I live in a fairly small albeit beer-appreciating town, so you would expect that the beer options are limited. But it seems that every time I go to one of my local liquor stores, they have something new to tempt me with. Granted, there are a lot of beers I read about here that I never see locally, but there are enough that keep popping up that keep "dragging me back in". Last Friday I came across Green Flash for the first time. Though it was a disappointment, I bought it. Then tonight I found a Bass Ale Black and Tan mixed 6-pack. Maybe if I stayed out of stores, I wouldn't be tempted, but the searching is half the fun. Anyone finding it hard to discover new beers in their neck of the woods?
Depends on where I go. My usual spots I usually get my growlers filled. I've discovered some new distributors on my way to and from work, found some bottles I haven't seen before.
When you run out of 'new' stuff, sometimes something that's always on the shelf that you either (a) haven't drank since you got into craft or (b) always pass over for some reason or another can prompt one of those "Wtf haven't I been drinking this all these years? C'mon man, a sixer's only $8 bucks!" moments...I've recently had such revelations with Schlafly Kolsch and a few others.
Green flash disappointment? Sounds like you got an old ipa. Which unfortunately happens. Most of their stuff is at least decent if not good. Can't say I'm disappointed. Tons of new beers popping up around here
No, I don't stop finding promising new beers, but I find that I turn to my old standards much more often these days.
There are so many different styles of beer and so many breweries that make these beers. It's honestly impossible to not have something interesting to turn to. And there are plenty of seasonal/rotating beers that meet you halfway between promising new beers and excellent dependables.
I see he is from Wisconsin where they just started distribution of Green Flash so I would assume it wasnt old.
With new breweries opening all the time, older breweries expanding distribution to new areas and brewers trying new and exciting things, it's a safe bet that at this rate we'll never run out of tempting options. It's been stated before but it's worth repeating: now is a fantastic time to be a fan of craft beer!!
I never run out of things to try, especially since I've moved twice in the last two years. But, even when I go back to home (Knoxville TN, one of the worse beer places due to ABV caps and a current, but slowly growing, interest in craft beer) I find new stuff to try. Don't worry that you didn't like Green Flash, I've disliked everything from them I've tried so far (IPA, Stout, Rayon Vert, and Red Ale something). Happy future hunting.
I'm going to take this post a step further, not only is there never too many good beers to try, there are too many worthy beers to age. I don't have a cellar, so I converted a mini-frigde to cellar temp thinking this is good, limiting me spending-wise due to capacity and can't put anything corked in a fridge for an extended period...I recently purchased a second mini-fridge...cheers to great beer
I think that the only way that you could stop finding promising new beers is to stop looking. We live in a wonderful time! So many beers out there!
With an unlimited budget I would probably never run out of promising new beers to buy. Then again, if my budget were unlimited, I might buy all the promising beers and run out of them. hmm...
This is how unintentional cellaring happens. Buying more sheeyat than one can drink, and especially one trying to slim down. Ug. FML.
At this point since I have not been into craft beer for a long time I still find things that get my attention. My beer bunker has exploded over the last year or so. I love new stuff and never tire of searching.
Yes, I hit it within a day or two of it getting stocked. But it wasn't an IPA, it was the Rayon Vert. It was ridiculously over-carbonated so that it took about 10 minutes to finish my pour. It wasn't bad, but it did not live up to my expectations compared to what I've read here of the brewery. It seemed to me like an overly loud saison that wasn't well balanced. I'll give it another shot (I have 3 left), but that was my impression.
Ask your local beer guy. If they know their stuff you'll never leave empty handed or without something that they know you'll like!
Ahhh. That explains it. Rayon Vert is not a favorite of mine either. Have a few in the back of the fridge still. Much prefer GI Matilda when filling my desire for a Belgian Style PA at 7% ABV with Brett. That said....get the GF West Coast IPA. Try that. Then judge how you feel about GF.
Had a malty epiphany with jacks Abby and the dunkles dopplebock known as saxonator. Massachusetts has new craft brew projects poppin up all over and pretty much constantly, so the availability is relatively prevalent and the qual is always high as can be
Never ran out of new interesting beers to try, which leads to a fridge/closet full of beer that constantly grows while my consumption remains the same.
There's so many I haven't tried yet already being distributed to Chicago, and now both Deschutes and Kona are here! Add to that a road trip to St. Louis in a week and I can see that my journey down the road of beers less traveled a long, interesting and flavorful one. Cheers to my fellow travelers!
Everytime I get a little bored I just try a new style. I'm really on a Sour/Wild Ale kick right now. I am always into barrel aged beers of all styles.
Finding them - no...I've a lot of catching up to do. What is hard is finding the balance - buying favorites vs. new stuff to try. The new overwhelms the faves by a long shot. So many beers, so little time....consumption is a constant. Expect that it will get harder for a new brew to knock my socks off too. Only so many can be "outstanding" or provide that beervana moment, I suspect.
Don't beleive I'll ever find it hard to discover new beers here in Eastern PA. Even with limiting it to beers distributed here (no trading), and styles I really like, (sorry Smoked, Lagers, Marzens & Pumpkins) and a BA rating of above average (3.6+, have to draw the line somewhere), and mostly 12ozs (mixed 6packs 20% off at my preferred bottle shop), my still to try list is 3-4 times longer than my tried. And then there's the 50 or so beloved go-to beers I still get. And I STILL find new stuff on almost every bottle shop visit. It's a great time to be a craft beer drinker
There's a fucking cornucopia of good new beers floating around the Scotland and the rest of the UK these days. The only people I hear dismissing this reality are the creaking cranks at CAMRA.
