What age did you get into craft beer?

I was 21 when I started. I had a couple of years of pounding down Genesse and Keystone under my belt as an introduction to beer, so I didn't want much to do with beer. One of my friends who came out with me for my birthday made me try something better, Sam Adams Alpine Spring. It wasn't great, but didn't make me want to puke. When I went home my brother took me out to our local craft beer bar, and had me try a flight of samples. Really showed me what beer could be. Haven't stopped since. I'm 23 now.

 

I'm not sure if this has been discussed before but it's a fun topic - thank to the first posters for making me feel old! When I turned 18 (legal age back in the stone age) there really was no such thing as craft beer in my parts. If you wanted something a little different than Bud or Genesee you went to Canada and picked up something at the Brewer's Retail (today known as "The Beer Store"). My first real encounter with craft beer was Anchor Steam around 1985-86 when I was about 25 or 26. Even still I really didn't get into it until I got to Virginia and "found" Dominion Brewing in 1993-94 time frame.

Even if craft beer had existed in those days, as a very young person I often had very limited funding available and price generally was not only an object but it was THE object. I am actually impressed when I run into younger folks who are into crafts not just cheapness and volume.

 

I was 22 in 1992 drinking growlers from Hosters Brewing in Colombus Ohio

 

I got into craft around 21 years of age, then slowly slid back into drinking macros, began drinking craft about 4 years ago again.

 

Forty four. (koff . . . ahem . . . what did she say? ) She said thirty two.

 

The topic does pop up every now and then, but it is fun to check in with occasionally.
I started with craft beer when I started drinking. I honestly didn;t drink much before I turned 21, but when I did, it was already Sam Adams and the like, I never drank the macros regularly. Even at that point, once I was legal and could buy my own, I would look for the most interesting brews I could find, especially dark - my theory at the time was that if you could see through it, it's not worth drinking. (ah, if I knew then...)
I did later get into IPAs, and much later Belgians, BBAs and Sours, and now I'm on a session kick... stuff that I can drink a few of without worrying about hangovers.

 

21. Not having to sneak around really expanded my beer horizon.

 

I was 22 when I 'saw the light'....

 

Craft beer? About age 26 back in the 1980's. The late, great Catamount Brewery from Vermont offered my my first cart beer.

 

Started drinking sam adams and a few others before I turned 21. Then got much more into craft after I turned 21.

 

7. I'm an early bloomer.

 

Around 24 for me. I was never really into the macrobrew offerings, even when they were what fit into my budget during college.

This is definitely a nature for nurture topic (for me at least). The changing of a friend circle, the availability and exposure to "good" beer, and the affordability of the experience as a hobby of sorts has ultimately opened quite a few doors.

 

21...my girlfriend at the time lived up in Boone, NC. Went up there to visit one weekend and was never the same. They have a bit better selection than we do here at east carolina

 

I got into craft at 21

 

Just turned 21 recently so im new to it but I've been trying everything in sight. I have a couple friends that are starting to try craft but most are still pounding natty and bud light on the weekends but I've had enough of that.

 

Fifteen. If you count Barnsley Bitter.

 

23 for me. It was actually as soon as i started drinking alcohol i got into craft beer. Started off with whiskey, then moved to BMC. I felt like since i was a late starter on alcohol that i should try as many different beers as possible so I started getting something different every time I went to the store. I instantly wanted something that tasted good instead of just something to just get drunk off of. So i started using googling ratings on the beer I was buying and then joined this site about 6 months after i started drinking alcohol and it all went downhill (uphill) from there.