How did you get into craft scene?

hated drinking beer when i was younger (HS and early college). so i avoided it. when i turned 21 i went for the stuff no one else was drinking, aka craft.

 

Once I turned 21, and saw how many beer options were available, I started trying new things. I slowly fell in love with craft from the age of 21-22. I'm 26 now.

 

Sam Adams, really. Also, some guy at college had an Arrogant Bastard shirt with the whole diatribe on the back of a bomber on the shirt; I read it and had to find some. Arrogant Bastard was my first true craft beer.

 

I didn't touch beer for years after college. I just didn't like it. Then this new pub opened by my house called the Russian River Brewing Company and everything changed.

 

It all started with Sierra Nevada at a Beachwood Sparks show

 

I always loved good beer. It is a continual quest for the holy grail of beer. I may never find the perfect brew but I will never stop searching. Its beer, so it is way more fun that searching for the actual holy grail though, that seems like a lot of work!

 

I used to steal beer out of my stepdad's fridge. Mostly bud lite, but there was always craft in there, pete's wicked, new belgium, so I was usually wanting that, after all it had the most alcohol in it. Sunshine wheat was the culprrit though. I shoulder tapped a guy and gave him some cash for some brews before a punk show. Instead of bringing me some olympia and pocketing the change the guy brought out some NB sunshine wheat. That was about twenty years ago. After my obligatory straightedge phase of life I came back and started ticking hard. Now I just like good beer, and there is so much of it on local shelves I really don't have to stress myself out trading.

 

The start was when I was 17 and handed a Spaten. Been hunting ever since then.

 

The pub trade when I began drinking (around 1960) was dominated by three excellent local brewers which would certainly be classed as "craft" these days.It was simply a matter of slipping into the nearest pub.
Mind you, "craft" it was, but massively variable. In some pubs it was like drinking ambrosia , in others the same brew was like pickling vinegar.I soon learned where to go.
Thankfully the pub near my school was a good one and many a lunchtime was happily spent in it.

 

About 6-7 years ago my friends took me to Brew Kettle and were raving about the place and Dragon's Milk in particular. I tried that plus some other samples and was completely floored. Most of my friends have moved onto craft beers as well but it really put the hook in me. It's been quite an experience ever since then. I've been lucky enough to try some serious world class beers in the past fews years. Sure, it's been ruinously expensive and probably wrecked my health but it's been a hell of a ride.

 

First time I decided to buy a bomber of Sam Adams Boston Lager, I loved the flavor and hops. I've been trying more and more hoppy beers ever since, like Founders Centennial, Short's Huma Lupa, etc.

 

I never cared for the beer all my friends were drinking so I found something else. I drank Hoegaarden pretty much exclusively for years, throwing in the MA standards Boston Lager and Harpoon IPA from time to time. I just got curious what else was out there one day and liked what I found.

 

Developed an interest in beer around age 18 or 19, and would sneak old Labatt Blues from our back fridge now and again. One time there was a Stoudt's Gold Lager in there and I tried that, was blown away by the increase in quality and taste. After that I began ravenously learning about beer history, styles, etc. while devouring mix-a-six packs from Wegman's. Joined BA pretty quickly in my process; in fact every beer I've had is at least rated on here, if not reviewed.

 

Never drank beer until last year when my wife, the occasional beer drinker, encouraged me to try a craft beer. My love of coffee steered me to stouts and scotch ales and I've never looked back..oh, and I'm 63

 

My curiosity was piqued to discover what an 'ale' was, so I went to my local brewery and ordered a Pale Ale and began the process of finding out.

 

My buddy brought a few founder beers over and got hooked.

 

For a long time I would buy a craft 6 pack here and there to try out some new beers, but the majority of my purchases were BMC offerings. I was drinking a lot of Blue Moon for a while when, on my wife's birthday I saw CCB's FL Cracker on a craft list and gave it a whirl. After that I had to try some other offerings from CCB and grabbed some Maduro. Found BA while looking up proper beer glassware for the new exciting beer I had in my fridge and haven't looked back. So I guess while I have always enjoyed craft it wasn't until last August that my journey really began.

 

I did a work study in Germany my senior year of college. Found out beer can taste good. When I came home I started seeking out good beers.

 

When I started drinking you'd be lucky to find Sam Adams and their cherry wheat. I remember my buddies older brothers raving about this beer called Solsun(later Oberon) from Bells while we were partying at their house in East Lansing. That beer and Bells Best Brown Ale hooked me.