Are you a flight guy?

You are so relaxed that I feel a sense of calm just when I see your avatar.

As for the question, same as most people here. Normal visit to bar/brewery, I'll usually just stick with one beer, to build 'flavor momentum.'

If it's a new brewery (we have plenty in Chicago) I'll order a flight, or if those aren't available I'll form a strategy with my girlfriend/drinking buddy to maximize our sampling, to see if the brewery can do anything right (sadly, that's the kind of pessimistic mentality I've developed from visiting so many bad ones).

When I visited Russian River last year I ordered a 'flight', which was actually 6 full pours. It was a once-in-a-long-time trip, so I wanted to make the most of it. (It was over the course of about 2.5 hours, and I was not driving.)

 

never a flight

 

It's a matter of philosophy, I suppose. Getting a flight seems to scatter one's focus, and also makes your experience about what you're not getting as much as about the reverse. I'd rather just get one beer at a time and enjoy it as it comes- I'm more about having a beer than trying a beer. ETA: in terms of opportunity cost, I'd rather spend that time having beer than trying beer.

For some little rinky-dink brewpub, I'd sure hope that they offer samples so you can pick out the beer that's not an under-attenuated butter bomb ; if not, then I'd just invoke the two-strike rule and leave on the second one. I've had samples offered to me plenty of times, though. So, the issue of practicality hasn't really been a big one, in my experience.

I also do my homework when going to a new place, which lessens the main trade-off considerably (a small taste of many vs. a satisfying amount of one). And it's more geared to what will interest me, rather than what scores higher. Your 6 full pours at Russian River isn't what I'd normally avoid, however- I'm unsure of what actually made that a 'flight'. I have joked before about how I'd go for it if they were half-liter servings, but to me that's just an evening's drinking served all at once.

 

Lots in the beginning, less so now. If I am at a tap takeover and there is a lot of new beers, then I will do a flight if I have never had any of them and they sound interesting.

 

I love flights. Sure you don't get the best aroma of a particular beer, but taste is still there. I start with the least strong and work up. After tasting all offered, then pick one to savor.

 

I enjoy almost all beer styles, so if I'm in a new place (and have time) I still like a flight so I can get a feel for what the place does well and what they don't do as well. If I just order a pour of the brett IPA or hefe or something, I may never know they make a great bock or other style. However...if I've been there before or tried bottles of some of their beers, then no reason for a flight.

 

I agree that a full pour is a way better way to experience a beer and enjoy oneself -- but if it's a new brewery with a lot of stuff I want to try and no one beer I'm craving more than the others, I'll still go for the flight, especially if it's a place I don't expect to get back to soon.

I've also got to say... That RR flight. Damn. Seems like both the worst way to try beers and something I couldn't possibly say no to on a first visit.

 

Love flights because I love variety. It's basically the beer version of tapas. After the flight, I'll usually get a full pour of whatever I liked best.

 

I'll occasionally get them at places I'm not familiar with. It mostly depends on how many of the beers I'm actually interested in trying.

 

Liquor laws in NJ are pretty strict. Not all breweries offer the pint option.

 

Always get a flight. If there is a style I don't like, like Pumpkin anything, I'll ask if I can get a double of the IPA, they always accommodate.

 

If I'm travelling, I'm probably not going to get a chance to try an establishments beers for a long time. So, I will often choose flights. However, I really love it when half pint pours are an option.

 

You can't get a pint in Jersey?!

 

Bold City Brewery in JAX offers a FREE flight of their regular offerings to all first-time visitors, as long as you buy a pint after the flight. Wish more breweries followed that model!

 

Flights composed from a single brewery? Usually, no.
Flights composed from several different breweries? Yes, please.

 

Love the idea of a flight but it depends where I'm drinking. At my local brewery I have easy access to I'd rather just order a full pour. But at a brewery on a trip I do prefer to try a variety especially if I want to purchase a growler. I've never been to hill farmstead but if I did go I would get a flight because I know everything will be at least good if not excellent.

 

I love flights, like talent, good beer is easy to point out with a small taster. I don't need a full pint to know if a beer is good or not, just like I don't need to listen to Bohemian Rhapsody in its entirety to know that Freddy Mercury is superbly talented. Also when visiting a brewery with a lot of R&D its always awesome to try stuff they're try out. Found one of my favorites through that process, Spiced Unicorn's Milk by Stone!

 

Yesterday I went to a relatively new brewery in town, I got a flight because there were 4 beers that I've not had of theirs yet. Then I went to a craft bar and tried 3 samples and bought a pint of something else. I tipped very generously. I got to try a lot of different beers yesterday and got great customer service. If I can pick my own flight (like at OC or other breweries) then I'll do it. If I can't make my own selections then I'll ask for samples and buy accordingly.

 

I always go for a flight if possible, even though it is true some bartenders hate it.

 

Flights are fun!