I didn't like the style until I had...

How about pale lagers? I have found most of the popular craft (American) styles to be good right away, but I always HATED the adjunct lagers... I used to carry the bias that pale lagers were wimpy, weak flavored beers for people who didn't want hoppy, malty, or otherwise high flavored beers. One day I decided to step out of my comfort zone and try a non-adjunct Pale Lager and started with Sammy Smith's versions. To my delight I liked them both and have found many better ones since!

 

DIPAs or IPAs, until I had COAST Boy King.

 

Friend was cleaning out his cellar. First time with Sucaba - definitely into barleywines now!

 

Never really liked Porters until I had BBC Deans Beans.

 

Also myself until i just visited Crooked Stave and tried 3 of their sours.

 

Didn't like any Pale Ales, IPAs, or DIPAs until I had Boulevard Double-Wide IPA. Funny how it works because I seriously could not STAND any of those styles at all, but these days it's basically all I drink.

Didn't think I'd like porters until I tried Founders Porter. That one really blew me away. It's the beer I always go to when I'm in the mood for that style.

Didn't think I'd like any fruit beer in my entire life. Once I became aware of New Glarus and tried almost every fruit beer they offer, it quickly changed my mind from "I don't like any fruit beer." to "I won't like any fruit beer unless it's New Glarus.".

 

Still not a huge fan of Gose but had Almamac's Golden Gate Gose and was impressed.
Granted it was about 90 degrees out in the shade but it was crisp and refreshing.

 

I don't remember most of my gateway beers for any particular style, however....

I didn't like beer until I tried La Fin du Monde.

 

I had no idea I liked stouts (ba or not) until I had BCBS
I didnt like sours until I had Consecration

 

I was not a fan of IPAs until I tried 21st Amendment Brew Free or Die. For whatever reason my palate was ready and I caught some citrusy flavors from it and from that point on I was hooked on the style. Prior to that I was exclusively into hefeweizens and Belgian tripels/quads. Nowadays I've realized my palate is fully flexible and I can enjoy just about any style that is well executed, including rauchbiers which I'm sure I would have nearly gagged over a decade ago.

 

I'm not sure if I'm into these styles yet but I didn't like pale ale (loved the smell but hated the taste) until I had a Dave's pale ale from Oskar Blues. I recognized the can from numerous posts here on BA and one of the local liquor stores here in Fresno has a huge craft section that sells singles. I bought the Dave's pale ale and really enjoyed it. Currently drinking a 21st Amendment brew fee or die IPA and am enjoying that also. buying them in single cans at $1.50 seemed harmless. I wish more stores would sell singles. It just might lead to someone buying a case.

 

I'm in the same boat. the bitterness doesn't bother me as much anymore. Have been putting down alot of Ambers,browns,and porters lately. I credit my broadening horizons to craft stores that sell singles.

 

Oskar Blues G'Night got me drinking DIPAS

 

Didn't like IPAs until I moved to MA and had Harpoon. It did take me a couple...

 

Stouts, until I had LH Milk Stout Nitro. It's been a long barrel aged road since

 

Stouts........until I had Storm King.

 

Stouts.... until i had Surly Darkness

 

Sours....until RR Consecration. I have a bottle of Supplication now and can't wait to open it!

 

Lot of sours on here so far. It's the style that's taken me the longest to get into, but last week I think I had a breakthrough with The Bruery's Bottleworks XII. We'll see.