What was your first craft beer?

At my age I'm suffering from CRS most of the time. But from living in Vermont way back when it was probably something from Long Trail Brewing. I can remember going to one bar and getting black and tans that were Long Trail Ale and Guinness.

 

I like to have this conversation whenever I'm at a tasting room. I've only been a craft beer drinker for 2.5 years now so the day I switched over is still pretty clear to me. Before that day I had been drinking Blue Moon because I thought it was craft and it was tastier than the 40's of Mickeys and 211's I drank before. Haha.

One night I was out with a few buddies and we went to la liquor store to pick up brews. I saw a 6 pack of Stone IPA. I thought the bottle design/gargoyle looked really cool so I asked my buddy if he wanted to split it. ~9 bucks for a sixer was a bit pricey for beer back then lol. I had no idea what ipa stood for, and what I was in for. Me and my buddy cracked a beer open and took our first sip. He was completely disgusted. He was not able finish a single one. He ended up trading his beers away for some Budweiser black label or something. I remember I was a little overpowered by the bitter hops, but I also remember really liking the citrusy taste behind the hops! I had always been looking for beers that tasted like that...hence the blue moon, and tecate+Limecombo I liked. After that, I could not go back. I began drinking IPAs like a madman. Then I moved on to porters, stouts, sours, and so on. And since that day, I've been a stone fanboy lol.

Do you guys remember your first craft beer?

 

I don't know whether it could be considered a craft beer per se, but my first outside-the-box beer had to have been Schoenling Little Kings Cream Ale. I revisited this one a couple of years ago while back in Ohio, and it's still pretty good and very drinkable. And the little bottles are still cool.

Richie: "All we had was some beer. In teeny-weeny glasses."
Mr. C: "How many teeny-weeny glasses did you have?"
Richie: "Seventy-two."

 

Magic Hat #9 in like 1994 or something.

 

Bell's Oberon or Arcadia's IPA

 

Stone IPA 6/18/2011

 

Sam Adams Boston Lager in 2003

For craft that's less mainstream, Arrogant Bastard in 2007 (When I say mainstream, I mean stuff that Joe consumer would buy at the time)

 

Franziskaner in 1991

 

Creacent City Brewhouse Weiss Beer. New Oreleans. Fresh from the tank. Circa early '90's.

 

Leinenkugels Summer Shandy, it showed me that beer actually isnt half bad and isn't just bud light. Then shortly thereafter, Sam Adams Harvest Pumpkin Ale and it took off from there. Brooklyn BCS actually was in my first few beers i tried and loved it when i first tried it and still do

 

Hops&Grain Porter Culture

 

Alaskan Amber

 

Blue Moon if that counts. Lol.

 

My first craft beer was Bells Amber Ale

 

Sierra Nevada Torpedo

was hooked

 

Harvey's Sussex Best Bitter back in 1995

 

Old scratch and doggie style-1997

 

From bud light to Oaked Arrogant Bastard, and I haven't looked back.

 

Hard to say since I'm an aging man. But I'd have to say the progression went something like Guinness/Mackeson XXX/Belhaven Scotch Ale and so on to Chimay/Corsendonk/Orval and so on to Sierrra Pale/Celebration/Bigfoot--and a 1987 Thomas Hardy was the mindblower.

 

I can't for sure say. I guess I could say Firestone Walker Union Jack on tap.

Gotta say that now I just can't drink regular beer and have to have that strong flavor.