Would You Rather (a conundrum or dilemma)?

Why can;'t it be both? I do have some "old favorite" go tos while still trying new stuff coming down the pike.

 

You didn't say how many favorite beers I could have

 

I’m still relatively knew to drinking mostly craft (2015-2015), but for the few dozen beers I tried 1980s-2014, my preferences / then are pretty much consistent with what I enjoy / purchase most now. What I loved about SNPA and BCBS is still true today. Ditto normally backing off buying malty or sweeter beer styles.

@TheIPAHunter - Are you getting at the fact your OG versions are in many cases no longer available / the same, and you’d like a reset so that you can appreciate what’s available now?

Or rather you’d like to start from scratch and see what beers you’d enjoy in the current beer environment?

In the end, I believe we all adjust the best we can based on what is available. I’m fortunate to live in Chicago, where my favorite styles beyond top WCIPAs are available, and a few WCIPA seasonals and year rounds offerings are “solid enough”.

Cheers!

 

I like the idea of resetting my palate, not having a certain beer(s) available all the time makes them taste brighter

 

Got it. I don’t experience that very often, but typically switch styles for my at home beers during the week, or within an outing drinking multiple beers.

My appreciation decreases once I get to 3-4 of the same beer or style in a row, even for beers I love. I’m grateful there are many styles I enjoy to keep things fresh short and long term.

 

Absolutely in the reset camp. Even among my favorites, I will rotate between them and I find I actually drink the real favorites pretty rarely. Maybe subconsciously trying to recapture that wow factor.

I keep track of my beer on a spreadsheet and while I like a lot of beers and will drink them again, only about 4% make the favorites list.

I completely agree that the experience changes over time. Either the taste buds change or the beer itself could indeed be slightly different. I also think the "occassion" matters in the subjective aspect, and food, mood, setting all contribute to the drinking experience.

 

Give me the ones I love.

 

There is a certain allure to the "palate refresh". It'd be interesting to refresh on a case-by-case basis, to conduct comparisons. Like ... is Pliny different these days or did my palate shift?

For that matter, actually ... I might be scared a palate refresh would make me hate the kinds of beers I now enjoy so much So, I think I'll go with: favorite few beers readily available.

 

I will go with the ones I love. Most of them still give me a Wow!

 

Fav beers easily accessable hands down. Nothing like having a warm friend all the time.

 

I'm with you...I'd like to start over as I rarely have that "Wow!" factor anymore..while I would love to have a few of my favorites all the time, the thrill of getting to experience it all over again appeals to be more....

 

Refresh, that’s if I can keep all my knowledge of beer when my taste resets. I would really love to know if these beers changed or it really is me.

I have to say after a dry January I had a SNPA and it was pretty good, not that holy shit moment from 1988 but I enjoyed it. I have not been a fan for a long time and I now think I can enjoy a few now and then. I also drink mess hoppy beers now so that will also help out.

So yes, reset please


Enjoy

 

Can't I have both on demand?? You definitely posed a good question!

I have ones now that I love 100% and know they won't last. Which is why I kept buying them over the last few months. But to experience it for the first time again would be pretty great as well.

 

My favorite beer of all time is Sierra Nevada Pale Ale which is easy to get so I would go for the reset.

 

Definitely would prefer to have one of my favorites readily accessible. I’m still impressed by many beers and regularly enjoy the taste of old favorites with much appreciation (ie the smuttynose robust porter I had the other night that blew my mind). But it’d be amazing if I had fresh Timothy Taylor landlord on the regular. Wouldn’t say that’s my all time favorite, but it’s up there and I can’t get it any longer.

 

While I have a long list of BBA/RBA dark beers I favor and cellar, 90% of the time I drink new-to-me singles, and I really don't need to reset my palate because I already drink any/all styles. I'll take door number 3, unlimited access to any beer regardless of distribution area and beer shipping restrictions.

 

Reset. I want to grab a 2H from the gas station tonight and be blown away again.

 

Give me my favorites as all readily available

 

I'd take the ones I love. Several of them are nigh impossible to get without traveling across the pond. A couple (the lambics) are expensive and usually require trades in the US. A few are shelfies, but I can deal with that if I were to get the others. I don't really care about a palate reset based on where beers have gone over the last few years. I honestly don't think the fun of discovery would be even close to the same.

 

I’m going with favorite beers on demand.

Having fresh cans of my favorite APA the handful of days every summer I spend poolside would be priceless to me, as would having any of the Munich O’fests available at the Maryland Renfest. I have a number of occasions that having a specific favorite to drink would enhance the experience.

The palate reset sounds like a classic “careful what you wish for” situation with potentially horrific unintended consequences….I’ve read too many horror short stories to fall into that trap.

 

Definitely having favorites on demand. Some of the best stuff I have had is not distributed anywhere near me

 

I'm not sure I see the downside of favorites on demand. I tend to mix up styles quite a bit, so there's really no need for a palate reset because I'm not getting overly acclimated to any one style.

 

100% I would reset my palate. I'd love nothing more than to be able to taste Pliny or Nugget Nectar again for the first time, as well as many other beers.

 

I quit drinking for 3 years and still enjoy the beers I drank before that & dislike the same beers.
A palate reset did nothing to my taste in beers.
Budweiser still tastes like crap & I love variety in styles.

 

It seems that the kind of reset they are looking for is more of a feeling than a physical reset.

The funny thing is those long past taste (and smell) memories are pretty powerful stuff, and can actually be re-triggered. I literally just had that kind of experience this past weekend drinking a Czech beer that was new to me; it had pungent, nearly skunky hops and was scathingly bitter. All of a sudden I was 17 again with a Dinkel Acker in my hand wanting more of this stuff.

 

So does utilizing new brewing techniques according to Sam Adams.

 

I'll go with reset my palate.

 

If I could only have access to my favorite top rated beers (let’s say top 5%), that would leave me with 207 different beers…I’m good with that. Top 1% = 41 different beers…considering I probably have many different styles in my highest ranked beers I could do ok with that variety I think. If it were my top couple of beers only available from same style, no thanks I’d need the reset

 

No need to reset. I get that feeling with new beers and brewery experiences, but I love my SN, FW, Alesmith, Founders, Fremont, Cigar City, and many more...

 

I choose Anna Kendrick.

I often take a few weeks off from beer, resetting the palate. That first beer is always amazing. I love that feeling. I wouldn't want any of my fave beer all the time/without any effort. Tasting beers with a fresh palate > my fave beer readily available without effort.

 

I feel like I have access to most of my favorite beers with little effort. There are a couple of wildly rare beers that would be nice to have access to but if I had easy access they would lose their allure. (e.g. Ann).

The palate reset is interesting but I’m more of a try new things guy. I’d choose this option because I’d love to try Heady Topper for the first time again.

 

I would pick having my all time favs available. Heady, Pliny, Elevated, Green, Trösten, Deth's Tar, Ghost In The Machine, pFriem Pils, Cantillon Gueuze, and so much more. Yes sir.

 

I'm deeply entrenched in the both camp...
But Anna Kendrick is a bonus!