What was your gateway craft beer?

Not long after that, it was Robert the Bruce on the Notre Dame campus in a bar called Legends during a Summer workshop.

 

Well I found out as a 6th grader that Miller Genuine Draft has a special place in hell.

Got into Mickey's Malt Liquor for a while in college because of the grenade bottles. Although I still think those little bottles are pretty rad, I'm glad this phase didnt last long.

Found out that Hamm's on tap was dirt cheap for a reason...

First craft beer (still one of my favorites) was a Crow Peak 11th Hour IPA.

 

Sam Adams Winter Variety Pack, Chimay Blue

 

2003 Blue Corn Cafe - Albuquerque, New Mexico - house brewed double ipa! I was living in Oklahoma at the time so this totally blew me away! My life was changed forever! I always wanted to go back and see if it tasted the same but the next time I went the place was closed!

Was drinking labatts blue before that!

I’ve come a long way since then but still love the ipa’s!

 

Ayinger Celebrator

 

Awesome story man! can't wait for Mountain Standard this year since some of my favorite black ipa's have been discontinued recently. Always look forward to Odell's release of this treat each year.

 

Pete's Wicked Ale was one of the first I remember. Was not initially fond of the Sam Adams and Pete's was more appealing. Later on the Sam's seasonal brews were more to my liking.

 

In 1986-87 I discovered Samuel Smith Pale Ale, Oatmeal Stout, and Nut Brown at a store in Orono, Maine while in school. I would splurge on a four-pack when I had the money, even though they cost as much as a 12-pack of Rolling Rock. Shortly thereafter I found Anchor Steam in the same store.

Once craft took off it was Pete's, Sam Adams, and anything else that was new.

 

My gateway craft beer was Samuel Adams Cream Stout. At the time, Guinness was the nectar of the Gods, as far as I was concerned. One bottle of Cream Stout convinced me otherwise. The first taste was ice cold, bracing and full of flavors. As it warmed, those flavors deepened and allowed me to savor the smoky, dark chocolate and coffee notes from the malt. By the time I was down to the last few sips, it had warmed and I was then introduced to a creamy, vanilla toffee finish. From then, I made it a point to try the rest of what Samuel Adams had to offer, falling deeply in love with Scotch Ale, Ol' Fezziwig, Octoberfest and Winter Lager. I still follow Samuel Adams faithfully, though I've since found several incredible beers from breweries across the country. Some of those honorable mentions are Puyallup River's Imperial Eggnog Mud Mountain Milk Stout, Caldera's Toasted Coconut Chocolate Porter, Pyramid's Red Wheat and Fig, Rogue's Hazelnut Brown Nectar, Belching Beaver's Peanut Butter Milk Stout, and The Iron Horse Brewery's Quilter's Irish Death. Cheers!

 

Is was Mid 1980's when a friend brought home some Anchor Steam from college in Dallas. I still drank crappy beer for some time afterwards. However, after the Anchor Steam, I knew I was drinking crappy beer!!

I'm currently hooked on barrel aged stouts...all year long!

 

Anchor Porter - first tasted at some rinky-dink club during a visit to S.F. in the Fall of 1980 - ignited my love for craft brews, which is still going strong 38 years later.

 

Has to be Sam Adams Boston Ale. Not the Lager. It reminded me of the first pint I had in England. There was very little avaiable in the early 80's other than cheap college beer. I was fortunate to work in a restuarant when Jim Koch was still wheeling cases of beer around Boston trying to sell the stuff. Changed everything. Years later I found another beer that reminded me of a my English youth; Smittytown by Temperance Brewing in Evanston, IL. There is a lot of great beers that made me think differently, these two helped defined how I have come to love the choices we have today

 

Good question. For me it was probably Samuel Adams Cherry Wheat that got me started. I used to LOVE them. Their Oktoberfest next, and Summer Ale after that. Not sure if my palette changed over the years, but Sams seems to have gotten worse over the years. About the only thing I still enjoy from them is their Oktoberfest.

 

Black Widow oatmeal stout, it tasted like nothing i had ever had before, it was like a meal in a glass, and still not so filling you could have a second one after. I haven't been able to find it for years, don't know if it's even still made or if i'd think its a poor example of an oatmeal stout but i remember that being the first beer i really loved and hunting for it.

 

I was out at my Mom's cabin back in the 90s and went to the LCBO in Kenora, Ontario and found a bomber bottle of Pike's Pale Ale from the Pike Brewery in Seattle. I had no idea what to expect, I just bought it for something different. When I sat down on the front porch for dinner and had this beer I was absolutely floored with what I was tasting. After that beer epiphany, I've never looked back. The next day I went back and bought every bottle they had on the shelf and in the back store room. Pike Brewery doesn't brew this beer anymore and none of their current line-up can compete with that stellar beer. I can still taste it. Thanks Pike Brewing!

 

Anchor Steam/Redhook Ale/Sierra Nevada P.A. (3 way tie). Yes, that dates me a bit.

 

My first sort of love was Smuttynose Finest Kind IPA. A couple of years later, not knowing the beer, I was served a Hop Rod Rye, and it changed my world! Kinsale in Boston, 2006; what a moment!

 

Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

Misfit in Santa Monica 2009

Me: What do you suggest, I usually go for dark beers like Beck’s?

Server Extraordinaire: Old Rasputin

Served from a Nitro Tap, a new beer drinking experience was delivered and I never looked back. Still a big stout fan....

 

Not really ‘craft’ but my gateway beer was definitely Blue Moon in the early 2000’s. I was only a Bud guy before that.

 

About 1986 Chesbay Virginia Native Dark, was the 1st to turn me into a beer geek, had in early 80's prior would be Barleywines from Anchor & Sierra Nevada.