Do you remember what got you into craft beer?

A combination of exposure to subpar craft brews (i.e. Long Hammer, Dunlap etc.), which gave me a sense of what different styles were about, followed by a slowly maturing sense of taste and desire to seek out specific beers for specific reasons (i.e. looking for something with a flavor profile suited to a given mood, or a solid example of a style, a la "I feel like an amber ale tonight.")

That, and realizing I greatly enjoyed the satisfaction of slowly enjoying one or two craft brews more than finishing the six-pack of Old Style.

 

Not sure exactly what it was, other than sick of drinking mass produced Adjunct lagers all the time. First one was Weyerbacher Hops Infusion, been on the journey ever since.

 

Troeg's coming into my town...took the tour and fell in love with Dreamweaver...then Mad Elf

 

Avery. And the fact that my wife (girlfriend then) was the bar manager of a restaurant that had Avery on tap. Their IPA flexed muscles in my palate that had never been used. It was the dawn of a whole new vice.

 

Some men's magazine article on craft beer.

 

A friend gave me a Rochefort 8, a Westmalle Tripel, and a Duvel.....the rest is history!!!

 

I'd always had a slight interest in craft beer and Dad would typically grab a couple for us to share every week, but the real crux was just one beer. Green Flash IIPA. I'd drunk a few good local craft brews like Three Boys and 8 Wired that provided a spark, but the Green Flash IIPA was the point of ignition!

 

This place.

 

Developed a fascination with all things Belgian. After cleaning out my local shops of everything I could get my hands on, I started branching out to everything else. The rest is history...

 

Fat Tire/New Belgium

 

Working at a theatre in Gainesville the year after graduating college. One night the ASM on our show asked me if I liked beer. Figured he meant Coors Light, so I said sure and we agreed to grab a beer at the end of the night. Went to a craft bottle joint called Stubbie's and I had my first Belgian beer: Kwak in one of those ridiculous glasses. We went to Stubbie's every third night for the rest of the season, and within 6 months I had a basic working knowledge of beers and was, like, totally broke. That was 8 years back and a still trade haul picks with that guy. Good memories. Now I want a beer.

 

I was a SNPA fan for years. I wanted to branch out one day and was looking at labels and saw these crazy ABV %'s and I had know idea beers like that existed. While I was browsing the grocery store manager who was a beer geek, asked me if I needed any help and he just started making suggestions and I took them. It just took off from there.

 

I was tired of drinking piss in a can so I mixed it up...
one of my co-workers suggested a few beers and was hooked after trying them

 

Well since I was 21 (currently 23) I've been drinking craft and/or imported stuff but usually paired with some crap BMC stuff. There's a bar with a program called the MBA or masters of beer appreciation that started it off but I wouldn't say that's what got me into my current kick.

The MBA list (you get a $15 gift card every 15 beers had and a 4 oz upgrade once you complete on all drafts from pints to 20 oz)

Pilsners and other Lagers Pilsner Urquell – Kostritzer Schwarzbier – Sam Adams Lager – Troegs Troegenator – Czehvar
Weiss
Allagash White – Hacker Pschorr Weiss – Hoegaarden
– Weinstephaner Hefe Weisen
Pale Ales
Doggie Style Pale Ale – Anchor Steam Liberty – Sierra Nevada
Fullers London Pride
Brown Ales
Rogue Hazelnut – Sam Smith Nut Brown Ale – Smuttynose Old Brown Dog
Stout
Sam Smith Oatmeal Stout – Guiness
Belgium Ales
Duvel – Orval – Chimay Premiere – Chimay Grande Reserve – La Rulles
Palm Speciale
Specialty Brews
Blue Paw Blueberry Ale – Saison Dupont
– Aect Schletherla Smokebeer
IPA
Dog Fish Head 60 minute – Weyerbacher Hops Infusion
Stone Ruination – Boulder Mojo
Draft
Dogfish Head 90 minute – Flying Fish Farmhouse Summer
Sam Adams Seasonal – Old Rasputin Russian Stout
Hacker Pschorr Octoberfest – Stella Artois
Flying Fish Oktoberfish
Seasonal Brews
Brooklyn Octoberfest – Dog Fish Head Pun'kin
Sam Smith Winter Welcome

Cool introduction to beer and almost all my friends were completing it/en route when I was starting out so it gave some great nights. That was a nice start but I wasn't quite fascinated like I am today with everything beer. It might've actually been the last year release of KBS that got me really interested in hunting and drinking new beers. I've drank way more good beer in the past year than I ever thought I would. And my wallet is a bit lighter thanks to that.

 

Budweiser, but since there was no craft beer to speak of back then, I had to wait a while.

 

I was visiting graduate schools and came to Jupiter's in Berkeley, CA as part of a "visit weekend" for prospective incoming students, which was described to me as "gourmet pizza and beer." Had the honey wheat or hefeweizen or something else mediocre and accessible, but quite enjoyed the pizza and place overall.

So first semester in graduate school I went out there a few times with friends, and on one such visit a friend ordered the "Quasar double IPA." I tried a bit of it and was absolutely blown away by the complexity in the flavor in a beer, and I haven't looked back. It remains one of my favorites, and something I will make an excuse to go to Jupiter's to get.

http://www.jupiterbeer.com/beer-list/

 

So...do you remember what got you into craft beer? (you know, prior to reading the link )

 

I tried some good beer.

 

I grew up about 10 miles south of where Firestone Walker would eventually make it's home. I can remember getting given cases of DBA that had been mis-labled by friend, who's brother worked there. WOW! It showed me a whole new world and I've been hooked ever since.