What's your Beer Strategy?

I'd be happy to take that bad boy off your hands if your having second thoughts. However in reply to your post, I do buy some year round stuff for casual drinking. But most of the time I'll stick with the seasonal / limited.

 

My beer strategy: I go to the beer store in search of one particular beer and end up walking out with 100$+ worth of stuff.

Reminds me of my mother when I was young. "Don't worry, we're just going to the store for milk and bread." Two shopping carts, three hours, and 250$ later... well, you get the idea.

 

(e) - None of the above.

 

My strategy is if a beer sounds interesting to me and doesn't have an absurdly low score on beer review sites I buy it. People say "it's only beer, they'll make more", and I say it's only money I'll make more. You are only on this planet once, don't skimp on treating yourself.

That said, if you are in a rough financial spot you probably should prioritize and shouldn't be trading or buying $15 bombers.

 

Strategy implies your trying to win something? right?
Strategy (Greek "στρατηγία" (strategia), "art of troop leader; office of general, command, generalship"[1]) is a general, undetailed plan of action, encompassing a long period of time, to achieve a complicated goal.

no I do not have one of those, I do have a fixed income and a budget. its why I homebrew like a crazy person now days.

 

I also suffer from this so-called "strategy"

 

My beer strategy is to enjoy it.

 

was just sarcasm, ie. No the real point is if you go into a store WITHOUT a plan your going to spend your ass off on beer at first.

 

too late i done that before....

 

That's what she said.

 

I buy and drink beers that are fresh, reasonably priced and regularly available that satisfy my desires. I stopped buying what I was "supposed" to drink and ticking new beers only because they were new to me long ago and I am much more satisfied drinking what I like to drink on a regular basis.

 

I usually go looking for a particular beer. I try to get that one as long as it's not priced unusually high.

Otherwise, I'll grab something new to satisfy my ticking need. I also write a blog, so I try to get something that has a cool story to make writing a little easier. If all else fails, I try to find something that my girlfriend will like. I'm slowly breaking her into bigger and better beers. We've gone from none, to just oud bruins, to wheats, so I'm thinking saisons are in the near future.

Also, if I see a Belgian sour that is at all rare, I'll usually grab it unless it's too pricey. Can't pass them up.

 

My only strategy is to walk into my Total Wine with the hand basket and not the shopping cart.

 

i usually go in with the mindset of one beer to cellar and one seasonal six or four pack. usually changes when i see what they have.

 

I go after beers from breweries I like and trust that I haven't had before, or interesting sounding seasonals or new releases. Cost factors in but if something gets in the 20$ range for a bottle I"m not sure I'll love I usually call around to my local drinkers asking if someone wants to split this bottle with me, it works often.

 

Tactics might be the better word for the short-term store visit? And interesting thought that "whale" can be a relative term (from the OP) - makes sense to me. Strategy - I'd be in the try as many tasty brews as I can afford category.

First, I have a lot more beer-wareness than I had two years ago, so I can spot some of the highly sought after prizes. I don't really hunt them down. Lately, I've been buying a four or six pack of something I know I enjoy, then picking out a handful or two (depending on the budget) of things I want to try or that look interesting. I know a lot more about the flavor profiles I like now, but will try almost anything. As a result, I have a real mixture of "this and that" sitting on the beer shelf. I might go on a spree in terms of a brewery moreso than a particular style. I also tend to stock up and then empty the cache rather than continually buying and adding - I'm usually a one a night, maybe two, kind of drinker so building the stash makes no sense (as somebody told me - drink 'em when you get 'em).

The huge flaw (depending on your outlook) is walking out leaving something behind that is probably a "must try"...I've left Breakfast Stout and BCBS variants sitting on the shelf (before I knew that was akin to a mortal sin ) If I was truly seeking a particular beer and it blew the whole budget - would really have to think twice. Think I would still try a pod of porpoises versus one whale. Anything over $15 a bottle gives me pause to think no matter how highly rated, hyped, or genuinely desirable.