What age did you start?

I didnt get going til i was at least 14....Guinness was craft to me then!

 

21 of course.

 

I got fired from my grocery store job when I was 17 for stealing Guinness (this was in 1998, so that was about as 'craft' as I had available), but I always preferred Guinness, Newcastle, Warsteiner, etc. over BMC. Although I did also frequently pound Miller Lite.

 

I drank underage but didn't actually like beer until 23, which is when I tried my first porter on tap.

 

20, my mom would bring me to the liquor store and I would shop around for the beer and the funny thing is she got into the craft with me!

 

Stereotypical alcoholic lawyer here. Started while in my first year of law school (around 24 years old). Began by picking up a SA Octoberfest (which I am sad to admit I thought was a pumpkin beer at the time). Happy I did though

 

Started drinking at 19. Was in the military and my first duty station was in Germany where the legal drinking age was 18 at the time. This was back in '92. Might still be that for all I know. Not sure if I consider it craft but the beer there sure did taste much better than the Bud I started drinking when I got back to the States. Craft really wasn't as big back then as it is now so I didn't have my first taste of craft beer, A Stone IPA until 2000. Never looked back since that first sip.

 

16ish and SNPA.

 

If we're talking craft, honestly probably 21-22.

 

20-21.

 

I remember choking on my first Sierra Nevada Pale Ale at 18; picked it back up at 22 and never looked back.

 

Started homebrewing at 19 which got me into craft, started spending money I don't have at 21... It actually seems like there are some negative feelings against the younger BA's. I always try to warn people for IP trades and meet ups that I am straight out of undergrad ( not even 22), just so they are not surprised.

 

When I was in college, I started drinking better beer. I had a few friends that helped guide me to imports like Bass and Sam Smith. Within a few years, I was hunting every micro-brew I could find. (it was the early 90's, we didn't call it craft)

 

do german pils count? If so, probably at age 3? I'm german... it's in our blood. First (and only) hangover = age 12.... in Germany, of course.

 

American Craft beer: 19, when I moved back to the States after living in Europe for 4 years, (1 year in Germany (Stuttgart) and three years in Belgium, (Mons) where I learned to drink beer). My American Craft gateway beers were Sam Adams Boston Ale and Lager, and Pete's Wicked Ale. Never, ever got into the BMC, thank god.

 

23 or so. i hated beer until i had my first ipa

 

At 23 I was introduced to a rogue yellow snow ipa; this changed my life

 

If Rock Bottom is considered craft I would say 22, but I probably wasn't really into craft until 25 or 26.

 

Boston lager around 19. BMC before that.

 

My dad used to buy a sixer of SA or Guinness, have one or two, then not drink again for 5-6 months and end up throwing the rest away. I started "sneaking" bottles around 15.

Now every time he comes to my apartment a bottle of one of my stouts disappears.

 

I'm gettin up there, but for me it was Sierra and Sammy Smiths in the late 90's on Phish tour. Took it for granted.

 

December 2011... I was 43.

 

32

 

17 and Samuel Smiths Taddy Porter.

 

Being able to grow a full beard really helps when you're 17 and have a hankering for some Duvel

 

Around 16 with SNPA and various shelf beers. Started becoming a full-fledged "advocate" around 19 going to tastings among friends and whatnot. Turning 21 a few months ago has certainly helped things quite a bit.

 

Rogue's Shakespeare Stout at 18 wuz my first.... So complex and delicious for my young and naive self... Enjoyed every ounce and knew I was on to something that would take a lifetime to figure out... Beer

 

17, moose drool.

Edit: I miss Missoula, Montana

 

First beer at 6. Began regular pub drinking at 16.In those days under-age drinking (though legal if eating a meal in the pub) was not only tolerated it was expected.The local policeman was well aware of what we were doing but when he came by we hid our beer under our hats.Happy days and beer cost about one fortieth of what it does today.

 

I was about 26 lol I was a whiskey guy...then my friends brought over sum SNPA among others. I started trying new things after that.....always been a hop head

 

I was about 25 I was working at a bar and the micro beers (now called craft beers) were are the rage back in those days!!!

 

21

First beer I ever finished was a Young's Double Chocolate Stout on the night of my 21st. I had sipped a few things like Yeungling before but had hated them. I was mostly a wine person at that point. Cokctails came later. Fortunately for me, my best friend was already a beer snob and refused to let me start with shit. He bought my first beer then we went to London and Brussels and I've never looked back. I've never had anything from Miller to this day.

 

the first craft beer I remember is Pete's Wicked, but the beer that started me on this path was Anchors Old Foghorn...still have to buy it when I see it

 

I had my first Sierra Nevada pale ale in 6th grade. What would that make me? 12? I started drinking seriously a little before I turned 19 and I had tried over 400 craft beers by the time I was 20 and joined this site. I happily skipped the bmc stage.

 

I think around 21 when I could actually go to bars I started trying out craft options. Me and a buddy would often go to the local craft beer bar, but as poor college students we couldn't afford to make a night of it there. For that reason it wasn't really until I got out of college and got a real job that I finally transitioned off the cheap stuff.

 

Started at age 6 or 7 stealing sips of dad's Stroh's beer....oh you said CRAFT beer. I guess that have to be age 47, my son gave me a bottle of Arrogant Bastard and I haven't been the same since

 

31

 

21 sam adams mixed 6

 

1995 was my break thru year for micro beers
Had tried many macros before that point..