GIVE ME YOUR BEER SUGGESTIONS!!

[MWB]

I'm not sure how loyalty would be characterized for craft beer drinkers. There is definitely a segment who have a "go to" brewer, like Great Lakes or ST or Lagunitas. But there definitely isn't that extreme of not trying new things. The loyalty is in the craft beer. Wanting to try new beers and see what is good, no matter where it's from. I think in this market, it is fairly easy to challenge a certain style's standard bearer because people want to stretch the limits. Yes, Heady Topper is awesome, but is there a better DIPA? People want to keep finding the answer to that question.

[OutofFoil]

So, should I dump my stock in Boston Brewing I bought with my graduation money during their IPO for $26/share?

[shafnutz05]

I'm not sure how loyalty would be characterized for craft beer drinkers. There is definitely a segment who have a "go to" brewer, like Great Lakes or ST or Lagunitas. But there definitely isn't that extreme of not trying new things. The loyalty is in the craft beer. Wanting to try new beers and see what is good, no matter where it's from. I think in this market, it is fairly easy to challenge a certain style's standard bearer because people want to stretch the limits. Yes, Heady Topper is awesome, but is there a better DIPA? People want to keep finding the answer to that question.

And that's just it. Heady Topper is undoubtedly a fantastic DIPA, but I can try another DIPA from a different brewery and I'll probably enjoy it just as much. It speaks to the accessibility of great beer.

[MWB]

Yeah, so I guess there's no reason to be "loyal" since there are so many great options.

[letsgoalpens]

Yeah, so I guess there's no reason to be "loyal" since there are so many great options.

Absolutely. And beer drinkers are usually encouraged to try different things. Thinking of craft beer bars/restaurants that have loyalty programs, you are encouraged to drink different beers in order to move up their ladder. Untappd encourages you to try different beers and beer festivals are great places to try different things.

One of the places I used to go drink always had an amazing beer lineup. You could go there any night of the week and find something on your bucket list. The beer manager left to go to Portland and the person they replaced them with a person who just kind of rotates through the same old stuff so I have only been there like twice in the last year. Not enough variety even though the tap list is pretty solid.

[the wicked child]

I certainly have brewers I prefer, particularly for certain kinds of beer... but I always enjoy trying new beers. I have reached a point where unless something is excellent, I don't really buy cases. I prefer to get a few bottles of new beers or old favorites from a bottle shop instead.

[stopper40]

A friend of mine sent me a 6 pack of this from Arizona. It was ok.

http://www.ratebeer.com/beer/santan-sex ... 2-/164023/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[yubb]

I only like trying new beers to a point. I know I like DIPAs, Double Stouts and Barley wines so I stick to that. I know I like Bell's Two Hearted, so I'll drink that over trying something new at least half the time. I'm not out to expand my horizons with beer like I am with food. That said, the variety does keep it interesting.

I've decided that craft beer is this generation's fondue and "the scene" will probably look a lot different, diminished, in 10 years or when the next recession hits.

[count2infinity]

I try new things to a certain point. I like trying new styles, but not something like a peanut butter porter that I saw on tap a few weeks ago.

[columbia]

peanut butter porter

That seems like something that would be mentioned in a "what's wrong with the craft beer industry" article.

[the wicked child]

Have you tried one? Gonna disagree. They're more of a dessert beer, imo but can be tasty.

[eddysnake]

I feel like I'm brand loyal to Bell's only in the sense that if I buy a case of beer, it's usually from them (bang for your buck). Other than that, I always look forward to the yearly releases from different breweries (GL-Nosferatu/Chillwave, ST-Choklat/Mokah, Founders-KBS/BS/RIS, Victory-Summer Love, etc...) and will be loyal in that sense as well, but I'm always looking for something new try and there is always something different in my fridge.

I was examining my habits over the holiday and realized that while I drink more throughout the week, it's usually only 1 or 2 beers and that's been carrying over on the weekends too. So while it's more days, it's also less consumption, but I do really love finding that new beer to try.

As far as Sam Adams goes, I enjoy the boston lager and a few others, but really only drink it as a last resort if I'm out for dinner somewhere and that's the best the have (which is becoming more and more uncommon). When I goto the bottle shop, I see so many different types of Sam Adams that it can be a little overwhelming. My brain processes as they are just throwing stuff out there to see what sticks and it's just too much to go through and sample.

[eddysnake]

peanut butter porter

That seems like something that would be mentioned in a "what's wrong with the craft beer industry" article.

I had a Belching Beaver Peanut butter milk stout not long ago and it was fantastic.

[the wicked child]

I get the sentiment, but peanut butter and porter is a natural combo, imo...

[count2infinity]

I've tried a few, I'll pass.

[44windmill]

I remember having a German intern working for me in the early 2000's, and I took him out one night to show him how we 'mericans loved our beer. After 2-3 beers at different places, I asked him what he thought and he told me in not so subtle words that our beer tasted like shyste. He finally found a Franziskaner and told me that was a real beer. Ever since I've been looking forward to this day when we in the US can be proud of our beers.

We're probably still lightyears behind though. The monks have been brewing since what, the 1800's? A friend in my beer club paid a hefty price to bring some Westvleteren back from Belgium and I had a glass. The day we are able to replicate that is when we've hit the Golden Era in American beer, imo.

[count2infinity]

I remember having a German intern working for me in the early 2000's, and I took him out one night to show him how we 'mericans loved our beer. After 2-3 beers at different places, I asked him what he thought and he told me in not so subtle words that our beer tasted like shyste. He finally found a Franziskaner and told me that was a real beer. Ever since I've been looking forward to this day when we in the US can be proud of our beers.

We're probably still lightyears behind though. The monks have been brewing since what, the 1800's? A friend in my beer club paid a hefty price to bring some Westvleteren back from Belgium and I had a glass. The day we are able to replicate that is when we've hit the Golden Era in American beer, imo.

Apples and oranges (and grapes, if you wanna throw the Belgians in with it). It's like saying you don't like someone's turkey sandwich after you just tried their roast beef. The beer isn't necessarily "lightyears behind" it's just different here than it is in Germany or Belgium. That said, I enjoy a German or Belgian brew from time to time.

[stopper40]

I remember having a German intern working for me in the early 2000's, and I took him out one night to show him how we 'mericans loved our beer. After 2-3 beers at different places, I asked him what he thought and he told me in not so subtle words that our beer tasted like shyste. He finally found a Franziskaner and told me that was a real beer. Ever since I've been looking forward to this day when we in the US can be proud of our beers.

We're probably still lightyears behind though. The monks have been brewing since what, the 1800's? A friend in my beer club paid a hefty price to bring some Westvleteren back from Belgium and I had a glass. The day we are able to replicate that is when we've hit the Golden Era in American beer, imo.

Try 1040 AD

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weihenstephan_Abbey" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[shmenguin]

I remember having a German intern working for me in the early 2000's, and I took him out one night to show him how we 'mericans loved our beer. After 2-3 beers at different places, I asked him what he thought and he told me in not so subtle words that our beer tasted like shyste. He finally found a Franziskaner and told me that was a real beer. Ever since I've been looking forward to this day when we in the US can be proud of our beers.

We're probably still lightyears behind though. The monks have been brewing since what, the 1800's? A friend in my beer club paid a hefty price to bring some Westvleteren back from Belgium and I had a glass. The day we are able to replicate that is when we've hit the Golden Era in American beer, imo.

bourbon county barleywine, to me, tasted like an improved version of the ancient and legendary rochefort 10.

i think we're doing fine.

[letsgoalpens]

I remember having a German intern working for me in the early 2000's, and I took him out one night to show him how we 'mericans loved our beer. After 2-3 beers at different places, I asked him what he thought and he told me in not so subtle words that our beer tasted like shyste. He finally found a Franziskaner and told me that was a real beer. Ever since I've been looking forward to this day when we in the US can be proud of our beers.

We're probably still lightyears behind though. The monks have been brewing since what, the 1800's? A friend in my beer club paid a hefty price to bring some Westvleteren back from Belgium and I had a glass. The day we are able to replicate that is when we've hit the Golden Era in American beer, imo.

I don't think America is that far behind (if behind at all) it is just very difficult to compare german/belgian styles to american styles imo. They are certainly two different approaches towards brewing and I think, for the most part, both meet their mark.

[the wicked child]

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2015/0 ... egal-spats" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[44windmill]

OK, perhaps lightyears was a strong word, but we're still catching up. It's harder to pinpoint which breweries are doing it right, and which ones are throwing "stuff" at the wall and hoping it sticks. In that sense, American beer in general, as a sole entity if you will, is still lagging.

I'm just happy that there can be 300+ pages on a hockey message board dedicated to good, available, domestic beer.

[count2infinity]

Simply out of curiosity, in what way, exactly, is American beer lagging in comparison to other countries?

[44windmill]

Simply out of curiosity, in what way, exactly, is American beer lagging in comparison to other countries?

Not so much in the quality of beer, but more as a trademark name i.e. you won't see a Sierra Nevada on the shelves in Europe (or maybe you will...haven't been there myself). The craft beer phenomenon in the US is pretty young, so I think it will take some time before it's more refined. I think there are many American beers that I enjoy more than I would a Euopean beer. Right now we're in the experimentation phase with some really great results but also some really bad results.

[columbia]

They've had 1/2 (and more) a millennia to work out the kinks.