Back to the GO TO's.....

I personally make it a point to try as much new beer as possible. This is in part to the fact that my go to's aren't distributed in MD and I haven't found any local beers that I've loved enough and are readily available.
If I could regularly purchase OTWOA that would be a good candidate but I've never seen it on store shelfs and the only place I've ever seen it is Max's.

 

I am glad to be back to my go to's (flower power, dirt wolf, perpetual), however, it isn't ticking that gets me sidetracked (usually just by a single 12 oz) but stocking up on seasonal releases (sucks, hop ranch, enjoy by) and visiting breweries (3 floyds, peekskill, ommegang etc) that shifts me away from my go to's.

 

1) I completely forgot about Dirtwolf. World class double IPA in my opinion. Not a repeat purchase, but this is a function of which styles I regularly purchase, rather than a failure on Victory's part. Hop Ranch didn't do it for me, but this may have been due to their hop selection for this IPA.

2) I didn't care for Citra Mantra. Seemed like a hop assault to me and nothing else. I would rather have an IPA. Fresh Slice however was a pleasant surprise. I'm one of the first to say, "if you're going to make it that hoppy, stick to an IPA and don't mess with other styles." But the hops complimented the coriander and orange peel quite well. Instead of completely muting the signature flavors of a witbier, it started hoppy and finished spicy for me. Well done. Would have liked to see the alcohol a bit lower for this one, as it would make a killer poolside beer. But 5.5% abv is a bit high for sessioning in the sun for this beer advocate.

3) I didn't mention the Andech's line in my previous posts simply because it's a new import for me, and not a series of new US beers. That being said, their Helles and Weissbier were both the best bottled versions of their respective styles I've had here in the US.....period.

 

Bell's Two Hearted. How do you go wrong with that?

 

Nice. If Sunny Ridge comes your way I'd be curious to hear your thoughts. Maybe Jack's thoughts as well. I'm not sure that one has reached many lager fans across the US yet. Everyone has tried Hoponious, Jabby...etc. but this one is fairly new. Unlike their other beers I feel this is one that stays "true to style" (I put this in quotes because this can mean different things obviously) and thought it was good but missed the mark a bit. Admittedly I have very high standards for a German pils. Troegs Sunshine Pils is one that nails it for my personal tastes, as one US example.

 

I generally buy an old faithful along with something new on my trips to the store. Ticking them off is part of the fun for me. Although I must say the hunt for limited stuff is starting to get old fast, which always brings me back to the tried and true items.

 

I totally agree about Sunshine Pils, and look forward to that one every year. It's the best of a very competitive bunch for me.

Some of the JA 'traditional' style beers are definitely available, including Sunny Ridge and Saxonator, but I'm putting them on a lower priority right now. I would definitely like to try them for curiosity's sake, but have the feeling that I would concur with your assessment of 'solid attempt, but there are better'. But, hey, you never know...

That one I really liked, and it was actually the malt profile that did it for me. I found there to be a solid bready/biscuity platform underneath those hops. I really enjoyed it and wish I had bought more.

I love the whole Andechs line, but the one that really stands out to me is the Dunkel Weissbeer, like a rich banana spice cake. They seem to push the dark malts to just before the point where they would start to dominate the beer, and instead get this amazing interplay between that and the spicy part of the yeast profile. I can't really think of another easily available analog, either, so it makes the price tag easier to swallow.

For me, the Andechs beers went from 'new kid on the block' to go-to in record time.

 

With a new Total Wines in the area I started ticking and suddenly realized just how much I was spending. This past week, I bought a 12 pack of one of my Go To's (FS Session Black) and a test 750 of La Terrible. I think that will be my pattern henceforth. A Go To and a review/rating bottle. TW and others make the mixed six too easy.
Go To's:

Full Sail Session & Session Black Lager
Schell's Firebrick
Stone Arrogant Bastard
Epic Fest Devious #11 (I don't know how much longer this will last, though)
Samuel Smith's Old Tadcaster
Brau Brother's Moo Joos & Sheep Head
​

They're good (perhaps not necessarily great) and they won't break my bank.

 

To old stand by's...cheers!

 

I buy what I want. Sometimes, I want different things.

Nuff said

 

Beautiful looking beer. Need to get my hands on some of that soon. Cheers!

 

I usually try as many new beers as possible when I buy beer. However, if there is nothing that catches my eye I will go with something I know is reliable and good (aka Deschutes).

 

I always have to order a glass of cuvee de jacobins rouge if i see it at a bar

 

Victory Dirtwolf. Usually get a case every few weeks for my gf and I.World class double IPA for 38$ a case here. Lavery Liopard Oir saison in 22oz bottles conditioned with brett have been a regular as well.

 

So far this year I've logged 36 new beers in my journal. I'm on track to match my total for new beers tried last year. I haven't rated many beers here because I am still trying to educate my palate and learn the vocabulary that many of you fine beer advocates use to describe various tastes, etc.
I enjoy experimenting with new beers, but once in a while I just want to sit back with one I enjoy. It's true that when you experiment you find beers that you don't enjoy as much as others, but if you don't look around, you won't find the ones you really like, or are great buys at the price.
I plan on continuing this way. It has led to me finding more beers that I enjoy, like Capt. Lawrence IPA, for example, which I enjoy as much as some beers that cost considerably more.

 

Dirtwolf. Delicious, easy to find and affordable. Textbook go to. Chillwave is also the tits. Old rasputin is my goto stout until founders RIS comes back

 

To the OP, I enjoy balancing trying new beers with buying old faithful(s). As others have said, it's pretty safe trying a new release from a trusted brewery.

 

Seems like a GO TO needs to be a GET TO--i.e. one available a big part of the year at least in your distribution-the one that after browsing the bottle shop for 20 mins that you pick up after your third lap when nothing new has hit you.

I love trying new things but agree with some standbys.

In NC

NoDa Hop Drop N Roll --2014 American IPA winner at the World Beer Fest--GO NC BEER
Sculpin
Dirtwolf looks like it may be getting close to becoming easy to get
Two Hearted
Dead Guy
Jever
NoDa Jam Session

 

I've mostly given up on trying (or at least buying at retail as opposed to a tasting/festival/bar) anything made by N. American breweries in the standard Belgian or German styles.

 

I do the same thing, often rating beers according to 2-4 oz tasters and then going back and changing the rating after drinking a larger serving of a beer if I have/find it again.