You still buy Beer

Predominately home brew but I do buy different beers to sample a style I would like to brew. Last brew bought was Lefthand milk stout - pretty tasty. It is in the idea phase as right now I have an AG red ale to brew and still need to get hard cider moving.

I brew a fair amount, but I still buy beer. Samuel Smith's, Rogue, Young's, and Fuller's when I'm feeling special but a fair amount of PBR and Yuengling to be honest.

It's just research, right? I'm also in the "still buy a reasonable amount of craft beer outside of what I homebrew" camp. Got to have some of the seasonals here and there, and if a chance comes up to pick up something that I can have one of, then put a few away for aging (latest examples: Green Flash Rayon Vert, and before that, a stash of Terrapin Gamma Ray that I stumbled across), I can't pass that up! Occasionally, too, you just need to have something that you haven't had in a while, or perhaps you need some SNPA or anything from 21st Amendment b/c you need beer in a can to go somewhere bottles just can't go...

Forget research, there are too many great beers out there not to buy them. But, I'm surrounded by fantastic big hoppy beers. I'd rather brew a Mild, Alt, Scottish Ale, or whatever else isn't on tap at any random bar I walk into, or on every grocery store shelf in Oregon.

I am buying about several 6 packs and bombers a week for pure "research" purposes. It really helps me decide what I like in terms of hops, malts and yeast and gives me new ideas for brewing. I've been doing this for over a year and have really tried most there is at my two closest stores (that might be seen as a good thing or a bad). Here are some beers that stick out in my mind that have really added to my brewing experience:

Longtrail Centennial Red
An irish red with centennial...yes please, mine is called Cu Roi after the mythological king of Munster

SN Tumbler
Definitely going to try some smoke malt this winter.

Firestone Walker...all of them
Quickly converted me to only doing late hop/hop bursting brewing

There are so many more but the idea is that trying new beers gives me not only ideas, but a good starting point for new brews.

I buy beer all of the time. Bud light for parties and friends that like to pound beer. I also buy mixed six packs to see what style is like to brew next.

My place is small, so storing bottles is annoying. When I foresee the need to bottle a few beers, I'll buy some 6-packs. You can get beer for about the price of empty bottles at your LHBS. That's a no brainer.

And there's the rare beers that you don't see often. Those are always fun, especially the ones you won't commit to brewing yourself, such as sours or the insanely strong Barleywines or Imperials.

And there's the occasional "What's up with this brewery....?" There are a couple of breweries that I'm curious about. I don't buy a lot of their beer because I brew my own, but I will check out their beers if I find myself in a position where I need to buy. I've lately been enjoying checking out Southern Tier. They really make some nice beers.

And then, as others have said, if you are brewing a certain style, it's nice to have some others on hand for comparison.

But with that said, I brew a lot and I enjoy it. I doubt I spend $40 a month on beers I haven't brewed myself.

I brew to seldom (or drink too much, depending on who you ask), and therefore when my pipeline runs dry, I have to buy my beer.

Also, I find it interesting to try out new beers, yesterday for example, I had Lagunitas Maximus.

I buy a 6pack of craft from time to time to try something new and learn about different styles, but I also don't forget my roots and usually have a good ol' 30 pack of Busch Light in the fridge.

only for camping.. usually a cheapo tinned lager.. other then that. i buy the odd craft brew to test out styles for brewing.. example- the other day i found out i don't like ginger beer.. reminds me of chinese hotpot lol!!!

I buy beer every week cause I can't make what I buy. Like blends of four barrel aged beers, barrel aged Sours, that and I like beer to much to not buy it.

I still buy tons of beer even though I brew. I like to try all the special/new releases and seasonals. I also just returned from Chicago and bought a bunch of beer I can't get where I live.(picture below) I see no need to stop buying commercial beer because in reality I'm not going to brew every single style I like and have it on hand at any given time.



The Makers Mark is there because it was considerably cheaper than where I live.

I do, as much as i love my homebrew, i still need my Guinness.

Mostly seasonal, and bombers from the local party stores that carries the unusual stuff.

WesleyS said:

I still buy tons of beer even though I brew. I like to try all the special/new releases and seasonals. I also just returned from Chicago and bought a bunch of beer I can't get where I live.(picture below) I see no need to stop buying commercial beer because in reality I'm not going to brew every single style I like and have it on hand at any given time.


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The Makers Mark is there because it was considerably cheaper than where I live.

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Guess i'll post my capitives when I go on vacation next weekend

I still buy, especially seasonals and special releases.

Absolutely! I have more than half a dozen local craft brewers and I like to support them plus get ideas for my own brews.

Tombraider2 said:

I love my home brew but still buy beer. I like Bud to, I'm a big fan of the Diamond Knot IPA's that is made locally. Yesterday I bought 6-22 oncers of it, Saving the bottles, a 6 pack of Steelhead Double IPA and some of that Dog Fish head Pumpkin. I've been wanting to try that pumpkin stuff.

So what do you buy and like out side your Home Brewing

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nothing. its pretty rare a commercial brew makes me go WOW THATS AWESOME.

i had a belgian ale yesterday from Weyermacher that was knock your socks off good. but i didnt buy it.

Freshness is the biggest issue once you start homebrewing.

Get a $10 overpriced ipa six pack that's 3 months old and you learn quick

@ Wesleys I would recommend Revolution Brewery, Half-Acre, Pipeworks next time in addition to the fine choices you made.

ipaman00 said:

@ Wesleys I would recommend Revolution Brewery, Half-Acre, Pipeworks next time in addition to the fine choices you made.

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I might not make it back till next year, but I already have a list going of more to try. Thanks for the suggestions.

i (or rather, my wife who does the shopping) mostly buy various sours, foreign and domestic. other than that we drink the beer i brew.

I just bought a variety 12 pack from Blue Moon. I'm still waiting for my Nut Brown to carb up.

I'm like many others here. I buy far more beer now than before I started brewing. I'm about 50/50.

growler shops popping up all over atlanta, I'm digging getting some fresh drafts from some of the local breweries, but really haven't shopped for it in the last 4-6 months.

WesleyS said:

I still buy tons of beer even though I brew. I like to try all the special/new releases and seasonals. I also just returned from Chicago and bought a bunch of beer I can't get where I live.(picture below) I see no need to stop buying commercial beer because in reality I'm not going to brew every single style I like and have it on hand at any given time.


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The Makers Mark is there because it was considerably cheaper than where I live.

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Nice selections there!

I wish you would have gotten Goose Island's standard IPA. I'm sure it's not highly rated by the crazy IPA hop heads here, but it's my go-to lawnmower beer. Really REALLY good for a lower-end craft brew that you can find anywhere (around here, anyway). It's like BMC for a hop head. It doesn't blow you away, but you sip it thinking, "Yeahhhh... this is a nice easy-drinking beer. Nice hops! It's got some malt backbone to it too.... A real IPA, just not extreme." Less bitter than SNPA, better freshness and hoppy flavor/aroma. And a solid rich malt backbone. It's a good gateway beer for people who say they can't stand bitter/hoppy beers. (Victory Prima Pils is my other "intro to hops" beer for beer drinking newbs... not that you are one, I'm just trying to explain where these beers fit on the brewing landscape.. well crafted, dependable, easy-drinking, but displaying the unique qualities that set off the hop-head lightbulb in a BMC-drinker's head).

You're in for a treat with the Gumball Head. You'll taste it and think, "What? Beer can taste this different?!!!!" It's a fun beer.

I'm spittin' distance from 2 brothers. Their Domaine DuPage is stellar on tap, but I've always been a little disappointed in the bottles. Let it warm up and breathe.... and drink it quickly. Don't be afraid to let a bit of the carbonation knock off before sampling. If you miss the complexity and richness of the malt and sugars, it's a pretty boring ale. Think of it like a funky scottish ale and taste it accordingly.

Not being much of a hop head, I hope you like the Heavy Handed. I need to be in the right mindset for that one. But it's pretty good.

The Oberon is a must-try. It's probably a touch past its peak at this point. Drink it early. But it's a nice wheat beer. The "traditional" serving is with a wedge of orange, which honestly is just fine on a hot day. Otherwise the beer (especially when it's sat around for awhile) can lack a bit of tartness.... be kind of bland.

And I'm surprised you can't find Southern Tier out east, and I've never had any of their bombers, but I've always been very impressed with their run of the mill beers. I actually tried two of them once, just to fill out a DIY six-pack and they wound up really impressing me... I would describe their brewing technique as "sparkling clean and astonishingly honest". Goose Island, I say, takes a little more creative license, in both extreme and cautious directions at times. But I look forward to trying more from Southern Tier. And both the breweries are ones that I would recommend as being worthy of "I just want something really good and easy drinking, no weird surprises." status. That's talking about their six packs. When it comes to special releases, bombers and 4-packs, all bets are off... but I'd bet that whatever they put out in that format is probably going to be pretty good as well.

And good call on the Edmund Fitzgerald. That's a fine honest beer-lover's beer.

The five bombers to the left of Oberon and the one to the right, I do not recognize (the one to the right looks like a Kalamzoo brewing co beer, but I can't put my finger on it). I also don't recognize the 6-er on the middle level to the right of the Gumballhead, nor the single bottle in front of it. I also don't recognize the 6-er on the bottom right (Is that Founder's? I love their red rye!) so I must reserve comment on those.

Anyway, those are my suggestions and insights off the top of my head. Enjoy!!!

Sir Humpsalot said:

Nice selections there!

I wish you would have gotten Goose Island's standard IPA. I'm sure it's not highly rated by the crazy IPA hop heads here, but it's my go-to lawnmower beer. Really REALLY good for a lower-end craft brew that you can find anywhere (around here, anyway). It's like BMC for a hop head. It doesn't blow you away, but you sip it thinking, "Yeahhhh... this is a nice easy-drinking beer. Nice hops! It's got some malt backbone to it too.... A real IPA, just not extreme." It's a good gateway beer for people who say they can't stand bitter/hoppy beers.

You're in for a treat with the Gumball Head. You'll taste it and think, "What? Beer can taste this different?!!!!" It's a fun beer.

I'm spittin' distance from 2 brothers. Their Domaine DuPage is stellar on tap, but I've always been a little disappointed in the bottles. Let it warm up and breathe.... and then drink it quickly.

Not being much of a hop head, I hope you like the Heavy Handed. I need to be in the right mindset for that one. But it's pretty good.

The Oberon is a must-try. It's probably a touch past its peak at this point. Drink it early. But it's a nice wheat beer. The "traditional" serving is with a wedge of orange, which honestly is just fine on a hot day. Otherwise the beer (especially when it's sat around for awhile) can lack a bit of tartness.... be kind of bland.

And I'm surprised you can't find Southern Tier out east, and I've never had any of their bombers, but I've always been very impressed with their run of the mill beers. I actually tried two of them once, just to fill out a DIY six-pack and they wound up really impressing me... I would describe their brewing technique as "sparkling clean and astonishingly honest". Goose Island, I say, takes a little more creative license, in both extreme and cautious directions at times. But I look forward to trying more from Southern Tier. And both the breweries are ones that I would recommend as being worthy of "I just want something really good and easy drinking, no weird surprises." status.

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I'll have to try the goose island IPA. My parents live in West Chicago, so periodically I have them bring beer back for me when they visit. I started out my trip a non-hophead, but ended it with a new appreciation for hops. As far as the heavy handed goes, I really enjoyed it at the brewery. When I was there last Saturday they were pouring a cask conditioned version that was excellent. I just wish I could have a steady supply of it, but I'll settle for the regular version. If I lived as close to Two Brothers as my parents do, I'd probably go broke eating and drinking in their brewpub.
I can't find southern tier where I live in Texas. I'm looking forward to trying the two that I bought.
I drank a Gumballhead last night and thought it was very good, although a little under carbed. I was very impressed with Three Floyds' beer overall.

Sir Humpsalot said:

The five bombers to the left of Oberon and the one to the right, I do not recognize (the one to the right looks like a Kalamzoo brewing co beer, but I can't put my finger on it). I also don't recognize the 6-er on the middle level to the right of the Gumballhead, nor the single bottle in front of it. I also don't recognize the 6-er on the bottom right (Is that Founder's? I love their red rye!) so I must reserve comment on those.

Anyway, those are my suggestions and insights off the top of my head. Enjoy!!!

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Beer only-top to bottom and left to right:

Three Floyds Gumballhead and Pride & Joy, Founders Porter, Two Brothers Domaine DuPage and Heavy Handed, Goose Island Harvest Ale, Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald, Goose Island Honker's Ale.
Southern Tier Creme Brûlée Stout, Three Floyds Topless Wytch, Two Brothers Red Rye Coffee Porter, 2010 Samichlaus, Southern Tier Double Milk Stout, Shipwrecked Cherry Wheat, Bell's Oberon, Bell's Porter, Goose Island Sofie 2012, Founders Breakfast Stout.

Waiting for HO HO HO IPA to come back out

I don't really have favourites, for me it's all about trying as many different beers as possible; I have breweries I like though. Fullers is a nice safe one that I can find in a lot of towns and Dancing Duck is my choice locally at the moment, though I'll still try something else if its new (not that I can ever remember what I've tried or even what I've liked).

I'm fortunate enough to live in Derby, UK, which is a city that Lonely Planet called the best city for real ale on the entire planet so everyone here drinks real ale and there's a different selection in every pub you go in. There's a pub at the end of my street with 11 different ales and a really good brewpub just around the corner, about 70 breweries here in all which is great considering what a small city it is.

The only bottle I bought this summer was Brux, which I had to justify by adding the dregs to my Saison. I do like to hit the Beer-Fests though.

Tombraider2 said:

I was shocked to see that DFH pumpkin yesterday so I had to get a 4 pack and it's not cheep.

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Yeah, and just not good to me. I really enjoy most of them.

Zuljin said:

As toon gila on toon croft or as rl gila on toon croft?

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Say wha?

BreezyBrew said:

Say wha?

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I second that

I probably purchase the equivalent of a six-pack a week to supplement and add variety to my homebrew supply. I also go to out to the local beer bar about twice a month. They have 60 taps and I like to see what's new. I also tend to make the rounds of the beer and wine stores once a month to see if anything new catches my interest.

My commercial beer drinking has slowed down a lot over the last year or so for several reasons. First of all, we just had a baby, so the weekend binges have all but ceased. Also, I've gotten to a point in my craft beer drinking experience where I've tried most of the standard releases available in this region. So, I no longer have the need to try as many different beers as possible driving my drinking. Finally, now that my wife is no longer pregnant, we are dipping into our wine supply.

My husband and I drink mostly what we brew. From what I read on here I am beginning to think I am the odd wife lol I brew the beer for my husband and he makes wine. This is a hobby we both enjoy, I get to wip up something new in the kitchen and he helps me bottle it.
We don't buy much beer or wine any more.
All tho I did ask him to pick up a 12 pack of what ever Sam Adams looks good on his way home today. I am running low on bottles and I like the idea that I get new bottles for my brew that come pre filled.

I buy about 2 six packs or four bombers a month. Used to be more before I started working 7 days straight every other week. I have 3 kegs full at all times plus atleast 3 cases of various homebrew so I can't justify spending a lot of money on commercial brew. I love variety. Currently have an APA, American Amber, and a Oktoberfest IPA hybrid on tap, and Belgian Blonde in bottels.

I buy beer for the bottles. My LHBS sells 12 empty bottles for $12.. I can go to the store and buy 12 bottles of Widmir Bros Hefe with beer in them for $13. So for the same price as the empty bottles I can buy bottles with beer in them..

MrRoboto said:

I buy beer for the bottles. My LHBS sells 12 empty bottles for $12.. I can go to the store and buy 12 bottles of Widmir Bros Hefe with beer in them for $13. So for the same price as the empty bottles I can buy bottles with beer in them..

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Oh my, $12.00 for 12 empty bottles. My LBS sells cases of 24-12oz bottles for $13.90. And I thought that was a rip off for empty bottles. You just made me feel better about the prices I pay for my bottles.

shoreman said:

Freshness is the biggest issue once you start homebrewing.

Get a $10 overpriced ipa six pack that's 3 months old and you learn quick

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+1 Especially in the Summer/Fall IPAs and pale ales shipped from the west coast seem to be crappy as soon as they hit the shelves in Florida. It must be the heat. In the winter/spring the're not bad. Belgians, Stouts, Porters, etc. don't seem to have that problem. My homebrew IPAs and pale ales may not be super great, but better than anything you can buy in central Florida (except on tap in bars).