How do you keep up with the beer scene?

Fresh is just better...find out how good fresh is, around you. Chase freshies...whatever it means.

 

Some people have to learn the hard way.

 

There is no way to keep up. There are new beers coming out every single day and what seems like a different event every single night of the week (beer dinners, special tappings, etc) If I tried to stay on top of things more I'd start to suffer from a constant migraine

 

or trade

 

Two things to do: find a well-curated bottle shop, find a well-curated beer bar. If you are in Des Moines, the WineStyles main store (believe it or not) is pretty good on the bottle shop front, and El Bait Shop is an outstanding beer bar.

 

this site is extremely helpful, watch the main feed, latest haul and the current drinking threads, unless you have obsessive compulsive tendencies like I do and a Fedex store down the street

 

I just watch whats coming up on the brewery websites and the local forums. That being said a bit of luck and some really awesome local f2f traders have left me wanting for nothing.

 

find a good beer store and become friendly with the employees they will let you know when something new comes out

 

drink

 

Agree with above posts; everyday I see beers enjoyed that I have not had, and stay in touch with your bottle store(s) - the folks who work there are a great resource.

 

My recommendation is try as much as you can. Find a good craft bar that has rotating taps, like all of them, some have a rotating tap for a brewery then some standards. But I like those that get in the smaller kegs and they are only there for a couple of days then they change. Download a good app that can monitor the taps on some of your bars. TapHunter works well in Houston, as it covers several bars in my area. Don't trust other's reviews, everyone's taste is different, you can use reviews to help you narrow down on a beer, but ultimately what you like will be what counts. I would have passed up several epic beers if I trusted the overall score, read the reviews and see what they say about the beer. What they don't like you may like. Have fun, drink beer

 

I follow a bunch of bars and breweries on twitter. That's how I get 99% of my beer info...

 

Theres lots of ways to keep up to date. Use them all. This site of course. Beer Menus is also great, set up an account and then you can make a list of local bars to follow as well as beers. Just watch how often their list gets updated. Ignore spots that don't update on a regular basis or you'll end up wasting time chasing beers that they no longer have. As others have stated check out craft beer bars and don't be shy. Ask questions, most beer heads that I've met are happy to pass along info. Same thing with any local brewerys, check them out and ask questions. Most brewerys websites are also excellent ways to find out about new releases. It doesn't hurt to get friendly with the beer manager at your local shop if possible either. Once I've let it be known that I'm a craft beer guy more often than not people are very outgoing and love to talk beer and share ideas/experiences. Most importantly, chill - have fun and enjoy beer. Cheers

 

First, it's good to find out and record from sampling and reviewing what is both easily found and nice or enjoyable for you. Gives you a base of knowing what you like and why.

Second, you can track your regional forum for ideas/recommendations, for new things to try, for new places to try and visit (eg, brewery tours can often help you learn a lot).

Third, recognize that you can't keep up with everything (especially if you have to earn a living ).

Fourth, you are starting a journey. Enjoy.

 

Beer is my main hobby (and part time work), so I don't mind putting the time in...BA is a great resource, local forums, beer news/release forums, etc...I'll also hit up brewery websites from time to time

 

It's an impossible task as others have said. I keep up as best I can by FaceBook (it is about all I use it for) and signing up for every newsletter I come across and it's still only a fraction of what's out there in the wide world of beer. I'm pretty obsessive when it comes to information, but even with as much reading and researching as I do, I've come to the realization there is no way to keep up with everything. I've resigned myself to the fact that there's things I am going to miss because I don't know about them and things I'll miss because I can't get to them. So I don't stress over it because there is plenty of good to great beer I can easily lay my hands upon and I do the "best" I can.

The main tip I can offer - remember it is supposed to be fun. When you start making it a task, it becomes like work which is no fun. There's no rush, there's no shortage of good beers that are easily obtained and enjoyed. Fear no beer - try whatever you can get as far as styles (you never know which one will hit the mark for you), then figure out which styles (or breweries) are worthy of some extra effort once in a while.

 

94 Chevy s10 w/4×4. Short trips to stores that post to social media about releases.

 

With 1500 more breweries set to open you cannot keep up with it. Try to drink all the best recommended examples of the easier to get brews, hit up all the breweries in your area, use on line resources to follow what is released and what is highly regarded, trade beer if you can afford to do it, and you still will never get to know or taste 80% of the beer out there.

 

Make friends with the beer geeks in your local area. Look for facebook groups like "Iowa craft beer geeks, etc.". Follow twitter/social media accounts of the breweries you like, as well as the liquor stores you can find good beer. Just immerse yourself in the craft beer scene and you'll know all about the releases.

 

Twitter is most helpful. Follow the breweries you really like (not all of them!). Follow the local bottle shops. Follow local distributors. Follow local bars you frequent that have a good selection. Remember you can't get every limited release. If it is seasonal and you don't hit it this year, odds are you can next year.