Poll: How hardcore into beer are you?

Spontaneously voted a 9, but really a 7 or 8. I go through phases. Right now I'm in "that" phase. Then there are times where I take a month or so off, especially during school.

 

amongst this scene im probably a 5. but to people not in this scene its for sure a 10.

 

I said 8. I'm more interested in the art of brewing than drinking these days and I have no interest in chasing whales, but homebrewing has become an obsession over the past year.

 

I went with a 7. I home brew, I trade, I frequent craft beer establishments, I go to bottle releases, I'm in a club, and I spend way too much on beer. I have been trying to reign in some of my more extravagant behaviors. I haven't traded in a long time, and I don't come home with more beer every time I walk by the beer section. I've also been trying a lot more local beer. I've pretty much given up on whale hunting. It's too much work. We have plenty of world class beers right here.

So comparatively speaking among fellow Beer Advocates I'm about a 7. Compared to normal people I'm about a 9.

 

Yeah not commenting on whether they're good/bad - just saying that this thread is at least original, so not deserving of negative comments

 

Would be interested to hear from someone who voted 10. To qualify I'd say you'd need to:

1. Trade regularly
2. Review all beers you drink
3. Be active in the forums
4. Have tried some beers from the white whales list
5. Be knowledgeable about beer history, and the global beer scene
6. Be an active home brewer
7. Take multiple beer-specific trips per year
8. Regularly attend releases

Can't be many people that tick all the boxes. My impression is that the people more into beer history / brewing techniques etc, are not generally so much into heavy trading / whales / releases etc, and vice versa

 

I'm a three.

I like beer, I drink beer, I buy beer, I occasionally brew beer, I like to talk about beer.

I don't go to festivals any longer, I don't trade any longer, I don't truck chase, I don't call bottle shops, I don't wait in line for beer, I don't review beers I drink, I don't keep track of new beers I drink, I'm not trying to drink all the beers of fame, I don't visit breweries much at all, I don't work in the industry nor do I associate much with people in the industry.

 

I'm with you, I follow the releases, those I can get easily or with a little foraging I'll track down. As far as releases at the brewery, I just can't justify the time and expense when I have small children whose needs come first.

 

I went 8.

I do have an excel sheet dedicated to beer and broken out by: trades, contacts, FT beers, ISO beers, completed trades.

 

I rated myself a 7, then immediately decided that was too high after reading the comments of the other 7s here. So now I'm a 6.

+ I love drinking, buying, making and talking about beer
+ I'm always looking for something new to try and very rarely will price be an object
+ I will go (a little ways) out of my way to taste new beer
+ I'm happy to buy extra beer and use "sharing with friends" as an excuse to get more
+ I have a dedicated beer fridge in the basement for fermenting and serving from my homebrew keg(s)

- I don't have a cellar full of hundreds of bottles (unless you count my crappy early homebrew that no-one wants to drink)
- I don't typically drive hours to go buy beer (though maybe once a year I'll do a 2-hour-each-way trip)
- I don't trade beer with people in other places
- I don't seek out expensive whales (with the exception of Heady Topper, which I immediately drink whenever I find any)
- I don't schedule my weekends around bottle launches at breweries

 

I was at about an 8 maybe 7 years ago. I'd say I'm about a 3 now.

 

There was a time I might have put myself as a 9 or even a 10 but the more people I meet and talk to about beer, the more I realize I'm really not at that top tier hardcore level.

 

Another interesting related poll would be to give people a list of items and ask people how many of them engage in... if you had 10 items that might make up your 1-10 score of how hardcore you are. You've got a list of 12 going already, some of which could be combined/eliminated.

 

I'm a 4.17/5 +10.8%

 

Same here. I voted 5, but it depends on the frame of reference really. Compared to the average of members on this site, I'm not at all hardcore, but compared to the average of friends/family around me they would probably consider me very hardcore.

 

I said 6 but I think i underestimated.

 

That's too freaking true....everyone at the house (wife, both kids, pretty sure one of the dogs...) makes fun of me when I take pictures of beer and post it. My wife was also mortified at the thought of me posting a pairing, so I had to lie and say I was taking a picture of the stove (???????). My buying habits when compared to co-workers and friends would come off as measurably insane, whereas I am probably a lightweight compared to those claiming 8 or higher on this poll. Toss in the fact that as soon as I know I'm headed somewhere for work, play or kid's tournament, I check the "places" listings and I'd stand out as ****oo in most my circles, whereas on here it's considered the minimum result of finding out about a trip/location change...

What separates me from the high number people is that I don't' do bottle shares or wait at breweries for releases, but that's mostly due to schedule with family, but once the kids move out....help me God.....

 

I voted a 7.

I do: rate and review most to all beers I drink; incorporate beer destinations and shopping into my vacation plans; have a cellar with a couple hundred bottles; spend too much on beer

I don't: trade; chase; attend beerfests or similar events; go to release parties

All told, I am very much interested in beer, and probably to a non-BA I appear pretty hardcore, but there are whole other levels of hardcore that I am not at all interested in pursuing.

 

Yeah it's like that first time you play an FPS online after months dominating your friends on split screen. Quickly puts things in perspective.

 

I think I am a 7? I go to some beer fests but always pay VIP price for the extra beer or rare beer, have no problem standing in line to be one of the first one in. I have stood plenty of times at a brewery waiting for the doors to open. I instruct family members on where to go to help me get new releases. I have made a few trades here on BA and have given away beer like Pliny to just about everyone I know just to introduce them to craft beer. I have a full fridge of beer and a mini fridge of beer that I don't plan on opening anytime soon. Only thing I really need to step up my beer game is a friend to drink with and to chase beer with. Sadly my friends are of the Miller Lite or Coors beer drinkers and have no interest in craft and my wife is only into wine..