The "this is beer ?" moment

Like Steve, I'm a long-time lurker, first-time poster.

My first beer epiphany came long before I truly crossed into my current state of beer obsession. It came in the form of Franziskaner, which my sister introduced me to at 21 years of age. My palate wasn't the most developed at the time, so while I couldn't have told you what I was tasting (bananas, cloves, and a hint of bubble gum), I did know I liked it more than any other beer I had tasted before. The mouth-feel, flavors, and the appearance of the beer were all so different from what I was used to: mainly golden lagers from the megabrewers.

But the beer that truly served as the launching pad to my current homebrewing, beer-obsessed, wannabe brewmaster status came 5 years later with a draft serving of Lindeman's Framboise at Rich O's. I love sour consumables, and I never knew that intentionally soured beer existed. That's when I learned what beer was really capable of, and that's when I started trying every different style of beer I could get my hands on.

Baby steps were, when in Wisconsin, New Glarus seasonals and hefeweisen...but for the eye-opening moment, add me to the La Fin Du Monde gateway crowd. It was interesting to go back to it after having stepped into Belgian/Ommegang land, as my appreciation of it was heightened.

The Evolution of a Beer Nerd

High School: Natty Light (my brother's fault)
Freshman and Sophomore year of college: Schlitz and Mickey's big mouths
Junior and Senior year: Watney's Red Barrel, Henry Weinhard's Private Reserve, Sammy Smith Nut Brown.
Post-Grad: Bloomington Brewing Company and Upland beers
Those hazy traveling years: Great Basin Brewery and Sierra Nevada beers
Living in Tennessee: Man that was tough.
Beer epiphanies: Three Philosophers Quadrupel, Samichlaus, Saison DuPont, Boon Kriek

Officially a beer geek: 3 Fonteinen a/o Cantillon Lou Pepe Geuze

Beer Zenith: Lunch with master brewer Rudi Ghequier over a Rodenbach Foederebier

BTW, you can pick up a good selection of craft beer over at State Liquors near the Frankfort Ave. Lexington Rd. fork.

GREAT INPUT EVERYONE
THANKS

Anchor Steam was the beer that got me to quit drinking the "Beast" and such dreck...

Anchor is such a great forward thinking brewing company, Fritz Maytag over at Anchor nearly singlehandedly revived American micro brewing.

he was on the history channel last night (a rerun of the modern marvels on distilling) talking amount his single malt American whiskey. Several micro brewers are playing around with distilling liquors and providing pretty interesting products.

Anchor Steam was the beer that got me to quit drinking the "Beast" and such dreck...

I assume you mean Milwaukee's Best and not Avery Brewing 'The Beast"

Which rates a 93 on Rate Beer

Anchor Steam was the beer that got me to quit drinking the "Beast" and such dreck...

I assume you mean Milwaukee's Best and not Avery Brewing 'The Beast"

Which rates a 93 on Rate Beer

You are correct. I've never had the pleasure of tasting the beer in your link.

You should get one and share it with a friend. Consume no colder than 50 degrees F.

I have had a couple - one more recently.

The first was Trois Pistoles (Unibroue) and Siberian Night (Thirsty Dog) at Maido. It was my first time at the restaurant and I will never forgive them for introducing me to better beers.

More recently it was Ayinger Celebrator. I was stuck in a Belgian rut (not a bad place to be) and tried this. Now I'm hooked on Dopplebocks and Hefeweizens.

As soon as I had a job I got someone to buy Sammy Smith's Imperial Stout and Guiness Extra Stout for me. Sierra Nevada Porter and Stout are the reason I started brewing beer.

enough can not be said about Maido and their beers

Speaking of Avery, I had their Maharaja Imperial IPA on draft last night. It was quite tasty.

That whole series of beers that Avery does with the Maharaja, the Czar and the Kaiser are all delicious. The Maharaja is a personal favorite of mine.

That whole series of beers that Avery does with the Maharaja, the Czar and the Kaiser are all delicious. The Maharaja is a personal favorite of mine.

If I can (legally!) score a keg of Maharaja in the next few weeks, we can have all three on tap at once during Gravity Head.