What beer got you into craft beer?

probably gulden draak honestly, but I really don't remember

 

Redhook ESB ... still keep at least 12 or so on hand...and that was some 12 years ago

 

Sierra nevada torpedo...and I still go back to it like a lost friend several times a week!

 

The beer in my avatar - O'Dell Mountain Standard. Had some 6mo out of season and loved it. Tried to find it, and discovered that some beers are seasonal, which intrigued me. I started exploring craft breweries on the web, found out when it was to come out in the fall, tracked it down - and in the process finding all of the local bottle shops. Finally found it, got a 4-pack, took it home... and hated it because it was too bitter. I thought they had changed the recipe but the expert at the bottle shop explained that when I initially had it, the 6mo aging had taken the bitter edge off. That led to me seeking less bitter beers, and now I am into stouts but building my tolerance for occasional slightly bitter beers.

 

Yup- I remember those days, and God bless Merchant du Vin for all of those tasty beers that made things interesting! He was an importer, primarily, but Charles Finkel deserves to be mentioned with the likes of MJ, Fritz and Bert Grant.

 

Unibroue trios pistoles started it all.....but then stumbbled upon founders breakfast stout. All before I even knew there was beer rating website.

 

That's like losing your virginity to Scarlett Johansen

 

La Fin du Monde

 

SA..20 yrs ago..Boston Lager,Cream Stout,Scotch Ale,Honey Porter,Boston Ale..been all uphill since

 

Legend Brown Ale led me to Eddy Fitz. There was no going back

 

I kinda went through a minor beer thing a few years ago. But after a few headaches that I perhaps mistakenly associated with Delirium Tremens (the beer) and a terrible experience drinking the execrable Brother David's Triple (check the reviews), I gave it up.

This past summer was hot and I think I grabbed a Trumer or something at a party. It was...tremendously refreshing. So I started exploring pils and lagers and went from there. Additionally, and this was just as important, we went to this Michelin star restaurant in Oakland called Commis. I got the wine flight with my food and one of the dishes was actually accompanied by a beer, which tasted like nothing I had experienced before. I don't recall what I was anymore, but in retrospect it must have been a saison or the like. I got very excited.

 

Bells Amber and Two Hearted.

 

Sam Adams -> Shiner Bock -> Josef Sailor Jubel -> Chimay GR./Corsendonk Abbey Brown Ale.

 

Early ninties http://i.imgur.com/MHfwvW9.jpg

 

dogfish 90 minute and 120 minute plus my cousin bought me a make your own 6 pack for my 21st with some left hand fate to black and other things in it

 

Not really a beer, it was a book about beer which got my interest started.

My first craft beer was Aguamala's Mantarraya, an oatmeal stout.

 

I have always drank craft beer. There was always bud light and various Boulevard products, mainly wheat, in the fridge. Every friday my two roommates and I would go to the bottle shop and mix a six. Essential we were playing roulette with the beer choices, because we had no idea what these beers were. The "craft" beer in my life was born from something fun to do on Friday nights and I guess you could call it ignorance.

 

For years I considered myself to be a "beer snob" when in reality I was just a huge fan of IPAs/DIPAs, it wasn't until D-Day this year that I really started to get in to craft brew...Not sure it was the beer per say, actually, I find Darkness to be decent at best...but it was the beer community. It was a complete shock to see people with these crazy bottles just out in the open willing to share...that really made me want to get in deeper in to the scen, still a rookie but I am loving the training!

 

FFF GumballHead

 

Pete's Wicked Ale (Malty Brown Ale) in 1992. Though the sips of (then disgusting, to my unrefined palate) of Frankenmuth Dark certainly helped clear the way, starting in 1989.