Missing Out

Of course.
There are many reasons why we are all missing out on good beer.

I buy "cheap" brands occasionally to be sure that "craft" brands are worth it.

 

Me, no I am not missing out, as I drink what I want to. But based upon your example with Narry, I would say yes, you probably are.

 

I haven't associated Narragansett with anything any more hipsterish than anything else, but it is all opinion so I won't argue that point. I say let your feelings go and try the beer always...I mean, unless there is a real reason to avoid a particular product for a good reason...

 

How is a brewery "hipster" ? To me either you like the beer or you don't.

 

What's your beef with Naragganset? You perceive the people who enjoy it to be hipsters? That seems dumb. I had their Autocrat Coffee Milk Stout when I was out east and thought it was the jam.

 

Sure, it's possible. So far, I am yet to encounter the beer company that is the equivalent of Nike or WalMart, so I'm probably not missing out on something I want. I even sometimes buy an Inbev beer, such as the Busch Signature Copper Lager that I grabbed for $2 for a 25oz can last week. But, it could happen.

 

...and that's why I never rule a brewery out or adopt a hardline toward a style... well, other than that BMC crap

 

I suppose Ballantine IPA falls into this category, but personally I didn't hesitate at all when it was released.

 

I know a guy who refuses to buy Three Floyds beer because he feels like they are "bad businessmen". I dunno, but I feel like if you like a beer, buy it and drink it. People overcomplicate this stuff.

step 1: buy good beer
step 2: drink good beer
step 3: ?
step 4: profit

or something like that.

 

There are some breweries that the first few beers of theirs I have tried I didn't like and have since stopped trying their beers. I may be missing out on something. In my opinion, I tried three of their beers, didn't like them, and have since had samples of their beers at growler fill stations that only confirmed my original assessment and am therefore okay with possibly missing out on any gems there may be.

 

I think Narragansett might not be a good example. Personally, I have no love lost for them because the play up the public appeal of the brand and the nostalgia many people hold for a RI/SEMass icon, but they have yet to brew in RI. They partner with other icons such as Dell's Lemonade and Autocrat (who has sold out to a conglomerate) to market to that sentimentality. As a tactic, that is brilliant marketing. But stop with the lip service and build a damned brewery, make it a destination spot that keeps people working in a state that really needs it. I find their beers average to slightly above.

In general, I will try just about any beer, but I will put some thought into it. I know tons more about beer and what flavors I enjoy, and I know which beers can deliver that time after time. I'll experiment, price not much of a factor either way, but I am in the no BMC camp. I am also in the not buying cheap local crap just because it is cheap and local camp. I'll always try local, but to get me to buy it again, it needs to be as good or better than what I can get otherwise. While I try to keep an open mind, I do think life is too short to drink bad beer on purpose. If I don't like something, I ain't buyin.... Otherwise, you don't know if you don't try, but I never feel I am missing out on anything. I have more than enough go to brews I can count on.

 

that's a good beer...

 

I am not missing anything there is so much good beer out there.. not a problem

 

I never intentionally miss out.
I was once called a hipster for refusing to buy 6 week old Zombie Dust so perhaps I'm not sure what a hipster is.
There was a time I could drink Miller Lite or Coors Light but now I Can't Even. Not because I "hate" the company though.

 

If you're not wanting to try a beer because of the beer seeming hipsterish than you wouldn't be drinking craft beer at all. The image most people see of anything that isn't bud miller or coors as a hipster beer.

 

I rarely ever buy Bells' beer because I don't like the business practices of the distributing wholesaler for Bells in my area (all Bells' beer passes through them). I like Bells, but there are enough other options. When Bells changes their distributing partner in my area, I will be the first in line to buy their beer.

 

I don't really care for Yuengling, but last year I bought a 6 of their Summer Wheat beer because it was reasonably priced and I thought my wife might like it. I think she got one of them. I have one left from this year's six pack and am not opposed to getting a second. So yeah, I'm sure that I'm missing out on beers that I might enjoy from breweries that are lacking acclaim within the craft beer world, but I can only drink so much. I'm always missing out on something.

 

You give a Monkey a Typewriter it's bound to type a word or two. With that said, I always check out brews from Major or Independent Brewers, there might be gold in each release.