What was your Gatewaybeer to craft beer?

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TxBigHops

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I assume that most of us didn’t start out drinking craft beer. If not, then what’s your story? Was there a moment or turning point that you remember when you decided that fizzy yellow beer or whatever you were drinking at the time just wasn’t going to cut it anymore?

One night in my late teens I was out drinking with some friends. We were drinking something cheap and disgusting; I think it was peach brandy, and some Budweiser beers. I got totally wasted and tossed my cookies. For several years after that night I could not stand to drink beer of any kind. When I entered college I was mostly drinking Canadian whiskey mixed with Squirt or Sour mixer. This went on for a couple years, after which I got tired of always taking a bottle to keggers and other parties. I finally discovered that I could stand to drink most kegged beer EXCEPT Budweiser, and that I could drink Miller High Life in the bottle. In fact, to this day, nearly 40 years after that night as a teen, I still cannot stand to drink regular Budweiser.

At that time I didn’t care for Miller Lite, but when Bud Light came out in the early 80’s, that became my beer of choice. By this time I had graduated college and moved to Texas where they had this odd, dark colored beer called Shiner Bock. I discovered that I liked it a whole lot better than any of the fizzy yellow beers, and I would drink it whenever it was available. So I would consider Shiner Bock to be my Gateway beer.

From there, I would try other dark beers like Dos Equis dark and Negro Modelo which I also liked. A blues bar I frequented had several non BMC beers on tap and I started drinking Full Sail Amber. From there I moved on to some really hearty beers like porters and brown ales. But I believe the day that I thought I had died and gone to heaven was around 2001 when I stopped into a hamburger joint in San Antonio with a huge bottle selection and decided to try a Salvatore doppelbock! Yum! That beer is a meal in itself, and to this day is probably still one of my top 5!

The most recent evolution in my beer taste occurred after my oldest son moved to California to attend college. I had been trying every different kind of beer that I could find for probably the last 10 years or so. I was familiar with IPAs and had tried a Dogfishhead one time and hated it. Around 2006 I flew out to Cali to visit my son, and he took me to a local microbrewery. He insisted that I try their IPA, and I insisted that I didn’t like them. But I would try it. Wow! It didn’t taste anything like Dogfishead. That was the day I discovered citrusy West Coast style IPAs, and beer drinking has never been the same since. He also introduced me to Stone IPA that visit, so if I could have a second Gateway beer, it would probably be Stone. Now I would say that about 3 out of every 4 beers that I drink is an IPA, APA, pale ale, or other hoppy beer.

All hail the mighty HOP!
 
first (") craft i ever had was franziskaner hefe. after that i had some anchor Steam and then a few other imports. guiness was on rotation, oak creek amber, kiltlifter.. i didnt even like ipa's until about 6 years ago.
 
I used to drink the standard Bud Light beers, but I lived in Germany for a while and grew to love pilsners. After that, my first craft beer was Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, and that really opened my tastebuds to every type of beer. Well, almost every type. I still don't love sours, and probably never will.
 
I was in my early 20's and had already sworn off Bud and all the other light beers that you find in any quick-mart. At the time my go-to beer was Killians Irish Red. Even then, it was just beer to me. Nothing special about beer.

So there I was, at the Denver International Airport in Co. Waiting for my flight to KY to be home for Christmas. I had a long wait and found myself in the bar. I asked the bartender for a Killians. They didn't have that. I was like, hmm...what is a good beer you recommend? I was served a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Everything I thought I knew about beer changed with the first taste of that. It broke my heart to discover that it wasn't available in Ky at the time.

When I got home I dug up all of my fathers home brewing equipment and started my first attempts at making my own beer. I had everything I needed. Primaries, secondaries, hoses, cans of malt extract, packets of yeast, all of it was there. Exactly like he left it 10-15 years earlier. I started brewing right away. And that experience is a different story.
 
first (") craft i ever had was franziskaner hefe. after that i had some anchor Steam and then a few other imports. guiness was on rotation, oak creek amber, kiltlifter.. i didnt even like ipa's until about 6 years ago.

I was stationed in northern Italy and the first beer to pull me away from the BMC was Franziskaner. Still love that beer, and I'm not a huge hefe fan.
 
I was 14, living in Germany, and drinking Dort. Exports in bars.

I moved back to the US a couple years later, went to a party, and said, "This is what you think beer is?"
 
Sam Adams Boston Lager. I used to wait for my brother to come home from college on a Friday night with a 6'er.

Needless to say we've both moved on to bigger and better beers but Sam will always have a place in my fridge...(if there's room).
 
Oh gosh - if you ever read Rushing The Growler you would know of Buffalo 's history (and western New York's) with literally hundreds of small scale breweries scattered about the town and catering to ethnic populations - German beers, Irish beers, Polish beers. When we were kids Kochs (cooks) still made Deer Run Ale and Simon Pure made Old Abbey Ale. As fifteen year olds we were made aware from what we snagged from the Dads and neighbors that pale ale trumped light lager in taste, body and kick. Then when we crossed the border (a few years older then) we could get Charrington Toby Ale, Carling Red Cap, O'Keefe Ale and a few others. All those beers are gone now. The small WNY breweries are gone and Molson, Carling and O'Keefe are all part of either Miller Coors or ambev. I've spilled many light lagers down my shirt, but I've preferred heartier ales from an early age.
 
Sculpin, Pliny, Stone all got me going. Still have not mastered the clean IPA I am looking for but all have been very drinkable.
 
I was in my early 20's and had already sworn off Bud and all the other light beers that you find in any quick-mart. At the time my go-to beer was Killians Irish Red. Even then, it was just beer to me. Nothing special about beer.

So there I was, at the Denver International Airport in Co. Waiting for my flight to KY to be home for Christmas. I had a long wait and found myself in the bar. I asked the bartender for a Killians. They didn't have that. I was like, hmm...what is a good beer you recommend? I was served a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Everything I thought I knew about beer changed with the first taste of that. It broke my heart to discover that it wasn't available in Ky at the time.

When I got home I dug up all of my fathers home brewing equipment and started my first attempts at making my own beer. I had everything I needed. Primaries, secondaries, hoses, cans of malt extract, packets of yeast, all of it was there. Exactly like he left it 10-15 years earlier. I started brewing right away. And that experience is a different story.

So how did that 10+ year old malt extract and yeast work out?
 
Guinness. My step dad usually drank Busch tallboys or something similar-lack of money, not lack of taste! On special occasions (or when we had a few extra bucks) there'd be Guinness. I got my first taste around 8 or 9 and when I grew up that was what I preferred to drink for years. I turned my alcoholic Olympia Gold Light swilling plumbing boss on to it when I was 18-he could start drinking Oly at 8am but one Big Bopper of Guinness Extra would knock him on his old grumpy ass! Still puts a smile on my face when I pour a pint and it is my go to session beer when hanging out with old friends. Slainte!

Lived in Texas for 22 years and I love Shiner & anything made by Real Ale (the brewery was about 20 minutes from my house). Oddly enough Lone Star is the only BMC type beer I can stand...the National beer of Texas-to drink anything else is treason!
 
So how did that 10+ year old malt extract and yeast work out?

It was beyond terrible. What is amazing is that the yeast did ferment. The old yellowed crumbling hops didn't add much of anything as far as flavor. There was a strong pronounced metal taste that would fill your mouth. The best mouthwash available would not make it go away. It didn't help that I knew nothing about fermentation temps. It fermented at 80F+ and instead of bottling with priming sugar, I waited until I felt the fermentation was "almost done", and bottled then. I didn't use brown bottles and allowed it to age in place that got full sunlight for 8 hours a day.

Looking back on it, I could not have made a worse beer if I made every effort to do everything wrong. I laugh about it now. It really is the stuff of comedy.
 
I never drank BMC. I started off drinking hard liquor. Then as soon as I turned 21 and could buy my own alcohol I started buying bombers. I'd walk to the liquor store after work and buy a bomber, usually in the 10 percent alcohol range. My favorites were 3 by Avery: The Reverend (Belgian Quad), Salvation (another Belgian), and Hog Heaven (barleywine). A few others I drank a lot were Decadent Imperial IPA and Ten Pin Imperial Porter by Ska, and if I wanted to take it easy I had an Arrogant Bastard. Even when I went to parties and everyone would be drinking their piss beer out of red Solo cups or shotgunning cans of Keytone light or whatever, I'd bring my own bombers or booze. I always hated that type of beer for some reason. I never understood why if they just wanted to get drunk they didn't just drink vodka. It's so much easier.

Anyway...

I don't remember the exact moment when I had my first craft beer or what inspired me to go that direction. I'd had a few 40 oz's before, so I think a high strength bomber just seemed like a better, more condensed, easier to drink version of that. I'd like to think I just always had great taste, but I think at first it was just a convenient size package and just the right amount of alcohol to get a nice buzz quickly and pleasantly. But that's how I developed my love of beer.
 
The first time when i realised there is diversity in the beer world too is when i first tasted an Edelweiss hefe. Later i checked out the only craft beer shop in the country where i bought a La Chouffe, Anchor Liberty Ale and GD Titan IPA. Titan tasted overly bitter to me at that time to the point i had to force drinking it but i liked the other two, especially the smell of Liberty Ale.
 
Blue moon was my first foray into beers other than bmc. After that tried Michelob amber bock and thought it was pretty d*mn good. Joined the army and was immediately stationed at ft bliss el Paso Texas. Kept hearing about shiner bock and eventually wandered if it was as good or better than the Michelob. My eyes and taste buds were awakened. Its been all down hill from there. Have the occasional bud or natural light when around others and its free but otherwise my moneys on craft beer.
 
Like many of you I started out swilling Miller, Bud, whatever was available. Took a nice 7 year tour in the AF right out of high school which got me out of the Boston area. I do remember having a cream ale while station in Wyoming, but for the life of me I can't remember the name. Heineken was at that point in my life considered "high brow" and I'm sure that's because that was my dad's beer of choice. Had plenty of Molsons, Lowenbrau and St Pauli Girls too. I can remember a case of molson golden ale in my trunk on high school graduation. None of this really clued me into a world beyond the mass brewed corporate beers.

About 25 years ago, as I was on my second date with my wife, I took her to Tuscarora Mill restaurant in Leesburg VA. We were trying to impress one another, trying to act like we had a clue about fine dining. We sat at the bar and were introduced to Tupper's Hop Pocket Ale, an ale by a brand new craft brewery called Old Dominion. Tuskies built a nice little relationship with OD where they had a lager brewed for them, and Tuskies got to try out experimental batches. That night we were told that this was the first keg of Hop Pocket ale they had gotten and were asked our opinion. Whoa...blown away would be an understatement. I had never had an overly hopped ale before, at least not that I can remember.

Tuskies became something of a regular stop for us, we even bought a house together less than a mile away (stumbling distance we would often say). At Tuskies we were introduced to Anderson Valley brews, Anchor, and lots and lots of others that I can't quite remember now. But it was that night, and that particular IPA that set the hook for me.

Cool thread, thanks for letting me revisit that for a moment. :mug:
 
My hometown brewery - Ellicottville Brewing Company - has brewed an Oatmeal Stout for many years. It rivals anything from Left Hand to Guinness, and since I've known/drank with the brewmaster for many years, I started to think to myself, "Huh, I bet I could make that."

Unfortunately, I have yet to make a stout taste that good :)
 
Mine was vanilla java porter by atwater brewery here in Detroit. I always was a blue moon fan or coors light and one day I seen it on an end cap at a grocery store and thought "no way could a beer taste good that has coffee and vanilla in it" boy was I wrong.
 
I liked Bass and Harp for as long as I can remember, but I always blame Palmetto's Amber for introducing me to the American Craft Brewing industry.

http://www.palmettobrewery.com/beer/#amber-ale

I was at the Southeastern conference for the Geological Society of America at the College of Charleston. Eating at Hyman's seafood restaurant, I wanted to drink local. Palmetto's Amber was on the menu. I haven't had one since, but it had done it's damage and I started drinking better stuff. A few years later, TotalWine moved in a few miles away and started selling 12 oz bottles as singles.
 
My beer exploration started at the young age of 19 when I was stationed in Germany. Germany may be well known for its pilsners but there are so many other great beers from there. In December Park Brau would release there Perminator beer which was dark and high in alcohol...what a great beer.

While I was stationed there I never made it to the October fest because every time we set out to go there we always stopped at the local feasts along the way and met many very nice people who would welcome you into their community an serve you some of the best beer that I could remember.

Through the years I have been able to drink many good American craft beers. I used to live in New England where there were some very good craft brewers. One of my favorites was the Nut Field Brewery in Derry, NH. Too bad the owner suffered a life changing event and the brewery eventually closed.

About seven years ago I moved to Florida and had to start home brewing again because it was a rare find to even find a Sam Adams in the local beer store. Today however the craft boom has hit Florida and we are truly happy.

That is my story! Cheers!
 
Living in the Tip of the Mitt, we had access to BMC and whatever someone brought from downstate or made themselves. One day a local pizza/convenience joint started to carry all kinds of "wierd" beer. I scoffed at first, stating it was more stuff like my dad made and I was happy with Bud. Then a bottle caught my eye, it had some mad Scottish dude on it. It was Dirty Bastard from Founders. I bought them, drank up, and the rest is history. Now I live less than 2 miles from their new upgraded brewery. I still love the brews there.......
 
Used to drink Pabst as a poor pseudo punk rocker. Grew up (mostly) found the glory of craft beer in brands like Deschutes, Sam Adams, and a couple local brewhouses. Never looked back.
 
I love it that someone brewed a 10 year old kit! :mug:

Dixie was my first ever beer. Regular Budweiser was next. MGD was our go to. At the same time though, we'd buy any beer in a cool looking bottle or which had a catchy name. Or sometimes Abita.

I credit Shiner for really pulling me in. We moved to Texas and saw Shiner everywhere. Had to try it. From there, it's been nearly all craft beer.

I do still like an MGD, Budweiser, Budweiser American Ale or Ziegenbock. And PBR. You heard me.

It was my neighbor who got me into home brew. "Here. Drink this."
 
Drank a lot of imports back in the '70s. That was about all there was to "craft" beer at the time. Beck's, Heineken, St. Pauli Girl, Löwenbrau, Guinness, Bass, Asahi, etc. There was a local pub that had a very good selection of bottled import beers. They had an "around the world" thing where, if you drank a beer from each of 12 countries in one night, you got a t-shirt. I earned mine one night. Mind you, this was long before binge drinking started getting bad press. Wearing one of those t-shirts was a sign that you were a raging drunk with some disposable income. ;)
 
Guiness, Sierra Nevada pale ale, sam Adams Boston lager. Of course I couldn't afford real beer till after college.
 
I had always been fascinated with the brewing of beer, but I also only thought of Bud and Miller light when I wanted to drink a few. I always would drink Bud if I had my choice. About 4 years ago we were on vacation in Gatlinburg TN, and decided to check out the Smoky Mt. Brewery (they have great burgers and pizza there, too), and I had their Cherokee Red Ale. I didn't like it at first, but for several days afterward, I kept thinking about that beer. It led me to try Sierra Nevada PA, a few Sam Adams varieties, and numerous other craft type beers. Now every time we go to Gatlinburg, I get at least 1 growler of red ale.
 
Sam Adams BL, and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.

I remember the first time i had a BL I was 19 and attempted to use a fake ID at a bar. The bartender called me on it, I kept my cool, they said they were going to check into it, and came back and said sorry you're beer will be right up! Whew. I was a fan from the first sip.

About a year later a Costco in central California was selling cases of SNPA for $20 (long time ago) so I bought it. Wow that was pure f'in malty hop juice and I could barely get through the first one. By the end of the case I was hooked though. Tastes like bud light to me now though.

I bought a 4 pack of DFH 90 minute a few weeks ago and I couldn't taste much either. Home brewing has distorted my palette!
 
Although I come from Chico, my first craft beer, although a Sierra Nevada pale, was at Sticky Fingerz in Little Rock, Arkansas. I thought if I tried something a step up from the Bud, Coors, and Miller friends had tried to get me drinking I might actually start to like beer. Nope*.

A year or so later, while in Michigan, I determined to get into beer, so naturally I started drinking LaBatt Blue, since it was the beer in the house at the time. Although I didn't like it, I found that after pushing through a can at a time over the first week or two, I could at least stomach some beer. From there, I had a couple black and tans that were the first beers I actually enjoyed. A few months later, again in Little Rock, I decided to try my second craft beer at the Flying Saucer. Again going for the hometown flavor, I got a snifter of Bigfoot on draft, and the rest is history.

*Once I actually learned to enjoy beer, I quickly realized that SNPA is quite good, albeit a bit on the pedestrian side for my tastes.
 
For me, I think it was some of the Pete's Wicked Ale's. I remember really liking Pete's Wicked Strawberry Blonde, and that being kind of the main one after Rolling Rock being my regular beer.

Funny thing though, how your tastes really change over time. Back then, I used to really hate beers with any distinguishable hop presence (hence the Pete's Strawberry) but now I am really starting to love beers with lots of hops.

About 5 years ago, I saw some Strawberry Blonde on the shelf at a store. I was stoked, since I really hadn't seen it in a long time. Bought some for nostalgic reasons, and I found it to be overly sweet, and I couldn't even drink the whole six pack.
 
For me, I think it was some of the Pete's Wicked Ale's. I remember really liking Pete's Wicked Strawberry Blonde, and that being kind of the main one after Rolling Rock being my regular beer.

Funny thing though, how your tastes really change over time. Back then, I used to really hate beers with any distinguishable hop presence (hence the Pete's Strawberry) but now I am really starting to love beers with lots of hops.

About 5 years ago, I saw some Strawberry Blonde on the shelf at a store. I was stoked, since I really hadn't seen it in a long time. Bought some for nostalgic reasons, and I found it to be overly sweet, and I couldn't even drink the whole six pack.

OMG, Pete's Wicked Ale - I had totally forgotten about that beer. Back in the early days when I only bought beer at the grocery store, and their craft beer selection was highly limited, that one was in my fridge along with Shiner Bock and Bud light.

Glad everyone is enjoying this. Keep those stories coming!
 
In a funny way, for me the beer is Blue Moon. When I turned 21 I didn't have a taste for any beers. In the past I couldn't ever finish a can of Coors or Bud, I just didn't know anything about beer and thought those were pretty representative of the whole beer market. This was only a few years ago but I didn't even know about the craft market.

I was over at a friends house and he picked up a case of blue moon for us to drink while we were hanging out. I was surprised it tasted pretty good and it was the only bottle I had managed to finish drinking. Blue Moon became my first drinking beer, I enjoyed it a lot. After that I started checking out other types of beers and quickly developed a fondness for IPA's and Hefe's. Everything just kept going from there. These days I like pretty much any style, and I even still like an occasional Blue Moon.

Edit: Oh ya! Spaten Oktoberfest and Spaten Optimator were also really big in garnering my interest in different beers. There is a german pub a little whiles away that has Optimator on tap. Sooooo good.
 
Gateway to craft for me was actually Sam Adams cherry wheat and Newcastle brown ale. And my wife's uncle always bought smuttynose.
 
Hangar 24 Pale Ale was my first actual craft beer....but craftish would be Sam Adams BL.

chillin on my throne
 
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