What was your Gatewaybeer to craft beer?

[TxBigHops]

My first duty station was in England in the late 90's. Shortly after I arrived there, some of the guys took me to a Belgian themed pub in Cambridge called the Hogshead and introduced me many English and Belgian beers one of which was Hoegaarden. I swear the stuff was magical back then and they must have changed the recipe. It had its own glorious tower, separate from all the others. I even ended up working at that pub part part time for a few months. When I started, I had to watch a training video specifically about how to pour a perfect pint of Hoegaarden.

Now, it doesn't taste anything like I remember it. I rarely, if ever drink that or any Belgian Wit. Still, I'm TimmyWit on HBT since she was my first.

Great story! Thanks for sharing. If you want my opinion, I don't think it's the recipe that has changed. (I think its a couple hundred years old!) It's your expanded tasting experiences. I have found the exact same thing to have happened. I mentioned Salvator in the OP. When I first tried it it seemed to be the nectar of the Gods. But I hadn't bought it in several years, and during that time I discovered many various styles that I had not tried before tasting Salvator, like sours, and imperial stouts, and I also became obsessed with anything and everything hoppy. So a few months ago I grabbed a sixer of Salvator, and surprisingly, was somewhat disappointed when I drank one. Still a very good dopplebock, but due to the evolution of my tastes, no longer anywhere close to a top 5 or 10 beer ever. In fact, a local micro brewery serves a dopplebock that I think is better!

 

[fun4stuff]

For me it was the Belgian triples and strong always. The firsts were La Fin Du Monde (unibroue), Don De Dieu (unibroue), and final absolution (dragon mead- lived right down the road from them). A final absolution clone was the first beer I brewed..... Followed by LA fin du Monde. I was hooked!

 

[Tknishi]

Deschutes Mirror Pond. A Deschutes tin tacker hangs in my man cave because it got me started into craft brew and eventually into this hobby.

 

[Velnerj]

I love beer but always knew that fizzy yellow beer from BMC wasn't very good. My first beer ever was a New Castle Brown ale and I've loved beer ever since. I'd always be eager to try different kinds of beer whenever I'd dip into to pubs or the liquor store. Leinenkugels was a favorite for a long time.

Then I moved to the Czech Republic. Let me tell you I learned a lot about what beer is supposed to taste like. Pilsner urquell is fantastic here and I also really dig Kozel.

But it wasn't until I tried boucanneir red ale (Belgian) that I realized beer could have so much flavor. The craft beer scene started to explode in CZ and shortly after that I got into home brewing.

 

[StonesBally]

I used to wprk as a cook at Grizzly Peak, a local Ann Arbor brew pub. Our head brewer was Ron Jeffries, who went on to start Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales. His sours are world famous now, but back then he made a hell of a variety of everything else. Shift beers at the end of the night got me started drinking craft beer and also a wider variety of styles than a 1.50 pitcher of Coors Light or 9.99 30 pack of High Life.

 

[cmac62]

When I was a yute, I drank a lot of Hini and other non BMC beers (ie Moosehead, Anchor steam), but then it got out of control and I quit for 30+ years. About 4 years ago at Christmas time there were a few Blue Moons in the fridge and I decided I really missed beer and I cracked the first beer in a looong time. After that the the top was off and I tried everything. I distinctly remember my first Arrogant Bastard, and thinking OMG this is awful. I had a good laugh when reading the "you are not worthy" write up on the label. The next aha moment was a bomber of Shallow Grave by Heretic Brewing, this was an explosion of flavor, malt, hops, sweet, a little bitter (wow). I have tried both of these since and the taste buds are far more used to these flavors and I actually enjoy AB and SG no longer is a wow. Still a great beer. My brother had been brewing beer for a long time so when I got back into beer I decided to stop by my local HBS and the owner agreed to teach me how to brew. That was about three years ago and have been brewing and drinking good/great beer ever since. Rock/brew on

 

[deadwolfbones]

For me it was Spaten Optimator. Still love it, too.

 

[troglodytes]

For me it was the Belgian triples and strong always. The firsts were La Fin Du Monde (unibroue), Don De Dieu (unibroue), and final absolution (dragon mead- lived right down the road from them). A final absolution clone was the first beer I brewed..... Followed by LA fin du Monde. I was hooked!

Fin Du Monde and Don De Dieu were my first two top notch craft beers as well. Prior to the craft beer boom I had a friend in college. HE was one of those guys that loved all things craft/arthouse. His taste in film, music and food were impeccable looking back now and well beyond what anyone else in college was doing. I learned that his suggestions usually beared weight and noticed that every time he came over he would always bring his own bottle of something instead of the swill the rest of us would drink. He introduced me to Unibroue and although at first I didn't want to drink an entire bottle of the stuff, it was my first intro to really tasting beer. Since then I ramped into getting to know beer slowly on my own and man am I glad I did.

 

[r4dyce]

Harpoon UFO White at some kinda trashy bar in Boston. I was 21 at the time and had never seen or tasted anything like it. Not too proud to admit I ordered it because of the crazy tap handle lol. Harpoon ipa deserves a mention too. After that there are just too many good beer bars in and around Boston that drinking craft beer is the default, it's unusual to drink a macro.

 

[kristiismean]

Flying dog doggy style...

 

[Desert_Sky]

Fat Tire a very long time ago. Had a buddy drive up to Colorado like in 2000 maybe. He came back with a couple cases of the stuff and I was hooked ever since

 

[r4dyce]

Fat Tire a very long time ago. Had a buddy drive up to Colorado like in 2000 maybe. He came back with a couple cases of the stuff and I was hooked ever since

It's a good one. My brother lived in Ft Collins for a long time, fell in love with New Belgium. I was super excited when they started distribution here this past year (Massachusetts).

 

[beernutz]

Heineken Dark. In 1977. I remember being on spring break in Florida when I turned 18 and drove around 20 miles to find a store that carried it because I thought it was exotic.

 

[WestMichBrewer]

Heineken Dark. In 1977. I remember being on spring break in Florida when I turned 18 and drove around 20 miles to find a store that carried it because I thought it was exotic.

I love that stuff but can never find it!

 

[bracconiere]

My mom got me a Mr Beer(type) kit when i was 17-18. Wasn't really a gateway to craft beer though, because now i make all my own and only 'buy' alcohol every few years when i get bored. and want to make sure they know i drink on the radar.

 

[OG-wan Kenobi]

Stone Arrogant Bastard I went in to get Heineken the name caught my eye the description telling me I was not worthy sold me on I had to try it, I realized I never had a good beer in my life at that point I was woke at first sip

 

[greywolf]

While I have always leaned away from the macro brews and toward something with flavor, It was always something you could get at the rural stores surrounding me. My first real exposure was thru Four Hands Divided sky Rye IPA> So much flavor, So not like macro beer. OMG. This was BEER. Then I found Urban Chestnut and their german styled brews. This lead to an endless search for real beer and ultimately to brewing my own. Now I brew beers as good or better than the ones that inspired me. Stay off off the popular path and look for those regional brewers that are doing what they love. Its not about the business, its about the craft.

 

[PCABrewing]

Stay off off the popular path and look for those regional brewers that are doing what they love. Its not about the business, its about the craft.

One of the best things about travel is the opportunity to sample local brews.

 

[wepeeler]

Long Trail Ale
Harp
Guiness
Sam Adams Boston Lager

BUT...started with Bud Light at quarter night Happy Hour. Got sick many times lol.

 

[Dland]

My gateway to craft beer? Trying to find something as good and fresh as my homebrew, the few times the pipeline dried up or needed more conditioning.

Just kidding, sort of..and it depends on how one defines craft beer. Anyway..

{; wow it's Monday already, and i was kind of bummed this morning when the clocks did not kick back, like they used to do after "all hallows eve".

Not that I approve of ''daylight savings'' mind you, am only in favor of setting clocks back...

 

[RufusBrewer]

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was the first beer that stood out and made me think, "Wow. This is something new, different and tasty."

 

[DBhomebrew]

Otter Creek Stovepipe Porter, Saranac mixed 12-packs, Lake Placid Ubu Ale.

 

[Knightshade]

I hit my pre-adolescent years hitting liquor. That was my comfort spot after coming of age as well. With my first “real” job in a corporate environment there were many HH events at a very (still, and one of the original craft birthers in the area) well established restaurant/brewery. Everybody else drank beer so…I went through their offerings and could only just kind of get by (stomach) their Red Ale ( which I can now appreciate due to its malty and toffee character) I was convinced that I just was Not a beer person.

My wife and I were at the Yard House (national chain, ridiculous # of taps at each location) for a random employee +spouse dinner with the same company. She suggested that I try a Guinness, because she liked them.

Game Over!!

I think that was almost 20 years ago? Yeesh.

 

[RyPA]

I tried a Victory Hop Devil at a Phillies game back in 2008-2010, and since then the craft beer section (now isle(s)) began getting my business.

 

[madscientist451]

The short answer is I really can't remember when the first "craft" beer I had. Back in the day, just about everything was large industrial production.
A small bar in my college town used to have $1 import nights, (oh yeah this was a long time ago) and they had a pretty good selection.
I thought I was being cool drinking Lowenbrau dark, and St Pauli Girl Dark but a girl I know got me drinking Carslburg Elephant Malt, which of course got me totally wasted. Then I had to try everything they had and gravitated towards Bass ale, Newcastle brown ale and Samuel Smith's. None of those are craft beers, but they were different than the terrible Stroh's beer everyone else was drinking. I sort of remember that Michelob had a dark beer that I'd order at a bar. I can definitely remember buying cases of beer in returnable bottles, but the actual brands I can't remember. We drank whatever was cheap.
Then I found really cheap Genesee bock (like $6 case) while on a ski trip, and a few years later started drinking Pete's wicked ale and finally found Catamount which was a NE small brewery (now closed).

 

[celging]

Yuengling lager and Sam Adams Boston lager, nothing too exciting but I still enjoy them both

 

[Spikybits]

Craft: Cold Smoke by Kettle House in Missoula MT

 

[Jayjay1976]

The road to a single good beer is paved with a thousand bad beers.

 

[Dland]

I'll ask again, what is definition of craft beer? Sam Addams, ?maybe, a very long time ago, Yuenling ?(which is actually a great local lager form PA, but more of a holdover from better times than a craft beer, in my opinion,) ...

Ballantine India pale ale, when it was good, and cost more than regular Ballantine Ale, back in early '80s ? Does that count?

Anchor Steam, Sierra Nevada, Longtrail, never did think of them as craft brew, just the better brews one could drink, but what do I know.

Was off island today and went into a local liqueur store (got to go there for beer in this state), anyway, looking for a craft or even semi craft lager, or even blonde ale, none to be had. Only "craft beer"; super hopped to the point of flowery so called IPAs. Ended up buying an organic sparkling cider, too sweet for me, but my gal liked it.

 

[bracconiere]

I remeber, "Hard Core Cider"...right when i got into brewing, threw some tree top in a glass carboy.... it's that easy.....(i think i already said that though, but last year! and i got 20 gallons of cider right now SOOOOO...)

Ended up buying an organic sparkling cider, too sweet for me, but my gal liked it.

ever since something.....i swear besides Hard Core Cider, they all taste like jolly ranchers...and 'fake'