First beer where you recognized what hops taste like

I'm not 100% sure (over a decade ago), but I believe it was Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

 

For me it was Sierra Nevada Pale Ale sometime in the early to mid 80's.

 

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (surprise, surprise), 13 years ago. Prior to that my staples were Yuengling Lager & High Life. Slippery slope....

 

Two Hearted here, as well.

 

It was with Bells Two Hearted for me, too.

 

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

 

Definitely gotta give this one to SNPA. Thought it was revolting at the time... Ah, how time changes things.

 

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, which was my gateway beer in a lot of ways.

 

Cripes, it was Bally Ale in 1963, flavored with the special variety, Hop Extract. My go-to brew for many years until it turned into today's industrial sludge. Lately, I've found Wormtown's Be Hoppy to be Too Hoppy... but I keep buying it whenever (rarely) it appears here in Western Mass., just an hours drive from their brewery. Get on the stick, Wormtown!

 

Boston Lager on-tap. Although nothing like an IPA or Pale Ale, I was still blown away by it.

 

Stone IPA. Unmistakable hop flavor with all that pine and citrus.

 

Stone IPA. I had SNPA and Torpedo a few weeks before and liked them, but wasn't sure why. Then I had Stone IPA, followed shortly thereafter by Sculpin.

It was all downhill from there.

 

Add another SNPA. Unlike many, I thought it was great right off the bat, but I wasn't much of a beer drinker before that one.

My dad would usually have Corona/Heineken around the house growing up and while he'd invite me to have some with him, I never liked the taste enough to have more than a few sips. Didn't hang around with anyone who drank in high school.

Started off with Sierra Nevada in college and that was my go-to beer for a few years until I started to explore other craft. Never drank macro stuff except at parties where I didn't bring my own.

 

During my beer drinking 'career' of all off the American Adjunct Lagers, I never realized any specific taste to the hops, only bitterness. When I tried my first hoppy craft beer (Arcadia's IPA) I discovered that hops make the beer taste like grapefruit juice and beer mixed. It shocked me, and I didn't like it right away, but I was soon to change my mind.

 

SNPA

 

Short's Huma Lupa Licious, the first craft beer I had really tried. I honestly thought there was something wrong with it at first sip, it was a serious hop bomb. After one or two, I was hooked and it was my favorite beer for about two years after that.

 

Zombie Dust

 

SNPA, easily.

 

New Belgium Ranger had to force my way through it... and quickly. Then repeat

 

Sweetwater 420 Pale Ale. Many, many moons ago.