Trying Weird Beers

Hopcat Turkey Tears

When most people turn 21, they start out drinking the American macros (OK, many of them before they’re of legal age). Some may move on to a limited selection of craft brews, and even some home brews. Few, however, probably move into the realm of trying things that are downright off-the-wall.

As I’ve grown - both in age and as a beer lover - I’ve become more likely to try something new. Though that doesn’t apply just to beer (I was a pretty picky eater as a youngster, now I’ll try just about anything at least once), I’m most interested in it from that perspective. There have been plenty of inspirations for the change, at least from a beer perspective:

  • Homebrew clubs - The Ann Arbor Brewer’s Guild was where I first started trying truly new things. Whether it was a creative adjunct or an extreme style, the first few meetings I went to really started expanding my horizons.

  • Dogfish Head - Yes, I know the brewers from Delaware aren’t the be-all and end-all of creativity in craft brewing, but that doesn’t prevent them from being a huge influence. For example, before watching Brew Masters (flawed though the show may be), I doubt I would have tried a beer that was made from chewed corn.

  • Other Creative Brewers - I’ve had a beer literally brewed with turkey, and one that was designed to be an homage to bacon, even if it wasn’t brewed with any of the savory stuff.

I’ve probably grown to the point where I’d try anything that could be classified as “beer.” Whether it’s to post about on this site, or just for the experience, I’m all about trying new things.

That willingness extends not only to drinking, but to brewing. I probably never would have been willing to brew a chili pepper beer, or have tried to craft a brew that was s’more flavored had it not been for my expanding horizons. Though it’s been quite a while since I’ve brewed (sadly), when I get back into the game, I plan to primarily experiment with off-the-wall ingredients or processes.

I encourage you to branch out, and be creative (even if it’s just in what you choose to drink). There’s a lot of good beer out there, and I can’t drink it all.