How do you pick beers?

I like pick-n-mix sections too! That will tell you at least what breweries you really like, then you can take a gamble on a 6er or a bomber from them.

 

Two sixers. One stock and hopefully one new or seasonal. Lately I've been trying to mix it up with more Imports. I picked up 12 bottles of Aechr Schlenkerla on a rare don't care about money whim

 

I usually do one of three:
1. Go to the package store with something in mind, and I get it.
2. Go to the package store with a style in mind, and browse for known good beers, and get those.
3. Go to the package store to browse and try something new. Ive chosen beers this way simply by labels.

I've never had a drain pour. Ever.

 

Take advantage of the "Wants" list. As I read the threads and reviews, I save those I'd like to try, and print it out when I'm making a run. It's kept me from the disappointment and expense of buying blind.

 

Mostly just go in and browse my favorite shops. If I see anything that catches my eye, I tend to give those a try. There are always my stand-by beers, but often I will give new brews a chance. Employee recommendations can be spotty based on the person obviously, but I trust my guys for the most part. I always keep in the back of my mind, every brewery at one time was brand new. Gotta give em a try sometimes!

 

I usually see what is getting good ratings on Untappd, then I check here (since I trust the ratings here a lot more!), add the beer to my wishlist, then if I see it, I get it. Thanks to that app and this website, checking at the store when I see a unique is pretty easy.

 

I don't pick beers,...BEERS PICK ME!!!!!

 

I'm in Kansas too and I employ pretty much the same strategy - get a sixer of a regional standby that I know and love, and a sixer of something new (usually out of CO) to try. I also get a mix-a-six pack once in awhile to try different styles that I normally wouldn't want a whole sixpack of.

 

If I have time I look up the BA score and read a quick review with my phone.

 

i look in the cooler first. then i troll the aisles. i guess i look for interesting things i have heard of, w/o too much dust on the bottles. i am really picky once the bombers exceed $6 or 7.99. if i go to a real bottleshop less than 20% will be a pure gamble. i know most of what is available in my area. i generally avoid things with names like "Hot Rocks."

but most of the time i am just getting beer at the grocery store, same 4 or 5 breweries all the time.

 

Dude, you have to try everything! After a few years worth of sampling EVERYTHING, its easy to just grab the new shit or grab something youve heard of or simply havent tried yet. I depend alot on this site or word of mouth, but when I get there, even if i see EXACTLY what I went in there for, I STILL look at EVERYTHING else just to see if anything jumps out at me. We all have different tastes at different times. Sure, Im disappointed at different times, but if I never tried anything new, it wouldnt be half as much fun. To me, liike with women, Its all about he chase man.

 

I'm trying to expand my horizons at light-speed. The last few years of craft beer have outpaced my ability to casually try them, and I'm trying to catch up. It's a very exciting time. I just came back from a trip to Colorado, where I grew up, and I shipped back a case of CO beers I've never had (focused on Crooked Stave and Funkwerks). So I'd say at least 50% of my purchases are on beers I've never had.

 

I almost always buy beers I have never tried.

 

• Anything on my imaginary want-list.
• Anything new from breweries that I know are good.
• Followed by beers recommended to me that I haven’t had yet.
• Followed by stuff from styles that I love & haven’t had yet.
• Followed by random tick’s.

 

Usually this is how my mind works when i enter my local store and usually in this order.

1. Something That Ive Heard Good Things About (*if fresh)
   
2. Something New That I Haven't Had Before (*if fresh)
   
3. Something I Haven't Had In Awhile (*if fresh)
   
4. Something Seasonally Appropriate (*if fresh)
   
5. Something I Liked Before (*if fresh)
   
6. Something I Had 900000 Times Before And Still Enjoy (usually local)

Or i just wander around the store until i leave and go get a growler at a brewpub or park my ass a bar.

 

Start with studying the top 250 list. Grab what you can at your local store. By the time you've tried all you can purchase locally, I'm sure you will have discovered what you like to drink.

 

I go to Ton Overmars and pick St Bernadus Abt and Prior off the shelf. It's not complicated.

 

I tend to check the special release/seasonal sections first to see if anything exciting is on the shelf. If not then I will continue to browse until my wife gets annoyed that we've been in the store for an hour which is when I will usually just grab some Jai Alai and be done with it

 

With my wallet