

What's your Beer Strategy?

Discussion in 'Beer Talk' started by mcaulifww, Jan 14, 2013.

  1. taxman

    taxman Member

    Quality over quantity!
    Bitter_Echo, frazbri and cjoc83 like this.
  2. cjoc83

    cjoc83 Member

    I don't really go in with a 'strategy' per say, but I usually get a six-pack or 4-pack and one or 2 bombers. Sometimes I'll get stuff I've had before, the ye old faithfuls, but more often than not I like to get at least one thing I've never tried. For instance, my last purchase was a 4-pack of 2013 Bigfoot, which I've had before, but my local shop just started carrying more Goose Island brews, and they had bombers of Sophie, Night Stalker and Big John, none of which I've tried before, so I grabbed a Big John. Pretty psyched to try that stuff!
  3. Thirstygoat

    Thirstygoat Member

    1) Get rid of the damn cold so I can enjoy what I drink more.
    2) Thin out the fridge
    3) Refill the fridge with stuff in the basement that ought to be drank sooner rather than later.
    4) Repeat #2
    5) Generally only buy stuff I intend to cellar ( or drink immediately), especially Quads, and a few barleywines & stouts until my last bottle of DIPA with several months on it is gone from the cellar.
    6) Not to hoard stuff than shouldn't be aged long just because its very good, and might not be available next month.
    In other words probably only buy 6 Hopslam this year. And if I'm at the store determined to spend leave with more St Bernardus 12 or FIS and less Artic Panzer Wolf.
    mcaulifww likes this.
  4. willbm3

    willbm3 Member

    The only 'strategy' I have is to try new beers. Every time I walk into the store I'm looking to buy something I haven't had before. If it's a 'whale' or seasonal, great. If it's a run of the mill beer that I haven't tried yet, great. I tend to buy a 6 pack and a bomber or two, or two 6 packs. However, if there's a bunch of new stuff that interests me I will certainly binge to make sure I can get my hands on it before it's gone. I typically don't consider price unless it borders the absurd...for example, ~$14+ for a bomber or ~$14+ for a 4/6 pack. That's the point when I consider whether it is actually worth it. Often times I'll be happier with the $9 6 pack of SNPA or the $8 bomber of Arrogant Bastard
  5. sarcastro

    sarcastro Member

    My beer strategy is to drink beer I like and not over think it.
    Sludgeman likes this.
  6. GR_Rick

    GR_Rick Member

    This. Minus the whales. Mostly the little fishys for me :)
    ESeab likes this.
  7. frazbri

    frazbri Member

    I don't trade.
    I haven't been to any release parties in the last few years.
    I don't go crazy searching for every new hyped beer I can find.
    I will buy Hopslam and Nugget Nectar this week, if I can.
    If I can't find them, I'll be a little disappointed, but I'll just drink something else.
    In the end it's just beer.
    5thOhio, LarryAppleton and Gregfalone like this.
  8. Gregfalone

    Gregfalone Member

    My strategy is as follows; If there is a beer I am interested in trying, and I see it at a store, I will buy it, so long as I have enough cash in my pocket. I don't like using my debit card for beer. So far the only beer I have seen, wanted, and did not buy, was Utopias. $240 a bottle is a little steep. If I had $500 in pocket I probably would have splurged.

    My curiosity can get the best of me sometimes.
    frazbri likes this.
  9. 2beerdogs

    2beerdogs Member

    I wish I had your discipline.;)
  10. Hamburgers

    Hamburgers Member

    I drink what my mouth tells me to drink. Sometimes it wants something sour, sometimes it wants something sweet, bitter, heavy, light, etc. So depending on that I either have to spend the money or go cellar diving. I don't mind either way. Just as long as I don't have to drink Bud Light.
  11. barleywinefiend

    barleywinefiend Member

  12. draheim

    draheim Member

    Says who?
  13. Hermthegerm

    Hermthegerm Member

    I go to the grocery store for milk and come back with $250 worth of beer
    tectactoe likes this.
  14. Bitter_Echo

    Bitter_Echo Member

    Varies, I suppose too, but usually paying attention to the following variables it seems: nothing too expensive and but bombers are fun and such, as long as they don't run up too much coin and conform to the relation, good bombers=good fun; that they are something I'm motivated to try or have a reason to try or I'm just curious to try; that what I buy enhance, and not detract from what's in the fridge there already, waiting for me; and last, if freshness counts for a species of brew, then freshness counts!
  15. Thickfreakness

    Thickfreakness Member

    New York
    Recently a bar near me had GI BCBS on tap at $13/12oz pour. I had two and went home satisfied that I finally had my favorite stout on tap after all these years of drinking it out of a bottle. I told some friends about it, they thought I was CRAZY!!! $26 for two beers? I asked what they did that weekend. They went out and each had like 4 beers. I asked what kind and how much. Coors Light for both... $4 each... I told them that I got the better deal! They started laughing... two beers, $26!!! I explained that my brew was 15% abv and tasty as hell! Each of my brews was equal to 3 of the crap they drank, and worth sitting around and sipping on for hours! Each one of them spent $4 more than I did per abv, and probably didn't even enjoy one sip! Winning!!!
    5thOhio likes this.
  16. teal

    teal Member

    I don't really have one. I wander the aisle and pick up things that look interesting in whatever style I'm interested in for that day. If it's by a brewery I've not connected with in the past, I skip over it. If it's someone I've liked in other styles - I buy.
  17. juliusseizure

    juliusseizure Member

    New York
    Some people are insinuating that anyone spending too much on beer is a chump. Well "spending more" is a relative term. When I was unemployed, i drank $3.99 bombers of Hop Stoopid, $4.59 bombers of Hop Henge and spent happy hours at Block 15 ($3 pints. Yes, please!).

    But, now I can afford to spend more. A lot more. And I do. I have been spending more on shipping in a month for beer trades than my entire monthly beer budget used to be. Although, I'm getting to the point where I'm gradually reducing the spending, passed on the opportunity to buy Eclipse variants online, something I wouldn't have done a year ago or even 6 months ago.

    Now, if you can't afford it, and you spend it: CHUMP.
  18. cavedave

    cavedave Member

    New York
    Get fine beer
    Enjoy fine beer
    Become someone artistically and intrinsically joyful.

    Can't recommend this strategy for everyone, but it's always worked for me.
  19. TinCup69

    TinCup69 Member

    West Virginia
    I used to chase whales until I realized that nobody wanted what I had to offer. Now I enjoy trading for easily attainable beers/locals. If I come upon a whale so be it but I don't hunt for them anymore. I used to think Sierra Nevada wasn't any good because I saw it everywhere so I always passed on it, boy was I dumb. I probably drink more SN then anything now.
  20. flayedandskinned

    flayedandskinned Member

    If your want for a beer warrants what you have to pay for said beer, buy it. People pay 18+ bucks for bottles of shitty wine everyday at my job.
  21. MacNCheese

    MacNCheese Member

    Flanking moves under the cover of heavy artilery to set up a position to win.

    Take no prisoners as then they'll want beer and you'll have to pay for that too.
    MikeWard and loafinaround like this.
  22. TWStandley

    TWStandley Member

    Been trying to find the words to justify my hobby (not that I really should need to justify my hobby), but thanks for this.
    Hanzo likes this.
  23. Vonerichs

    Vonerichs Member

    My strategy is I see it, I buy it, I hide it from my wife.
  24. Ri0

    Ri0 Member

    I go to the beer shop, stare at everything I wish I could by for a good 20-30 minutes and then finally buy something new or something I have had before and really want again. It is a struggle Every. Single. Time.
    Sludgeman and TWStandley like this.
  25. UCLABrewN84

    UCLABrewN84 Member

    Singles. To try more beers and not be stuck with more of them if I hate it.
    mrcraft and Zach136 like this.
  26. lewdwig

    lewdwig Member

    Trying to alternate between Short's Soft Parade and Pandemonium with trips to Greenbush for mug club night...but bought Founders' Bolt Cutter, Dogfish Head 120 and a sixer of Bells' Hopslam.
  27. hopsputin

    hopsputin Member

    Yep, same. As an amateur ticker, my view is: standard6 pack < bomber < mix 6er
  28. Genuine

    Genuine Member

    Usually when I go into the store, I like to pick up 2 different 6 packs - I like being stocked up and having variety. What I feel like having with depend heavily on the weather and the mood I'm in. If it's going to be a pretty cold night, I crave barleywines and Imperial stouts more. When spring comes around, I thought SN Glissade was the perfect pairing for the season. There's also some seasonal bombers that I'll get. For example - Berkshire Brewing Cabin Fever Ale I'll purchase at the tail end of winter and I'm waiting for the next cold evening to have ST Backburner Barleywine. The 4 pack of Bourbon County stouts have been staring at me, however I can't get myself to spend $24 on a 4 pack when I could get Bigfoot and some IPA for the same price. Tough Decisions.
  29. Eastside151

    Eastside151 Member

    I keep a short list of wants that I will look for when I got shopping. Generally I just look for something new to try, usually keeping along to lines;
    A. If I find a brewer I like I will drink through their lineup to sample all their offerings or
    B. I will buy along the same style to restock my beer fridge with like beers.
    Pretty simple for me, I enjoy the hunt for the next great tasting beer.
  30. jzeilinger

    jzeilinger Member

    Taking that definition into consideration my strategy will be the equivalent of "pillaging, plundering, and go forth and conquer" as long as my pocket book holds out.
  31. loafinaround

    loafinaround Member

    New York
    Ha, replace wife with husband, and you've described me perfectly.
  32. loony4lambic

    loony4lambic Member

    Im pretty stupid with my spending habits. I use to buy as much good beer as possible. Now I buy maybe 3 $12-$27 bottles, between that and my cellar I have 1 commercial brew, 1 homebrew, and a few shots of moonshine a day. Guess its better for my health that I drink less though
  33. Horseballs

    Horseballs Member

    I brew my "every day beers" and have enough bottles of homebrew and kegs of homebrew to be content. This means when I am at my bottle shop I am looking for seasonals I like, cellarable beers I like and generally more expensive bottles than if I were stocking my fridge for every day drinking. That said, I'll try everything at least once. I don't necessarily neglect year rounders.
  34. Zach136

    Zach136 Member

    Started drinking beer about 5 months ago or so. Got an idea for what I do and don't like then started tracking down beers of fame available in my area. I've got just about all of them plus a few Out of Market from trading.

    My income as a student isn't super consistent, I made the money to support that habit last semester, this one not so much. So now I'm getting into homebrew (got an AG set up and ~6 gallons of my first two batches fermenting right now) and only chasing down seasonal releases that are new to me, and drinking good stuff I can buy by the 12 pack for a reasonable price (Sierra Nevada Pale Ale at the moment).

    Hopefully after graduation I'll be able to afford getting more stuff that's closer to the "Whale" category, but I don't think I'll ever be into selling first borns and doing +$100 box trades.
  35. devlishdamsel

    devlishdamsel Member

    I always look at it this way. Stock up on quality. Invite company over. BLOW THEM AWAY. Never fails. I can't even imagine when the day comes that ill regularly have whales around ( and oh its coming!). Beer is no fun without people to share it with ( and impress)!
    mrcraft likes this.
  36. mrcraft

    mrcraft Member

    I'm fairly new to the craft beer world. Last year, I randomly picked up a beer which I thought had a cool label on it called Pliny the Elder at Tom's Farms in Corona. Mind you, before this I really didn't like beer at all. When I took my first sip, I said to myself, "Whoa, this is different." I think I've been hooked ever since. I've been doing a lot of research, yada, yada, but noticed my strategy changing, mainly to conserve money because I don't have a money tree growing in my backyard. It can get out of hand rather quickly.

    I started by buying 4/6 packs of everything because I didn't know any better, then got smarter and started to buy bombers, then got even smarter and found places that sell singles. I can try lots of different beers/styles from different breweries to help develop my palate and determine what I really enjoy. I now get singles when I can, bombers when singles are not made available, but rarely buy 4/6 packs anymore. Also, I'm not really chasing whales at this point, but I have found some really nice surprises along the way. It's cool when they fall in your lap when you're not even trying. I have a list (an extensive one combining two BA lists and one RB list), but I have mainly been buying quality year-rounds and seasonal stuff. I figure this will be a life-long endeavor, so I plan to take my sweet time trying and, hopefully, enjoying all beers on my list.
  37. Beerz

    Beerz Member

    When dealing with replacing the kegs, I usually have a DIPA; a Belgium or Belgium-Style IPA and then something more flavorful, or seasonal, for the 3rd - West Coast IPA to Ol' Rasputin to ABT 12. When I'm out for bottles I look for fresh IPA's, usually doubles, but usually end up coming home with $50-$150 worth of delicious crafts from the states, a few 16.9's from Germany and some 750's from Belgium.
  38. jesskidden

    jesskidden Member

    New Jersey
    When I posted the above in this thread, it had a "poll" in which every choice was prefaced with something to the effect of "You only buy..." and none of those fit my buying habits.

    I buy beer based on those that I like to drink or new beers I'm interested in trying, based on brewer, style, etc., rather than based only on its rarity or availability. I wouldn't particularly even call it a "strategy" - just my "beer buying habits".
    dennis3951 likes this.
  39. fx20736

    fx20736 Member

    New York
    My strategy?

    keep weekly spending at $ 50 or less
    buy most, almost all my beer from Beers of the World
    make sure I always have 2 cases worth of bottles in the house at all times
    make sure there is Fuller's London pride in the beer fridge at all times
    keep a variety of Porters, Stouts, Dopplebocks, Dubbels, Tripels, Quads and BSDAs on hand in Winter
    keep a variety of Pilseners, Hefes & Kolsches on hand in Summer
    make sure there is Oktoberfest/ Marzen on hand from Sept 21st to Halloween
    drink 3 - 4 beers each weeknight
    drink 6-8 bottles on Saturday, same on Sunday.

    the only exception to this Strategy is for December 16th - December 23rd which is Belgian Beer week for me and December 24th - Jan 5th which is Winter Warmers, Old Ales, Strong Ales, Russian Imperial Stouts, etc. For these three weeks I spend considerably more than $ 50/ week.
  40. RyanBeer13

    RyanBeer13 Member

    Tick everything
    UCLABrewN84 likes this.

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