Did A Particular Brewery Get You Into Craft Beer?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by VincentFrey, May 27, 2015.

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  1. VincentFrey

    VincentFrey Initiate (0) Jul 30, 2011 Maryland

    I thought it might be interesting to compare what brewers influenced people in pursuing this hobby, craft or not, against any particular allegiances you have now. Especially considering the wide swaths of age and locality on the site.

    For me it was Flying Dog. As a college house meet and greet we'd have these awful barbecues on a $10 grill, but one of the guys always brought a bunch of FD. Really shook me in comparison to the PBR and Red Dog I'd been drinking. Back when they did Canis Major, he was able to get some of the variety 4pks and we'd skip a few classes to try these giant, exciting beers (for us anyway).

    Post college I've been enamored with Oliver Ales, as they're down the street from me and the staff is fantastic. The brewing team are some of the nicest folks ever, even filling a carboy with their oatmeal stout wort so I could try fermenting it with a few yeast strains.

    Anyway, anyone else?
     
  2. Fox82791

    Fox82791 Initiate (0) Jun 20, 2014 New York

    Probably would have to go with Southern Tier. Choklat and Pumking were the first two crafts I ever tried, and almost all of the craft beers I drank early on were in the souther tier lineup
     
  3. Nmelione

    Nmelione Initiate (0) Dec 28, 2014 New Jersey

    It was Victory for me.
     
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  4. tmbgnicu

    tmbgnicu Maven (1,280) Mar 15, 2014 Pennsylvania
    Trader

  5. StoutChaser7D

    StoutChaser7D Initiate (0) Nov 16, 2012 California

    Sierra Nevada, specifically Pale Ale. It was always available at my parents house. Hard to go back to macro after good, fresh, local beer.
     
  6. jgido759

    jgido759 Pundit (967) Oct 7, 2014 New Jersey

    Blue Moon -> Sam Adams -> Weyerbacher -> everything else...
     
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  7. Rollzroyce21

    Rollzroyce21 Pooh-Bah (2,211) Oct 24, 2009 California
    Pooh-Bah

    Avery for me
     
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  8. Henderson1897

    Henderson1897 Initiate (0) Apr 16, 2015 Wisconsin

    The first real craft beer I had was Pete's Wicked Ale, which turned me onto something better than the college Coors lights. I'd say Central Waters was really the one that got me into it...and now, it's just spiraled into an expensive hobby :wink:
     
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  9. cjohns73

    cjohns73 Initiate (0) Dec 19, 2010 Delaware

    Stone, or maybe Victory.
     
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  10. jonandhisflask

    jonandhisflask Initiate (0) Apr 5, 2011 Kentucky

    Great divide- first growler the day of my 21st was Oak aged Yeti.
     
  11. Mongrel

    Mongrel Initiate (0) Feb 14, 2013 Maryland

    Sierra Nevada and DFH, namely SNPA and 90 Minute
     
  12. 4ingredients

    4ingredients Initiate (0) May 22, 2009 Massachusetts

    Sam Adams and Harpoon. 30yrs ago they were just about the entire list based on availability in the area. I broke away from the BM (C was not east coast then) masses and started looking for things more satisfying.
     
  13. dbannister

    dbannister Initiate (0) Aug 9, 2014 California
    Trader

    Sierra Nevada to start (an embarrassingly long time ago). Chimay on tap was one that I was blown away by. Then Russian River.
     
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  14. UrbanCaveman

    UrbanCaveman Pooh-Bah (1,866) Sep 30, 2014 Ohio
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    My progression went from no beer -> Icehouse -> Guinness / Smithwick's -> Samuel Smith's -> Great Lakes -> the pissy little world traveler I am today.

    So, wherever you draw the "craft" line, that'd be the brewery that converted me.
     
  15. RblWthACoz

    RblWthACoz Initiate (0) Aug 19, 2006 Pennsylvania

    Spaten was my gateway beer.
     
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  16. MittenBrews

    MittenBrews Initiate (0) Jan 19, 2015 North Carolina

  17. moshea

    moshea Initiate (0) Jul 16, 2007 Michigan

    I was a beer guy for over 15 years. Founders Red's Rye turned me into a beer geek and Founders is still my favorite brewery
     
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  18. Chris-1911

    Chris-1911 Initiate (0) Dec 10, 2014 Illinois

    Rogue and Dogfish
    …and now about the only beer I drink of either is chocolate stout
     
  19. rozzom

    rozzom Pooh-Bah (2,620) Jan 22, 2011 New York
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    There were definitely a couple of beers that really tipped me over the edge into geekery. But not an entire brewery (although Founders is closest)
     
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  20. JouerAvecLeFeu

    JouerAvecLeFeu Pooh-Bah (2,032) Apr 17, 2015 Washington
    Pooh-Bah

    Red Hook.... No, wait. Abita. That was the first local microbrewery that I had. But Red Hook ESB became my first 'regular' beer.
     
    #20 JouerAvecLeFeu, May 27, 2015
    Last edited: May 27, 2015
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