My Beer History – FWIW
High School – I drank whatever beer someone handed to me as I stood shivering in the woods somewhere. Probably Bud.
College – What ever was cheapest. Usually Busch. Many 12 packs were consumed over card games on our end of Prospect Ave.
Recent College Grad (early work years) – Seriously, whatever was absolutely the cheapest. More than my fair share of Milwaukee’s Best. A six pack was $2.99 at the little market on the corner.
Middle Work Years/Early Married Years – Graduated to imports. Heineken, Becks, Stella, Corona, Bass. This was before the micro-brew thing took off, but still – the world was my beer oyster.
More recently – I’m not feeling the micro-brew think like many of the cohorts of my beer drinking generation. Neither do I feel like I have anything to prove to anyone with my beer choices. Miller High Life, Corona, Becks. I’ll even have a cider once in a while.
I’ve had one beer in the past 20 years. I grew tired of it and no longer enjoy the taste. My one beer was a celebratory one after finishing my first marathon back in January. My partner, on the other hand (being from behind the Cheddar Curtain) likes Blue Moon, Leinenkugel, Sams Octoberfest, and 16 Mile.
Im a beer snob wannabe. Usually I choose beer based on name and packaging.
Ralph Steadman does the art for Flying Dog beers and Gonzo Imperial Porter, while almost undrinkable is a great bottle.
I also like He-Brew “the chosen beer” I had a Pomagranate ale for Rosh Hashana and Break-fast.
I’ll also go Victory Brew (golden monkey) when i need to forget my name.
more of a cosmo guy MJ?
not at all SB. I’ve had one cosmo in my life and hated it. Vodka cran or vodka tonic for me.
Beer….where to begin?
I too, started with the cheap, mass produced stuff. Next came the specialty mass produced stuff (Michelob Dry). Then while minding my own business, hanging out at the local brewpub that everyone was making such a fuss about, I tasted a fresh Dogfish Head 90 minute IPA served through the Randal. Bang! If this is beer, what was all that other stuff I had been consuming all those years?
Since then, I have had the good fortune to sample dozens of styles and brands (nothing says beergeek more than carrying your tasting journal in your shirt pocket).
I still prefer fresh ales (IPAs in particular) to any other. But hey, that’s me Bud and Coors have their place, it means more Racer 5 for me.
I also drink a lot of DogfishHead, but that is mostly because im so proud something from Delaware is that awesome.
MJ, Im a vodkacran man myself. Although this time of year, i find myself really digging spiced rum + whatever
I never drank much cheap beer unless to hydrate after an iron man competition back in the day (way back). I prefer German and Dutch beers, and most Dogfish beers are very good. The wife likes the Midas Touch. The best display I’ve seen of Dogfish to date was at an organic grocery store in Malibu, CA earlier this year. I can be at the factory in under 10 minutes: by bicycle. You’d be surprised how much beer they sell after those tours.
Otherwise, whiskey. I hydrate nowadays with whiskey and Gatorade.
For any IPA fans out there, try Evolution Brewing’s Lot #3. Fantastic example plus it is brewed in Delaware.
Come back down to Dover some Saturday & I’ll go with you on the brewery tour at Fordham/Old Dominion, Delaware’s oldest brewed beer. (a very dear friend is the Brewmeister) LOCAL.
EAT LOCAL. DRINK LOCAL. SHOP LOCAL.
My mantra!
Can’t get any better than Paulaner Premium Pils, though pretty much any Bavarian brew will do.
Though in college, it was all about bang for the buck. Beast for $4.99 a case, or if it was a special night, Old Mud in bottles for $8 at Triangle Liquors.
drinking blog with a politics problem?
FWIW Marzen is in season… my favorite. But only in the fall. Pils and Lager by summer, IPA in the spring and stout by winter. Brands will vary by availibilty, and current economic means.
EAT LOCAL. DRINK LOCAL. SHOP LOCAL.
I usually hate to beat a dead horse, but the 2nd annual Delaware Wine and Beer Festival is this weekend. All of the locals, I do believe. I won’t be there, unfortunately I have to work, but you could be.