Beers being unworthy based on avaliability?

Well said, this is exactly what i do. My example would be Unibroue. 7 of their brews are constantly on the shelf at my local spot, so i passed on them for years, cuz they were so readily available. Then i tried a little 2oz sampler of Maudite, slapped myself, and grabbed 1 of every Unibroue on the shelf!

 

Yeah I mean I'll buy 2-3 bottles in a heartbeat when it's available and at least that many for Pliny!

 

I sometimes shake my head at myself...as I am paying $30+ to ship out a box of really good beer, to get a different box of really good beer. Just so I can have what I myself cannot get. It sure is fun though!

 

I always keep stock of my favorite readily available beers in the cooler. Rares come and go, but it's always nice to know that I'll have some good choices any time of the year, and when my personal stock runs low I re-buy and restock.

 

Rare = Mo Better

“When people drank the same wine beer, but they believed it was a more expensive wine rare beer, areas of the brain that are associated with encoding pleasure were more active.”
http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2012/06/most-expensive-wine/

 

Availability has nothing to do with how I like the beer. I will say, however, that any brewer that consistently produces an excellent beer in large quantities year round without sacrificing quality deserves a lot of credit for that accomplishment.

 

There are very limited beers that taste like crap and widely available beers that are fantastic. It all depends on the person.

 

I have to bring up a point I feel is valid. Anything that is mass produced on a grand scale loses value. As much as just wanting what we don't have, there is something inside that wants to feel the craftsmanship, hard work, and dedication behind the product as we enjoy it.

 

I travel extensively for work, so I'll get to try tons of different beers from all over the country on a weekly basis. However, there has been a lot of times that I'd be out in a random state and just order something that I can get at home.

People tend to have this notion that just because something is rare, it makes it good. There are plenty of great beers out there that you don't have to jump through hoops to get.