Does "rare" equal "must try" for you?

This is my response.

Black Note happens to be one of the better BA Stouts in America. I would certainly love to try it again.

 

I typically will try something if it's rare and I'm standing in front of it, but I've grown tired lately of really seeking it out. There were days where I'd easily make long drives out of state to get something out of reach in my area or something rare, but now I'm trying to focus more on the beers that I know I like and I can get with a reasonable amount of ease. I still get a little excited when something really special is around though.

 

it depends. I would throw down for black note as I consider it a standard of excellence.....but to be fair, I pass on a LOT of very rare and expensive beers............I feel that for a lot of them you have to have a good reason to drink them. Like a graduation or a birthday. Some things are worth buying to age in the cellar, but its not something I always go for. If I see something that looks good, but is very expensive, I have to do research on the product and see if it is worth it. a 15-20 dollar bomber-sized bottle of beer can only be enjoyed once.....but 2 4 (or 6) pack beers can be of a higher quality, a lower price, and can be enjoyed many times. That's how I think about it.

 

no

 

Every beer I brew is rare, and I do taste them all. Some are better than others.

 

I really enjoy the base beer for it (Double Trouble) to begin with, it's incredibly floral and citrusy, with just enough of that boozy quality I'd come to expect from a 10% (and after this point of aging 12% to 13%) ABV beer. The bourbon character comes out on the finish, with just a bit of toffee in there too. I'm fortunate to live in Grand Rapids and have easy access from other BAs I know to get rarities like this from their cellars.

If you get a chance to try/buy/trade for one, I highly recommend it friend!

 

Waitaminute - are you referring to a beer sommelier certification? If so, shame on you for passing up on Bell's Black Note. Are you only going to familiarize yourself with beers you like? Spend the money - it's part of your education - and then write it off as a tax deduction .

If I've got the wrong Cicerone, then do what you will, 'natch.
I, however, am always on the lookout for opportunities to sample beers I may never have a chance to sample again .

 

i don't know....over time my point in trying all these beers is really to find beers i can enjoy on a regular basis. Trying them is one thing, but having a purpose behind it is also important. If someone hands be a beer from Cali that i'm not going to find here in New England then i'm going to try it with a different mind set then if i'm trying a local brewery.

local brew - for long term commitment
rare brews - for fun

 

On my own, no. I would rather drink something I can buy locally at a reasonable price point if I'm just having a beer on my couch watching TV.

That said, if you have a tasting group, going after some rarities and opening them up together is a lot of fun, mostly because you know that it's likely a "one and done" experience with that particular rarity.

 

Er, no.

 

Definitely not, I only buy stuff I think I'll like or stuff I'm really curious about.

Anyway, if a beer's rare I wonder why it isn't popular enough for them to make more of it

 

Hell no.

 

If it's Lucky Bastard than yes, because that is both rare and my favorite beer of all time. But I guess at that point I've already tried it. BAH! Technicalities. It's a great beer!!!

Any who back on topic - if I see something rare, OF COURSE I'll try it...you never know when you'll see it again (especially if it's rare for your particular region). That being said, just because I try it doesn't mean I have to like it. I'm getting sick of people boosting beer scores just 'cause it's hard to find.

 

If by "must try" you mean the first thing I order at a bar, then yes because I might only get the one chance to try it. If by "must try" you mean drive 200 miles, then no.

 

Because rare almost always = expensive, I tend to be a careful consumer. I almost always stay with styles I like. Also. I frequently check the recent reviews for a rare beer here on BA. That said, I would be more likely to try a rare beer in a style that's not my favorite if I just walked into a bar and it was available on-tap.

 

Not having tried a beer makes it "must try", rare or not.

 

Before tonight I would have said no. Unfortunately I just bought a BA Rasputin at $20 even after realizing the bottle was barely a pint. I'm sure its going to be great but at that price point if the bottle was year round I doubt I would have ever bought it.

 

It depends on the circumstances obviously. If it was a style I dont really care for and I had to pay for the bottle I probably would pass on it. If I was at a bottle share and it was a style I didn't care for but I could sample it anyways for free, you bet I would try it.

 

Depends on who's brewing it...