABV

 

For me, 4.4% to about 5.4% with the occasional excursion to 5.9% will work. I find the the level of carbonation and the ABV go hand in hand, and 5.0% seems, at least to me, just about right.

So, no, I will not be going to the more ABV beers.

P.S.
There is no vote for me to cast, as I will not be going higher or lower for my daily fair. I will still review the higher and the lower offerings though.

 

couldn't vote as not enough options.
I go for all over the map.

 

I was brought up with session beers then when stronger and stronger beers came along I embraced these.But after while I realised that stronger beers actually give less overall. Yes, a stronger flavour but _I'm going to stir up a wasps nest-less complexity not more. That's because I couldn't unravel all the threads. Like driving a 200 mph car , I can't use half the performance so it's wasted.
Fact is that if you use the best ingredients and brew well you can end up with a low strength beer which loses nothing to its stronger brother.You can drink more of it so the enjoyment lasts longer.Your palate adjusts to the flavour level just as your eyes adjust to low light and compensate.And then you can detect all the flavour nuances dancing one after the other on the tongue.

 

I like beers with a fairly high ABV, I prefer 6.5% and up. Session beers and such just don'y do it for me, except a few saisons.

 

Entry low--go big bigger--back to lower for the most--rare foray away

 

Plays no decision in which beer I drink.

 

I guess about 75% of the beer I drink is less that 6.5 ABV.

 

For daily drinking, I definitely prefer to stay < 7%. There are some wonderful higher ABV beers out there, but I'm not going to crack open a bomber of a 12% beer on a week night when I have to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed for work @ 6:30 the following morning. So those beers get relegated to weekends and vacations and such.

I'm also cautious about buying big beers because so many of them are way too sweet for my tastes. I also 100% disagree with the implication that lower ABV means less flavor.

 

Lately, I've liked a nice, balanced, well made, subtle 4.5% beer.

 

I had a son (first child) in Jan, so 2015 have been trying, and enjoying, mostly lower ABV beers as looking to enjoy a beer or two and still be able to be up early and productive

Still have had a few high ABVs every once in awhile, but mostly cellering RIS/IS/BA stouts for next winter or two

 

Certainly seems to be seasonal for me. During the warmer months when I'm able to get outside and enjoy the weather more, I normally drink beer less than 7%. Conversely, I like to enjoy big barleywines, stouts, etc during the cooler months.

 

I guess you can only go up if you started on lager in the 1960's....most were fairly weak. Still not like I am drinking 10% much. mostly in the 6 to 7.5% range I would say is my favorites. Some dip to 5.4, like any 1 its a mood, thing.